“You may,” he said, right before he sank deep and came inside her, her pussy milking his cock as she found her own release.
They collapsed together in the bed, Cole lying on his back, Keira on top of him with Julian curled around them both. Julian ran his hand up and down her back.
“All right, apple pie?” Julian asked her.
Cole let out a bark of laughter. “Apple pie? Really?”
Julian grinned at him.
“All right, kitten is the nickname you usually use but what’s with the other nicknames like sugar tits and apple pie?”
“Apple pie is a particularly terrible one,” Keira said dryly, snuggling into his chest contently.
God, that felt good.
“Julian uses them when he senses I’m feeling uncertain or worried or he just wants to make me smile. They’re ridiculous or over-the-top or sweet.”
“I haven’t done it for a while. Long overdue.” Julian leaned in and kissed her shoulder. “Like a lot of other things we let him take from us.”
Cole’s stomach tightened. But he didn’t want to ask yet. Not when they were both tucked in against him, feeling safe and happy.
But soon . . .
26
Keira sat on Julian’s lap while Cole fed her, in between taking bites for himself.
Cole and Julian had pulled on boxers, and Julian still wore a T-shirt. Keira was dressed in Cole’s shirt, which he was inordinately pleased about.
When they finished, Cole pushed his plate away and turned fully to stare at them.
“Time’s come.”
Keira winced and looked up at Julian. Cole stared at the stoic man. He waited for the protests, ready to counter them. If things kept progressing, which he was damn hopeful about, then he needed to know what the hell had happened.
To his shock, Julian nodded. “Living room.”
Cole lifted Keira off Julian’s lap and held her hand as they moved over to the couch. Julian sat on the corner and Keira curled into his side. Cole sat on the coffee table, facing them. He leaned his elbows on his knees. “Tell me.”
Julian tapped his fingers on his knee, looking ill.
“We met someone,” Keira blurted out.
Cole winced but nodded for them to continue. Honestly, he’d never expected them to be alone if he ever found them so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’d been with someone else.
“Right. He didn’t treat you well?” He remembered her words from earlier.
A madman locked us up and tortured us.
“H
e hurt you?” He had to work hard to keep his voice calm.
“Yes,” Keira said quietly. She kept her gaze on her lap. “It was my fault. I pushed Julian to go to Colombia, he wasn’t certain. It was my fault Julian was hurt. I should never be allowed to make any decisions.”
Cole stared at Keira in shock then noticed how hard she had her hands clenched together. Reaching out, he placed his hands on hers, gently unwinding them. He winced as he saw the red crescents on the palms of her hands.
“It was not your fault,” Julian told her fiercely. “It was mine. I didn’t have to say yes. I didn’t have to agree to go with him. I should have protected you better.”