Page 70 of Shadow

“Do you kiss her?” I asked him, my voice soft.

“Sometimes,” he answered. “When she wants me to.”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Are you fucking her?”

Asylum chuckled softly and pressed a fierce kiss to Sirena’s temple. She looked at her feet, her hands twisted in front of her.

“No, man. I’m not fucking her. That’s not the sort of relationship we have right now. Someday, hopefully, but not right now. She’s working on Shadow and keeping herself for you guys. No worries.”

“I wouldn’t care,” I said, my voice rough. “If you two were together. Seriously. I want you to be happy.” I reached out and tilted her chin up. “If you want to fuck him, I wouldn’t care. I only want you to come home.”

She gave me a sweet, shy smile before taking my hand and kissing my palm. I blew out a breath and nodded. She wouldn’t fuck him. They were just exceptionally close friends for now, but eventually, he’d join. I knew that without a doubt.

Months ago, I’d have lost my fucking shit knowing she wanted him.

Now?

I’d welcome the crazy fuck with open arms.

He was already one of us. He just hadn’t come home yet.

“Soon,” he murmured, his eyes fixed on me. “Soon…brother.”

I nodded.

It couldn’t arrive soon enough. It would mean our family was whole again. I’d accept it however I could get it.

I just needed to get the others on the same train.

SHADOW

Isat on my bed, memorizing the sign language videos. We were three days into this, and I already had most of it logged away in my head. I could hold a fluent conversation. Asylum had flipped me off yesterday when I showed him, but I had only laughed at him. He had shoved me, and I tumbled into a snowbank.

It wasn’t often I was alone with her. Typically, Asylum was with us, but today I had her for the next hour while he did therapy.

“I’m thirsty,” I signed at her.

She blinked for a moment before replying that she was, too, and asked what I wanted to drink.

I grinned at her.

“You,” I signed back, feeling brave. Asylum told me I needed to get my shit together for her. I was wasting time being a shy prick. It was true. I was a bit shy still, but I was also still really embarrassed by my blowing my load twice in the span of a fucking hour with her.

She raised a dark brow at me in clear surprise.

I hadn’t kissed her since that night she’d gotten off on Asylum. It definitely plagued me to feel this deep desire for her and be too fucking scared to take it.

To be fair, this was really the first time I’d been alone with her since then. Any other time, it was only for a few minutes in public or while Asylum was showering.

“Me?”

I breathed out and nodded, forcing all my embarrassment at the previous time down and focusing on what I wanted in that moment.

“Can I kiss you?”I moved my hands quickly, watching as her eyes followed the movement.

She nodded.

Hell yes. Don’t fucking screw it up this time.

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