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“And now we vote, father?”
A soft laugh escaped me at the exact same moment Pasha let out one of his own. I turned and saw Declan standing proudly in front of Marcel, his wide blue eyes filled with hope.
The entire family had quietly joined us out on the porch once more. Every pair of eyes held the same quiet hope shining in Declan’s. Emotion swelled inside my chest.
Tori stood with Marcel, their fingers intertwined. Beside them were Alek, Nik, and Ivan. Kinsley rested comfortably in front of Nikolai, his arms wrapped securely around her waist.
Our parents stood together near the sliding glass window. Sebastian stood slightly apart from everyone else. His expression remained carefully guarded, his jaw clenched with that familiar stubbornness.
Pasha reluctantly released me, and I opened my arms. Declan sprinted across the room. I laughed as I wrapped him in a hug, ruffling his blond hair.
“What’s your vote, kiddo?”
“I vote, aye. You two are a couple. Like mummy and daddy.” He cupped my cheeks between his hands. “But promise me you’ll still do movie nights together. Just me and you.”
Laughter rippled through the room. Tori wiped discreetly beneath one eye before speaking. “You two were made for one another. I’m fond of the Russian Dancer. He has a special place in my heart. So, aye.”
“I’ll add my vote to Tori and Dec’s. And I expect to see the pair of you back on my schedule immediately,” Marcel said.
He paused just long enough for me to roll my eyes. He chuckled and pointed between us. “Individual sessions and couples’ counseling. No arguments, Bellaruso.”
Nik cleared his throat. “It’s a collective aye from the Kings and Queen corner. And Dancer, just so you know, you were never officially out. We voted for a break, that was all.”
Something inside me cracked all over again. I’d spent weeks believing the family had abandoned him. Instead, they’d left the door open. Ivan stepped forward, his gaze landing on Pasha.
“Family is family. You are a part of ours. If you hadn’t hired Nik all those years ago in Seattle, we wouldn’t have our little warrior. We’ll spend the rest of our lives repaying that debt. Never forget it.”
Pasha’s cheeks flushed. He ducked his head, visibly overwhelmed. I reached for his hand without thinking. Our fingers laced together. If Nik had spoken for the Kings, then only one vote remained.
Sebastian remained off to the side. He looked liked he didn’t know where he belonged. For one terrifying moment, I thought he was simply going to walk away without casting a vote. That hurt. Our eyes met. I pleaded with him silently.
His jaw flexed. The conflict written across his face was unmistakable. Love was pulling one way. Anger pulled the other. And if anyone knew how exhausting that was, it was me.
But why couldn’t he see how deeply we loved one another? How much we needed one another?
He drew in a slow breath. “It appears you don’t need my vote.”
He’d pointed out the obvious, but I refused to back down. This was too important. He needed to say it.
“But I’d like it, anyway,” I demanded.
“You lied to me. Both of you. I’m still not sure which betrayal hurts more.”
He studied Pasha for a long moment before his eyes traveled around the room. He looked at each member of the family. When he got to Kinsley, they softened.
“I welcomed you initially on behalf of tiny tot. You proved yourself worthy. You became our brother. My brother. When the family voted you in officially, I was so proud of you.”
He shook his head, and Pasha frowned. My heart sunk. He wouldn’t give us his approval. I should have known. I squared my shoulders, bracing for it.
“You were the one person I trusted not to hurt my sister. That’s two for zero in my book.”
“Brother, remember our conversation,” Alek warned.
Sebastian opened his mouth, then closed it. His hand disappeared into his hair as he stared at the floor.
“May I say something before you vote?” Pasha asked.
“Technically,” Dad piped in from across the room. “You were the last man standing earlier. Alek promised the winner the floor. Take it.”
