<h4>Chapter 192: Unspoken truths...</h4>


    <strong>Charis</strong>


    We were sitting on Rhett’s bed, just talking and dpressing from the chaos of the evening. Rhett was leaning against the headboard, and I was sitting cross-legged beside him. ter was sprawled at the foot of the bed, his usual rxed self.


    "I still can’t believe everything that happened tonight," I said, shaking my head.


    "Wee to my family," Rhett said dryly. "Drama is our speciality."


    terughed. "At least your family has passion. Mine are so morally upright that I am the first person in my lineage to ever be in a scandal."


    I smiled, feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders. Being with them felt easy.


    Then Rhett’s hand found mine, threading through them as his gaze sought mine and held.


    "Mate or not mate, I would have fallen madly in love with you, Charis. You’re an amazing woman, and I feel so special to be your mate. Sometimes, it feels like I don’t deserve you."


    I looked at him and saw the vulnerability in his eyes, the way his thumb was absently stroking the back of my hand. The full moon was close, I could feel it in the air, in the way my skin felt too sensitive to my mate’s touch.


    "I’ll always be here," I said softly.


    Something shifted in his expression. His eyes darkened slightly. "Charis..."


    Then ter was moving, crawling up the bed to sit on my other side. "You know what I think?" he said, his voice lower than usual. "I think we’ve been dancing around this for too long."


    My heart started beating faster. "Around what?"


    "This." ter’s hand came up to cup my face, turning me toward him. "Us."


    He leaned in slowly, giving me time to pull away. But I didn’t. I let him close the distance, let his lips meet mine in a kiss that was soft at first, then deeper.


    I melted into it, my handing up to grip his shirt. ter kissed like he did everything else—withplete confidence and focus. His tongue swept against mine, and I made a slight sound in the back of my throat.


    When we broke apart, I was breathing hard. ter’s eyes were hooded, his lips slightly swollen.


    "I’ve wanted to kiss you so badly today," ter sighed, kissing my knuckles. "I want you so badly, Charis. I love you."


    "My turn," Rhett said.


    I turned to find him right there, close enough that I could feel his breath on my face. He didn’t ask permission. He just kissed me, and it was different from ter’s kiss—more urgent, more desperate, like he’d been holding back for too long and couldn’t anymore.


    His hand slid into my hair, angling my head exactly where he wanted it. I gripped his shoulders, feeling the muscles there flex under my fingers.


    Behind me, I felt ter move closer. His lips found my neck, kissing the sensitive spot just below my ear. I gasped against Rhett’s mouth.


    "Is this okay?" Rhett murmured, pulling back just enough to speak. His voice was rough, strained.


    I nodded, not trusting my voice.


    "Use words, Charis," ter said against my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. "We need to hear you say it."


    "Yes," I breathed. "Yes, it’s okay. More than okay."


    Rhett smiled and kissed me again. This time, there was no hesitation. His hands moved down to my waist, pulling me closer until I was practically in hisp.


    ter’s hands were on my shoulders, then sliding down my arms, leaving trails of heat in their wake. He kissed down my neck to my shoulder, pushing aside the cor of my shirt to reach more skin.


    I was caught between them, surrounded by warmth, touch, and sensation. Every nerve ending felt alive—the mate bond thrummed between us, growing stronger with every kiss, every touch.


    Rhett’s lips left mine and moved to my jaw, then down to the other side of my neck. Both of them were kissing me now, their mouths hot against my skin. I let my head fall back, giving them ess, my fingers threading through Rhett’s hair.


    "You’re so beautiful," ter murmured against my shoulder. His hands moved to the hem of my shirt, fingers slipping just underneath to touch my skin. "So perfect."


    I shivered at the contact. His hands were warm, slightly rough, and the way he touched me brought back memories of the first time we were mates.


    Rhett’s hand joined ter’s under my shirt, both of them exploring cautiously. "Tell us if you want us to stop," Rhett said, his voice husky. "Anytime. We’ll stop."


    "I don’t want you to stop," I said, surprised by how steady my voice was. "I want... I want this. I want you. Both of you."


    Something shifted in the air between us. The careful restraint gave way to something more urgent.


    ter’s hands moved higher, his thumbs brushing against my ribs, making me gasp. Rhett’s lips found mine again, swallowing the sound. The kiss was deeper now, more demanding.


    I felt ter’s fingers on the buttons of my shirt, slowly undoing them one by one. Each brush of his knuckles against my skin sent sparks through me. When my shirt fell open, he pushed it off my shoulders, and cool air hit my heated skin.


    "Beautiful," Rhett breathed, pulling back to look at me. His eyes were dark with want.


    ter’s hands traced patterns on my back while Rhett’s moved to my waist, his fingers sying across my stomach. I could feel them trembling slightly.


    My hands moved to Rhett’s shirt. I undid the buttons with shaking fingers, pushing the fabric aside to reveal his chest. Without thinking, I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his corbone.


    Rhett sucked in a sharp breath, his hands tightening on my waist.


    Behind me, I heard ter removing his own shirt. Then his chest was pressed against my back, skin against skin, and the sensation made me dizzy.


    They moved together like they’d choreographed itying me back on the bed, their hands and mouths exploring, learning what made me gasp, what made me arch into their touch. Every kiss felt like a promise. Every caress felt like worship.


    "Are you sure? We know you have a lot going on now," Rhett asked one more time, his hand on the button of my jeans. "We can stop if you want."


    I looked up at both of them—Rhett hovering over me, his expression tender and wanting. ter beside us, his hand stroking my hair.


    "I’m sure," I said. "I want this. I want you."


    The full moon was three days away. We’d bond properly then,plete the ceremony. But this—this was ours.


    The door opened and we all stopped what we were doing.


    Kael stood in the doorway, his hand still on the doorknob. He stared at us—at me, tangled between Rhett and ter, my shirt halfway unbuttoned, my hair messy, my lips swollen from kissing.


    For a long moment, nobody moved.


    Then I saw Kael’s expression. It wasn’t angry, exactly. It was something else. Something darker and moreplicated. His jaw was tight, his eyes shadowed.


    Something was wrong.


    I untangled myself from Rhett and ter, quickly buttoning my shirt as I stood up. "Kael?"


    He shook his head, his face carefully nk now. "I’lle backter."


    "Wait—" I started, but he was already closing the door.


    His footsteps echoed down the hallway, getting fainter.


    I turned back to find Rhett and ter both looking at me with heavy-lidded eyes. They were still aroused, still wanting. Rhett reached for me, pulling me gently back toward the bed.


    "He’s fine," Rhett murmured, his lips finding my shoulder. "He just needs some time to himself. You know how Kael is."


    "But he looked—"


    "Charis." ter’s hand cupped my face, turning me toward him. "He’s fine. And we’re not." He kissed me softly. "Please. I need you."


    Rhett’s hands were on my waist, pulling me closer. "We both do."


    And despite my worry about Kael, despite the nagging feeling that something was wrong, I let them pull me back down.


    ter pressed his lips to mine roughly, demanding my mouth. His hands tugged at my bra, rubbing at my puckered nipples through the sheerce. I felt Rhett grab my ass cheeks, squeezing them together as he ground his hips against my backside.


    Rhett slowly parted my legs before pressing his lips against my inner thigh, kissing me before slowly sliding his tongue inside me.


    I gasp at the intrusion, reading down to hold his head in ce as his tongue flicks up and down my wet slits.


    My bra came undone after ter struggled with removing it for hours, he sighs with pleasure as his hands begins to knead them gently, pinching the nipple between is fingers.


    I gasp from the sensation, loving the way it heightened my arousal. ter leaned down to take a hard nipple between his teeth, biting down gently as he began to suckle.


    I arch my back, moaning with delight.