Page 66 of Sire

“Was I?”

“Uh, yeah,” Jace huffs. “Because they’re dumbasses, right?”

I shrug. “Any man’s a dumbass if you think you can keep a secret from a woman for long. From what I gather, Alena doesn’t know who you are? That you’re ex-Bratva?”

Axel sneers at Sire, “And just how doesSHEknow who we are?”

“Okay, first.” My fists land on my waist. “If y’all don’t stop talkingoverwomen instead oftous, your beds will stay as cold as cast-iron commodes. We want to fuck dicks, not marry them. And second, you’re as dumb as a barrel of hair if you think ignorance is protection. Tell that to the parents who used the pull-out method. Alena needs to know who you are.Thatkeeps her safe.”

I turn and grab a packet of antibiotic ointment.

“And besides,” I talk with my back to them, cutting the packet open. “Sire told me who y’all are because take it from a country girl who’s dealt with swinging dicks before; I’d rather know and duck than get blindsided by one.”

I pause, the sudden image of all these swinging dicks in the room invading my mind. But in my imagination, they’re hard and hot, so I clarify, “I mean, warn us about flaccid, floppy dicks. The big, hard ones, we like.”

Loch starts laughing while Jace howls, “Can we marry her now, please?”

Sire shakes his head, grinning. “I’m working on it.”

I chew my lip, excited for what that means, before I turn to Loch with ointment on my fingertip. “Hold still.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He bends down so I can reach him.

“Can we talk about Alena? And who’s marrying her?” Axel brings everyone back to the argument.

“Next weekend, I’m proposing to her,” Loch proclaims while I dab his eyebrow. “And I’d like your blessing, Nash. You know I would, but either way, you can’t stop me.”

“Did you buy her a big diamond?” I whisper to him.

“Sorta,” Loch whispers back. “She likes simple stuff. So, it’s a band of small diamonds.”

“Nice choice.” I nudge him before covering his cut with a sterile bandage.

He nudges me back as Nash seethes, “She’s my daughter, and my responsibility above all. Yes, you can marry her. And no, she will not find out who we are. And Wren?”

I turn his way.

“I’m talking straight to you because I respect what you said,” Nash addresses me. “In most cases, yes, it’s best to know. But in the circles we run in, and the ones we rescued you from, if they think you or Alena know something, and they get a hold of you, they will traffick and torture you and?—”

“Been there, done that,” I calmly argue. “I love you guys. I know I just met you, but after what you did for me? Done. I love you. You have my loyalty. But ultimately, you can’t protect us. Safety is an illusion.”

“But wedidprotect you, Angel.” Sire steps toward me. “Yes, you’ve been through some shit, but it would’ve been a lot worse if I wasn’t there. And you’re right. We can’t always protect you, but we will die trying. Together.”

He cups my cheeks, giving me a deep kiss before he huffs over our lips, “Goddamn, little woman, you’re amazing.”

Then he turns to his brothers. “And we’re not fighting anymore. Nothing tears us apart. Understood?”

They nod.

“Let us do it, Wren.” Loch arches his bandaged brow. “Let us go up into those mountains and go after that man for you.”

Jace crosses his arms. “We promise we’ll get him.”

“We promise your home may be gone, but we’ll get your land back, too,” Axel adds.

“And we won’t hurt Alan,” Sire assures me. “We’ll get him the help he needs, but his dad?” Sire narrows his eyes. “He’s going to lose his head for laying a hand on my woman.”

“Aw, fuck,” Jace mutters. “Sire’s about to go all biblical again for her.”