The press of his chest under my palm is shaky as he takes a breath, his nod earnest. His lips fall to my forehead, his eyes glassy when he pulls back, another nod for all of us.
We cut his cake, one that’s as bougie as he is: lemon lavender with a subtle sweetness, tart and floral, something where a single bite satiates.
Which leaves only Trips.
He strides forward and takes my hand, tugging me a little too hard. I stumble into him. He catches me against his chest, and when I glance up, his smirk tells me he did it on purpose. “Asshole.”
Instead of answering, he kisses me, his hands flat against the bare skin on my back, heat scorching through me as his mouth demands my full attention. He hauls me closer until I’m surrounded by him, craned backwards in his arms, the only thing keeping me standing, my trust in his hold.
When he finally lets me come up for air, there’s silence where the guys had been whispering, one of his big hands coming to stroke my cheek, the other twirling the wedding band on my finger, like he has for months. The gesture is so familiar that I can’t imagine wearing a ring without him toying with it. “My wife,” he states. Then, he presses his forehead to mine. “My love,” he whispers against my lips.
I can’t say anything back, whatever smart retort I had disappearing as my throat constricts.
He takes a moment, too, and when he pulls back, I’m surprised his eyes are glassy. “I’m an idiot. I’m a coward. But I’m yours. You make me smart. You make me brave, and I promise to love you until my bloodied soul gets shuttled off to the afterlife.” He kisses me again, softly, then glances down at the ring he slipped on my finger, the one that Walker designed and switched out at the wedding, spinning it again before he meets my watery gaze. “I love you, Clara. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that you’re right to trust me. I promise.”
His lips meet mine again, like he’s sealing his promise with a kiss. But it’s my turn to make a promise.
“You told me you didn’t want to hear it, not there, not then. So here, in front of everyone, I’ll make it clear. I love you. I love how much you care, how you push me to be better, stronger, how you trust me even though it kills you sometimes. And I promise that if I run toward danger, I’m inviting you to run beside me.” I grin through my watery vision. “As long as you can keep up, Grumps.”
He shakes his head, tracing his palm down my cheek, not moving, just staring at me like I’m the most precious thing in his life. Then he kisses me again, letting his lips answer whathis long worn silence can’t. He’s mine. I’m his. And we’re all each other’s.
Jansen’s catcall breaks the tension, Trips and I both huffing out a laugh.
I realize the guys haven’t seen this side of Trips. This version of him is a stranger, while he’s been my rock for months. Glancing at them, I know they needed that display—they needed to truly see that while he’s still an asshole, he’s also mine. Completely.
Sure, he’s dangerous. But not to me. Not anymore.
We’ll all need some professional help going forward, but he’s jumped the highest hurdle life put in front of him. He has control of the beast that prowls under his skin. He can finally trust himself enough to use it for exactly what he was born to do: to protect the people he cares about without losing himself.
His cake isn’t a cake at all, but is instead a giant cookie, with coconut and chocolate drizzle scattered across the top. “I spent all summer watching you enjoy those damn coconuts, and all I wanted was to take the place of a goddamn fruit,” he mutters as we cut into the cookie.
I laugh, breaking the slice in two with my hands, holding out my portion for him. He takes it, the tip of his tongue brushing my fingertips, before he feeds me my piece. The cookie is caramel chocolate chip, the mixture with the coconut nearly as complex as the man in front of me.
Then everyone gathers close, Jansen calling for a group hug, grumbles and laughter filling the air, as I’m surrounded by the men I’ve learned I can count on for anything. Men I’mgoing to spend the rest of my life learning and growing with, loving and living with.
Jansen pulls out one more gift, a thick, bound book of photos he’s collected over the last year, some I’ve known about, but many more I never realized he’d taken.
Shots of us laughing, cuddling, sleeping, racing, sparring. Moments where things were perfect, and moments where things were anything but.
But it’s us. All of us spread over page after page. Together. Bound in leather and ink and bonds deeper than blood.
Chapter 74
Walker
When Clara made her suggestion for a game, I think we were all a little taken aback. Although RJ said they’d already talked it over, and Trips looked like it was something he’d hoped for, so maybe it was mostly Jansen and me who were surprised. Either way, now I have a new flavor of excitement burning through my body. I never would have imagined a game like this, but now that it’s in my mind, I can’t wait for it to start.
But we all double checked with Clara before we loaded up. As fun as this sounds, none of us would ever risk her, not for a moment.
Once she explained her logic, though, how no matter what, she knows she’s in charge of the game, we were all more than happy to see where this leads.
Jansen is the last one out of my truck, the photo book left on his seat as he adjusts his shirt sleeves, his blazer left in the car as well.
We are all wearing our masks again, just in case someone checks the security footage. We’re risking jail, but really, we’ll probably be fine. I’m sure crazier things have happened down here than what we’re about to do. Maybe.
God, I’m weirdly nervous.
Clara’s drumming her fingers against her thigh, those gorgeous nipples now covered in a sports bra under the red dress, which somehow adds to the warrior aesthetic she’s rocking, the tiara attached with a million pins to her head before we left. Because she’s a queen and this is just one way we get to show her that. RJ makes sure we all have our phones, Clara’s jammed in that same sports bra. She left on the gladiator heels even though it will put her at a disadvantage, but I can’t say I mind. It’s going to add something to this, that’s for sure.
