Page 93 of Laid Bare

Well damn. Awkward much?

I don’t know why but it feels suspiciously like Axel is trying to achieve something by sending us away together.

“It’ll only take about an hour, Bailey, and a drop of your blood to set them. Same with everyone else who will have access to them,” Thaddeus interjects before I can come up with an excuse not to be alone with him.

It’s one thing to want him here, and it’s a complete other to spend time with him. Alone.

Luka takes the initiative and shoos us out the front door, slamming it closed behind us.

Okay, so I guess we’re doing this.

* * *

Aero snores loudly with his head on my lap a few hours after dinner and just looking at my sleeping Pegasus makes me realize how tired I am, too.

My mates and Thaddeus have been playing a card game for the past twenty minutes, and all five of them are laughing, ribbing each other over something or another.

I can’t deny how well Thaddeus fits in with my merry band of mate misfits. He takes their joking and gives it right back ten-fold. The decision I made earlier was the right one. Letting him attach himself to the wards too.

Even if all we have is friendship and nothing more—because let’s be real, why the hell would he want to share a chosen mate with four other men—he definitely belongs here, with us.

But I’m getting ahead of myself in the chosen mate department.

It was one kiss, nothing more. And that’s because I’m a chicken shit, too afraid to be a rebound from his relationship with Miss Izzicle. Plus, I can only imagine what people would say if they found out.

Not that it should matter. But in Stonewell Academy? Of course it matters. Even if nothing happened between us until months after she was forcibly sent back to Faerie.

But I digress.

I hope Thaddeus decides to use the open invitation to my home and join us more when we’re here.

When we were setting the wards, neither one of us brought up the elephant in the room. He made me smile, laugh, and taught me how to check the levels of the ward so I can top them up if need be.

All in all, it was actually pretty damn great.

“Well, I should be going.” Thaddeus pushes his chair back at the dining table and climbs to his feet.

“Awww. Come on, blue man.” Zane tosses his cards on the table. “I know you have more of those super special Fae berries to lose in your pocket dimension.”

“You’re right. I do have more, but if I lose them all now, what am I going to play with next time?”

I perk up at the thought of next time. It sounds pretty damn good coming from his lips.

“Good point, see ya,” Zane mutters, picking his cards back up with a huff, discarding two and picking up two more.

The rest of my guys chorus their goodbyes before resuming their game.

“Walk me to the door, sunshine?”

“Sure. Aero, move your fat head.” I shove him a little to get him moving, but the little jerk nips my hand before finally lifting his head for me to slide out from under.

“You okay?” Thaddeus snags my hand, rubbing the frozen tip of his finger over the red mark Aero’s nibble left behind. The cold makes goosebumps pop up on my skin and a shiver trails down my spine.

“Yeah. Thank you.”

Thaddeus grips my hand when I try to pull away, and he tucks it in the crook of his elbow before leading me in the direction of the front door.

“I had a fun night, and you have four great mates. The demons are a little… interesting outside of class, but they seem to care about you a lot.” I smile, a blush staining my cheeks.

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