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It’s always the quiet ones.

Ethan crushes his lips over mine and pulls me under a sea of pleasure with his drugging kiss. He tastes like whiskey, smooth and masculine. I can’t get enough.

Gripping his hair tightly, I kiss him back—sucking, licking, taking in his tongue as he invades my mouth.

The cheers and catcalls fade into the background and my body lights on fire, needing more.

It’s not enough. It’s never enough with him.

Abruptly, he pulls us apart, his face flushed, hair disheveled. His eyes glaze over with passion and our chests lift and fall from our panting breaths.

Ethan’s throat ripples, a pulse thudding against his temple, and he rakes his finger down my nose, before dipping the tip into my mouth.

His eyes darken and pupils dilate when I suck it in, just the tip, and give it a quick lick, knowing we’re in front of our family and friends.

A growl rumbles from his chest.

“My wife,” he rasps, and I blow him a kiss.

“My husband.” I add a wink as well.

We smile at each other.

“Go get a room, you guys!” someone yells and everyone laughs. I think that’s Rex, but I don’t really care.

Ethan pulls me against him, and we face the crowd. Maxwell, Belle, and their little boy are clapping in the front row. Ethan nods at his oldest brother. Linus, Ethan’s dad, is next to his eldest son, and smiles proudly at us. Ryland grins, his arm curled around Millie. She wipes her teary eyes, her new engagement ring glinting under the sunlight. The professor has finally proposed to his student. Steven and Grace catcall from their spots in the second row. Elias slinks around in the background, smirking. Liam is busy recording with his phone.

We stroll down the aisle to a rainfall of flower petals.

“Can’t believe you cut in line, bestie!” Taylor cups her mouth and yells, her brows wagging. Charles shakes his head in amusement and presses a kiss on her hair. “You completely skipped the long engagement step of the process.”

“It’s been over ten years, Tay! I should’ve been first in line!” I stick out my tongue and everyone laughs.

“Looks like it’s just you and me, Lana,” Rex mutters.

He winks at us as we pass by them, but the usual lightness and levity are missing in his eyes. In fact, there’s a weariness to them, a tension he can’t hide.

I think back to a conversation I had with Ethan a week ago. He’s noticed the same worrying signs in Rex: the self-destructive partying, the circles under his eyes, which tell us he isn’t sleeping, the way he hides behind fake smiles and larger-than-life jokes.

After we’re back from our honeymoon, we’re staging an intervention.

And I’ll drag Olivia with me—she’s a brilliant doctor and has helped Maxwell and the other Andersons. She’ll know how to handle and treat Rex. I just know it.

Rex grumbles, “Loveless and single. Maybe the curse of the Andersons now falls on us.”

“Speak for yourself.” Lana shoves her brother. “I’m a winner—whether I have someone or not. And we also have Olivia.” She points to our friend, who’s sitting in the far corner and waving at me.

I wave back and she blows us a kiss.

Rex stares at Olivia, his jaw clenching. “Not all of us are meant to have love.”

Olivia’s eyes dart toward Lana and before she quickly looks away, her face flushing.Interesting.Is that just doctorly concern…or something more?

Ethan dips his head and whispers in my ear, “Let’s ditch our reception.”

“What?”

“I have something planned. A car is already waiting outside.”