Page 44 of Shared By 3

“Knife at the balls?” Hunter asks.

“It’s her signature move.”

Lief grabs her wrist, twists, and she gasps as she drops the knife. Hunter takes two large steps forward, but Valerie doesn’t make a sound. I shake my head. “She’s fine at that angle, just immobile.”

Hunter shakes his head. “Liking this plan a lot less.”

Lief and Valerie have a stare off, but she shivers once and then she’s in Lief’s arms. Her arms wrap around his neck and he carries her inside. He sets Valerie down in front of the fireplace and gets it going. When she shivers again, Hunter and I both grab blankets to drape around her.

Lief pulls her into his arms. “Don’t be careless with your health.”

“Don’t be an ass when we need your support,” she counters, still arguing, despite her chattering teeth. “I will bite you in the not-sexy-way.” She smiles.

His face doesn’t change, but Valerie leans against him and traces his tattoos up his arms. “How are you still so warm?”

“I don’t like this plan. All I see are problems. I don’t have it in me to resist helping you. I want to be under your desk while you deal with him,” Lief states.

I sigh. “Lief, he could know. You’re huge. You’re not going to fit under a desk.”

“Unless our fiancé just gets a new desk,” Hunter mumbles.

Valerie looks at Lief, and he nods. She takes a deep breath. “Alright. New desk that I don’t sit behind, anyway. Lief will fit in there, and that’s the end of it. This is still an if. I don’t have anyone new on my roster.”

“That will change tonight. The party has allowed press,” I say.

“As of midnight, everyone will know about us getting married,” Hunter says with a huge grin. “The world will know that you are taken.”

Lief seems to soften. He rubs his hands over Valerie’s arms and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m sorry for picking another fight when I said I wouldn’t.”

“It was an asshole move,” Valerie whispers.

“It was and it won’t be repeated,” Lief promises, lifting her chin. “I should have just told you how uncomfortable I was with you taking this risk. I want forever, Valerie.”

“I do too and I wouldn’t suggest this if I thought there was a real risk to that,” she says, then looks at me and Hunter. “I trust all three of you with my life. I wouldn’t do it with anyone else.”

“So, are we party ready?” Hunter asks. “Because tonight is not ending like our engagement party did. No fighting in the new year. Just us, together.”

“That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said, Krolik,” Valerie says, with a smile spreading across her face.

“It’s the year we’re going to get married,” I state. “That makes it the best year already. When is midnight coming?”

“About the same time you three do,” Valerie teases.

SIXTEEN

Valerie

The party is amazing.It’s an exclusive list, but I don’t notice anyone else since I’m wrapped up in my men. Hunter wants to dance to every song and refuses to surrender me. When I get to Chase, he sits down with me and rubs my feet.

Even Lief stays close.

“You three are going all out for the press,” I mumble.

“You say that like we don’t dote on you,” Chase says while squeezing my foot.

I moan and can’t help but think of the amazing dates we’ve been on. We need more. “You do, always.”

“It used to be just hanging curtains shirtless,” Hunter says while setting a drink in my hand and kissing the top of my head. “I still can’t believe I didn’t get felt up that day.”

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