I rake a hand through my hair, uneasy but knowing he's right. "I'll admit, it won't be easy at first. But Dylan..." I trail off, then continue resolutely. "She's worth challenging myself for. Worth trying for."
Jayden nods firmly. "Yeah. She's worth everything."
A new sense of possibility settles over us. This won't be simple, but together, we can build something extraordinary.
I meet their eyes, voice steady. "So we do this. Together."
Noah's mouth curves. "Together."
Jayden grins crookedly. "Together."
"Okay," I say, convinced we at least need her to hear us out. "Let's continue to talk this through. To really think about it. We might be open-minded now, but I have a sense that feelings might change if and when things start to get real. Plus, we should really involve Dylan in any future conversations about this. I know I was the one to bring it up, but I'm starting to feel like we're talking about her as if she has no say in any of this. When really, she's the person who matters most."
The others nod.
It's time to bring Dylan on board, and to hold her up like the queen she is.
Chapter 37
Noah
Iglanceupfrommy sports magazine, watching as Dylan laughs while cooking dinner in the kitchen. Her smile lights up the whole apartment. Lately, I can’t take my eyes off her whenever she’s around.
Who am I kidding? From the moment I first laid eyes on her, they may as well have been slathered in gorilla glue and stuck to her permanently.
The way we’ve all let her take over the kitchen so frequently—and definitely not because she’s a woman, but because cooking for other people clearly brings her genuine joy—is a testament to how she’s started breaking down each of our walls.
Before, occasionally, Killian would wow us with some new vegetarian dish, or I’d whip up a Laotian meal from time to time. Jayden would nip into the kitchen to stuff some protein down and then quickly exit. But she’s changed all that.
Seeing how relaxed she is joking with Killian and Jayden makes me twitch with jealousy. I want her all to myself, but that selfish urge goes against how we’ve always done things.
I know I said I was open-minded, but the more time I’ve had to think about it, the more I realize that words are very different from reality. Even the idea of what we talked about is starting to dig at me like needles under my skin.
“It’s different with Dylan,” I mutter under my breath. I can’t shake this feeling that I want her all to myself. But it’s looking more and more like if any of us are going to get to be with her, we’re all going to have to be with her. And that’s just not how we’ve ever done things around here.
It’s not how the entire world works, either.
We’re not some fucking harem.
My eyes trace over her body as she moves gracefully through the kitchen. I imagine pulling her into my arms, feeling her soft skin pressed against me, hearing her moan my name...
I shift in my seat, forcing myself to look away before my thoughts wander too far. Dylan’s not just some random hookup—she could be something real. Something lasting.
And, the more I think about it, I realize I’ll be damned if I’m going to share her the way I would any other girl.
She’s too important for that.
If she were just anyone, someone who didn’t make me feel like this, I might be more open. But she is perfection in a tank top—not just her body but her personality and her mind… I’d go as far as to say hersoul… and that makes me feel possessive.
Mine.
I know pursuing her exclusively could jeopardize everything between the four of us. But I need clarity, even if it means risking it all.
I’ve made up my mind. I know what I said to the guys, but in the clear light of day it’s time to get real.
I’m going to tell Dylan how I feel. Let her choose me and only me. It’s the only way forward, no matter how messy it gets. I just hope I don’t end up pushing her away for good.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead.