Page 167 of Dangerous Encore

Bella pulls away and turns to us. She mouthssorry, but she keeps her hand in the back pocket of Joel'sjeans.

"I'll keep this fast, so we don't miss our showtime." Piper winks at Carrie. Then at Violet. Then Bella. She looks to me. "I assume you like incredibly muscular men taking their clothes off, what with your choice offiancé."

"I do,"Isay.

Piper holds up her glass. "I can admit I've been somewhat fixated on my brothers' inability to find something real for a long time. But Ethan and Mal kept screwing things up. I couldn'thelpit."

Everyonelaughs.

She continues. "Mal, I never thought I'd see you this happy. I never thought I'd see you in love. But I don't think there's anyone in the universe more right for you than Lacey." She looks to me. "I don't have to tell Mal to take care of you, because I know he will. Take care ofhim,okay?"

I nod. "Iwill."

Piper wipes a tear from her eye. "You two deserve all the happiness in the world." She holds up her glass. "To finding the family youdeserve."

Everyonetoasts.

I clink my glass against Mal's then take alongsip.

She'sright.

This is our family. And it's the best family I couldhopefor.

I'm lucky. There's a lot of love inmylife.

Kit pulls Piper into his arms. She giggles as he spins her. After he steps her down, he steps up to thecouch.

"Hey, watch it with the furniture, Lockhart." Joel feigns indignant. "We need the couch springy so we can fuckonit."

Kit looks down to his motorcycle boots with a look of fauxhorror.

"We wiped it down." Bella's cheeks flush. She turns to her husband. "You'reludicrous,baby."

"Mmm. I love when you use big words." He pulls her into adeepkiss.

And now they're making outsomemore.

"It's not a bad idea." Ethan slides his arms aroundViolet.

"Are we that tacky?" She runs her fingers throughhishair.

Henods.

She shakesherhead.

Still, they kiss. It's more of a smooch and less of a make out, but it's plenty sweetandhot.

Kit clears his throat. "I better make this fast. Before the orgybreaksout."

Everyone laughs. EvenPiper.

Kit looks to us. "Mal and I haven't always had an easy relationship. He did a lot of shitty stuff to me. I did a lot of shitty stuff to him. But I'd like to think we're past that. Mal, I trust you with anything and I love you like abrother."

Malnods.

Kit turns to the rest of the room. His deep voice stays calm, even. "When Mal found out Piper and I were dating, he pulled me aside after practice. I thought he was gonna kill me right there. I was getting ready tofight."

Mal chuckles. Everyone elselaughs.