Page 47 of Shared

CONOR

ABOUT A MONTH LATER

If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be getting married, I would’ve laughed. Hell, even a few months ago, I wouldn’t have believed it. Yet here I am. If the state or the church allowed it, I would have walked them both down the aisle of Our Lady of Grace and said our vows before Father O’Flaherty the morning after they both agreed to be my wife.

But this isequally asspecial; standing barefoot on the beach, surrounded by my family, with two radiant beauties dressed in white before me. We don’t need a big church or a lavish event—just the three of us confessing our love and devotion to one another. The rest of the world doesn’t need to understand it, because the people we care about most—and who love us unconditionally—do.

We give our vows and say our ‘I do’s’ as the sun sets over the horizon. The warmth of the day wanes as we exchange rings—a diamond set in a Celtic knot for each of them and a titanium band with a matching engraving for me. All of them a visualreminder of our intertwined hearts and eternal commitment to each other.

Tonight’s family dinner hasbeen transformedinto our reception, and champagne is already beginning to flow as I make my way up the steps to Declan’s patio with a gorgeous wife on each arm. “Now?” I ask them quietly not to draw anyone’s attention. As much as it has fucking killed me to keep this secret from my brothers, I promised both of my girls—my wives—that we’d wait until they were both sure about their pregnancies. Along with seeing a doctor to make sure they were healthy, I also wanted to makesure that this was what both of them truly wanted.

I lift a glass of freshly poured whiskey from the table, the condensation dampening my hand. Taking a generous sip, I try to find my words before quieting the already loud conversations of my boisterous brothers and the clatter of glasses as everyone takes their seats. I take a deep breath and tap a knife against myglass;the clink failing to be heard over the excited conversation. “Hey!” I shout, my voice booming over them all, silencing the table as all eyes turn toward me.

“I’ve… I mean,we’vegot an announcement.”

I pause for a moment to glance at Elena and Victoria one last time—wanting to ensure they’re ready to share the news—and Finn shouts, “For fuck’s sake, spit it out already. Some of us are hungry.”

Fucking Finn…

Getting a quiet nod of approval from them both, I announce, “We’re pregnant.”

The patio is dead silent, minus the crashing of waves against the shore. I stare back at my family around thetable, wondering if they heard me right. Smiles spread across faces, and one by one, the congratulations roll in. Tristan is quick to stand, walking toward us with a delighted grin. “So, which of you am I congratulating?” he asks, his gaze flicking between Elena and Victoria.

The girls glance at each other, and Elena’s cheekspinkenslightly, causing me to chuckle. “Yeah… um… that’s… both of them.”

Tristan raises an eyebrow, looking at us in disbelief, his mouth gaping, andfor what feels like thefirst timeever,he’s at a complete loss for words. “Congratulations, ladies. Seriously. This is amazing news.” He places a chaste kiss on both their cheeks before giving me a hug and patting me on the back. “Congratulations, brother.”

“I would get up to hug you both,” Sasha apologizes, coddling the nursing newborn in her arms. “But Aiden… I swear all this boy does is eat.”

Everyone makes their way to us to hug the girls and give their congratulations, with Declan being the last to our end of the table. “Seriously?” he asks, with a hint of jealousy and disbelief painted across his furrowed brows. “Both of them?”

“Yeah… seriously.” I grin and nod before turning my attention back to my wives with a proud smile. “Best guess at this point is that they’re about a week apart.”

“What’s the matter, old man?” Finn teases, playfully jabbing his elbow into Declan’s side. “Worried that Conor’s gonna field thatbaseball team before you?” He lets out an obnoxious laugh that I can’t help but join inon.

“Quinn, sweetheart,” I call to grab her attention. Struggling to keep little Rory in his seat, she looks up at me with a look that would cause an army to retreat. “I’m so sorry for what my brother is going to do to you later.”

“And tomorrow morning,” Declan adds to my apology, his eyes twinkling with a devilish smirk at his wife. “Might as well throw in every night until you’re growing round with my babies again. I toldyou Ibought this big house to fill it.”

“Again? Can’t we just get a dog?” Fiona sighs exasperatedly, slumping into her seat, as the rest of us laugh.

“I know you won’t believe me now”—Liam reaches over from the seat next to her and pulls her closer—“but one day, you’ll enjoy having a bunch of brothers and sisters.” She looks up at him like he’s full of shit, a sentiment I shared when I was her age. “Trust me, nugget.” He lowers his voice to just above a whisper. “I hated all these fucking assholes when I was your age.”

“For fuck’s sake, Liam,” Declan grumbles before turning his attention to Fiona. “No more talking with youruncailLiam.”

Laughter erupts around the table as I take my seat between my two beautiful brides. Slipping a hand into each of theirs, I can’t help but smile. The two of them are better than anything I could’ve imagined. Lifting their hands to my face, I place a kiss on the back of each of them. “I can’t wait to share my life with you.”

EPILOGUE

CONOR

FIVE YEARS LATER

It’s crazyhow much thingshave changed and how big these weekly dinners on Declan and Quinn’s patio have become . The massive space almost feelstoosmall for all of us, yet it continues to accommodate our rapidly growing crew. The sound of the ocean crashing against the shore serves as a constant backdrop to the evening. It’s a soothing calm against the expected chaos unfolding before me.

My boys, Grady and Sean, splash around the pool with Rory, Kira, and Aiden. The five of them are inseparable—their laughter echoing through the air as they dunk each other under the water and chase each other around the pool. They remind me so much of my brothers and me at that age, especially as they ignore Fiona’s pleas to stop splashing her.And fuck, we’re all in so much trouble.

Liam and Sasha are sitting beside the pool—their feet in the water—taking turns to snuggle their newborn daughter, Clara.She’s just a few months old, and I can’t help but smile at her little coos and big blue eyes.

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