Chapter 74

Ramon POV

I should have been content. Hell, I should have been ecstatic. Less than three hours ago, I’d been buried deep inside Lake, claiming him in every way that mattered, hearing him beg for my knot like it was the only thing keeping him alive. The memory of it—his body stretched around me, his voice breaking on my name, the way he’d looked at me afterward like I’d given him something precious—it should have been enough to keep me riding high for days.

And it had been. For a while.

Walking back into the main living area with Lake at my side, watching Ollie’s face light up when he saw us, listening to my mother coo over how “close” we looked—it had all felt right. Like pieces of a puzzle finally clicking into place. Lake had been shy about the attention, his face flushing when Michelle gave him a knowing smile, but he’d stayed close to me. Let me keep a hand on his back, didn’t pull away when I pressed a kiss to his temple.

Progress. Real, tangible