Page 57 of Pretty When He Bleeds

He stiffens for half a second before he melts into the kiss, his hands coming up to grip my waist. His lips are warm, and the slight taste of coffee on them makes me smile against his mouth. When I pull back, his green eyes are wide, a rare look of surprise etched on his face.

“What was that for?” he asks, his voice a little breathless.

I shrug, smirking as I brush a strand of hair out of his eyes. “For coming back.”

He stares at me for a moment before a slow smile spreads across his face, the kind that makes my chest tighten. “Told you, Hotshot. You’re mine. I’m not going anywhere.”

The words shouldn’t make my heart race, but they do. I roll my eyes to cover it, and step back. “You’re such a possessive asshole.”

Damon’s smile widens, and he shakes his head like he can’t believe me. “You should know that about me by now,” he mutters, his tone affectionate.

I can’t help but roll my eyes again and he laughs, the sound low and warm, and it’s like the weight on my chest starts to lift. He didn’t leave me—not really. He came back, and that’s enough for now.

“Come on,” Damon says, tugging me toward the bed. “Coffee’s getting cold.”

We sit down, the paper bag between us, and he hands me one of the cups. The coffee is hot and strong, exactly what I need, and the bag holds a couple of breakfast sandwiches that are still warm.

As we eat, the tension eases, replaced by a comfortable silence. I don’t bring up the meds, and he doesn’t push me to. For now, this is enough.

By the time we head downstairs, I’m already bracing myself for the shitstorm that’s bound to hit. The house is always chaos in the mornings, but today, it feels like a fucking setup.

The second we step into the kitchen, all eyes are on us. Killian, Thorn, Luca, and the rest of the idiots are scattered around, eating, arguing, or half-asleep with coffee mugs in hand. But the moment Damon and I walk in, the noise dies down, and everyone turns to look at us.

Killian’s the first to break the silence, his grin so wide it’s a miracle his face doesn’t split. “Well, well, look who finally decided to join us. You get a good night’s sleep, Bishop? Or were you too busy keeping the entire fucking house awake?”

My face heats instantly, and Damon just smirks like he’s been waiting for this.

“Better sleep than some, I’m sure,” Damon says smoothly, and I fucking wish I had a way to shut him the fuck up.

Killian barks out a laugh, slapping his thigh. “Yeah, no shit. I think the whole damn house knows how you two slept.”

Luca snickers, leaning back in his chair with a wide grin. “I’m pretty sure I heard something about ‘fuck yes’ around 2 a.m. That ring a bell, Roman?”

“Nah, sounded more like ‘fuck, harder!’ to me,” Damien says and honestly, I want to kill them.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, running a hand down my face.

“Don’t forget the banging,” Thorn chimes in from the fridge, his head half buried in it. “Not the fun kind, though. Sounded like the headboard was trying to break free.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” I snap, though the heat creeping up my neck probably kills any chance of authority.

“Oh, come on, Bishop,” Damien says, grinning like the cat who got the cream. “We’re just happy for you. It’s about damn time you got laid. And judging by the noise, it was good.”

Killian turns back to the stove, but his shoulders are shaking with laughter. “Honestly, I’m just impressed. I didn’t think you had it in you, Rome.”

I glare at him, my fists clenching at my sides. “Kill—”

He holds up a hand, cutting me off. “Hey, I’m not judging. If anything, I’m proud. You finally stopped being a miserable bastard for five minutes.”

Damon leans against the counter, crossing his arms like he’s enjoying the show. “You’re all way too invested in our sex life.”

Luca raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, so it’s a ‘sex life’ now? Not just a one-time thing?”

Damon shrugs, his green eyes flicking to me. “That depends on your boy here.”

All eyes turn to me, and I suddenly wish the floor would open up and swallow me whole. “Seriously,” I mutter, crossing my arms. “I’m going to kill all of you.”

“And yet, you love us,” Killian says, grinning as he plates another pancake.

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