Page 63 of Gilded Desires

“And what’s that, baby girl?”

“Love,” I answer with a mountain of confidence. “Love shared between four hearts.”

Piercing eyes find mine and I see the truth of their devotion and love shining back at me.

With trembling fingers, I turn the canvas around. “What do you think?”

All three fall back. “Fuck, baby girl. Did you paint that?”

“I want to know how you remembered so much detail?”

Six hands stroke my arms, my face—anything they can reach with the painting between us. Gage takes the large canvas and props it up on the dressing table. With my hands free, he pulls me around, turning me into them. I captured the night they all took me under the stars down by the lake. While the skies glittered above, they showed me the true meaning of living in heaven that night.

“Ladies and gentlemen of The Gilded Key Society…”

The announcer’s nightly introduction of performers breaks our private moment.

Gage reaches for the knot holding my robe closed and reverently lowers the sides over my shoulders and off my growing baby bump.

They all step back and drop their robes next to mine. We walk to the stage, the spotlight fading the room to no more than shadows and silhouettes. The three cocoon me in this protective bubble of muscle and grit as we make it to the center of the stage.

When my men step away to reveal me there are audible gasps throughout the room. Cheers and love pour out from the crowd, but there are two people I hear the most.

“You go, you beautiful queen.” Whistles and more cheers follow.

That’s Nyx. Love that girl. She’s a wild one and is about to be in the same position as me.

“Someone get her a crown!”

My heart grows and fills with so much love it overwhelms me. Sapphire. I can’t see her, but I’m glad she finally made it here. My heart settles and I take both Aziel’s and Rush’s offered hands to help me onto the bed.

Kneeling in the center with the spotlight fully focused on me, I spread my knees and wait to be claimed.

“What are you doing,” I whisper when I see a tray wheeled out and my men all on bended knees at the foot of the bed.

A rumbled gasp of awe works through the crowd.

“Your love is as beautiful as the glimmer of stars in the sky, Belle. You captured it so perfectly. But there’s one thing you got wrong. We’ve been unworthy of you from the day you walked into our lives.”

Oh my god. I shake my hands to stop the tremble but it’s too late. It has taken hold and I can’t stop the quakes of excitement, fear, love, and everything in between from wreaking havoc on my body.

“Aziel?”

“Shh, beautiful,” he coos gently. “Let Gage finish.”

“As unworthy as we are, none of us can walk away.” Gage reaches for a ring off the tray and holds up a gold band with a single diamond stud in the middle.

“We’ve hurt for a love like yours for so long. Now that we have finally found you, please take us as we are.”

That is Aziel. He reaches for another ring, this one similar to Gage’s.

Rush takes the third ring and stands, sliding into bed with me. Holding it up to me like an offering he turns red eyes to meet mine.

“Marry us. Heal our hearts of old wounds and let us love you until the end of our days.”

Gage and Aziel join us under the spotlight. Around us the crowd is so silent I can hear the loud thumping of my heart.

I reach for them and fall into their embraces. Three sets of arms cradle our unborn child and me to them. “I wish I was a poet instead of an artist. I would weave such a beautiful answer for such a beautiful proposal but all I have is yes. Yes, I will marry you. All three of you.”

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