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“Do not ever keep stuff like that from me again. Do you understand me, Josh?” I leaned forward, my lips almost touching his. I felt his lust building under my hands, but he didn’t reach out to touch me. He nodded slowly. “After dinner, you will come back to my apartment. I need to feed.”
“Yes, Mistress.” He breathed toward me and I shifted so that our lips weren’t touching, but our breath mingled. I learned forward and nipped at his bottom lip and he sucked in a sharp breath. Before he could respond further, I was back on the other side of the elevator, and the button had been released.
He adjusted his suit jacket and returned to his position beside me.
“Let’s get this damn dinner over with.” I growled as the elevator door opened.
“Yes, Mistress.” He smiled slightly from beside me, putting his hand to my lower back and escorting me off the elevator. We walked down the hallway toward one of the smaller ballrooms near the back. How many people were coming tonight? Normally, when we had a family dinner, it was in one of the private dining rooms, not a ballroom.
Ryker stood at the door, and opened it for us as we reached it, “Mistress.” He said with a nod and I stepped into the room and paused.
There were over thirty people in the room, and I let my gaze slide over them all. Trent’s and my son, Rex was standing with his half-brother, Garrett who was fathered by Alexander. Beside them was my sister, and her daughter Abina. On the other side of Abina was her father, Cameron. I smiled at him. It had been a while since I had seen Cam.
In another cluster stood Clay with his granddaughter Lorna, and her mate Paul with their daughter, Lainey. Beatrix, Alex and Courtney’s daughter was with them too, along with her five-year-old son, Galen. She had yet to be mated, but I had heard rumors that she was interested in Jett.
Lindsey and Donovan were standing off to the side with Skylar, Mick, Novah and her daughter, Violet. Both Donovan and Mick were human-turned, and I hadn’t seen either of them in a long time. The sight of Mick made me instantly think of Olivia and Gabriel, and I tried not to let the pain of their decision roll over me.
Novah was new to our inner circle and while I appreciate her style, I wasn’t sure I trusted her, especially since she had her eyes set on Rex.
Off to the far side were several of our sentinels, Matt, Conner, Steven, Bill, Jett, Cora, Lydia and Paxton, and already seated at the back table were the elders from my board, Beckett, Henry, Scarlett and Hazel. With them were two more men that I knew but wasn’t well acquainted with: Richard and David.
“Wow!” I said as I forced a smile, “This really is a big family dinner.” Rex and Garrett approached me, “What is the occasion?”
Rex and Garrett glanced at one another and I watched them carefully. They were up to something, and I wasn’t sure I liked that. Normally, the boys were slightly at odds. When they came together, it always meant trouble.
“We know that things have been hectic and stressful recently,” Garrett said before he kissed my cheek. His dark hair longer like his father used to wear it. “We just wanted to give you a nice evening.”
“Well, that’s very kind of you.” I lowered my voice, “But I don’t believe you for one second. So please explain what you two are doing.”
Rex laughed, the sound so much like his fathers, as he put his arm around my waist and pulled me forward. “We aren’t up to anything. Come on. Have a seat so we can eat.”
He led me to a table in the center of the room and held my chair out. “Is there some special occasion that I have forgotten?” I asked as I took my seat.
Again, my boys glanced at each other, and then Rex looked back at the elders table, why Garrett laughed, “No, just enjoy yourself.”
Angelina came to sit at my table, a brow raised.“What are they up to?”
“I don’t know, but something is definitely going on.”
She laughed into my head and then everyone else got seated. Rex stood and lifted his glass, “I’m glad that all of you were able to attend tonight. It’s been too long since we were able to do something like this, and we need to return to doing it. Family is important, even in our way of life, and those of you here are family, or may one day be family.”
I frowned as I glanced back to the elders table, both Richard and David were staring at me. I forced a smile their way and returned my focus to Rex.
“I’d like to take a moment to remember all of those who were part of our family at one time and have moved on. I’ll start with my father, Trent Myers.” He lifted his glass high and then sipped.
Garret lifted his glass, “To my father, Alexander Armstrong.” Many people lifted their glasses and murmured his name.
“To my mother, Lyssa Larkin.” Lorna said and her daughter put her hand over hers and squeezed.
“To Rosa,” Cameron stated with his glass raised high.
“Cheating bastard,” Angelina hissed under her breath, and I tried not to laugh.
“To Burke and Susan, ourcrazy-assedparents, may they forever rot in hell.” Angelina said with dramatic glee, and I rolled my eyes.
My sons glanced at me and I stood, holding my glass up, “To all of those who we have loved and lost—and there are many. You will never be forgotten.”
As I lifted the glass to my lips, I whispered his name into my own head,to you, my Jules.
