Shackled (The Lord Series) by Carlos
345. Olivia - Whole

Spending the day with Angel has been what I needed after weeks of barely talking to any woman. It might be my desperation to have someone else in my life apart from my guys, but I think she and I could be really good friends.

I gave her a tour of the stable and showed her the horses and my filly-which I still have to name then Juniper, who once again broke free and ended up in the remains of the guest house-the guys are taking their time demolishing it. Jasper and Mose spent a couple of hours chasing after Juniper around the farm while Angel and I went back to the house.

Since the guys were busy, Angel and I decided to make dinner. We took out the recipe book, put on music, and got to work. Some dishes didn't turn out as they should, but I'm sure no one will mind a bit of burned food. Angel and I might lack experience in the kitchen, but everything was done with love even the overcooked food.

When the baby was kicking, Angel asked me if I wanted to touch her stomach. Her question brought tears to my eyes. My men stopped asking for a baby, probably understanding that the pain of losing Spencer is never going away. Even Jasper, who wanted to be a father so badly, hadn't brought up the subject. While I haven't told him about my little boy, I'm sure the others did. But Angel didn't know about Spencer, and she didn't know how I envied her at that moment, so I politely declined while making sure not to hurt her feelings.

Mose and Jasper helped us set the table in the living room, which is bigger than the one in the kitchen. Once everything was ready, Angel and I put on a comedy on the TV. Diva snuggled with us on the couch while the guys went to clean the kitchen.

Two hours past dinner time, Tyson, Rueben, and the others finally show up. The worry I felt the entire night and day turned into anger because I'm more than sure Ansel and Stefan told them that I wanted us to eat together. I get that they are not happy about last night, but they could have at least made an effort to get here in time.

Angel's husbands rush to her and scoop her up in their arms from the couch. "We missed you." Their voices carry all the love they have for her. A big smile erupts on Angel's face as her husbands take turns kissing her baby bump. My breath catches in my throat.

How many nights did I dream of Tyson doing the same to me? I lost count.

Not wanting to have a melt down in front of everyone, I go to Jasper's room. Looking at his paintings, especially *The Garden of Earthly Delights*, calms me. Even the scents of Mose, Ansel, and Jasper lingering in air sooth the tumult in my soul.

Tyson and Rueben follow me. They probably want to talk about how I treated them at the Blood Lodge. While I didn't force Tyson to kiss my feet, I'm sure he must be upset that I didn't claim him in front of the others. I wanted to, though. Even my darkness was pushing me to do so, but at that moment, I got carried away by...everything.

I pretend to watch out the window while I think of a way to start the conversation. Saying 'I'm sorry' is always hard, especially when it comes to Rueben. I chew the inside of my cheek. He never thought my apologies were sincere; why would he think differently now?

To my relief, Tyson talks first. "The hunt took longer than we expected. We should have let Jasper know that we would be late."

He doesn't sound angry. Maybe I was overthinking everything.

"It's fine. We can heat up the food." I rake my teeth over my bottom lip. "About the hunt," I never understood why men like to kill defenseless animals, "did you catch anything?" I dare to ask.

Strong arms circle my waist, and all three of us fall on the bed. "We did now," Rueben purrs in my ear.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I still need to ask Rueben, "Are you not upset about last night?"

"I was," Rueben replies, "but I deserved it for everything I did to you. Before you get any more ideas, I'm not going to do that ever again." The tips of his finger trace the contour of my jaw. "While I was adamant about taking your life, you saved mine. I'll never doubt anything you say, ever again."

From all the things Rueben could have said, I didn't expect this. I shouldn't ask this, I should keep my mouth closed, but last night showed me that I might have another chance at happiness. "What do you feel about me?"

Rueben's eyes glow red as he replies, "I'm all yours. My life is yours to do as you wish." He has changed so much since he learned the truth that I don't know who he is anymore. But...I think I like this new Rueben. "If it's not clear enough, I love you."

I try to think of a ton of reasons why it would be wise to not trust a word coming from Rueben, but I'd rather have him as my ally and lover than my enemy. Defeating Azael and the Blight won't be a stroll through the park, and I need to build many bridges.

"I believe you," I say to Rueben.

My attention goes to Tyson. While he made it clear that he loves me, I don't know if I should believe him or not. I'm still afraid to open up and be as vulnerable as I once was. But I want to be as happy as Angel is. I don't know if that is possible, but if I don't take the risk, I'll never know. I place my hand against Tyson's chest, his heart beating fast under my palm. "I'm scared about being hurt again, and it might take years to be comfortable enough to allow myself to love again, but I want you to know that you are mine."

The bond between us feels stronger than ever. Tyson peppers kisses all over my face. "You are the reason why I wake up in the morning," he says before his lips seal mine in a tender kiss.