Page 117 of Wicked Heirs

“But you’re also much more than that,” X continued.

“Exactly,” Ore said. “Don’t you see, Talon? You’re thepassion.”

I frowned. “I’m… Iam?”

X chuckled at my stunned reaction. “Yes.”

Ore told me, “It had been dialed to rage and pain for so long, but since you’ve gotten to know Alena, all of that has begun to shift.”

“It sure has,” a familiar voice came from behind me.

Orpheus and Xavier smiled.

I turned around to see Alena standing there, her bright electric-blue eyes taking everything in.

Satisfaction coursed through me as I saw that awed and excited expression all over her, just like we’d been going for.

“Wow!” she exclaimed, taking it all in.

The snow surrounding the area, the ice sculptures of bears, gargoyles, dragons, and even a couple of snowmen with fairy lights providing illumination as well as giving off a magical effect. Ore had even made it snow softly too, just making sure it was spelled to avoid me, because I hated getting wet.

Around the fire I’d made was a seating area with oversized comfy purple chairs with fluffy blankets draped over them, and multicolored cushions on each. Two long tables were set up with picnic-type foods like sandwiches, quiches, fruits, salads and the supplies to make the s’mores, and we even had a little bar that could make all our favorite alcoholic drinks.

Alena looked sexy as fuck in a pastel-green backless dress that was paired with white knee-high boots.

“This is truly amazing!” she cried, looking between the three of us. “Thank you! I can’t believe you did this!”

Seeing her so carefree and unburdened like this was another level of awesome.

In that moment, I made a promise to myself to work to bring it out more from her.

“How is this so perfect? I just… I can’t believe it,” she uttered, returning from exploring the scene and walking to where the three of us were gathered, smiling at us in turn.

“We asked X, theKing of Romance, what you’d like to walk out here to and he mentioned a snow scene in his book that you really took to, and he told us about you saying how you found snow so magical,” I explained.

Orpheus added in, “Something about how you felt it had this inexplicable and exquisite power to wipe away all the bad and signal a fresh, hopeful start.”

She stared at us in yet more awe, then settled on X. “Wow, you remembered pretty much word-for-word. I’m impressed.” She pressed her hand to her heart. “And majorly touched. By all of you.”

I was just about to respond, when Orpheus held up his hand. “Let the innuendo that just came to mind about touching us all go, baby bird.”

“Yeah, no ruining the moment,” X said.

I slappedmyhand to my heart. “I’m hurt.”

“So, it wasn’t just moments away from spilling from your gorgeous lips then?” Orpheus challenged.

“You think you know me so well.”

“Damn straight we do,” X confirmed.

“Aww,” Alena said. “He can be super romantic actually.”

Pride swelled. “See?” I told the guys. “Assholes.”

“I’m gonna need an example,” X said.

“Seconded,” Orpheus pushed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his purple blazer that had the lapels with the onyx gemstones all over them, his black tee beneath pulling taut at his movements. If I hadn’t been preoccupied defending my romantic honor, I would’ve been all over that sexiness and making it known that I appreciated it, big time.

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