BONUS CHAPTER

PEYTON

Waking up, my first thought is that I have officially aged sixty years overnight. Every single muscle fiber in my body wants me to quit.

It takes effort to lift a pinky finger, let alone move my entire lead-weighted body as if I wrestled a very persistent, very attractive octopus.

I see Axel, sleeping diagonally across the bed like he owns the whole damn mattress, head facing the ceiling, arms flung apart like a triumphant starfish. So peaceful. So utterly unaware of the damage he inflicts on anyone sharing space with him.

I snort, fighting a laugh. I didn't know he was like this. Maybe he's just tired.

Then I look at Raphael.

That one's something else. He’s perfectly still, sheets tucked around his waist, one arm neatly beside his head. Even his hair looks meticulously styled. Couldn't he be a little bit goofy? A little less… organized? His sleep looks like a silent stakeholder meeting, and the only thing missing is a suit. It’s almost sad.

I carefully crawl over the blankets toward him, tuck a stray curl behind his ear, and he doesn't flinch.

Suddenly, a tiny, terrible idea sparks in my brain. It’s a good morning, after all.

I lean in and plant a quick kiss on his neck, right below his jaw. Then I move up to his cheek, then back down to his neck. I start going back up again, just a little, annoying pecks. My eyes are shut, concentrating on being an absolute menace.

When I open my eyes, Raphael’s eyes are wide open, staring right at me. He hasn't moved an inch, but he’s awake.

All along?

Before I can even yelp an apology, he grabs my arm, and he tugs me hard against his chest. His mouth finds my neck immediately, kissing it slow and deep.

“Morning to you too.” He pulls back just enough to look at me, a lazy smirk on his face. “Looking for something in particular?”

“No. Definitely not.”

For that, he kisses the back of my ear. I squirm slightly, but it just makes him grin. He starts trailing kisses down my neck, moving lower.

“Raphael, what are you doing?” I whisper, though I’m already arching my back when his head gets close to my thigh. He keeps going, heading straight for my pussy.

“Stop,” I say, though it comes out as a weak, strangled little chuckle, and my back arches even more as I let out a faint moan.

“Mmmph. You do know you’re gonna kiss out my sperm, right?”

Raphael stops dead, lifts his head, and glances over.

Axel groans loudly, not even opening his eyes, just shifting his weight.

The look Raphael shoots Axel is pure murder. If looks could launch guided missiles, Axel would be dust.

Axel opens one eye, squints at us, then rubs his face and collapses heavily onto my body like a ton of bricks.

“Morning.”

Raphael stares at him. “You know you’re a full-grown man, right?”

Axel ignores him, just cuddling into me, draping a heavy arm across my chest. “I know. A full-grown man that's not stiff.”

“Oof,” I laugh. Okay, that was one on Axel's board.

Axel buries his face deeper, pulling me closer. “Did you… have an encore last night?”

“That's a nice way to put it, but… um… yeah,” I say, a sassy edge in my voice.

Axel murmurs into my shoulder. “Should we go for a third round, just for good measure?”

Smack.

Raphael slaps the back of Axel’s head. “Give her a break, you moron. She can barely move.”

I seize the opportunity to escape. “Exactly! I have work to do, gentlemen. Big deadlines, very important assistant stuff.”

I struggle hard against Axel’s death grip. I find it nearly impossible to work up the leverage to push him off, but Raphael simply yanks his arms away and scoops me up in one easy motion, tossing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and carries me straight toward the bathroom.

~~~~~

I fully intended to spend today crushing my work goals, but I suppose the bath got too warm, or Raphael’s hands were too distracting, because I ended up falling asleep. When I woke up, I was back in the big, messy bed, curled up in Axel’s lap, my head was tucked under his chin, listening to him snore softly.

Oh God. 🤦

*Sighs.*

That's a snippet Vlog on how I spent my day with the Thorne brothers. I suppose it was…. productive? Distracting? It was definitely not what my calendar said.

….💋 Mostly a workout.

….💔 My spine still hates me.

….💋 Worth it though.

….🙈 I regret nothing.

……💋………, ……….💋……., ………..💋….., ………🙈…….

Fill in the remaining dots the way you understand, please. I'm too exhausted to continue. 😩

Now I need coffee, and maybe a hip replacement.

XOXO

Peyton 😘