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First, he kissed me, wet and deep and with plenty of tongue. Then he promised to love me forever and ever.

Then we took a shower and got cleaned up together. After, of course, we got a little bit dirtier in there.

And, just in case you were wondering, the dress fit me perfectly. Just like I knew it would.

24

Ihad absolutely no part in the setup whatsoever. The guys had wanted it like that because that was what I told them was going to happen. They wanted the whole thing to be a surprise to me. I hadn’t exactly wanted to participate, so I’d let them be.

They didn’t think I was lazy, and they weren’t trying to leave me out. I had zero reason to get involved with it, and it felt nice to give over control of something that was my choice this time.

They were big boys, so if they wanted me or needed my help, they’d let me know.

I just didn’t like the thought of them thinking of me as fragile or treating me any differently than they usually would have.

I’d gone through something a whole lot not fun, and most people would probably seek therapy for it afterwards. I dealt with things my own way, and it wasn’t like I hadn’t been through several other horrible things in my short time here on this earth. Obviously I hoped my luck would change, and I’d never have to go through something terrible again, but I wasn’t stupid. Shit happened, and some of it sucked. That was life. You just needed to keep going and not allow the bad things to beat you down.

My guys had a hard time understanding that because they wanted nothing but good to fill my life. I got it, because I wanted the same for them. Anything else was unacceptable.

Eventually we’d settle into something that worked for all of us and they would stop being this way with me. Either that, or I’d have to kick their asses and they’d just fall in line like the good boys I knew they could sometimes be.

The only dark spot in this for me was Binx, and that would stay with me forever—hewould stay with me forever.

“I’m probably the worst person to be in here helping you.” Rain’s hand landed gently on my shoulder as he spoke.

He was wrong. I thought he was the perfect person to be here with me in this moment. I’d rather he be here with me than anyone else.

Romero snorted. “Speak for yourself.”

Okay, so I loved that Rain was in here with me. Romero? Not so much. So I supposed he had the right of it.

Romero hadn’t been invited to join my private party here in my bedroom and bathroom today. He’d obviously been invited to join in the day as a guest, but for whatever reason, he’d followed Rain up here like he’d had some right to be here or something.

I didn’t have the heart to ask him to leave.

This day was important to his son and likely important to Romero because of that. I wouldn’t ask him to leave just like I wouldn’t ask my own father to leave.

Romero Flynn didn’t have to like women all that much because of his history with them, but I’d be the closest thing he’d ever have to a daughter. That, and there was some part of him that gave a shit about me because I’d been the one to rescue him from his living nightmare.

We weren’t exactly friends though. Romero didn’t have friends, and I wasn’t exactly jumping through hoops to try and make him be my friend. And that worked just alright for me.

Just maybe he was here because he wanted to be my friend.

And wasn’t that a terrifying thought.

I turned to Romero, who was casually sprawled out on my bed, and forced myself to meet his eyes. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be outside with your son? No one is forcing you to be here with me right now, you know.”

Okay, so I wasn’t going to ask him to leave, but if he was going to complain, then I’d give him the opportunity to bail if that was what he needed. I wasn’t a total asshole. Or maybe I was, who the hell knew anymore.

Romero sat up on my bed and threw his legs over the side. The man was lucky he didn’t have his shoes on while he was on my bed like that. We’d be having serious words then. I took pride in my things in order to keep them nice. Growing up with next to nothing would do that to a girl. Something he should understand. Not because he’d grown up with nothing, but because he’d been robbed of absolutely everything by monsters for half of his life.

He’d looked far too comfortable to give a shit.

Now he looked serious, and his sole focus was directed right at me. He was a lot like Rain when he was lasered in on you like that, and it could be something that made you want to piss your pants.

Good thing I wasn’t scared of either of them. Rain would rather die before ever harming me, and I had my suspicions that Romero felt very much the same way, even if we weren’t friends.

“You think I’d leave you alone at a time like this?”