Four months later…
“Proud of you little brother,” I say with a smile as I pat Felix on his back.
My little brother is married, and it looks good on him. I reach to fix his tie, then slap a hand against his cheek. We’re all standing around the bar for a toast as brothers. Kaye and the girls are on the dance floor taking more pictures.
“Damn, I thought this day was never going to happen,” Felix says and laughs.
Brax reaches to mess Felix’s hair. “Delay is not denial, big brother. Welcome to the club. Now, we have to get John here engaged and Ry down the aisle and we’ll all be married men.”
Wyatt laughs and turns his mischievous gaze on me. “I don’t know if Roni is the marrying type.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Ry says.
“I don’t know. They have their weird shit, but I got five hundred on him proposing before the year is out,” Noah says, shooting Wyatt a warning glance. These two are up to no good.
“What’s so weird about us?” I challenge.
“Come on,” Ry snorts. “We know you’re into that Dom shit hard, and yet, Roni’s ass has to be the worst Sub in the world. She doesn’t listen to a damn thing anyone says to her.”
“Not to mention, you guys don’t do couple shit. What’s that about? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you kiss in public or hold hands,” Felix says.
“I figured it’s his stinky breath. As pretty as he is, that breath has to be his downfall. Never did believe he’s as perfect as he tries to play off,” Ryan says.
I glare at him. “Fuck you. When’s the last time you washed your ass like an adult. I bet Carmen keeps changing the baby thinking it’s her taking a shit.”
“But she still lets me put my tongue down her throat whenever I want,” he tosses back.
I lift my shoulders. “Not everyone has to display their affection in public.”
“Yup, weirdos,” Ry says.
“First, you’ve been hanging with Roni too much with that weirdo shit. Second, to each his own. We work for us.”
Noah pats me on the back. “You’re right. We all have what we need. I wouldn’t change Bean for anything, but I know what we have wouldn’t work for everyone.”
“Nothing but truth,” Wyatt says.
“I’ll drink to that,” Brax says and starts to pass around beers.
We continue our banter and laughter. The party is turning up on the dance floor. My face hurts from smiling so much. I truly am happy for Felix. For all of my brothers actually.
“Dad,” Dae-Dae runs over to Felix.
I can see from the look in my brother’s eyes that hearing Kaye’s nephew call him Dad means the world to him. Dae-Dae has only ever known Kaye and Felix as parents, so I’m not surprised that he’s started to call Felix Dad. This all looks good on him.
“Unbelievable. They didn’t even invite us to the toast.” I look over my shoulder to see the O’Brien brothers headed our way. Things are about to get lively now that my cousins are joining us.
“Whatever, Brooklyn. I didn’t think we’d be able to pull you from DJ’s side,” Felix says.
“Anything to back paddle your way out of this one,” Brooklyn retorts.
Logan moves to Felix’s side to place a hand on his shoulder and give it a squeeze as he hands him an envelope and whispers something in his ear. Felix laughs and throws a punch at Logan’s shoulder. Something in the back of my mind reminds me that this is a rare moment.
Things have been tense. We’re always on high alert. It’s only been two weeks since the fire at DJ’s bar. It’s good to see smiles on everyone’s faces despite the drama lurking in the background. This wedding is a much-needed distraction.
“I think they’re all hiding from changing diapers and crying babies,” Dylan teases.
I scoff. “I know I am. I love her, but my little girl is teething. She spent last night trying to gnaw on my nose and fingers,” I say. “She’s as cranky as her mother.”
Jamie winces. “Ya sure are talking a lot of shit. Roni will have yer ball in her palm you keep it up.”
“Speaking of Roni. When are ya going to let her make an honest man out of ya?” Brooklyn says.
“What is with everyone trying to marry me off today?”
“Tell me you haven’t thought about it,” Wyatt says with an amused look in his eyes. “Don’t you want to be a husband?”
I freeze for a moment. I’m not going to lie, as I watched Kaye walk down the aisle to Felix, I couldn’t help imagining that she was Roni making her way to me. At the same time, I couldn’t help wondering of all of this would be Roni’s thing.
Felix followed Kaye’s original wedding plan to a T. This was everything she dreamed of. Roni can be full of surprises. I don’t know if this is something that she wants. Although I wouldn’t mind if we did have a huge wedding with all my family there to have our backs.
“Honestly, if I thought she would say yes, I would’ve proposed already. I’m just not ready to push her into anything yet.”
Toby gives me a shit-eating grin. “You think she would say no?”
“We’ve never talked about it. So much has happened. I don’t know what she wants.”
“You suck ass as a Dom,” Ry taunts.
“Fuck you. You know good and damn well her needs come first. I’m not going to force her into marrying me. Stop reading Mom’s romance books. Life doesn’t work that way.”
It’s right as the words finish coming out of my mouth that I know I’ve been played. I look around at the mirth in my brothers’ and cousins’ eyes. I purse my lips and make a face at them all.
“She’s standing right behind me, isn’t she,” I huff.
“Have been since you talked trash about our poor baby teething, asshole,” she says.
Everyone around me bursts into laughter. I toss them all the finger and turn to face Roni. She has our sleeping daughter in her arms with a scowl on her lips, but what I love is the twinkle in her eyes. She’s not really pissed at me, but I know she’s going to give me shit.
I close the distance between us. “Come dance with me,” I command.
Defiance lights her eyes, but the moment Noah plucks our little princess from her arms, I have my hands on her waist, backing her toward the dance floor. The yellow dress she has on compliments her skin. However, the best part of the night will be getting to watch it slide down her curves.
Roni
I play with the hairs at the nape of John’s neck as I look up into his eyes. He sways me to the music while holding my gaze. I should give him shit, but I’m too stunned by his words to rib him about them.
He was right, we’ve never talked about getting married. It’s always been inferred that we’ll be together. Do I want to marry John?
As I look into his golden eyes, the question rolls around in my head. He places his forehead against the bridge of my nose, his breath tickling my skin. I breathe him in and instantly know the answer.
Yes.
“What are you thinking?”