Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 317

"What? I didn't mean anything by it." Carson rests easy, stretching his arms out behind his head and yawning. "Nothing at all."

"I knew this would happen," Aiden grumbles.

"Goodnight." Axel lies down forcefully, facing away from Carson, and in the process, me.

Mission accomplished by the satisfied look on Carson's face, but when I glare at him, he falters. He watches me from where his head is resting on his pillow, feigning ignorance. I watch him right back, nodding my head towards Axel. 'Apologize,' I mouth.

He cocks his head back. "For what?"

"For being your usual asshole self." Aiden flips the page.

Carson rolls his eyes. "Now I know you're not talking."

"Carson," I say. He's out for blood.

"No." He looks at me. "I was just trying to help Axel out."

"Help me out?" Axel asks in disbelief.

Carson nods.

"And how did you expect to do that?"

"By giving you some pointers." Carson's eyes change, and it has nothing to do with color. They shifted from amber to gold a while ago, but now they just look... "For example..." Carson's fingers run against the sheet.

My eyes follow the motion.

"If I was sharing a bed with Mia, I'd at least put my arm around her." He glances at the space directly behind me. "Don't you at least want to put your arm around her, Axel?"

"And if I do?" Axel mutters.

"Then do it. If she wants."

A shiver runs down my spine when I feel Axel move closer, but he doesn't touch me.

He hesitates. "Is that okay, Mia?" His voice is barely above a whisper. "If I...?"

His fingers just barely ghost over my waist, and my breath catches. It's just my waist, and he's barely even touching it-unwilling to cross that line until he has my full consent, but with Carson watching, it feels so intimate. Too intimate.

Axel's warm breath brushes against my skin, but it's like I'm feeling both his and Carson's. My throat goes dry.

"Is it okay if he holds you?" Carson echoes Axel's previous question, since I haven't answered yet.

Carson stares straight into my eyes. Then he grasps the sheets. What does that mean?

Axel stiffens. "I can't."

Carson looks at him. "Have you really never done this before?"

"But-"

Carson's eyes leave no room for argument. The burning in the pit of my stomach leaves no room for argument.

Axel's hand shakes as it moves over one of my breasts. The only thing in the way of his heated skin and mine is my bra (the one night I don't take it off before getting into bed). His fingers trace the edge of the material. When Carson nods, Axel squeezes. I make a noise I wasn't expecting to. Axel doesn't squeeze hard enough for it to hurt, just firm enough for me to feel. To know where he's touching me. To know Axel's touching me. I curl back into him. He pulls me closer, making noises of his own against my skin.

Carson looks at his other brother who still has his nose in a book despite all that's happening around him. "Any suggestions, Aiden?"

Aiden doesn't say anything out loud, but Carson whistles. Must be mindlink. "There we go, Aiden." Carson slow claps. "I like where your head's at." He gestures for Axel to do it quickly. He's so into this, and damn if that doesn't make this better.

Axel's hand goes still. "But-"

"If I hear that word one more time," Carson says.