Page 172 of Piece You Saved

Kade groans. “Fuck, angel.”

My eyes are closed. I can’t find the strength to open them, but I know Kade just came as hard as I did.

Aden lifts his head, dropping a sweet kiss on my brow before he pulls me into his arms and holds me close as my body comes down from my shattering release.

Dariel presses a final kiss on my inner thigh and rises. Aden steps aside as Dariel takes his place.

Slowly, with my breathing still ragged, my eyes flicker open and meet Dariel’s emerald stare.

It’s just us for the longest moment.

He wants me to forgive him.

Can I?

CHAPTER 44

SAIGE

“You can’t hurt me like that again, Dariel,” I whisper.

One alpha nearly broke me. I can’t go through that again. I can’tsurvivethat again.

“I know,” he whispers back, lowering his head to touch his lips to mine. “I’m sorry.”

He kisses me again. This one is a little softer. Another apology. “I’m sorry.”

“And you have to stop leaving truffles on my pillow. I’m scared I’m going to wake up face to face with a rat taking advantage of an easy dinner,” I say, lifting my hands to clench the front of his shirt.

He doesn’t even crack a smile, though Kade snorts in response. “No more truffles,” he gravely promises.

“Or flowers,” I tell him. “I love cut flowers but not when they die.”

Is that just me being me? Or is it because of the Faerie part of me I never knew I had?

“I won’t.” He nods again. “The next flowers will be ones I plant for you.”

We stare at each other a little longer. “And you can’t scratch up Kade’s back again.”

“I won’t.” Dariel pauses. “Even if he does something to deserve it.”

“You fucking prick,” Kade snarls.

We both ignore him.

“And maybe I’ll make you my mom’s cocoa,” I say. “One day.”

Something in his eyes changes. It’s like a combination of relief, softness, and pleasure all rolled into one. “I will do everything to deserve it.”

Not the cocoa, his eyes tell me, but my forgiveness.

“Okay then,” I say, smiling a little because it feels like someone just took a heavy weight off my shoulders.

He returns my small smile, and it changes his expression into something warm. “Okay.”

When he leans closer and wraps both arms around me, I don’t push him away. I hug him back, and as I do, I feel him breathe out a heavy breath before he says, “Aden?”

“It’s ready when you are,” Aden says.

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