I cleared my throat and two sets of the same shade of blue eyes met mine.
“Hey, guys,” I said softly. “Are we ready for dinner? I’m starving.”
They both grinned and swiftly got to their feet. Byron’s eyes were dark pools as they coasted down my body, leaving a trail of fire and ice in their wake. A shiver rocked my body, and I took a shuddering breath, waiting for him to say anything.
“You look stunning, my wife.”
I tucked a strand of my wild hair behind my ear. “Thank you for the dress, husband.”
He closed the distance between us in two large strides, his hand wrapping around my waist.
Lowering his head, he brought his lips close to mine and murmured, “Say it again.”
Desperation coated his words. His blue eyes shimmered, and I wanted nothing more than to drown in them.
“Thank you for the dress,” I breathed softly.
He nipped gently on my lower lip. “Not that. The last part.”
His voice was hoarse. There were truths in his blue eyes that I was scared to decipher.
“Husband,” I murmured, pressing my lips against his.
Ares wiggled himself between us and wrapped his arms around us both. “We’re a family now.”
Satisfaction, dark and lazy, flared in Byron’s eyes. “That we are, son. Forever.”
Forever.
Chapter44
Byron
As I made my way out of our bedroom, leaving my wife soundly sleeping in our bed, I ran into my sister-in-law. She was on her way to catch a morning flight out, ready to take off on her “bucket-list adventure,” as Odette explained to me last night. It was obvious from the little she told me, I owed a lot to my sister-in-law. She helped raise my son and supported her sister through med school. For that, she’d forever have my gratitude.
“Good morning, Billie,” I greeted her. “Leaving already?”
She nodded. “I hate goodbyes, and if I see Ares’s face, I might never leave.”
I nodded in understanding. I had only just met him and I hated leaving every morning. Early retirement suddenly seemed like an appealing choice. I wanted to spend my days with us together as a family. It was clear she wanted to work, though, and I was determined to find a way to be okay with it. I could be the caretaker so she could focus on her career. I could already picture it, Ares and I picking her up every day, telling her all the things we got up to.
“Want me to give you a ride to the airport?”
“No, thank you,” she answered quickly. “I’m sure you’re busy.”
“I’m never too busy for my family.”
She shook her head. “I’m not your family.”
I smiled. She walked into my trap so beautifully. “But you are. And you’ve been family through marriage, even longer than your sister.” She stumbled and my hand shot out to steady her. Then I took her suitcase out of her hand. “It’ll give us time to talk.”
“This feels like blackmail,” she muttered.
“Take it any way you want, dear sister-in-law.”
She shot me a suspicious look but said nothing else. Five minutes later, we were in the back of my car, sipping on our travel coffees. My driver made his way through the city toward Reagan National.
I leaned back in the seat, studying Billie. The sisters were close—clearly—and I wanted her on my side, but it was clear from the occasional glares she shot my way that she wasn’t happy with me.