Chapter 349 - -

She'd scolded herself, her mind drifting rapidly to the items in her cart. The seven rings. She'd measured their hands, tape around the finger. It had been too easy with her soul deep inside their bodies. And there was no need for strings and midnight operations snooping about in the dark.She'd made the purchase with the money she'd earned as their substitute. And it was something simple, nothing too fancy with carats and labels. These rings were handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces from an artist that burned a touch of her soul upon the band. The design was all Ambers, images of their soul.A string of red and a rose for her Sieon. Lilacs for her MinJae. A golden heart for Hikaru. Her handprints for Casper. An 'I love you' for Oliver. A firefly for Ezra. Two bunnies for JieMi. The box was locked with her sex toys. They wouldn't touch them knowing that those were hers and hers alone.Amber was going to propose on a day when the sky was blue, and their eyes caught upon a rainbow in the sky. She'd smile and point, get down on one knee under the curve of an ephemeral miracle and tell them that she loved them.She'd think about it. Perhaps, a grander gesture would be necessary.The box was snapped close, her fingers caught at the edges.She sighed. But how could she with—Her eyes darted back to her three oldest soulmates—secrets kept from her soulmates? She wrung her hands, knew without a doubt that they'd fight over it. And perhaps she should rip the metaphorical band aid free at the table, experience the burn of a quick tug upon the wound. There would be disappointment.She should speak her truth now before the lies became a habit, and the habit became her personality."I—" she began tapped her fingers on the table, swallowed her food. It tasted like nothing in her mouth, her stomach seemed to lose the ability to feel hungry. She should say it let it spring free, end the pain. It would be easy to apologise. "Uh, the—""You were right about the steps," was Hikaru's bright beam, so innocent and full of love, his hair was messy curls from a good long nap. A noisy pitched laugh spinning free from his throat. "The fans are happy.""He's trending online," was MinJae's giggle, hands swiping through his phone. He showed it to her. Hikaru's name was trending. "They call it the cute little flop.""It can't be that cute," was Amber's scoff, but her hands fidgeted under the table. Her laugh felt forced, but it wasn't too odd. And her boys did not focus upon her mannerisms the way they once did before the baby."You can look at it," was Hikaru's shy response, a twitch and his phone was in her hands. She stared at the video, the shakes of a screaming fan. Her brows furrowed at the adorable patters of feet. It was mildly disturbing, the way a grown man could somehow run just as cutely as an animated schoolboy in a romantic drama. But it was cute, his smile so bright it shone like a star in crappy 240p footage."Fuck, it is cute," she exhaled, felt a rush of heat swim through her belly like the horny idiot she was. A little too breathless as her eyes were caught on his ass, on the chain that circled thin hips. Then her mind was drifting too quickly, too swiftly to his cock that was so thick and girthy it was like a boot hammering against her g-spot. Sex with Hikaru was always never about the angles because there was no need for one with a dick that thick and that long—"They know how to get my best angles," was the swoon from him, a pretty blush on his cheeks."Right," she nodded, gulped. She exhaled, a heavy breath escaping her throat. "So, uh—""Did you see mine?" Sieon pipped in, bouncing on his feet, shoving his phone to her face. He seemed to forget the definition of personal space because his arms slung over her shoulders. His cheeks pushed against her own. He nuzzled, like a little cat, nose brushing up and down her cheek. Succour was granted by the wrap of his arms and the tightening of his embrace. "They said I'm sexy.""Oh uh," she licked her lips. And maybe he did know her emotions, could read her fragile state of mind in the waxy pallor of her new complexion. But she turned to the soft glow of the phone, watched as her godly soulmate swaggered across the stage. Eyes half-lidded, lips pulled into a smirk and tongue crudely placed at the corner of his mouth. This was the face he gave to her when he had his cock buried to the hilt and she was screaming."Oh, fuck me.""That's right," he'd wiggled his brows, but nothing came from the exchange as he leaned back, laughing. "They loved it." She knew they would, because that was a face he learnt deep in her pussy, a face that she treasured and burned to her memory. A face that was now mournfully plastered upon a million videos and a thousand fan edits. Amber twitched, worried for her sanity."Did you have something to say Amber?" Casper called, already taking her plate to cut up her meat for her. A smile on his lips, dimples showed, always quick to relieve her of her load. Any load, even the most mundane task like slicing meat. But that had his biceps rippling, upper arms bulging with muscle and veins, flexing and twisting. She swallowed."If you're cutting my meat," she declared pulled his plate over. "I'm cutting yours up." Her knife was pulled across the plate, his steak sliced thinly. The drag of it felt strange, and the task? An excuse not to speak."You don't have to baby," was his laughing answer. His grin was open, the dimples only grew deeper. "What did you want to say?" But the words did not come to her with seven eyes and seven happy faces. "I'm hearing you.""What the fuck?" was MinJae's confused chirp from across the table. "Oh, fuck. I mean what the fuck—heck?" He spluttered and this had her laughing. The laughter spread, chuckles echoing across the room."You said fuck two times in front of the baby," was Ezra's snort."The current count is four because of you, bro," JieMi reported through a mouthful of broccoli. "In PG-13 movies, we should only hear it once.""Can the baby watch a PG-13 movie?" Ezra raised a brow."She can.""Okay guys. Our soulmate tried to speak three times, so shut up," was Oliver's call across the table. His pout was big, animated. His brows furrowed, and his lips pursed. "What is it sunshine?""You're putting me on the spot," was her hasty laugh and she could almost feel the sweat dripping down her brow. Their stare grew, the silence only louder. Rumiko gurgled, sucked noisily without giving a damn. "I lost my train of thought." And she'd turned her attention to her child. Her little girl knew exactly how to make her mommy distracted and happy, waving her arms. "Right baby? Mommy, just lost her brain cells the moment she looked at you."Fuck.She spent hours wide awake in bed later through a ton of fake laughter and jest. And when sleep came it was fitful and strange, with shadowed hands brushing across her skin, each touch scorched her till flesh peeled. And so, she sat up in bed, breathing hard and blinking tears. God, she had to say it, should have said it before bedtime came.So she moved out of her new warm bed, not sure of whose body she'd managed to steal from that day, with the sheets twisting under her feet. And had stood before her three oldest, a strange churning in the depths of her belly.Their breathing was gentle, the whispers of a snore in the room that they shared. It was convenient that they had a room together. She'd moved, her hands tugging at the lamp by their side. It clicked and a yellow glow filled the room."B-baby?" Oliver's voice was a rasp of murmuring. He squinted at her, turning over in the light. And she knew now that she must have the appearance of her own body, her hands digging into her flesh, holding her body close."Wake Casp and Karu," she'd beseeched, sleepy eyes. He'd turned the other lamps on, more yellow filling the room, brows furrowed. And immediately the rest roused, her boys groaning as they blinked sleepy eyes at her as she settled in the comfort of the shadows. They stared, squinted through the cut of warmth with something dancing in the depths of their eyes."Who's in trouble?" Casper groaned, already turning to leave the bed. His feet meeting the carpeted ground. "Rumi?""Fine, fine, Sieon's got her, I think." She waved her hand, cleared her throat. "I'm here to confess my sins. It's mine alone." She clasped her hands together, bounced on her toes. "I just have to." Her eyes spun to Oliver's noted the lack of a bouncing sign or tattoos up his arms. Was their soul bond bleeding with her truth? It didn't seem to be God. Those things were strange turned on and off at the oddest of times."At the crack of dawn?" was Casper's question, his phone pulled to his face. His hands rubbing his cheeks. "I guess it couldn't wait?""Yeah?" Oliver snorted, a gentle rasp that had a strange jolt firing up her nerve endings, a hot rush that had her dripping down her panties. She shivered; head strangely floaty. "What's got you so worried, sunshine—""I was strange," she pointed out, "at dinner time because of something. Something I really have to tell you and I couldn't tell you because I was scared—""You're pregnant?" was Hikaru's gasp, and she glanced at the startling whites of his eyes. His lips parted, a shrilly gasp escaping his throat. And this had her heart soaring, her hands waving as she shook her head desperately in the darkness."WHAT?" Casper gaped, not really seeing her denial through blurry vision."You're really onto something but—" she twisted her hands, blurting out all the wrong words."YOU'RE REALLY PREGNANT?" Oliver almost screamed."NO! NO! NO!" She waved her hands quickly, moved forward so that they could see her better. "No, God. I mean is that really the first thing in your mind when I come at you with bad news. Another baby—""It's not a bad thing, okay?" Casper flung his hands out. Now everyone was awake, her boys moving across the bed, sitting up and alert "It's really not a bad thing. We're not reacting badly because you're having a baby. It's just a little sudden. Of course, we'd love to welcome another beautiful addition to our family. No matter how unprepared we are. I'm sure we're better prepared now—""NO, we're not pregnant," she declared quickly before he got too far. "Get that out of your head! Oh my God. We've not been doing enough fucking for that to happen in the first place. I just...I fucked the other boys without everyone's, you know, collective consent."There was a drop of silence and it stretched as she shivered in her clothes. She bit her lips, teeth snagging upon flesh. She trembled, felt the burn of their gaze boring into her skin. God, she hated herself."I fucked up," she flourished her hands, tears prickling at her eyes. Her throat tight. "I went against the rules. I seduced the other guys. It's my fault. Completely my fault because I was horny. And I'm sort of playing favourites now, having secrets. And I feel so damn fucking bad about it. Because you're in the dark and I hate that. I'm sorry.""Come here," Oliver interrupted her arms wide. "Come here, sunshine, before you continue. You know the rules of our house.""When we fight...We hold each other."