Chapter 42
“Who you talking to?” Ivan asked. He was leaning casually against the doorframe. Fuck. How long had he been watching? His eyes twinkled with mischief, taking in the atmosphere. “Just so you know, you’ve got everyone on their toes. You specifically said you didn’t want us to give her any gifts.”
“I have my reasons.”
“Going to share with the class?” Alek asked as he sauntered in.
It was time. Following close behind him were Nik, Sebastian, and Pasha. They filtered in and took up spots on the various couches. Once they were settled, I grinned. “Let’s just say we’ve got some soul-searching to do.”
“That’s my boy,” Sebastian chuckled. “The Soulmate Seven? Thought you didn’t believe?”
“What’s the Soulmate Seven?” Pasha asked.
“It will determine if she stays or if she goes, or at least that’s the theory,” Sebastian said.
“Fuck you. She stays,” I growled.
“You should pay attention, Dancer. Your future girl, whomever she may be, will have to endure it as well,” Nik said, cocking an eyebrow.
“You weren’t supposed to warn him, fucker,” Sebastian retorted, smacking him on the back of the head.
“Watch yourself, Torturer, or I’ll give your cookies to Declan. They’re his favorite too.”
Kinsley came waltzing in, carrying a tray of cookies. The spread consisted of all our favorites. She was nothing if not fair in her baking. The girls had spent the entire day in the kitchen yesterday preparing them.
“Speaking of little man, you want him to join us for this?” Ivan asked.
“No, I asked the parents to keep him occupied. Kinsley, will you get Victoria and Isabella?”
“Absolutely, save some for us.”
She narrowed her eyes at the guys as she set the tray down. All of them dove in. I’d wait—my stomach was already a nervous ball of knots. In my head, I went over the questions.
The girl’s voices rose and carried down the hall. “It’s standard procedure. It’s an official welcome to the family. We did it last year with Kinsley,” Isabella offered.
“Am I at risk of being kicked out of the family?” Victoria’s voice wobbled.
“No fucking way that will ever happen,” Kinsley said fiercely, forgetting as she always did, that her voice carried.
The looks on the King’s and Sebastian’s faces said it all. I wanted to laugh. The minute her face appeared, the four of them shouted, “Language!”
Pasha burst out laughing.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, and then flew over to the couch. She nestled down in Alek’s lap and then draped her legs over Nik and Ivan.
I turned my eyes to my girl. The air seemed to shimmer with vibrancy as she stepped inside. The coral maxi-dress she’d chosen couldn’t be more perfect. She nervously shifted. Her body called to mine. The way the dress accentuated her silhouette spoke of her grace and beauty. She was breathtaking.
The loose cascade of blonde waves caught the light, framing her face in a golden halo. My angel. I hooked my finger, and she rushed over. The soft rustle of her dress and scent of her perfume surrounded me. I engulfed her in a hug and rubbed her back.
“Kinsley’s right, by the way. There is no way I’ll ever let you go,” I whispered in her ear. “I’m going to prove to you just how perfect you are for me. Can you take a seat over there?” I pointed to the lone chair by the fireplace.
She moved away, and I immediately wanted to call her back.
She navigated toward the area I indicated.
Her fingertips delicately brushed against the envelope sitting on the plush seat before picking it up.
Settling into the chair, she positioned the dress around her like a regal cloak.
The play of the sun against her hair transformed each strand into spun gold, and I felt Vanya’s presence once more.
“Be HER glue.”
Quiet anticipation hung in the air, and I was speechless as I wrestled with the overwhelming feeling of connection and love that radiated around the room.
Isabella had settled in between Sebastian and Pasha, and with the occasional giggle of our son still seeping through the open door, I cleared my throat.
“I want to take you back twelve years ago, to a summer day not unlike this one. Sebastian had broken another young girl’s heart.”
“Oh no, how so?” Kinsley asked, shooting a look at Bash.
“I slept with her cousin. Was it her cousin? Maybe it was her sister, I forget,” he said with a sly grin, flashing his dimples.
“This is why you aren’t the official oracle of the group. That was Carla, and she was the winter after. I’m talking about Diane,” I said, shaking my head.
“Ah, yes Diane. She was the one reason for the Soulmate Seven. Well, the questions existed before, but it was used to show her incompatibility. It was the first time the guys got to hear my theory. Go on, Counselor,” Sebastian said.
“But I don’t understand. If Vanya was your soulmate, why even bother? Sorry, Kinsley told me all about her,” Victoria piped up, twisting her hands in her lap.
Her eyes met mine, and a silent exchange took place between us. She promptly moved her hands to the sides of the chair and rubbed the material before pinching the cushion. She was adapting and developing new habits, and I beamed.
“Buttercup, the reason is that of the three of them,” he pointed to Ivan, Alek, and Nik, “hounded me for years to give girls a shot. To give Diane a shot. The fools actually thought she could compete with Vanya.”
“No. We didn’t. We were just tired of your grumpy ass. He’s a bear when he doesn’t get laid on the regular. He somehow thought abstaining was the answer. I’ll tell you it never was, not for him. That was the worst summer,” Alek chuckled.
“Bash was right about Diane, in more ways than one. But I’d like to think it’s what started us down the path to who we are today.
We’ll save that story for another time. Normally we wouldn’t do this publically, but I wanted the guys to know firsthand just how amazingly perfect we are for one another.
It’s more for Bash, Pasha and even Isabella.
I didn’t believe in soulmates until you.
” My voice dropped as I got closer to her.