Page 4 of Tainted Hearts

“What are we talking about?” Luke asks, his voice rough from sleep.

“What Isaac needs to do for us to forgive him,” I answer Luke, but my eyes stay on Isaac.

“I’ll do whatever it is.” I can see the sincerity shining in his eyes.

I cast Luke a look, and he nods, giving me the go ahead to be the lead in this conversation. “No more lies. We are open and honest about our feelings to each other and our mate.” His eyes flash with... something at the mention of Abby.

“Done.”

“You are to work hard to win her over because, Isaac, I don’t think you deserve her forgiveness any time soon. You were the worst of us all. And I don’t think we will have any type of happiness unless we're all together. The hurt from a bond mate is a hell of a lot to handle.”

“Trust me, I know.” He rolls onto his back, his head tilted up to the ceiling as he closes his eyes. “Being away from her, hating her, being mean. Fuck, it almost killed me.”

“Then why did you do it? Why keep going after her when Luke and I told you how wrong it was?”

“I don’t know,” he groans. “I was just so angry... with my dad and the fucked up shit he does. With myself for being a coward and letting him treat me that way. I needed someone to take the blame, and she seemed like the easiest target. I used my hatred toward her dad and projected it onto her.”

“You need to get over that. Whatever her dad did, it has nothing to do with her. God doesn’t punish children for their parents’ sins, and neither should you. We need to stop blaming her for other people's wrongdoings.”

“I know, I know,” he sighs harshly. “I already feel like shit. It might have seemed like I enjoyed hating her, but fuck... Ihatedhating her.” He grabs a handful of hair and pulls. “Gah, my head's all fucked up. I don’t know what to do.”

“Start by apologizing. I know it won’t count for much, but it’s a solid first step. Then work on building a friendship.”

“You know how hard it is to be around her, wanting to drag her into the nearest empty room and fuck her?” he asks me, raising a brow.

Luke snorts. “Ahh, yeah. Trust me, we do.”

“The bond is a powerful thing, but you can’t let it fuck things up. You're going to want to touch her, to hold her, kiss her, fuck her, but you can’t do any of that. Not until you’ve earned it. If that’s even something you want.”

“It is,” he confirms, sounding defeated. “But you're right. I don’t deserve any of that. I don’t deserve her. Hell, I don’t even deserve you guys.”

“Enough of that,” I growl, grabbing the back of his head and pulling him in for a kiss. He moans against my mouth, his tongue eagerly pressing between my lips. I open for him, and I’m the next to groan as I taste him on my tongue.

“Fuck,” Luke grunts. “You're gonna make me blow my load.”

Our eyes open at the same time before we laugh into the kiss.

“I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you. Both of you.” For the first time in, maybe ever, Isaac looks at ease. Maybe getting everything off his chest helped relieve the burden he’s been carrying. Or maybe he’s just so defeated that he doesn’t have it in him to fight anymore.

He doesn’t get to give up. We won’t let him. We will be by his side to hold him up when he can no longer do it himself.

I feel guilty for pushing him away these past few weeks, but I couldn’t keep sitting by and watching him treat Abby like that.

She’s not at all what we made her out to be. She’s sweet, funny, extremely sexy, and a real badass.

Both Luke and I were shocked to find out she was our mate, but we weren’t pissed. We’ve felt something toward her from the start. Now, it all makes sense.

We enjoyed getting to know her before we found out, and now that we know, hopefully, it will get better.

I plan on being with Abby whether or not Isaac is. But I’d much rather we all work things out. We’ve been through so much that I think we all need some happiness. And that’s going to start today.

“Can we just lay in bed and cuddle?” Isaac asks, laying back onto the bed, his eyes passing between us.

“Alright, who are you and what have you done with our domineering, control freak of a boyfriend?” Luke asks, raising a brow.

“Haha,” Isaac deadpans. “Please?”

Luke’s eyes dart up to mine. He needs us.Shit.

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