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“I forgot what this was like.” Her voice was soft. “This reality is better than anything I imagined.” She pulled back and pushed up on her toes before kissing me. “Will you sit and eat with me?”

“Yes.” I would do anything she asked me to.

I set her plate in front of her as I made up another for me. Della waited for me to sit before she tried anything on her plate. Gods, this is what I had always pictured with her: mundane everyday things that were a million times better because they were done with her.

“What is your favorite color?” she asked with a soft moan of appreciation for the food she tried. She liked it, and that made me happy.

“Whatever color your eyes are,” I said without having to think about it. “Silver?” I looked at her as she gaped at me. “Starlight?”

Her cheeks flushed as she continued to eat. I glanced down at the ring she still wore and smiled.

“What?” She smiled.

“You still wear my ring. It just makes me really happy to see it.”

She instantly twisted it on her finger.

“We never got to get married.” She looked at me. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she struggled to decide if she should say what she wanted to. “I always wondered if maybe you asked me that morning only because you knew you were going to die.”

The realization that she thought that was soul-crushing.

I set my silverware down and turned toward her, frowning.

I felt like an asshole. I didn’t think about how my decisions were going to make her view our story.

I gave her this ring because I was hopelessly in love with her.

She deserved to know what my intentions were before I died.

“No, I asked because I love you, and I still plan on marrying you.” Her eyes shined brightly as a smile overtook her pretty face. “Besides, that isn’t just a ring.”

“It isn’t?” She lifted it to inspect it. The red stones glowed like they enjoyed her attention. “What is it?”

“It is my star.”

Della’s entire body stilled at my confession.

I watched her closely, taking in everything about her reaction, and it didn’t disappoint.

Slowly, her eyes lifted to meet mine, and they were burning so bright that I had to squint to watch her.

But then I realized her entire body was glowing like a fucking star.

I exhaled through my nose when she gave me the most breathtaking smile she ever had.

“You gave me your star.”

“It was always meant to be yours.” I smiled.

Della launched at me, her mouth crushing mine, her tongue sweeping across my lips, and I let her in, humming as she pulled me against her.

She straddled me on the chair, her hands running through my hair.

Fuck, I needed to make her this happy every day.

Her hips rolled against me. My hands gripped her and tugged her against me.

She pulled back as her hand slipped up the inside of my tunic.

She dragged her fingers against my bare skin as she tugged it off.

Leaning forward, she kissed down my neck. Her teeth skimmed against my skin as she rolled her hips slowly into me. I couldn’t help the moan that escaped me as my eyes closed. My eyes opened when her hands untied my trousers before slipping her hand inside so she could grip me.

“Fuck, Storm,” I whispered as my mouth fell open.

My greedy eyes could not look away from where she stroked me exactly how I liked it.

I reached forward and didn’t give her warning as my mouth crushed into hers.

My tongue swept against hers as my hand twisted in her hair, holding her to me.

Her hand moved faster, and I pulled away and forced her to look down so she could see what she did to me.

“That’s it, Storm, do not stop,” I begged.

I looked up at her through my lashes, and she was watching my face.

Her eyes burned red with desire. Fucking hell.

Della smiled as she slid off of me, pushing the table away as she went.

Her hand did not stop moving as she slid to her knees in front of me.

My stomach clenched as she leaned forward and licked up my entire length before pulling me into her mouth.

Della looked up at me with her lips wrapped around my cock, and I almost lost it.

“Don’t look at me like that unless you want me to cum immediately,” I warned her, and she smiled.

“Fuck, Storm, you feel so good. I will give you anything; I will do anything you wish if you do not stop what you are doing.”

She hummed against me as her hand moved in tandem with her mouth. I was about to cum, and she knew it because her hand tightened on me and worked me harder.

“Della, that’s fucking per—”

A knock on the door had both of us freezing. Della went to pull away, but I stopped her by twisting her hair in my hands. I held her in place.

“Please, finish. I am almost there.” Her eyes flashed red as she pulled me farther into her mouth, and I surged my hips forward, desperate to cum in her mouth.

“Yes, fuck,” I moaned softly. Della moaned around me as I slid deep into her throat and came. My gods above, I was seeing stars when I closed my eyes. Della pulled back, and I gripped her jaw with my hand.

“Good girl, Storm. Now kiss me.”

She leaned up and kissed me with her red, swollen lips. Another knock on the door made us both remember someone was here. Della’s eyes widened as she picked up my tunic and threw it at me.

“Clean yourself up.” She was frantic. “It’s going to be your parents.”

“Shit.” I fixed my clothing as she slipped off of me and ran up the stairs to dress. I took very slow breaths and tried to think of anything that wasn’t Della. My hands ran over my clothes to make sure I didn’t look like I just came so hard I saw the heavens.

“Della, sweetheart, it’s us!” My father’s voice echoed from the front door. “We didn’t know you’d be coming to the house; we thought we’d drop off some food.”

I heard the door close and froze when they walked around the corner. My parents stopped and stared at me. Holden and Sara were with them. I smiled.

“Haden.” My mother’s voice broke slightly. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen you.”

“You look great.” My father came up and hugged me. I could feel the emotions bubbling up. Even though they were not my actual parents, they were so wonderful. I loved them as if they were my own. One by one they came and hugged me. After Sarah pulled back, I looked over each of them.

“Della was just getting dressed. Would you like to join us for breakfast?”

“Yes,” they all said quickly.

I nodded as my mother unpacked all the food she brought for Della. A laugh escaped me because she always made too much. We sat down, and I loaded my plate with my mother’s food. I missed her cooking. They were all watching me with curious eyes as I dug in.

“So, Haden, Della tells us you are a guard for Crimson. That is so wonderful.” Penelope smiled.

“Della talked about me over the years?” I don’t know why I thought she wouldn’t. Probably because things had been so tense between us after Remiah died. We were mates, for fuck’s sake, and it still made me feel warm inside that she talked about me.

“Of course.” Henry smiled. “She’s fond of you.”

I watched all of them staring at me like I was the most precious thing they had ever lost. How odd must this be for them? They sat there watching me, knowing I was once their son, but now I was a stranger. I would always love Della more because she made sure they were okay after I died.

Then I realized I could just tell them that I remembered them.

“I know who you guys are,” I finally said, not being able to hold it in anymore. They all looked at one another before looking back at me.

“Umm…” Henry started, but I smiled.

“You are my family.” They all looked at me like they heard me wrong.

“My mother and father got married after knowing each other for two days.

Holden, you and I used to sneak out of our room at night to go gamble against fights.

You fell in love with Sara the moment you saw her; you even told me that you were going to marry her that very day.

Mother, you used to sing us a random song you made up before bed.

Father, your art is still my favorite after all these years.

I still use the techniques you taught me when I was a child.

“I know this is a shock, but I remember you, and I don’t really know how to explain it. You have all been so wonderful to Della, and I don’t know if I can ever repay you for that.”

No one moved for a moment before they all started crying and stood up to hug me. I stood quickly, hugging them to me like I had wanted to every time I’d seen them. I realized I was still taller than all of them as I opened my eyes and saw Della smiling from the doorway. I smiled at her.

“We have missed you so much, son.” My mother cried.

Holden turned and looked at Della, moving to her and hugging her tightly to him. She whispered something to him in response to whatever he said. Della pulled back and patted his cheek with a big smile. I knew it was irrational, but I didn’t like it. Storm looked at me and gave me a knowing look.

“Don’t worry, Haden, Holden and I were agreeing that you were always perfect for me.

You were always the right brother.” Her smile widened.

I stepped forward and kissed her before we all sat down at the table.

Della’s eyes immediately glanced over everything my mother brought and added more food to her plate.

“You told them about your bond with Holden?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes, we were all rooting for you to come back as my mate.”

I squeezed her hand, and she looked at me.

“I always knew it was you," Della said, confidently.

Relief flitted through me. From that first meeting in Akecia, I knew it was her too. I thought I had lost my damn mind that day in Akecia because she said we weren’t mates.I wish I didn't wipe her memories of that day so I could ask is she saw the dead bond between us.

My parents began talking about random events I had missed out on.

I realized they were careful not to bring up Remiah.

The last time I saw them was with her. Part of me still wondered where Remiah would be now.

Would she have been married to Mikel and had all those damn kids she always talked about?

Like Holden, Remiah was special to me. Both of them were nothing like my other siblings.

I actually loved these ones like family.

My other siblings and I did not interact much in Hell.

We lived in one giant castle, each with our own area.

We didn’t eat together, or talk, or do anything in each other's company. The only time we got together was to talk about escaping Hell. It wasn’t a family.

It was a bunch of angry roommates. This is what a family was.

This is what I wanted to create with Della.

My gaze went to her as she laughed at my father’s terrible joke.

They were talking about something that I wasn’t here for, and I loved her more knowing that she took care of them when I died.

I do not know how I ever became lucky enough to get her as a mate.

But I would give the stars anything to make sure I was never taken from her again.

Della looked at me and smiled brightly. She reached her hand to mine and held it tightly.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you more.”

After we finished eating, we went outside and sat by the pond.

It was extremely warm today, and the slight breeze was perfect.

I stood back and watched Della and my family laughing and joking.

This was everything I never knew I needed or wanted.

Della glanced at me and nodded for me to come over to her.

I sat next to her on the blanket she brought out.

“So, you will be around for good now?” Holden asked me.

Everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

“Yes.” I smiled. “You aren’t getting rid of me again.”

Holden looked at Della and smiled with sincere happiness. I still think it would have been easy for her to fall in love with him. Holden was always so kind. He was definitely not as rough around the edges as I was. He would have treated her well.

A tinge of guilt hit me when I realized that maybe Della would have been better without me. What if Holden had been the better choice for her? Della was staring at me, and she must have known what I was thinking because she grabbed my hand tightly.

“You were the only right choice. Only you could love me the way I needed to be loved.”

I nodded as she scooted closer and hugged me.