Dominic’s thumb brushed over my mark. Rhain’s breath caught. Neither of them moved too quickly.
Rhain lowered his mouth to my hand first, a soft press of lips against my knuckles, while Dominic leaned in and touched his mouth to the bond at the left side of my throat. Just the flat of his lips against the mark, taking nothing.
The bond rang once and went quiet. Waiting.
Rhain’s mouth came to the right mark next, careful and warm, and the second channel answered in the same deep tone.
Rhain’s hands came to rest at my ribs, waiting beneath the loose hem of my sweater. Dominic’s mouth stayed close to the left mark, not touching now, only breathing there, and the breath went down my spine instead of out of me.
“Tell me where to start,” Dominic said.
My eyes opened. “What?”
His thumb traveled along my side, slow enough to make the bond pull toward him. “Tell me where to start.”
Heat climbed into my face so fast I almost got light-headed from that alone. “Dominic.”
“You said you did not want to be treated like a problem.”
“I remember.”
“Then do not make us guess.”
Rhain hummed from in front of me. I looked down at him. He was still kneeling, both hands at my waist, mouth close to the right mark, eyes dark and entirely too awake for a man who had been silent for this much of the conversation.
“Don’t help him,” I said.
“I’m simply observing,” Rhain said.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Also observing.”
Dominic’s mouth touched the left mark again, no more than a brush. The bond answered immediately, hot and rising, and my fingers clenched in the sheet.
“Little Spy,” he said against my skin.
My throat went dry. “Start there.”
Dominic lifted his head enough to look at me. “Where?”
I stared at him. He waited. Patient. Merciless. Civilized, allegedly.
“My neck,” I said, and my voice sounded like it had been dragged through gravel and poor decisions. “Your claim.”
Dominic’s eyes darkened. “Good.”
Rhain’s hands tightened at my waist.
“And me?” he asked softly.
“The other one,” I said.
“My claim?” Rhain asked, with a gentle precision that made me want to smother him with one of Yuki’s tasteful pillows.
“Yes.”
His mouth curved. “Useful clarification.”