“>”
Kyle made a face. “>”
Alexei patted Kyle’s shoulder in sympathy before getting into the lead limo. With Jamie being the First Son of the incoming president and their former captain when they’d been on Alpha Team, the country’s fascination with his entire life had crashed through the border of intense curiosity and straight into stalker territory.
When their classified identities had been revealed during the attack on the nation’s capital, Jamie’s was the one the public latched onto the hardest. The subsequent congressional investigations and hearings had opened up more of their lives in regards to declassified segments of past missions.
Jamie’s personal social stock—heir to billions and son of a senator-cum-president—mixed with his military record and status as a metahuman and leader of the Alpha Team they’d served on was a story the media refused to give up. When Jamie and Kyle’s engagement had leaked in the shadow of the fraternization charge, the announcement had sent the media into a frenzy, from the news streams to the gossip streams and everything in between.
Alexei and Sean were lucky. They might be known as metahumans, and people might be interested in their lives due to the team they’d served on, but not to the degree surrounding his brother and Jamie.
Planning their wedding next year had turned into a headache neither Jamie or Kyle wanted to deal with at the moment, and Alexei couldn’t blame them. He knew when they finally got the time to focus on themselves and not Richard’s campaign or the transition period, they’d buckle down and get married.
“>” Kyle said, looking down at his tablet.
Alexei nodded, fiddling with the gold-and-diamond ring on his finger. “>”
Not that he had any doubts everyone would arrive on time. Their invite list had been small, consisting of only family and close friends, some of the MDF brass, and a few former Strike Force teammates. Less than one hundred people had been invited and every last one of them had reserved a spot at their wedding.
Ten minutes later the limo slowed to a stop in the middle of an intersection. Alexei watched curiously as a motorcycle police officer checked in with their driver before letting their line of vehicles pass. They drove around another cop car idling in the center of the street with its lights flashing.
“>” Kyle explained.
Alexei smiled at his brother, relief coursing through him at the realization they wouldn’t have to worry about anyone interrupting his and Sean’s big day.
“>”
“>”
Alexei gave his brother a sideways hug anyway, holding him close the way he’d done since they were kids. “>”
“>” Kyle replied, leaning into the embrace.
It’d been years since Kyle’s biological family had died and he’d come to live with them. At this point, he’d been part of their family longer than he had the one he’d been born into. Despite the tragedy that had sent Kyle into their home, Alexei was glad to call him brother.
“>” Alexei mused.
“>”
Alexei snorted. “>”
“>”
Alexei wasn’t sure luck had anything to do with it, but he wouldn’t change what they’d gone through for anything. The path they’d walked had given them each other, their team, and the man he was going to marry. Alexei would suffer through all the bad moments for the good over and over again if it got him to today—ready to marry the man he loved.
The limos pulled in front of the Boston Harbor Estate, the grand mansion filling the view. It was almost impossible to get during spring and summer unless you booked several years out, but winter could be a steal.
Alexei had never minded the cold—either here or in the Ukraine refugee city as a small child—so when he stepped out of the limo into a light dusting of snow, it didn’t faze him. He blinked up at the mansion decorated for the holidays while Kyle dealt with the driver and the valet service the estate had provided.
All the windows were brightly lit against the late-afternoon sunlight, the entrance was bracketed by two small Christmas trees, and evergreen garlands bristling with tiny lights and ornaments were draped over awnings.
Sunset always came early during winter in the higher latitudes, and they’d timed their ceremony for dusk, when the skyline of Boston would be lit up against the encroaching darkness over the sea.
“>” Kyle asked as he came to stand next to Alexei.
“>” Alexei replied.
They led their family inside the mansion and were greeted by Donovan and Trevor, who were acting as ushers for the evening.
