Page 110 of Fall Before Her Throne

I’d already learned that people made mistakes trying to care for the ones they loved. My men and I had all done the same at one point or another. I’d already learned that it was easier to face the pain of our past when we had people who helped us. Max had been alone all this time, but not anymore.

I pressed my lips together to keep the tears at bay. “Okay.”

He smiled. A real, genuine smile. It made his face look boyish and sweet, like all at once the shadows had fallen from it and left only sunshine. His hand trailed from my cheek down my neck, drawing goosebumps to the surface of my skin. Behind me, Cas pushed closer, watching Max’s fingers explore the bare skin of my chest and torso.

I craned my neck back, needing to double-check that Cas was okay with everything that had happened. He had facilitated everything, but people changed when the darkness turned to light. Hearts closed and thoughts ran.

When I met his eyes, all I saw there was warmth and happiness.

“Let one thing be clear, though,” Cas said, with a sly smile on his face. Both Max and I looked at him with a question in our eyes. “I called dibs on wife first.”

“Hey, I willingly turned down wife to keep her out of harm’s way.”

“That’s your problem, not mine.”

“She wanted to marry me long before she wanted to marry you.”

“And then you were a colossal dick.”

“We’re working past that⁠—”

I cut them both off by putting a hand on each of their cheeks. My engagement ring sparkled in the early morning light. “Duel for me.”

Both of them looked at me like I’d grown an extra head.

“Duel for my hand. With old-timey pistols. I will respect the results of a duel, and that is the only solution we have for this problem.”

Cas snorted and then immediately began tickling me. “You little⁠—”

Then Max joined in, and the three of us dissolved into a massive tickle fight. Tears streamed down my cheeks while I shrieked at them to stop. After a somewhat involuntary kick to both of their lower regions, they let up. I caught my breath, relishing their warmth.

“Where will I procure old-timey pistols?” Max mused.

“I bet Ryu knows a guy,” Cas answered.

“Ryuji will just shoot me and be done with it. Not fair.”

“The family can vote on it,” I offered. “Who will they choose? Cas, and his dibs? Or Max, and his declaration of eternal love?”

Cas shook his head. “Oh, no. No, no, no. If we bring it to a family vote, everyone will call dibs. We all want to marry you, and I can’t duel everyone.”

“Have more faith in yourself, my devoted bodyguard.” I pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. “Now that your torture wounds are almost healed, you might surprise yourself.”

Max grimaced. “Sorry.”

“My knee will be eternally fucked up, so I deserve a handicap if we’re all going to fight,” Cas declared. “No, wait, this isn’t fair! I have had dibs the whole time. I picked out that ring!”

I grinned. “We’ll see. Maybe we can buy a politician to change the marriage laws so we can all get married.”

Max nodded solemnly. “It would only be fair.”

“I bet Obi has a contact.”

I snorted. I bet he did.

There was a soft knock at the door. It popped open, and Wynn poked his head inside. “Everything all right in here?”

A contented smile spread across my face. “Yeah.”