Page 51 of Wicked Oath

“I don’t,” I lie.

“Little Flower,” Talon says as he turns me around. I start crying again when he cups my face. “Please don’t cry, sweetheart. I hate seeing you hurting.”

“I’m sorry,” I hiccup, trying to sniff back my tears as I start to fall apart.

“Shhh, baby,” he says as he wraps me in a hug. After a minute, I calm down and he pulls back. “No matter what the answer is, I need to know the truth, Laney. Do you love him?”

“I love you,” I say.

“I know you do,” he says. “Do you love Jude?”

“Yes,” I whimper. “I’m sorry, Tal. I’m—“

He shuts me up by kissing me until I calm down and relax in his arms. “I will tell you the same thing I have told the others. Okay?”

“Okay,” I whisper.

“If I have to share you with anyone, I want it to be one of them,” he says. “Jude lost part of himself when Charlotte died, and you have given him that part of his soul back over the last two months. When I ask him how he’s doing, he doesn’t have to lie to me anymore and say he’s okay. Watching the two of you get closer has been the most incredible thing, because you and I went through the same thing at the same time. We have grown together, and it’s not fair for me to keep you all to myself. No matter how you want to see it, I forced you into this situation. We got lucky to have connected the way we did, but it would be wrong for me to deny you and Jude a chance at exploring that.”

“I don’t want to lose you,” I whisper.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby,” he says. “He will stay with us in the room. He will have every right to you, just as I would.”

“You mean…”

“I mean you should fully expect him to throw you on that bed when we get home,” he smirks. “I will take great joy in watching him fuck you. At some point, I will join him, and we will both enjoy you together.”

“I… really hope he has a small dick,” I say, and everyone laughs.

“Unfortunately for your insides, I’m afraid he is bigger than I am,” Talon says. “He and I have been with the same girl before and… We will take good care of you after.”

“I’m afraid,” I admit.

“Afraid of what?” he asks.

“That you won’t be able to handle another man touching me,” I say. “I saw what you did to Fang, Tal.”

“The difference is Fang hurt you, Delaney. Jude would throw himself into traffic before he ever intentionally caused you pain,” Talon says. “This isn’t cheating or betrayal. This is you having the chance to let two men love you with everything they have to offer.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I whisper.

“The truth, Laney,” he smiles. “Do you love him?”

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“I won’t lie and say that I am completely okay with this, because I’m not. It’s hard to relax that part of myself that wants to hide you away from everyone, but I will work on it for you and Jude. For everyone, really,” Talon says. “Now, turn your cute little ass around and give him some reassurance.”

I turn and face Jude, and he smiles. “I don’t know what to say,” I whisper.

“The truth, Laney,” he says simply.

“I love you,” I say. “I don’t know when it happened or how I got here, but I love you.”

“Fuck, that’s so nice to hear,” he says as he grabs my face and kisses me. This time, I kiss him back. “I love you more than I know how to explain, Laney.”

“I don’t know what to do from here,” I admit.

“Please… Please… Go home,” Knox laughs. “You all are great and everything, but I really don’t want to watch the two men I see as my brothers fuck the girl who has become like a sister.”

---