Chapter 243

Chapter 243
Isabella

Michael chuckled beside me. "Sounds like disappointment, darling." His fingers brushed against my arm, sending shivers across my skin.

Richard's lips curved into a predatory smile, his eyes twinkling with wolfish amusement. "Usually, I sleep naked. But I wasn't sure if you were ready to face... all of me."

Recklessness took hold of me. My heart pounded as I heard myself say, "Why not let me decide that for myself?" I immediately regretted my boldness, but couldn't take it back.

Richard tilted his head, studying me with newfound interest. His nostrils flared slightly, undoubtedly catching the scent of my excitement. "Why?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you want me to sleep naked, sweetheart? Is that it? Perhaps you want to relive some fond memories?"

I shifted on the bed, suddenly aware of the wetness between my thighs. "No... maybe... I just want you to be comfortable, that's all," I stammered, my cheeks burning. Damn, why did I say that?

"Would it make you uncomfortable if I took them off?" he asked, fingers playing with the waistband of his boxers. "Or... too comfortable?"

I tried to appear nonchalant, though my heart was beating so fast I was sure they could all hear it. "Why would it?" I said, nervously licking my lips. "It's not like I haven't seen it before. In fact, I remember it quite vividly."

God, Isabella, shut up! You sound desperate. But my body betrayed me, remembering our past encounters, my nipples hardening visibly beneath the thin t-shirt.

Richard's eyebrows shot up, a devastating smile slowly spreading across his face. Maintaining eye contact, he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers and began sliding them down. When I didn't look away, he removed them completely.

"Since you insist..." he said, standing gloriously naked before me.

His cock hung half-hard between his legs, curving slightly upward. I couldn't stop my mind from remembering how it felt inside me, how it perfectly hit my most sensitive spots. Under my gaze, it twitched slightly, beginning to harden further. Heat pooled in my lower abdomen, and I felt myself growing embarrassingly wet.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. I pressed my thighs tightly together, trying to relieve the sudden ache between them.

"Unless you want me to sleep uncomfortably tonight, you'd better stop looking at it like that," Richard said with supreme confidence. "Though I don't mind... if you want to continue."

I bit my lip hard enough to hurt, forcing myself to look away, my cheeks flaming. "Maybe next time," I murmured, feeling both mortified and aroused. Richard slid in beside me, pulling his separate blanket over his lower half, and my fingers nervously twisted the sheets. I wasn't sure if I felt relieved or disappointed.

From my other side, I felt Michael move and stand up. A flash of panic shot through me, my heart jumping to my throat.

"Where are you going?" I asked, my voice laced with alarm. I instinctively reached out, grabbing his wrist. "I still need you... here." My fingers tightened around him, betraying my fear of being left alone.

Michael smiled reassuringly, his warm hand covering mine. "Nowhere, little sunshine. Just getting ready for bed." His expression softened at my reaction. "But I'm glad to know you need us."

At the nickname "little sunshine," I felt my golden eyes flicker slightly, a warm glow spreading through my chest. It wrapped around me like a warm blanket. "I like when you call me that," I admitted softly, slowly releasing his wrist, my fingers trailing reluctantly across his skin.

The sound of clothes hitting the floor had me deliberately avoiding looking in Michael's direction. I stared fixedly at the constellations on the ceiling, tracing the pattern of Luna with my eyes. "Do you sleep naked too?" I asked, my voice slightly higher than normal.

Michael's deep laughter sent tingles down my spine. "Would you like me to?"

Before I could formulate a response, the bedroom door suddenly opened, and Kevin's massive frame filled the doorway. His deep blue eyes swept over the scene in the room—me wearing Richard's t-shirt, sandwiched between two men, with Richard obviously naked beneath the blanket. His huge form seemed to fill the entire doorway, his presence immediately commanding attention.

"Looks like I missed the fun part," Kevin growled, his expression unreadable, but his scent revealing a mixture of amusement and something darker, more possessive.

Michael slipped back under the covers beside me, his leg brushing against mine. "Did you check the bar's surveillance footage? Or would you rather join us?" he asked, his tone light but his scent serious.

I noticed Richard had his own blanket rather than sharing with me, and I felt both relieved and strangely disappointed. My hand fidgeted with the edge of the covers, smoothing it repeatedly.

"No leads," Kevin answered tersely. "The bastard seems to know all the camera blind spots." His eyes briefly locked with mine, intense and searching. "As for joining you... maybe next time."

Disappointment and worry twisted my gut. Damn, he's smart. How are we going to catch this asshole? Richard cursed softly under his breath, and Michael found my hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze. I squeezed back gratefully, needing the comfort.

"We'll find him," Michael promised, his thumb drawing circles on the back of my hand. "Then we can focus on... more pleasant things."

I nodded, desperately wanting to believe him. The wolf inside me whimpered softly in my mind, anxious about the threat but soothed by the presence of three Alphas.

"Are you sleeping here tonight?" Richard asked Kevin, and I held my breath, uncertain what answer I wanted from him. My body tensed slightly as I waited.

"No," Kevin said simply, then added, "But I'll stand guard until she falls asleep. I like watching her sleep."

His confession made my heart skip a beat, my cheeks warming. Kevin moved to the bench at the foot of the bed, reaching under the covers to find my ankle. His rough fingers encircled it, his thumb gently massaging the tender skin there. The contrast between his callused palm and gentle touch sent shivers up my leg.

With all three men present, I finally felt my body truly relax. My muscles loosened one by one, tension draining away as if someone had pulled a plug. My eyelids grew heavy, despite the small currents of electricity that shot through me everywhere they touched me—Michael holding my hand, Richard's arm brushing my shoulder, Kevin's fingers on my ankle.

"I missed having you here," Richard whispered, his voice barely audible. "Missed your scent, your warmth... everything about you."

I turned my head toward him, already half-asleep. "I missed being here too," I confessed, my voice heavy with emotion and fatigue. "Missed being surrounded by you all, missed feeling like I belong to someone."

I realized I wasn't just talking about the penthouse. I was talking about being with these three men who made all of life's struggles seem worthwhile. Three men I would give anything for. Three men who made me feel complete in ways I never imagined possible.