Chapter 21

POV: Daniella

“Two miles ahead,” Nate said, still tapping. “There’s a turnoff. Dad’s team should be waiting—if they timed this right.”

“If?” I nearly choked on the word.

“We didn’t want to scare you,” Nate said quickly. “But we knew this might happen. My dad planned for it.”

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. The SUV was still behind us, closing in.

Another sharp turn. Trees whipped past, too fast, and Bob pulled me tighter, shielding me with his body. I buried my face in his chest, trying not to cry.

And then—lights.

Red and blue.

Out of nowhere, the forest opened into a clearing, and two blacked-out FBI vehicles blocked the road, flanked by armed agents.

The SUV behind us slammed its brakes. Too late.

Tires screeched. Men shouted.

One SUV crashed into a ditch trying to turn back, another skidded sideways, doors flying open. The agents were on them in seconds. Guns drawn, orders barked. Chaos.

But no sign of Alexander.

“Where’s the third?” Nate snapped.

“Gone,” Ace answered grimly, slowing the car as we rolled past the chaos. “He peeled off. Smart.”

“Smart and a coward,” Nate muttered. “Dad knew he might slip. He said not to chase.”

I sat up slowly, heart still galloping. “You all knew this might happen?”

Nate turned to me, his face drawn with guilt. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to terrify you more than you already were. But yeah. My dad suspected they’d try to intercept us before we reached the safe house. That’s why he planted units along the road.”

“Is that what this is now?” I said hoarsely. “An operation?”

“No,” Ace said, eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “This is about keeping you alive.”

We drove the last ten minutes in heavy silence, my body trembling despite Bob’s hold around me. When we pulled into the driveway of a large, secure-looking house surrounded by trees and high fences, my stomach dropped again.

Waiting by the door was a man who looked like Nate—but older. Sharper. Like the years had carved experience into every line of his face. He had the same intense brown eyes, the same serious set to his jaw, even the same way of standing—like he’d seen too much and didn’t have time for bullshit.

He stepped forward as we climbed out of the car.

“Nate,” he said, clapping a firm hand on his son’s shoulder. “Or should I call you Doctor Martin?”

Nate let out a tired chuckle. “Dad. Or should I call you Agent Martin?”

Agent?

I blinked, and that’s when I noticed it—bold letters stamped across his black jacket: FBI. Of course. That explained the sharp eyes, the way he seemed to see straight through me. He looked so much like Nate it almost scared me—same eyes, same coloring, though his hair had streaks of gray at the temples. Like someone had painted the years there with careful brushstrokes.

He turned to me next.

“You must be Daniella,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind. “I’m Agent Daniel Martin. You’re safe now. I promise you that.”

I wanted to believe him. God, I needed to.

We stepped inside the safe house—quiet, clean, but reinforced like a fortress. Windows had security shutters. Doors were reinforced steel. It was the kind of place built for worst-case scenarios. The kind of place you ended up in when everything else had already gone to hell.

Daniel gestured toward the living room, but instead of letting us sit, he asked, “So, son, Daniella is your friend?”

Nate froze.

I turned to look at him. Wide eyes. That deer-in-the-headlights look. Poor guy had no idea how to answer that one.

I jumped in for him. “Yes, Mister Martin. I met Nate, Bob, and Ace at the gym. I was new in town and… they saved me.”

He raised a brow at me. “Big guy you got involved with.”

I dropped my gaze, cheeks burning. “I didn’t know. When I found out who he was, I ran.”

His tone softened a little. “Any information you have might be useful. Would you be willing to answer a few questions?”

I hesitated, then glanced at Nate.

He nodded. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“No,” I said quickly. “I want to. Anything to end this—to put Alexander in jail.”

“Good,” Daniel said. “We’ll get started soon. I’ll have some agents join us.”

He gestured to a separate room, and Nate went after him, and then he turned and walked down the hall, leaving me alone in the room with Nate.

A beat of silence stretched between us.

Then I turned to him.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

He furrowed his brow. “For what?”

“For… all of this. For calling your dad. For bringing us here. For not letting me go through this alone.”

Nate’s eyes softened. “You never had to go through it alone.”

I took a shaky breath and laughed, trying to lighten the heaviness that clung to my chest. “So… your dad’s in the FBI, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Surprise.”

“You never wanted to follow in his footsteps?”

He gave a small smile, eyes drifting toward the floor. “I thought about it. But… I guess I always wanted to help people in a different way. Not with a badge or a gun. With my hands. With medicine.”

It was such a Nate answer that my chest ached. Gentle. Steady. Always choosing to heal over hurt.

“I think your dad’s proud of you,” I said softly.

He met my eyes and something passed between us—quiet understanding, an echo of everything we hadn’t said yet. The way he looked at me made my heart twist.

“I should’ve told you more,” he said. “About all of this. But I was trying to protect you.”

“I know,” I said. “And I’m grateful. Even if I’m still kind of terrified.”

“You don’t have to be anymore,” he said. “Not while we’re here. And not while we’re with you.”

His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket.

Before I could reply, a knock echoed on the doorframe.

Two agents stood in the hallway. One nodded toward me. “Ready when you are, Miss Moore.”

I turned back to Nate and gave a nervous smile. “Let’s go nail this bastard.”

He grinned. “Hell yeah.”

We walked down the hall together—shoulder to shoulder. Stronger. Unbreakable. Ready to face whatever came next.

Daniel led me into a small, quiet room at the end of the hall. It was simple—just a table, a couple of chairs, and a recorder already set up in the center. Nate stayed with me, sitting beside me, his hand brushing against mine under the table. I needed that. I was shaking.

Daniel sat across from us, his expression serious but kind. “Whenever you’re ready.”

And I started.

I told them everything.

The first time I met Alexander. How charming he’d been. How quickly things turned. The control, the manipulation. The first time he hit me. The time he locked me in the bathroom overnight. The panic attacks. The nightmares. The day I finally ran.

I told them about the places we’d been together—his father’s mansion on the coast, that private airstrip, the club in the city I wasn’t even supposed to know was his. I told them everything he ever said about his father. Every name, every piece of information I could recall.

And when I finished, Daniel just watched me for a long, quiet moment.

“You’re incredibly brave, Daniella,” he said finally, his voice lower than before. “I don’t think I’ve met many people who could’ve survived what you did and still sit here and speak with this much clarity.”

Nate looked over at me, and I saw something in his eyes—pride, maybe. Or something heavier. He reached over and squeezed my hand.

Daniel stood. “You’ve done enough for now. I’ll coordinate the team. Why don’t you all rest? I’ll order something for dinner.”

He left, and the weight of everything I said hit me all at once.

Later, the four of us were gathered in the living room, a pizza box open on the coffee table between us. We were quiet at first, just eating and processing. I felt their presence more than their words—their closeness, their care. And after a while, it was Ace who broke the silence.

“How did this even happen?” he asked quietly. “You… them.”

Bob and Nate both looked at me, like they didn’t know who should go first.

So I did.

“I like you all,” I said. “Not just like—really like. I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I didn’t plan it. But I didn’t want to lie either.”

How could I said that I love them in so little time? So I use – like.

I looked at Bob first. “He was the first who kissed me. And then… Nate saw us. It was messy. And painful. But when we talked, we were honest. And it happened.”

Ace stared at the floor for a moment, then gave a small nod, like he was processing his own heartbroken. “Thanks for telling me.”

Before I could say more, Daniel returned.

His face was tense.

“We’re working on tracking Alexander’s movements now. We caught two of his men during the ambush, but he’s still out there. We believe he’ll try to contact you again. And… we might need your help to lure him out.”

The room went still.

“No.” Nate stood. “Absolutely not. You’ve got enough agents. You don’t need to risk her.”

“She’s already been through hell,” Bob added, his voice tight.

Ace said nothing, but he moved closer to me, like a silent shield.

I stood up.

“I’m not hiding anymore.”

They all looked at me.

“I want this to be over. I want him gone. If I can help you take him down, I will.”

Daniel studied me carefully. “It won’t be easy. We’ll have to be careful—build a solid plan. But if you’re sure…”

“I’m sure.”

Chapter 22

POV: Ace

I never planned on falling for her.

The first time I saw Daniella was at the gym. Day one. She walked in wearing this ponytail and a hesitant smile, and I swear, I stopped mid-rep. My friends? All flirting with her cheeks. Me? I fell. Hard. Without even trying to stop.

At first, I thought she might just be another pretty face with no depth, someone who’d come and go. But the second she spoke to me, really spoke to me—it was like the whole world narrowed to the space between us. She was sharp, funny, bold when she didn’t mean to be, and kind in a way that made you want to be better. Her laugh? Christ. It was addictive. Those warm brown eyes saw right through people. I was hooked before I knew what hit me.

Doing things for her? It was easy. Natural. Like I was built to protect her, care for her, make her smile. And I did all of it. And still, I fell.

Then came that day. The day I got home early.

She was naked. In my kitchen. And she wasn’t alone.

My two best friends. Nate and Bob. With her. Naked.

My heart stopped. Then it beat harder than it ever had, slamming against my ribs like it wanted to shatter them.

It was heartbreak in slow motion. And I still loved her.

So fucking much.

There was no logic to it. No clean explanation. Just this bone-deep certainty that we were connected, in ways that didn’t make sense. Soul-deep. Like something spiritual. Cosmic.

And then she knocked on my door. Two days later, tear-streaked, trembling, telling me her abusive ex was back in her life. Hunting her. The same man who left scars on her body.

I kissed those scars.

I told her she was safe. That she was protected.

And every word I said—I meant it. I want to make it true, no matter what.

Now here we are. At a safe house arranged by Nate’s FBI-agent father. Dani has just told the agents everything—every horrific detail about Alexander, his father, the places they’d been, the things he did. And now? Now they want her to be bait. To lure him in.

To risk herself again.

Every cell in my body wanted to scream. To grab her and run. Cross state lines. Hell, leave the country. Just take her somewhere he’d never find her. Keep her safe. Forever.

But she—Dani—stood firm. Fierce. Brave. Stronger than I think she even realizes.

She wants to end this.

She wants to fight.

Nate and Bob had just stepped out with Daniel, something about details of tomorrow’s plan. I didn’t care. I should’ve, I really should’ve—but all I could think about was the girl beside me. The girl who turned my whole world upside down with a damn smile.

And I…

I turned to her, struggling with the storm inside me. My pulse was everywhere—wrists, throat, ears. I looked into those impossibly warm brown eyes, the ones that saw right through me, and I asked the only question that mattered now.

“Are you really sure you want to do this?”

She nodded once, no hesitation. “Yes. I want to help. I want to end this.”

But then she stepped closer, and something shifted in the air. Her voice dropped to a whisper, the words brushing against my skin like a secret.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow…” She bit her bottom lip, eyes locking into mine. “But I can’t die without kissing you.”

Fuck.

That was it.

My heart clenched, shattered, and reformed all in a single second. She was so close I could feel her breath on my mouth, and when her lips brushed mine—it wasn’t soft.

It was a fucking firestorm.

I grabbed her waist like a man drowning, like she was the only solid thing in a world made of chaos. She kissed me like she meant it, like she was giving me every last part of her that she’d never given to anyone else.

And I took it. God, I took it.

My hands slid up her back, memorizing every inch, every trembling breath she gave me. We broke apart only because we had to, gasping like we’d been underwater.

“I just…” she whispered, eyes shining. “I just want to end this and get out of your lives. You don’t deserve this mess. You deserve peace.”

Her words sliced right through my chest.

I shook my head, resting my forehead against hers. “No. You don’t get to just disappear. Not after everything. You don’t need to leave.”

She blinked up at me, startled.

“I don’t want you to leave,” I said again, voice rough, raw. “I want you to stay. With me. With us.”

And then I kissed her again—harder this time. Wilder. Like all the walls I’d built inside me snapped and collapsed at once.

She tangled her hands in my hair, and I lost all sense of time. The controlled version of me—the calm, level-headed Ace—he was gone. She wrecked him.

And God, I didn’t want him back.

After the plan was set, Nate came back with a small white pill and a cup of water. Dani hesitated for a second, but then took it, her fingers brushing his.

“It’ll help you sleep,” he said softly.

She nodded, already blinking slower, her body giving in to exhaustion. She curled up on the couch like it was the only place in the world she could let go.

And when she finally drifted off, Bob moved quietly toward her.

“I’ve got her,” he said.

He scooped her into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. She shifted in his embrace, nuzzling into his chest, and her arms wrapped around him without her even waking up.

And just before he disappeared into one of the bedrooms with her, I heard her murmur through the haze of sleep.

“Thank you… I love you all.”

Could’ve been nothing. Just a dream. But I knew it wasn’t.

She meant it.

Those words hit like a goddamn earthquake. No panic. No jealousy. Just this deep, full ache in my chest that felt… right. Like she’d just spoken the truth none of us had dared say out loud.

When Bob came back, his eyes were quiet. Tired. But warm.

“I left the door open a crack,” he said. “In case she wakes up.”

None of us spoke for a second.

Then Bob opened the fridge and grabbed three beers, handing them out like a peace offering.

“We all need this.”

We took them and sat down in silence for a moment. The kind that feels heavier than words. The kind that means something’s about to break.

Bob was the first to speak. “We never really talked about it… the whole thing with her. It just kind of happened.”

“Yeah.” Nate let out a slow breath. “And for a while, I didn’t handle it well.”

I glanced at him. “You mean when you walked in on them?”

He nodded. “Yeah. First hurt like hell. Thought I lost her before I ever really had a chance.”

Bob looked down at his beer. “I never meant to hurt anyone. I didn’t plan it. She just… Dani’s like a storm. You don’t see her coming, but suddenly everything’s changed.”

“I get it now,” I said quietly, surprising even myself. “I didn’t at first. I was pissed. I felt betrayed. But then I watched her fall apart and still try to hold herself together for us. For all of us.”

I took a long drink, trying to hold back the damn tide behind my ribs.

“She’s too perfect to walk away from. I’ve never met anyone like her.”

Nate nodded slowly. “I realized that sharing her… hurts a hell of a lot less than not having her at all.”

Bob gave a soft laugh. “Fuck, we sound like a bunch of lovesick idiots.”

“Because we are,” I muttered, a little smile pulling at my mouth.

We sat in silence again, but it wasn’t awkward this time. It was understanding. It was the kind of quiet where everything is being rebuilt in the background.

Chapter 23

POV: Daniella

A soft knock pulled me from sleep.

My eyes blinked open to warm sunlight leaking through the curtains, the faint smell of coffee tickling my senses. My heart pounded before I remembered—safe house. I’m safe. For now.

“Hey,” Bob’s voice came through the door, muffled but gentle. “Brought you coffee.”

I sat up slowly, body sore, mind foggy with nerves and exhaustion. I crossed the room and cracked the door open. Bob stood there, hair messy, holding a cup of steaming coffee like it was a peace offering.

“Thanks,” I whispered, taking it in both hands. The warmth grounded me more than I expected.

He smiled, but his eyes were heavy with concern. “How’re you feeling?”

I didn’t answer. I just looked at him. This man—this beautiful, sweet, ridiculous man—had carried me through so much without ever asking for anything in return.

“You’re always here,” I murmured. My throat tightened. “Always holding me up like I’m not a goddamn mess.”

“You’re not a mess,” he said, stepping closer. “You’re the strongest person I know.”

I shook my head, tears already burning. “You say that like it’s easy to believe.”

He cupped my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. “Because it is.”

I leaned in without thinking. Our lips met soft at first—sweet, like I was saying thank you with my whole body. But then I grabbed his hoodie, pulled him in harder, and he groaned softly into the kiss.

A voice cleared in the hallway.

We broke apart like we’d been caught stealing something. Nate stood there holding a folded outfit and a small bag with the set-up the agents prepared—microphones, the fake phone, new SIM card.

“Sorry,” he said, but his smirk told a different story.

I felt my face flush. Bob stepped back, smiling like he wasn’t the least bit sorry.

“Thanks,” I said, reaching for the clothes. “What’s all this?”

Nate held out the bag. “Everything for the plan. You’ll message Alexander asking to meet for lunch. Make him think you’re alone. We’ll be watching, close.”

My stomach flipped. “Okay.”

Bob gave me one last kiss on the temple and slipped out, leaving me alone with Nate.

He stepped closer, gaze intense but soft, always soft when it came to me. “You sure you’re up for this?”

“No,” I said honestly. “But I’m doing it anyway.”

He nodded once, jaw tight, proud and worried all at once.

I didn’t think. I just kissed him.

It wasn’t sweet—it was urgent. Because I didn’t know what would happen after this. Maybe we wouldn’t have after.

“I don’t want to leave you,” I whispered. “Any of you.”

“You won’t,” Nate said. “We’re right behind you. Every step.”

Another knock. More clipped, more authoritative.

“Time,” said Daniel’s voice from the hallway.

I swallowed hard.

Nate and I walked out, and Agent Martin stood there with two agents at his sides. The room buzzed with tension. A laptop on the table, a phone set on top of it. The message was already written in a draft, the psychological bait laid out in carefully chosen words:

“I’m sorry for disappearing. I was scared. I just needed space. Can we talk? Lunch today?”

I stared at it.

Of course he could thing I went to the police, but Alexander wasn’t smart, he was possessive, this should work.

“Only hit send if you’re sure,” Daniel said.

My hand hovered.

This was it.

I looked at the message. At the bait I had to become. At the role I had to play one last time.

“I want this over,” I whispered. “I want him gone.”

And then I pressed send.

The clothes were simple—jeans, a soft beige blouse, low heels. Harmless. Approachable. The kind of thing shewould’ve worn back when she was still his. I stared at the reflection in the mirror as Agent Lewis fastened the mic near my collarbone, threading thin wires down the side of my body, hidden but alive under my skin.

“This’ll catch every word,” she said. “And the camera in your bag gives us visuals. You just have to act normal. If anything feels wrong, say the phrase.”

“I remember,” I whispered. “The coffee’s cold.”

It meant extraction. Emergency. Run.

I turned my head and caught sight of them—Ace, Bob, Nate—standing across the safehouse living room, watching. Their expressions were unreadable. Tension and fire and fear all wrapped into one.

I crossed the room before I could second-guess myself.

Every breath I took felt like fire in my chest, like my ribs were too tight to hold the storm inside. I didn’t care who was watching. I didn’t care what came next. All I cared about—right here, right now—was them.

I went to Ace first.

He stiffened when I reached him, his jaw clenched, his eyes already storming with everything he wasn’t saying. I cupped his face with both hands, feeling the heat of his skin, the slight tremble beneath the surface. His lashes fluttered when I leaned in.

I kissed him.

God—I kissed him.

Slow. Deep. With every ounce of fear and love and ache in my body. I felt the way his breath hitched, how he hesitated for half a second before melting into it. His hand found my waist, then my back, clutching like he couldn’t let go if he tried. Like he wouldn’t survive it.

When I pulled back, my lips tingled. My chest ached.

“I love you,” I breathed, barely able to say his name. “I love you, Ace.”

He didn’t speak. But his eyes were wide and glassy, his fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt like he might fall apart if he let go. That silence said everything.

Then I turned to Bob.

He looked like he’d been holding his breath the entire time, jaw tight, his chest rising and falling like he was sprinting in place. His brows pulled together when I stepped close, his whole face full of quiet agony.

I kissed him next—sweet, warm, like coming home.

He tasted like peppermint and heartbreak and hope.

He made a soft, broken sound against my mouth. Like maybe he wasn’t as strong as he’d pretended to be.

“I love you,” I whispered, pulling back just enough to rest my forehead against his. “I love you, Bob.”

His throat worked. He nodded once, slow, like it hurt. Like the words settled into his bones and rearranged something sacred inside him.

And then—Nate.

God, Nate.

I didn’t wait. I grabbed the collar of his hoodie and pulled him down to me, my mouth crashing into his. No hesitation. Just fire. Just need. His hands came up instantly, one fisting in my hair, the other at my waist, holding me so tight it hurt.

We kissed like we’d never have another chance.

It was messy. Desperate. Our breaths tangled. Our mouths open. Our bodies pressed together in a way that made the whole world tilt and burn.

“I love you,” I told him, voice shaking, lips brushing his. “I love you, Nate.”

He kissed me again, longer this time. His hand cradled my cheek, thumb tracing just beneath my eye.

“Come back to us,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “Please.”

“I will,” I promised.

Even if it broke me.

The van was cold and sterile, full of wires and screens and clipped radio voices. But I sat between them—Ace to my left, Bob to my right, Nate across from me. All three close enough to touch, all three bracing me like armor.

Agent Martin glanced back from the front seat. “We’re a few minutes out. You okay?”

“No,” I said, honest as ever. “But I’m doing it anyway.”

I saw the place before I even stepped inside—small café, ivy-covered walls, cozy tables. He was already there. Alexander.

Smiling like a fucking serpent in a button-down.

“I see him,” I murmured into the mic.

“We see him too,” Daniel replied through the earpiece.

I stepped out of the van. My legs were made of lead. My throat tight. I walked slowly, the sound of my heels tapping against the pavement, each step echoing louder in my ears than it should.

As I approached the café, I glanced around.

There were people scattered at the nearby benches, on phones, sipping coffee… too casually.

Too still.

Too alert.

And then I saw him.

One of Alexander’s men. Hector. Right near the door. Not hiding.

Another. And another. Familiar eyes. Familiar posture.

Fuck.

I swallowed hard and touched the mic in my collar like I was adjusting it.

“They’re here,” I whispered, heart thundering. “A lot of them. His men. All around.”

No one answered.

My breath caught in my throat.

I tried to reach for the café door, but Alexander’s hands grabbed my wrist.

And then everything inside me screamed run.

Chapter 24

POV: Nate

Daniella Moore.

It’s fucking insane how someone can walk into your life and completely reroute your blood, your brain, your entire fucking soul.

I’ve known her for days. Days. And it already feels like she’s carved her name into the marrow of my bones.

I’ve dated before. Kissed before. Fucked before. But nothing—nothing—ever felt like this.

I remember walking into the gym with Ace, barely paying attention to anything, until I saw her. Laughing with Bob, flirt in her eyes, her cheeks flushed from working out. And something in my chest snapped to attention. I just… knew. Like every cell in my body locked onto her and whispered, There. That one.

It wasn’t even rational. It wasn’t lust, not entirely. It was need. The kind that comes from a place too deep to explain.

Her smile hit like sunshine through fog. Her brown hair tied up, those brown eyes—god, those eyes. Warm, deep, alive. I didn’t even stand a chance.

I fell for her without even realizing I was falling.

I only noticed when I walked into our apartment and saw her kissing Bob.

My lungs forgot how to work. My heart felt like it had been dropkicked into concrete. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move.

Betrayal. That’s what it felt like. Like I’d handed her my heart and she didn’t even realize she was holding it when she crushed it under her heel. I’d told her I liked her. I’d been honest. And seeing her wrapped up in Bob’s arms felt like everything inside me shattered.

But then… she kissed me.

And fuck, it felt right.

Too right.

The moment her mouth touched mine, the rest of the world blurred. It was her. Just her. The weight of it hit me hard, like her lips were saying I see you. I want you. And that kiss broke through all my stupid jealousy like it was paper-thin.

She told me she liked me too.

And also…she liked Bob.

And yeah—normal Nate, the version of me who liked control, clean lines, and no gray areas—should’ve walked away. Should’ve told her to pick. Should’ve said fuck this and protected my heart.

But I didn’t.

Because I liked her. Because I needed her.

And that night, when I was finally inside her, when her hands clawed down my back and she said my name like a fucking prayer, I knew.

I would rather share her than lose her.

The way she kissed. The way she gasped when I touched her. The way she looked at me like I was the only man alive. It was… transcendental. Fucking paradise. Nothing had ever come close. And when I came inside her, it didn’t feel like release. It felt like a vow.

She was mine.

Ours, maybe.

But mine.

And I could live with that.

Until Ace found us.

That moment shattered everything.

He didn’t scream. Didn’t throw punches. But I saw the devastation ripple through him, and I knew. Knew that the man who kept us all steady—the calm, cold, rational one—had cracked. And he asked her to leave.

Bob and I didn’t even have to talk about it. We both just agreed to back off for a while. Give him time. Give her time. Even though staying away from her was fucking agony.

Every time my phone buzzed and it wasn’t her, it hurt. Every time I didn’t hear her laugh echo in the apartment… it was like going through withdrawal. Her absence was loud. Deafening.

Then the worst happened.

Alexander. That bastard.

She showed up broken. Shaken. Her hands trembled when she showed us the ransacked apartment. Her voice cracked when she said she thought he was back.

That was it for me.

That moment rewired something in my blood.

I had to protect her. I would protect her.

So I called my dad.

I didn’t care about secrets or shame. I didn’t care about what it would cost.

All I cared about was her.

Because if something happened to Daniella Moore, I’d never breathe the same way again.

And now, as we head into the fire together, all I can think is—

She will survive this.

She will come back to us.

To me.

I thought bringing her to the safe house would settle something inside me.

It didn’t.

She still walked around with bruises on her soul. She still had that tremble in her fingers when she talked about Alexander.

And yet—fuck, she was so fierce.

When she sat across from my dad and told him everything… everything that bastard did to her, everywhere he took her, every mindfuck he pulled—I didn’t see a victim.

I saw a warrior.

A goddamn lioness, bleeding but unbowed.

She told him the names, the places, the lies. She didn’t hold back. Her voice didn’t waver. Her back didn’t bend. I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of anyone in my life.

But when she said she wanted to be the bait…

I almost lost it.

I argued. Of course I did. Ace did too. Bob, for once, was quiet. But the truth was already there in her eyes. Set. Unshakeable.

She wasn’t just done running.

She wanted to end this.

What the fuck was I supposed to say to that?

I couldn’t cage her. Couldn’t protect her the way I wanted without taking something vital from her. And I loved her too fucking much to do that.

So we prepped her. Wired her up and dressed her in that soft, professional outfit my dad’s team picked out. I hated every inch of it—not because of how she looked, but because of what it meant. What it risked.

And in the quiet, before she went in, we had that one moment.

She kissed all of us.

One by one.

Her lips on mine felt like salvation and surrender all at once. And when she whispered I love you, Nate, I swear my knees almost gave out.

I didn’t say it back—not then. I was too scared that if I opened my mouth, I’d beg her not to go.

She kissed me again before pulling away, and I felt it like a brand on my soul.

Then she turned and walked toward the lion’s den.

The ride over was silent. My heart was a war drum. I could feel Bob vibrating with tension beside me, and Ace—usually cold as stone—was tapping his fingers like he didn’t know what else to do.

We were all in the van, listening in, watching through grainy camera feeds.

And then her voice crackled in the earpiece.

“They’re here,” she whispered, low. Urgent. “A lot of them. His men. All around.”

I stopped breathing.

Every hair on my body stood up.

My stomach turned to ice.

No. No, no, no—

Bob swore violently under his breath. Ace shot to his feet, scanning the monitor, eyes wild in a way I’d never seen before.

My blood roared in my ears. I saw her on the screen—alone. Vulnerable. Trapped.

And Alexander was already there.

Sitting at the table. Smiling like a fucking demon in disguise. His eyes were locked on her like she was prey and he grabbed her wrist.

No.

Not today.

My hand went straight for my dad’s gun.

I didn’t wait.

Didn’t ask permission.

I just moved.

I didn’t wait for protocol.

Didn’t wait for clearance, or hand signals, or even the go.

I saw Dani walking into that café and whispering over the mic that Alexander’s men were everywhere — and I fucking snapped.

I grabbed my dad’s gun and ran.

“Nate!” Ace shouted.

Bob cursed behind me, already following. “He’s going in—fuck—Ace, MOVE!”

The van exploded into chaos.

“Goddammit!” my dad’s voice roared through comms. “All teams, breach NOW. GO GO GO!”

Chapter 25

POV: Nate

Agents moved. Every entrance, every hidden camera, every sniper was now engaged. I could hear the stampede of boots, the clash of metal, the surge of a real operation kicking into gear.

But all I could focus on was her.

Dani.

Inside that building with a fucking predator.

I stormed through the alley entrance—kitchen doors slamming open as I passed, waiters screaming and ducking behind counters. I could hear the agents crashing in through the front, but I didn’t stop. I shoved through the swinging door into the dining area—

And the whole fucking room exploded.

One of Alexander’s men spotted me and opened fire.

I dove behind a booth, bullets shredding the wall where I’d been standing. Bob rolled in right behind me, firing sharp and fast—hit a guy in the shoulder, dropped another with a shot to the leg.

Glass shattered. Tables flipped. Civilians screamed.

Ace didn’t even flinch. He beelined straight for Dani across the chaos. No weapon. No hesitation. Just sheer, reckless need. He got to her seconds before another man reached for her from behind—and tackled him to the ground in one brutal move.

Dani fell under the table, covered by Ace’s body as he roared, “Stay down! I’ve got you!”

I fired back at another of Alexander’s men, caught him in the thigh. The guy howled, dropped his gun.

Another agent took him down, cuffed him hard.

It was war inside that café.

Screams. Gunfire. Orders barked over comms. My dad was yelling into the mic, “We’ve got six suspects armed and active! Contain the perimeter! Alpha team sweep the back!”

I spotted Alexander.

That smug fuck was standing like nothing could touch him, calmly pulling Dani’s chair back like he had all the time in the world.

He had a gun in his hand.

Pointed at her.

“NO!”

I was already moving before the word left my throat.

I aimed, but couldn’t risk the shot—too close to Dani. I ran, fast and hard, and Bob flanked left, dodging gunfire as he launched at one of Alexander’s guards, punched him so hard the guy collapsed into a dessert case.

Blood and éclairs everywhere.

Ace pulled Dani behind an overturned table, his arms locked around her.

“I’ve got her!” he shouted at me. “Get him, Nate!”

I turned back just as Alexander tried to bolt for the front.

Not a fucking chance.

I tackled him in the middle of the chaos—his gun skidding across the tile.

He fought dirty. Elbowed my face, kneed my ribs, spit in my eye.

I punched him. Hard. Again. Again.

And then I felt cold metal press to the side of my neck.

“Freeze!” a voice barked.

But it wasn’t one of his men.

FBI. Agents had him surrounded.

I stepped back, heaving, blood on my knuckles, my face stinging from the hits.

My dad ran up, gun drawn, livid.

“Jesus Christ, Nate! What the hell were you thinking?!”

“I was thinking she was gonna die,” I snapped back, chest rising like I’d just sprinted a mile through hell. “So I moved.”

He didn’t argue.

He just nodded at the agents. “Take him. Cuff every last one of them.”

They dragged Alexander up off the ground. He looked dazed, bloody, and still somehow smug.

I turned back.

Dani was standing now—shaking, covered in dust and glass, Ace holding her close while Bob covered them, gun still in his hand. Her eyes locked on mine. Wide. Wet. Shattered.

But alive.

Alive.

I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms.

We didn’t say a word.

We didn’t have to.

The ringing in my ears wouldn’t stop.

It wasn’t from the gunshots anymore. It was from the fear.

The kind that seeps into your bones, coils around your heart, and doesn’t let go — not even when it’s over.

She almost died.

I stood with Dani in my arms, Ace on one side, Bob on the other, all three of us circling her like shields. She was shaking so bad I thought her knees would give out. Her fingers clutched my shirt like it was the only thing keeping her tethered to reality.

“I got you,” I murmured. Over and over. Voice cracked, breath still ragged. “We got you, baby girl. You’re okay. You’re safe.”

And for the first time since this started, she broke.

Not loud. Not dramatic.

Just this silent, trembling sob as she buried her face in my chest, shoulders shaking. No more walls. No more strength. Just pure, raw vulnerability.

Ace kissed her hair. Bob ran a gentle hand down her back.

And I held her like I’d never let go.

Until my father stormed over.

He was still flushed from the chaos, jaw clenched, gun holstered but not forgotten. He looked at us — the blood, the bruises, Dani in my arms — and his expression twisted into fury.

“What the hell was that?!”

I stiffened. “I—”

“You ran in with no cover, no backup, no plan, Nate!”

“She was in there alone,” I snapped. “What the fuck was I supposed to do?!”

His hands flew through his hair, wild with disbelief. “You were supposed to trust the team! Trust me!”

“I trust you. But I trust her more.”

That shut him up.

He looked at Dani — at how small she was in the center of us, pale and shaking but alive — and something in his face crumbled.

“Jesus Christ…” he muttered, then stepped forward and grabbed me into a hug so tight it nearly cracked my ribs. “You stupid son of a bitch. You could’ve been killed.”

“Yeah,” I said, choking out a laugh. “But she’s alive.”

He stepped back and nodded like that made it all okay.

Then his phone rang.

He answered without thinking. “Martin.”

A pause.

His eyes widened.

“You’re sure?”

Another pause.

Then a slow, stunned breath left his chest. “Holy shit.”

“What?” I asked.

He looked at me, at all of us, then at Dani.

“They got him. They got all of them.”

Dani lifted her head slowly, eyes dazed. “Who?”

He met her gaze. “Alexander’s father. And the entire operation. Arms, trafficking, laundering—every fucking thread. They used this chaos as a distraction to take him out clean. While we had the son, they cornered the father.”

My heart stopped.

“So you knew,” I said, voice low.

“I knew there was a chance. But this was bigger than any of us thought. Dani…” He turned to her again. “You weren’t just bait for Alexander. You were the final domino in an entire takedown. Your information, your bravery, your presence here—it helped us unravel everything.”

Dani blinked like she couldn’t process it.

She just whispered, “It’s over?”

He nodded.

“It’s over.”

She dropped her head again — not in fear this time, but in release. Like she’d been holding her breath for years and could finally exhale.

And then she stumbled away from me, toward a corner by the wall, and threw up.

Ace was by her side in a second, holding her hair back, rubbing her back in soft circles.

Bob grabbed a water bottle and ran over.

And I just stood there for a second, breath stuck in my lungs, watching the strongest person I’ve ever met fall apart — not because she was weak, but because she was finally allowed to.

I followed her after, knelt beside her, wiped her face with the edge of my shirt.

“Hey,” I said gently.

Her eyes met mine. Bloodshot. Exhausted. Still so fucking beautiful it hurt.

“You okay?” she whispered.

“No,” I said honestly. “Not until you’re okay.”

Her hand reached for mine.

“Were you scared?” she asked.

I laughed, even as my eyes burned. “Dani, I’ve never been more fucking terrified in my life.”

She swallowed. “Even when you saw me kiss Bob?”

That made me smile, broken and crooked. “Yeah… but this was worse.”

A beat.

She squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “You also saved me. So I think we’re even.”

Bob and Ace settled beside us, our little gravity again reformed.

I held her tighter and whispered in her ear:

“You’re never going through anything alone again. Not now. Not ever.”

The world outside the window blurred by in streaks of gray and dying light. Rain kissed the glass with soft taps, the same rhythm as my heart now that the chaos had passed.

We were in the van. Heading back to the safe house. Silent. Bruised. Breathing.

Dani sat between us, still wrapped in the oversized jacket someone had thrown around her after it all. Her hair was a mess, damp with rain and sweat and tears, clinging to her skin like ivy. She hadn’t said much since we left. None of us had.

But something had changed.

There was no more running. No more pretending. No more rules left to break.

It was just… us now.

Bob sat across from us, eyes locked on her like she might vanish if he blinked. His hand reached out slowly, and without a word, he pulled her bare feet into his lap. He rubbed her ankle with his thumb, slow circles of silent understanding. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.

Ace was beside her on the other side, his knee bumping hers, posture tight like he was still deciding how close was too close. He stared down at the floor for a long time. Then, just as the van hit a bump and she swayed slightly, he caught her hand.

And held it.

Not just held it—took it. Intertwined their fingers. Squeezed once.

Dani glanced down, eyes wide, as if she couldn’t believe it. Then her shoulders dropped like she’d been holding her breath for hours.

She leaned her head gently against Ace’s shoulder, nuzzling in like she’d belonged there her whole life.

I felt the lump rise in my throat before I even realized I was moving.

My hand slid over hers on the other side. I traced the delicate shape of her fingers, watched how they curled instinctively around mine.

I laced our hands together and didn’t let go.

She was trembling. Not with fear—just the come-down. The emotional fallout of a war she’d fought with every part of her soul.

She tilted her head slightly, resting her cheek against Ace, eyes fluttering closed.

Then she whispered, voice small but clear:

“Thank you… I love you. All of you.”

Ace went still.

Then, after a beat, he turned his head just enough to kiss her hair and murmured, “I love you too.”

She blinked, lips parting slightly as she looked up at him in quiet disbelief.

Bob gave her calf a gentle squeeze, eyes soft. “I love you too.”

And then she turned to me.

I had no idea how to put it into words. What I felt. What this meant. How my heart had become a map that pointed only to her, even when we were lost.

So I leaned in.

Pressed my forehead to hers.

And said, low and certain:

“I love you, Dani. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life. And I’m not afraid anymore.”

She let out a tiny sob. The kind that comes from joy so big your body doesn’t know how to hold it.

And we just stayed like that, wrapped in the hum of the road, in bruises and blood and rain-washed peace.

Three men. One woman. One heart beating between all of us.

Together.

At last.

Chapter 26

POV: Dani

We got back to the safe house, and I felt everything at once—relieved, alive, safe… and dirty. My skin crawled with the memory of Alexander’s touch, his fingers on my wrist, the cold steel of his gun aimed at my chest. It was over—he was gone—but I still felt him like a shadow clinging to my body.

“I just need a shower,” I told them, voice tight.

Ace gave a quick nod. “We’ll handle everything. Take your time—we’ll leave in an hour.”

Nate was already talking to his father, finalizing whatever FBI details were left. Bob just nodded at me with quiet understanding.

Ace turned back to me, his voice low. “We’ve got you. Just… be okay.”

I thanked them with my eyes and disappeared into the bedroom I’d stayed in here. I closed the door behind me like sealing off the last twenty-four hours, turned on the shower, and let the water scorch me clean.

The spray hit my skin and everything cracked open—panic, rage, fear, guilt, grief, relief. I let it all fall from me, washing down the drain with the dirt and the ache. The steam wrapped around me like a second skin, and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, I could breathe again.

There were fresh clothes folded on the bed when I came out—Louise and Andrew must have left them. I changed slowly, every movement an act of reclaiming my body. When I stepped back into the hallway, it felt like I was meagain.

We returned to the apartment—their apartment, my refuge—and just before we left the safe house, I turned to Daniel Martin.

He looked so much like Nate. The same intense eyes, the same unreadable jaw. I couldn’t help it—I stepped in and hugged him tightly, my throat too tight to speak.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He squeezed my shoulders and looked me dead in the eye. “You were amazing. Brave. You have no idea how much you helped us dismantle the Grimaldis. We’ve hunted them for years. But you—you were the key. You made it happen. You’re safe now. We’ll still watch over you, but… you’re free.”

Then he turned to Nate, hugged him, clapped Bob and Ace on the shoulders. “Good friends, son.”

I gave him a small smile over my shoulder as we walked to the car.

The drive back to the apartment was quiet. But not the awkward kind—this was peaceful. Comfortable. Full of unspoken things we didn’t need to say out loud just yet.

I didn’t speak, because I knew if I did, it would all come tumbling out—tears, laughter, kisses, or something deeper, more desperate. I just sat in that stillness, holding onto it like a gift.

But the moment we stepped into the apartment, everything shifted.

It felt like crossing into a sacred space. This place wasn’t just shelter—it was ours. The air buzzed with something electric, thick with all the things we’d held back for too long.

I turned to look at them—Ace, Bob, and Nate.

Ace, all intensity and control, those ice-blue eyes that saw right through me.

Bob, devastating in his quiet power, his solid presence, his beauty that never felt safe but always felt right.

And Nate… God, Nate. Those warm brown eyes, that clever mind, that heart that had bled for me in silence and still kept beating for me now.

They were all here. They were mine. And I was theirs.

I didn’t even realize I’d taken a step toward them until I saw how they moved with me, like magnets drawn into orbit.

One step. Then another.

And then I was in the center of them.

I didn’t think—I just reached for Ace, capturing his mouth in a kiss that tasted like survival. Like need. His lips parted against mine with a groan, arms sliding around me, holding me tight enough to ground me but not break me.

Nate’s hands found my waist. Bob’s hands found my hips.

They closed in, slowly, gently, reverently.

Ace’s lips left mine to kiss my neck, his mouth hot and sure, and I gasped as the heat flared through me.

“I wanted this for so long,” I whispered, and my voice was already breaking. “All of you.”

“I love you,” Nate murmured, and his words were a kiss on my ear. His hands were under my sweater, dragging it up, baring my skin to their touch.

Bob was behind me, and I felt his erection through his jeans as he pressed against my back. His mouth was at my shoulder, his hands on my thighs.

Ace unclasped my bra with fingers that didn’t tremble—he was sure now, all in—and kissed his way down to my breasts, slow and deep, until I moaned, arching into him.

My hands found his hair, twisting as I held him against me.

I was trembling, shaking with the weight of all this love, all this want. All this finally.

Nate’s mouth brushed mine again, then trailed down my jaw.

Bob turned me slightly to kiss my bare shoulder, and his hands wrapped around my front to caress my belly, my hips, my breasts—touching me like I was something holy.

We moved together like one living thing—no longer separate hearts, but one fire.

I was surrounded by them—Ace’s lips on my throat, Bob’s hands roaming my hips, Nate’s breath hot on my neck. Every part of me burned. Every nerve ending lit up like wildfire. Their touches weren’t hesitant anymore.

They were claiming me.

Not like something to own—but like something sacred. Like I was holy and they were starved for worship.

My sweater was bunched under my arms, my bra undone, jeans barely hanging on. But I was already stripped bare in every way that mattered.

“Bedroom,” Ace rasped, his voice cracking like it cost him to say the word out loud. That one syllable destroyed me.

I nodded, breathless.

Nate stepped back long enough to grab my hand, guiding me down the hallway. Bob and Ace flanked us, close enough to feel, to breathe.

In the bedroom, Bob scooped me up effortlessly—strong arms wrapping around me like I was weightless—and laid me gently on the bed. Like I was precious.

But I wasn’t fragile anymore.

They made sure of that.

I sat up slowly, pulling my sweater off the rest of the way. The cool air kissed my bare skin, nipples tightening, breath catching. I felt them watching. All three of them. The hunger in their eyes wasn’t just lust—it was awe. It was devotion.

Ace looked like he was memorizing every inch of me.

Bob’s jaw clenched, gaze dark.

Nate crawled onto the bed beside me, brushing hair behind my ear, his touch as soft as his voice.

“Can we?” he whispered. Just those two words, full of reverence and restraint, undid me.

“Yes,” I breathed. “God, yes. Please…”

Bob’s hands found the button of my jeans, slow and steady. He tugged them down along with my panties, his knuckles grazing my skin with deliberate care. He kissed the inside of my knee, then lower, like every inch deserved attention.

Ace undressed next—methodical, silent, jaw tight. His body was sculpted steel and ink, cock already hard and beautiful, thick and flushed.

He didn’t need to speak. His eyes said everything.

Nate undressed in seconds, desperate, like he couldn’t wait any longer. His cock sprang free, thick and flushed, and his hands trembled slightly as he reached for me again.

Bob undressed last, slow and controlled, then climbed onto the bed behind me. His lips brushed up my spine, arms wrapping around my waist, grounding me in the moment.

I leaned back against his chest, my legs spread open, completely exposed. Naked with them. For them.

And then Ace—my sweet, reluctant, aching Ace—crawled between my thighs. He kissed me again first, deep and slow, and then lower… down my throat, my chest, my belly. My breath caught as his lips traveled further, to the inside of my thighs.

And then—

His blue eyes locked on mine as he kissed my clit.

Chapter 27

POV: Dani

Soft. Worshipful. Devouring.

“Fuck—Ace,” I sobbed, trembling as he licked me like I was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. His mouth was relentless, reverent, tongue sliding through my folds with aching precision.

“You taste so fucking sweet, Princess,” he murmured against me.

The nickname. That nickname.

It hit me in the chest like a punch.

Bob was behind me, warm and solid. Nate leaned in from the side, kissing my lips, then my nipples, dragging his tongue around them in slow, aching circles. My pleasure was already sky-high—layered, burning, consuming.

Ace sucked my clit again, harder this time, making me cry out. My fingers tangled in his hair, holding him in place, grinding shamelessly against his mouth.

“Ace… God… I’m gonna—”

“Come for me,” he begged. “On my tongue. Let me have it.”

And I did.

I shattered, crying out his name as my orgasm ripped through me. My whole body convulsed, spasming against Bob’s chest as Ace held my thighs wide, licking every last wave of pleasure from my body like it was the only thing that mattered.

When he climbed up, his lips were slick with me. His grin was wrecked and gorgeous.

“That sound,” he whispered, kissing me. “I need to hear it again.”

I tasted myself on his tongue and moaned into his mouth.

But now… now it was my turn.

I moved out of Bob’s embrace and pushed Ace gently back until he was kneeling on the bed. His cock stood thick and proud, flushed at the tip, aching.

I bit my lip, leaned forward, and whispered, “Now I wanna taste you.”

Ace swore under his breath as I licked him, slow and teasing. I wrapped my lips around the tip, tasting his salt and need, then took him deeper, sucking him hungrily.

His hand buried in my hair, fingers tightening.

“God, your mouth… Princess, you feel so fucking good.”

Then I felt hands on my hips—gentle, sure. Nate.

His fingers teased my entrance, dipping into me with easy wetness.

“You’re soaked,” he said, voice low, reverent. “You want more?”

I pulled off Ace’s cock just long enough to whisper, “For all of you. Always.”

Nate positioned himself behind me, and I braced myself, groaning as he slid inside.

Full. Stretching. Perfect.

Bob positioned himself to the side, taking my nipple in his mouth again while I sank back down on Ace’s cock, sucking and moaning. Nate fucked me slow and deep from behind, each thrust rocking me against Ace’s length.

Then Bob—fucking Bob—added another layer. His fingers brushed over my clit, circling lightly.

Pleasure exploded like fire.

I was arching, gasping, stuffed full—Ace in my mouth, Nate in my cunt, Bob playing my body like a goddamn instrument.

It built so fast, so strong—

I shattered around Nate, mouth full of Ace, pleasure blinding as I screamed against his cock.

They didn’t stop.

Ace groaned, gripping my hair. “You look like sin moaning on my cock… fuck—I’m gonna—”

He spilled in my mouth with a broken moan, and I swallowed every drop, drunk on him.

And still—still—pleasure surged again, Nate grinding deeper, groaning, “You feel like fucking heaven—” before he came inside me with a long, low cry.

Ace collapsed on one side of the bed, eyes glassy, breath wrecked.

Nate kissed the back of my neck before curling to my other side.

I leaned into Bob next, and he brushed his thumb over my cheek.

“Still have some Dani for me?” he asked, smirking.

I grinned. “There’s always Dani for you.”

I climbed into his lap, guiding his cock inside me, riding him slow, his hands on my hips, grounding me in the rhythm.

But he didn’t let me keep control for long.

He flipped us effortlessly, taking over, driving into me with hard, deep thrusts.

Then—

Nate’s hands on my breasts, featherlight, teasing. Ace’s lips on my neck, his fingers sliding between us to find my clit again.

Overwhelmed.

Worshipped.

Loved.

I clenched around Bob again, moaning, body shaking as another orgasm crashed through me.

Bob came right after, groaning into my neck, hips jerking as he spilled inside me.

And then…

We collapsed together.

Nate on one side. Bob on the other. Ace curled behind me, arms around my waist.

Breathing. Tangled. Spent.

The air was thick with sex, with love, with something far deeper than I could name.

And for the first time in forever…

I felt whole.

Loved.

Real.

And worshipped.

I woke up sore.

Sore in all the best ways.

My thighs ached, my core throbbed, and there was a dull pulse between my legs that told me exactly how real last night had been.

Not a dream.

Not a fantasy.

A memory.

A vivid, relentless, beautiful memory burned into my body.

We didn’t stop. Not until our bodies gave out, slick and trembling and exhausted from wringing out every drop of tension that had lived in us for too damn long. We pushed boundaries, explored places inside me I didn’t even know existed. Tried things I didn’t know I could crave. Bent me open in more ways than one. And I loved it.

God, I loved it.

I didn’t even know it was possible to feel that much, to want that much, to trust that much. But with them… it was like being reborn. No shame. No fear. Just want and need and love—tangled into something that felt holy.

I shifted slightly, muscles protesting, and I realized I was completely caged in. One of Bob’s arms was slung over my stomach, the other tucked beneath my head like a pillow. Nate had a leg thrown over mine, his face buried in the back of my neck, breath warm against my skin. And Ace—Ace was behind me, his hand splayed low over my belly, his chest rising and falling slowly against my back.

I was surrounded. Claimed.

Safe.

I smiled into the pillow, sore lips still swollen from everything they’d done to me. Every kiss, every bite, every filthy word they moaned against my skin. We’d crossed every line—and made a few new ones. They worshipped me. I gave myself to them. And together, we’d set fire to everything that came before.

The room was thick with heat and sex and sleep. But there was more than that too. A quiet hum. A peace I hadn’t felt in years. It wrapped around me like another blanket, warm and alive and unshakable.

“Mmmn…” Bob groaned, voice thick with sleep as he shifted. “You’re still here.”

I laughed softly. “Where else would I be?”

“Don’t know. Maybe I dreamed you.”

“You didn’t.”

“Good,” he mumbled, pressing a lazy kiss to my bare shoulder. “I like this dream.”

Ace stirred behind me, his hand slipping lower, fingers brushing over my stomach, then between my thighs. I gasped and he froze—then chuckled sleepily.

“Sorry,” he murmured, not sorry at all. “Reflex.”

“Your reflex is to finger me in your sleep?”

“I’m a simple man.”

Nate lifted his head just enough to kiss my neck. “Can’t blame him. You were…” he exhaled, low and reverent, “insane last night.”

I hummed, stretching like a cat between them. “You were all insane.”

“Yeah,” Bob said, hand sliding up to cup my breast. “But you were the one who broke us.”

Ace nuzzled behind my ear. “How are you even real?”

I turned my face slightly so I could kiss him. Just a slow, sleepy brush of lips. “Don’t know. But I’m here. With you. All of you.”

“We really did it,” Nate said softly. “No more holding back.”

“No more pretending,” I whispered. “No more rules.”

They made soft sounds of agreement, their touches slow and easy, not demanding—just there. Present. Loving.

And still hungry.

Ace’s fingers teased me again, more intentional this time, and I gasped softly. “Ace…”

“Just checking,” he murmured. “Still wet for us?”

“God,” I breathed. “Always.”

Bob smirked. “Fuck, I love her.”

“I called dibs first,” Nate teased, biting my shoulder.

“Too late,” Ace said. “She came on my tongue.”

“Children,” I groaned, laughing as I tried to hide my face in the pillow.

“You love it,” Nate whispered, kissing my back.

I did. I loved all of it. The teasing. The tenderness. The way they held me like something breakable and fucked me like something eternal. I loved them.

I wasn’t ready to say it yet—not out loud. But it beat in every inch of my body. It lived in every kiss, every whisper, every hand that touched me like I was theirs.

I’d give them everything. Every moan. Every gasp. Every broken, beautiful piece of me.

And this morning?

This was just the beginning.

Chapter 28

POV: Dani

We barely made it to the kitchen.

Between the groaning and the limping and the relentless teasing, it felt like a miracle we got out of bed at all. My legs wobbled like jelly, Nate winced every time he moved his hips, Bob looked like he’d been hit by a truck in the best possible way, and Ace just grinned like the smug, infuriating man he was.

“Who’s idea was it to have sex until we couldn’t feel our legs?” Nate muttered, clutching the counter like it could save him.

“You,” I said, sliding onto one of the stools. “You literally said, ‘let’s go one more round.’”

“And you cheered,” Bob added, rifling through the cabinets for something edible. “I remember because I was dying, and you clapped.”

Ace tossed a loaf of bread onto the counter, laughing. “To be fair, she was riding you when she did it.”

I choked on a laugh. “Okay, I did not—wait. No, I totally did. Jesus.”

“See?” Bob pointed at me like he’d won a debate. “She’s a menace.”

“A very hot menace,” Ace added, grabbing eggs from the fridge.

“Who’s going to cook?” I asked.

“I’m not standing up any longer than I have to,” Nate grumbled.

Bob grinned. “That’s fine. Ace is already halfway to husband mode.”

Ace cracked an egg into a pan. “What can I say? I’m a man of many talents. Cooking. Driving. Being railed emotionally and spiritually by the girl I’m in love with.”

I blinked. “Did you just say—”

“Emotionally and spiritually,” he repeated, keeping a straight face. “I didn’t say what kind of love.”

I laughed so hard I almost fell off the stool.

Despite the soreness and the mild hangover from pleasure, everything about this felt easy. Like we’d been doing this for months. Bob moved around like he’d been in this kitchen for years, passing ingredients to Ace. Nate found mugs and made coffee. I didn’t have to think. I just existed—and they orbited around me like I was gravity.

I caught Bob’s eye, and he smiled softly at me across the room. My chest fluttered.

This was real.

This was ours.

We piled around the table with plates of scrambled eggs, toast, and whatever else the guys managed to throw together, and it felt like the most normal chaos in the world. Between bites, fingers brushed, knees bumped. Little touches. Lingering glances. And beneath it all, that low hum of connection that hadn’t faded with the night.

“So,” Ace said, clearing his throat around a mouthful of toast. “We’re gonna make this work, right?”

The room went quiet for half a second—just long enough for the weight of the question to settle.

I looked up at him, still chewing, and nodded. “Yeah. I want to make this work.”

He exhaled, clearly relieved, but then squinted. “Okay. But we’re like… exclusive, right? I mean—this is the unit. You, me, Bob, Nate. No extra limbs. No open relationship shit. Just us?”

I tilted my head, pretending to think.

“Well, I was texting a fourth guy…” I said casually, watching his eyes widen in horror. “But I think five might be enough.”

Bob nearly snorted coffee out of his nose. Nate choked on his egg.

Ace stared at me.

“Five?!”

I smirked, slow and wicked. “Relax. I’m kidding.”

Bob was cackling now. “Oh my God.”

I leaned forward, eyes locked on Ace. “I know I have all three of you. And that’s way more than enough. But if another woman so much as looks at one of you the wrong way…”

Nate raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I’ll end her,” I said sweetly, sipping my coffee. “With a smile.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then all three of them burst out laughing.

“Oh my God, she’s psycho,” Nate wheezed, grinning.

“You love it,” I shot back.

“I do,” he agreed, mouth full.

Ace shook his head, smiling like he couldn’t believe any of this was real. “You’re fucking unreal, Dani.”

Bob leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. “She’s ours, boys.”

I looked around the table at all of them—bruised, exhausted, glowing—and felt something deep settle in my chest.

Yeah. I was.

And they were mine.

It’s been three months since I moved in with them.

Three months of waking up tangled in limbs and body heat and stolen pillows, of walking through the apartment in nothing but one of their oversized t-shirts—or sometimes nothing at all—because there was no point pretending we weren’t all in this. All of us.

I still forget it’s real, sometimes. That this ridiculous, beautiful, chaotic, oversexed thing we built didn’t collapse the moment we stepped outside the safe house. It didn’t implode under the weight of the real world or social norms or logistics. It didn’t just survive. It thrived.

Because we did.

Mostly because Bob refused to sleep away from me for even a night. And when I offered to take turns staying at their place or mine, he literally carried me into their apartment and said, “You live here now.” And Nate and Ace just… nodded.

So yeah. I live here now.

And somehow, that makes perfect sense.

They fixed my car, of course. But I rarely drive it. The boys insist on giving me rides—sometimes literally—and Bob keeps begging me to do more leg day because, quote, “strong legs mean more bounce and I like the way you ride me when you bounce.”

He’s an idiot. I love him.

Ace makes the best omelets I’ve ever tasted and lets me wear his hoodies even though he pretends he hates it. Nate leaves me sticky notes with awful puns and kisses my shoulder every morning like he’s grateful I’m still here.

And me?

I’m managing it. This impossible thing.

Somehow, I’ve made loving three men feel natural.

And I’ve never been so full. So safe. So satisfied.

I wake up to the feeling of something warm and hard pressing against my thigh.

Correction: multiple somethings.

I wake up every morning thinking this can’t be real.

But it is.

Somehow, it is.

I live with three of the hottest, smartest, most gentle and infuriatingly sexy men I’ve ever met. And every morning, I wake up tangled in their limbs, wrapped in warmth, sore in the best way, and loved so deeply it still makes my chest ache.

This morning is no different.

I stir gently, blinking against the soft light pouring through the curtain cracks, and immediately feel Bob’s face pressed against my back. He sleeps like a koala—curled tight around my waist, one leg thrown over mine, his arm locked in a possessive grip. He always sleeps this way, like he’s afraid I might vanish.

And honestly? I like it.

His position leaves just enough space for Ace, who sleeps upside down—his face nuzzled into the crook of my neck, his breath warm against my skin, his body curved like a comma along my spine. It’s chaotic and weird and kind of perfect.

Then there’s Nate. Beautiful, composed, dirty-mouthed Nate. His hand is draped lazily across my stomach, fingers twitching every now and then, just barely grazing the underside of my breast.

I’m sore. Deep, humming soreness between my legs and across my thighs from last night. Three months in, and we still can’t keep our hands off each other. We make love like we’re starving—hungry and grateful and greedy.

I shift slightly, trying to stretch my leg, but they all tighten their grips on me like instinct.

I’m trapped.

Caged.

In the most perfect way imaginable.

Ace stirs, his lips brushing against my shoulder as he murmurs sleepily, “You’re already awake?”

I hum softly and turn just enough to meet his mouth. The kiss is upside down, lazy and warm, tongues sliding, lips pulling, breath mingling. His hand glides up under the covers, his palm spreading across my ribs, thumb flicking my nipple.

I moan into his mouth, softly.

Then I feel it—Bob’s hand between my thighs. I don’t know how long it’s been there, but it’s not still anymore.

He groans against my back, his lips brushing the base of my spine as he murmurs, “Jesus, baby… you’re already so fucking wet.”

I gasp, whispering against Ace’s lips, “Always for you.”

Bob kisses my hip, slow and reverent. “Fuck, that turns me on.”

Nate shifts beside me, his fingers dragging lazy patterns up my belly. I feel his other hand slide to my breast, cupping it gently, thumbing the nipple just as his mouth replaces it.

His lips are warm, soft, hungry.

Ace is kissing my jaw now, whispering, “Our girl’s already dripping and we haven’t even said good morning properly.”

Bob’s head disappears under the blanket, and then I feel his mouth on me—hot, skilled, so familiar it makes me arch. His tongue teases my clit, then flattens against it. Licking. Sucking. Worshipping.

I cry out, muffled against Ace’s mouth as I kiss him harder. My hips twitch, grind into Bob’s face as he groans like he’s feasting. Nate’s mouth returns to my nipple, sucking harder now, and his free hand brushes over the other breast, kneading, teasing.

It’s too much. It’s perfect.

“I swear,” I breathe out, barely able to speak, “you three know how to wake me up in the best fucking way.”

Ace chuckles against my lips. “Always, princess.”

I reach up, hand searching for the thick weight of his cock. I find it—hard, heavy, ready. He hisses through his teeth as I grip it.

My other hand reaches for Nate. He’s just as hard, and when I stroke them both at once, their groans echo around me like music.

Bob slides a finger into me.

I cry out, arching. The pressure is blinding. Fireworks explode behind my eyes as he curls it just right. My orgasm crashes into me, hot and hard and so fast I swear I black out for a second.

When I come back to earth, I pant, “I want all three of you. Now.”

Nate’s voice is rough, cocky. “As you wish, baby girl.”

Chapter 29

POV: Dani

Nate kneels at the head of the bed, and I slide between his legs, taking him into my mouth. His fingers thread into my hair instantly.

Ace positions himself between my thighs, cock nudging at my entrance.

Bob’s already reaching for the lube from the nightstand.

Ace slides into me at the same time Bob starts preparing me. I moan, full and stretched and wrecked. Bob kisses the curve of my back, murmuring sweet nothings before pushing in, slow and careful.

For a moment, we just hold.

All of them inside me.

I’m filled in every possible way, and it’s too much and not enough and perfect.

Then they start to move.

Together.

Rhythmic. Rehearsed. Like a symphony, each beat perfect, each thrust a note in a song only we know.

Bob and Ace thrust in perfect counterpoint, rocking me against Nate’s cock, which hits the back of my throat just right. Ace’s hand slides between us to rub my clit, his fingers knowing exactly what I need.

“You feel so tight… so warm,” Ace groans.

“Don’t tell her,” Bob pants, “she already knows she’s perfect.”

Nate’s breath stutters. “Your mouth, baby… fuck, your mouth feels so good…”

I moan around him, pleasure climbing higher. Ace rubs faster, Bob grips tighter, Nate throbs in my throat.

It takes only a few more strokes.

Nate comes first, gasping as he spills into my mouth. I swallow everything, still moaning as Bob follows, growling low in my ear as he fills me, his hands clutching my hips.

Ace isn’t far behind. He slams in deep, shuddering as he comes inside me.

My orgasm tears through me like a storm.

We collapse.

All of us.

A heap of limbs, sweat, kisses, gasps. Laughter bubbles in my throat as I roll between them, utterly wrecked and glowing.

I whisper, breathless, “I didn’t say it yet this morning… but I love you.”

Ace kisses my temple. “I love you.”

Bob hugs me tighter. “I love you.”

Nate rests his forehead against mine. “I love you.”

And this—this right here—is the best fucking way to wake up.

By the time I manage to wriggle out of bed—legs still a little shaky, body humming with afterglow—the smell of coffee is already filling the air.

I tug on one of Ace’s black t-shirts, barely long enough to cover my ass, and pad barefoot into the kitchen. The scene makes my heart swell.

Ace’s back is to me, shirtless, his tattoos on display as he flips pancakes in a skillet. Nate stands beside him, coffee mug in hand, reading over the phone propped on the counter—probably some political newsletter or business update, because of course he does that in the morning.

And Bob… Bob’s slicing strawberries, wearing nothing but joggers and humming softly under his breath. His hair is still wild from sleep.

It’s domestic.

It’s chaotic.

And it’s perfect.

“Morning, beuatiful,” Bob says first, not even looking up.

“How do you always know?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his middle from behind and kissing between his shoulder blades.

He grins. “I felt your absence in the Force.”

“Dork,” I whisper against his skin.

Ace turns around just in time to catch me in the act. He smirks, walks up, and plants a syrup-sweet kiss on my lips before handing me a mug of fresh coffee.

“For the queen of overstimulation,” he teases.

I roll my eyes, sip, and moan dramatically. “God, you make coffee like you make love.”

“Strong, hot, and just the way you like it?” he says, cocky.

I grin into my mug. “Exactly.”

I lean against the kitchen counter, elbows on the surface, taking another long sip. The stretch of my hips is deliberate. I know they’re looking.

I hear footsteps behind me, then feel Nate’s body slide up behind mine. He presses his hips against my ass, his hands on my waist, his mouth right by my ear.

“Seriously?” he murmurs. “You’re teasing again? We literally had sex last night and this morning.”

“I’m just drinking coffee,” I say innocently, not moving.

He rolls his hips forward just enough to make me gasp. “You’re insatiable.”

I smirk and turn my head just enough to look at him from the corner of my eye. “You three are the ones who are insatiable. I’m just… very patient.”

“Patient?” Ace snorts. “You begged to be filled from all sides ten minutes ago.”

“And you loved it,” I shoot back.

Bob walks past us with a plate of pancakes, smacking Nate’s ass as he does. “Okay, horny devils. Some of us have clients in an hour.”

“Yeah, we gotta move,” Ace agrees, placing the last of the pancakes on the table. “Let’s divide and conquer—Bob and I will finish breakfast, you two prep lunches?”

Nate groans but agrees. “Fine. But I’m stealing one of your granola bars again.”

“I labeled those, you know,” Bob mutters.

“You labeled them after I ate the first two.”

We move around each other easily, like we’ve done this dance a hundred times. Nate slices veggies, I wrap sandwiches in parchment paper and kiss the top of his shoulder as I pass. Ace slides beside me with a thermos, his fingers brushing mine. Bob steals a sip of my coffee and hums, “You make this better than me.”

“I just put more love in it,” I reply smugly.

Eventually, the four lunch containers are lined up on the counter like a military operation. Sandwiches, fruit, snacks. Organized chaos with love.

As I grab my bag and finish the last sip of my coffee, I turn to Bob and Nate. “You two behave. I know how you get when I’m not around.”

Bob pulls me in for a long, slow kiss. “We only misbehave when you’re watching.”

Nate’s kiss is firmer, more possessive. “Be safe. Call if you need anything. We’ll pick up dinner.”

Ace holds the door open for me. “Let’s go, sunshine.”

I wave to the other two as we leave. “Love you!”

They answer together, like it’s instinct now. “Love you!”

Three months in, and I still get butterflies when I get texts from them.

The clinic was quiet for a moment between patients, so I leaned against the counter with my phone, sipping water, when the group chat buzzed.

Bob

Tell me why I just bit into my sandwich and found a tiny note inside my lunch bag?

Is this what true love feels like?

Ace

Mine says “Don’t be late tonight. I’ve been thinking about your mouth since breakfast.”

Daniella. What the hell. I’m in public.

Nate

Mine said “Be safe today. I love your serious face, but I can’t wait to see you relax.”

You’re dangerous, you know that?

Dani

Oops

Just wanted my men to feel appreciated today.

Bob

Appreciated? Baby, you just turned me on in the middle of the gym.

Ace

How do you expect me to function when I know what’s waiting for me tonight?

Nate

You’re going to get so much appreciation back, love.

Starting tonight.

We’re making it our mission.

Dani

Should I be scared or excited?

Ace

Both.

Also—I left work early. Passed by the store. Got your favorite wine… and you won’t believe what else I found 👀

Dani

The triple chocolate lava cake?

Ace

The exact one. Fate wanted us to sin tonight.

Bob

Chinese is ordered. Double spring rolls. I know you steal mine.

Nate

I’m picking you up from the clinic. And I may or may not have a surprise in my pocket.

Dani

…You guys are going to ruin me.

Bob

That’s the plan, baby girl.

Ace

Ruin you slowly. With food. With kisses. With… hands.

Nate

And then put you back together, again and again. Like we do.

Dani

I’m already melting.

Can it be night now?

Bob

Hold tight, love. We’re counting the minutes.

The last of my patients had just left, and I was finishing up my notes when I heard the chime of the front door.

I looked up—and there he was.

Nate.

Hair tousled, sleeves rolled up, his tie slightly loosened like a man who’d worked hard all day but still made time to come get his girl. His eyes found mine instantly, and that small, private smile curved his lips—the one he reserved just for me.

My heart did a little flip.

“Hey, doc,” he said softly, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

I smiled, already walking around the counter and straight into his arms. He caught me effortlessly, like he’d been waiting all day just to hold me. His scent—clean and warm, with the faintest touch of his cologne—wrapped around me like a second skin.

“You smell like coffee and patients,” he murmured into my hair. “And I missed you.”

I melted.

“I missed you too.”

He pulled back slightly and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, then reached into his coat pocket. “Got you something.”

I tilted my head as he dropped a small gold-foil wrapped truffle into my palm. My favorite.

My smile widened. “You remembered.”

“I always do.”

I stretched up and kissed him—gentle, grateful, a slow meeting of lips that said home more than any word ever could.

He leaned his forehead against mine, voice low. “They’re all waiting. Bob already laid out the food. Ace’s setting up the wine. And we might have all made some very inappropriate promises in the group chat.”

I laughed softly against his chest. “You guys are going to kill me tonight.”

Nate smirked. “We’ll make you beg first.”

My breath caught.

He took my coat, helped me into it, and then intertwined our fingers like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Come on, baby girl,” he said, opening the door. “Let’s go home.”

The ride home with Nate was soft music and fingers brushing my thigh at every red light.

He didn’t say much, but his hand found mine, squeezing gently. “You look happy,” he said.

“I am.”

When we walked into the apartment, the smell of Chinese food, wine, and something sweet hit me. Bob was shirtless, setting the table with chopsticks and mismatched plates. Ace was lighting a candle. A damn candle.

“You guys made a whole date night?” I asked, stepping into the kitchen.

“We missed you,” Ace said, stepping up and kissing my temple. Then my cheek. Then finally my mouth, slow and deep.

Bob didn’t wait—he came behind me, arms wrapping around my waist. “C’mere,” he said, burying his face in my neck and inhaling like I was air.

“Alright, I see how it is,” Nate said behind us, mock huffing. “Just leave me out.”

I turned and kissed him too. “Never.”

Dinner was loud and full of teasing. Bob fed me dumplings with his chopsticks, smirking. Ace poured wine and kept his hand on my thigh under the table, stroking small, maddening circles. Nate told a story about a patient he saw that day who asked if he was single—“I said no, I’m in a relationship with three people. She thought I was joking.”

I was still giggling when Ace got up to grab the chocolate tart.

“There was some mail,” he said, tossing a small stack on the table. “Mostly boring stuff. Oh, this one’s for you, Bob.”

Bob opened it, glanced at it, then paused.

Chapter 30

POV: Dani

“What’s that?” I asked, padding over with my wine.

Bob stared at the envelope like it might bite. Thick, cream cardstock with gold foil lettering. Fancy.

“It’s from my family.”

That alone made Nate and Ace glance over.

“Everything okay?” Nate asked.

Bob’s jaw worked for a second, then he sighed and opened it. He read in silence, then let out a dry, bitter laugh.

“Oh, wow. My sister’s getting married.”

I straightened. “Really?”

He nodded, holding up the invitation. “Yeah. Charlotte. Middle child. It’s in three weeks, upstate. Looks like a full weekend thing. Black tie, multiple events, very… Heinmeir family dynasty style.”

“But I’m not going,” he added, setting the envelope aside.

“But man, you love your sisters,” Ace said softly. “You’ve always talked about them.”

Bob glanced at him. “I do. Charlotte and Guinevere… they’re good. We were close once. Before I left. Before I realized I couldn’t live under my mother’s microscope or wear the family name like a leash.”

“You haven’t gone back since?” I asked.

“Nope.” He shrugged. “College was my escape. Then I met you guys. And I never looked back.”

There was a long silence before I said, “I think you should go.”

Bob hesitated. “I don’t think I can survive it.”

My brows lifted. “Why not?”

“The Heinmeirs can be awful,” he said, voice too casual for the flicker in his eyes. “I really don’t want to face all of that again.”

“So I’m not the only one screwed with a terrible family?” Ace raised his glass in a mock toast.

“You don’t have to go alone,” I said gently.

Bob’s brows knit together. “So what, I explain to my eighty-year-old grandmother and the rest of my aristocratic family that I’m in a loving, consensual, sexually chaotic relationship with my girlfriend, who’s also dating my two best friends? I should just bring all of you?”

I burst out laughing. “Of course not. You bring me as your girlfriend, and Nate and Ace come as your friends. We can stay at a nearby hotel, make it a getaway. A good weekend. Together.”

Bob stared at me. “You’d face my terrible family for me?”

“Of course I would. You shouldn’t miss something as big as your sister’s wedding.”

He stepped closer, cupping my face. “I kind of love the idea of calling you mine.”

My breath caught.

Nate rose, coming up behind me, voice low. “Ours. Don’t forget—we’re coming too.”

Ace leaned in, his breath hot against my neck. “Only ours.”

I melted into them, held on all sides. My heart full. My body humming.

“Always,” I whispered.

The wine was still open. The chocolate tart sat mostly untouched on the table.

But suddenly…

Dessert could wait.

The dessert was forgotten.

Bob’s mouth was on mine before I could speak, his hands firm on my hips as he backed me into the kitchen counter. I barely had time to gasp before Ace pressed up beside me, his lips brushing the curve of my shoulder.

“You taste like wine,” Bob murmured against my lips. “And teasing. You’ve been driving us insane all day.”

Ace’s fingers were already sliding beneath my shirt, slow and deliberate. “That group chat should be illegal. I had to sit through two meetings with a hard-on.”

“I had to focus on my shift while picturing you bent over the couch,” Nate growled, approaching from behind Bob, eyes dark with heat. “You owe me.”

“Oh?” I grinned, breathless. “I owe you?”

All three of them surrounded me—heat, mouths, hands. Nate took my jaw in his hand and kissed me over Bob’s shoulder, deep and possessive. When Bob finally let me go, it was only to tug my shirt off and toss it behind him.

Ace’s mouth was on my back, trailing kisses down my spine as his fingers popped the button of my jeans. “You’re so good to us,” he whispered, reverent. “Tonight, we’re going to be so good to you.”

My breath caught as they lifted me onto the counter. Ace sank to his knees between my thighs, his strong hands wrapping around them, pushing me open. Bob’s fingers tangled in my hair as he kissed me again—slow, hot, anchoring. Nate’s hands hooked into my panties, dragging them down with maddening slowness. The second they were gone, Ace’s mouth found my clit.

He licked and sucked and made me moan into Bob’s kiss.

Bob’s fingers teased my nipples, and my hand found Nate’s cock—hard and hot—and I started stroking him slowly. The more Ace circled my clit with his tongue, the harder I stroked Nate.

“Fuck, baby girl,” Nate groaned.

My other hand gripped the edge of the counter as they all touched me—tongues, fingers, mouths—drawing me open, unraveling me. Bob kissed me like he needed to breathe me. Ace devoured me with his mouth and slid a finger inside, stroking just right.

It was too much. It was perfect.

“Fuck—” I gasped. “I can’t—”

“You can,” Bob whispered against my neck. “You always do.”

And I did.

When I came, it felt like being shattered in three different directions—each of them pulling me apart, just to put me back together again.

But they didn’t stop.

They carried me to the couch. Nate sat behind me, my back to his chest, grounding me. Bob slid into me, filling me, and Ace pressed his fingers to my mouth to muffle my moans.

Bob thrust into me, slow and deep, and Ace’s other hand reached between my legs, circling my clit.

“Come again, baby,” Ace rasped. “Let him feel it.”

And I did—clenching around Bob as I came again. His rhythm faltered, his grip tightening on my hips as he spilled inside me with a groan.

Ace was already settling onto the couch, and Nate leaned over to grab the lube from the side table—because, of course, we had a tube in every room now. I knew exactly what they were doing.

They turned me onto all fours.

Nate slicked his fingers with lube, prepping both my pussy and my ass with care. When Ace slid into my ass, I cried out—half pain, all pleasure, the kind of overwhelming stretch that made me arch and tremble.

He pulled me back into his lap, and I spread my thighs wide as Nate slid into my pussy. I was full. So full. And they moved.

“Fuck, Dani… you feel so good,” Ace groaned into my shoulder.

“Tight… warm… paradise,” Nate rasped against my neck.

I was already teetering on the edge—so overstimulated, so high on them, I could barely breathe.

“God, you’re going to be the death of me, I’m gonna—” But I couldn’t even finish.

Ace’s fingers brushed my clit, and I shattered.

My scream was muffled by Nate’s kiss as he came deep inside me, followed by Ace’s low, guttural moan as he spilled in my ass.

We collapsed together on the floor—sweaty, tangled, breathless.

I felt everything.

Safe.

Worshipped.

Whole.