Liam I move slowly, carefully back onto the bed and watch my wife sle ep. She looks so
happy and at peace. The soft dawn light casts shadows over her face, and as I settle onto
the mattress I let my eyes drift from feature to feature, cataloging everything. I still can’t
believe we had such a magical night. It was all I could have hoped for and more. I hold her
right hand and study the new ring on her middle finger. So what if I scoffed when Frederich
told me to get her a ring? The moment I saw it on the showroom floor, I knew it was hers. A
gorgeous five- millimeter-thick pavé white gold diamond ring, with stones all the way
around so the band sparkles from every angle. It makes a statement together with the
Rubedo. She smacks her lips in her sle ep. What’s she eating? Fish? Seafood and chocolate
seem to be her favorites. Her eyebrows pinch. She’s about to open her eyes... There it is.
Awareness floods her sky-blue irises as she blinks at me. “Good morning.” I smile. “Good
morning,” she says, her voice low and husky. I absolutely adore early-morning moments like
this. I get to glimpse more than what she shows to the world. Not to mention her soft gaze
and the sweet, unguarded smile that brightens my day. “You didn’t continue after I almost
fainted, did you?” she asks, wrapping her arm around me and burrowing de eper into my
chest. I laugh. “Not my style. I want you to be awake and feel it.” “Ah,” she says, sounding
fake-sad. “Guess we’ll never hit thirty.” “Don’t worry. We can ke ep going until we do. The
day’s still young.”
“Beast.” Laughing, she smacks my shoulder, then stops and brings her hand to her face.
Her expression focuses. “Uh... When did this ring appear on my finger?” I press my lips
together for a beat. “Mmm... Maybe half an hour ago?” She blinks up at me in confusion. “I
thought I already got my present, with the drone show.” “That wasn’t really a present. More
of a declaration. Every woman deserves something special on her birthday, don’t you
think?” She gives me a bright smile. “You’re right.” She extends her arm and admires the
ring. “This is gorgeous. Love it! It’s so... me! Do you just look at all the pieces at your
company, then go, ‘This is it’?” I chuckle. “No. Different designs kind of... go with different
names. This one was screaming yours. Besides, everything inside Kingswood Stones &
Designs is mine to use to spoil you.” She flushes. “You sure know how to make a woman
happy, even if she’s suddenly a year older,” she says, unable to tear her eyes from the ring.
It occurs to me that I haven’t seen anything that looked like a present from Simon on her.
But then, he probably wouldn’t give her jewelry. Doubt he can afford anything halfway
decent. After my pavé ring, anything he might give her in the future is going to look
pathetic by comparison. So what did he give her? A pen? A keyring? “So, yesterday”—I clear
my throat oh-so casually—“did Simon give you anything?” “What do you mean?” “Simon
said he planned to celebrate your birthday with you. So I thought he might have bought you
something. You know, a new pen, or...” I struggle. What would somebody like him buy to
trump me? She shrugs. “No. Just took me out to lunch. That was it.” What? “And because I
usually don’t have time to plan anything elaborate when it’s his birthday, I just buy him a
present.” Then what was the gift-wrapped box he was holding yesterday? “Wasn’t this year
different?” She frowns at me. “No. Besides, if he had bought me something, we wouldn’t
have done lunch.” Son of a bitch! That asshole brought a fake gift just to mess with me! She
looks at me. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head and paste on a smile that probably looks rueful. “Nothing.” Okay, he got
me with an empty box and some pretty wrapping. But who’s the one laughing now? I had
the most incredible evening with my wife. I got to see her cry tears of joy, and we had
amazing sex, and now she’s happy in my bed and in my arms. He’s probably lying around
alone, cold and sad and pathetic. And shriveled. Justice has been served. “You’re scowling,”
Olivia says. “Really, it’s nothing. I was just, uh, thinking about... er... something.” It’s unfair
for her to expect me to come up with a clever excuse pre-coffee. My phone vibrates. Who’s
texting me this early? I grouse, even as I’m slightly glad for the interruption. A text from
Silas. –Silas: Why were we not invited to the birthday party? I frown at the bluntness. If I
had invited them, I wouldn’t have had those moments with my wife, now would I? Still, I
value my life too much to be honest. Six older brothers ganging up on me is tough to beat.
–Me: I didn’t think you’d be interested in coming to my wife’s birthday. It was a private
affair. –Gideon: Private? She’s our sister, too! –Finn: Why are you treating us like outsiders?
–Me: I’m not! –Roarke: Yeah, you are. First the wedding, now this? –Me: It was complicated,
okay? She didn’t really want anybody there. Not that I’d ever disclose that. I’m not going to
rat out my wife. –Rhys: Do you know how I felt when Max and I were driving back from LAX
and saw the drone show? She turned to me and said, “Is Olivia Kingswood our new
sister-in-law?” Oh shit. –Me: You’re already back from your honeymoon? I thought you were
still in the Maldives.
–Rhys: Don’t change the subject. –Me: Come on, guys. Don’t be so dramatic. –Rhys: I’ll stop
being dramatic. Today. Brunch. Bring your wife. –Me: Aren’t you all busy? –Xavier: Fuck
busy, it’s her birthday. –Roarke: You’re going to pay. I roll my eyes. “What’s that?” Olivia
asks. Then she holds up a hand. “No, wait. Let me guess. It’s uh, uh, uh... something.” I
heave a sigh. “My brothers. They’re a little, um... peeved that they weren’t invited
yesterday, so they want to have a birthday brunch. It’s a miracle that they’re all getting
together on less than twenty-four hours’ notice, but Rhys says we’re doing it and that’s
that.” “I see.” She furrows her brow. “So... where are we going? Not your grandmother’s
house, right?” “No. That would not be a celebration.” “More like torture,” Olivia mutters,
but I hear it loud and clear. “It’s going to be Silas’s house because he’s the only one who
can whip up something decent on short notice.” “That sounds nice, actually. Is he good at
cooking?” “Yeah, he’s pretty good. We all have our talents. It’s kind of too bad, though, that
his true talent only surfaces under stress.” “What do you mean?” “When he’s stuck on a
problem or upset or unhappy, he goes on a jam- making spree.” Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Uh-huh. And we get lucky because his jams are so good. Don’t know what he puts in there.
If he weren’t my brother, I’d think he sprinkled crack into it. But I’m pretty sure he
wouldn’t feed that to us.” I pause and play with the new ring on her finger. “But honestly,
it’s up to you. If you don’t want to go, we won’t.” “No, it’s fine,” she says with a small,
amused smile. “We should go. I’m excited to meet your brothers, actually.” Her eyes
sparkle. “If they’re half as nice as you, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the brunch.” I look into her bright
face. If she wants to be more integrated into my life, that has to mean she’s thinking of
something permanent. Right?