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While Carter was confused, Gio’s eyes sparkled with joy. “Do you mean you want to share souls?”

She held out her hands, letting each man take one. “I am.”

“Best day ever!” Carter exclaimed, making Mila chuckle.

“You say that every time I cook,” she said. “They can’t all be the best day ever.”

“Why not?” Carter retorted. “With both of you in my life, every day is the best day.”

“I agree with Carter,” Gio said. “Every day with my flock is the best day.”

“I’ll join the consensus,” Mila said, squeezing their hands. “These are all the best days. How do we do this? Do I need to lay down or something?”

Gio shook his head. “We wait till dark. It’s important that I'm at full strength.”

Mila nodded. “Then maybe we could—”

Before she could suggest they all go upstairs with a bag of piping to play decorate-the-baker, there was loud banging on the front door.

Carter drew back his lips, his suddenly long canines matching his dark, glowing eyes. “What the hell?”

Gio looked at her. “Expecting anyone?”

Mila shook her head, although everyone knew where she lived. This house was her official business address. She’d asked Gio about renting a PO box, but he said it wasn’t necessary. Had some eager customer decided to track her down instead of simply calling or emailing?

Carter dropped her hand and stood up. “I’ll see who it is and get rid of them.”

Like she was going to wait in the kitchen. She and Gio followed Carter to the door. Gio stayed back enough to be safe from the afternoon sun.

When Carter swung the door open, Mila saw something that made her gasp.

“Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?”

Carter’s scowl didn’t change. “So these are your parents?” He pulled his lips back into a threatening smile. “Mila is ours now, go away.”

He started swinging the door shut, but Mila’s dad stepped up to stop it. He didn’t expect Carter’s strength and ended up knocked back into Mila’s mom.

“Carter, don’t do that!” Mila said, pushing past him to grab her mom and dad to steady them. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” James blustered, pushing past Barb to confront Carter. They all ended up in the foyer, so Gio was able to join their group.

“We are Mila’s mates,” Carter said, making Mila wince.

“He means they’re my boyfriends,” she said. Might as well get this over with. “Carter, Gio, this is Barb and James.”

It was fun to watch her parents' collective jaws drop as they took in the tall, muscular Carter and the smaller, but still substantial, Gio. She could tell they were noting Gio’s paint-stained clothing and Carter’s lack of a shirt. They’d probably already discussed the house and location.

She couldn’t wait to hear what conclusion they would—

“Is this some kind of compound situation?” James asked, turning his gaze on Gio. “Are you a cult?”

Cult? she hadn’t expected that one. Anthony and the other siblings were going to laugh their asses off!

“This isn’t a cult,” Mila said with a huff and tried to move past Carter. He grabbed her and pressed her back against his front. She could tell it wasn’t that he was being forceful with her, but that he was worried about Barb and James trying to grab her and drag her off.

Honestly, he wasn’t far off. They might resort to being physically domineering with her when pressured.

“I think it takes more than three people to be considered a cult,” Gio said with a light laugh. She could tell he was trying to defuse the situation.