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The others laugh knowingly at that as my mom opens the front door and we start outside. It's strange being back here for the first time since my wedding, having dinner with my parents like we're a normal family again. A lot has changed since Lucas’s death, and even now, six months later, we're still picking up the pieces from his coup. Just getting a handle on the confusion has been a task in itself, and even now, we aren't quite sure what we're going to find by the time we've finished sorting out the books. But we're getting there, slowly ironing things out and putting the pieces back together. My marriage to Lucas damaged a lot of things, but the most important ones, my most important relationships, have stayed strong.
Maybe even gotten stronger,I think, glancing from Theo to Liam to Tristan. Having them by my side has been invaluable over the past months, and not just because they've been advising me as I lean into my role as co-leader of the new syndicate. They keep me sane, keep my feet on the ground, and I have hope that together we can find a way to unite all of London's families—even the ones that are beyond our reach right now. I don't think the organization is going to be the same ever again, but it will function. It will thrive. Just like my relationship with the people I love.
"One of these days you all can stay for dessert," my mother says as we trickle out into the night. "We've still got a lot to catch up on," she adds, casting a meaningful look at the guys. She knows, as do Violet and Dad, that there's more to my relationship with them than just business, but to my surprise, they haven't hassled me about it. I can't blame them; after the way my first marriage went down, a four-way relationship probably seems downright tame in comparison.
"That we do," I reply, pulling her and Dad into a hug. "And we've got all the time in the world to catch up on it.”
I turn to my big sister as my folks say their goodbyes to Theo, Liam, and Tristan. Violet is watching me with her arms crossed, a smile on her face. "Well," she says, "I can't say you're not making waves.”
"Hopefully not too many," I reply.
"Only the good kind." She tilts her head to the side. "It's good to have you back, sis.”
"It's good to be back." I pull her into a hug. "We'll have to hang out one of these days.”
"In your abundance of free time?" she jokes.
"Yeah." I rub the back of my neck. "When it rains it pours, I guess.”
She chuckles and ruffles my hair. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I'm not the one in charge.”
By now, the others are wrapping up, and Tristan is fishing for his car keys. "Shall we?" he asks. "If we head out now, we might be able to beat the traffic.”
"Can't argue with that," Liam replies.
"Ditto," I agree.
"You all best take care of my daughter," my father calls as the guys gather me into their arms and we start down the driveway.
"We always do, Mr. Dalton," Theo replies, the others murmuring their agreement, and even if it's a bit tongue-in-cheek, I've never been in safer hands.
My family bundles back into the house as we make our way down the drive to the waiting Range Rover. "Seems like they're warming up to us," Liam remarks.
"They'll get there," Tristan says. "They've just got to get to know us better.”
"It's like you said, kid," Theo adds, putting a hand on my cheek, his crooked smile lighting up his face. "All the time in the world.”
"All the time in the world," I echo, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. Tristan pulls me in for a kiss next, and then Liam sweeps me off my feet, spinning me around as he presses his lips to mine. Soon we're a pod of breathless affection, standing outside the car, and I relax into the feeling of them around me, of the infinite possibilities that now seem to stretch out in front of us.
And as I hold them all close, I know that however this ends, in this moment I am the luckiest girl in the entire fucking world. Because no matter what happens, I have them, and I'm never going to let them go.
