“Then we do it.”
The door opens. The air shifts. And we step out.
The sound hits immediately. Cameras. Voices. Movement. But I don’t focus on that.
I focus on the way Elijah moves beside me, my arm threaded through his, his body solid and steady next to mine as we walk forward.
We stop. Turn.
And then his arm slides around me, pulling me back against him, his hand firm at my waist, his presence wrapping around me from behind.
Zach steps in on one side.
Jackson on the other.
And before I can even think, they’re touching me.
Jackson’s lips press warm against my cheek. Zach’s mouth brushes slowly along the curve of my neck. And Elijah, his hand tightens at my waist as his mouth claims mine.
It’s brief. But it’s enough. The reaction is instant. The sound of cameras explodes. Questions overlap.
“Jackson... are you...”
“Is this...”
“Who is she...”
Jackson steps forward before it can spiral, his hand still brushing mine as he moves.
“Yes,” he says clearly.
The noise dips slightly.
“We’re in a committed relationship with Liana Waverly,” he continues, his voice steady, unwavering. “And we’re making that public.”
More questions. Faster now. He doesn’t engage.
“We’re not answering anything else tonight,” he says calmly. “Other than that we are committed to each other.”
And then we’re moving again. Inside. The warmth of the room hits me immediately, soft lighting, music drifting through the space, conversation layered over itself in a way that feels almost surreal after the intensity outside.
Evelyn is there almost instantly. She pulls me into a hug, laughing softly.
“Well,” she murmurs, “that was one hell of a way to arrive.”
I laugh against her shoulder, still a little breathless.
“Subtlety isn’t really our thing.”
“Clearly.”
Mark stands beside her, watching us carefully.
“PR is going to have fun with that,” he says dryly.
Jackson shifts slightly beside me.
“Is that a problem?”
