Page 76 of Lightness In My Dark

I checked the refrigerator and then slipped into the large pantry. It took several minutes to find a good bottle of champagne. When I exited, I caught Wren shoving Kye away.

My jaw gritted. I put the bottle down and asked, “What’s going on?”

Kye backed away. “Nothing. We were getting to know each other.”

Wren hugged herself, eyes closed, and I realized what Kye did.

I charged him. “Did you touch her?” I pushed him into the foyer.

“It’s no biggie—”

Before he finished, I clocked him in the mouth, and he fell back.

“What the fuck, dude? It’s not like we haven’t done it before.”

I pointed my finger at him. “That’s my fiancé. Don’t you ever fucking touch her again.”

“Oh, I see. You don’t want to share her pussy—”

My shoulder rammed into his stomach, picking him up and slamming him against the front door. Cole and Carter tried to separate us.

With my forearm pressed to his throat, my face a few inches from his, I said, “Don’t you ever touch Wren again.” I shoved him and pointed to the door. “Get the fuck out of my house. You’re no longer welcome here.”

The woman he brought came running to his side as Kye said, “What a fucking dick. You’re willing to ruin a friendship over some chick. You're out of control. What do you know about love? You have pussy fever—an intoxicated state of letting her pussy control you. Grow some balls. Watch me fuck her.”

I spun and smashed him in the face, and then punched him one last time. Kye got in a punch to my jaw before Cole and Carter broke us up. Carter chased Kye and his girlfriend out.

The noise settled, and everyone returned to the table, except me. I remained, clenching my fists as I stared at the door, heaving in air. Kye’s words bit into me. He was right. What did I know about love? I had used women for so damn long. Would love be that obvious to me? Yes. The thing is, I recognized it with Wren. She was a constant in my mind. I admired and loved everything about her. My hand seized my shirt, a savagery in my chest. I slipped into the dining area and slid to the floor. Since we had sex the first time, I had been fresh with emotion. The notion of anyone else with Wren drove me crazy. The thought of losing her drove me insane.

With her skin on mine, touching, savoring, and being inside her, another feeling had caught me by surprise. Loss. I didn’t bother to analyze it then, but now… now I understood it.

Was it about sexual pleasure? Had my love for Wren been delusional? No. I loved her, which meant I could lose her like I lost my parents. She could disappear as fast as she came into my life. I needed Wren, and the idea of losing her fucking crushed me. My head fell forward between my legs, breathing constricted, fists tensed. Wren touched my shoulder and asked if I was okay. My internal struggle came pouring out of me.

I let out a gruff whisper, "He's right. I'm losing control and I hate it! I hate to fear anything.” Wren kneeled in front of me. “You consume me. I can't breathe, knowing you can be torn from my life or leave me. I’m not sure how to handle these feelings, and it burns like hell.”

She moved closer, pressing her palm to my cheek. “Love knocks us off our feet.” Her thumb stroked my cheek. “Those who appear the strongest break the easiest.” Wren placed the softest kiss on my lips. “I love you, Finn. I don’t have control over losing you, voluntarily or not, but I'm willing to take the risk.” She moved between my legs. Her face close. Lips on mine. “You have my heart. Respect me. Handle me with care, and I’ll be devoted to you forever. That's if you're willing to take the risk, too.”

I cradled her in my arms. Her smell soothed me, and I came down from my psychotic rambling.

My mouth pressed to her ear. “Thank you.” I kissed her cheek. “You’re everything to me.”

When I returned to the kitchen table, no one made a big deal out of what happened. Cole hugged me and when I passed Carter, he gave me a friendly punch to the arm.

To lighten the mood, Carter announced, “Okay, we came here to tell you guys some news.”

Carter stood behind Lindsey’s chair, counted to three, and they both said, “We’re pregnant!”

I gave Lindsey a hug, lifted my brother off his feet, and spun him around. When I put him down, I smacked his shoulder.

“I’m gonna be an uncle!”

Carter approached Cole. “You’re going to be a grandpa.”

It had been a long time since I saw such an enormous grin on Cole’s lit up face. He was ecstatic. Chef Dan and Wren congratulated Lindsey and Carter. I poured Mimosas, even one for Chef Dan, and toasted to my little brother.

My arm wrapped around Wren’s shoulders as I whispered, “You’re going to be an aunt.”

After everyone walked around talking and laughing about the news, Carter hushed us. “Since we wanted to share and celebrate this news, we thought maybe we could take a ride to Mystic Wish. They’re having a spring festival. It’s a two-hour drive, but you remember the town, don’t you, Cole and Finn?”

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