Making my way down the stairs, I realize the house is quiet. Nolan hasn’t returned from picking up the girls yet and Louis must still be at the restaurant. The clock in the kitchen tells me it’s mid-afternoon. Opening the fridge, I peer in and take stock of what they have to offer. Before I can get far, a knock at the front door draws my attention. Grabbing an apple and closing the fridge, I head towards the sound, and when the persistent knocking continues, I open it.
Taking a bite of my apple, I survey the two people standing there. The man is well dressed in a suit and has a briefcase at his feet. His hair is combed to the side and gelled to within an inch of its life. He has square-framed glasses; his eyes behind them look cold and unforgiving. The woman has a haughty look on her face and is dressed in a severe skirt suit. She’s tall and slim with dark tousled hair. She would fit perfectly with the bitches from the wedding yesterday.
I let them wait while I finish my mouthful of apple. Swallowing, I ask, “Can I help you?”
The man hands me his business card and says, “My name is Jackson Jones, and I am a partner at Schwimmer, Shuester, and Jones Solicitors. I’m here representing Miss Bridgette Blake.” He finishes gesturing to the woman next to him.
Raising my eyebrows, I take the card looking it over. “Ok, cool, but I’m not quite sure who Miss Bridgette Blake is?” I tell him.
A frown creases both of their faces. “Where’s Nolan?” the haughty woman demands, trying to look around me. I stand my ground, pulling the door closed slightly, not allowing her to look.
“Not here at the moment. Can I give him a message? Or better yet, how about you ring and make an appointment before you just rock up at his house,” I suggest with ice in my voice, not liking the tone she’s taken. I start to close the door, but the lawyer sticks his foot in the door before I can get it closed. Preparing to zap him with my magic, his next words stop me dead.
“We have been ordered to look into the living arrangements of Mr. Nolan Stephens. The court is worried that Miss Zoe and Aria Stephens are living in some less than ideal living conditions, and their mother, Miss Blake, has requested that it is assessed whether she gets sole custody.”
My stomach sinks, and I open the door wide again, shooting the gloating woman a dirty look. “You had better come in then. He won't be long, he’s just out picking the girls up from their friend's place.” I hold the door open, and the couple enter. I show them into the open plan living area and gesture to the large sectional couch. “Please have a seat. I’m just going to go and get dressed.”
Before they can say anything else, I turn and race back upstairs, launching myself at Carter’s still snuggled body, shaking him hard. “Carter, wake up,” I whisper. Not waiting for him to answer, I run around looking for something to wear. Luckily, I see my bags shoved in the corner of the room. Pulling out some jeans and a t-shirt, I quickly throw on some underwear. “Carter, fucking wake up,” I hiss louder, and he peers at me somewhat dazed. “There’s a woman downstairs claiming to be the girl's mom, and she has a lawyer.”
That gets a reaction. He bolts straight of bed. I take a moment to admire his physique- Hey, a girl’s got needs! - before running into the bathroom, picking up his clothes, and throwing them at him. “What's the plan? How are we playing this?” My words tumble out, sounding breathless, as the worry increases. “They say they’ve heard rumors of unsuitable living conditions. Humans are so judgy. They’re not going to understand me being with all of you. They're just going to make up dirty lies.” Tears start to gather in my eyes.
Carter finishes dressing and pulls me close, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.
“Take a deep breath, Glory, and slow down. It will be fine. For the sake of the humans, you’ll be Nolan’s fiance. It’s no one else’s business that Louis and I live here too.” He goes over to the bedside table and pulls out a box. Opening it, he shows me a ring nestled in red velvet. A gasp leaves my mouth as he pulls it out and grabs my left hand. “I’m sure Nolan and Louis will forgive me for this given the circumstances. But this ring was Nolan's grandmothers. She gave it to him and told him to give it to his mate. That’s you.” He slides the beautiful ring onto my finger.
Lifting it, I admire the beautiful piece of jewelry. Shaped like a sunflower, the center stone is a beautiful green gem that I don’t recognize, surrounded by white gems around the outside as the petals of the ring.
“The center gem is alexandrite, thought to bring luck, good fortune, and love. Nolan's grandmother is Russian, and she says alexandrite is a good omen. The outside gems are diamonds.” He pulls me close and places a gentle kiss on my lips before pulling away and saying, “Right, let’s go deal with that devil spawn.” He pulls me by the hand, and we head down the stairs and into the kitchen, by-passing the living area.
I frown at Carter when he helps me onto a stool in the kitchen and proceeds to put the coffee machine on. The bench is still covered in all the different macarons. “What are you doing?’ I ask him in confusion. “They’re waiting on the couch.”
He looks up and winks at me. “I thought you may like to sample some of theses macarons that Louis and the girls made you.” I smile at his thoughtfulness and reach for one. “Besides, there’s nothing that drives Bridgette madder than being ignored. Just you wait,” he predicts.
“Know her well, do you?” I ask the little green jealousy monster rearing its ugly little head. Funny isn’t it?This man boned my sister five ways to Sunday two days prior, and I didn't even blink. But now that he’s my mate, the claws come out.
He laughs at my tone and comes around and gives me a hug. “Oh, baby, you have nothing to worry about. Even when my energy was at its lowest, I wouldn’t have touched her. That’s why I used your sister’s agency. She was the mother of Nolan’s children, and I wasn’t touching that with a ten-foot pole. Though she did try a few times.”
He goes back around to the other side of the bench and finishes making the coffee. Before he can pass me my cup, a throat-clearing sound can be heard coming from the doorway into the living area. I look up, and Bridgette is standing there - her arms crossed, toes tapping - very obviously showing her annoyance. “We’re waiting!” she announces loudly.
“We know! Nolan should be home any minute.” Carter replies, sitting down next to me.
An exasperated sigh leaves her mouth. “Aren't you going to offer us anything to drink?”
Carter turns to face her. “No. You were not invited and you arrived unannounced. Now, if you had gone about it in the right way and rung beforehand, then maybe.” He shrugs, turning back around and proceeding to drink his coffee. I watch, a smile hidden behind my cup, as she flounces back to the living room. Leaning over, I place a kiss on his cheek.
“ Good job.”
Chapter Twelve
CARTER AND I SIT THERE for about thirty minutes, drinking coffee and eating macarons, talking quietly, and getting to know each other better. He gets up a couple of times to check that the lawyer and Nolan's ex aren’t wandering around the house snooping, but we feel no need to entertain them when they arrived so rudely unannounced.
Carter is just getting up to check on them again when we hear the sound of gravel crunching as Nolan's car drives up the driveway. We both leave the kitchen and make our way into the living area where Bridgette and her lawyer are still waiting. She has an annoyed look on her face, “Finally,” she snaps, standing up. “I am paying by the hour, you know.” Carter just walks past her, going to open the front door for Nolan and the girls.
They all walk in. The girls’ excited chatter as they tell their dad of their day is delightful. Turning, they all stop abruptly at the sight of Bridgette. Nolan and Aria adopt almost identical scowls, but Zoe looks past her to me and shouts, “Mommy!” She runs towards me, arms wide open. In shock, I open mine and crouch down to receive the bundle of energy. She throws those little arms around me and hugs me tight as she whispers in my ear. “Daddy says you're going to marry him, and you’re going to be my
mommy from now on.”
My heart skips a beat in delight, and I hug her tighter, whispering back, “I would love to be your mommy.”
Looking up at him in surprise, he shrugs his shoulders and smiles before turning back to look at Bridgette. Standing up, lifting Zoe into my arms, I look at her too. The look of shock and then fury that crosses her face would be scary if I wasn't a demon and absolutely not afraid of her.
“What the hell, Nolan? Who is this woman, and why wasn’t I informed of the changes?” She gestures towards me angrily. Nolan just scoffs, shaking his head. Turning to Carter, he asks, “Can you get our lawyer on the phone please?” Carter nods and leaves the room to make the call. Bridgette’s lawyer steps forward, handing Nolan another card. Nolan doesn’t even look at it. He brushes past the two of them, coming over to give me a gentle kiss on the lips. His eyes gleam when he catches sight of the ring on my finger. Aria follows closely behind him, making a considerable detour past her mother. Bridgette doesn't even try to talk to her, her focus entirely on Nolan.
“Mr. Stephens, we have had some disturbing reports regarding the girls’ living arrangements and have a court order to have the household investigated. We were not aware that another woman was living in the house. We had been informed it’s three men, and that you all have a questionable relationships with each other. The court order says the girls are to be taken into custody by child protective services until the matter has been resolved.”
Now, a look of fury crosses Nolan's face. Aria steps closer to me and reaches up to grab one of my hands. Tears start to brim in her eyes and her bottom lip quivers. I don’t think Zoe quite understands, but she can see how upset her dad and sister are, and her little arms tighten around my neck.
“Now, just a minute.I’m not sure where you got your information from, but this is my fiancee, and she has only just moved in. As for the rest of your suspect information, I do wonder where that came from. Was it a reliable source?” he questions the lawyer before turning to Aria. “Can you take Zoe upstairs, please? Find Uncle Carter, and he will put something on the television for you to watch.”
Zoe clings to me, but I give her a kiss and put her down, whispering for her to go with Aria. I tell her I’ll come and find them shortly. Nodding, she allows Aria to take her hand and they leave. Once he’s assured of their distance, Nolan turns his wrath on Bridgette.
“As for you, I have signed papers saying you waive all rights to your children for a sum of money. Do you really think that says ‘mother of the year’? That they will award a woman like that custody of children she clearly doesn’t value over the dollar? I don’t have to inform you of any changes because you signed away your rights and haven't looked back once. Zoe didn't even recognize you.” The fierceness in his voice has her stepping back. I walk over and grab his hand, lending my silent support. It’s taking everything in me not to set them both on fire.
The lawyer opens his briefcase and pulls out a sheet of paper. “Well, we actually have a letter signed by a psychiatrist that says she had postnatal depression and wasn't in her right mind to be signing away her rights to her children.” A smug grin crosses her face as Nolan's hand tightens in mine.
“No one has informed me or my representation of any changes, and they will not be going anywhere with you until my lawyer has assessed all the relevant information and spoken to the presiding judge.” He’s so angry, I can feel him vibrating. Wanting to avoid any kind of bloodshed or the chance of breaking a nail while burying a couple of bodies, I step forward and open the door.
“Please leave, and next time make a phone call, preferably to his lawyer first.” I tell them, gesturing for them to leave. Just to stick it to the manipulative bitch, I say, “You’re not welcome in my house, and you’re most definitely not welcome to my children.” Her face turns red, and she raises her hand to slap me. Oh yes. Bring it, bitch, I can claim self-defense. But the lawyer grabs her and drags her out without any more words.
Closing the door behind them, I turn to Nolan who now has an amused look on his face, his eyebrows raised. “What?” I ask him, “It is my house, and they are my children.” I wave my engagement ring at him. “This says so. You liked it, so you put a ring on it, or Carter did anyway. You’re stuck with me now. Or so says Queen B.”
A wicked smile crosses his lips. He stalks toward me, a gleam in his eye. I back up until he’s got me pinned against the front door. Caged by his forearms, he leans in, and the scent of him tickles my nose. The air caresses my ear as his whisper brushes across and tingles flow through my body. “Oh, baby, there’s no getting away now.” He claims my mouth with a possessive kiss. I melt against him, my arms dragging him closer, and I sigh with contentment. He pulls back, resting his forehead against mine. Then he lifts my left hand to his mouth, placing a kiss on my ring finger. “I do like seeing our ring on your hand.” We just stand there, breathing it all in. Subconsciously, we know shit’s about to hit the fan.
The handle trying to turn drags us both out of our musings. Stepping away from the door, it opens, and Louis walks in, a frown on his face. “Was that Bridgette I saw driving away?” he asks, gesturing outside. “What was she doing here?”
A smile crosses my face. He is so adorable with his French accent and his confused look. I move away from Nolan and wrap my arms around Louis, hugging him tight. I need all the contact I can get from our little family. My worry is at an all-time high. The frown leaves his face and he smiles softly at me, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. “Hello, my little eclair, I have missed you.”
Nolan blows out a frustrated breath, running both hands through his hair before shouting, “Carter, get down here!” We all move over to the sofas. Louis and I are in one, his arm wrapped around me, one hand absently playing with the ring on my finger, and Nolan collapses into the other, his face covered in worry. Carter’s feet are loud as he runs down the stairs, joining Nolan on the opposite sofa, throwing an arm behind him and giving him a comforting squeeze.
“The girls are watching a movie, and ‘The Brad’ is on his way.” Carter tells Nolan before turning to me. “‘The Brad’ is our lawyer.” I nod my head, slightly confused over the name, but ok.
“Yes, it was Bridgette. She’s making a play for the girls,” Nolan tells Louis, his tone despondent. “I didn’t think there would be any way she could after she signed away her rights, but the postnatal depression just might win it for her.”
Carter pulls him closer. “Look, let's not worry about it until ‘The Brad’ gets here. He will have answers for us.”
I sit up, pulling away from Louis. “You trust something as important as this to someone who calls himself ‘The Brad?’” I ask incredulously. They all share a laugh and Carter explains. “Bradley Smythe the Third went to school with us, and when we were freshman, he decided he wanted to be known as ‘The Brad.’ Thought it would be cool or something. He eventually outgrew it, but the name stuck for some of us. It’s a running joke. He’s a wrath demon and very, very good at what he does. He’ll have some answers for us.”
“Well, what should we do while we are waiting?” I ask. All three look at me with heat in their eyes and smirks on their faces. “Not that,” I scold them, “the girls are upstairs.” Louis stands up, stretching. “Well, if we can't do that, I will make us a celebration dinner.” He winks at me. “It's not every day a girl gets engaged.”
Nolan looks a little sad. “I’m sorry, Glory. Not that it happened, but about the way it happened, We would have made it special for you.” The other two nod their heads.
I look down at the ring on my finger and look up at my mates. “I’m not sorry at all. I don’t need romance and candles. I’m just so happy to have you. I’m just sad that I can’t marry all three of you.” I notice now that they all wear matching rings -black circles with a band of gold through the middle.”What's that?” I ask, pointing to them.
Louis answers. “When Nolan escaped Bridgette, we decided we wanted to make a commitment to each other,
even though we knew we would possibly meet mates. We never dreamed we would share one and that we would also share mating marks with each other. It was more a symbol of our friendship and how it would never get broken.” I smile at the answer. “I want a ring like that, too, please.” I make my demands known. Louis grabs one of my hands and yanks me off the couch into his arms. “For you, my little dumpling, anything.” He twirls me around. Giggles erupt from my lips at his silly behavior, and he smacks a kiss on my lips before putting me down and wandering off towards the kitchen. Watching him go is no hardship. A tug on the hand disturbs my admiration as Carter pulls me down onto the sofa with him and Nolan. My ass is in his lap while my legs are draped over Nolan’s.
“He cooks when he’s worried,” Nolan tells me. “It will keep him busy until ‘The Brad’ gets here. Now, what should we do to keep ourselves busy, beautiful?” Carter places little kisses on my shoulder as Nolan runs his hands up my legs, the gentle motions pulling a quiet moan from my lips. But feet on the stairs interrupt us as two nosy little girls come running from upstairs. I try to escape the two men, but they hold firm, though their attention is now on two little girls.
“Are we having a cuddle pile with Mommy?” Zoe asks, throwing herself onto us. A whoosh of breath escapes my mouth as an elbow connects with my belly, but the feeling of pure joy soaring through me at her innocence and acceptance negates any pain. Aria stands close by but seems a little more hesitant until I hold out my hand, pulling her into the pile. Her high-pitched giggles shortly join Zoes as Nolan and Carter tickle us all. It’s a much-needed distraction from the tension surrounding us.
Pulling back, I say to the girls. “There are still a lot of macarons left over from this morning. If you hurry, I'm sure you can catch Uncle Louis before he puts them all away. Maybe you can grab a couple.” They both jump off the couch, and Zoe takes off towards the kitchen. Aria follows,. but she stops, turns around, and shyly says, “Are you coming too, Mom?” Nodding my head in shock, she smiles and follows after Zoe. Stunned and so very pleased, tears of joy stream down my face as I look at both Carter and Nolan.
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