“I’m taking it one day at a time,” I confessed. “That’s all I can do.”
“Well, I’m back for good. Anytime you need me, I will be there.”
I smiled up at him. He was a foot taller than me, with the same deep blue irises and unruly blond curls. Even with the scar running down the right side of his face, Aiden was still handsome.
I raised my hand to his cheek. “You look badass with this scar.”
He laughed. “Yeah. You think so?”
“I bet Blair will have a stroke when she sees you.”
“I hate that bitch,” he snapped. “She’s worse than Mom.”
“Have you seen Pops yet?”
“Not since the night of your kidnapping.”
“We should have dinner with him. I need to tell him about the news.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Are you pregnant?”
I held out my left hand.
Aiden studied the diamond ring gleaming on my finger. “You’re getting married?”
“Mid-September. Pops already planned the wedding.”
“Is this what you want?” Aiden lowered his voice. “He didn’t force you?”
I shook my head. “No, I love him.”
He dug his teeth into his bottom lip. “Okay. As long as you’re happy, then I’m happy.”
I squeezed his hand. “I am now that you’re here.”
He looked like the same Aiden, and yet he was so different. His blond curls were longer than I had seen them since we were kids. A generous amount of hair covered his jaw and, and his sideburns were longer than usual.
“You need a haircut.” I tugged on his curls and smiled. “And a shave. You look like a homeless person.”
“I’ll get my shit together by the wedding,” he promised.
“Speaking of the wedding. I want you to be my man-of-honor.”
He laughed. “Is that like the male version of a maid-of-honor?”
I nodded. “So what do you say? Will you be mine?”
Aiden hugged me so tight the air drained from my lungs. “Yes, of course.” He kissed the top of my head. “Don’t make me plan your bachelorette party. I’m not going to a male strip club.”
I chuckled. “Like I would ever want that.”
“Do I still get to walk you down the aisle?”
“Yes,” I said with a smile. “I couldn’t imagine anyone else at my side.”
“How about a drink?” Luca asked us. “We have a few things to discuss before Kali arrives.”
I slipped out of Aiden’s arms and into Luca’s, walking into the house with my two favorite men.
We sat on the back patio that overlooked the bay with Luca on my right, my brother on my left. I squeezed both of their hands and held them on top of my knees. I was afraid if I didn’t hold on to them, I would lose them all over again. After everything I had gone through with Cal Kurti and his men, I was not quite right.
I knew Luca would not let me out of his sight until we’d exacted our revenge. But what about the next threat? There would always be someone from the criminal underworld who had a bone to pick with the Salvatores.
“Drake and the Knights are working on rounding up Kurti’s men,” Luca told Aiden. “After we wipe them from existence, we’re proceeding with the ceremony to make Alex our queen.”
Aiden gulped beside me. “I don’t want to be there for the ceremony.”
“Because of the circumstances,” Luca said in a firm tone. “I have no choice but to make this one exception.”
If Luca were marrying another woman, Aiden would have taken part in the ceremony. It was his birthright as the heir to the Wellington fortune.
“Miss Marx is here,” a man announced from behind us just as Kali strolled through the French doors.
She wore a pale blue sundress that complemented her blonde hair and tanned skin nicely. I shot up from my chair and rushed over to her, throwing my arms around her. I winced when she squeezed me too hard and stepped out of her embrace.
“Sorry, girl.” Kali studied my face, then my bruised skin. “Oh, my God. Bastian and Damian told me they hurt you, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”
“I’m okay. Just sensitive. My ribs are pretty banged up. I should be better in a few weeks.”
Her eyes widened as I lifted my shirtsleeve to show her the damage.
“Oh, my God, girl.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “How did you survive those animals?”
“I knew Luca would come. I told myself it would all be over soon. It helped they kept me sedated between beatings.”
She shook her head, eyes wide.
“There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Aiden rose from his chair, towering over me. Kali had a few inches on me, but my brother was still pretty damn tall.
“You must be the twin brother I have heard so much about,” Kali beamed with a smile.
Aiden extended his hand. “That’s me. And you must be Kali.”
Instead of shaking his hand, Kali wrapped her arms around him. “It’s so nice to meet you, Aiden. I’m glad you’re alive.”