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At Their Mercy: Part I

Page 46

by Cara Dee

“Amen!” Jordan and Gael hollered.

“Shut up, brats,” Greer ordered.

Colt laughed silently and wiped some rain off his forehead. “Movin’ on, shall we? There’s a reason we didn’t overcomplicate today’s festivities. We wanted somethin’ casual, somethin’ fun, and somethin’ that included everyone here today.” He paused. “We also wanted to be the only two men up here when we include our li’l darlin’ in our marriage today.”

Kit beamed and already looked a little emotional.

I let out a breath. Maybe one day, Reese and I could do something like this with Shay. Marriage was obviously out of the question, and I couldn’t say I cared about that anyway. But the symbolism of it—I liked that. Showcasing belonging and ownership.

“Truth be told, we can’t pick our favorites out here,” Lucas went on. “You’re all part of our family, and the idea of choosing symbolic best men and groomsmen and, hell, a bratty little ring bearer just doesn’t work. We love you all.”

“Okay, I forgive him,” Reese muttered under his breath.

“With one exception,” Lucas added, turning to Kit. “You’re our favorite, baby boy. Colt and I love you so, so much. More than words can describe.”

I squeezed Shay’s hand. He squeezed back.

Colt cleared his throat. “It was roughly a year ago that I cornered Kit in the bathroom at Macklin’s. He blurted out some nonsense about the air superiority of the F-22 jet.”

“That’s a good boy.” Ty applauded.

Kit grinned sheepishly while Colt scratched his eyebrow with his middle finger at Ty.

“I intimidated Kit that day,” he continued. “But he stood firm in his silly opinion, and I saw a fire in him that had me hooked in a second. I had to find out more.”

“All it took was a weekend,” Lucas murmured. He kissed the top of Kit’s head. “Now, we can’t imagine our lives without you.”

Colt was in agreement. “So, while we love you even more for wantin’ Daddy and me to get married, for supportin’ and celebratin’ our relationship…we gotta do this our way. Our marriage includes you in every way that matters.”

Ash cleared his throat and sniffled behind me.

Kit wiped at his cheeks.

“We never showed you the inscription in our rings, sweetheart,” Lucas said and brought out another ring. “Because we wanted it to be a surprise.” He gathered Kit’s hand in his, and Colt was there too. “We have today’s date and our names in there. Yours too. It’s the date that means the most to us. Today, just like a year ago when you joined us.”

Well, damn. My throat felt a little thick.

“Sweet Kit,” Colt murmured. “Will you do us the honor of spendin’ the rest of your life with us? Or, you know, let’s be honest, the rest of my life.”

Kit giggled through a cry and smacked his chest. “Don’t joke about that, Daddy. And of course I will. I want that more than anything in the whole world.”

“Good. Nothin’ makes me happier.” Colt couldn’t help himself. He dipped down and kissed Kit hard.

Then he and Lucas put the ring on Kit’s finger.

“You’ve made us the luckiest men to walk this earth, little one,” Lucas admitted thickly. “And it’s our greatest pleasure, by the power vested in us⁠—”

“By the State of Mclean House,” Colt filled in, much to everyone’s amusement.

“To pronounce us husbands,” Lucas chuckled.

“Yay!” Noa beat everyone else to the cheering by half a second, and we all rose to our feet and applauded.

“To Colt Carter, Lucas Carter, and Kit Damien!” Gael cheered. “Woo-hoo!”

“Congratulations!” Santiago called out.

Lucian turned around and locked eyes with me. “I’m sorry, my friend. He stole your speech.”