Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to a family dinner at the Dare house. Never a dull moment, and if something appropriate comes out of someone’s mouth, it’s more shocking than if something purely filthy does.

Rayne and Corbin pretty much raised me when my parents didn’t always do the best job. I can’t complain because having the Dares as a second family is probably the best gift I could have ever gotten in life. I have them to thank for most of my success, my dirty mind, and most of the love I’ve ever received. These boys are more my brothers than my actual brother is, and I’ll always be thankful for them.

I can’t believe how much of a badass Kade is. He always has been, but only he could half steal a girl from his own brother and somehow make it all work out between the three of them. I never expected Jed to be the type to share, but after watching him and Kade grow up thick as thieves, I guess I’m not too surprised they ended up this way.

Laken walks by, aiming for her own chair, but Kade grabs her wrist and pulls her onto his lap. He doesn’t even smirk at her or anything. He just whispers something in her ear that has her biting her lip and suppressing a grin. Jealous. I want what they have.

“No sex at the table, Lakes. I need to finish eating before things get rowdy,” Rydan warns her.

“Don’t listen to him, Lake.” Bass shoves Rydan. “Please, by all means, fuck at the table.”

Ah, this is the shit that makes the Dare dinner table one of a kind.

Kade looks at Genevieve, her eyes wide and her lips parted. “What do ya think, Genny? Up for a show?”

Gen blushes, but she doesn’t back down. Zahn said she’s into the three of them, so maybe she really would like a show. “Behave, Kade.”

“Ignore him, Gen. He’s all talk.” Laken smiles at Gen.

Never challenge a Dare. Kade starts to act, but Laken smacks his hands away and shoves a piece of bread in her mouth.

“Well, one of you needs to get on it. This kitchen has been lacking bad decisions lately. Need me to step in?” Zahn asks Jed and Kade.

“He is beautiful,” Laken goads, smiling at Zahn across the table.

Zahn launches over the table to steal a kiss from Laken, laughing in their faces like he won something when we all know his only prize will be a fist in the face.

Kade throws a spoon at Zahn, and Jed gets up to mock fight him. Which turns to a real fight, and Zahn falls out of his chair with Jed on top of him.

“Fuck you, Zahn.” Jed pins him down. “Not gonna happen.” Jed laughs when Zahn tries to flip him off unsuccessfully.

“I’ll keep trying, you twat!” Zahn punches Jed in the gut.

I wonder how many dinner tables have this sort of entertainment?

“More pie, Remy?” Rayne asks, stepping over her fighting sons like having a brawl beside the table is part of a normal night.

“Hell no. I’m so full.” I haven’t had a real meal in months, and this one was perfect. “Thank you, though.”

“Laken will eat it,” Kade says, sliding a piece in front of her. She steals a fork from Rydan and digs right in.

“Don’t eat too much, love,” Jed tells her from his position atop Zahn. “You need a spanking for kissing my brother.”

“I always kiss your brother.” She shrugs.

“Don’t mouth him off, bossy.”

“Wrong brother.” Jed gets up and lifts her right off Kade’s lap. Pie and everything. They disappear down the hall, but Kade doesn’t follow.

How the hell do they make it work? They’re so different from Cara and Cody, but they have an unconventional relationship that works just as well. All three of them seem happy, and it gives me some weird feeling that not everything has to go to society’s standard plan. We’re allowed to want different things.

“You ready, Rem?” Zahn asks, getting off the floor like he didn’t just get his ass handed to him.

“Where you idiots going?” Bo asks, sitting down with Nina. Poor girl has been stressed because her family doesn’t want to travel up here for their wedding.

“None of your fucking business,” Zahn says, putting our plates in the dishwasher.

“Orgy, then,” Kolt guesses, sounding pretty conclusive about it.