Page 73 of Bonds of Fate

Please don’t be angry. Please don’t hurt him. Please don’t make him leave.

Nix isn’t clear on what exactly he means—maybe all three.

Gideon had asked him to help Luca, and Luca is Gideon’s, and now Nix has bitten him, too. All without permission. They would be right to kick him out.

He’ll be alone again. He’ll—

Why would he do that?

“Baby.”

Luca is there in an instant—a flood of mocha and musky vanilla—climbing onto the cushioned table and straddling Nix’s thighs. His hands are warm as they find Nix’s, squeezing firmly.

“You can’t be sorry. You can’t. I love it. You gave it to me, and Gideon says we’re not in trouble.”

His black eyes shine with sincerity and pleading. “Do you believe me? Please, I love it.”

Luca’s sweet mouth is flushed red, his gaze bright with emotion. He presses a hand over the inflamed bite, and when he finally lifts it away, Nix’s wolf howls in joy. Their mate loves their bite. The realization crashes over him, settling his panic like nothing else could.

“You love it?”

There’s chocolate on his tongue now—tiny chips, like the ones his mom used to bake into cookies. Bittersweet, rich, and warm. It tastes like Luca.

“We’re not in trouble.” It’s not a question.

He finally lifts his gaze to meet Gideon’s, his trustworthy mate smiling back at him. Gideon isn’t mad. Luca is happy.

When Luca moves back, he sees all his mates around him as close as they dare: on the couch, crouched on the floor, and perched on the edge of the ottoman/table. It’s a cloud of comforting scents that easily overpower his burnt vanilla. They look unsettled though, and his wolf–who has decided he’s still willing to run the show–reminds him forcefully that they are still four mates short on the list of bite-ees.

“Angel, you’re alright. We love our bites, and whenever you’re ready, the others want theirs too.” Grayson offers a few more chocolate bits with his reassurance.

“Now?” His wolf wants this badly.

If their mates belong to them, then Daw—hecan’t have them.

He is on his knees, fangs out, in an instant, and leave it to Rowan to immediately pull the top of his sweatpants down so that the musky scent of spicy come wafts up. It’s only Jamie pulling Nix back that stops him from making good on the unspoken request right then.

“Daddy, why are you stopping them? You got yours. Don’t be stingy.” Luca may have said it, but Nix was surely thinking it. Even though he doesn’t remember biting Jamie, the proof is clear on his shoulder.Maybe Jamie will let him do it again?

“I just…What? Are you all serious? Now? On a regular weeknight?” Jamie looks to Finn and then to Gideon, the ones who can usually be relied upon to be the voices of reason.

“Don’t look at me, Jaybird. I have wanted this longer than anyone else here, save for you. Anytime Nix wants to claim me,then I will gladly accept it. Relish it, even.” There isn’t a doubt that Finn means every word.

“Leo? Gideon?” Leo is already removing his shirt and tilting his neck.

“Seriously? He gave you yours on the floor of the pediatric ward ten seconds after he opened his eyes and Gray’s in his room. It doesn’t need to be flowers and champagne to be important. If he wants this and we want it—and fuck, do I want it, then why wait? If you’re serious, Nix, come to me.” His beefy arms are open wide and welcoming.

His Leo is always welcoming, and Nix and his wolf aredamnedserious.

On shaky legs, Luca helps Nix into Leo’s lap, and with a quick kiss on the cheek for luck, he slips away from their moment with a sigh.

Such a romantic.

Settling his wet butt on Leo’s hardened dick, Nix supposes if it were different and his wolf didn’tneedthis so badly, he might have dreamed of slowly riding Leo and making him come as he had with Luca and Grayson.

As it is, even though he’s wet, there’s nothing he’s going to be doing about it right now. Instead, he settles for a wiggle and enjoys Leo’s groan.

But that’s not to say he can’t make it special anyway, even in a small way.

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