I study him as he sits there, taking in the farmhouse with a wary sort of look on his face.
“Is Crown really okay with all of us staying here?” he asks absently, turning to look at me.
“Didn’t he say as much to you himself?” I ask, because even though I haven’t been allowed off the compound again—only because it was so urgent was I ever taken at all—but Crown and Beast have been checking in for me. Plus, there’s such a thing as video chat. While we haven’t had much time to talk over the last few days, Sin did call to say good night to me once or twice.
Radio silence from Grainger, unfortunately.
“He did,” Sin admits, almost reluctantly. “But he won’t want us here forever.”
How can we raise children together if not in the same house? I think, but that’s later Gidget’s problem.
“Don’t worry about that right now.” I reach out a hand as his silver eyes drop to take in my palm before lifting up to my face. “We have other issues to focus on.”
Sin accepts my hand, even if he doesn’t need it, and follows me into the house.
It isn’t until I’m inside and passing by the kitchen that I realize that Grey and Sin have never met.
I’m still yanking Sin toward the staircase when he plants his feet and just stops, making me come to an abrupt halt. I glance over my shoulder to see what he’s looking at, and then notice that he and Grey are staring at each other.
“Holy fuck,” Sin says, releasing my hand and stepping into the kitchen. “I mean, I knew you were here, but it’s one thing to be told about it and another to see it.”
“Am I everything you dreamed I would be?” Grey asks, a book open on the table in front of him. It looks old, and it has tiny print, so of course it would be something he’s interested in. Grey loves history and dry, forgotten things.
Sin steps into the room before noticing Reba in her usual spot, Fem curled up on the floor at her feet. Reba, at least, is offered a smile. Feminist grumbles and curls his lip, but Sin ignores him.
“Hey Reba,” Sin says, and she smiles back before flicking her eyes to me. I know she wants to talk about the pregnancy, but I keep skirting the subject; it’s driving her nuts, I’m sure.
I did this once when we were thirteen, when I stole an expensive bra from a boutique, and she tried to subtly bring up for weeks after. I avoided the subject until she exploded, snatched the damn thing from my bedroom floor, and walked it back to the store herself.
I smile at the memory but cover it up with my hand over my mouth.
“Colton,” she greets, but the use of his real name doesn’t bother Sin nearly as much as it does some of the other men.
Sin turns back to Grey again, studying him like he wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it wasn’t this.
“More … prim than I thought,” Sin says with a small shrug, his eyes darkening slightly. I wonder what he’s thinking about. Me fucking him outside of the cabin to get his keys with the sole purpose of saving this boy in mind? Or is he remembering that glorious wedding dress and how I wore it for Grey?
“Cultured might be the word you’re looking for,” Grey says, letting that odd mix of playboy asshole that he used to be before I met him twist together with this new version of himself. The version, specifically, that believes he can run a sophisticated crime syndicate at age eighteen.
“Prim is exactly the word I was looking for,” Sin adds with a playboy laugh of his own. “Fuck, you and Gidget would’ve had the worst sex life.” He shakes his head as Reba makes a sound, and then he turns back to me, stalking over to whisper near my ear. “You wouldn’t have been able to get wet for someone like this. Not in a million fucking years. You’re too addicted to the pain, Gidge.”
Grey grits his teeth as I offer up a shrug of semi-apology.
Sin continues past me and then sweeps up the stairs two at a time, like he’s just so goddamn excited to get away from the confines of the hospital that he’s willing to risk reinjuring himself. Alas, as soon as he gets to the top of the stairs, he pauses to take a breath, panting a little as he leans over the newel post.
“Don’t overdo it,” I warn him, standing behind him on the landing and putting a hand to his lower back. My heart aches seeing him in pain, but then he cants a look back at me, a sly expression appearing on his face before he’s turning and gathering me into his arms.
