Page 132 of Without a Trace
And I stayed.
Because something deeper pulled at all of us.
Something ancient. Something I can’t name.
And it burned like hell watching her fall apart between us.
I knew it was fucked up.
I didn’t care.
Because she chose us last night. Not in some fragile, poetic way—but with her body. With every kiss, every thrust, every fucking breath she gave us.
I’d never belonged to anyone. Never let anyone in.
But she was in my fucking blood now.
And I’d bleed forever just to keep her there.
Even if I had to fucking share her to keep her.
She doesn’t know what she is to us yet. Doesn’t see it.
But I do.
It’s in her blood. It’s in the way that bracelet hums when I touch her wrist. It’s in how my tattoos respond when she’s near.
She doesn’t know we’ve always known.
And I don’t know what happens when she finds out.
A sound broke from me—low, raw. She shifted closer.
My hand tightened against her waist, holding her there.
If I could’ve burned the world down to stay in this bed, I would’ve.
I still might.
Because one day, she’ll have to choose.
And if it isn’t me—
God help whoever stands in the way.
Alden
Ididn’t want to open my eyes.
Not because I was tired—hell, I barely slept. I just didn’t want to risk breaking whatever this was. The weight of her body pressed against me. The soft sound of Trace’s breath on the other side of her, I could feel the tension and I didn’t need to look at him to know his mind hadn’t shut off either.
She was the only calm between us.
And even that was a fucking illusion.
I’m not pretending anymore. Not about her. Not about how long I’d loved her in silence. About how fucked I was from the second she let that robe fall.
I’d watched her fall apart last night, torn between us, giving herself to both. And even now—with my fingers still tangled in hers—I felt the echo of something deeper.
