Page 94 of Four More The Merrier

"We're the ones who should be apologizing," Beau says softly.

My throat tightens as Jarron stops his pacing and turns to face me. "We've been talking," he says, running a hand through his hair. "About everything."

"About the baby," Lyle adds softly. "About us."

I wrap my arms around myself, fighting the urge to bolt. "I can't ask any of you to-"

"You're not asking." Beau leans forward in his chair. "We're offering."

"All of us," Austen pushes off the wall. "Together."

My head spins. "What exactly are you saying?"

"We want you to stay," Jarron says. "With all of us. We'll figure out the details, but none of us wants to lose you."

"Or the baby," Lyle adds.

Beau clears his throat. "And one of us should marry you. For appearances, for the baby's future. The media would eat this story alive otherwise."

"Just because this is unconventional, doesn't mean you're undeserving of your own fairytale, a wedding, a white picket fence." Jarron adds, his eyes hazy.

"We've all agreed," Austen says. "Whoever you choose."

The room blurs as tears fill my eyes. "You'd do that? Risk your careers, your reputations?"

"Darlin'," Beau's voice is gentle, "you and that baby are worth more than all that."

"We can keep the arrangement private," Lyle explains. "The public only needs to know about the marriage."

"And the others?" I whisper.

"Will still be there," Jarron says firmly. "Just more discreetly."

I wipe my eyes, looking at each of them in turn. "You're really all okay with this?"

Four heads nod, and for the first time in days, I feel hope flutter in my chest.

"I don't want to be pity-married," I say, my voice cracking. "I won't trap any of you into that."

"Pity?" Jarron's laugh is harsh. "Baby, you think any of this is about pity?"

"Quinn." Beau moves to kneel in front of me, taking my trembling hands in his. "You walked into our lives like a tornado, turned everything upside down in the best way possible. You challenge me, make me laugh, see the world differently."

"You're the first person who's seen past all my bullshit," Austen says softly, running his hands through his hair. "The first one who called me out when I was being an ass, but still stuck around to see what was underneath. The one that put my heart back together again when it was broken."

Lyle perches beside me on the couch. "Remember that night at the boys' home? Watching you with those kids, seeing how naturally caring you are - that's when I knew I was in trouble."

"And me?" Jarron moves closer, his blue eyes intense. "You saw right through my rockstar facade that night in the alley. Didn't let me wallow in self-pity, but didn't judge me either. Just... accepted me."

"We're not offering marriage out of obligation," Beau squeezes my hands. "We're offering because we all love you."

My breath catches. Love. They'd never said that word before.

"Each in our own way," Lyle adds. "Different, but real."

"And that baby?" Austen's voice is thick with emotion. "Doesn't matter whose DNA it has. It's all of ours, just like you're all of ours."

Tears spill down my cheeks as I look at each of them - these four men who've somehow become my whole world. "I love you too. All of you."

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