“In some ways, yes.” Branson reached out, and Tarius clasped his other hand in Branson’s. “Dad asked me a hypothetical question that helped me better understand your perspective on…certain punishments.”
Hypotheticals were the lifeblood of both criminal investigators and defense attorneys, two things with which Tarius was intimately familiar. He had an inkling, but he still asked, “What was Kell’s hypothetical question?”
“He asked me if I’d had the chance to confront one of those men, if my hand had been put on the lever for the gallows, if I’d had his life in my hands…would I have pulled the lever? Would I have ended his life?”
Tarius swallowed hard, not liking the distress bracketing Branson’s eyes. “Did you have an answer for him?”
“Not for him.” He blinked once, and a single tear slid down his left cheek. “But I have an answer for me that I need to sharewith you. Because I can say all day long that I don’t believe man has the right to end another man’s life, not for any reason, because that’s what my mind tells me is correct.”
Tarius drew their joined hands up and kissed Branson’s knuckles. “What does your heart tell you?”
“That if I had been given that power? Especially when everything was still happening and the triplets were newborns? I would have done it. I would have avenged my baby brother’s pain in a heartbeat. Does that make me a hypocrite?”
“No, babe, it doesn’t.” Tarius pressed their foreheads together, heart soaring at the honesty and vulnerability Branson was sharing with him. “You’re not a hypocrite at all. You’re human with the same flaws as the rest of us.”
Branson’s laugh turned into a choked wheeze. “Damn. Don’t tell anyone.”
“Our secret. But how about we each make a promise? Next time we disagree, we talk about it without accusing the other person. We discuss and listen, and we learn from each other.”
“Deal. Goddess, I hated us being at odds, especially with you getting sick. The last twenty-four-hours have been a giant cluster-fuck, huh?”
“Yeah, but we got through it. Now it’s time to put this place behind us, go home, and live our lives. It’s time for you and Jeuel, and Trei, too, to finally, fully heal.”
Branson made a rough noise. “I’m so glad Trei wasn’t here for this, not with him pregnant. I can’t imagine the stress of another shooting. I’m surprised Jeuel is as functional as he’s been, but maybe sobbing all over Corinth got some of that raw emotion out.”
“I hope so. Jeuel’s incredibly strong, just like this brother of his who I know and love.”
“This brother sounds like a pretty terrific guy.”
“He’s the best person I know, and I’m very lucky he agreed to marry me. I can’t imagine my life without him.”
“Same.” Branson smiled with so much affection shining in his eyes that Tarius’s belly swooped. “I love you, Tarius Higgs.”
“I love you, too, Branson Cross. You’re my everything.”
Through better or worse, thick and thin, sickness and health. Until the goddess did them eventually part.
But not for a long,longtime. They had their future ahead, and nothing or no one would take it away from them. Tarius would fight tooth and claw for their happiness.
No matter what.
EPILOGUE
Five Months Later
“For they’re such jollygood fellooooooows!” the crowd roared more than sang, and Branson did his best to harmonize with the men around him. “Which nobody can deny!”
The small cluster of toddlers in front of the guests of honor pulled the strings on their confetti poppers, and bursts of shiny paper bits exploded into the air. The kids laughed and squealed—except for Shylo, who screamed and tried to hide beneath a nearby table. Ferran immediately went in search of his brother.
Branson applauded and shouted his own congratulations, which were punctuated by Tarius’s ear-piercing whistle. On a small raised dais in the middle of the grand ballroom, Isa and Liam Higgs beamed at their joyful guests, who had gathered tonight to celebrate their 24thmating anniversary. Before the singing began, the happy couple had tried getting their children to join them on the dais, but all five had agreed their parents deserved the entire spotlight.
They’d held the party at the Porter Estate (where else?), and the ballroom had been decorated in Liam’s favorite shades of blue with silver accents. Cool colors to offset the fact that it was mid-summer and grossly hot outside, and Trei, who was in the middle of his third trimester, had become a recluse in the Higgs house. While Trei had grown up in the Sonoran dry heat, he hated Sansbury’s humid heat.
Branson glanced to where Trei was comfortably installed on a wide, upholstered chair, his feet up on an ottoman, courtesy of their party planner, Frey Freel. Branson adored his pint-sized cousin-in-law, who was only a few inches shorter than Trei, and who’d also had a very uncomfortable third trimester. Frey’s own little Yvan was running around the ballroom somewhere, probably keeping the hired babysitters on their toes.
One of Frey’s special touches at all Porter estate parties was babysitters, so parents could enjoy the party without constantly supervising their kids.
“Speech!” a deep voice bellowed as the cheers dimmed. Branson couldn’t be sure, but it had sounded like Aven Higgs, who stood nearby with his husband Yosef and their teenage son Tobias.
