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She shakes her head. “We’re sixteen, and those guys aren’t shy about flirting with girls.”

“They flirt with you?”

She huffs out a breath, and her exasperated eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Me, no. Every other girl in creation, yes. Except for Zoey, but she’s like one of the guys.”

Shrugging, she stops pinning my hair and studies it for a moment before working on loosening some spots. She sighs and meets my gaze in the mirror.

“Honestly, Zoey’s a nice girl. Not someone I’d normally hang out with. But she’s fine. Having to hang out with the guys while they whore themselves out is just weird and not fun at all.”

I arch my eyebrows at the venom in her tone. She almost sounds jealous.

“Do you like them?” I ask softly.

“What? No.” She scoffs, but her cheeks flush pink. “Nothing like that. It’s just they tend to scare away any guy who might be interested in me. And I end up spending the night talking to the girls they’ve been hitting on.” She releases a breath. “I went to an all-girls school. Part of coming back was to have a normal life. Maybe get a boyfriend.” She shrugs again.

“I don’t think your life would ever be normal as Caden’s sister.” I give her a soft smile. Even being his girlfriend isn’t for the faint of heart.

She laughs and takes the batons from me. “If Caden were an ordinary guy, things would probably be more ordinary. But as a horseman... Yeah, things aren’t ever quite normal with them around. But it’s only one more year, and then he’s off to college.”

I look down at my fingernails as she focuses on integrating the batons into my hair. College seems so far off, but now it’s not the escape I thought I needed. Now, I’m looking forward to going with the guys wherever we end up. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I’m excited by the possibilities.

When she finishes, she puts her hands on my shoulders. “What do you think?”

I lift my gaze to the mirror and take in the updo she’s managed to style in such a way that shows off the hair sticks and makes them look elegant with my dress. Tendrils dangle around my face in soft curls. “I think you’re my new favorite Ross.”

She grins. “Don’t tell Caden that. He’s always been competitive, even as kids.” She rolls her eyes. “Go on. They’re waiting to take pictures. My ride is here for me. I’ll see you at the dance.”

I pause and touch up my lipstick in the mirror. The excitement of the evening bubbles within me, finally overwhelming my fears. I take a deep breath. The guys won’t let anything happen to me. I’ll be safe by their sides all night long. I exhale.

Tonight is my first dance and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. While I can.

I follow Ava out of Jack’s bedroom into the living room. She waves at her brother before heading out. Mom went to get some sleep for her shift tonight, but Jack’s mom, Cathy, stands next to the guys with a huge smile on her face and her phone ready to take pictures.

“You look beautiful, Harper.” Her words don’t draw my attention. My guys do.

Luke is in a black suit jacket with a pale blue dress shirt under it. His slacks fall to his shiny black shoes. He styled his blond hair back out of his eyes, and I long to mess it up. But I’ll be able to do that later. His light blue eyes take in every inch of me, sending heat blazing through me.

Even though I want to go to him, my gaze is pulled to Jack. He has his hands in his pockets as he leans against the wall. His bright blue eyes feel like a physical caress as he scans me from head to toe. He’s in all black—black suit, black shirt, black tie. His smirk stokes the fire higher, making me grateful for the light dress instead of the heavier one.

Caden clears his throat, and I turn to take in my dark beast. His red shirt makes his green eyes sparkle. I could spend an eternity staring into his eyes and never get tired of them. His black suit is cut perfectly to his large physique. They all make me feel small and vulnerable, especially Caden. But they also give me strength I didn’t know I had.

My gaze continues to Eli. His crisp white shirt makes his tan skin almost glow. His brown hair is perfectly styled, and I’m not surprised to see the flash of cufflinks at his wrists. He straightens one of his sleeves, and when I glance at his face, he gives me a wink. He stands next to Nico.

I’m almost caught off guard seeing Nico in a gray dress shirt with his black suit. His dark hair falls just to his eyes and he’s standing straight even though he has his crutches. Nico’s eyes are soft as they take me in. He came back at exactly the right time. He helped them realize I’m more than just a prize. I don’t know that we would have ever come this far without him.

Together, my men are gorgeous. All dressed in black with their eyes on me. For a moment, I feel self-conscious in the pretty dress I picked. It’s so whimsical compared to their black suits. They look like the embodiment of their horsemen.

That’s exactly what I need tonight. The all-powerful horsemen. My broken, strong boys.

“You look amazing, Harper.”

I turn at my mom’s voice. She’s walking into the room.

My brow furrows. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”

She smiles, but there’s dark edging under her eyes. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Practically beaming, I walk over to take her hands. I’m so glad she’s here. She holds my arms out and looks over my dress and makeup.