Page 51 of Fractured Empire

“You make it sound so simple.” I wonder if it possibly could be. “You all must be close.”

“As close as we can be.” Leon lifts a shoulder. “I live farther away from them, but we all still keep in touch and visit often. Some of us have closer bonds than others, but that happens when there’s ten of you plus spouses.”

“I can’t imagine.” My head shakes. “I was an only child before Gaia. I spent so many years with it just being me and my parents. I always thought having siblings would take something from me, you know? Like I would lose parts of my mother or father…but Gaia has only ever added to my life. I can’t imagine it without her now.”

“She can come see you as often as you want,” he offers sincerely. “And once you’re settled with the boys, we can discuss you traveling to visit her as well.”

I figured that would be the case, given that he offered no ultimatums or travel restrictions in our contract, but still, the words are reassuring to hear straight from his lips.

“Thank you,” I whisper, voice almost cracking.

“Well, isn’t this intimate?” my stepbrother coos, gliding into the room. His dark hair is a mess like he’s just run his fingers through it, and his button-down is somehow rumpled after only an hour of being here.

“Son,” Linus says, narrowing his eyes in disapproval.

For his tardiness, or for his rude introduction, I’m not sure which.

“Father,” Ares greets in return, walking toward his chair. As workers with trays of food pour into the room behind him, he grins. “Looks like I’ve arrived just in time. Hello, little sister. You look precious as always.”

Gaia grins at her brother and lifts her chin at the compliment. “And you look messy as always, big brother.”

He laughs, delighted by the slight.

Ares is usually good at hiding the effects of the copious amounts of alcohol he’s likely consumed, but I can tell he’s had a few too many drinks as soon as I see him. It may not be obvious to others, but I know that he’s the closest thing to drunk I’ve ever seen him be around our little sister before. He can control his facial expressions, and keep himself from slurring over any words; he can even cover the smell of vodka on his breath, but he’d never know that the smallest change gives him away.

His posture.

My stepbrother notoriously carries himself casually, giving off the image that he doesn’t have a single care in the world. He slouches, leans against things, and almost always exudes a cool, careless confidence that fits his personality perfectly. When he drinks a bit too much though, he over corrects. He doesn’t want to look too sloppy, too tired, or too relaxed. So he straightens his shoulders more, sits taller, and keeps his chin held higher.

It’s a dead giveaway if you know what to look for.

“Looks like we’re having a feast,” Ares comments, picking up his water glass and taking a few large gulps. Turning to Bastian and Leo, he asks, “You two look like you know what food is the best. What should I put on my plate?”

Leo takes the question with extreme seriousness, and sits up in his chair to point out which dishes he likes the most. By the end of the interaction, Ares’ plate is piled high with mac and cheese, cheeseburger sliders, crispy french fries, and oddly enough, garlicky green beans.

Leo and Bastian make almost identical plates to him, while the adults share the more refined dishes. Steak, chicken, risotto, salad, and pasta options. Gaia, of course, takes a bit of both sides of things, and requests to have a side of mashed potatoes made specifically for her. I know when dessert time comes, she’ll be putting in another request just as quickly.

Ares, to my surprise, engages in most of the polite conversation as the evening goes on. He entertains Leon’s sons when they speak to him, and even talks to Leon himself, mostly about his brothers.

By the time the meal has come to an end, I almost wish it hadn’t.

Almost.

Because now that it’s over, my wedding is only one night’s sleep away.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Leon

The cozy, quiet luxury of the hotel is quickly transformed overnight while most of us sleep. I’d thought that I might find myself going restless the night before my wedding just to make sure that the setup goes according to plan. But of course, my horde of brothers made that notion an unnecessary one. Armani, his best friend Colton, and Apollo all stayed up most of the night, directing staff and overseeing preparations with military precision.

By the time I’ve woken up, the once relaxed, sophisticated, and calm atmosphere has vanished. In its place, a venue has spun to life. It’s controlled chaos, overrun with moving parts and more staff than I can count—all running around to make sure that not a single detail is out of place.

My family is split all over the hotel, each member getting into different activities whether they’re essential to the wedding or simply everyday life. Jade feeding her kids with her husband, Remo in the security office checking in on his software and its monitoring, Rayna keeping my children occupied with games and fruit snacks so that I can do my duty as the groom. Pre-wedding time is a sort of hell that no one really understands until they experience it.

Thankfully, though, the chaos and overwhelming amount to do means that time tends to go by faster than you can imagine. One moment, you’re buried in approving what seems like meaningless details over and over again, and in the next, you’re standing at one end of an aisle, waiting for your life to change.

Armani styled me in a classic tuxedo, fitting for a black-tie affair. It’s perfectly tailored, thanks to his obsessively strict tailor who measured me for nearly an hour last week. The man is a magician with suits, and managed to outfit me with designer material without batting an eye at my timeline.