“Yoyo.”
I breathed out a laugh. “For the last time, his name is Oreo.”
Maddox softly smiled down at me. “Whatever you face, you won’t face it alone. We’ll be right beside you, sweetheart.”
“That’s what worries me. I’d rather face it alone than put any of you in danger. If anything happened to—”
He silenced me with a kiss. One that said so much without him uttering a single word. I felt the tremble in his lips and the heavy beats in his chest. It spoke of his fear and his love, the two mingling together, just like our tongues as he dipped his into my mouth and swirled it with mine.
The royal guests hadn’t arrived yet, but we weren’t alone in the ballroom. Other knights, guards, and castle staff were present. But it didn’t stop him from showing his affection for me. Pretty sure he’d remove the head of anyone who tried to pull us apart.
Unless that someone was a man we both loved.
“Mind if I join you?”
Maddox broke from my lips and faced Briar, a smile not far behind. “I suppose I can share, physician. But only this once.”
“How noble of you, dearest captain,” Briar said with a playful roll of his eyes. Those eyes then shifted to me and crinkled at the edges. “I was right about your suit. That color complements your soft complexion splendidly. You look breathtaking, love.”
“Me? Look at you.” I gestured up and down his body. “My heart might stop.”
Briar’s smile turned bashful, and he adjusted his glasses. The dark gray suit accentuated his tall, lean physique and hugged him in all the right places. Casually styled light brown hair held a soft wave, his bangs gently swept to the side.
“Our muffin speaks true.” Maddox slid one arm around Briar and held me with the other. “You’re beautiful.”
“Now my heart might be the one to stop.” Briar cleared his throat and averted his gaze. A blush colored his cheeks.
“Captain Smolder strikes again,” I said.
Maddox laughed. The sound settled over my chest. I’d never tire of hearing it.
“Ev!” Steps approached from behind me.
I expected to turn around and see my precious cinnamon roll. The man I saw instead fried the wires in my brain, erasing every word from my vocabulary. I could only stare… and tried not to drool while doing it.
Callum’s short brown hair had been trimmed along the sides, and the longer strands on top were swept back from his face. And speaking of his face, dear coffee gods… high cheekbones, a jawline for days, and perfectly kissable lips. He wore a military dress uniform similar to Maddox’s but had a purple decorative cloak instead of white.
“Cal?” I blinked a few times. “That is you, right?”
He beamed at me, flashing that dimple.
“Yep. There you are.” I stepped over to hug him, but my feet tripped over themselves.
“And there you are,” Callum said, catching me against his chest. “Those clumsy legs of yours always find a way to bring us back together.”
A deep ache then settled in my heart as I remembered the future Lupin originally saw for me. One where Callum died. I threw my arms around him and held on for dear life, sternum squeezing.
“Ev?” He gently rubbed my back. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing,” I croaked, stifling a cry. His vanilla bean scent surrounded me, and I sought more of it, pushing my face against his neck. “I just need to hold you right now, okay?”
Callum brought me closer and dropped kisses into my hair. He’d always been able to read me so well. He might not have known the thoughts running through my head, but he understood my need to be close to him.
“I should dress up more often,” he said against my temple. “Though I suppose the praise should go to Sasha and Christa. They cut my hair and made me look pretty for you.”
His sisters, both older than him by several years.
“You’re always pretty, Cal.”
