Page 11

11

Kruger

T-minus two days.

In two days, I would have locked my girl down. Jessica May Park would officially be Jessica May Kruger.

I don’t want to hear nothing about me giving my girl the name of a serial killer. She loves horror movies. Besides, didn’t I already tell you? It’s spelled different.

I was so close to accomplishing what I’d been working toward for years that I could practically taste it. And damn, what a sweet flavor.

Just a few more minor details to work out and it would be smooth sailing to the altar. Well, the back deck of this castle, but same difference, right?

I mean, I’d much rather get married in the fresh winter air with a view that was as endless as the possibilities of our life together than at some old stuffy altar. No offense to you bros who prefer that. Different strokes for different folks and all.

I hit a few more keys on the keyboard and then sat back, completely satisfied. Smirking, I glanced at my phone lying beside the laptop. Bunch of posers still sleeping it up in bed while I was out here being epic.

Who’s the moron now, my bros?

Movement in the archway leading into the kitchen had me looking up from the table to see Arsen step in, his arm stretched behind him with Prism attached at the end.

I had a few reservations about Arsen when he first started coming around my brother. Okay, fine. More than a few. Enough to fill up a dump truck.

But I had to admit he was good to P. Fine. Better than good. But don’t tell him I said that. I still had to make him work for it. Truth is it wasn’t an easy adjustment for me, sharing my brother with someone else. Not being the automatic go-to for Prism was a tough pill to swallow. And another truth bomb? I didn’t realize just how much mental time and space it took to protect him.

Yeah, yeah , he was a grown-ass man who didn’t need protecting, but you know what? Fuck that because, yes, he did. And I wanted to do it. He was my ride-or-die, my second-in-command. Right next to Jess, he was the most important person in my life.

When Arsen came around, I had to loosen my grip a little, make room for someone else. I never realized just how tight that grip was. It was rough but also maybe kinda nice. Because now I had a little more time to focus on Jess. On the life I wanted to build with her.

Probably why I’m so obsessed with getting wedlocked.

Maybe that loosened grip on your bestie is making the grip on your girl even tighter.

Who’s in there? Whoever you are, I don’t appreciate the head shrinking.

“I thought you two were still in bed,” I said by way of greeting.

“Yeah, until the phones kept going off,” Prism grumbled.

“Sit down, princess. I’ll make you some coffee,” Arsen said, pulling out a chair at the table and pushing P into it.

He was disgruntled and a little rumpled-looking with dark hair sticking out over one of his ears, tired eyes, and wearing the sweater Arsen definitely wore yesterday.

“Do you ever wear your own clothes anymore?” I wondered.

P scowled and pulled the sleeves over his hands, crossing his arms over his chest.

A whirring sound over at the massive island brought my head around. “Arsen, what the hell are you doing?” I asked even as I watched him top a mug of coffee with a pile of whipped cream.

After returning it to the fridge, he pulled out a bottle of chocolate sauce and drizzled that over the cream.

Spoiled. He spoiled my brother.

“You planning to become a barista?” I cracked. “Maybe I should get you an apron for Christmas.”

Arsen gave me a stony look and carried the mug over to slide it in front of Prism. “Here, baby,” he said softly, then went back into the kitchen to get himself some coffee sans the sugar on top.

Back at the table, Arsen hauled a chair nearly on top of Prism’s and sat down. P gave him some googly heart eyes and uncrossed his arms to wrap his sweater-covered paws around the mug he’d been given. “Thanks, bear.”

I lifted my hands, palms up. “Where’s mine?”

Arsen thumbed over his shoulder to the coffee pot on the counter. The coffee I had brewed when I came in here. Grabbing my empty cup, I went to refill it.

“Why are you awake so early?” Arsen asked.

Feeling proud of myself, I answered, “I just booked me and Jess a honeymoon.”

“A honeymoon?” Prism asked, craning his head over Arsen’s shoulder.

“I know it’s unfair, P. Arsen gives you whipped cream and chocolate, and I hand out trips to Hawaii. But what can I say? I’m one of a kind.”

He let out a strangled sound. “ Hawaii? ”

I glanced at Arsen, silently wondering if he caught on to the surprise in his boyfriend’s voice. Arsen already had eyes on him, so I assumed that would be a yes.

“Well, yeah. I mean, I know this wedding was kinda a last-minute thing, but you didn’t really think I’d just marry her on the deck in the snow and then call it a day, did you?” I asked. “My final girl deserves a honeymoon.”

Then, around a sip of coffee, I said, “It’s bad enough our parents made themselves non grata around here.”

Prism leaned forward. “Your parents really aren’t coming?”

“What am I missing?” Arsen asked.

“Ben’s parents aren’t the most supportive of his relationship with Jess,” P told him. Then glancing back to me, he said, “I thought they’d come around.”

To Arsen, I explained further. “Point blank, my parents are snooty snobs, and they don’t think Jess is good enough because her parents are addicts and she grew up in the ghetto.”

Arsen’s eyebrows flew up. “Her parents are addicts?”

I looked at Prism. “You didn’t tell him?”

“I told him they weren’t around and she didn’t come from money.” Prism defended himself. Then to Arsen, he said, “I didn’t want to just blurt that out. It’s not my sister’s fault her mom is…”

Arsen hooked his hand around the back of Prism’s neck and pulled him in. “It’s okay, baby. I get it. Talking about deadbeat parents isn’t your favorite.”

“Besides, she doesn’t see her mom anymore.” Prism defended himself further.

Arsen leaned in, pressing his forehead against Prism’s. “You’re okay,” he said softly.

“You got a problem with my wife’s background?” I questioned Arsen.

Prism jolted, serving up a hella dirty look.

“Drink your sugar,” I told him.

“No.” Arsen was sure. “But I do have a problem with you trying to boss Matthew.”

“ Anyway ,” I said, dramatically moving away from all that. We’d had enough drama already. “I called my parents and told them about the wedding, extended an invite on a silver platter. But I also told them not to come if they couldn’t be one hundred percent supportive and mean it. They aren’t welcome here if they upset Jess in any way on her wedding day.”

“And they really said they wouldn’t come?” Prism pressed.

“Mom said she’d let me know,” I answered, sitting back to swipe my palm over my face. “Haven’t heard shit since.”

Prism abandoned his fancy coffee and turned his back on the man who made it to produce his phone from somewhere in that stolen sweater and hold it up. Scowling, he said. “I’m gonna text them.”

“Whoa, whoa,” I said, leaning over the wooden tabletop to put my hand over his phone and push it down. “Cease fire on the mean face emojis, bro.”

“Fuck those emojis. I’m going straight to words. Bad ones.”

Arsen and I exchanged a look. Arsen frowned.

“How about we put a hold on that?” I said, slipping the phone from his hands to lay it facedown on the table. “They aren’t worth all that.”

“You are,” Prism said.

My face snapped up. My heart got a little warm. “Bro.”

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Prism said, leaning over the corner of the table to hug me. “You deserve better and so does Jess. Someday, they’re going to regret this. They’re stupid for not wanting you in their life.”

There was a lump in my throat. It burned. And my eyes? They burned too. “You think maybe the wood in the fireplace is putting out too much smoke, A?” I asked over P’s shoulder. “Seems a little hazy in here.”

Arsen was silent a beat, watching his boyfriend hug me. “I’ll go check.” Then, “It will only take a second.” He said that last part for me. Letting me know he wasn’t leaving Prism alone for long because he was worried.

Arsen headed into the great room, and Prism pulled back. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Honestly. The people that mean the most to me are already here.”

He seemed skeptical.

I sighed. “Hurts my feelings a little that they treat Jess like this, you know? I mean, she didn’t even post on socials about the wedding because she was worried it would get back to her mom and she’d come sniffing around for money. Would’ve been nice if my mom could have, ya know, been here for her.”

Prism nodded, and Arsen stepped back into the room. “Fire is fine. I added some wood,” he announced.

“My kids ain’t even gonna have a grandma.”

Prism physically reacted, shooting up and then back into his seat. The move was so sudden it spiked my heart rate. “Kids?” His voice was a little high-pitched. “Is Jess pregnant?”

“What?” I exclaimed. “No. No way. I was talking about in the future,” I said. “Not that I wouldn’t be happy if she was.”

“Isn’t it kinda soon to have a baby?” Prism asked.

“No. I mean, I know what I want. I’ve always known since the day I saw her. But I know she wants to finish college first. So kids will be a while.”

Arsen’s hand was wrapped around the back of Prism’s neck again, his legs spread so Prism was practically between them.

“You okay?” I asked.

Leaning back into Arsen, he nodded. “Yeah, I guess the talk about babies kinda threw me off.”

“You not ready to be an uncle yet, P?” I teased. “You got some time yet.”

“So Hawaii?” Arsen asked, curling an arm around P from behind.

Grinning, I turned the laptop around to show them the screen that held the confirmation for the trip I’d just booked. “Six days at an all-inclusive resort in Maui. It’s going to be sweet.”

“You’ll be home in time for Christmas?” Prism asked.

I smiled. “You worried I’d leave you alone to fend for yourself with Arsen’s parents?”

We were doing a blended Christmas this year with Arsen’s parents, P’s gram, and the four of us at the senator’s house.

“I think he’s more worried you won’t be there,” Arsen said, giving me a measured look.

A quick glance at Prism’s pink cheeks and I realized he was right. “Bro, did you think I’d just abandon you? We always do Christmas together. That won’t change.”

“Even if you’re married now?”

“Especially now that I’m married.”

Prism nodded but said nothing. I recognized that look. The retreat.

“Hey,” I said, reaching over to grab his shoulder. “You know that just because me and Jess are making it official doesn’t mean things will change between us. You’re still my ride-or-die.”

“Until you have kids.”

Whoa . I got up from the chair to stand in front of my brother. When he didn’t look up, I dropped to his level and tapped his knee to make him look at me.

“Me having kids won’t change anything either. You will always be my family. I will always be here for you. You know that…” I glanced at Arsen, who seemed concerned, then back to P. “Right?”

“Things will be different.”

My brother did not like change. It made him very uncomfortable. Why didn’t I realize until now that he would be having a hard time with this? Loosening my grip didn’t mean dropping him.

Damn. No wonder he looked a little tired and rumpled.

Standing, I pulled him out of the chair.

“What—”

I cut off his question with a hug. Just wrapped my arms around him and locked tight.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly by his ear. “I was so busy freaking out over my own hangups and speed planning this wedding that I didn’t check in with you.”

“I’m not your responsibility,” Prism said, arms at his sides while I hugged it out.

I scoffed. “No, but you’re my brother, and I love you.”

“Ben.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, P. I can say it out loud. That pink shirt I’ve been wearing lately really put me in touch with my feelings.”

“You aren’t the dumbest person alive, but you better hope they’re not taking vitamins,” Arsen muttered.

I made a face. “Oooh, good one, Arsen. Did you find that in a donation pile? ‘Cause no way that was original.”

Prism pulled back.

“Listen,” I said, refocusing on my best friend. “I know this is a change, but it’s really just making things more of what they already are. We’ll still all share an apartment, still swim, go to classes. Spend the holidays together. Me and Jess will just have the same last name. You know that’s important to me, right? I need her to know we’re permanent.”

“You need to know it, too,” P pointed out.

I could have played it off. I thought about it. But then I decided not to because he needed real. “Yeah, I need to know it too.” Cocking my head to the side, I said, “You know the offer still stands.”

Prism’s brows wrinkled.

“What offer?” Arsen asked like one of them damn dogs with a big nose. The kind that was always sniffing into your business.

“This is brother time,” I told him, gesturing between Prism and myself. “Go check the fire again.”

He remained rooted in place.

Turning back, I said, “Remember the day I proposed to Jess?”

“Yeah,” Prism answered.

“And I told you that I’d give you my last name too.”

“What!” Arsen spat, snatching Prism around the waist from behind and yanking him into his body. “The hell you will!”

“I said no.” Prism reminded us.

That didn’t make the feral look on Arsen’s face any better.

Ah, good times.

“Yeah, but that was then. And I’m reminding you now that you can have it. Hell, I’ll pay for the filing fees. Then all three of us will have the same name. Maybe it would make things feel more permanent for you too.”

And just like that, Prism was removed from my line of sight, and in his place was his taller, broader, and more sinister boyfriend. His lips were planted in a firm line, the piercings barely noticeable, and black brows slashed over his onyx stare, practically grinding that coal color into diamonds.

He leaned in, lording his extra inches over me, nostrils flaring.

“Maybe you shoulda had some extra sugar in your coffee. You look a little on edge.”

“Did you seriously just offer my boyfriend your name?” he said, quiet.

“He can still be your boyfriend with my last name.”

“You think that’s funny?” Arsen asked, and, bro, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up a little. He shifted, leaning in farther.

“Arsen,” Prism said somewhere behind him.

“Because I promise you there is not a single cell in my entire body laughing right now. I accept you as Matthew’s brother. Hell, even mine. But he will never have your name. The only name Matthew will be wearing is mine.” The muscles in his jaw shifted, and I swear I heard his teeth grind. Unclenching, he asked. “You understand me?”

“I understand that if I looked up territorial asshole in the dictionary, your picture would be there.”

“Your dictionary would have pictures.”

Burn .

“What the fuck?” Prism spat, pushing between us. “Seriously, you guys? I thought you got this shit out of your system months ago.”

“That was before he started trying to put his name on you,” Arsen said. “Even I have limits.”

Prism spun to look at his man. “Bear?”

Arsen’s face softened, his gaze bouncing between Prism’s eyes. “I’m not mad at you, princess. But this is a no for me.”

“I’m not taking his name,” Prism promised and turned back to me.

I opened my mouth to ask if he was sure, and he cut me a warning look. I pressed my lips together and then sighed. “Listen, I wasn’t trying to piss anyone off. I was just trying to show you that I’ll always be your family and that, even when me and Jess get wedlocked, it won’t change.”

“What’s going to change?” Jess asked, coming into the kitchen.

The second she saw the three of us standing there with P pressed in the middle, she stopped in her tracks, chocolate eyes narrowing. “What’s going on?”

“Kruger is trying to marry Matthew,” Arsen deadpanned.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! I am not.”

Jess’s nose wrinkled. “What?”

Prism glanced around at Jess. “I was just a little worried that you two getting married might change things,” he said. “Then these two started in on each other.”

Jess sighed dramatically and walked over to her brother, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Nothing is going to change. You’ll always be my brother.”

Prism wrapped his arms around her, hugging back.

Pulling away, she grabbed his face and looked into his eyes. “Okay?”

He nodded.

She patted his cheek and stepped back, glancing at my phone and laptop. “What’s going on over here?” she asked, putting her snoop face on.

I slammed the laptop shut. “Nothing,” I said, giving Arsen and Prism a look. This honeymoon was a surprise. She wasn’t gonna know about it until my ring was on her finger. If I told her now, she’d just fuss about how it cost too much.

I forbid it. She was getting a nice honeymoon, and that was final.

“You want some coffee, sweetheart?” I asked her. “I’ll get you some.” I went to the kitchen to pour a cup.

While I was over there, Arsen pulled Prism into his lap, and my cell phone binged with a new message.

“Coffee for the most gorgeous bride in the history of brides,” I said, handing over the white mug and kissing Jess on the forehead. I might be corny, but she loved it, and the giggle she let out was proof.

I was smiling when I snatched my phone up to check the message.

The smile disappeared.

“Oh hell nos!”