“Listen.” I hold up my hand to stop them from getting into a fight because of me. “We are together and we are going to figure shit out,” I explain. “I’m going to tell Mom and Dad. I just want to figure things out before I do.”
“What if I forbid it?” Jaxon puts his hands on his hips.
“Forbid it?” I repeat the words.
“Forbid it?” Ariella repeats the words. “Jaxon Stevenson.”
“Forbid it or not,” Zane speaks up, “it’s happening. I love her.” He drapes his arm around my shoulders. “She loves me.” I smile up at him. “There is a lot of shit that will probably come our way.”
“And we’ll deal with it.” I wrap my arm around his waist. “I mean, we’ll figure it out.”
“Is this a soft launch?” he asks me, and I snort.
“This is a hard launch since you just told everyone in this room you love me.” He leans down to kiss me.
“What about the press?” Jaxon asks, his arms folded over his chest.
“We’ll fucking play it by ear, I guess,” Zane replies. “You play hockey and have a wife and kid.” He points to Ariella and Jagger. “It’s not their fault you suck on the ice.”
Ariella laughs at that. “This is true.” She nods. “It’s not my fault you suck on the ice. That would be your own damn fault.”
“Ari,” he hisses her name, and she walks over to him.
“Jaxon,” she says his name and his face goes soft, “your sister is with a guy who respects her and loves her.” She puts her hand on his chest. “It could be so much worse.”
“Yeah,” Jaxon mumbles, “how?”
“She could have had a one-night stand with him and then showed up at his house to tell him she was pregnant, six weeks later, and was chased out by his girlfriend.” I roll my lips and Zane laughs for a split second but then coughs.
“I mean, technically, we had a one-night stand,” I mumble, “but we didn’t know each other.” Zane squeezes my hip to tell me to shut up.
“She was my ex-girlfriend,” Jaxon deflects then looks at Zane. “If you hurt her?—”
“She’s literally left me fifteen times.” Zane’s voice goes up. “If anyone hurts anyone?—”
“I didn’t leave him fifteen times.” I roll my eyes when Jaxon turns his glare to me. “It was once.” I hold up a finger. “Maybe twice.” I look at Zane, who is side-eyeing me. “What difference does it make? I’m here now.”
“Yeah,” Zane confirms, “you are here now, and you aren’t going anywhere.”
“Well, now that we have that settled,” Ariella says, “would you like to stay for dinner?”
I look up at Zane. “Whatever you want to do,” he says softly.
“Fine, we’ll stay for dinner, but you better watch yourself”—I point to Jaxon—“and be on your best behavior.”
“Me?” He points to himself. “I’m not the one who was sneaking around behind my family’s back.”
“Yes, you were,” Ariella counters. “We snuck around everyone’s back.”
“Ari,” he huffs out, “for once, can you just let me?—”
“Okay,” She taps his chest. “Do your thing, big man.”
“We’re leaving,” I groan, fake vomiting. “I’m not sitting at the table after you called him big man.” Zane just laughs.
“I don’t know what you’re laughing at,” Ariella retorts, “Mr. Magician.”
“Okay, well, this family get-together is great,” Zane interrupts. “Rain check.” Everyone nods and we walk out of the house. “See? Told you I’d handle it,” he gloats, getting into the SUV and I can’t help but laugh. “Now, let’s go get some clothes for you and get back to my house. There are a couple more places I need to mark.”
