Chapter 17

Daniela woke slowly, still half-lost in the warmth of her own thoughts. She was lying on something firm and warm. For a few precious seconds, her sleepy mind supplied exactly what she wanted to feel ... Kumar beneath her.

She could almost feel the solid muscle of his thighs, the way his cock had pressed insistently against her cheek through his thin shorts last night. A small, secret smile curved her lips as the memories drifted back.

She had been so cruel to him.

All night she had stayed on his lap, deliberately rubbing her face against the hard, thick length of him. He had tried so hard to behave. Every time she had pressed a soft, sleepy kiss to the head of his cock through the fabric, she had felt him twitch.

She had tasted him too. The warm, salty wetness of his pre-cum had soaked through his shorts and onto her lips more than once. She had licked it without shame, savoring the proof of how badly he wanted them even while he fought it.

And still, he had tried to be good.

Even when Sofia and Layla had shamelessly taken his hands and slipped them under their shirts, even when they had placed his palms directly on their bare breasts, he had hesitated. But he hadn’t pulled away. His fingers had eventually curled, squeezing, exploring. She had felt the way his breathing changed when he realized what he was touching. How his thumbs had brushed over their nipples almost unconsciously.

He had so much control.

Even while the three of them had thrown themselves at him, even while they had been soft and warm and willing in his arms after everything that had happened, he had still tried to protect them. From the world. From themselves. From him.

Daniela’s chest ached with something deep and possessive.

He was the one. She had known it for a while, but last night had sealed it. And somehow she knew Sofia and Layla felt it too. She could already imagine waking up like this every morning, all four of them together.

She wanted it all. She wanted him to stop being so careful with her. She wanted him to fist his hand in her hair and force her mouth down onto his cock until she struggled to breathe, until tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and she could do nothing but take him. She wanted to watch him ruin Sofia while Layla held her down and whispered filthy encouragement in her ear. She wanted to see him lose control with them. With all of them.

The fantasy was so vivid that Daniela let out a soft, contented sigh, nuzzling deeper into the warmth beneath her.

Then her eyes slowly opened. The first thing she registered was soft skin instead of hard muscle. The second was the familiar scent of Sofia’s shampoo. To her disappointment, she found that she was lying on top of Sofia and Layla. They were still tangled together, both of them clinging to each other. There was no broad chest under her cheek. No strong thighs beneath her. No quiet, steady breathing she had grown so used to feeling last night against her skin. He was gone.

Daniela stared for a long moment, the warm, dreamy feeling from seconds ago twisting into something sharper. She had been so sure he was still there. She had woken up expecting to see his face. She expected him to be tired, maybe a little conflicted, but there. Instead, she was lying on top of her two best friends, both of whom were slowly beginning to stir. Sofia blinked up at her first, looking adorably confused. Her voice was raspy with sleep.

“ ... Daniela?”

Layla shifted beneath them with a small groan, one arm still draped over Sofia’s waist. It took her a few seconds longer to fully wake, but when she did, her eyes immediately searched the couch.

“Where’s Kumar?”

The question hung in the air between them.

Daniela sat up properly, glancing around the quiet living room. The space felt strangely empty without him. Sofia pushed herself up on her elbows, looking around with growing concern. “He was here when we fell asleep ... wasn’t he?”

Layla sat up too, rubbing her eyes. “He called us his girls,” she said quietly. “After everything last night, he finally said it like he meant it.”

Daniela nodded slowly. Her mind was still replaying the night in fragments. She recalled the way he had fought so hard to stay in control, the way his hands had eventually given in and touched them like he couldn’t stop himself.

“He didn’t stop us,” Daniela said, her voice soft but certain. “Even when we were being ... difficult. He could have moved us. He could have made us go to bed. But he didn’t.”

Sofia’s cheeks flushed faintly as she remembered guiding his hand under her shirt. “He ... he touched us. Properly. He wasn’t just holding still. I nearly screamed with joy when he squeezed my breast. He finally didn’t pull away.”

Layla let out a small, slightly shaky laugh, though there was something vulnerable in her eyes. “I thought I was dreaming at one point. But it was real. He wanted us. Even if he was trying so hard not to.”

The three of them sat silently for a moment.

The terror at the party. The way Kumar had protected them without hesitation. The way he had held them afterward like they were something precious. And the way he had finally stopped fighting what was happening between them.

Daniela looked at the empty space on the couch again. She had woken up so sure he would still be there.

Sofia bit her lip. “Do you think he regrets it?”

Daniela shook her head. “He wouldn’t have stayed with us all night if he did. But ... he might be worried we’re moving too fast.”

Layla stood up, brushing her hair back with determination. “Then we go find him. No more overthinking. We’ll show him we’re sure.”

The warm, sleepy happiness from earlier had faded, replaced by uncertainty.

Before any of them could move, the landline phone in the living room started ringing loudly. The three girls froze. Daniela rushed to the living room and picked up the receiver on the third ring.

“Hola?”

“Dani, kanna! It’s Latha,” came the familiar warm voice. “How are you girls? Is everything okay there?”

Daniela glanced toward the stairs, then at Sofia and Layla who were hovering nervously beside her.

“We’re fine, Tia Latha. We just woke up. I think Kumar is still sleeping in his bedroom. Don’t worry about us. The girls are doing well now. How’s Tia Bella?”

There was a tired sigh on the other end. “She’s ... still very shaken. Rajesh and I stayed the night with her. She’s much better now. Don’t worry. We’re all heading to Yasmine’s house now to talk more about what happened. We’ll probably be there most of the day. Do you need us to come back first? You probably haven’t had breakfast, right?”

Daniela’s eyes lit up with mischief. She covered the mouthpiece for half a second and mouthed “They’re not coming back soon” to the other two. Sofia’s face flushed with relief and excitement. Layla grinned like a wolf.

“No, Tia, don’t worry,” Daniela said smoothly, keeping her voice casual. “Please take care of Tia Bella. And tell Tia Yasmine and Tio Omar that Kumar and I will take care of the girls. I’m just going to make some breakfast for all of us. Really, we’re okay.”

Latha sounded hesitant but relieved. “Alright ... call us if anything changes. And tell Kumar to rest too. He did more than enough last night.”

“Will do. We will ensure he gets all the rest he needs. Love you, Tia.”

“Okay, kanna. Thank you so much for taking care of the girls and Kumar. We love you too.”

Daniela hung up and turned to the other two with a wicked little smile.

“They’re going to be gone for hours.”

Sofia let out a breathless laugh. “Dios ... we have the whole house to ourselves?”

Layla’s eyes sparkled with pure trouble. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go find our man.”

“Come on,” Daniela said, glancing toward the stairs. “Let’s go find him.”

Sofia and Layla exchanged a look, then nodded. Whatever had happened between the four of them last night, one thing was clear: none of them were ready to let it end here.

The three girls padded quietly through the house in their oversized t-shirts and tiny sleep shorts. The morning light was soft, but the house felt strangely empty without the usual sounds of Latha moving around.

They made their way upstairs on quiet feet. None of them said it out loud, but the same nervous thought hung heavy between them.

Layla’s jaw was tight as they reached Kumar’s bedroom door. “What if he regrets it?” she whispered. “What if he’s not ready to see all three of us like this?”

Daniela’s voice was quiet. “What if he’s upset that I already told you about Emily?”

They paused outside his door, exchanging one last uncertain look before gently pushing it open. The sight inside immediately made their worries worse.

Kumar was asleep on his back, one arm thrown over his eyes. He looked exhausted. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and even in sleep, his brow was faintly furrowed. He looked sad and vulnerable in a way that made all three of their hearts ache.

Layla’s expression darkened immediately. “That fucking woman,” she muttered under her breath. Sofia’s eyes filled with tears. Daniela felt her chest tighten.

Without a word, they moved. Sofia climbed onto the bed first, carefully laying herself across his chest. Layla slid in on his right side, curling tightly against him. Daniela took the left, wrapping herself around his arm and resting her head over his heart.

Kumar stirred with a low, sleepy sound as the three of them curled around him. His arms moved on instinct, pulling their bodies tighter against him. For a few seconds, he simply held them and sighed.

Then his eyes slowly opened.

He blinked, staring up at the three girls looking down at him. Sofia’s face was inches from his, eyes soft and glassy. Layla was pressed against his side, fierce and protective. Daniela watched him quietly, her hand resting over his heart.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Kumar’s arms tightened around them, pulling all three closer. Daniela let out a shaky breath. Sofia leaned down and began pressing soft kisses along his jaw and cheek. Layla kissed the side of his neck. Daniela pressed slow kisses along his collarbone.

When Kumar finally opened his eyes fully, there was a tired, sad smile on his face as he looked at Sofia and Layla.

“You know,” he said quietly.

It wasn’t a question. Layla immediately bristled. “Esa puta! If I ever meet her...”

“Layla,” Kumar said gently, cutting her off. He reached up and stroked her hair. “Don’t say that about her. I don’t wish her badly. I still care about her. I just ... want to understand what happened.”

A sharp stab of jealousy hit all three girls at once. For a few moments, the girls were speechless as they stared at each other.

“Are you still waiting for her to come back to you?” Sofia asked tentatively.

He just stared at her sadly. “No, chellam.” He cupped her beautiful face in his hand and took a deep breath. “I’ve made my peace with her leaving me. Until I met you three, I wasn’t sure I would ever recover. But now I know. I need to move on.”