“Something special?” Heaven asked, glancing between the four of us.
“Tell her, little fairy,” Ian ordered.
I loved that he called me that. He’d done so almost since the beginning. And I really loved it when he said it in Irish, with that lilt, it felt even more intimate. And while Ian and I hadn’t had much time together, I couldn’t deny the short time we’d had was something I was now hoping would become a frequent occurrence.
I smiled, hoped my cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. “A butt plug.”
Heaven giggled. “In your ass?”
Dante snorted. “Self-explanatory, no?”
“I wouldn’t laugh if I were you,” Ian told Heaven. “I’ve got an extra if you’d like to try one on for size.”
Heaven’s eyes shot to mine, widening as though the idea was horrific. “Uh … no, thanks. Totally not my thing.”
“I’ve got a few errands to run today,” Ian informed us, as though Heaven’s comment had no bearing on anything.
It had me glancing between the two of them. For whatever reason, I’d thought they had gotten closer in recent days. Based on their body language, that didn’t seem to be the case. Heaven seemed distant, almost.
“And I’ve got some phone calls to make,” Isaac chimed in. “Then I’ll be out for a bit.” He pulled my hair back. “You want to go with me?”
I didn’t bother to ask where. It didn’t matter. “Yes, my Liege.”
“Tonight,” Ian continued as though we hadn’t interrupted, “I want Heaven to cook, Everly to clean. Isaac and I need some time with Dante.”
“It would be our pleasure,” I told him politely.
I glanced over at Dante. He was eating as though he wasn’t even in the same room. I’d seen him do this a few times, turning into a recluse, blocking me out even though I could tell it pained him to do so. I still didn’t know much about his childhood, aside from the fact it had been traumatic. When I’d tried to talk to him, he’d always told me he didn’t want to subject me to that. So, I had given him his space, ensuring he knew I was there whenever he needed me.
“I need to catch up on my homework for the week,” Heaven told Ian. “It’s due on Sunday and I’m usually done earlier in the week.”
“Anything you need?”
“No. Just some peace and quiet.”
“You’ll have most of the afternoon to yourself.”
She nodded, focused on her food. There was definitely a detachment there. One that hadn’t been there prior to the switch Ian and Isaac had pulled.
“I’d like you to spend some time with Dante,” Isaac told me before looking over at Dante. “I know you’ll need some space, but I think you need her, too.”
Their eyes met, held. I watched, wondering if they were having a silent conversation I wasn’t privy to. Dante finally nodded. “Thank you, Sir. I’d like to spend some time with her.”
My heart turned over. I hated that Dante wanted to keep himself closed off, but I understood it. Or I tried to. So those moments I could spend with him were ones I looked forward to. Cherished even.
Once we were finished with breakfast, I took dish duty while Heaven went up to the attic to do schoolwork. Dante disappeared into his room while Isaac and Ian headed for the basement. I hummed while I worked, realizing how content I was being here. Looked as though I’d settled into this routine nicely.
So much so, I dreaded going back to work. If I still had a job when this was over, that was. As it was, my boss wasn’t too pleased when I told her I’d needed to take a week of vacation due to a family emergency. Luckily, I was one of those who rarely took time off, so she hadn’t been able to hold that over my head. Then again, it wouldn’t surprise me if I went back to find she’d replaced me. Baristas were plentiful, and with proper training and a decent amount of dedication, it wasn’t all that difficult for someone to fill the position.
After wiping down the counters and the table, I went to Dante’s room, knocked on the door.
With Heaven, he usually called out for her to come in, but with me, he’d always opened the door, just as he did now. I stepped inside, realized that was the first time I’d been in that room. It was huge. Probably twice the size of the room I’d started out in. While it was nice, it didn’t feel like Dante.
For the first time since we’d arrived, I suddenly missed home. Only for Dante, though. Then I thought about the man who’d attacked me… I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go back there.
Forcing the negative thoughts away, I peered up at Dante’s handsome face. “When’s the last time you slept?”
