Footsteps thundered down the hallway. I braced my head against my knees, still wrapped up in Obi’s bedsheet, as Cas, Ciel, and Wynn burst through the door.
All three of them spoke at once.
“What the fuck?” Cas said. “Leona?”
“Baby girl?”
“Darling?”
“Yes?” I hissed, lifting my head. “Would everyone like to come in?”
I glanced at Obi, practically begging for his help, but he just grinned. Why did it feel like I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar?
Obi crossed his arms over his chest as a chuckle rolled through his chest. “It’s not like I kidnapped her. She is perfectly safe.”
“You guys fucked,” Ryuji claimed, as if he couldn’t believe his own words. “Holy shit.”
“No, we didn’t,” I said, swinging my legs to the side of the bed and pulling the sheet with me so it stayed wrapped around my body. As I walked past, Obi’s hand snagged the back of my neck and he spun me so he could plant a searing kiss on my lips. I gaped at his mischievous smile.
“Sexy,” Ryuji murmured.
My cheeks burned. “Jeez. Can everyone just—” I pushed through them. “Let me out.”
I couldn’t look at Cas. What if he was disappointed, or upset, or frustrated? I couldn’t stand the idea. He’d already more than expressed he didn’t like the idea of me with the other guys. I needed more time before we crossed that bridge.
“She’s embarrassed,” Wynn whispered to Ciel.
“Why?” Ciel responded, not quiet at all. “She has nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“Maybe because Fallon and my sister are still here,” Wynn answered.
I groaned. “Everyone, calm down. We just talked things through, that’s all.”
“Naked?” Ryuji teased. “If you just talked, why do you have sex hair?”
I flipped him off on my way to my room, trying to ignore their continued questions. Once I was out of their sight, I smoothed my hair down. My face still felt like it was on fire.
“Fallon?” I whispered, opening the door to my room. Zoya still laid on my bed, sleeping, but Willow and Fallon were both gone. Quickly, I went to the bathroom to freshen up and pull on some new clothes. Shit. Ryu was right. I did have sex hair. I pulled a comb through the messy curls, grumbling at every tug. We didn’t evenhavesex. Yet.
I left Zoya sleeping in my room and found both Fallon and Willow in the kitchen drinking coffee. “There you are.”
Fallon raised an eyebrow. “And where wereyou?”
Willow passed me a cup, and I breathed in its warmth. “Obi and I were talking, and I fell asleep.”
“Where?”
“In his room,” I said as nonchalantly as possible.
“Oh? Is that right?” Willow asked. “Your men were very concerned.” She cast a wry glance in Fallon’s direction. An entire unspoken conversation passed between them.
“Shut up. Both of you.” I laughed. “Stop it.”
“How are you feeling?” Willow asked once she’d stopped chuckling.
“Better. I thought a lot about what you said.”
People made mistakes when they were trying not to hurt those they loved, or trying to avoid being hurt. All six of us had done that at some point. But our mistakes didn’t define us. Our love for one another did.
