Page 75 of The Devil's Detail
“He's so gorgeous,” he murmurs. “It would be the honour of my life, Evie. Has he got a name?”
Evie looks at Tarron Barclay. “I want to call him Angus, after your father, Tarron.” She sounds emotional, and he comes straight over to her. Hugging her.
“That’s a fine Scot’s name.” He has his hand on his heart. “I love you, my daughter.” He bows his head, collects the twins from Kasey and Carter, and brings both Beau and Angus to her to feed.
I stand, holding the man I love in my arms, as the dads land back at the house. It’s total mayhem. Kell is in shock, and on the verge of tears. Xander looks dazed. But all this stops the instant they walk into the room and see their wife and their children. I pull Carter and Kasey, who’s hovering, out of the way. The room will be a madhouse again soon enough as all the kids are jumping around in the hall waiting their turn to go see the babies.
I drag Carter to a quiet corner of the garden, into a small summer house. Spinning him around, he says, “I’m sorry for fainting. She was in so much pain, and I saw the blood and poof, I?—”
I stem his words with a kiss. It’s hard and it’s fierce. Pushing him back towards the wall, I press my body against his. I don’t let him up for air. I drink my fill, and finally let him go. He looks thoroughly kissed and fucking gorgeous.
“I don’t care if you fainted. You care so much about my family, and I fucking love it. I can’t wait to marry you. I love you, Carter Maywood.” I kiss him again, and it feels as if our bodies have become one. It’s as if I’ve handed over my heart’s share to him. And he’s accepted it. Taken it in fully, and with love. “The only stipulation is that all my family can come. Every single one of them. Kids, the lot. Because I fucking love you, Carter Maywood. Everything I love was in that room today, and you are at the top of the list, baby.”
He looks thunderstruck.
“Sugar, I would have settled for top five. I love your crazy family, and I love all the children. I know you all come as a package deal. But wrap ‘em all up, cos with you I feelit’s Christmas everyfuckin’day. In fact, let’s get married at Christmas. We can do the snow, fly everyone to Italy.”
He’s getting excited about the whole thing already, and I grin from ear to ear.
“What’s your family motto?” he asks
“Family above all,” I answer automatically. “And I can’t fucking wait for you to be my family.” I touch his hair, his face. His eyes blaze back at me. Kissing me with so much love, his lips are like silk on mine. I smile into his face saying, “Welcome to my family, Carter Maywood.”
BONUS EPILOGUE
Mr Jameson Bonney
A year later. March in LA.
I spot my quarry laughing with his sister in the kitchen.He’s lost the black suit jacket. The expensive white shirt that hugs the torso gifted from the gods has the top buttons undone, his bowtie unraveled with each end hanging around his neck. It’s the stuff of dreams. Well, certainly mine. Suit trousers fitted to perfection. The body underneath it even better. Worked to an inch of its life.
Believe me, I know.
Brandishing the golden statue, he’s still shaking his head in astonishment. Putting it on the side board, he proudly displays it for all to see. He’s done the after party, the after the after party, and now we’re at the end game. At Marcus Russell's house. It was a legendary party venue back in the day. Or should I say Kellen Russell’s home? Because now it’s a legendary family home. And we are all family.
I watch as the face of the man I want—the one who captured my heart two years ago—changes to one of puzzlement and distrust. The administrator from the club CAshO has just entered the house, escorted by Freddie, my agent.
He smiles at the unsmiling Jackson Greystone, as that is who he is here to see.
“Mr Stone. Fabulous evening. Congratulations.” The administrator smiles warmly at him.
“Why, I didn’t win anything. And what are you doing here?” Oh dear. Blunt, to the point. Cold. I watch as his sister does a double take at his tone. “Who let you in?” he continues, his voice rising a bit. “And again, what are you doing here?”
Kellen Russell and Xander Barclay both head over to evict the trespasser in their midst.
“Who the fuck are you? How did you get in?” Kellen is flexing his muscles. Both these men are ridiculous specimens. The finest. But my eyes are only ever on Mr Stone.
“I have some papers for Mr Stone to sign.” The administrator is unruffled.
“I’m sorry, I’m Evie, but who are you? And why do you keep calling him Mr Stone?” Evie is trying tact before she starts to throw him out. Or throw things at him. It’s a toss up on which flies first.
“I’m an administrator. At CAshO,” the man tells her.
She looks from Jackson to him. “Theadministrator?” Her inflection on that one little word tells me she knows who he is. She smirks and looks at her big brother. “Right. Well, I’ll leave you to it, Jackson.”
“What? Why are we leaving him to it?” Kell looks confused. “And what papers. Do we need a lawyer?”
Jackson looks around the room. As if he’s searching for someone. And then he brings his eyes back to the administrator.
