Jasper comes over to me and brushes his lips across mine.
“Do you think I would ever let him get near you or our little babies if I thought he’d be a threat? Never. I promise you. Aurora, from now on, you are safe. You trust me, don’t you?”
“Of course,” I say immediately, because it’s true.
Plus, I have this ever-present desire to please Jasper and the guys in all the ways I can. He must know that I trust him implicitly.
I lean back in my soft velvet office chair and stare at Finn and Jasper. They’re so alike, and yet so very different. My eyes are feasting on them, and I’m getting my fill just as Declan walks in.
“Baby, he’s here,” Declan says as he offers his hand to help me up. “And can I just take a minute to say how fucking stunning you look? Where’d you get that outfit?”
I smile mischievously. “Oh, you know, around. A girl never gives up her secrets.”
I have to maintain some mystery in my life and some sense of self. Otherwise, I might get lost and utterly consumed by these men.
Declan is always the one to notice my latest finds and the subtle things I do with my look. He’s an artist through and through, and I have all manners of erotic photography to prove that.
I stand close to his side and say nervously, “Okay, well, it’s now or never.”
He squeezes my hand in reassurance, and just at that moment, my brother walks through the door—and I barely recognize him.
He’s, like, handsome again.
“Anders,” I say, unable to hide the shock in my voice. “Is that you?”
I go to him immediately and hug him tightly. I just can’t believe that my brother’s back and that he seems okay. All those days and nights of worrying about him, of calling the police station, and even the morgue…they seem like a distant memory now and as if history won’t repeat itself because he actually seems…okay.
“Hi, sis—geez, hug my brains out, why don’t you. How are you?”
I look up into his shining eyes, and for once, I feel like absolutely everything is all right. With Anders back to his former self and with him stronger than ever before because he has walked through the fire of drug addiction, I feel like I can finally relax and revel in my new happiness.
“You just look so…good…and healthy…and—” tears form in my eyes, and I just can’t believe that this strong man is standing before me now.
He looks around the room at me and at each Grayson brother before saying, “I just want you all to know how truly sorry I am. Especially to you, Aurora. I nearly ruined your life, and I put you in danger. I can’t imagine the worry you must’ve felt for me, and I’m so, so sorry for that. I plan on making this up to you for the rest of our lives. You saved me, sis. Because of you, I’m standing here alive and well today.”
“It’s okay,” I say tearfully as I put my arm around his waist. “You’re better now, that’s all that matters.”
Jasper slaps him on the back and says, “You’re an uncle now, too.”
“An uncle times three,” Declan clarifies.
“To little baby girl triplets,” Finn declares.
“Wait, what?” my brother says incredulously.
I look up into his eyes and nod my head to confirm. “Yeah, you missed a lot while you were away.”
I swear I see tears form in his eyes as he says, “Mom and Dad would’ve been so proud.”
Declan puts a hand on his shoulder and says, “They are. Trust me. And so is our dad, John James Grayson.”
“We’re a family now, keeping the tradition alive,” Finn says. “And you’re part of it.”
I look around the room at all the men in my life, and I feel so blessed and secure and at ease. All the pain I endured to get to this moment was worth it…
I am finally home.