The world narrows to this—to the slick slide of our bodies, the heat of his breath on my ear, the tension coiling tighter with every move. I clutch at his back, nails scraping lightly as I chase that edge, my breaths coming in sharp, needy gasps. He speeds up, sensing how close I am, his own control fraying at the edges. One hand slips between us, finding that sensitive bundle of nerves, circling with just the right pressure.
“Trinity,” he groans, my name a raw sound on his lips, and it’s enough to push me over.
Pleasure crashes through me in waves, sharp and all-consuming, my body clenching around him as I cry out, muffling the sound against his shoulder.
He follows moments later, a shudder ripping through him as he buries himself deep, his grip on me tightening like he’s anchoring himself through the storm.
Just as much of an anchor of his knot that swells against the sensitive flesh inside me, tying us together.
I haven’t taken a knot in months—six, to be exact—but the expected discomfort doesn’t come. Matheo fits inside me easily, as if I were physically designed to take his knot.
As the aftershocks fade, my chest heaves, my body limp beneath his. He presses a tender kiss to my temple, stillinside me, both of us catching our breath in the quiet. I turn my head to the side, a lazy smile tugging at my lips, only to freeze.
Kyren is there, no longer facing away, his bright green eyes fixed on us, intense and unblinking. He’s been watching, and the weight of his stare sends a fresh jolt through my already trembling frame.
Then he abruptly rolls off the bed and leaves the room.
TWENTY-TWO
CASH
I watchher hips sway as Trinity powers up the hiking trail ahead of me. For someone who spends most of her time sitting behind a desk in heels, she’s surprisingly agile on the volcanic terrain. The rest of the wedding party—Lucas, Matheo, and Kyren included—fell behind at the first scenic overlook about fifteen minutes ago.
“Trying to set a land-speed record?” I call out as I catch up to her at a bend in the trail.
Trinity doesn’t hear me, instead staring intently at her phone as she angles it toward the cloudless sky. She makes an adorable face, her tongue peeking out between her lips in concentration as she shifts positions.
“Let me guess,” I laugh. “You’re hiking this fast to get back into cell phone range?”
Her cheeks flush pink, and she quickly tucks the phone into the pocket of her hiking shorts. “No,” she says, then immediately sighs. “Okay, fine. Yes. I’m pathetic, I know.”
“Not pathetic. Dedicated.” I take a swig from my water bottle. “Though you might consider enjoying the tropicalparadise around you. The emails will still be there when we get back.”
I can’t believe I’m the one saying it, but I just don’t want to see those cute little frown lines on her forehead turning permanent early just because of stress.
Trinity pulls at a curl at the end of her ponytail. “I know, I know. It’s just—I’m waiting to hear back if my bid was accepted for a real estate investment I’m really excited about…” She trails off, glancing at her pocket like she can see through it to her phone before forcing herself to look away. “It’ll be fine.”
“The workaholic struggle is real,” I say, not unkindly. “I get it.”
“Takes one to know one, right?” She eyes me up and down, her gaze lingering on my legs. “How are you in such good shape, anyway? I’m practically dying, and you’re not even breathing hard.”
“Lucas and I run five miles every morning.” I stretch my arms overhead, enjoying the pleasant burn in my muscles. “Keeps the mind sharp for all those spreadsheets I have to analyze.”
Trinity’s eyes widen. “Every morning? That’s some serious commitment.”
“Well,” I smirk, dropping my voice, “I might have skipped this morning if I’d known what kind of exercise I’d be missing back at the villa.”
Her face turns from pink to crimson instantly. She looks away, suddenly fascinated by a nearby tropical flower.
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” I say, though I’m enjoying her flustered state more than I probably should. “Even for a beta, the evidence was hard to miss. And Lucas acted like he’d just walked into a wall when we got back to the villa.”
“Where is Lucas?” she blurts, clearly trying to change the subject. “I thought he’d be right behind you.”
I chuckle, scanning the trail below us. “Lucas gets distracted by wildlife on hikes. He’s probably halfway up a tree trying to make friends with a squirrel by now.”
“He likes animals that much?”
“He’d have adopted a house full of furballs by now if I didn’t have a pet dander allergy.” I shake my head fondly. “It’s his one disappointment in life—that our house isn’t overrun with four-legged companions. Or two-legged ones, honestly.”
