Page 87 of The Pack

“And yet, here you are,” I teased, kneeling beside Callum.

Callum dipped the bar of soap into the water, working it between his hands until a rich lather formed. He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against Zara’s shoulder as he began to work the suds into her skin.

She stiffened slightly at the touch, her gaze flicking to his. “You don’t have to?—”

“Let us,” he said softly. “You’ve done enough on your own.”

Her lips parted as if to argue, but she let out a shaky breath and nodded.

Callum’s hands moved with gentle precision, his fingers gliding over her arms, her shoulders, the curve of her neck, over her pretty pink nipples. The soap left a trail of shimmering bubbles in its wake, the firelight reflecting on the water that clung to her skin.

Killian stepped forward, his grin softening as he knelt on her other side. “Can’t let Callum have all the fun,” he said, taking the soap from him and working it between his own hands.

Her breath hitched as Killian’s hands brushed against her back. He worked the soap down her spine, his movements slow and careful, his touch lingering just long enough to make her shiver.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. Moving closer, my eyes locking onto hers, I reached for the soap.

“My turn,” I said, my voice low and warm.

She stared at me for a long moment before she nodded, her hands loosening their grip on the edge of the tub.

I worked the soap between my hands, the rich lather spilling over my fingers. I started at her throat, my palms gliding over the delicate curve of her collarbone, down her torso, lingering at her breasts before moving back up. Her skin was impossibly soft beneath my hands, warm and slick with water and soap.

Her breath quickened as I moved lower, my hands skimming over her ribs, the faint curve of her waist, the sensitive under-curves of her breasts.

“You’re absolutely stunning,” I murmured, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Her cheeks flushed, her dark eyes flicking to mine. “You keep saying that,” she whispered.

“Because it’s true,” I said simply.

The room grew warmer, the air dense with steam and her growing arousal. Callum’s hands moved to her legs, his fingers gentle as he worked the soap over her calves and up to her knees.Killian’s touch lingered at her back, his rough hands gentle as he rinsed away the lather. Tobias and Thorne stood by the door, watching the entire thing.

Zara let out a soft sigh, her head falling back slightly as she closed her eyes.

I leaned closer, my hands stilling at her waist. “How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Safe,” she whispered, emitting a sweet, contented sigh.

Her reply settled deep in my chest, and I tightened my grip on her waist just slightly, a bit possessive. With a deep breath, I relaxed, my fingers lingering on the gentle curve of her hips.

I couldn’t help but think that this—this soft, intimate moment—was the next step toward what I suspected we were now all hoping for.

Maybe after all this time, we hadn’t just been surviving. Maybe we’d been waiting—waiting for her.

And now that she was here, maybe we could finally have something more.

CHAPTER 19

Zara

I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had taken care of me like this.

In London, I’d learned early that you couldn’t rely on anyone but yourself. Trust was a luxury that I couldn’t afford. Vulnerability was a weakness.

But now, here I was—bare in every sense of the word, sitting in a warm bath in the middle of a broken-down cottage, surrounded by five men who treated me like I was something precious.

Their hands moved over my skin, strong and careful, washing away the blood and grime of the past few days as if they could cleanse more than just the dirt. Every touch was gentle but purposeful, their fingers lingering just long enough to make my breath catch and my heart pound.

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