With her.
She’s my noise filter. My mic cover. Blotting out the harsh consonants of the world. There was a time when silence used to drive me insane. When it meant something was coming—my old man’s footsteps, the sound of a door slamming, the kind of quiet that felt like danger. Now, unspoken looks, expectant smiles, its tranquility. Even the panting of the dogs. They certainly favor Sera, but they at least tolerate me, which is way better than having my balls plucked from me like ripe fruit.
Sera glances over her shoulder, catching me staring, and smiles like she knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“What?” she teases.
“Nothing,” I say, voice low. “Just admiring my wife.”
Stop staring like you are fucking concussed, it’s getting weird.
I don’t want to break this feeling of calm, this peace.
She laughs, the sound soft and I swear it echoes somewhere deep in my bones. She grabs her mug, coming to lean beside me at the island. For a moment, we just stand there—her shoulder brushing mine, the dogs stretched out at our feet, tails twitching as they rest.
The normalcy of it hits me hard. Too good. Too perfect. I realize I’ve been waiting for something to ruin it, because that’s what life has always done.
Sera takes a sip and hums contentedly, eyes on the window. “You’re quiet this morning,” she murmurs.
“Just thinking,” I say, setting my mug down.
“About what?”
“Love.” The word slips out before I can stop it.
Well… at least you said something you fucking moron.
What the shit, whose fault is it for letting that slip, we should have… nah. We said it. Can’t unsay it.
She stills, her eyes darting up to meet mine, a question hovering there.
“I’ve seen all sorts of concepts of love…used to think love was destructive, hateful.” I admit. “That it had to hurt to be real. My parents…they weren’t exactly the blueprint for it, you know? And the people I saw who were in it—” I pause, thinking of Mac and Logan, their fire, their story. “Even when it’s real, it looks messy. Wild. But this…” I gesture faintly between us. “You. It feels different.”
Sera doesn’t say anything, but her fingers reach for mine, intertwining gently. Her thumb strokes over my knuckles.
She leans her head against my shoulder, whispering,
“Trey-”
I turn, pressing a kiss to her temple, breathing her in.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s just…Illuminating you know?”
I still can’t say the words out loud.
I glance out the window as a familiar black SUV pulls up the drive.
“They’re here,” I call out.
Sera looks up from the counter, where she’s been chopping fruit for the dogs—something she started doing a week ago that makes them worship her even more. Her smile widens, soft and genuine.
“The guys?”
“Yeah,” I say, and before I can add anything else, Artemis bolts for the door, barking once before I hush her.
The front door bursts open, and the sound of laughter spills through the hall. Logan’s voice, low and steady, Sam’s booming laugh, Chace’s teasing tone—it all fills the space like it belongs here.
“Man, it feels good to be back in the sun,” Chace says, dragging me into a half-hug, half-shoulder punch. “BC’s freezing my damn soul.”
