Page 87 of Thorns of Deceit

RAVEN

Iwoke to the sensation of Aiden’s warmth, my body curled against him and my face nestled into his chest, his steady heart beating under my cheek. The familiar scent of leather clung to him, earthy and comforting, and I snuggled in closer, eager to fill my lungs.

In the soft morning light, his features were unguarded, and he looked ten years younger. The hard lines that usually creased his features had vanished, replaced by a rare calm that made my heart ache a little.

For a moment, I stayed still, memorizing him like this. Or maybe remembering how he’d been before my life was forever altered in that explosion.

Unwilling to revisit the ghosts I’d been outrunning for the past five years, I forced myself to move, inch by inch, making sure I didn’t wake him. There would be no running this time, not without endangering my friends’ lives.

I eased my body from under the sheets. The mattress dipped and creaked beneath me, loud in the silence, but I didn’t stop.My feet ground against the cold floor as I reached for his discarded shirt and my panties.

Once dressed, I padded out of the bedroom and straight into two familiar faces.

“Good morning, sister-in-law,” Tyran said with a grin that was far too pleased for this early in the day.

I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “You two are just standing there like that? It’s seriously creepy.”

The twins didn’t move. Just stood side by side in the hallway, watching me. I pulled the T-shirt farther down my knees and folded my arms across my chest.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“We just got back,” Kyran answered.

Okay, I guess that was a plus. When they didn’t move, I let out an exasperated breath. “Well, are we just going to stand here in the hallway or what?”

The twins shared a glance, then chuckled.

“Must not have slept much, considering how grumpy you are,” Tyran remarked with an arched brow.

I rolled my eyes. “Do you two practice being weird, or does it come naturally?”

Ignoring them as best I could, my cheeks burning with embarrassment, I brushed past them and headed toward the living room. I was eager for an escape, or at least some space to breathe.

But the moment I stepped through the archway, I froze.

The grand living room, with its soaring ceilings and glittering chandelier, had been completely transformed. Confetti sparkled like tiny stars across the polished floor, catching the light. At the center of the room stood a round table draped in pristine white linen, crowned with a breathtaking arrangement of red roses. Ivy trailed delicately around the vase, winding upward like it was holding the flowers in a gentle embrace.

Soft music drifted through the air—classical, maybe, or something close—filling the space with a warmth I hadn’t expected.

I blinked, taking a hesitant step forward.

“What… what is this?” I breathed, eyes wide as I took it all in.

Kyran shrugged. “Ask your husband.”

“He’s sleeping, so I’m asking you,” I whispered, unable to peel my eyes from the sight.

“Aiden wanted to surprise you,” Tyran said, his tone uncharacteristically warm.

“I believe he called it ‘starting over,’” Kyran muttered, arms crossed. “Although, if you were my wife, there’d be no starting over. I’d strangle you.”

“Kyran,” Tyran snapped, casting a sharp look at his brother.

“What?” Kyran shot back, raising his hands in mock innocence. “Legally, she’s already dead anyway.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Asshole.”

“Damn straight I am,” he said without missing a beat, his expression hardening. “You weren’t there to watch your death”—he made air quotes around the last word—“rip him apart. He blamed himself, drank himself half to death, and threw himself into dangerous situations daily.”