Steel and Kai showed him around, and the one thing he kept noticing was the countless framed images covering every wall. There were kids in all of them, some with Steel and Kai, too, as well as some of the other Disciples who worked at the shelter.
He stopped in front of one hanging just outside the kitchen the others disappeared into. He easily recognized Wilder, Kaz, Solo, and Jane. Kaz and Solo stood shoulder to shoulder while Jane had jumped on Wilder’s back, all four of them with goofy grins on their faces.
“I know,” Wilder said, a smile in his voice. “I was hot even then.”
Emmett snorted. “And oh so humble.”
Wilder’s arms wrapped around him, and he smiled as he felt Wilder’s lips against the side of his neck.
His gaze returned to the picture. To the smiles on their young faces. To the comfort they seemed to have with each other.
“You think you guys will get back to that?”
Wilder brushed his lips against Emmett’s temple, then looked up at the picture, chin resting on the top of Emmett’s head.
“Yeah. I do. I didn’t understand how they could do that to me. How they could lie.”
Emmett turned to meet Wilder’s gaze, glad to find no pain in those eyes he loved so much.
“Now, I understand.” Wilder flashed him a toothy grin. “I’d damned well shoot them if they tried to keep me away from you.”
Emmett rolled his eyes and pushed Wilder back with a shake of his head.
“Don’t even?”
Wilder cut him off with a kiss, hands cupping Emmett’s face as he pressed him back against the wall, the corner of a pictureframe digging into his shoulder. He didn’t care. Not when he had Wilder’s mouth on his, the light stubble on his cheeks scratching so good, that devilish tongue coaxing his own out to play.
He pushed Wilder back before they got too carried away, gasping in a breath as he met those enchanting eyes, Wilder’s smile making his heart jump.
“You are trouble,” he said, shaking his head.
“You love me anyway.”
Wilder brushed his thumbs across Emmett’s face, looking at him with so much love and devotion it brought tears to his eyes.
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Let’s see if you still love me after you get grilled by my parents,” Widler said, a twinkle in his eye as he grabbed Emmett’s hand and tugged him down the hallway. “The kids aren’t gonna go easy on you, either.”
“I’ll be just fine.”
He knew he would because all they really wanted for Wilder was someone who loved him, and he loved that man with his whole being. There wasn’t a single part of him, his heart, his soul, that didn’t love Wilder.
Wilder pulled him through the doorway to the kitchen, stopping just inside to wrap an arm around Emmett. He leaned his head against Wilder’s shoulder as they watched his fathers and the kids joking around as they set the dinner table. He wanted that with Wilder. He already knew Wilder would make an amazing father, but to have him be the father oftheirkids? That was a whole different story. They’d already taken in Alvis and Dash, and he couldn’t ever imagine letting those two back out onto the street. They were keeping the boys with them for as long as they wanted to stay.
Wilder took his hand, tugging him toward his family, his heart swelling when all four of them looked at him with big smiles on their faces.
Hours later, his heart was full of joy, and he’d made countless promises to return soon, which he was looking forward to. He wasn’t surprised by that. He was elated. Having Wilder’s family like him and accept him, even accommodating him, was an incredible experience.
He was smiling widely as they walked toward Wilder’s motorcycle, the man’s hand in his.
“Come on,” Wilder said, tugging him along. “I want to get there before dark.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere special.”
“Oh?”
