Page 58 of Wedlocked

“What—”

I cut off his question with a hug. Just wrapped my arms around him and locked tight.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly by his ear. “I was so busy freaking out over my own hangups and speed planning this wedding that I didn’t check in with you.”

“I’m not your responsibility,” Prism said, arms at his sides while I hugged it out.

I scoffed. “No, but you’re my brother, and I love you.”

“Ben.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, P. I can say it out loud. That pink shirt I’ve been wearing lately really put me in touch with my feelings.”

“You aren’t the dumbest person alive, but you better hope they’re not taking vitamins,” Arsen muttered.

I made a face. “Oooh, good one, Arsen. Did you find that in a donation pile? ‘Cause no way that was original.”

Prism pulled back.

“Listen,” I said, refocusing on my best friend. “I know this is a change, but it’s really just making things more of what they already are. We’ll still all share an apartment, still swim, go to classes. Spend the holidays together. Me and Jess will just have the same last name. You know that’s important to me, right? I need her to know we’re permanent.”

“You need to know it, too,” P pointed out.

I could have played it off. I thought about it. But then I decided not to because he needed real. “Yeah, I need to know it too.” Cocking my head to the side, I said, “You know the offer still stands.”

Prism’s brows wrinkled.

“What offer?” Arsen asked like one of them damn dogs with a big nose. The kind that was always sniffing into your business.

“This is brother time,” I told him, gesturing between Prism and myself. “Go check the fire again.”

He remained rooted in place.

Turning back, I said, “Remember the day I proposed to Jess?”

“Yeah,” Prism answered.

“And I told you that I’d give you my last name too.”

“What!” Arsen spat, snatching Prism around the waist from behind and yanking him into his body. “The hell you will!”

“I said no.” Prism reminded us.

That didn’t make the feral look on Arsen’s face any better.

Ah, good times.

“Yeah, but that was then. And I’m reminding you now that you can have it. Hell, I’ll pay for the filing fees. Then all three of us will have the same name. Maybe it would make things feel more permanent for you too.”

And just like that, Prism was removed from my line of sight, and in his place was his taller, broader, and more sinister boyfriend. His lips were planted in a firm line, the piercingsbarely noticeable, and black brows slashed over his onyx stare, practically grinding that coal color into diamonds.

He leaned in, lording his extra inches over me, nostrils flaring.

“Maybe you shoulda had some extra sugar in your coffee. You look a little on edge.”

“Did you seriously just offermyboyfriend your name?” he said, quiet.

“He can still be your boyfriend with my last name.”

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