Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
He’d thought about this for freaking years. “Because we don’t work without him, and you know it. There’s a reason we didn’t follow through with the first wedding. There’s a reason we’ve waited for him. He was an asshole, but he’s our asshole, and without him we’re floating through. Hell, the only reason we were getting married this time around was his insistence.”
“You didn’t want to marry me?” Carys asked, her voice tremulous.
“Of course I did and I do, but baby, we need him. I worry if we’re alone, we drift apart. Like we’ve been doing for a while now,” Aidan said. “I love you, but you need more than me. You need him, too. And that’s what he’s trying to show you. He’s not trying to steal some sex before it’s all over. He’s desperately attempting to prove to you we can still work.”
“I don’t think we can. I don’t think us sleeping and playing together for a couple of days is going to fix our problems,” she argued.
“But you’ll do it because while your brain and heart are at war, your pussy is going to sneak in and take what it wants.” This was what he hadn’t done in forever. He hadn’t challenged her. They’d fallen into ruts, neglecting their bodily needs while they both tried to pretend they didn’t miss Tristan. He’d hidden his worry from her and she’d done the same, both afraid to upset the other. “Your pussy hasn’t had what it really needs in a long time. Two men worshipping you, pushing all your boundaries. Showing you that while your cousins are badasses, they’re not the ones who are so fucking incredible they require two men to satisfy them. Tell me you’re not thinking you can sleep with Tris and walk away and get some revenge.”
“Of course she is,” Tris said, his eyes steady on her.
“What if I decide I don’t need either one of you?” Carys asked.
“Then you lose nothing.” It wouldn’t happen. They could prove it to her. He was still pissed at Tristan, but he was self-aware enough to know he didn’t want to break with him.
“And if he leaves again?” Carys sounded more vulnerable now.
This was the heart of the matter.
Tristan was quiet.
Aidan moved into her space. “Then I will figure it out. I’ll figure out how to be enough for you.”
Carys’s hand came up. “It’s not…”
He shook his head, hand coming up to keep hers against his cheek. “No apologies. This is who we are, but we have to figure it out. I want to give it one more try, but if he fucks up again, I’m not willing to give up on us. I’ll find a way.”
Carys’s eyes closed briefly but when she opened them again her expression softened and she went on her toes to press her lips against his. “I needed to hear that. Thank you. And you know my pussy is going to win this war, so I should go and get dressed. I don’t know how this is going to work, but I will give you this time. Even if it means I have to give it to him, too.”
“I’ll take it,” Tristan agreed. “Feel free to punish me as much as you like in the vanilla world, but understand on the dungeon floor, you’re my sub and I’ll deal with you as I see fit, brat.”
Carys kissed Aidan again and walked away, moving toward the stairs leading to the locker rooms.
“I was hoping getting her ass kicked would put her in a better mood,” Tristan said with a long sigh. “I suppose I have a lot of work to do, but at least she’s not forcing the issue for now.”
“She’ll want to know what your plans are at some point.” Aidan took the seat across from Tristan. “I know I’ll want them. If you’re planning on going back to working for months at a time with no word, we should think about ending it here and now.”
“And if I decide I’ll only work with Uncle Ian’s team? Would you be satisfied with that outcome? The twins are never gone for more than a week or two. I could resign my military post and take a job with my fathers as cover,” Tristan offered.
“I thought you were trying to avoid working at MDWM.”
“Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Someone’s going to have to run it someday, and it’s not going to be my sister,” Tris admitted. “I don’t know. I only know I have to find a way to fix this thing with her. With you. I hurt you, too.”
“Are you sure? You’ve made new friends.” Aidan had been thinking about this for days. “You know it would be more normal for you to drift away. Not many people are lifelong friends. Things change. Circumstances change. You have more in common with Zach now than you do me.”