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And then the “Fuck, Em”?! How was I supposed to think straight after that?!

I’d expected him to loathe the fact that he had to share me with Davix, just like Davix hated how he had to share me with Cade, but those words felt like he knew he had to accept it. Even though … I hadn’t really chosen one over the other yet.

Could I have both? Or would that be too greedy?

“About what?” he asked.

“You know what.”

“About your appointments?”

“Yes, about my appointments.”

After watching Pavel through the windows, Cade turned to me and lowered his voice. “You think your brother would just let me take you to your appointments without getting suspicious that there was something more going on between us?”

“Yes,” I said, though it was a lie.

Pavel might have other stuff going on in his life that he refused to talk to me about, but he wasn’t dense. Sooner or later, that man would pick up on the fact that we had definitely been spending a lot more time together than usual, even with him paying Cade.

Cade leaned against a boulder and crossed his arms. “Don’t lie.”

I peered behind me at Pavel in the living room, talking on his phone. “Still, it’s not okay.”

“Do you want me to tell him that I’m fucking you?”

“Shush it!” I whisper-yelled, glaring at him. “Obviously, no!”

“Then what do you want me to do, Em?” Cade asked, annoyingly calm.

“I would’ve liked it if you had told me, just so I knew,” I said, crossing my arms. “It could’ve taken you a quick two seconds to mention it to me, but instead, I feel like you’re using me now. And I don’t like that.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“And if you think⁠—”

Before I could finish my sentence, my eyes widened. I didn’t know why I was so surprised by his apology. I was talking to Cade after all and not someone as alphaholey as Davix. Cade apologized when he was wrong about something, sometimes even when he wasn’t.

All so we would stay on good terms.

I turned back to my painting, staring at it through my brows. “Yeah, yeah.”

Cade kicked himself off the rock and stalked closer to me, not saying a word. But this man’s aura was indescribable. I could feel his stare on my body, his lips on my neck, his canines on my skin again.

Suddenly, he was right behind me, his hands on my waist and his lips against my ear. “Does that mean you forgive me?”

I froze. “Cade! Pavel is right inside. Get away.”

Instead of stepping away, he pulled me closer so my side was pressed against his front. “Does that mean you forgive me?” he repeated, his warm breath fanning my neck and my pussy pussy-ing right now!

“Yes, yes, I forgive you,” I whispered, gently pushing him away before Pavel could see.

Cade chuckled softly, his dark hazel eyes on mine. “I don’t know how much longer I can stay away from you, Em. You’re making it increasingly difficult. Living in the same house as you as you’re going through⁠—”

“Well, control yourself for another few months.” I pressed the paintbrush to the canvas. “Then you won’t have to worry about me distracting you because I’ll be gone.”

He growled, the sound filled with so much anger that I couldn’t believe it. “Don’t fucking say that shit.”

I shrugged, trying to shake off that look he was giving me. “It’s true.”