Page 40 of Conceal

No one ever had the courage to approach him, at least not that I know of.

But knowing that he’s here, and he’s mine, and maybe always has been, has pride surging through my chest.

Finally, he pulls apart, both of us gasping for air.

“If we keep going, I’m going to cum in my pants,” he admits, and I love how more confident he seems. And how he’s not afraid of looking weak for it.

My grin widens. “And?” I tease playfully, dragging my tongue up the side of his neck.

He groans in response, his hands threading through my hair. We’ve often lain on the couch together while he played with my hair. It always felt good, but I never knew how sexual and sensual it could be. I ache to have his hands all over me.

Instead, he stands, bringing me with him in his arms until I’m forced to wrap my legs around his waist. I squeal in delight at being manhandled. I’m tall for a girl and certainly not light.

He walks us to the kitchen and sets me down on the island.

“You’re sore, and I’m horny. We need to stop,” he reprimands me, the way a kitten hisses - with no real heat behind it.

He digs around the cabinets until he finds the granola bars Lev bought. My smile widens when I realize he’s bought my favorite kind. The ones that taste more like Reese's Cups than actual granola.

But he did that with the Pop-Tarts, too. I haven’t had a Pop-Tart since I was a kid, and yet he bought my favorite flavor.

Hopping off the island, I scour the cabinets. He’s bought my favorite trail mix. He’s even bought my favorite flavor of smoked sardines. He’s been paying attention this entire time? How have I never noticed? I feel like the world’s biggest idiot, even as my chest clenches in realization.

It’s not enough that they’ll all have been attracted to me for years - they may have loved me for years.

I spin to test a theory. “Ro. When’s my birthday?”

“April twenty-six. Why?”

“What do I crave when I’m PMSing?”

“Fat and salt.”

“What’s my favorite movie?”

“Pretty Woman. What’s with the pop quiz?”

The speed at which he answers me is dizzying.

“What’s something I’m afraid of?”

“Spiders. Dying alone. Wrinkles.” His crow’s feet show themselves when he says the last one, teasingly.

They’ve been paying attention for years. The thrill at being seen by not one, but three men, fades when I realize I don’t know anything about them. I mean, I know them. I know Mik. But I don’t know Roman’s favorite movie, because I’ve never asked. Last night was the first time I’ve ever asked anything about them. I’ve been the center of my own universe.

I’ve been selfish. I’ve been self-centered. Shame is there, but at the same time I remind myself that I’ve sort of had to be self-centered. Irina and Dmitri never cared about me, so I’ve had to care about myself. Niko tolerates me, but doesn’t really care about my day-to-day life.

I was raised to be selfish.

That’s going to change today, though.

I’m about to go to Roman and ask him everything about himself that I don’t know yet, but the front door slams open and Lev marches back in, dusting snow off his shoulders. His face is blotchy and red from the cold, or from the exercise of chopping wood.

He marches to me, almost like he’s angry, before he grips my hips and spins me, pushing the front of me against the island.

“Lev?” I ask, but he rips my yoga pants and panties to my knees, drops to his knees behind me, and drags his tongue up my pussy. I gasp loudly and moan at the sensation. His cold nose tickles my asshole as he buries his face in my pussy and tongue fucks me like he’s starved for me. I’m instantly soaked for him.

He’s taking everything I told him I wanted and making it happen. Just like that. I said, ‘jump’ and he said, ‘how high?’ Roman told him we needed food, so he bought all of my favorites. Leo hurt me, so he hurt him right back - harder. I’m starting to realize that the man who annoyed me a week ago loves with his entire being. And maybe I’ve been the lucky recipient of his love all these years. He’s been taking care of me a lot longer than I realized.