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He returns my smile. “Cool.” He moves over to where Tristan is standing. “We’ll let you get dressed. We’ll be in the living room.”
They step out of the bathroom and close the door behind them. A soft smile settles on my lips as I slip my clothes back on. With my secret out in the open, I no longer have to hide anymore. I can have them in my life without having to worry about being forced to be around their father. It’s comforting to know that I’ll have some kind of family, someone to navigate through life with so that it’s not as lonely as it was when I had to fend for myself.
I thought I was cursed when I stumbled upon the guys at the club, but maybe it’s just the start of something even more beautiful for our future.
Tristan and Talon are sitting on the couch when I enter the living room. Talon gasps and gawks at me with wide eyes. “Is that Cleo?” he exclaims. “You remember Cleo, right? She used to live with us when we were kids.”
Tristan looks up from his phone and stares at me for a brief moment before looking back to his phone. “Nah. She’s too scrawny to be our Cleo.”
Hearing him call me “our” Cleo makes me feel warm all over. “You two are idiots,” I say with a giggle.
Talon smirks at me. “Hey, we said we were starting over, didn’t we?”
“Do one of you guys mind giving me a ride to my hotel room?” I ask. As much as I’d like to stay here and continue bonding with them, I’m beyond exhausted and just want to sleep. They look at me like I’ve grown another head. “What?”
“I don’t think we can do that,” Tristan says, shaking his head.
My face falls flat as I regard them both. “Um, okay then. I’ll order an Uber.”
“What we mean,” Talon says, giving Tristan a knowing look. “Is that you’re not going back to the hotel.” He stands and walks over to me, taking my hand in his. “We’ve let you walk away one too many times. You belong here with the both of us, so we’re not letting you go again. Not this time.”
“What are you saying?” I ask slowly, my heart skipping a beat.
Tristan joins him, taking my other hand. “We love you, Cleo; always have. And if you’ll have us, we want you to stay with us for good.”
I gawk at the both of them, my heart so full that I can’t stop the tears that burn my eyes. Their declaration is like a balm I didn’t even know my heart needed.
“I love you guys, too,” I say as happy tears roll down my cheeks. “But are you sure this is what you want? What about your father?”
“What about him?” Tristan asks with a frown. “We’re choosing you; the question is whether or not you’ll choose us.”
I smile and bounce up on the tips of my toes to press a kiss to both of their lips. “And I choose you,” I murmur. “So yes, I’ll stay.”
And for the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I’ve made the best choice.
EPILOGUE - TALON
Three months later…
Life has been amazing since Cleo moved in with us. The last time I’d been this happy was years ago when she used to live with us, and now she’s back for good. She easily fit into our everyday lives as if she’d never left, and with the way she’s prospering, I know she’s just as happy as Tristan and I are.
He and I have both cut ties with our dad. While we remain professional due to the family business, all familial ties were cut with him the moment Cleo chose us. I thought it would be hard to let go of our last living parent, but the love and happiness that Cleo fills me with makes it the perfect trade off. Neither Tristan nor I have looked back once since we made the decision, and it’s been the best one we’ve made—second to being with Cleo.
“Do you guys remember that one time Tristan knocked over Grandpa’s urn with a light saber?” Cleo says with a giggle. I laugh as Tristan scowls.
“I do,” I say, only for Tristan to kick me from under the table. “Grandma nearly fainted because she thought he broke it.”
“Thank fuck for carpet,” Tristan muses with a chuckle.
“I swear, you guys were grounded more often than not,” Cleo mentions with a grin. “If your future kids are anything like you were, that’ll be insane karma.”
Tristan and I share a look from across the table. Hearing her talk about children opens up a million and one possibilities in my mind. I can already see a white picket fence with her, marriage and kids, a beautiful addition to our blended family.
“As long as they’re not knuckleheaded ticking bombs like Tristan, I think we’ll be fine,” I say, snickering when Tristan gives me the middle finger.
“I’m not that bad, asshole.” He looks at Cleo, who hides her mouth behind her hand. “I’m not that bad, right?”
“You’re fine,” she says with a giggle. “Talon’s just being a bully.”
