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Royce stares at me like he’s seeing right through me. “If he’s willing to be this generous now, why didn’t the cocaine resume when you started dating? Or got engaged?”

“Because I didn’t think to ask for it before. I thought we were doing fine with what we had, but our numbers started dropping, so I asked him for help. He was nice enough to agree.”

Jade adds the half-cooked pasta to the sauce to finish cooking. “Whatever the reason for it, I think this is a good thing. And we’re going to have a party to celebrate, which means that all of you—I’m looking at you, Royce—are going to be on your best behavior.”

Royce glances at Aiden. “You’re fine with her being married to Joshua Vitale?”

He says Joshua’s name like it’s the worst cuss he’s ever heard.

I roll my eyes and grab the bowls down from the cupboard, helping Jade dish up the pasta and top it with fresh basil and slices of mozzarella.

As long as I keep Joshua at a distance and away from my darker…urges…then there’s no need for any of them to worry.

Aiden clears his throat. “I’m fine with it. If Skyla is happy with her husband, that’s what matters.”

Ellie’s jaw drops, and Sean looks like he’s seen a ghost. The others all turn to Aiden looking like they have no clue who he is or what he’s done with our brother.

The shouting restarts almost immediately.

Royce shoots his hands up in the air. “How is this okay?”

Summer rounds up on Aiden. “This better mean you are okay with whomever I want to date now.”

They all start talking over each other as they make their way to the table, but this is my chance.

I grab another piece of bread before dashing down the hall to the office. I grab the files Aiden left on his desk for me and stride out the front door, straight to my car.

As I get in, I take a deep breath.

Dealing with my family is not for the faint of heart. While I love them all, the desire to run away to the woods and never be seen again only gets stronger after every visit.

If this is as feral as they’re going to be about the wedding, then everything is going to be fine. But if they decide to kick it up a notch—or eighty-seven—when they officially meet Joshua as my husband for the first time, then things are going to be a disaster.

I have to warn him.

Joshua opens the door, his dark hair a mess and a boyish smile on his face as he leans against the frame. “I didn’t think you were going to be stopping by tonight, wife.”

“Well, my family is a bunch of feral monsters, and I thought that I should probably come over and warn you about that since there’s going to be no real escaping it for the next six months or so.”

He laughs and crosses his arms. “I don’t think I have to worry about them too much.”

I roll my eyes and tuck my hands in the pockets of my jeans.

“You don’t really know them that well. You might have done business with Aiden before, but they’re worse when they’re all together.

Ellie is probably the most functional of us all.

Royce is an ass, but Gia and their kids kind of temper him out, I guess. ”

“And the others?” He steps to the side, holding the door open. “Come in, you may as well talk to me over dinner.”

“I just came from dinner—” My stomach starts growling immediately.

He arches an eyebrow, glancing between it and me.

I sigh. “Okay, so maybe I left before the food was served.”

He rolls his eyes and waits until I’m inside before shutting the door behind me and twisting the lock into place. “Come on. I made more than enough food for both of us.”

“You don’t have to do that. I just wanted to come over and tell you that my family is planning a wedding reception, and they’re probably going to act like monsters during it.”

“A reception? I’m down for having a party.” He heads into the kitchen, going to a pan of chicken on the stove.

“You don’t know these people. They’re currently arguing between a keg stand competition and a black-tie event.” I wander into the kitchen with him, looking over his shoulder to see what he did to the chicken to make it smell so delicious.

The chicken simmers in some sort of sauce that smells like white wine and sun-dried tomatoes.

He throws some spinach in the pan and stirs it around.

“First of all, go sit down. I’m making dinner, and you’re not going to stand here, hovering over my arm and waiting for the chance to jump in. Second, if your family wants to have a keg stand competition for our reception, then I hope they’re all prepared to get their asses handed to them.”

The corner of my mouth twitches as I go sit on one of the stools on the other side of the island.

“Your brother never would’ve told me to go sit down while he made dinner.”

“Logan is an idiot and always has been. He’s never going to get his act together, and as horrible as it may sound, I’m glad you dodged that bullet.”

Joshua pulls out two plates and dishes up the food over a bed of what looks like risotto. He turns and sets a plate in front of me.

Smiling, I look down at the food, my stomach growling louder while he slides me a fork and knife.

“This smells amazing.”

He stares at me for a moment, something distant in his eyes. “No more talking about Logan. People aren’t going to believe that we’re married if you keep talking about him and what he did or didn’t do.”

“Nobody is going to believe we’re married if you keep looking at me like a stranger.”

“I guess we’re going to have to get more comfortable with each other before the reception, then.”

I cut into the chicken, moaning when the taste melts on my tongue. “This may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. If you keep cooking like this, we’re going to have a very happy fake marriage.”

“Just have to survive the reception first.”

“Just make sure Logan and Bella are there. I’ll handle my family.”

He sets his fork and knife to the side. “About that…”

“What about it?”

“If the time comes, I’m going to be the one to kill Logan.”

I bolt upright, the stool sliding out from under me and slamming to the ground. “Like fuck!”

Joshua grabs his knife again, placing the tip of the blade on his plate and twirling it.

A subtle threat. One that sends my heart racing.

If he wants to play games, he’s about to find out I don’t fucking play to lose.