Page 45 of Knotted By the Demon

Instead, I laid the new pillows on top of the ones already there. The colors—red, beige, and blue—looked great together. I draped the blankets over the bed, leaving the extras in the middle for them to decide what to do with them.

I stepped back, arms crossed, and stared at the bed like it might tell me what the hell I was supposed to do next. My bed looked like someone had dumped a truck of pillows and blankets onto it. Did I get too much stuff? Not enough? Was this what they wanted? I had no idea. And the not knowing was eating me alive.

I wasn’t used to this kind of thing. I didn’t worry about how a bed looked or whether a damn pillow was soft enough, pretty enough. But for them? It mattered. There were magazines about this stuff. When I made an order again, I’d ask for some. I’d study this shit like it was a test to determine whether I lived or died.

I’d keep trying to get it right for them. The only thing left to do was place the few clothing items I’d brought for them in the dresser. I cleaned out two drawers, one for each of them. I placed my clothing in my closet on the top shelf. Then I filled those two drawers with the items I’d gotten for them.

I’d take them shopping after the storm for better things, things that fit their preferences. The sound of Sofia’s laugh carried down the hall, and I couldn’t resist following the sound, wanting to be a part of their world. When I stepped into the living room, I stopped dead in my tracks. Sofia was curled up against Greek, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.

She spoke softly, her voice a gentle murmur. Greek was listening intently, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he glanced down at her. The way he looked at her, with warmth and quiet awe, made it obvious that he was already falling for her. And who could blame him? Sofia had this way of slipping past every defense you thought you had and planting herself there.

I wanted to talk to them, but I didn’t want to interrupt their moment. So, I stood there, watching them until they both looked my way. Their eyes lit up when they saw me, and I barely resisted the primal urge to close the distance between us, to drop to my knees before them, and beg them to be my bond mates and accept my mating mark.

I swallowed down that desperate need and forced myself to step further into the room. “The bedroom’s ready if you want to relax in there,” I told them, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

Sofia’s gaze flicked to Greek, her grin widening before they both got up and rushed over to me. I shoved my hands into my pockets to keep from opening my arms, hoping they’d step into my embrace. I’d never hugged anyone in my life, not as a child, not as an adult. But I wanted to hug and be hugged by them.

I froze as they stopped directly in front of me, so close that their scents were wreaking havoc on me and my self-control. My hands stayed buried in my pockets because if I pulled them out, I might do something stupid. Something like wrapping them up in an embrace neither of them had asked for.

“Lead the way, big guy,” Sofia said.

I looked down at her, finally taking in the sight of her in my clothes. The oversized t-shirt hung awkwardly off her, and she’d tied the hem into a knot to make it fit better. It didn’t help much. The pants, folded at the waist and rolled at the ankles, still looked like she was drowning in them.

Her attempt to make my clothing fit her better was comical yet adorable as fuck. She looked fucking perfect. My gaze shifted to Greek. He wasn’t faring much better. My shirt hung too loose on his shoulders, and the pants were rolled and folded like hers.

Still, they were barely staying on. I loved the sight of him in my things. I almost didn’t want to tell them about the clothing I’d purchased for them. I liked seeing them in my things, wrapped up in my scent.

“Are you admiring our fashion?” Sofia’s voice broke through my thoughts.

She planted a hand on her hip, cocking it in a way that was both playful and undeniably charming. She struck a pose like she was modeling for a photo shoot, her grin daring me to laugh. It was impossible not to smile. She could light up the darkest room without even trying.

“Show off your outfit,” she urged Greek, nudging him with her elbow.

Greek hesitated, his face flushing pink, but he complied, turning in a slow circle so I could get a full view. The way the clothes hung off him, clinging awkwardly in some places and sliding off in others, was enough to make anyone else look silly. But Greek? He made it look endearing.

Sofia struck another pose as Greek turned in a circle again.These two!I couldn’t stop it. A laugh burst from me before I could hold it back. Greek faced me, his blush deepening, but his smile stayed.

“Do you like it?” he asked, his voice soft, hesitant.

“I love it,” I confessed, the words slipping out before I had the chance to overthink them. “I want to see the two of you in more of my clothes.”

The instant those words left my mouth, I realized how they’d sound. But it was too late to take them back. A small gasp escaped Greek, and Sofia’s grin stretched impossibly wider.

“Oh, big guy,” she cooed, her tone teasing but her eyes holding something warm. “You say the sweetest things.”

Heat crept up my neck, and I cursed myself for being so obvious. Facing away from them to hide just how happy her words made me, I muttered, “Follow me,” before heading toward the bedroom.

If I stayed in the living room any longer, I’d embarrass myself even more. As I walked, I could hear their soft laughter behind me. This was how I’d always imagined a home would feel. I just never had the courage to imaginemyhome could be this way.

My nerves were shot as I watched them approach the bed. Sofia’s excitement was immediate, her words spilling out as she scanned everything I’d laid out. She didn’t hold back, commenting on the colors, the softness of the blankets, and how the pillows were the perfect mix of cozy and cute.

Greek, though, he moved slower, more cautious. His steps were hesitant, his gaze flicking over the bed like he was trying to figure out if it was safe to get closer. His silence made my nervousness grow. With his back to me, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Did he hate it? Did I screw this up?

My eyes tracked his every move, the way his fingers brushed one of the blankets like he was testing it. His hands moved to another. My stomach churned. Should I have gotten something different? Maybe fewer pillows? Or more? Hell, maybe the colors were all wrong. I probably should’ve skipped the blue ones.

They matched my eyes, but was that too much? Did it feel like I was forcing myself on them? I hated how unsure I felt. This was becoming too damn familiar lately, this knot of nerves and second-guessing. It wasn’t me. I didn’t do this. I was an alpha. I acted first and dealt with the fallout later. But with them, I couldn’t shake the doubt.

Greek reached for one of the pillows, his hand brushing over it lightly. I wanted to say something, but my throat felt dry. Sofia kept chattering away, completely oblivious to how tense I was. Maybe that was for the best. I stood there, hands jammed in my pockets, trying to figure out if I’d done enough or if I’d just made a fool of myself.

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