Page 306 of By His Rule

The twins still have some contact with their father, but their relationship is nowhere near what they’d like it to be. So to see them bonding with Kian…it means everything to me. Not just because they’re getting along and both sides are making an effort, but because the boys are going to have a positive male role model in their lives. I don’t think Kian understands just how important he’s going to be to them in the coming years.

“Good to see you, man,” Kian says as he slaps Wilder on the back. “Did you have a good flight?” he asks before turning his attention to Hendrix.

“Dude, you flew us first class. It was fucking epic,” Wilder announces happily.

I look at Kian. “You…of course you did,” I mutter, shaking my head.

“What? Everyone deserves a little luxury every now and then.”

“Like our coffee machine. That thing is fucking ace. Thanks, man.”

“You’re spoiling them,” I say once my brother releases my boyfriend back to me.

“They deserve it,” he says again. “Come on then. We don’t want to be late.”

“I am so fucking pumped for this,” Wilder says, sounding like a little kid again.

“Oh, really? You should have mentioned it another couple hundred times. I swear to God, there isn’t a single person at school who doesn’t know. Even the principal wished me a good weekend when I left on Friday,” Hendrix says, sounding exasperated.

“What? I’m excited. And he was probably just being polite.”

“He followed it up with a ‘go Chiefs.’ He was not just being polite.”

“Coach must have told him.”

Kian and Wilder spent the entire ride to the stadium talking stats and plays and all kinds of things that go over my head. But even still, I sit there with a wide smile on my face.

I might have fought against this. But giving in to my feelings for Kian and letting go of all my fears was definitely the right thing to do. Not only is he good for me—no, incredible for me—he’s also good for them. And to think, if he hadn’t chased me to California, I might still be holding back from introducing them.

Wilder is like an excitable toddler as we step into the box—the only box I’ve watched home games from.

“Oh my sweet fucking god. This is insane.”

He pulls his cell out and starts recording. I stand back and watch him with a sappy smile on my face. It reminds me of Christmas morning back when he and Hendrix believed. The magic. The excitement. Okay, so Hendrix isn’t nearly as excitable, but he still looks around with nothing but awe in his eyes.

“I think they’re happy,” Kian whispers, his hands clamping down on my hips and pressing the length of his body against my back.

A shiver rips down my spine as his breath tickles down my neck.

“They’re definitely happy. And so am I.” Spinning in his hold, I stare up at him. I’m sure there’s as much awe in my eyes as I look at my man as I just saw in Wilder’s. “Thank you for doing this for them.”

“Anytime.” He leans forward and whispers in my ear, “Do you want me to let you into a secret?”

“Go on then.”

“I didn’t do it for them. I did it for you.”

A smile spreads across my lips.

“Is that right?”

He pulls back and looks me dead in the eyes again.

“Yeah, Temptress. I did. I’d do anything for you.”

“Aw, such a big softie,” I tease, reaching out to cup his jaw.

Silence stretches out between us as the connection I always feel when we’re close crackles away.

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