“You don’t say?”
“Also, that’s a disturbing visual. We don’t eat each other after we kill each other. We’re civilized men.”
“You’re about as civilized as cavemen can get, I’ll give you that much.”
“Thank you.”
Her mermaid eyes sparkle. Her scarlet lips curve up at the edges. “Was it really a compliment, though?”
I chuckle. “Let’s get in the car before we start arguing or we’ll be standing here all night.”
Taking her by the hand, I lead her across the room to the chair her heavy winter coat is draped over. I help her into it, then take her hand again as we walk outside to the car. Kieran waits for us in the parking lot with the SUV’s engine already running. Steam from the tailpipe billows white into the cold night air.
“How’d it go in there?” he asks as we pull off.
I say, “Nobody died.”
“Ach! Success, then. Good to hear it.”
Reyna says to him, “Are we picking up Aria on the way or is she meeting us there?”
“She’s already there. Sent me a pic of her and Sloane in the kitchen. All smiles. Real sweet. Sent a text right after askin’ if I could bring her some antacids.”
Reyna laughs. “I bet she did, the poor thing. Sloane must’ve made her sample some of the appetizers.”
“I’ll never know how such a lovely lass is such a bloody bad cook,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m never really sure if she’s tryin’ to feed me or if she’s havin’ a wee laugh at my expense, watchin’ me try to keep a straight face with a mouthful of rotten twigs.”
“I’m happy Aria flew in from New York to spend Christmas with you, even if she does have to eat rotten twigs.” Reyna turns to me. “Remind me again why we’re not having dinner at our house, Quinn?”
I say drily, “Because you’re renovating the kitchen, viper. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten. It’s costing me a bloody arm and a leg.”
She made it a condition of us moving in together. We thought about building new, but decided to buy a home in Declan and Sloane’s neighborhood that has enough bedrooms for all the future Quinns. What it didn’t have was a kitchen my queen approved of, so I’ve spent the last year living in a construction zone.
I complain about it a lot, but only so Reyna feels bad and wants to make it up to me.
When you’re addicted to someone, you’ll do anything for one more taste, no matter how you get it.
We arrive at Declan and Sloane’s just as Sloane is opening the front door for Malek. She gives him a hug, making me glower.
Reyna sighs. “Oh, honey.”
I growl, “I’ll play nice for the sake of politics, but I still hate him.”
“I know. And thank you.”
“He shot Kieran, by the way.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
Kieran chuckles. “Aye. Three times. Tickles me pink every time I walk into a room with that big ugly bastard there, knowin’ how vexed he must get to see me grinnin’ at him like a bloody jack-o’-lantern.”
“That’s the spirit! Now stop scowling, Quinn, and please help me out of this ridiculous vehicle you call a car. I don’t want to fall out and break a leg.”
“Ah. Another of your not-so-subtle hints to buy a Mercedes sedan.”
She smiles sweetly at me. “Don’t be silly. I know you’d never buy one of those. Only adults drive them.”
“Only old people and sheiks drive them.”
“You say that like you know any old people. Or sheiks.”
I open the door and take her hand, helping her slide across the seat toward me. Then I pick her up and kick the door closed.
As I carry her over the path toward the front door, she sighs.
“Don’t say it. I know you’re capable of walking, but as long as there’s bloody snow on the bloody ground, I’ll carry you.”
“You didn’t carry me out of the meeting.”
“You only had to walk ten feet.”
She says tartly, “So there’s a ten-foot limit to my allowable mobility?”
I growl, “There’s a paddle with your name on it is what there is.”
“The day I allow you to spank me is the day Sloane eats a doughnut.”
“Does it count if she doesn’t know it’s a doughnut? Because I’ll gladly roll a Krispy Kreme in dirt and rabbit turds and tell her it’s made from organic quinoa and steel-cut oats.”
Laughing, Reyna drops her head to my shoulder. “I’ll take that deal. But I have to be in the room to see her face when she eats it.”
As we enter the house, I’m already plotting how I can excuse myself to make a run to the nearest Krispy Kreme store.
I set Reyna onto her feet carefully inside the front door, then give Sloane a hug. She hugs Reyna and Kieran and tells us Declan has already arrived.
Kieran asks, “How does he like his new driver?”
Sloane smiles warmly at him. “Not as much as the old one. Come on in, guys. You can leave your coats on that divan.”
When we enter the living room, Nat and Kage are sitting on a sofa on one side of the room. Cuddled in her arms is their new baby boy, Kaz, named after his horrible father.
Kaz is swaddled in a blue blanket and has so much thick black hair, it looks as if he’s wearing a fur helmet.
Sitting on the same sofa are Malek and Riley. She’s handing him their infant, Mik. He’s older by a few months than Kaz, but has half the hair.
It’s also black, though. Like his father’s heart.
Standing in front of the fireplace holding a crystal glass filled to the rim with Scotch is Declan, looking like he’s fighting off a violent bout of diarrhea.
He makes that face a lot, though, so it’s hard to tell if the Russians are the problem.
Sloane waves us in, then says, “Everybody, before we get started with the festivities, I have an announcement to make. Oh, there’s Aria. Come sit.”
Emerging from the kitchen is Aria, a pretty young lass with twinkling brown eyes and dimples. She makes a beeline for Kieran, plants a kiss onto his ruddy cheek, then pulls him down with her onto a loveseat near the fireplace.
Reyna and I remain standing with our arms clasped around each other’s waists.
I’m expecting some saccharine speech about friends, family, and all the other holiday shite. So I’m surprised when Sloane walks over to Declan, winds her arm through his and says somberly, “Something has happened. We wanted to tell you first.”
“Oh shit,” says Nat, wide-eyed. “I knew it.”
Sloane wrinkles her nose. “You knew what?”
Nat glances around the room, down at her baby, then back up at Sloane. “That all this was too good to last.”
Sighing, Sloane says, “Babe, we need to talk about that doom-and-gloom attitude. What I was going to say is…” She pauses for dramatic effect, then blurts, “I’m pregnant!”
Reyna gasps in surprise. Aria, Nat, and Riley squeal in glee.
Then Sloane adds, “With twins!” and the squealing turns to shrieks of happiness.
Malek and Kage are wearing identical expressions of disgust, which makes Declan smile smugly.
“Congratulations, mate,” I say, extending my hand. He shakes it, grinning from ear to ear.
“Thank you. We’re very excited.”
“Twins,” says Reyna wistfully. “How wonderful!”
I tighten my arm around her, smiling wide because I know we’re going to have a bloody grand time trying for twins next time around.
I can already imagine the wicked fun it will be.
Sloane laughs, glowing with happiness. “Okay, now that’s off my chest, let’s party!”
Declan says, “You’ll not be partying with my babies in your belly!”
“I’ll be having sparkling cider, sweetie. Don’t get your panties in a wad.” She kisses him, then turns back to the girls and throws her arms in the air. “Partay! Partay! Partay!”
As Declan shakes his head, I lean down and murmur into Reyna’s ear, “I think we need to go to the loo.”
“We? Do you need an extra hand?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”
Smiling, I take her by the shoulders and tell the others we’ll be right back. Then I steer her down the hallway toward Declan’s office. I turn her into the powder room halfway there and lock the door behind us.
Backing up toward the sink, Reyna says, “Are you all right?”
“Better than ever, viper. Better than ever.”
I take her in my arms and kiss her hard. She responds as she always does, with a soft sigh, her body instantly melting against mine.
My own body responds as it always does, too, sending most of the blood in circulation straight to my cock, so I’m left feeling dizzy.
“My gorgeous gladiator,” she whispers against my mouth, opening her eyes to gaze up at me. There’s so much love in that look, it makes my dick even harder.
“My beautiful queen. I need to fuck you.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
She laughs a husky, happy laugh, winding her arms more tightly around my shoulders.
“Okay, Maximus. You’re the boss.”