Page 165 of X's and O's

Scythe made a face at him, and War snorted on a laugh, folding the paper and shoving it into his pocket.

“You know what? I don’t need that. Because I know exactly what I want to say, and I’m starting with you.” He took a step closer to Scythe, running his fingers down the open suit jacket that stretched across his broad shoulders. “I never knew I could love a man the way I love a woman. But I fell for you, just as hard as I fell for her. You gave me no choice. And somedays, like today, apparently, you’re completely insane.” He breathed out slowly and raised his gaze to connect with Scythe. “But those are the days I love you more.”

Something in Scythe softened. I could see it in the way his muscles unclenched.

War leaned in so their mouths were barely an inch apart. “You do things to me no other man has—”

Scythe snorted on a laugh. “I don’t think this is the time or place to talk about how I like your ass—”

Nash coughed loudly and hissed, “Children,” at the same time.

Scythe grinned. “I was going to say, how I like your assessable income.” He shook a finger at Nash. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Nash turned to the officiant for help, but the woman was so completely baffled she had zero advice.

But what she didn’t know was this was completely normal for us

Chaos. Humor. Love.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

War cleared his throat. “I’m just going to move on.”

I waited for his gaze to join mine, but to my surprise, it moved to Nash.

Nash looked just as shocked as I probably did.

War shrugged one shoulder. “I love you. Not the way I love them, but in a way that makes you no less my family. You gave me a daughter, and you love my woman with your whole heart. You’re one of the best men I know, and this relationship would have never worked without you in it.”

Nash swallowed thickly and reached an arm out to War. The two men hugged. It was brief, but it was tight, and War’s words hung in the air around us, filling it with warmth. He’d summed up their relationship perfectly.

Finally, his gaze met mine. “You are the love of my life, Bethany Melissa Arthur. And I couldn’t be more honored to stand up here in front of everyone today, so they all know that. The dream used to be to give you my last name, but now all I want is yours. You are the piece of this puzzle that completes it. You are the rock our whole lives revolve around. You are the center of everything that’s good and sweet and perfect. Our family exists because of you, and I’ll never not be grateful for that.” His hand caught the side of my face, and he cupped it gently, bringing his forehead down to rest against mine. “I love you so much, baby girl. You don’t even know the extent of it. You are the best mother to our children, and the best partner I could have ever hoped for in managing Scythe—”

“Hey!”

We both ignored him, War with a soft smile on his lips and his warm breath sweet over mine. “I do. To everything. To a life with you. To loving you. To wanting you until I can’t breathe, because I always have.”

I grinned back at him. “You better kiss me now.”

I didn’t have to ask him twice.

3

WAR

We were no strangers to parties. We threw them near weekly between the Slayers’ clubhouse and Psychos. But it was odd to see my brothers out of leather and boots and dressed to the nines in suits and shined-up dress shoes instead.

I was pretty sure that was Queenie’s doing. I’d heard whispers of shopping trips she’d forced on them, claiming this wedding wasn’t the place for oil-stained T-shirts and ratty jeans.

She and Aloha spun around the dance floor, sweeping up kids as they went until their arms were full of wriggling, grooving little people with big smiles on their faces.

Queenie was definitely in her element as a grandmother, and it made everyone in the room happy to see it.

Bliss appeared at my side, and I put my arm around her, drawing her in close so we could watch our family and friends out on the dance floor together.

She laid her head on my arm and sighed happily. “This is exactly what I wanted tonight to be.”

I nodded. The night had been perfect, full of great food, laughter, photos, and friendship. “It was perfect.”