Page 112 of Taken By the Pack
The momentI step into Jake’s house, the scent of something warm and savory fills the air, but I don’t have a second to register it before both Jake and Rowan snap their heads toward me, game controllers in their hands.
Their eyes lock onto me like heat-seeking missiles, and my body, still thrumming with the aftershocks of Ash’s touch, feels too exposed under their gazes.
Jake’s nose twitches, and he smirks. “You smell like sex.”
My face burns, but a giggle slips past my lips before I can stop it.
That’s all it takes.
The game they were playing is instantly abandoned, controllers forgotten as they push up from the couch and rush toward me.
Jake reaches me first, hands warm as they settle on my waist, pulling me flush against him. Rowan follows right behind, his knuckles brushing over my cheek, his emerald eyes scanning me like he’s searching for something.
“What the hell happened?” Rowan demands, voice low, cautious.
Before I can answer, Ash steps in behind me, his presence grounding. “My family happened,” he mutters, his jaw tight. “They were assholes.”
Jake’s fingers flex on my waist, his entire body going rigid. “Did they touch you?” His voice is deceptively calm, but there’s an edge to it, one that makes me shiver.
“No,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “They just used words to hurt me.”
Rowan exhales sharply, tension rolling off him in waves. He looks like he has a lot to say, but when his gaze flicks to Ash, then back to me, he just asks, “Did you eat?”
Ash and I exchange a look, and that’s answer enough.
Jake groans. “Of course not.”
Rowan mutters a curse and turns toward the oven, grabbing a dish covered in foil. “I made lasagna,” he says proudly, sliding it onto the counter. “I’ll heat it up.”
Jake’s hands don’t leave me. He strokes slow, reassuring circles against my lower back, his warmth seeping into me.
Every so often, his fingers tighten, like he just needs to feel me. “You okay?” he asks softly.
I nod. And then, because I don’t want to lose my nerve, I take a steadying breath and say, “Actually… there’s something I wanted to ask.”
Ash tilts his head, eyes dark and assessing. “Go ahead.”
I swallow hard, heart thudding so loudly I swear they can hear it. “I want you to mark me.” My voice is steady, despite the butterflies rioting in my stomach. “All of you.”
The reaction is instant.
Rowan drops the knife he was holding. It clatters onto the counter, the sharp sound making Jake jolt.
Ash’s grip on me tightens. “Grace…”
I hold their gazes, determined. “The thing with Liam at the market? That wouldn’t have happened if I belonged to you—if people knew. Sure, some of the locals have noticed, but it’s not enough.”
I inhale deeply, pushing through the swirl of emotions in my chest.
“But this isn’t just about safety. I know, without a doubt, that this is the right move. I love you… all of you.”
Jake is the first to move. He cups my face, fingers threading into my hair, and then his lips crash into mine—fierce, claiming, a kiss that steals the breath right from my lungs.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, his breath warm.
“I love you too,” he murmurs.
Rowan runs a hand through his hair, his chest rising and falling unevenly. “Of course I love you,” he says gruffly. “I’m just… shocked, sweetheart.”
