Page 91 of Love & Power

I tried to say something, but he shook his head, asking me not to interrupt. “I know that’s not true, but getting my mind to accept that as easily as my heart did wasn’t going well. Then after the bomb scare, my self-loathing kept me from being there for you, and that was the last straw. Never again will I let anything keep me away from being there when you need me, whatever that looks like. I might not relish the idea of sharing you all the time, but I’m in, Astin. No more hiding and denying myself time with you as punishment. Will you forgive me, Tin-Tin?”

My heart broke hearing him ask that, causing me to straddle his legs so I was all he could see. “Ryker, there is nothing to forgive, but if you need to hear that from me, then listen the fuck up. I love you and forgive you for everything in our past, present, and future. Just promise me you’ll keep talking to me, or them, when you get stuck in this spiral so we can help. Do that, and I’ll always forgive you.”

Ryker wrapped me in a tight hug as he buried his face in my neck. I just held him as he’s held me over the years, praying with all my heart he believed me this time. Yet, just like Atticus offered, if I needed to remind every one of my guys that I loved them every day, I would. Eventually, Ryker shifted me so I sat sideways on his lap, allowing me to see the others, each with a look of contented happiness. These moments were what told me the eight of us would be together forever. While the guys might not love each other on an intimate level, they did love each other like family.

The limousine came to a stop, but I didn’t bother looking out the window. It didn’t matter where they were taking me as long as we did it together. I smiled at Atty as he helped me out and held up my suit jacket for me to put back on. The air was a bit chilly now that fall was setting in. Looking around, I noticed we were in a historic district and had been let out in front of a beautiful cathedral.

Atty offered me his arm, and I took it eagerly, leaning into him for a moment. I’d expected us to go right or left toward the restaurant, but instead, Atty started up the church steps. “Um… Atty, I thought we were going to dinner?”

“We are, but there’s a stop we need to make first,” he answered, refusing to look at me, and his voice strained like he was holding something back.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim interior, but I marveled at the structure once I could see clearly. There was so much detail carved into every surface it would take you days to see it all. When we entered the chapel, a flicker of recognition teased my brain until I came to a halt, releasing my hold on Atticus.

“I know this place,” I blurted, slowly spinning to take in the rest of the space. “This is where my parents got married, isn’t it?”

When no one answered me, I glanced back only to find all seven of my men down on one knee.

Whirling to face them, I clutched my stomach as butterflies erupted at the sight of Hound holding out an open ring box. Speechless, I just continued to gawk at them, waiting for someone to say something.

“Astin Caprioni-Raffa,” Hound started.

“Will you,” Luca continued.

“Marry us?” Atticus asked.

“Today?” Braxton pressed.

“He means… right now,” Liu clarified.

My heart thundered in my chest so loud I believed everyone could hear it. “Yes,” I managed to gasp out. “I will absolutely marry all of you today, right now, this very second.”

There was an uproar of cheers from the pews to my right, pulling my attention from the guys. No longer hidden in one of the alcoves were Von, Bear, Domenico, Cedro, Ivy, Gramps, and even my dear Wreck-It Ralph. The guys stood, and Hound took my shaking hand, slipping on an exquisite ring that looked almost like a crown with one big diamond in the middle and seven smaller diamonds wrapped in swirls around the band.

“Oh my God, this is really happening,” I whispered as I tried to fight against bawling my eyes out.

“Yes, Moonflower, this is really happening if you still want it to,” Hound assured me.

My gaze flicked up to him. “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily, Harold.”

“Astin,” Hound hissed. “What the hell, woman? I ask you to be my wife, then you go and announce that god-awful name to the world?”

“Don’t you need to put it on the paperwork to make it legal?” I countered. “Besides, if they are going to be your brother-husbands, that little fact is bound to come out at some point.”

“You’re damn lucky I love you more than life,” Hound grumbled, kissing me with brutal passion that made him the man I loved. “Come on, let’s do this so we can tell the world you’re ours and have the paperwork to prove you’re officially off the market.”

I just laughed as he pulled me to the front of the cathedral, where everyone was waiting for us. Ivy, the crafty bitch, handed me a bouquet of red flowers, and Von flashed me a box that had seven gold wedding bands waiting to be put on each of my husband’s fingers. The priest approached us, and I recognized him as the same man who married my parents thirty years ago.

“Hello, Astin,” he greeted. “I can’t tell you how honored I am to officiate this wedding. Seeing the love between all of you reminds me of your parents’ wedding day. Those three were beaming with love just as I see here.”

“Thank you so much for helping to make this happen,” I managed to say, even as my emotions threatened to overwhelm me.

The priest stepped back and cleared his throat, giving me a reassuring wink. “We gather here today to join this woman and these men in holy matrimony,” the priest announced. “Have you, Astin, Ryker, Atticus, Luca, Braxton, Jace, Liu, and Harold come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

“We have.”

“Are you prepared as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you all shall live?”

“We do.”