The brothers gathered around me, smirking like they already knew the answer.
I took a deep breath, glancing at each of them. I knew their names—Kayden, Kadeem, Kadin, Kaden—but I couldn't always tell which name belonged to which personality instantly. Kayden, the quiet one, made my heart beat faster with just a glance. Kadeem, clever and teasing, always had a smirk ready. Kadin, playful but sharp, brought lightness even in tense moments. And Kaden… treacherous, mischievous, unpredictable. I gave them nicknames when speaking to them—Silent Monster, Cunning Monster, Sweet Monster, Treacherous Monster—to keep them straight in my mind, but internally, I always thought of them by their real names.
They filled the room like a small storm: familiar, overwhelming, impossible to ignore. When they moved, they moved as four halves of a whole—nicks and overlaps of habit and humor that only they could claim. Even when they weren't saying anything particularly important, the way they leaned on the doorway or nudged one another spoke volumes. I read them like a book I'd memorized: a twitch of Kayden's jaw meant a joke about to be swallowed; a half-lift of Kadeem's brow meant a plan; Kadin's easy grin meant trouble just short of being dangerous; Kaden's small, almost casual smirk meant a secret that would explode if given the right spark.
"So… who's going to take you to the Miles' house?" Kaden asked, leaning casually against the wall, eyes glinting with mischief.
It should have been a simple question. Instead, it felt like a wager, like one of their silent games, and the room tightened around it. I hesitated, heart thudding, and then looked at Kayden. For reasons that made even my knees weak, my eyes always found him first. "I… I'll ride with my Silent Monster," I said softly, almost breathless.
There was a brief pause before Kadeem smirked, arms folding across his chest. "Figures," he said, his voice sharp with playful teasing. "The crown still belongs to the owner, huh?"
I laughed softly, cheeks burning as Kayden gave Kadeem a warning glance, the faint twitch of his mouth betraying his amusement.
Kadin grinned, stepping closer and tilting his head. "Well… should we steal her from your Silent Monster then?" he asked, voice teasing, letting it hang in the air.
The brothers immediately laughed, exchanging amused glances. "No way," Kadeem said, shaking his head. "Let him enjoy the crown… for now. It'll shift to someone else eventually."
Kaden chuckled, leaning in slightly. "Patience is key, boys. Let him bask while he can."
Their laughter felt like heat at the backs of my neck—familiar, slightly embarrassing, a reminder of my place in their world. I rolled my eyes at their plotting, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. Their teasing wasn't just fun—it was a claim. A reminder that I belonged to all of them, and that no matter how small I felt, I couldn't escape it.
I lifted my chin and tried to be clever in return. "Wait… if it's about fairness, I'll ride with all four of you whenever we go somewhere. That way, no one feels left out."
The room went quiet for a second, the kind of hush that tastes like anticipation. Then Kadeem's smirk widened, and Kadin laughed so hard he had to lean against the wall. "Oh, so the princess wants to make it fair?" Kadeem teased, shaking his head. "Figures. Always thinking about everyone else."
Kaden leaned closer, voice low and teasing. "Trying to bribe us, huh? Clever, little princess."
I bit my lip, glancing at each of them. I know their names, but I can only recognize them through who they are. Kayden, the quiet one… Kadeem, the clever one… Kadin, the playful one… Kaden, the mischievous one… their personalities tell me everything. My heart always recognized Kayden first, the one who claimed me without a word.
On a playful impulse, I muttered, "Sexy Monster…"
Both Kadeem and Kadin answered at once, smirking. "Who, me?"
I blinked, confused. Wait… which one am I talking to? Kayden just stared at me, calm and unamused, and I realized once again why I gave them nicknames.
Kayden's eyes met mine, calm and intense, and my chest fluttered. The quiet one… the one who always makes my heart race.
They closed in like a circle—an orbit I couldn't and didn't want to step out of. Each of them leaned in closer than necessary, personal spaces collapsing in surrender. Kayden was close enough that I could watch his throat move when he swallowed. Kadeem's breath smelled faintly like mint and mischief. Kadin hummed with a laugh that made impossible promises. Kaden rested a hand on the back of my chair with a casual touch that felt, purposefully, like ownership.
Before leaving, each of them leaned in individually, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead, my cheek, and my lips—a silent, possessive reminder that I belonged to them. The kisses were different: Kayden's was quiet and sure, like a vow; Kadeem's quick and teasing, as if daring me to blush; Kadin's soft and warm; Kaden's almost imperceptible and edged with something dangerous. After they backed away, the air between us pulsed with something new—tension sweet and sharp enough to sting.
Teasing and Confessions in the Car
The car hummed quietly as we drove, the world outside moving in a blur. I could feel Kayden's presence beside me like a wall—steady, tall, and impossibly strong. My small frame seemed even tinier next to him, and the contrast made my pulse race.
"You know," he said softly, his lips curving into that faint, knowing smile, "I've caught you staring more than once this morning."
A faint blush stained my cheeks. I looked down for a moment, trying to steady myself, before meeting his intense gaze.
"So… how do you really feel about me?" he asked, his voice low, intimate, and commanding.
My heart thudded violently in my chest. I swallowed hard, my fingers curling lightly in my lap. "I… I don't hide it," I admitted quietly. "I've always felt it… stronger than anyone else."
His lips twitched into the faintest smile. "Figures," he murmured, almost to himself. "I've known. Even from the beginning."
I felt my cheeks warm, my chest tightening under his gaze. "I… I just didn't want to hurt anyone," I whispered.
He glanced at me again, those piercing eyes softening ever so slightly. "You know," he murmured, leaning just a fraction closer, "I like it when you admit how you feel. Makes you… more real to me."
The quiet hum of the car seemed to make every small movement between us more noticeable. My hand brushed accidentally against his, and I froze, heat rushing to my cheeks.
Kayden's eyes flicked toward mine, calm but piercing. He let his hand linger just a fraction longer, fingers brushing mine possessively, making my pulse spike. "Careful," he murmured softly, "or I might start thinking you like the attention too much."
I swallowed hard, my small body trembling slightly. "I… I just…" My voice faltered under the intensity of his gaze.
He smirked faintly, leaning closer, his voice low and teasing. "You don't have to hide it from me," he said. "I can feel it… how you look at me, how your heart races whenever I'm near."
I felt my cheeks warm, my chest tightening under his gaze. "I… I just didn't want to hurt anyone," I whispered.
Kayden reached over, his hand brushing lightly against mine, almost possessive in the way it lingered. "You won't hurt anyone. Not me," he said, his gaze softening, yet still carrying that edge—silent, dominant, claiming me without a word.
I pressed a little closer, instinctively leaning into him, feeling the warmth of his arm, the quiet dominance in his presence. "Even if I… care more about you?" I asked, voice barely audible.
He let out a faint chuckle, low and teasing, but there was no mistaking the possessive edge in it. "You do, don't you?" he said, almost rhetorical. "Figures. You always did."
The silence settled between us for a long moment, electric and tense. Then, his voice lowered, teasing, almost a whisper. "You like me more than the others, don't you?"
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening slightly around his. "I… I think I do," I admitted. "I just didn't want anyone to feel left out."
Kayden's eyes softened, but the possessive edge never left them. "You don't have to hide it," he murmured. "I've known. Always."
A shiver ran through me at the sound of his voice, calm yet commanding, teasing yet protective. I couldn't help but smile nervously. "I… I can't help it," I admitted. "I just… I need you."
Kayden's smirk softened into something warmer, possessive, and intimate. "And you've got me," he murmured. "Always. That… that won't ever change."
A small laugh escaped me, nervous but light, and I glanced at him. "Even if the others tease me?"
He smirked faintly, that calm, confident edge in his voice. "Even with them. They'll tease, they'll joke—but they know you belong to all of us. But me? I know you… in ways they don't."
I shivered slightly, leaning into his side instinctively, heart thundering. "So… you don't mind?" I whispered.
Kayden leaned just a little closer, his towering presence overwhelming in the best way. "I don't mind at all. But remember… you're mine too, in ways they'll never fully understand."
His words settled around me like a warm cloak—comforting and binding all at once.
"And… with the others? Do you feel something for them too?" he asked quietly, almost cautiously. "Because… I can't have you alone, no matter how much you care for me."
The question made my throat constrict for a second; it was bold and honest, the kind of question only Kayden could ask without raw jealousy flaring. I took a shaky breath, heart swelling, and said out loud, my voice trembling slightly: "I do… I love them all. Kadeem, Kadin, Kaden… each in their own way. But Kayden… you're my favorite."
His eyes softened, and a faint, knowing smile curved his lips. He leaned closer, brushing his forehead against mine. "I thought so," he murmured. "I needed to hear it. You can't choose just me… and I wouldn't want you to. But still…" His hand rested possessively on my waist. "…you're mine in the ways that matter most."
I shivered, pressing closer to him instinctively. His presence—calm, intense, and unwavering—always had that effect. Small, cherished, claimed