At lunch, when Ransom’s body frames mine on the back of the bench-style seat, they make it a point to face the opposite direction. They couldn’t possibly be caught staring, that would be admitting it bothers them that I’m no longer sitting at their table where, as the unspoken rule goes, my bank account deems I belong.

Cali and Jules seem to be the exception, but even so, they stick to ‘their people’.

I look from Arsen to Beretta, who sit close to each other, laughing and joking, and Arsen catches my eye, nodding his chin, so Beretta turns to look at me, but he can’t keep himself from looking up at Ransom.

I’m not sure what he sees, but he grins, and then gives his attention to me.

“Yes, Trouble?” He smiles and mine follows.

“You know,” I begin, replaying the sight of them yesterday. “I kind of thought you’d be the alpha.”

Beretta laughs loudly, his grin deepening. “I can be, if he wants me to be.” His smirk is as naughty as a man can muster, and I almost blush. “But I am a lover and he’s aggressive, but in a good way.”

I pull my lips in, nodding. “So...”

Arsen chuckles, pushing on Beretta’s chest so that he leans his back against the table, allowing Arsen to see me better.

Beretta’s smile is teasing. “You must have a sex question, your chest is getting red. You embarrassed?”

“No!” I laugh. “I’m not... but do you care if I ask something, though?”

They grin at each other, looking back with a shrug. “Go for it.”

“When you aren’t with Ransom, like when he no longer needs your help, will you still sleep with women, or do you guys already, when it’s just you two?”

His eyes snap up, meeting Ransom’s, a small frown builds along his brows, but it smooths when he looks back at me.

Ransom’s hands fall from my thighs, but I wait for the answer.

“We would if we wanted to.” He glances at Arsen quickly. “It hasn’t been about any of that, but with you, we realized it could be enjoyable, and I’m not talking nutting at the end,” he says unabashedly. “That part’s natural, but to actually feel good, to be excited and want to please? We’ve never gotten that outside of us.” He shrugs. “So, if we want to fuck with an added person, we will, and when we’re done, we’ll still be us. It’s not a plan, but we have no reason to limit ourselves. We know what matters, so we’ll do what we want when we want.”

God, the freedom in that statement.

Envy forms a knot in my abdomen, twisting.

“So, what if you find a girl you want to keep?”

They both laugh, but, again, share a look and shrug.