Page 27 of Shared

Conor climbs off the bed and returns with a damp wash cloth. Wiping it over my body, he cleans me with the same thorough tenderness that I did Elena after he claimed her. Dropping the cloth on the floor, he slides into bed and between the two of us. Elena and I both nuzzle into him—our heads resting on his chest and his arms wrapped around each of us.

I lovingly stroke Elena’s face as Conor places a soft kiss against my forehead and then hers. “My girls…”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

ELENA

TWO WEEKS LATER

“At the same time?” Catlin gasps, staring back at me with wide disbelieving eyes from the other side of the fire pit. She stammers in complete disbelief, “That’s not… I’ve seenit…That’s not possible.”

“Cat.Piscin.” Finn chuckles, giving a tender squeeze on her shoulder as he hands her a glass of wine. “I know you’re curious, but you really need to stop asking questions you aren’t ready to hear the answers to.”

“Good for you!” Layla exclaims. “Getting fucked by him and then Tristan was more than enough for me. I can’t imagine taking them both at the same time.”

“Want to find out?” Conor teases, sliding into the seat beside me and pulling me into his lap. “We don’t even need Tris cramping our style this time. You. Me. And one of the toys I had made.”

Layla shakes her head. “Are you trying to get in trouble?” When Conor let me and Vic know he had fucked Layla once,I was expecting things to be awkward between all of us. But surprisingly, it isn’t. It sounds gross to say it out loud—knowing they’ve had sex—but she’s like his sister.At least now.He loves her as deeply as he loves each of us, just in a very flirtatious,platonicway. “Tristan would beat the snot out of you before you managed to get your pants off.”

Tristan snakes his arm around Conor’s neck and snarls, “Stop trying to fuck my wife.” Tristan tightens his hold, and Conor’s face turns a bright shade of red as he struggles to breathe.

“Again?” Vic sighs, returning from the beach with a very pregnant Sasha. Turning her attention to Tristan she smirks. “Choke the shit out of him.”

Conor slaps at Tristan’s hands, trying futilely to break free of him. “For fuck’s sake,” Declan gruffs, joining all of us on the patio. “You havetwogorgeous women in your bed every night. Stop being a twat and trying to fuck your sister-in-law. Hewillkill you.”

Tristan lets go, and Conor gasps. He slips me from his lap and stands. Struggling to catch his breath, he winks at Layla. “It’d be fucking worth it. Cat, Sasha, Quinn”—he winks at them as he says their names—“they’d all be worth it.”

“Fuck Tristan,” Declan snarls, “I’ll fucking kill you.”

The girls and I all laugh, as his brothers all chase Conor off the patio—each ready to beat the shit out of him.

“Five of them and we pick the salacious flirt,” Vic grouses, taking Conor’s now vacant seat beside me.

Catlin laughs. “Trust me. Declan has nearly killed Finn more times than I can count for flirting with Quinn.”

“Don’t let any of them fool you.” Quinn stands and glances over the railing at the sounds of a scuffle coming from the beach. “They all enjoy it. It gives them a reason to beat the piss out of each other.”

Growing up with just my semi-absentee dad, I never knew what it was like to have a family. Vic was the first consistent person in my life—until I met Conor’s family. Like he promised, all of them have welcomed Vic and me with open arms. I love how committed they are to each other—including us. The teasing, flirting, and occasional punches aside, not one of them is unwilling to drop everything to show up for someone else when needed.

“Sorry I’m late,” Ivan apologizes, stepping onto the patio from the living room. “Got tied up with work.”Work…The downside to Conor’s family.The scars on his chest and stomach are a constant reminder that the late nights, split knuckles, and occasional blood-splattered clothes could lead to him getting injured again—or worse.

“Malen’kaya printsessa,” he exhales, reaching the fire pit. “You are looking like you are ready to birth myplemyannikany day now.”

Walking back onto the patio and dusting the sand from his slightly disheveled clothes, Liam smiles as he shares, “Three more weeks, Ivan.”

“Jesus!” Sasha exclaims, seeing the same split lip and bloody nose as the rest of us.

Liam wipes them both with the back of his hand, smearing a little blood across his face. “It’s nothing. You should see the other guy.”

“Are the lot of you ever going to grow up?” Quinn huffs.

“Probably not,” Finn chuckles, his laughter joined by all his equally bruised and battered brothers following behind him.Boys will be…fucking idiots.Conor comes up the stairs last,definitelyhaving taken the bulk of the playful fight on the beach.

“I need to talk with all of you,” Ivan chimes, the seriousness of his tone causes the lighthearted atmosphere to immediately feel heavy. His eyes flit between those of us sitting around the fire pit. “Maybe inside.”

Something about his words and the way he says them makes my stomach drop. This family shares everything, the men don’t hide what they do from any of us. Nothing he has to say without the women present is going to be good. As though he can sense my discomfort, Conor flashes his charming smile at me as the six of them make their way into the house.

None of us say a word, each watching their discussion through the wall of windows separating us from them. Scowls cover everyone’s faces as the conversation quickly grows livid. Slipping her hand over mine, Victoria gives mine a squeeze—and I’m unsure which of us she’s trying to comfort.

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