Page 197 of They Are Mine

Noah nods solemnly. “Seldom is.”

Elliot lifts a brow. “Seldom?”

Noah immediately backtracks. “Sorry, sir. He’s never wrong.”

Elliot chuckles, satisfied.

“Eat,” Orion urges. “You’re gonna need your strength.”

Callum, unfazed as ever, pops another fry into his mouth. “So am I one of Madness’ men now?”

Orion grins. “Can we keep him, Mom?”

I swear to God I almost spit out my drink.

Orion keeps going. “I need some balance with these two. You lift?” He eyes Callum critically.

Callum doesn’t miss a beat. “Clearly not enough.”

Orion’s grin turns feral. “I’ll fix that.”

I shake my head, grinning, heart bursting.

I love these assholes.

“I think we can keep him,” I say, mock serious. “He’s mostly housebroken.”

Callum licks salt off his fingers, green eyes locked on mine. “I don’t shit where I eat or sleep.”

We all laugh.

Because this is it.

He’s in.

And tonight?

We’re about to ruin him.

Dinner is an absolute indulgence. Every bite, every knowing glance, every smirk exchanged over burgers and milkshakes only feeds the tension.

Callum fucking loved it. I could tell by the way he devoured everything, by the way his sharp green eyes never left me for too long.

By the time we’re clearing the table, I can feel the shift.

It’s in the way Orion’s fingers brush my waist as he sets the dishes in the sink. The way Elliot stands behind me, warm and steady, his presence alone making my stomach clench in anticipation.

It’s in Noah’s smile, the way he licks a stray drop of shake from his thumb, watching me with a knowing gleam in his eye.

And it’s in Callum’s slow stretch, the assessing glance he gives the room, the way he rolls his shoulders like he’s getting ready for something.

“So, how does this work?” Callum asks, a lazy drawl, but there’s heat under it. A dare.

Everyone but me looks to Elliot.

Of course they do.

I, however, don’t wait for instructions.

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