Forty-One

Kai

I tightened my arms around Micah as he thrust deeper, careful not to touch his back as I forced myself to keep my eyes open so I could watch Ember ride Cam's cock.

When Micah had told Ember to ride Cam's cock, Cam had moved his chair a little so it stood parallel to the bed, giving us a side view of Cam and Ember. I could see every flex of Ember's thick arms and thighs as he moved over Cam, hear every little sound they made, and it was pushing me closer and closer to my own climax.

I'd never thought sex could feel filthy and full of love and care at the same time, but that was how it was with my mates. No matter what we did, no matter how hard we chased our climaxes or how much Micah drove us crazy, everything we did was with love.

I loved my mates, and while none of us had said the words out loud, I didn't doubt their feelings for me or each other. It was in everything they did, in the way Micah had prepped us so carefully, in the way Cam had listened even when he really didn't want to, in the way Ember forgot everything but us the moment he stepped through the front door. We didn't need words to show each other our love, but I thought it might be nice to say them anyway.

"Fuck, Ember. I'm so close. You're riding me so good," Cam panted, his voice breaking as his fingers dug into Ember's hips hard enough to leave bruises.

I turned to glance up at Micah, and he smiled down at me, brushing his lips to mine softly before claiming them in a harder kiss, his teeth clacking against mine as he sped up his thrusts.

"Faster!" Tightening my legs around his waist, I pushed up into his cock, falling in sync with him as Cam's "Shit!" preceded a groan that told me he'd come. I turned my gaze to watch his face, moaning when he kept fucking Ember through his climax, pushing Ember over the edge as he came with a muffled shout, his face still buried in Cam's neck.

I watched in fascination as Ember's whole body shuddered, his muscles flexing as he painted Cam's chest with his cum.

My eyes slid back to Micah as his rhythm stuttered, and I kissed him as I felt my own climax rushing close. I could feel Micah holding back, and I knew better than to wait for his climax. Micah wouldn't come until I did, and I didn't have to wait much longer before my orgasm barreled into me and I shouted Micah's name, spilling between us as he groaned, sliding in and out of me in short, slow thrusts as if barely holding himself back.

"Fuck me, Micah. Fill me up," I mumbled, my mind filled with a hazy cloud of pleasure, and Micah grunted as he sped up. It only took a few thrusts before he was spilling inside me, his warm cum filling me, claiming me as his. If I had it my way, I'd ask my mates to always keep me filled, so I could feel them inside me no matter where I was.

Micah groaned again, then pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. "One day," he murmured, voice low and wrecked. "One day, we'll all fill you up until you're full. I promise."

The thought made me moan, and I shuddered, wrapping my arms tight around Micah as I glanced over at the armchair, where Ember lay slumped over Cam, his cheeks flushed and his eyes closed. If Cam wasn't a dragon, he'd have been crushed under Ember, but instead, he was calmly running his palms up and down Ember's back.

I hissed as Micah slid out of me, and he kissed my cheek again before hurrying into the bathroom for a cloth as Cam stood up, Ember cradled in his arms as he walked around the bed to gently lay him down.

Ember grunted, and I slid closer as his arms reached out, wrapping myself around him.

"Hey, you okay?" I kept my voice low, pressing a gentle kiss against his chin, and Ember nodded slowly, his eyes still closed. I pushed the strands of his hair clinging to his sweaty skin away from his face, and he mumbled unintelligibly.

"I'm going to clean you up, all right?" Despite Micah's warning, I jumped when the warm cloth brushed against my ass before leaning into Ember again as Cam returned from the bathroom and slid into bed behind Ember, wrapping his arms tight around our big mate.

It always took Ember longer than the rest of us to recover post-sex, so we'd gotten into the habit of cuddling around him, and Micah climbed in on my other side, his eyes meeting Cam's over us.

"So? Did you enjoy watching?"

Cam grinned, his palm running up and down Ember's chest as he held him close. "I did. But I enjoyed being inside Ember a lot more. I think I'll leave the watching to you."

Micah chuckled, then reached over to run his fingers through Ember's hair. "Em?"

Ember hummed, pressing into Micah's touch and making me smile. While Ember was always gentle, I loved seeing this side of him. It didn't come out every time we had sex, but when it did? I could spend hours holding Ember.

"Don't fall asleep without drinking some water," Micah said, his voice taking on a stern note that made me smile. Ember's lips curved too, and he sighed as he slowly opened his eyes, the blue of them almost hazy as he peered up at us.

"I won't."

After we'd all drank some water, Micah turned off the lights as Jodi hopped onto the bed and curled up at our feet in her usual spot, and I imagined Saaya was right by her side.

Cam and Micah's arms wrapped around us as I snuggled closer to Ember, and it didn't take long for sleep to arrive, dragging me closer and closer to nothingness.

Just before I fell asleep, I remembered my plan from earlier, and before I could stop myself and realize there would be a better time to say it than when I was half-asleep and incapable of hearing their replies, I blurted out, "Love you."

And then I fell asleep.

Cam

A half-asleep confession was still valid, right? I mused the next morning as I lay in bed with my mates. Micah had the day off today—since Wish For It was open every day, Kezan gave Micah Mondays and Thursdays off—which meant we could sleep in. Judging by Ember's soft snores, he really needed it.

Last night, just before falling asleep, Kai had said, "Love you." Ember had already been asleep, but Micah and I had heard him loud and clear.

I don't know. I wouldn't accept a half-asleep consent , Micah replied, his brows furrowing. Such a deep thinker, my mate.

I don't think that's the same thing.

"You do know we can hear the mental link, right? You're not disturbing us any less by not speaking out loud," Kai grumbled, which were too many words for someone who'd just woken up. How long had he been 'eavesdropping?' "And I meant what I said. I love you, all three of you."

"Huh?" Ember mumbled, and I realized his snores had quieted when Kai started speaking. See? Speaking out loud was worse.

"Hey, Ember. How are you feeling?" Kai asked, changing tracks as if he hadn't just dropped a giant bomb.

"Perfect," Ember said, his voice oozing with satisfaction. It made my dragon happy, and a little smug. "What were you talking about?"

"Kai was just telling us he loves us," I said nonchalantly, since Kai was acting like it wasn't a big deal.

Ember's eyes widened as he gazed at Kai, and I could practically see the hearts in his eyes. When I'd first met Ember, I'd seen this big, badass phoenix, and while he was still that, he was also so much more.

Ember was warm, and an utter softie. He turned into putty when he was fucked, made the best noises, and loved all kinds of touching, whether it was a simple hug, a cuddle with a movie, or a hard fuck.

"Really?" Ember asked, voice breathless, and Kai nodded.

"I love you too. And you," Ember added, glancing up at me. "And you," he told Micah, making him smile.

I leaned down to kiss his hair, while Micah dropped a kiss on the arm he'd wrapped around Kai.

"I love you too. Both of you," Micah said, his eyes flicking between Kai and Ember.

"I love all three of you, and I have since the day our parents introduced us to each other, Micah, and since the day you crashed into our backyard, and since the day you almost cracked your head open on that rock, Kai."

Three sets of eyes blinked at me, and I shrugged. "My dragon knew you were mine the moment we met, even if it took some time for the human side of me to get with the program."

They continued to stare at me for a moment longer before Micah smiled. "All right. I guess that makes sense." I grinned, and he shook his head before sitting upright. "I'm really glad we found you. Or rather, that you found us. I don't know if I ever told you this, but I was actually very worried. I was...insecure, and I thought you might like Cam more than me, or that he might like you two better, and I wouldn't be needed or wanted anymore. It was a stupid fear—"

I growled, cutting Micah off as my dragon reacted without my input as it always did when Micah talked badly about himself.

He smiled, and dipped his head in silent apology.

"Okay, it wasn't a stupid fear, but it was a baseless one. I haven't felt that way once since you arrived, and I'm really glad to have you both in our lives."

Ember and Kai smiled up at Micah, and I was so, so grateful in that moment. I'd felt like such an ass when I'd realized Micah wasn't ready to meet our mates and I'd been dragging him all over the globe in the hopes of doing just that. It made me happy to see him with our mates, to know that his fears had been laid to rest.

"I can understand why you felt that way," Kai said as he sat up and leaned against Micah to offer comfort. "When I first arrived here, after I decided to accept your claim that we're mates," he grinned, as if the idea that we'd lied was amusing now, "I was worried that I wouldn't have a proper place in your relationship, that the three of you were already a well-oiled machine and I'd just mess things up. I don't feel like that anymore of course, but in the beginning, I did. I think it's natural to be a little doubtful."

"I agree. I..." Ember trailed off, and I got the feeling he had something on his mind.

"Go on," Micah urged softly, and I knew he knew what Ember was struggling with, but he was letting him say it out loud at his own pace.

"I didn't feel hesitant in the beginning, even though I could feel how close you two were. I just wanted to be a part of your relationship, to take care of you," Ember said with a smile, and I smiled back at him even as I worried what he meant by 'in the beginning.' Did he mean he felt like he didn't belong now? Had I done something to make him feel that way?

"But now with my symptoms getting worse and the end of my cycle approaching...I guess I'm just worried. I hate that I'll be apart from you for six months, and I hate it even worse that I won't remember you during that time. I wish I could, but I won't, and I don't want you to be hurt by that. I guess I'm just concerned about how much things will change while I'm gone. Six months never seemed as long before as they do now."

Sitting upright, I wrapped my arms around Ember, pulling him to me as I kissed his cheek. "We'll miss you very much, but you don't have to worry about hurting us. We're big boys. We can handle it. And when you're back, the four of us will go on a trip to celebrate."

"That's a good idea," Micah said with a smile, and Kai nodded in agreement.

Ember glanced between us before relaxing in my arms, an amused look on his face. "It's too early for all this serious talk," he grumbled, making me laugh.

"Good communication makes a good relationship, so I'm happy to have serious talks whenever necessary," I declared. It was something I'd learned from my dads—from their wins and their mistakes—and I planned on making sure to follow that rule in my relationship. I didn't want to make a mistake like I did with Micah ever again, and if that meant having big conversations at nine in the morning, then so be it.