Chapter 23

twenty-three

KITANIA

The late afternoon sun bathed the rooftop in a warm golden glow, casting long shadows across the polished tiles surrounding the heated infinity pool. A cool, gentle breeze carried the mouthwatering aroma of grilling meat, mingling with the crisp scent of chlorine. The city sprawled out below, a gleaming expanse of glass and steel that stretched to the horizon.

It was Tommy’s idea to ‘take the day off’ and spend it together—as a pack. Everything we’d done as a group thus far had been relatively stressful, and, according to him, it was past time they showed me what it really meant to have mates and a family by doing something fun.

Deep down, I knew it was fueled by Nick’s passing. Life was too short to miss out on connecting with the people you cared about most. It was a lesson we’d all taken to heart.

And yet, I wondered if this particular excursion was the best idea.

I wrapped my arms around myself, hugging the loose sweats I was wearing tight against my body. Beneath them was the new bikini the guys had insisted on buying me. The sapphire blue fabric complimented my pale skin, but I wasn’t used to showing so much of it. My toes curled against the sun-warmed concrete as I hovered uncertainly at the pool’s edge.

“Come on, Butterfly,” Tommas called, treading water effortlessly. His wet hair was slicked back, droplets clinging to his long eyelashes. “The water’s perfect.”

Marco lounged on a nearby pool float, his muscular arms folded behind his head. “Yeah, stop being a chicken and get in here,” he teased with a roguish grin, as if his skin wasn’t pebbling with goosebumps from the drastic change in temperature between the warm water and the crisp air.

I hugged myself tighter and arched a brow at him. “You look cold.”

Marco laughed and slid a hand along his rippling, tattooed abs. Up and down, like he was playing a damn washboard. And I couldn’t help but drink in the sight.

“I think you meant sexy. I look sexy .”

I tried to hold back the responding grin and failed. Rolling my eyes, I added, “And cold .”

“It might be chilly out, but the water is warm, Angel,” Marco grinned, his hazel eyes twinkling with playful encouragement.

I hesitated, my fingers tightening around the hem of my sweatshirt. My heart began to race as I contemplated undressing. Logically, I knew the guys had already seen me in various states of undress, but this felt different somehow. More exposed. More vulnerable.

My gaze swept over their chiseled forms, all delineated muscle, artful tattoos, and golden skin. They were Adonises come to life, while I… I bore the marks of my past like a roadmap of pain.

Unbidden, memories flashed through my mind, and suddenly I wasn’t standing poolside. I squeezed my eyes closed against the assault, but the waking nightmares chased me—cruel hands gripping too tight, leaving bruises in their wake. The sharp bite of a knife carving into my skin. Rocco licking my blood from the glinting blade. The sickening crack of flesh meeting flesh whenever I disobeyed.

My breathing kicked into overtime, my chest rising and falling in fast pants. Panic clawed at my throat. I spun quickly before any of them realized I was breaking apart and crossed to one of the lounge chairs, trying to pull myself together.

What if they were disgusted by the sight of the light, silvery lines that criss-crossed my thighs and abdomen? What if seeing the full extent of my scars made them realize I wasn’t worth all this effort?

“Hey.” Giovanni’s deep, low timbre broke through my spiraling thoughts. He must’ve left Dimitri’s side at the grill and headed my way, given how close his voice sounded, and yet, I hadn’t expected his large hands to land on my shoulders a mere second later. Muscles tensing, I flinched, sucking in a sharp, startled gasp. He released me instantly.

Turning, I blinked, focusing on the tattoos that decorated his chest. “S-Sorry.”

“Don’t,” he snapped, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t at me. Not really. “Don’t apologize for being human. For having thoughts, feelings, and reactions.”

I nodded, unable to make words pass through my tight throat. Instead, I traced the intricate skull that covered one hard, muscled pectoral. There was a dagger jutting through the top of it, the pointed tip protruding from the bottom.

Releasing a calming breath, Gio tried again. “Where did you just go, sweetness?”

I tipped my face up. And it was all he needed to see. Tears swam in my eyes, and I sniffled, trying to hold them back.

“Shit. Come here.” He pulled me into his arms, and this time, I didn’t startle. I melted . “What set this off? Was it something Tommy or Marco said?”

“No,” I mumbled into his chest, breathing in his earth and iron musk.

“Then what, Dolcezza? We can’t help fix it if we don’t understand.”

“I don’t think I can be fixed, Gio,” I admitted forlornly, stating my biggest fear outright.

“Fuck, sweetness. You’re not broken. You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be loved .”

That sentiment went straight to my soul like a balm.

“I have scars.” The words were a mere whisper of sound, easily caught by the breeze and carried away as if they’d never been said at all. But Gio, who was so attuned to me, heard each one.

His thumb grazed under my chin as his hand cupped the side of my throat. “That’s not news to us.”

I winced. Of course it wasn’t. I’d been covered with scabs and scars when they’d found me. But it wasn’t quite the same as baring all to them—willingly.

Gio shifted closer, dipping his head when my gaze tried to slide away. I was utterly captured, his hazel depths staring deeply into my blue ones, urging me to listen closely. “Every part of you is fucking beautiful. Trust me.” Angling his mouth over mine, he gave me a possessive kiss I felt all the way to my toes. Rough palms cupped my face, thumbs stroking over my cheeks as he rested his forehead against mine. “Long story short, you survived. Your scars don’t make you less. They make you more . Every single one of them is a battlefield you fought through.”

“What you see when you look at them is a woman who’s broken, but what we see is a woman forged in fire, made of steel,” Dimitri said smoothly from where he joined Gio, standing just behind him and off to the side. My gaze flicked his way, and I was instantly ensnared in that dark, intense stare of his.

“I don’t feel strong.”

“Doesn’t mean that you aren’t.”

Air left my lungs slowly, taking with it the last of my panic. My hands went to the hem of my sweatshirt again. I hesitated, still feeling self-conscious about removing my clothes.

I tried to hold on to what Gio and Dimitri had said, letting their sentiments sink through me, fortifying the steel they promised I was made of.

You’re strong.

I slowly peeled off my top and pants, revealing the blue bikini underneath. Dimitri and Giovanni let their attention roam, drinking me in from head to toe, scars and all. There was a mixture of protective heat and restrained anger in their eyes, a silent vow that no one would harm me again. Those looks enveloped me like a warm hug that felt like safety. Like home.

Their reactions took the edge off the urge to cover myself. But it was the admiration and desire blazing in their twin gazes that truly gave me courage.

“You look stunning, Kitten,” Dimitri purred.

Shyly, I tucked my hair behind my ear. It wasn’t until I came to know these men that I’d ever been paid such nice compliments. “T-Thank you,” I stammered, partly from nerves and partly because my teeth were nearly chattering. As if it was finally free enough from past trauma, my brain registered the temperature. “Oh my God, it’s freezing out here!”

Gio’s laugh boomed around me as Dimitri’s amused smirk tipped his lips.

“It’s October in New York.” D headed back to the grill to tend the steaks. “It wasn’t going to be warm. You’re all crazy for swimming this late in the season.” He punctuated his words with a wave of the tongs he picked up.

“Come on. Let’s get you in the warm water.” Gio held out his hand, and I took it, letting him lead me toward the edge of the pool.

I smiled up at him, realizing I loved how much the guys initiated physical contact. The Omega part of me preened at their easy attention.

Taking a deep breath, I eased into the pool, warmth enveloping me the deeper I waded. The crisp air contrasted sharply with the heated water, sending goosebumps racing across my skin. I waded in further, letting it reach my waist, then my chest, until I was submerged up to my shoulders.

“There you go,” Gio murmured encouragingly from beside me, his large hand splayed protectively over my lower back. “How’s that feel?”

“Heavenly,” I sighed, gathering my hair into a messy bun to keep the mass contained. I dove, then resurfaced, droplets clinging to my eyelashes, momentarily blurring my vision. I blinked them away to find Gio watching me intently, a soft smile playing at his lips.

“Incoming!” Tommas’ playful shout was my only warning before a wave of water crashed over us. I sputtered, wiping my face, only to spot him grinning mischievously.

I probably looked like a drowned rat. My eyes narrowed wickedly. “Oh, you wanna play?” I declared, surprising myself with my boldness as I lunged forward, sending a splash his way.

Tommas dunked under the surface, only to emerge laughing a moment later. He scrubbed a hand down his face to clear the water away, still grinning. “Ooh, my Butterfly’s got some fight in her!”

Marco paddled over on his float, quirking an eyebrow. “You sure you want to start a war, Angel? You’re outnumbered.”

“No, I’m not.” I hooked my arm through Gio’s. “The big guy is on my team.”

Gio arched a brow at me. “That so?”

I blinked up at him prettily and put on the charm. “Are you going to tell me no?”

A slow, devastating smile split his face. “This is dangerous.”

I cocked my head. “What is?”

“How you’ve realized so early on that I can’t deny you anything.”

I grinned up at him with a small shrug. “I’m just embracing my super powers.”

Gio reached out and ran his thumb along the bottom line of my lip. “Good girl.”