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“That’s it?” I ask, knowing there has to be a lot more if he’s got that brand on his arm. The Counts don’t pass those out like Scratch on a Friday night. You earn those marks.

“That’s enough, isn’t it?” he cuts his gaze at me. “You got a call tonight from someone you care about and showed up even though it could get you in a fuck-ton of trouble.”

I keep my eyes on the road, heading toward the spot we picked–an isolated stretch of road near the river where a single-car accident will look believable.

Right now, I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing, but Knight may be right. We show up for the people we care about. We help them if we can. It may be one of the few things that Forsyth does right.

The bedroom is quiet except for the soft pad of bare feet on the hardwood and the occasional rustle of pages as I flip through my textbook. Arianette moves through the limited space between the bed and the dresser, practicing her solo piece for the upcoming performance. She’s in a black sports bra that hugs her tits perfectly and tiny matching shorts that ride up with every movement. The sight is distracting as hell, but in the best way.

I’m supposed to be finishing a history assignment, but my eyes keep drifting to her. She spins, arms extended, then stumbles slightly on the final step, muttering a curse under her breath. She tries it again. Same result.

I lean back against the headboard, watching her with a small smirk. We’re both a little bored tonight–the kind of lazy, comfortable boredom that only comes when things are momentarily calm.

Somehow, we managed to get away with the scheme over at the Gentlemen’s Chamber. We’d all been tense for a day or two, expecting a call from the Ashbys or worse, Knight turning traitor on us. But the Gazette had a quick mention of a one-car accident over on state route forty, and that was it. Done and done.

The bedroom door opens, and Hunter steps in, t-shirt damp with sweat. Ares is at his side. He’s been tight-lipped about whatever this project he’s working on out back, calling it a surprise for Ari. I haven’t pushed. He deserves this one.

Ari spins around mid-movement and nearly collides with him. “You’re all sweaty,” she laughs, poking his chest.

“Working hard,” he says, voice low as he catches her wrist and pulls her in for a quick kiss. “Same as you.”

He ducks into the bathroom to clean up, and she goes right back at it trying the step again right after, still not quite landing it cleanly. Her frustration is starting to show in the tension of her shoulders.

I close my textbook. “Let’s take a break, Doll Baby.”

She stops, breathing a little harder than usual, and looks at me. There’s something in her eyes–a mix of determination and that spark I love so much.

She climbs onto the bed and crawls over to me, settling between my legs, back against my chest. Hunter walks out of the bathroom, pulling a clean shirt over his head. Ari’s eyes track his movements, appraising his body.

“I’ve been thinking of something…” she says softly, tracing a pattern on my thigh.

“What’s that?” I ask, hoping she’s ready to take us both at once. Every day, things get a little deeper for us, and I’ve been easing her into the feel of taking one of us in the ass, playing with her to loosen her up. There’s something holding her back.

She hesitates, then smiles shyly. “Maybe you could pierce me again.”

A different kind of heat floods through me at her confession. Fuck yes. Piercing her is one of my favorite things in the world. The trust, the intimacy, the way her body reacts–it’s better than sex sometimes.

“Where are you thinking?” I ask, skimming my fingers down her arm. Under the tight bra her nipples peak, revealing the pebbled stones I gave her at Solstice.

“I was thinking here.” She lifts a delicate hand and touches the side of her nose. “Something everyone can see.”

It’s feminine, elegant, and perfectly her.

I groan softly and kiss the top of her head. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted you to ask me that.”

Hunter raises an eyebrow, but stays quiet, a small smirk playing on his lips. He knows how much I love this, and I know how much he likes to watch.

I gently move her off my lap and stand, already heading to the locked drawer where I keep my piercing kit. I lay everything out on the nightstand: fresh needle, jewelry, antiseptic, clamps, and gloves. I glance back at Hunter and ask, “Can you go get me some ice?”

“Yep.”

“Come here,” I say, patting the edge of the bed.

Ari sits down, legs dangling. Her eyes are bright with nervous excitement. Hunter moves closer, sitting on her other side for support.

I pull over a chair and sit in front of her, gloved hands steady. “What do you say if you need me to ease up?”

“I say, ‘DK,’ and everything stops.”