Page 91 of Five Days

Gave me hope that Landon’s father might eventually see the light too.

Speaking of…

“Hey.” I turned and kissed Landon’s temple as he tucked against me, soaking my hip with his wet swim shorts. “How was the water?”

“Cooling. You ought to come in.”

“Maybe later.” I glanced over to find one of Kellen’s sons on Callum’s shoulders, playing chicken with his twin atop JJ. Their laughter, smiles, and shrieks filled me with happiness, and I hugged Landon tight.

“Sure you guys are ready for a houseful of kids?” Drake asked, turning to better take in the ruckus and spray of water occasionally reaching us.

“Can’t wait,” Landon replied for both of us, his amber eyes glinting in the sunlight, full of contentment and happiness.

Another late arrival drew attention—Mason and Jasper. They approached and greeted us with handshakes before settling in all cozy against each other, Mason doing the leaning, Jasper while smaller in height and weight, acting as his oak.

Pink flushed Mason’s cheeks as he glanced at the men in the pool.

Preston gave him and Jasper a little wave, his face just as red as Mason’s.

Drake snorted. “How the hell you were an escort,” he said to Mason, “I have no fucking clue, but you seriously need to get over this embarrassment every time you’re face-to-face with your old favorite client.”

Everyone but Mason laughed, and Kellen clasped his shoulder as though feeling the silver fox’s pain.

“For the record again, I don’t care about my husband’s past any more than he does mine,” Drake assured both men who’d had a taste of his stepbrother prior to their finally getting together.

It was a few minutes before Mason relaxed, same as always whenever the Elite found family got together to celebrate someone’s milestone. The last time had been Drake and Preston’s small wedding.

Callum eventually dragged his ass from the pool and leaned against me as though exhausted from entertaining the younger boys. I wrapped my free arm around his waist to hold him upright as Kellen dove into the deep end to take his place keeping his sons amused.

“You okay?” I murmured against Callum’s wet hair.

“Yeah, but beat. Maybe we need to rethink this fostering thing,” he said, his voice full of shit.

“Nope!” Landon argued from my other side. “It was your idea, and now my heart is set on it. No take backs. We’re going to get right what my parents failed at.”

He and his parents were on speaking terms, but there’d been no full reconciliation over the fallout of the potential second shitstorm and his loving two men. While he claimed he was over them, both Callum and I expected a part of him would always hope for understanding and acceptance. We’d made it our task in life to ensure he got every bit of the love and attention he needed from both of us.

I turned to kiss his hair, loving that no one looked at us strangely, no one cared about my being in a poly relationship. Even after a year, we were a seamless fit. Sure, we had spats here and there, but it’d been nothing but paradise to be with these two men.

That whole vow to always be honest made shit easier, that was for damned sure.

“They didn’t fail,” I argued what I’d said before. “And I’m not angry with them. Consequences aren’t all bad.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said with a sigh.

We’d all learned that lesson.

Landon’s poor choices had led to his meeting Callum then getting caught up in a whirlwind romance with two men he’d only thought attainable in fairytales like those he continued to write.

Callum had become more peaceful and had found acceptance of not being at fault for the ruination of the brother he was still estranged from. Even though he walked free, we were fine with continued distance, considering his record.

Granny had a shit ton of money to blow through and traveled the world without the old ball and chain, as she called her late husband.

And me?

Hell—I was rich beyond measure in every way possible. There was nothing I would change about my life. And there was one man deserving of my thanks.

“You’re the glue, you know,” I told Callum, pulling his soft smile off Landon, who leaned his head against my left shoulder.

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