Page 16 of Encore

“Yeah.”

York looks over at me and grins. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what that felt like?”

“Believe me, I haven’t,” I admit. “Point is, someone who has the ability to alter the mind’s perception and heighten the body's ability to feel pleasure with natural ingredients, without any side effects, is someone gifted for sure. I’ve no doubt her medicine is what pulled you through this shitty virus.”

“You’re right. I feel better than I should. Great actually.”

“Not as great as I felt after having the best sex of my life last night,” Zayn says, as he steps into our open plan living space from the door on the other side of the room and throws his arms above his head in a stretch. If I wasn’t already packing rock hard abs, a man could get a little jealous of his physique.

“Oh yeah?” I question, remembering I sent home Dax and Pen to enjoytheirdate night.

It’s a quarter past one in the afternoon, and he looks like he’s just woken up given he’s wearing his sleep joggers and nothing else. To be fair, I’ve only just rolled out of bed myself after staying at the club way beyond closing time so I could catch up on some work.

“Have you been wanking off again?” York asks, smirking. “You know what happened to Beast when he wanked one too many times during that dry period with Grim.”

“You do know that if Grim finds out that Beast discussed their sex life, or lack thereof, after Iris was born she’ll shoot us all, right?” I point out. “I do not have a death wish.”

“Oh come on, it’s not as if she doesn’t do the same with Pen and the others on their weekly girls date. I bet Grim knows all the spicy little details about our sex life,” Zayn points out.

“Point taken,” I agree, chuckling.

“Anyway, as talented as I am at handling my own dick, York, no, I wasn’t wanking off,” Zayn smirks, a huge grin spreading across his face as he strides over to us both and slaps York on the shoulder before giving him a hug.

York shoves him off, narrowing his eyes at him. “Care to elaborate.”

“Dax and Pen invited me to play along with them last night when they got back from the club.”

“What the fuck? That’s not fair,” York pouts, popping his lower lip. “Not only has this damn flu kicked my arse, it’s also prevented me from joining in on all the fun.”

“I wasn’t about to turn Pen down, nor was I willing to upsetDaddy,” Zayn says, his grin spreading wider as he drops that little tidbit.

“Daddy?” York and I blurt out in unison.

“The fuck?” York eyes me, the brief annoyance at missing out replaced with amusement.

“Yep,Daddy Daxwas looking after our girlverywell last night. Pen seems to enjoy it, and he fits the role perfectly, so why the fuck not?”

“Erm, excuse me,” I say, pressing a finger against my chest. “If anyone’s the Daddy of this group, it’s me.”

“See, I told you,” Tiny giggles as she enters with Dax, her hand entwined with his.

My fucking heart jackhammers in my chest at the sight of her in a pair of grey sleepshorts and matching vest top. She has her hair pulled up into a messy bun and her face free of makeup. It’s all I can do not to stride over to her and pull her into my arms, so I can kiss her breathless, or maybe even bend her over the back of the sofa and fuck her senseless.

Even after all these years, I still have a really strong emotional and physical reaction to being in Tiny’s presence. The love I feel for her is so huge, so overwhelming, that it takes a lot of self-control, and understanding from the others, to handle it. But like everything else, the five of us have worked through all of our difficulties and are closer for it. Even so, despite their love and support, I still have bouts of almost uncontrollable emotions, and I feel an episode coming on now.

“Mate, I don’t deny you’ve got Daddy potential, butI’veclaimed that title. If you wanna dispute my status, then we’ll have to figure out a way to determine who’s the Daddy…”

“I’m game,” I reply, needing the distraction. I’m not one to back down from a challenge, even though we both know that this is just lighthearted banter, nothing more. “I’m sure Grim will let us fight it out in the cage.”

“Oh stop it,” Tiny says, slapping the back of her hand against Dax’s chest before making a beeline to York who’s doing his best impression of an abused and abandoned dog, giving her puppy eyes. “How are you feeling?” she asks, sliding between his parted legs and pressing the back of her hand against his forehead.

“Better now you’re here,” he replies, loving the attention as he wraps his arms around her back.

I roll my eyes and Dax shoves him on the head as he walks by. “Stop laying it on so thick, dumbass.”

“Hey, leave him alone, he’s just recovered from the flu. He deserves some attention,” Tiny scolds, pressing a kiss against York’s mouth that soon turns indecent.

Dax chuckles. “Yep, he’smuchbetter now.”

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