AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course, Roe,” I agree, grinning. “I suddenly have an extra ten grand to spare.”
Kade’s hand lands on his chest in a move that reminds me of an old lady clutching her pearls. The laugh I just barely manage to stifle slips free when he turns his attention to Roe. “I’ll give you twenty thousand.”
The smack echoes across the room as Scar scolds him. “Knock it off. Roe baby, why do you want ten thousand dollars?”
“I bet I could buy a whole toy store with ten thousand dollars,” she exclaims.
“I’ll buy you a toy store,” Luca promises. Scar’s face is in her hands as she shakes her head.
Ryder joins the growing group. “Oh, are we buying more businesses for Roe?”
I tilt my head and stare at Scar. “How many businesses does she already have?”
She waves me off. “Look at what you started?”
“Me?” I gasp. “You’re the oblivious one.”
As we banter back and forth, the last of her men show up. Declan pulls her against his chest. “What kind of trouble ismy wifegetting into now?” The emphasis on the words paired with the glare he tosses at me is enough to make me throw my head back and cackle.
Scar pulls out of his arms as she analyzes the way their body language begins to shift the closer she moves to me. Understanding dawns and she laughs in disbelief. I throw my arm over her shoulder and pull her to me just to antagonize them. Predictably, their expressions morph into murderous rage, making her laugh hard.
“I was a little offended they left me out of the whole proposal marriage thing,” I whisper conspiratorially to her. “As the only fiance you actually knew you were engaged to, I felt I should have been more actively involved. I think they were a little jealous.”
My life would have flashed before my eyes if Scar wasn’t so quick to push me behind her when Luca threw himself at me. “Are you seriously jealous?” she asks, disbelieving.
I poke my head out from behind her shoulder, enjoying all of the anger on their faces and her surprise. It’s not like me to poke a bear with a stick, let alone five of them, but their reactions amuse me. “Do I have to find my own husband to be like a package deal and get added into the harem now? Or do you prefer an odd set, Tootsie Roll?”
Her lips twitch as she puts her hands up to stop Luca’s advance again. “He’s going to take your head off,” she chastises me in a whisper.
It should stop me. It doesn’t. “Good thing I have you to protect me,” I say back, smirk in place. “Even if you’re not my wife.”
She snorts and her men look murderous. It’s a good thing they love her as much as they do or my existence would not be guaranteed for much longer.
“You guys can’t be jealous of Charles,” she explains, trying to stifle her amusement. It’s not working.
“Why the fuck not?” Ryder snaps.
Declan turns his nose up. “He’s nothing but your past.”
Damn Declan. Ouch. I put my hand to my chest and defend, “My presence here says otherwise.”
Scar reaches back to smack me. “You’re not helping,” she scolds.
“Wasn’t trying to,” I admit impishly.
She rolls her eyes, but she’s enjoying this. The easy friendship that has come back to us. The natural ease we feel when we’re together. She has her men, and I’m more than okay with that. They’ve pieced her broken pieces back together, helped her heal, and grow. Built the type of life she never would have found back home with me. With her family. It doesn’t mean I’ll ever walk away from her again. She’s my family as much as she is theirs. Which I guess makes them my family now too. I’ve always wanted a big family that wasn’t so prim and proper.
A real family.
That loves and laughs and fights. And of course, antagonizes each other.
“They’ll have to get used to me eventually,” I say with a shrug. “You know I’m not going anywhere.”
Her smile softens, the edge of amusement fading into contentment. Reassurance. She wants me here as much as I want to be here. A shared past that hurts and soothes in equal measures. A peace and chaos only the two of us can truly understand. “He is right,” she agrees, talking to her men. My smile grows wider. Triumphant. “You do have to get used to him. But you don’t have to be jealous.”
Kade crosses his arms over his chest petulantly. “He can’t be a part of your harem.”
Scar puts her fingers to her temple and sighs, “Don’t call it that.” At the same time I ask, “Even if I bring my own husband?”
