Page 104 of Crown of Steel

Am I? Arewe? Okay? God, I hope we will still be, after tonight.

Accepting Jean-Luc’s offer, I clink my glass against his outstretched one before taking a drink. Champagne still tastes a little too sour for me, but I suppose I’m starting to get accustomed to the taste. And something tells me that I need to if I want to survive in the Deveraux family, considering the number of litres they drink.

“So, Deveraux Holding successfully bought one of the largest champagne houses in the country,” Jean-Luc announces. “And this is the result. Do you like it?” He chortles, then squeezes myshoulder affectionately as if he already knows the answer to that. He seems to be in a good mood. Will he still be when he finds out the truth about me and his son?

Part of me feels brave after what today put me through, the reckoning with my own dad. That was brutal, but I’m still here. And I want to claim my prize, damn it. The real prize.

Myprize.

Arthur Deveraux.

“Come, sit,” Jean-Luc gestures to all of us, then grabs a number of documents from the piano hood before moving to where my mother has already taken a seat on the couch, right across from us. It’s exactly the same way we sat last time except that this time I find myself in the middle, with both my big stepbrothers sitting on each side of me. Although only one of them possesses the sort of body heat that is addicting.

“I believe we have a few more things to celebrate today,” Jean-Luc announces. “How did it go in prison today, boys?”

I can feel all eyes turn to me, and as I slouch back a little deeper, I try to formulate the right words. Part of me knows I should feel embarrassed. I’m not even sure if Louis knows I went to see Dad in prison, and I don’t know what I think of him now knowing. But another part of me is done with that shame.

I’m still here.

“I went to visit Dad…” I hesitate, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the wording. “To visit…him,” I correct. “I went there to tell him that I want nothing to do with him anymore. That I will do everything I can in my power to separate myself from him. I don’t want him to be my father anymore.”

My chest shudders at my own words, but where I expect my heart to crack open and weep, there’s a dullness instead. I have shed enough tears. I have suffered long enough.

Someone lets out a long puff of air, and when I drag my gaze up, I blink back at Jean-Luc. The older man smiles at me, a hesitant, trembling smile that’s very unlike his usual self-confidentappearance. The documents in his hand flutter when he waves them in the air. “From the day I realized that Nathalie had a son, I have wanted to have you in our family, Régis. Nathalie was the gift life gave me, and you are part of her. Of us. Words won’t ever convey just how sorry I am for all you have endured. I know Nathalie hasn’t told me everything about your past, but I pray that the two of you will be able to find a way to talk about things. Don’t carry your burden by yourself, son. Life’s too short to grief in perpetuity.” His gaze slides to Louis, then to Arthur. “Louis will be there for you too. As will Arthur…” He clears his throat, the tips of his lips quirking up. “I would very much like to be your father, Régis.”

Silence follows his words. I expect someone to call him out on it, but when I turn to my right, I find Louis looking at me with that usual crooked grin on his handsome face.

“What do you say?” He asks. When I don’t reply immediately, his grin widens. “Don’t worry, little s-brother, Dad already discussed this with me and Arthur. This family has no secrets, right?” He winks in a silent challenge, and in a flash of memory, I’m back in the SUV when I had my first taste of champagne. My first touch of Arthur. When Louis had also challenged me. Back then I had no idea what was coming for me, but now I do. I am no longer that skittish kid who lived with his abusive dad.

“I—” Here goes nothing. Turning back to Jean-Luc, I hesitate, then take in a deep breath and puff up my chest. Then I blurt, “I’m in love with your son. I—I—”

“What?” Louis taunts next to me. “Why are you only just telling me now?”

“He doesn’t mean you, you dickhead.” Arthur grumbles, then raises our entangled hands for everyone to see. His scowl is on his twin, but I don’t miss the mischievous twinkle in those onyx eyes. “He means me.”

Louis chuckles and is about to say something in return, no doubt a joke of some sort, when Jean-Luc says, “I know.”

All faces turn his way. His dark eyes dart between both me and Arthur as we wait for him to say something. He takes his time, continuing to stare at us in rapid intervals, until finally he parts his lips. He clears his throat, then casually drops the documents onto the table. I immediately recognize the official logo of the national government with the colors of our flag.

Adoption papers.

He lets out a long breath, then rubs his knees in thought. “I won’t judge your love,” he finally says and pinches the bridge of his nose. “After all, my own experience of falling in love with a homeless woman wasn’t exactly conventional. Still our family accepted us, because they recognized our love. The same stands for you two today, Arthur and Régis.” My mother grabs his hand, holding it in hers, just as I feel Arthur squeezing my own hand. Something in me unlocks. “But we are a well-known family, boys, and I need you to be sure. I can’t make any controversial announcements only to have you back out afterwards. It’s imperative that you two know—feel—that you are meant to be together forever before we share this publically. You’re still young, and I wouldn’t want to put that sort of responsibility on your shoulders. Perhaps we can work on a solution as a family for a little while while you see if this relationship is taking you where you hope it is?”

“I want to stay here in Monterrey Castle after I graduate,” Arthur blurts.

Jean-Luc’s eyes flit to meet his son’s. Then he slowly lifts the papers from the table.

“The answer is yes, Jean-Luc,” I breathe, before he can reply to Arthur. “I’d love to have you as my dad. Officially. But only if you can accept me as your other sons’ lover.”

Next to me, Louis barks out a laugh, slapping his knees as he bends forward with laughter. “Oh my god, the drama. I’m loving it! And you guys say that I’m the trouble maker.” Grabbing the bottle from the wine cooler, he stands to top us all up. “Step son,son, son-in-law, whatever the title, Régis.” He halts to clink his own glass with mine, his charcoal eyes dancing with amusement and something else. It’s affection, and it’s making my heart swell in my chest. “I’m glad that you’re a part of the family.”

“Istill can’t believe how well that went, right?Right?” Bouncing through the damn corridors, we finally make our way from Jean-Luc’s office to our own dorm.

Ourdorm. Bedroom. Bed. Ours.

Next to me, Arthur chuckles raspily and grabs me tighter into his embrace. “Right. And I can’t believe that you actually finished that final glass of champagne. If I’m not mistaken, you’re getting the hang of it?”

I let out a snort then trip over my own feet, silently bracing myself to hit the floor right when Arthur’s fingers dig into the bare skin of my nape as he hauls me upright. He pulls me to his chest. “What did you expect, hmm?” He purrs softly into my ear, making goosebumps scatter all around the flushed skin. “That I’d let my little stepbrother walk free? I’m nothing if not a man of my word. And I’ve told you numerous times that they all know that I claimed you.” Clutching my neck tighter in his firm grip, he forces me to turn my face and look at him. His eyes are dark, with that hungry stare I’ve come to know. Pupil-blown, with a tiny ring of sparkling gold. His lips hover over me, his warm breath lingering right above my mouth. I lick my lips eagerly, excitement sizzling through my stomach, revelling in the way his gaze takes the movement in with a low growl.

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