Page 11

Lake Tahoe looked amazing this time of year. It made for a beautiful backdrop for the archway where Beau stood. His gaze moved over his guards. They were posted in all the obvious places, dressed to the nines. Beau was grateful for them. Even though Kylo and he had decided to marry in private, Beau appreciated someone being there—employees or not. In the eight months since he had gotten shot, Beau had seen his sons more, but he didn’t think they would ever be a normal family. Beau definitely didn’t think they would come to this wedding. While they seemed to like Kylo, any time he left them alone, and then returned, the room would be dead silent. There was no missing the way they carefully avoided speaking or even looking at each other. He hated that, but Kylo made him happier than he had known he could be. Beau wouldn’t lose this while his boys lived their own happy lives. They were grown. It was his time.

The music began, and Beau turned. A huge tent had been erected to keep Kylo out of sight until the right time. Beau held his breath. His heart rate kicked up a notch. A tiny part of him still feared this wasn’t real. The tent flaps opened and his attorney, Jarek, stepped out with his husband Luca on his arm. Jarek wore a knowing smile as he moved to stand off to the side, exactly like he intended to stay for the ceremony.

“What—”

The flaps moved again before Beau could finish his question. Adan and Axton stepped out, confusing Beau even more. This felt like an intervention, and he was not in the mood for anyone to ruin his wedding. Again, before he could say a word, Shane and Soren appeared with Boone and Jupiter close on their heels. Banks and Kyson filed out behind them. Everyone wore matching shit-eating grins. It hit him. They were there for the wedding. Before he decided how to respond, Kylo stepped out. Beau forgot to breathe. He couldn’t see anyone or anything except the wildly dressed man heading his way. He wore pajamas that looked like a tuxedo, along with a tutu that was black-and-white striped. Kylo was the most beautiful sight Beau had ever seen. His face hurt from smiling. He felt lighter than ever before. Then Kylo stood at his side. They faced each other. Their gazes never wavered. “You did this.”

A sweet smile touched Kylo’s lips. “I know you were afraid they wouldn’t come if we invited them. That’s a blow you couldn’t handle. But I knew they would be here for you. So I decided it would be a cute surprise for you.”

His heart climbed into his throat. “Thank you for this. You have the most gorgeous heart I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t love you more.”

Kylo looked proud of pulling off his surprise. Thankfully, Beau had something up his sleeve too. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be the only one of them moved today.

“Shall we begin?”

They gave each other a sharp nod and faced the officiant at the question. Beau hung on every word. He wanted to remember every oath and vow. For once in his life, no one would break the relationship he held above all others. They both spoke clearly as they repeated every word they were asked to repeat. The ring on his ring finger felt familiar, yet lighter than the last one he had worn. It felt real—like it meant something this time.

“I understand you had a special request for this part of the ceremony.”

Kylo looked confused at the officiator’s statement. “What did you do?”

Beau smirked. “You’re not the only person who can plot.” Beau motioned for Henry. “I want this marriage to be a true fresh start for us. No ugly pasts or curses.”

Two identical crowns appeared.

Kylo’s eyes widened. He looked between them. “Is this—”

“One of them is.” Beau’s smile grew. “Neither of us will ever know which one is the original.” He took one from Henry and placed it on Kylo’s head. “No one is more loved than you, baby boy. You’ll always be my king and my heart. My husband and family. Best friend. Forever.”

While wearing a huge grin, Kylo accepted the second crown from Henry. Henry smiled like he was the one getting married as Kylo placed the crown on Beau’s head. “King Daddy. I’ve never regretted putting this crown on your head that first time. Now I can’t wait to pull it out once a year and eat cake while wearing our matching crowns until the day we die. Then I swear I’ll find you in the next life and the next. You won’t ever hurt again.”

“I now pronounce you husbands. You may kiss.”

Beau’s throat was too swollen to speak, but the rest of him still worked. He had Kylo towed against him in an instant. Their lips met. The kiss quickly turned heated—like no one watched them. Beau heard the clapping and congratulations. He didn’t see anyone except Kylo. He never thought this would be his life. Sometimes he would still get scared it wasn’t. He half expected it to fall apart, but Kylo never so much as sipped wine. Beau knew Kylo wouldn’t let him down and become the person Tabitha had become. Some fears simply lived too deep to ever completely disappear. The happiness in his soul went even deeper than the terror. He knew this was the love he had waited his entire life to find. It was too beautiful to be anything else.

Kylo absolutely adored that he had gotten the drop on Beau by arranging for his family and friends to be there. Beau cared more about others than he wanted them to know, and Kylo knew it killed him not to have his sons around. Kylo got it. Being hard kept Beau alive. He had Kylo now to watch his back. Beau could let his guard down a little.

While sitting in Beau’s lap, they took turns feeding each other cake. Lively conversation went on around them. The boys playfully argued over something neither wanted to take the blame for as teens. Some sort of destruction of property. Kylo barely listened. His entire focus was on Beau’s touch.

“I still can’t believe you did this.”

Kylo shrugged. “When you said you wanted it to be just us, I saw your expression. You didn’t want that. I couldn’t let you settle. But wow, did you make it difficult. I barely got a second alone with anyone to plan. Every time we got into the details, you’d pop right back into the room. Then you didn’t want to have the tent, and I thought I would lose my mind.”

“The tent is a security issue. I only have so many guards I trust to cover such a large area. Reggie might’ve dropped off the map, but I know he’s biding his time. Our wedding is exactly the type of thing he’d want to destroy.”

Kylo bit his lip. A hint of guilt over holding his tongue wormed its way through him.

“What?” Beau leaned back and eyed him. “I know that guilty look. What did you do?”

Kylo winced. “I might’ve had a friend of mine make him disappear.”

Beau blinked. “What?”

The shock written in Beau’s every line might have been funny any other time. Kylo flashed a guilty smile.

“Please excuse us.” Beau stood and carried Kylo from the reception area they had rented. He checked room after room until he found what looked like an unused dressing room for events. Beau set him on a bench built into the wall in front of a mirror. “Spill.”

He looked so stern. Kylo twisted his fingers, panicking a bit. They had just married. He couldn’t lose him already. “When I was part of a big production in L.A., my co-lead was a guy named Rain Agafonov.”

Beau’s eyebrows rose.

Kylo wasn’t surprised Beau had heard of him. “By your reaction, I assume you know his other career.”

“Uh, yeah. I thought the guy was a ghost no one knew how to find. Most people don’t just visit an assassin.”

Kylo shrugged. “He’s my friend. Anyhow, Reggie kept showing up at every performance and it always upset me. Rain kind of joked that he would make Reggie disappear if I wanted. At the time, I laughed it off. But then, after a show one night, we were headed home. Rain and I always parked next to each other and walked each other to the car at night. Anyhow, we were headed to the parking lot and these three huge guys came from nowhere. I just sort of stood there frozen while all three men seemed to drop dead around me, and Rain wasn’t even out of breath afterward. I hugged him so hard, still thinking he somehow just reacted out of fight or flight. He kind of just rubbed my back and told me not to worry about a thing. Rain told me to go home and wait for him. He’d be there soon, and we’d talk, but for me not to talk to anyone else before he got there. I did, and he showed up a few hours later. We talked until the sun came up. It was a very eye-opening discussion. I finally realized he had been serious about Reggie because I never heard a thing about those men again. We stayed friends even after the production ended. Over the years, we’ve been in other shows together. Strangely, I forgot all about that night until you were shot. I didn’t know if you’d live, and I was out of my head.” Kylo shrugged. “I just kind of got in the car and drove to his place. We spoke, and I told him I was ready to take him up on his offer.” Kylo’s hands rose and fell. “Just as he promised, Reggie vanished.”

He didn’t like Beau’s expression. Kylo couldn’t read him. Panic rose in his chest. Every second he got closer and closer to hyperventilating. Before he could stop it, a tear escaped him.

“Please don’t be mad at me, Daddy. I just couldn’t deal with Reggie anymore. He tried to take you from me. I couldn’t let him.”

Beau swiped away the tear that rolled down Kylo’s cheek. “I’m not angry, baby. You just caught me off guard. You should’ve told me sooner, so I didn’t waste my men’s time.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “And Rain Agafonov is a hell of a wildcard for my back pocket.”

“No.” Kylo didn’t mean to sound so hard, but this was a firm line for him. “Rain is off limits. He’s my friend. Nobody will be using him. He’s been used enough in his life. He deserves peace. I wouldn’t have gone to him if I hadn’t been desperate.” Even Kylo heard how distressed he sounded. He couldn’t stop it. He loved Beau, but he couldn’t let Beau try to use Rain for his own gain.

“Okay. It’s okay. Just take a breath.” Beau went down on his haunches, getting on Kylo’s level, trying to calm him. The move made Kylo realize exactly how upset he had gotten. “I’m sorry. If you say no, I’ll always listen. Okay?”

Kylo nodded. “Okay.” He took a breath. “Thank you. Rain means a lot to me. I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

Unexpectedly, Beau shook his head and laughed. “Rain Agafonov. Reggie Ferris. No fucking wonder you didn’t even flinch when you learned who I am. God, you’re the bravest and strongest person I know. I love you so much.”

Everything inside Kylo warmed. “I love you too. Being your husband is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Beau shifted to his knees and inched closer. His hands ran up Kylo’s thighs. “What will your mom say when she finds out you got married and didn’t tell her until afterward?”

Kylo shrugged. “I don’t know. Our gift from her will be nice, though, I’m sure.”

Beau shook his head again. His expression changed, turning heated. His fingers walked their way to the zipper of Kylo’s pajamas. Kylo’s cock stirred as he slowly slid it down. His mouth went dry. Beau was incredibly sexual. He might have been the older one, but he kept Kylo fed and exhausted.

“We have guests.”

Beau smirked. “I guess you’d better come quickly, then.” He hauled Kylo closer. He had Kylo’s dick out and in his mouth in seconds. Kylo gripped the edge of the bench and sucked in a ragged breath as his erection hit the back of Beau’s throat. The sight of his sexy silver fox bobbing on his cock had Kylo racing toward the edge. Dark eyes that saw all the way to his soul focused on Kylo. A stuttered breath burst from him. Lust and love filled him to the point of painful. He bit back a cry as he blew on Beau’s tongue so fast it was almost embarrassing. Even just over a year ago, Kylo couldn’t picture a life like this. That suffocating loneliness that he lived with every day felt like a million years ago. He knew that was Beau’s doing. Each and every day, Beau woke up and worked for them. He drowned Kylo in attention and love. Kylo was determined he would always do the same for his king. Maybe that crown wasn’t cursed after all. It had brought them together in a way nothing else could. He might owe his mom a phone call after all. Fate had shown up and out for them. Kylo would never stop being grateful. He had found heaven.

Austen’s book is the first book in a new series, Killers Inc. It’s called Dancer . Even though he’s been in a few of my books, you don’t have to read any of them to enjoy the new series. Mickey and Henry will also be in the new series.