Page 124 of Savage Empire

“Tempting,” I drawl, reluctantly pulling off my ring and putting it in my pocket. “But we’ll tell him after he’s gotten half way into dinner. He’s excited about the prime rib, and I don’t know how he’ll react. If he’s mad, I want him to have had some before he storms off.”

“He won’t be mad.”

I bite my lip, hearing the certainty in his tone. “You think so?”

“He loves us both very much, Rayna. He won’t be mad. Confused, possibly wary and cautious, but not angry.”

“I hope so.” I wrap my arms around myself, contemplating. “He’ll probably be thrilled to move into your place. He spends most of his time there as it is.”

“You’ll get used to it too,” he replies like he’s read my mind.

“It’ll be crowded,” I counter softly. “The kitchen won’t be mine.”

Chuckling, Apollo reaches forward, resting a hand on the side of my neck. “We can build our own place on the property, if you’d like. We’ll have unexpected visitors barge in at all hours, and we’ll be a short walk from the main house…but the kitchen would be yours. And the space would be ours.”

“We can do that?” I ask, surprised. “You would do that?”

“Sure.” He lifts a shoulder like it’s no big deal. “Jade plans to do the same. There are plenty of acres to work with, and privacy would be desirable. I prefer peace and quiet, and that’s difficult with a house full of chaos.”

“Yeah,” I agree, feeling a smile tug at my lips. “Our own place would be nice. But we didn’t put it in the contract?—”

“Consider it a wedding present,” he cuts in. “It doesn’t need to be a contractual condition. We’ll work on plans for it after the wedding.”

Noise coming from the stairs has his hand falling away and me taking a step back. There must be a nervous look on my face because Apollo discreetly squeezes my hand behind the counter. “It’ll be okay,micina.Just breathe.”

“Oh good, you’re here,” Yordan calls out, coming into the kitchen with still-damp hair. “Please tell me it’s time to eat now.”

“Yes, Yordan,” I reply with a huff. “It’s time to eat.”

Dinner starts as a quiet affair. My brother has been eating huge portions lately and devouring them like they’re an appetizer. He’s always been a food lover, but since starting to work out and training nearly everyday, he’s practically clearing out the fridge faster than I can stock it.

It seems I did a good job with the meat, both Apollo and Yordan tell me so. I have to agree, it came out tender and flavorful, but I’ve only managed to take a few bites. My appetite is suffering under the anticipation of what’s to come. I’m not particularly afraid, but I’m nervous and the waiting only adds to my impatient anxiety.

After a while, I’ve had enough.

“Apollo and I are going to get married.”

Yordan chokes on his drink, coughing it down. I wince, wishing I would have paused for him to swallow before dropping the news so abruptly.

“What the fuck?” he rasps, eyes wide.

“Smooth, love,” Apollo comments, looking amused.

“You try to break that news casually,” I huff, crossing my arms. “I’ve been trying to say it for the past five minutes.”

“You two?” Yordan asks, gaping as he swings his gaze between us. “Since when are you two a thing? All you dois bicker! Have you been seeing each other behind my back? When?”

I hesitate. “That was so many questions at once.”

“We have not been dating behind your back,” Apollo replies diplomatically, choosing one question to answer at a time. “We share mutual life goals and have decided to enter into a marriage agreement.”

He makes it sound like a business deal.

Probably best to describe it to Yordan in that way,I admit silently.

My brother blinks. “Is this a prank?”

“When have I ever pulled a prank on you?” I ask incredulously. Pulling my ring out of my pocket, I slide it back into place and hold up my hand. “We’re not making a joke, Yordan.”