The room goes quiet, my words hang in the air for a moment, like the space between thunder and lightning, and I’m about to say something snarky, because what else do I do in situations where I feel like I’m being played when Mr. Green Eyes surprises me.
His hand comes out over the counter, palm open, his smirk gone, replaced with something like longing. “Jackson Rivers,” he says smoothly, his voice just a touch softer now, like he's shedding a persona and stepping into something more real. “Nice to officially meet you, Aria.”
My stomach does a flip as I take in the name. Jackson Rivers. The initials…JR.
Before I can process it, Mr. Blue Eyes extends his hand. “Beau Ashford,” he says, his voice deep, low, and laden with a smugness that sets me off balance in the best possible way.
Jackson. Beau.
JR and BA…
No fucking way.
The realization hits me like a freight train, and suddenly, the world feels like it’s spinning. These two men, this pair of impossibly handsome strangers who have been playing with my mind for the last five minutes…are Skull and Ghost. I’m staring at Skull and Ghost, no face paint, in full light. These are my men.
My breath catches as recognition sets in. Without thinking, I practically fly over the counter. There is a newfound frantic surge of energy pushing me forward.
They catch me instantly, their arms locking around me like instinct. The world feels like it pauses for a moment. For a second, I almost forget where I am. The confusion, the strangers, the mystery of who the men were on Halloween night. None of that matters anymore. I’m here. I’m with them. With Jackson and Beau.
I press my face into Beau’s chest, trying to steady my breath. It’s like my heart forgot how to beat. “I thought I would never see either of you again.” I manage to whisper, my voice trembling. “I thought…I thought you were both just…just gone.”
Jackson wraps his arms around me too, his grip warm and firm. “You think we’d leave you after the perfect night we had together, sweetheart? No chance in hell.” He is full of the same dark, possessive hunger that's haunted my dreams.
I can feel my emotions bubbling up, threatening to spill. It’s not just the shock of seeing them again, it’s the relief. The overwhelming, soul deep relief that they’re here. They’re back. I know it's crazy to feel this way after having them for one night, but these two changed something in me.
“You two—” I pull back slightly, wiping my face with the back of my hand, embarrassed at how emotional I’ve gotten in front of them. They probably regret coming here. Who wouldn't after getting body slammed by a weepy bookstore owner. They probably think I am crazy for almost knocking them down with my full body weight going over the counter. “You two…showed me what it’s like to be claimed. I didn’t think I would ever feel that again. In one night, you made me feel things I never felt for Jacob, and after he hurt me the way he did and you two swooped in to fix that.”
Jackson places a finger on my lips, cutting off my words. His expression softens, but there’s something more intense in his gaze now. “We didn’t forget you, Aria. Not for a single moment. We had some things to talk through and work out before we knew if we could come back to you.”
Beau shifts slightly, his hand still on my waist, but his grip loosens just enough to allow me to step back, to look at them both properly. “You’re ours, Aria,” he says, voice like a dark promise. “Not just ours for tonight… Ours for forever, baby. We’ve never stopped thinking about you since the moment we laid eyes on you.”
I let out a breath. “But… why? I don’t understand. You both made me promise it was a one-night thing, and then boom, you were supposed to be gone, just… gone.” I shake my head, stunned by emotions I never thought would resurface…at least not like this.
Jackson chuckles, a dark, indistinct sound. “You think we’d let you go that easily?” He tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes, his gaze full of that familiar, heated intensity that makes my heart race just like on Halloween night. “You belong with us, Aria. We've marked you and claimed you. That’s not something we walk away from.”
I don’t even care about the questions swirling in my mind anymore. I don’t care that the last week or so has felt like a mystery that’s been eating away at me.
What I care about is that they’re here. They’re mine. And I’m not letting them go again. No matter what.
I step closer, and this time it’s me pulling them in, wrapping my arms around both of them. “I missed you,” I breathe, the tears finally falling freely.
Jackson’s grip tightens. “We missed you too, sweetheart. We’ll never leave you again. You’re ours now, in ways you don’t even know yet.”
Beau leans in, pressing his lips to the top of my head. ??“We’re just getting started, Aria. The story you thought ended? It's only begun.”
Chapter 1
3 months Later
It's our first Valentine’s Day, and everything feels like it’s set up perfect. Both Jackson and Beau look handsome in their black suits. They always look like they are just stepping off a runway. They look way too good for any one person to handle, but somehow, I got lucky enough to have them both. The way Jackson’s hand grips the steering wheel, with his muscles flexing beneath the fabric, makes me ache to touch him. And Beau, with his lazy grin, leaning back in the front passenger seat like he owns the damn car. The entire scene is enough to drive me absolutely wild. If I had my way, I would make Jackson pull over the car right now so they can both take me, screw making it to dinner.
I know they feel the same way because I’m wearing a tight red dress that hugs every curve of my body. There is a slit up the left just high enough to be seductive, and I know it's having the exact effect I planned. I know without a doubt they’re both dying to touch me.
I catch Jackson's eye this time through the rearview mirror. His gaze is so intense it's burning into me. “I know. I look good, don’t I?” I tease, my voice low and full of want.
Beau turns his head, glancing at me, his lips curling into a grin that makes me want to melt. “You look incredible, baby.” He says with that smooth voice of his. “But you always do. It’s honestly a problem.”
“Yeah, yeah, we know,” he grumbles. “She looks amazing. But don't let it get to your head, sweetheart.” With a grin that stretches across his face, he adds, “We all know that dress will look so much better when it's balled up next to our bed.”
