Chapter 52

Aurora

I put my high-heeled feet up on the desk and bask in the glory of my new enterprise.

I am a boss.

And a mom.

And a wife.

We got married shortly after we found out that I was pregnant. The vows were on their way, though. I knew I would marry these guys a long time ago…even before I found out about the babies.

That’s right—I said babies. I had triplets. Little baby girls.

And they each came with different eye colors: brown, green, and blue.

I guess you could say I’ve been living the dream. The only problem is Anders is still in rehab. Yeah, he’s been in there this long. His condition was so precarious that it’s taken over a year for him to recover.

I haven’t seen him since that fateful day when he stepped into the limousine and left me to go heal. He left me in the arms of my three men, the Grayson brothers. And I’ve never looked back.

I couldn’t be wrapped up in more capable men if I tried. From day one, they’ve made sure I was okay. They took my virginity and then each of them simultaneously wooed and pursued me for quite a while.

The thing that I love is that I got to know them each as individual men. I fell in love with Jasper because he’s rough and rugged—but underneath that harsh exterior, he’s really just a teddy bear who’s in love with me.

Finn is all talk. And he swept me off my feet because of his wit and his adventurous nature and ultimately because he was able to show me the dirty goddess within myself.

And Declan, what can I say about Declan? He took those erotic photos of me, and from that moment forward, I was able to see myself as he does—as a sexual being with wants and desires—and that it’s okay.

Declan makes me feel beautiful every day, Finn tortures me with dirty language that I secretly adore, and Jasper manhandles me all the time. I’ve come to depend on each of them for their varying qualities and ultimately for the way they make me feel…adored.

But let’s face it, these guys are hot, and it doesn’t hurt that there are three of them. We function better as a unit, and most of all, these guys force me to face that part of myself that wants to submit and to let go under the embrace of strong men.

I feel empowered doing so, and I feel like I can finally be myself, shadow-side and all.

Finn walks into my office. “Hey, baby, you look nice. Have you heard from Anders?”

I look at him and for a second our eyes connect. There’s heat and fire flowing between us, and we both know it. I’m on edge around him with this constant feeling of passion that never dies.

Secretly, I hope that he shuts the blinds and takes me on the couch in my newly-redecorated office.

“Hi, um, yeah. I heard from him. He’s on his way here from the airport.” I bite my bottom lip and think of all the naughty things I wish he would do.

“How did he sound?” he asks.

“He sounded…good. I mean, I don’t know what to expect, and I can only hope the treatment worked, but yeah, he sounded all right.”

He smiles at me in that charming way of his. “That’s good.”

I toy with the idea of blowing him right here and giving him a reason to treat me badly, like the naughty little slut that I am.

But I hold back because I see Jasper coming down the hallway.

He turns into my office and says, “Hey, Aurora, he’ll be here in a couple minutes. I just heard from the bodyguard.”

I laugh easily. These guys make it their number one priority to see that I’m protected. We had a close call in the past with that billionaire loan shark guy, and I’ve had too many instances of Anders trying to ruin my life.

No, history won’t repeat itself. These guys make sure I’m under lock and key, in the best way possible.

In fact, they help me to rebuild Highmore Chocolates. They loaned me some money to get things going, and it didn’t take very long for the Belgian suppliers to come back and for things to take off. We’ve been doing very well.

My parent’s office is still intact, and so is our apartment on Park Avenue. I would never let go of these things, because they help remind me of where I came from.

But at the same time, I’ve been fully capable of moving forward. The guys and I have moved into our own New York City penthouse.

It’s two stories high, and it has every luxury I could desire, from imported marble countertops to a spa and a top-of-the-line kitchen. It literally has everything, including a custom-built master suite that can hold all of us.

I squeeze my legs together to think of what happened in there just last night. This is my new happy thought, but it’s oh-so-much darker than I ever knew I was capable of handling.

“I’m nervous to see him,” I tell the guys.

Let’s face it, I was torn up the last time Anders was in my life. He was such an asshole—and frankly, I’m sure if I’m ready to encounter that kind of hostility again. I’m too happy in my new life to ever deal with things of the past that were not for me.

If Anders isn’t really better and he tries to turn his old tricks, I swear to God, I’ll cut him out of my life forever.

I have babies to think of, after all. I can still cut their Uncle Anders out of their lives and pretend he never existed. Which I will do if he’s really not in a good place.

Jasper comes over to me and brushes his lips across mine.

“Do you think I would ever let him get near you or our little babies if I thought he’d be a threat? Never. I promise you. Aurora, from now on, you are safe. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Of course,” I say immediately, because it’s true.

Plus, I have this ever-present desire to please Jasper and the guys in all the ways I can. He must know that I trust him implicitly.

I lean back in my soft velvet office chair and stare at Finn and Jasper. They’re so alike, and yet so very different. My eyes are feasting on them, and I’m getting my fill just as Declan walks in.

“Baby, he’s here,” Declan says as he offers his hand to help me up. “And can I just take a minute to say how fucking stunning you look? Where’d you get that outfit?”

I smile mischievously. “Oh, you know, around. A girl never gives up her secrets.”

I have to maintain some mystery in my life and some sense of self. Otherwise, I might get lost and utterly consumed by these men.

Declan is always the one to notice my latest finds and the subtle things I do with my look. He’s an artist through and through, and I have all manners of erotic photography to prove that.

I stand close to his side and say nervously, “Okay, well, it’s now or never.”

He squeezes my hand in reassurance, and just at that moment, my brother walks through the door—and I barely recognize him.

He’s, like, handsome again.

“Anders,” I say, unable to hide the shock in my voice. “Is that you?”

I go to him immediately and hug him tightly. I just can’t believe that my brother’s back and that he seems okay. All those days and nights of worrying about him, of calling the police station, and even the morgue…they seem like a distant memory now and as if history won’t repeat itself because he actually seems…okay.

“Hi, sis—geez, hug my brains out, why don’t you. How are you?”

I look up into his shining eyes, and for once, I feel like absolutely everything is all right. With Anders back to his former self and with him stronger than ever before because he has walked through the fire of drug addiction, I feel like I can finally relax and revel in my new happiness.

“You just look so…good…and healthy…and—” tears form in my eyes, and I just can’t believe that this strong man is standing before me now.

He looks around the room at me and at each Grayson brother before saying, “I just want you all to know how truly sorry I am. Especially to you, Aurora. I nearly ruined your life, and I put you in danger. I can’t imagine the worry you must’ve felt for me, and I’m so, so sorry for that. I plan on making this up to you for the rest of our lives. You saved me, sis. Because of you, I’m standing here alive and well today.”

“It’s okay,” I say tearfully as I put my arm around his waist. “You’re better now, that’s all that matters.”

Jasper slaps him on the back and says, “You’re an uncle now, too.”

“An uncle times three,” Declan clarifies.

“To little baby girl triplets,” Finn declares.

“Wait, what?” my brother says incredulously.

I look up into his eyes and nod my head to confirm. “Yeah, you missed a lot while you were away.”

I swear I see tears form in his eyes as he says, “Mom and Dad would’ve been so proud.”

Declan puts a hand on his shoulder and says, “They are. Trust me. And so is our dad, John James Grayson.”

“We’re a family now, keeping the tradition alive,” Finn says. “And you’re part of it.”

I look around the room at all the men in my life, and I feel so blessed and secure and at ease. All the pain I endured to get to this moment was worth it…

I am finally home.