Soleil laughed and looked at him again, that same soft, tender expression on her face. He hadn’t let go of her hand, not even through the enthusiastic hugs of the two women who had full privileges in their club. For a moment he had resented them for taking her attention from him, and then he was grateful to them. The trembling wasn’t nearly as bad, and she was still looking at him as if he’d been the one to give her that reassurance.
“There’s no reason for a smackdown, although it’s nice to know you could deliver one if needed,” Soleil assured Lana.
She smiled at both Alena and Lana. Ice could see it was genuine.
“He’s incredibly good to me, although I can’t believe he got me to agree to stay married to him.”
“He can be very charming and persuasive,” Lana said. She looked all sweet when she was facing Soleil, but when she turned to him, she gave him her fierce “you’re dead” face.
Ice grinned at her. After all, he had the girl. “Had to get you drunk,” Ice reminded Soleil without a hint of remorse.
“I got you drunk,” she denied. She twisted the laminated paper ring she hadn’t taken off her finger.
Alena caught her hand. “Ice, is this what you’ll be making for her? It looks intricate.”
“Ice will make for me?” Soleil echoed.
“Didn’t he tell you? He’s a jeweler. His work is awesome and very coveted. No one really knows who he is, so that makes his custom pieces all the more sought-after.”
Soleil’s eyes widened when she turned and looked at him. “You’re Ice.”
He shrugged. “That’s what people call me.”
“No, you know what I mean. The designer. I actually have a pair of your earrings.” She touched her ears. She wore only small diamond studs. The rest of her jewelry, including the one-of-a-kind Ice earrings, was locked away in the safe at the hotel in San Francisco she resided in.
“I’ll make you a dozen pair of earrings,” he promised. “But first, our rings. I’m wearing one as well.”
“That will be good,” Lana said, an edge to her voice. “When you’re at parties, it will warn the women that you’re taken.”
He knew a threat when he heard it, and he couldn’t blame Lana. He’d orchestrated his seduction of Soleil, step by step, and stolen Lana’s little chick out from under her safety net.
“I’ll know I’m married, Lana,” he assured. He glanced at Absinthe, who was standing next to him. The man was a human lie detector. Ice couldn’t reassure Soleil using him, but he could Lana. He extended his arm to Absinthe, waiting until the pads of his brother’s fingers were on his pulse. “I am not ever going to cheat on my wife, Lana. I married her because she’s the one woman I know absolutely without a doubt is mine.”
He didn’t know how to put it any differently. He knew. It was that simple. Keeping her might be a problem because he had no clue what he was doing, but if he lost her, it wouldn’t be for lack of trying—or because he cheated.
Lana hadn’t been the only one watching. His brothers had gone silent and had watched his declaration. He wanted them to hear it. He needed them to know how important Soleil was to him. And he wanted them to always take care of her if he wasn’t around.
Storm came from behind them, wrapping an arm around both. He kissed the side of Soleil’s cheek. “You’re taming the beast, woman. Glad to have you as a sister, although the girl club is getting too big, now that Reaper has Anya and Steele, Breezy. And there’s Blythe.”
Alena nudged him with her foot. “Alena and Lana,” she added, glaring at her brother.
“You don’t count. I’m pretty sure you’re half—”
“Don’t you dare say it.” Alena shoved him. “Don’t fall for anything he has to say, Soleil. He thinks he’s charming.”
“I am charming. Now that Ice is taken, I’m going to be the hot one.”
“You’ve always been the hot one,” Ice said hastily.
Soleil had tensed, just a little, when his twin had wrapped his arm around the two of them. Ice was certain it was because she hadn’t liked waking up thinking she might have been with both of them. Storm had relayed what she’d first said when she’d woken. His twin had thought it was funny, and he had as well, but now she was uneasy in Storm’s company and he didn’t want that—not ever.
Ice leaned into her and put his lips against her ear. “I don’t share. Storm would never touch you. He thinks of you the way he does Alena. You’re mine, Soleil. Storm will love you like a brother, but you’re my woman. My wife. He knows and respects that. They all do.”
Some of the tension left her body. She smiled up at Storm and shook her head at the teasing his sister was giving his brother. Ice slipped his arm around her and led her to Czar, the president of their club.