White lights were stung through the trees around the gazebo in his side yard. The stained-glass window installation that had made its way to their house cast a colorful kaleidoscope of colors on the ground and gazebo. Lily and Peaches had outdone themselves decorating for their wedding.

It had been two months since the operation that had taken Gallen down. He’d been right about his old team, but he hadn’t realized how deep and far it had gone. It was a group of twenty dirty cops. They’d saved nearly fifty young women and teenagers, but he knew that the problem wouldn’t be solved, yet every rescue meant something. It also brought light to the issue no matter how people wanted to ignore it and say it wasn’t a problem.

After he’d spent two weeks becoming a complete bastard to his boys, he begged their forgiveness.

His boys had earned a hell of a spanking after what they’d done. They endangered themselves, but in the course of it, they’d earned themselves new jobs to go along with the ones at Pleasure. They’d had to call in rescue choppers and personnel from bigger counties, but not anymore. His boys were the ones called in for rescues. He couldn’t be prouder of them. They just weren’t allowed in firefights anymore. They could jump from all the planes they wanted. They could fly to the moon and back, but going near gunfire was out.

“Hi, Camden.” Layla stopped beside him.

“Hey, glad you could make it. You look beautiful.” He couldn’t get over the likeness of mother and sons. The same blond hair and delicate features. The only difference was Layla’s dark brown eyes that appeared almost black, and Eric and Ellison had clear, pale blues ones.

“Camel ride and six transports, but I wouldn’t miss my boys getting married for anything. I just wanted to say thank you.”

“For what?”

“I’ve never been the greatest mother. They had more addresses before they were three than most people have in a lifetime. Yeah, I made their life fun, but it wasn’t stable, and I know my sons craved something normal. You gave them that. You love them. It took you a while to realize it, but you did.”

“I do love them. If you hadn’t made them the young men they are, they sure as hell wouldn’t have the skills to save me.”

“I didn’t say they weren’t capable and a little addicted to adrenaline. When I lost their dad, he really was the love of my life, and I lost myself. I brought them up with a don’t worry about tomorrow because it wasn’t guaranteed attitude.”

“I think that works for me. My job isn’t the safest.”

“Well, you know my sons can take care of you.”

“And I’ll take care of them.”

“I’m going to go find them. It’s almost show time.”

She gave him a quick, awkward hug and hurried off toward the house.

“You ready for this, man? We can get you out of here fast,” Liv asked from behind him, and he turned to find the entire Trenton Crew smirking at him.

“I’m not running. I got them, and I ain’t giving them up.”

“You got some great boys there. If they didn’t belong to you, I’d be snatching them for myself. Beautiful and a little crazy, that’s damn near perfect.”

He didn’t take offense. Liv avoided men at all costs. The man was severely scarred but still handsome, but the scars overshadowed his looks. Liv backed away when men came up to get a chance with the badass Trenton Team. He felt a bit sorry for him.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“We just wanted to say good luck and congratulations.” Gage held out his hand.

He shook it and looked at Little who was hiding something behind his back. It didn’t seem the man realized he could smell it.

“Little, take a walk.”

“Good deal, congrats, man.” Little smirked and ran off, straight for Lily.

“We’re going to go find our seats. I think Scary’s waiting for you.” Linus pointed passed his shoulder.

He turned his head to find Scary looking uncomfortable as fuck in a nice suit. He crossed the short expanse between them.

“Thank you for doing this, man.”

“Don’t thank me. To be honest, like you said a few months ago, we’re the only blood we got. Look at them.”

He let his gaze scan the yard and all the people seated or wandering around. Couples, triads, kids running around and babies in slings.

“This is what we got. Family is what we make it. It ain’t always perfect. Some you want or may need to arrest, but we’re here. Nothing says we have to be related by blood and they sure as shit don’t require family to be normal. Here and now, you don’t gotta be anything you ain’t. You can be fucked-up, and we’re still there when the phone rings.”

“She didn’t even return my calls after I sent the invite.”

“This ain’t about her or him. This is about you and your boys. None of that depressed shit today. Enough time for all that later, but again, these people in this yard, the ones that showed up…this is your family. Now game face, man, it’s show time.”

Scary pointed toward the house, and he looked up to find Eric and Ellison arm and arm with their mother. They wanted her to walk them down the aisle. Ernie was in the front row—the proud Dad position.

His boys were dressed in hippie style white linen shirts provided by Lucky and black jackets. Ellison had on a little extra makeup, and Eric had a new pink streak in his light blond hair. They were gorgeous. In the days leading up to the wedding, he’d lived in terror they’d come to their senses. It hadn’t happened, and he’d gotten a call that morning making sure he hadn’t changed his mind. That wasn’t going to happen.

“You did good, Camden, really good,” Lily whispered in his ear from behind him where she was positioned in the gazebo. The night was chilly, but they had heaters set up everywhere. There were just too many people to have performed the ceremony inside.

He held his hands out to Eric and Ellison. He tried not to notice that Layla held a little tighter before she let them go. He led them to stand at the base of the three steps, but never took his eyes off his boys.

“Before we start, Peaches and I want to take a minute to make an announcement. Camden, we’re always honored when our boys come to us and tell us they found their person or persons. It’s a parents’ proudest moment to know that their kids found love and acceptance. No matter the shape, shade or gender, love is what we all want. And today, Peaches and I, get to witness the joining of you, Eric, and Ellison. Our boys have all found their persons. You’ve all given us daughters, sons, granddaughters, and grandsons. You’ve gifted us with miracles that no higher power could ever dream to bestow. Camden Pelter, you’re a sometimes snobby, too lawful for your own good, asshole, but we love you and welcome to the family, son.”

Lily and Peaches were on either side of him, their lips pressed against his cheeks, and he closed his eyes.

“You’re accepted and loved. You were ours the minute you brought your oversized ass to us.”

“Thank you both.”

“Now that that bullshit is out of the way, let’s get these three married because I need a smoke.”

“Lily,” he warned, and she smirked at him.

“You see nothing, Sheriff, remember that.”

His boys chuckled, and he turned to look down at them. “I love you both, and I will do everything in my power to always make you happy.”

“We know, you already do,” Eric and Ellison spoke in unison.

Lily began the ceremony, even though it wouldn’t be all legal. He and Ellison had the marriage license, but this would join him with them both. He didn’t need some piece of paper to tell him they belonged to him and he was theirs. He’d waited a lifetime for a family of his own, his boys were that, but so were everyone else sitting in his yard. He’d come home when he’d accepted this job, and he’d found everything he wanted in a small Georgia town—far more than he expected.