“So, he is home then.” I look up at the ceiling. “I’m a good friend,” I say. “There’s something I need to tell him, but he’s not answering his phone. Truth be told, I’m a little worried about him.” I lower my voice as if to let her in on a secret.
Her eyes get this look that tells me she’s conflicted. “I could call him to be sure, but I shouldn’t…” She shakes her head, looking torn.
“I’d appreciate it.” I can see I’m winning her over.
Her gaze moves over my face. She pushes out a breath. “I’ll do it. He’s been in a terrible mood lately. Not himself at all. I would hate for something to happen to him and…” She has a phone to her ear. “Hi, Mr. Bolt? Yes, I’m…” She listens. “I know, and I apologize, but I have an Edward Night here to see you.” Her eyes go up as she listens again. “My sincerest apologies. I—” She nods. “Certainly.” She puts the phone down. “You can go up, but I must warn you, he isn’t happy.”
“Thank you,” I blurt. “Thank you so much.”
“I will need some form of identification, please.”
I frown but pull out my wallet and hand her my driver’s license, which she scans before returning it to me.
Then, she hands me a keycard. “This will give you once-off access to Mr. Bolt’s floor. The elevator is to the right.”
I nod once, take the card, and head over there. It doesn’t take long before I’m standing in front of Bolt’s door. My stomach is in knots. I need things to be okay between us. I finally man-up and knock. I’m sure the fucker knows I’m here. He’s going to make me grovel. He probably thinks I deserve it.
I’m about to knock again when Bolt opens the door. “This is weird,” he says.
“Weird and fucked up.” I can’t help but grin. I’m so happy to see him. “I missed you.” I know I should play my cards close to my chest, but I can’t.
He doesn’t smile back as I’d hoped, but something eases in his stance, in his eyes too. They aren’t as dark as they were half a minute ago. He steps to the side. “I guess you’d better come in.”
I walk into his apartment. He’s wearing his suit pants. His shirt sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, and his top two buttons are open. “I would offer you a glass of pinot, but you’re not staying long enough to drink it. I’m tired. It’s been a long week.”
“It’s been…too long. I had hoped we could at least talk. Work through this.”
He rakes a hand through his hair. I notice that he has dark smudges under his eyes, which are slightly bloodshot. “There isn’t too much to work through, Night. You betrayed me. That’s how I feel. I can’t help it. I’ve tried to push past it, but I can’t. I want to…I really do, but…” He pushes a breath out through his nose.
“But nothing! I know I fucked up. I never meant to fall in love. It was the very last thing on my mind. I’m happy it happened, though. I won’t deny that. I’m excited Shannon is pregnant. I can’t wait to be a father. I won’t apologize for that.”
“I’m glad it’s all going well. I’m happy for you, Night, but…I feel like I’ve lost touch with you. I feel disconnected.”
“You don’t have to be.”
“I do!” he growls. Then his eyes narrow on my neck, and he does a double-take. “What the fuck did you do to yourself?” He chokes out a laugh. There isn’t much humor there.
“It’s new.” I touch my tattoo.
“Flowers! Pink fucking flowers?” He’s still smiling, which is something.
“This represents the new me.”
“Pussy-whipped,” he grumbles, walking over to the table and picking up a glass of wine. He takes a sip, leaning back.
“No…not at all.” I sigh. “Then again, maybe, but it’s by choice. I love being pussy-whipped. It’s the best.”
He grumbles something else, looking pissed off. Bolt takes another sip of wine.
“I decided to alter my tat,” I explain. “I asked Shannon to marry me, and she accepted.”
“Oh…” he says. “I thought that was a foregone conclusion, seeing as she’s pregnant with your child.”
“We live in the twenty-first century, Bolt. Men and women don’t automatically get married when they are having a baby together,” I reply. “We’re getting married because we love each other. Not because we have to.”
“You know what I mean,” he gripes. “Why the flowers?”
“They’re cherry blossoms.” I had them threaded into my skull tattoo. The flowers are in a pink watercolor style. What was once a harsh and even slightly evil-looking tattoo, is now far more urbane. “Shannon has a tattoo of cherry blossoms just below her hip. That’s why I decided to go with them instead of roses.”
Bolt chuckles. “How fucking sweet.”
“I know it’s cheesy. Shannon’s going to get her tat altered to include a skull once she has our baby. I know it’s as sickening and as corny as it gets, but we don’t give a fuck. I love her. She’s the best person I know. The kindest, the sweetest. I’m a better person because of her. It didn’t feel right having that skull like it was. Looking at it day after day. A reminder of who I was rather than who I am now. This is more me.” I touch my neck.
“A pussy,” he mutters.
I’m not sure if he’s being serious or if this is an attempt at a joke. Either way, it irritates me. I have to tamp down my immediate response, which is to tell him to go fuck himself. I pull in a deep breath instead. “No, Bolt, not a pussy.” I shake my head. “A better person. I’m going to be a good father. With Shannon at my side, I can’t go wrong. My kid will have a chance at a normal life.”
“You’re fooling yourself if you think that. You’re not normal.”
“I’m not, no. We’re a family, though, which is something I never had. I’m talking dogs and a picket fence…the whole nine yards.”
His jaw tightens, and he drinks more wine. “We made an oath,” he finally grinds out.
“Yes, we did, and then things changed.”
“Nothing changed!”
“They changed for me! Maybe we were wrong. In fact, I know now that we were very wrong. You can be happy too.”
“I am happy,” he growls.
My mouth twitches. “Like hell, you are.”
He doesn’t say anything. His eyes are tormented.
“Can we at least agree to disagree? To try to work things out?”
He mutters something that sounds like, “I’m going to regret this,” and then takes a glass out of a cupboard. He pours in some wine and hands me the glass. “I don’t know if we can get back to the way we were,” he says.
“I don’t either,” I respond.
His eyes flare with confusion.
“I’ve changed. We need to find new ground.” I shrug, then I nod. I like that. “To finding new ground!” I hold out my glass.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to toast on anything with you yet.”
“Stop being a dick and lift up your glass.”
I finally get something of a real smile. Bolt holds up his glass. “Fine…to finding new ground.” We clink glasses and drink. The wine is cool and delicious.
“I still want you to be my best man at the wedding.”
He frowns and starts shaking his head.
“Give it some thought,” I say. “I need you at my side. I can’t get married unless you’re there.”
“I’ll be there. I don’t know about—”
“You’re my best friend, asshole!” I growl.
“One step at a time,” he replies. “First, we find new ground.”
“Okay…that sounds reasonable.” Not so long ago, he wouldn’t return my texts. He didn’t want to speak to me or see me. I guess this is serious progress. “With that in mind, I’d like you to come to dinner. I want you to meet Shannon.” I take another sip of the wine.
“I have met Shannon.”
“We weren’t together then. I want you to come around. I want you to get to know her. Maybe then you’ll understand.”
“I believe you when you say she’s great. I liked her when I met her.” He shrugs.
“When would suit you? I know you have a busy schedule.”
“Don’t be so fucking pushy.”
Shit! Shannon told me not to be pushy. I’m fucking this up. I push out a breath. “How about we drink some wine, talk about absolutely nothing, and we’ll discuss dinner some other time?”
“Sounds good to me.” Bolt holds up his glass and drinks.
“So, did you end up getting that deal?”
“I’m not sure which one you’re referring to, but the easiest answer is yes…I haven’t lost a deal in forever.”
“What’s new?” I try again.
“Not much. It’s pretty much the same.”
“Dating anyone new?” This is like flogging a dead horse. Fuck!
He shakes his head. “Nope. I’ve been too busy.”
We drink in silence for a while. I try a couple more times to start a conversation. I need to take it slow. We’ve made headway. I’ll give it a few days. If he doesn’t respond in that time, I’ll try again. Unfortunately, I get the distinct impression I’m going to have to be the one to make contact.
Baby steps.
This is new ground.
At least we are on talking terms. I want my friend back. I hope we get there again.
9
Ava
3 weeks later…
His green eyes are filled with love…so much love. “I promise to be your partner, your companion…your lover,” his voice deepens, “and above all, your best friend.” He squeezes my hand. “I promise to cherish you always. I believe in fate, and I believe in destiny. I choose you, Ava.” His eyes are shimmering with unshed tears. “I choose you today, and I’ll choose you tomorrow. I will always choose you.” He pulls in a breath. “I can’t wait to begin our adventure as husband and wife.”
The elder steps forward. “Do you, Forge, take Ava to be your wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death you shall part?”
There is a lump in my throat. Forge is smiling. “I do.”
“Do you, Ava, take Forge to be your husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death you shall part?”
“I do.” My heart is so full right now.
“Do you have the ring?” the elder asks me.
I let go of Forge’s hand and turn to Trudy, who widens her eyes at me in excitement. She hands me a ring. It’s a mostly platinum band. A robust piece that would look silly on most men. Too much ring. Not on Forge. My man is larger than life. There are golden flames inlaid in the platinum.
I slide the ring onto his finger. He is smiling. Love radiates from him, to a point that I can almost physically feel it. “This ring is a symbol of my love for you,” I say. “It is a symbol of everlasting friendship and a promise of all my tomorrows. I bind my life to yours.” I swallow hard, feeling a lump rise in my throat. My eyes sting with the need to cry. “I promise to cherish you always.”
“Here you go, buddy,” Trident says, handing Forge a plain gold band. Forge’s best friend winks at me, making me want to laugh even though this is serious business. He’s such a damned clown. I have a soft spot for him.
I lock eyes with my soon-to-be-husband, feeling my heart beating wildly in my chest. Forge’s hand trembles slightly as he slides the ring onto my finger. His throat works. His gorgeous green eyes are on mine. At this moment I am falling even more in love with him. “With this ring, I give you my heart. I give you my life. My arms will be your shelter. I bind myself to you, and I promise to cherish you always.” He takes both my hands in his and smiles at me.
I smile back as he brushes a kiss on my palm.
“I now have the honor of pronouncing you husband and wife,” the elder announces. I can hear he is smiling, but I can’t take my eyes off of my husband. “You may kiss your bride.”
Forge doesn’t have to be told twice; he cups my face in his big hands and kisses me. It’s slow and sensual, despite all of our friends and loved ones watching. He growls softly in frustration as he lets me go. Then he picks me up, holding me close. “My wife and my mate,” he whispers.
“My husband and my mate,” I whisper back, brushing my lips against his. I feel our baby kicking. The kicks are getting stronger by the day. I’m starting to show now. I don’t just look bloated. I look pregnant…I love my cute little belly.
Forge puts me down. He looks at his hand, stroking the pad of his thumb over the ring. “Feels good. Feels right.” He touches his mouth to mine.
“Um…” I hear Trudy clear her throat behind me. “Any chance the two of you can give the rest of us an opportunity to congratulate you?”
“We’re enjoying the moment,” Forge says. “But, I guess…if we have to.” He grins at me and then puts me down.
I keep my hand in Forge’s, turning slightly to hug Trudy. “You guys make such an amazing couple. I’m so happy for you.” We embrace, and I have to let Forge go. I hear him talking to Trident.
“Thanks, my friend.” We hug again.
“My turn!” I hear Trident say as I release Trudy. “Congrats, Ava. You are one lucky woman for snagging Forge.” He enfolds me in a bearhug.
I laugh. I can’t help it.
“Then again,” he adds as he pulls away, “Forge is one lucky guy for finding you.”
Forge growls, and Trident laughs.
I roll my eyes as I pull away. “You’re going to get into trouble one of these days. Mark my words.”
“Trouble usually means fun, and I’m all for fun.” He winks.
I scoff, turning to Forge’s mom. She smiles broadly. “I’m so happy and so proud. My boy has done so well for himself. The two of you were made for one another.” We wrap our arms around each other. Then she takes my hands. “You can call me ‘mom’…if you’re comfortable doing so.”
My throat clogs up all over again. My mom has been gone for a long while now. I miss her every day, but it’s days like this – special days – that I miss her more than words can say. This means so much to me. It takes me a moment or two to pull myself together. Then I nod. “Thank you. That means the world to me.” My voice hitches with emotion.
“Welcome to the family,” she whispers, and we hold each other closer.
Forge’s brother and wife have just finished up with Forge and are moving to me. I look down at the line of people. Our friends and family. A sense of belonging takes hold of me, warming me. I glance over at Forge. He’s looking my way. I am truly blessed.
Shannon
I’m sitting at a table with a bunch of guys. I’m the only woman in the group, which is fine. I don’t mind at all. The seat next to Night has been empty since Rage’s abrupt departure. He left straight after the ceremony.
Lyre is next to me. The three of us have been chatting quite a bit. I can sense Night’s agitation. Bolt is here. He’s two seats down from Night. Although some words have been exchanged – we were all talking before the music was ramped up – there hasn’t been much interaction between Bolt and Night. Bolt is in deep conversation with Jarrod and Stephan. They’re twins and look almost identical. I can’t tell them apart. A dragon demigod called Samuel is also here. It’s the first time I’ve seen him. He’s Lord of Sleep…or something. I’m not sure exactly what that means. It doesn’t matter much. He’s a nice enough guy. Gorgeous, like all the others.
It’s been stilted. “You should shift over a chair and join the conversation,” I say to Night, under my breath.
He shakes his head. “I’m trying not to push things. That was the advice you gave me, wasn’t it?”
“It’s been three weeks since you went to visit Bolt. Three weeks since you agreed to work on things. Not much has happened since then.”
Night looks like he is mulling it over. “He’s texted me a c
ouple of times.”
“Only after you texted him first.”
He shrugs. “It’s progress.”
“Makes me feel bad,” I mutter.
“Bad about what?” He takes my hand.
“Coming between you guys. You were ‘besties’.” Logically I know it isn’t my fault, but I can’t shake the sense of guilt.
“It’s not you…not you at all. I feel bad about delaying the wedding.”
“We have all the time in the world. Although, I’d rather not have to drag myself down the aisle once I reach the ‘whale’ stage of this pregnancy.” I laugh, picturing it. “Do they even make maternity bridal-wear?” I laugh harder, noticing that Night isn’t laughing with me.
“You know what?” He shakes his head. “It isn’t fair to put everything on hold for that jerk.”
“Having Bolt at your side is important,” I reassure him. “We’ll wait.”
“Death is trying to get time off.” Night runs a hand down his face. “I think Hades is angry because he isn’t invited. I doubt he would come.”
We discussed it and decided against inviting the Ruler of the Underworld, AKA Night’s father.
“Have you given any thought to a bridesmaid?” he asks.
“Ava…maybe. I like her. We’ve been getting along, but…” I shrug. “Nope…I don’t think I’ll have a bridesmaid.”
“Maybe we should elope.”
“Your mom wouldn’t like that idea at all.”
Night chuckles. “You’re right…she wouldn’t.” I’ve only met Night’s family twice.
“Let’s wait,” I say. “I don’t mind waiting. It’s okay.”
“I’m not—” Night starts.
“Are you guys having a good time?’ Ava interrupts as she takes the seat next to Night. She’s glowing. Her dress is gorgeous. It does a good job of hiding her bump. She’s just over halfway through her pregnancy…we think. We can’t be sure. She has some demigod blood, and, like the others, Forge isn’t human. Her pregnancy is anything but conventional.
Mine isn’t either, but I know there’s definitely time. I don’t think Night will enjoy the day as much if Bolt isn’t his best man. I wish there was something I could do. I know I have to stay out of it.
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