Page 19 of Brothers' Brat
"Come here," I half-whisper, half-giggle, my voice muffled against Hayden's chest. I feel Hudson move closer, and soon, his arms join Hayden's, creating a cocoon of warmth around me. My breath hitches at the proximity, at the undeniable connection that thrums between all three of us.
"I'm sorry I fought you guys for so long," I begin, my voice trembling with a cocktail of regret because I played into all this too. I pushed them away because I didn't believe their feelings for me could be real. But Hudson's finger presses gently against my lips, silencing the confession that threatens to spill over.
"Shh, Leila," Hudson whispers, his breath warm against the shell of my ear. "You have nothing to be sorry about. We love you, Leila. Curse or not, you're ours."
Hayden's lips crash against mine, fierce and demanding. His kiss steals the air from my lungs, and I melt into him, into them. "We love you in such an overwhelming way sometimes we act out," Hayden admits against my mouth, his voice rough with emotion.
Everything outside this moment seems irrelevant as we lay back down, a tangle of sheets and heated skin. The quiet of the morning wraps around us, a silent witness to the bond we share. In this space, there’s no room for anything but us.
A soft slap echoes in the room, and my gaze flickers open, catching Hayden's hand batting away Hudson's from my breast. A smirk plays on Hayden's lips, possessive and teasing. They both reach for me again, fingers grazing the sensitive flesh of my breast together.
"Guys!" I giggle, wriggling beneath their competing touches, the sensation sparking a delicious warmth through my body. Their playful bickering fills the air, and suddenly, I'm as coveted as Hudson's boots.
"Cut it out," I manage between laughs, though I don't truly want them to stop. This closeness, their affection, is what I've craved all along.
As we settle, the lightness in the room shifts to a serene peace, and I nestle closer to them both. "Merry Christmas," I whisper. "I'll love you both forever."
"Say it again," Hayden demands, his fingers tightening on my flesh.
"I. Love. You," I repeat, stronger this time, and it feels like a vow, a promise that was owed to them so long ago.
"Fuck, Leila," Hudson groans, and there's a tremor in his touch, a vulnerability that he rarely shows. "We love you too. So damn much."
EPILOGUE
LEILA
Hillcrest v Woodsboro
The clink and clash of sticks on the ice reverberate through the arena, a stark counterpoint to the hush of the crowd. It's tied right now with only minutes left on the clock. My hands press against the cold glass separating me from the ice, knuckles white, every muscle tensed as I watch the puck ricochet back and forth between Hillcrest and Woodsboro players.
"Come on, come on," I whisper, the words puffing into steam in the cold building.
Hudson's skates carve deep into the ice as he intercepts the puck with a deft maneuver. His green eyes are locked on Hayden, and I already know what's about to happen.
If they pull this off and win the game, it's going to be really difficult not to run up to them after the game and kiss them on their mouths. I'm so amped up and excited, and it feels like I haven't seen them in days even though it's only been a few hours. We've had to be very careful on campus for obvious reasons now that the three of us have made amends. Hudson does a great job of playing the role of an overprotective older brother, but Hayden still likes to let his hands wander, grabbing my ass or breasts in public. He's a menace and he knows it, but even if anyone suspects anything, they'd never be dumb enough to say anything directly to us. I still have my own dorm room, but I spend every night in theirs.
Hayden moves away from the crowd of skaters, fully in sync with Hudson, his presence a force that draws gasps and murmurs from spectators around me. Watching my two brothers move so effortlessly together yet apart is something I'm grateful to witness. It's like they can anticipate one another's next move in a way no one, not even me, could ever do.
And then it happens.
Hudson passes the puck to his twin. So slick, so smooth. I'm holding my breath like that might somehow help them accomplish their goal. Hayden's stick arcs back, and with lightning speed, the puck sails across the ice toward the Woodsboro goalie.
The puck hurtles past the goalie, a blur of black against the white of the ice. It kisses the net just before the buzzer sounds.
My scream is primal, a release of pent-up anxiety and fervor. I leap up, my body bouncing against the glass, hands slapping the surface as I chant their names.
The charm at my neck swings wildly, and I clutch at it, my fingers tracing the twin H's with a tenderness that Hayden would probably make fun of me for. The metal is warm, almost hot, from the heat of my skin. I hate that I can’t run out there and hug them, but this is enough. They're always with me.
The crowd is celebrating as Hayden and Hudson collide into each other. Their bodies slam together in a chest bump. They're both grinning, and I shake my head with a smile because they're going to be cocky assholes tonight, and I'm going to be the one who has to deal with them.
They break apart, and immediately, their gazes sweep the stands, searching for where they left me before the game. The electric charge of their eyes lands on me, and something inside me trembles with recognition, desire, and all the love they show me. Hudson's lips curve, and he cheekily blows me a kiss. My heart hitches because Hudson is always secretive in the way he shows me he cares. I don't want our family to be ostracized or made into a spectacle, but having him do that so publicly has my heart pounding.
Hayden grins wolfishly, sticking his tongue out explicitly in a silent taunt meant only for me.
I can't help but laugh, shaking my head at their antics. "You guys are ridiculous!" I call out, even though I know they can't hear me.
I blow them kisses, each one a promise, a secret shared in the open.