“Her dad said we can’t have kids until we are married though.” Lincoln let out a frustrated sound.
“Well then, we have to get married.” King shrugged.
This entire situation was spiraling. I should have slammed the brakes on, but I couldn’t. I was just watching it unfold, realizing that despite them laughing and looking relaxed…they weren’t joking.
None of this was a joke.
“Well, he did say we had to get engaged to live together, and then if it happened, it happened,” Dermot pointed out. “Unless Dahlia wants to get married soon, but he said she picks the timeline for that.”
All of them looked at me expectantly.
My cheeks flamed. “Don’t look at me, you didn’t officially ask me!”
“We need to get on that,” Yates murmured.
“Oh my lord.” I inhaled, dropping my head into my hands. “You are all insane.”
“Killing doesn’t bother her, but this, this makes us insane.” King shook his head.
Stratton spoke against my ear. “Take as long as you want, angel. We have all the time in the world.”
I looked back at him and offered him a sweet kiss, a low rumble breaking from his throat.
“What the hell did he say to get that?” Yates demanded, sounding grumpy as hell.
“Doesn’t matter,” Stratton said before kissing the top of my head.
“Well, what do we want to do now?” Sterling asked curiously, his fingers moving across the table to intertwine with my own.
“I’m sort of hungry—”
Apparently, that was all I needed to say.
* * *
To say my boys could be over the top sometimes was the understatement of the freakin’ century. After we had left Dermot’s and gone over to my place, I’d called my mom and dad while my guys handled dinner. I hadn’t been in my room in what felt like forever, so I had laid on my bed, face-timing them and telling my mom about the little breakdown I’d had.
It was hard to open up about it because I never wanted my parents to feel bad or think they had somehow been responsible for being part of my emotional distress, but instead my mom had talked through a lot of it with me. I wasn’t positive if she knew about what I’d done to Ian—I sort of glossed over it—but the way she talked about him made me think she wouldn’t have minded in the least.
I was learning my mom had a bit of a mean streak towards people who threatened her family.
After that, I’d come outside to find the backyard area set up with food that must have been brought in from a restaurant, the ambiance enhanced by a beautiful flower arrangement and soft music. I knew they hadn’t meant it to be romantic, but I’d almost teared up seeing it. Sitting there for nearly three hours, all of us seeming to detox and relax, was exactly what I’d needed. I had even managed to eat a little. I knew that my problems were far from over—and hell, these past few days had added a ton on—but just for that moment, it felt like my life had found a semblance of normality.
I just prayed it wasn’t calm before the storm.
Now I sat on my bed, breathing in the fresh air from the open balcony, as Dermot’s hand gently ran up and down my back, the two of us watching a race that the others apparently had bet on. Well, more importantly, the Rosses had bet on it, which if I had to assume meant they had fixed it. They were standing out on the balcony smoking cigars with the TV tilted towards them, far too vested in a race for it to be just for the fun of it. I wish I could say it bothered me, but it barely fazed me as I curled against Dermot, his warm, rough hands making my skin break out into shivers.
I rolled onto my back slightly and looked up at him, his emerald green eyes running over my face. “You’re beautiful, baby girl, you know that?”
My cheeks turned bright pink as I narrowed my eyes. “You trying to get me to blush?”
“Seems I already did that.” Dermot winked.
“I’m gonna find a way to get you to blush.” I scowled.
Dermot barked out a laugh. “If you can manage that, Dahlia, we have a way bigger issue. I don’t think I’ve ever blushed before… Then again, you make me react like no other, so it’s always possible.” He nipped my nose, and I was suddenly very glad the others couldn’t see us from this angle. I mean, it’d be fine if someone walked in, but like this, just Dermot and me… I was suspended in a small sexy bubble of wanting to be completely underneath this man.
I squirmed underneath him. “Yeah? How else do I make you react?”