Page 41 of Six of Hearts
Aria laughed, and the sound eased some of the tension. "What else do you bet?"
There was a pause. Noah and I exchanged glances.
"Sometimes," I said carefully, "we bet time. Like if there's a scheduling conflict with the kids, who gets your help that day."
"That's actually kind of sweet," Aria said. Then her eyes narrowed slightly. "What else?"
"Sometimes," Liam said, his voice low, "we talk about you. About things we'd like to do with you. And we might bet on who gets to try them first.”
I watched her face carefully, ready to backtrack if she seemed uncomfortable. But instead, her cheeks flushed deeper and her lips parted slightly.
"What kind of things?" she asked softly.
Gabriel moved closer to her on the couch. "I told them I wanted to taste you. Really take my time with you. We bet on it, and I won."
"I remember," Aria breathed.
"What else have you talked about?" Her voice was barely above a whisper now.
I set down my cards and moved to stand in front of her. "Being with you together. More than one of us at a time."
"All of us," Noah added quietly.
Aria's eyes widened slightly, but I didn't see fear there. I saw curiosity. Interest. Heat.
"Is that something you'd want?" I asked, crouching down so I was at eye level with her. "Because if it's not, we never have to talk about it again. This is just poker night."
She looked around at all of us, and I could see her thinking. Processing.
"The kids are gone until tomorrow," she said finally.
"They are," Julian confirmed.
"And you've all thought about this? Together?"
"We have," Liam said. "But only if you want it, Aria. Only if you're sure."
She bit her lip, and I watched her chest rise and fall with a deep breath.
"I want it," she said. "I want all of you."
"Are you sure?" I asked again, needing to hear it clearly. "Because once we start—"
"I'm sure, Ronan." She reached out and cupped my face. "I trust you. All of you. And I want this."
Gabriel stood and offered her his hand.
"Then come upstairs with us."
We moved to my bedroom, the largest in the house. Someone had already turned on the soft lighting, and the space felt intimate rather than clinical.
Aria stood in the centre of the room, and we formed a loose circle around her. Not crowding her. Giving her space.
"How do you want to do this?" Noah asked gently.
"I don't know," she admitted with a nervous laugh. "I've never... I mean, obviously I've never..."
"We'll take care of you," I promised, stepping closer. "We'll go slow. And if at any point you want to stop, you just say the word. Okay?"
