Page 70 of Deadlier Obsessions

“On her other side,” Mav adds quickly. “I like you, but not like that.”

“Have you at least taken painkillers, or should I get you some?”

Gage moves to sit in the bed beside me, putting his injured arm safely on my other side.

“Chill, little mama, I’m all good. Pretty Boy is an excellent nurse, and I’m fine. Do you need to talk about what happened today?” He tucks his arm behind me, and Mav grumbles as he gives him room to do so.

I shake my head, leaning forward to check on Stella again. She’s now curled up in Sebastian’s arms and looks perfectly at ease.

“She got the worst of it. That fucker… because she was doing a live video. I guess she thought it might help get us rescued or something.”

“It did. That’s how we knew you didn’t… that’s how we knew you were taken.” Gage’s jaw clenches for a moment, and I can feel the tension in his posture.

“That’s how you knew we didn’t what? Jesus, Gage, you thought we’d left you? I know this trip buttfucked all of us, but you need to know we never will. The three of you are our home, our safe place. You saved our lives tonight. You saved us.”

It kills me that any of them think we could have even considered leaving them. Have we not said enough how much we love them? Gage’s fears of anyone leaving him mean that he’ll always suspect the worst, and even if he did this time, he didn’t hesitate to save us.

“Gage, I love you. We all love you. We’re not going anywhere, I promise. Ever.”

Gage leans in to kiss me, cupping my face lightly, being so gentle, it’s damn near impossible to believe he’s the same guy who poured acid on a man’s dick earlier tonight.

“Just so we’re clear, I love you too, man, but not in a way that gets anyone’s dick up my ass, got it?” For once, Gage completely ignores Mav’s attempt to bait him, and keeps kissing me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

GAGE

Once both women fall asleep, I motion to Mav and Sebastian to go downstairs, mouthing the words, “We need to talk.” As gently as possible, all three of us get off the bed and witness the sweetest thing. Lucy shifts in her sleep and moves closer to Stella, wrapping her arm around her, it’s not sexual in the least, but fuck it’s sweet. I think jealousy in a relationship like this can destroy everything. Stella and Lucy loving each other as fiercely as they do, I don’t honestly think we’ll ever have that problem. Sure, there was a bit of a bump in the beginning, with Lucy being obsessed with Mav, but we’ve worked past that.

We all grab sweatpants and head downstairs. Mav, of course, grumbles, “Here we are, your highness, here at your beck and call.”

Sometimes I want to punch this asshole in the dick. Instead, I stay focused on the task at hand. “Sit.”

Sebastian takes a seat and Mav does too, but not without complaining under his breath. Naturally I take a seat beside my Pretty Boy where I always prefer to be.

Glancing at Mav and then Sebastian, I say, “It’s time we make this permanent. They are having our babies and, legal or not, we need to marry them.”

Mav nods in agreement. “Yeah, we can get someone out here tomorrow to perform the ceremony.”

I flash him a look that says, ‘have you lost your mind?’

“No. They are women, and we have to do this right.”

Mav arches an eyebrow before narrowing his gaze. “There is no right or wrong way.”

Sebastian rubs his temples as I chuckle. “Yeah, there is, dickhead. They are women and they have expectations. They want flowers, and pretty dresses. All of it.”

I pull out my phone and show them the pictures of the rings I found for them.

“We should get matching rings for both of them. And then all the same for the three of us.”

Mav bursts into laughter. “Gage Carlisle getting all fucking romantic. I never thought I’d see the day.”

Joining Sebastian in rubbing my temples, I glare at Mav. “Yeah yeah. Laugh it up, chuckles, but it’s not about me. It’s about what they want. Because let's be honest. None of us guys gives a fuck. But our women do. We’ll take what we want, but also give them what they need.”

Mav groans. “How long is this going to take?”

I shrug. “A few days maybe.”

---