Page 25 of Tainted Hearts

I should have knocked, right? After what I’ve witnessed down here before, I probably should have.

So here I sit, in damp panties with my clit aching, horny as hell. But I do nothing but stare forward at the TV. A part of me wants to ask one of the guys to take care of it, but none of us are at that point in our relationship. Hell, this is the first time I’ve hung out with all of them in a normal setting.

Luke has me tucked under his arm, his fingers brushing against my outer thigh, not helping at all with the tingling of the bond. I can feel him at ease, happy, and content, making me the same.

I can also feel Isaac’s eyes on me throughout the movie from his place in his chair next to the couch; partly in hunger, but mostly in longing as he sees me and Luke together. Noah is on my other side, my feet in his lap.

Thankfully, he’s not rubbing them because I wouldn’t be able to keep my laughter in, with being so ticklish. But his hands are on the lower part of my legs, the heat of his touch contributing to the mind fuzz I’m experiencing so badly right now.

Knowing there’s no point in trying to watch the movie, I close my eyes and just enjoy being with my mates. Who knew months ago that this would be where we ended up?

I’m going to try my best to not let the past dictate our future. I just hope Isaac shows growth. He’s the last piece of the puzzle.

I somehow fall asleep, and the next time I wake, it’s in the arms of someone. “Isaac?” I murmur sleepily as I blink up at him through bleary eyes.

“Shhh.” He kisses my forehead. “Sleep, baby.”

My heart clenches at the endearment. I don’t mind the others calling me their nickname, but I’m so damn happy Isaac stopped calling me Devil’s Spawn. His words always hurt the most.

Feeling safe in his arms, I close my eyes again and let him carry me to wherever we’re going.

***

“What are you doingin here?” a gruff voice pulls me from my sleep.

“She was watching a movie with us and fell asleep. I didn’t want to wake her so I brought her up to her room,” Isaac says. “I’ll leave.”

I don’t want him to go. Something inside me, maybe the bond, is loving his touch too much. So without any words, I hold on to him tighter, snuggling in deeper.

Zed, who was the first person to speak, lets out a frustrated sigh. “Stop,” he says as Isaac tries to carefully pull away from me. “Stay.”

“Are you sure?”

I hear rustling before I feel the bed on my other side dip. “You're her mate. I can’t change that. But I’m telling you this now—I don’t care if you're my brother, and I feel for you with everything that fucking bastard put you through, but when it comes to her, I don’t fuck around. Hurt her again, I will kill you.”

“I get it,” Isaac replies softly. “I fucked up.”

Zed snorts. “That’s an understatement.”

“I regret it. All of it. I know it’s hard to believe, but... I love her.” My heart starts to pound painfully in my chest at his admission.

“Kind of hard not to fall for her, I get it. She’s my world. My everything. I knew she would be my forever before we even sparked. One look at the pretty girl dripping wet under the gazebo, and I was done for, in the best way.” Zed chuckles, warm lips pressing against my temple.

“You're lucky, you know?” Isaac says.

“How so?”

“You grew up with a mom who loves you.”

“Yeah,” Zed sighs. “She’s pretty amazing.”

“I’d trade it all. The money, the house, everything to have what you do.” I hear the pain in Isaac’s voice, and it crushes me. Tears sting the back of my eyes as I struggle to keep faking being asleep.

“I’m fucking pissed. I hate that he did all of those things to you. I hate that you had no one to protect you,” Zed responds, sounding angry. “I would have, if I knew.”

“You would?” Isaac asks in disbelief.

“I never hated you because you lived this rich life with the fancy house and the nice cars. I never hated you because you were my brother, and he chose you over me. I didn’t like you because you thought you were better than everyone. I started to really not like you because you fucked my ex-girlfriend. But I hated you for how you’ve treated our girl. I would have done something about it a long time ago if I didn’t respect her wishes. I came close to breaking my word a few times, though.”

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