Page 76 of Emil

I slid out of the car, came around to the far side, and helped Anders out. We walked up the stairs to the hotel. He stood tall and proud next to me. I wanted the world to see him at my side, and fuck anyone who had a goddamn thing to say about it. The only thing that would have made the moment better was his hand in mine. There was no way in hell I’d undermine him like that, so I behaved. Once this was over, I’d be able to claim him in every space we shared.

He was here with me, and I wanted the world to see it.

The unnecessarily fancy lobby was crowded with my arriving colleagues. Anders squared his shoulders and stepped forward first. If they had anything to say about him, they didn’t show it on their faces. I introduced him, and they all greeted him as if he were one of them, which was exactly what I expected.

He was the guest of honor, whether they knew it or not.

“Anders, it’s so good to see you.”

“Have you been on vacation? You look amazing.”

“Happiness looks good on you.”

The series of greetings that welcomed Anders to the table cemented my decision that having the boys and their Daddies here was the right call. Maybe he’d been overwhelmed at the birthday party, but that had more to do with everything else going on in his life. There was no question how much love they had for him, and how much he had for them in return.

I watched him greet everyone at the table, beaming. Before sitting down, he made the rounds, hugging the boys and shaking the Daddies’ hands. They might not be in little mode today, but there was no mistaking his place among them. He was their favorite older brother, indulgent, kind, and always quietly protective.

“Thank you so much for coming. I had no idea you were interested in business,” Anders said.

“Anders, love of my life, there is only one man I’d go to a business luncheon for, and it’s not Gabe,” Rory said solemnly. “It’s you. Bestie among besties.”

“If I were a jealous man, I might be worried,” Gabe added dryly.

“Well, that would be silly,” Rory said, arching a brow. “You know the order of my love.”

“What’s the order?” I asked.

“Anders, then Gabe. Always and forever.” Rory made exaggerated heart eyes at Gabe, who smiled indulgently.

“Rory, you’re ridiculous.”

“Okay, but where’s the lie?” Owen laughed.

“Before I forget,” Casey said, “Jakob said he’d be here by twelve-thirty. Reed’s on shift.”

“Levi asked me to tell you he was sorry he couldn’t reschedule his meeting,” Nico added.

“It’s fine.” Anders glanced at me. “Although I’m not entirely sure why you’re here.”

All eyes turned to me.

Lucky for me, the servers arrived at that exact moment to deliver lunch, and the question was forgotten. We ate steak and the warm spinach salad the hotel was known for, along with basket after basket of sourdough bread that lived up to the hype.

Anders was in his element, surrounded by his boys. They competed for his attention, but this time, they gave him space. The Daddies quietly managed the balance.

Once the dishes were cleared, dessert was served, and coffee refilled, the chairperson approached the podium and clinked her water glass.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. As is our custom, we invite prominent members of our organization to speak on issues relevant across our firms.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Anders murmured as my name was called.

I squeezed his fingers, pushed my chair back, and walked to the podium. When I reached the microphone, I scanned the room until I found John seated at the center table, exactly where I’d asked that he be placed. I let my gaze linger.

A ripple moved through the room.

I glanced back at my table. The boys sat rigid, eyes fixed on John. Jakob, who’d arrived late as warned, looked confused but schooled his features into a glare in the general direction of all the others.

Anders, on the other hand, looked serene and steady while he looked directly at me.