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Leo laid me out on an emerald green velvet chaise lounge, stripped me bare, and licked, sucked, and nipped until I came all over his face. Twice. My cheeks heat just thinking about the noises he made as he absolutely feasted on me just hours earlier.
I clear my throat and take another sip, letting the crisp water cool me down. I hold Matteo’s gaze as I offer another gentle reminder that this is a partnership. “You should’ve told me.”
Matteo’s gaze scans my face for a moment, his mouth pursed. He glances at the others for a moment before bringing his gaze back to mine. “When we get married, Cherry, it’s not going to be because some patriarchal bullshit rules demand it of us. It’s going to be because I can’t stand the thought of walking this earth without you as my wife for a second longer.”
My breaths labor as I struggle to take in oxygen after Matteo’s surprising admission. It’s not that I didn’t know he loved me—he’s made his feelings very clear. But this feels like more than the three little words.
This—this feels like a vow from his lips, branding itself on my soul.
“It’s because the thought of waking up a single day without seeing your beautiful face next to me feels so goddamn painful, I’d rather die than ever be parted from you.”
My head jerks at Dante’s confession. My lips part and I feel my eyes widen as I look at him. My ever-calm boyfriend stares right back at me, a rare glimpse of vulnerability on his slack jaw and open gaze. “What?”
Dante doesn’t answer me, but his deep gaze bares his seriousness.
“Because every day without you as my wife feels like a thousand bites from a herd of centipedes.”
A barking sort of laugh breaks through my sniffles. “But you hate centipedes, Leo.”
His plush lips tip up in the corner as he flashes me a serious sort of smile. “I do. And I’d endure it for an eternity just to call you mine.”
“Because I’ve been asleep for years, and the moment I saw you in the middle of a crowded ballroom, I woke up.” Aries flexes his fingers on my thigh, his thumb smoothing back and forth with each word of his truth spilling from his lips. “I didn’t think it was possible to be loved by someone as perfect as—”
“I’m not perfect, Aries.” I sniff as a tear rolls down my cheek.
“You are, Raven. To me—and to them—you’re perfect. The way you love me is selfless and you do it so effortlessly, like you were born to love me.”
“To love all of us,” Matteo says.
“Jesus,” I say through a watery laugh. “Did you guys rehearse this or something?”
“We’ve had conversations about our relationship, but no, this wasn’t planned,” Leo answers. “But I’m all-in, baby. So if this is what you really want, and it’s not a bid to appease the five families . . .” He trails off, his eyebrows arching toward his hair.
I run my fingers underneath my eyes, catching the tears pooling there and blink a few times to get their faces back in focus. “Well, I always kind of thought we’d tie the knot four ways, but if speeding up our timeline keeps”—I run my hand over my lower stomach—“all of us safe, then it seems like a simple answer to me. I love you. All of you. And that’s not going to change.”
“So, we’re getting married?” Leo’s enthusiasm is infectious, the air around us shimmering with excitement.
“Uhm, yes?” I chuckle, my fingers tingling with happiness.
Aries moves his palm from my thigh to cover my hand on my stomach and leans toward me. “Let’s get married, Raven.”
A small tilt of the head, and our lips just barely graze. “Yeah?”
His fingers slide between mine and he murmurs against my lips. “You’re everything good in my life. I’d be a fool not to.”
I seal my lips to his, a lone tear slipping down my cheek and mingling with our kiss. Aries takes his time as he kisses me with all the love he’s professing, exploring my mouth with every swipe of his tongue.
A throat clears, and after the third time, I pull back.
My eyes are slow to open, lust thick on my tongue but my thoughts are clear. The plan I’ve been thinking about for a few hours now. “Let’s go to Las Vegas. It’s not safe to do it here right now, and we don’t have the luxury of time.”
“I don’t think that’s much safer,” Dante says.
I lift a shoulder and face the table again. “Maybe not before, but now? With my new . . . brothers? I think it’ll work. I’ll reach out to Romeo after dinner.”
Matteo drums his fingers on the tabletop. “Take the night, Cherry. If you’re sure—you’re really sure— we’ll do it your way.” He inclines his head to me for a moment. “And you’re right. If I were married, then I’d already be boss. And once it’s established, I can make or remake the rules, yeah?”
I nod a few times in understanding. He wants to give me time to change my mind. He’s offering me the opportunity to read him clearer right now. But I don’t need tonight to think about anything other than flights to Las Vegas. “Alright. Tomorrow, we plan our wedding.”
