“That you would do it for me.”
“That I would do it for you. You are my new addiction, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Wherever you are is where I need to be, so please don’t make me chase you again… unless we’re playing that kind of a game.” He winked and pressed a sweet kiss to my mouth.
“I love you.” I blinked and glanced around like the words could have come from someone else. Before I could start panicking Tobias chuckled and pulled me back in toward him.
“Good,” he breathed across my lips. “Because we love you too.”
“We?”
He cut off my question with his mouth. The sweetness of a moment ago was gone as he licked into me, claiming without words. I ran my hands over his chest and paused when I felt him flinch.
His eyes were cautious as I pulled back and peeled his shirt away from his body to reveal saran wrap covering a fresh tattoo. On either side of the pocketwatch over his heart now stretched a beautifully detailed pair of angel wings.
“I love them.”
“I love you.”
A genuine smile welled up within me, something I wouldn’t have thought possible an hour earlier. I cupped his cheek, guiding his mouth back to mine when we were interrupted by a throat clearing.
Otis stood in the front doorway, an arm looped casually around a scowling Harvey who was rubbing his stomach.
“He’s vicious when he’s not doped up. Far too much like his twin for my liking.”
Toby chuckled and Harvey stopped complaining as he noticed our attention.
“Come inside, we’re about to make some lunch. Have you eaten?”
I barely made it through the door before Otis and Harvey crowded in on either side and took turns kissing me hello.
”We must have done a really shit job at showing you how we feel, Tater tots,” Calix said, leaning against the wall watching our reunion. The nickname gave me a stab of grief, but in its wake was a small sense of joy that a small piece of Ma was still here.
“You’re never going to be alone again. We’re your family now. For better or worse, every one of our fucked up group is yours for as long as you’ll have us.”
“And even after that,” Toby agreed.
“This was supposed to be a short term thing,” I murmured again, the shock of their confessions burning across my already raw nerves. “What if it doesn’t work out?”
Otis grunted something close to a laugh.
“You’re going to have fun watching them grovel.”
Calix raised an eyebrow at him, but I kind of liked the idea of these men on their knees.
“And what if I’m in love with all of you?” I asked, wanting to be sure they’d thought this through.
“That’s what we’re hoping for,” Harvey said as Calix spoke over him.
“Are you?”
I stared at the surly lead singer for a long moment, seeing past his carefully built defenses to the traumatized man who struggled to trust. Despite how we started, he’d chosen to follow when I ran. He was there for me when I needed him most.
“Yes.”
The tension in the room broke at the simple confession.
Whatever came next, I knew I’d be able to face it with these four flawed, beautiful men at my side.
They stayedwith me for the funerals and helped me pack up my family’s life while the days ticked past and Otis made quiet phone calls to delay shows and cancel tour stops.
