“That’s what I’m here for, sweet fury.” I kiss his cheek. “Poetic fancy stuff.”
“Well, you are British.” Luthor grins.
“Please God, make sure you capture all the hilarious nicknames Ren gave Trevel,” Joy laughs. “My favorite was… hang on, what was it…?”
“Sexy coatrack?” Velle asks.
“Adam’s Family exchange student?” Felix laughs.
“If Elvira didn’t get that abortion!” Byron cackles. It takes great effort to force a scowl, but I pull it off enough for him to fake a pout. “Sorry.”
Joy is toppling into Rook’s side. “No… no, oh my God, but those are all so good. I was thinking ofthe time Posh Spice joined Taking Back Sunday.”
Ren snorts. “Oh yea. That was a good one.”
“Yea, cheers,” I chuckle, shaking my head.
“We kid because we love.” Ren winks at me.
“And that’s actually a compliment because he loves Victoria Beckham and Taking Back Sunday,” Luthor giggles.
Byron is rumbling out sexy chuckles, wrapping his arms around my waist. Kissing my neck and whispering, “I love you, British Chalamet.” He laughs and I turn my face to get his lips.
“Aww! Cute,” Dash squeals. “I’m happy you guys are so in love. Living the dream here in thislavishpenthouse.”
“I know right?” Felix bounces. “This place is amazing.”
“We’re just glad you guys could all make it out here,” Byron says. “We haven’t all been together since Dash and Kemper’s wedding.”
Everyone nods wistfully, recalling the memory of that beautiful evening on the beach in Tulum.
“And soon, we’ll be doing it all over again for your bougie fucking wedding,” Velle teases Luthor and Ren.
“Hey, you know me… I’d love to do something simple,” Luthor mutters. “But this one needs a fifteen-foot ice sculpture of Superman and Lex Luthor making out.”
Byron cackles so hard he falls off the couch.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Rook looks disturbingly intrigued.
“Oh, come on! Don’t act like you’re not creaming in your little nerd panties over that detail.” Ren pokes Luthor over and over while he smacks his hands away.
“Okay,fine, it’s cool.” He grabs Ren hard on the jaw, kissing him quick to shut him up.
All the love and utter foolishness in this room is truly intoxicating. To think that I came into this group as an outsider; a traitor who was stealing their friend from them. And now I get to be part of the madness.
I think that is why I was harassing Byron about the proposal weeks back, after we saw Michelangelo. In my heart, I know it wasn’t fully the lad’s fault.
We ran into him again the other day—apparently now that we’re living on the Upper West Side, we’re in his neck of the woods—and we wound up inviting him to lunch. As it turns out, he’s a darling bloke, and he isn’t harboring any residual feelings for Byron, other than maybe thinking he’s hot, which he is.
It also doesn’t hurt that he’s dating someone, though from what I understand, it’s a bit hush-hush.
Being in love with Byron Kang means accepting his past, just as he accepts mine. Though mine is much less scandalous than his, being that my crush on Lemuel was just that. We never actually hooked up, and now that I’ve watched him marry the love of his life—and was his best man at their wedding—I have zero of those feelings leftover.
I know Byron feels the same way about Ren, and Joy. And Luthor, and Dash. And The Ivory?Bloody hell, my man has hooked up withallof his friends. I can’t believe they were giving Dascha shit, when Byron was a secret slag himself within the walls of Alabaster Penitentiary.
Still, it’s all just part of loving someone. Accepting their baggage as your own, and carrying it so that they don’t have to go it alone.
I just want to know that Byron sees this as permanent, because I know I do. I want to be a part of this family with them. The way the others are with their partners.
