I got a text from Li Na as soon as we landed in Boston. I’m not even close to done with you.

Well, I’m sorry to hear that, because I’m certainly done with you, I texted back. I know rejection’s hard to handle, but you really need to stop embarrassing yourself like this. Take a hint and back off. Create some technology of your own, if you think you’re so great.

I smiled, then muted my cell phone.

Li Na had threatened to bring a lawsuit for breach of contract, violation of covenant not to compete, and to enforce the material terms of our now-defunct contract on the basis of constructive assent. Bethany assured me these were baseless claims. Frankly, the idea of Li Na having us prosecuted was laughable—I imagined if she acted as a witness and had to swear an oath, she’d burst into flames.

I tried not to worry about what Li Na might do. Hannah and Wes had a large, experienced security team watching them. Gabe and I had Timmy, Levi, Ash, and a whole unit assigned to us in Boston. Another full Betts Security unit was assigned to the grounds at Paragon. My employees were happily back to work, everything unpacked and back in order.

The patch’s numbers continued to soar through the roof. I wondered how that made Li Na feel.

I laced my fingers through Gabe’s, deciding to stop thinking about her, for the first time in what felt like forever. Instead, I looked at the charming lights of downtown Boston as we pulled up to the Four Seasons.

“It’s nice having you right next to me,” Gabe mused. “I’m sort of sad you’re not going to be in the same office park.”

“It’s probably for the best.” I winked at him. “This way, you and your big muscles won’t distract me while I’m trying to work.”

He flashed his dimple. “Babe, stop.” He threw his arm around me. “Just kidding. Please go on about my big muscles.”

A few minutes later, we were ushered to our room. “This is…opulent,” I said as Gabe tipped the bellman. I turned in a circle, looking around our suite. There were overstuffed chairs, dozens of carefully selected throw pillows, crystal chandeliers, and vases filled with flowers. A fire roared in the fireplace, completing the enticing, luxurious atmosphere.

“My mother insisted we stay here.” Gabe closed the door and swept me into his arms. “She wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for the wedding. The reception’s here, and she didn’t want us traveling anywhere else. She doesn’t want to let us out of her sight.”

My stomach twisted with nerves. “But she’s never even met me.”

“My brothers have met you—and they both like you. Even Levi, and he never likes anybody.” Gabe grinned. “My mom’s going to love you. She’ll probably love you so much, you’ll have to wipe yourself down with a sanitizing wipe once I peel her off you. And you already know my soon-to-be-stepfather—he’s a big fan of yours. So stop worrying.”

Cynthia Betts’s fiancé was an old professor of mine from MIT, Alexander Viejo. I hadn’t seen him in years, but I could never forget him. He was a famous biochemist and also a brilliant professor. I’d audited one of his senior-level classes my sophomore year and found him fascinating. It would be wonderful to have another scientist around, someone to brainstorm with.

Gabe’s phone buzzed. He looked at it, a deep V forming in his brow. “Here we go,” he said, right before he answered it. “Hi, Mom.” He rolled his eyes at me as she jabbered away on the other end of the line.

I got up and headed into the bedroom to give him some privacy. I marveled at the enormous, ornately carved four-poster bed. At least the bed, and what we could do in it, would make Gabe happy. He seemed genuinely stressed out about spending time with his family, which was funny. The big, bad alpha CEO’s mother gave him a headache.

I went to the walk-in closet and examined my clothes. Since she’d been feeling better and had too much time on her hands, Hannah had insisted on buying me an entire new wardrobe for this trip. “You’re meeting his mother, Lauren. This is it,” she’d said, packing dress after dress into my garment bag.

“This is what?” I’d asked.

Hannah looked pained, as if I were about to leave the house wearing white after Labor Day. “Never mind.”

I touched the different clothes she’d chosen for me. The outfits were beautiful and stylish, more formfitting than anything I was used to wearing. They’d also cost the equivalent of a year’s tuition at a trendy boarding school, but Hannah wouldn’t listen to my protests.

Gabe poked his head in, looking wary. “We have an hour, then they’re on their way up.”

“Who?”

“All of them.” He sighed and looked at the bed, then looked back at me. “Do you think we have time to…take the edge off a little?”

I arched an eyebrow. “Whatever do you mean?”

Gabe closed the space between us, pressing his lips to my neck. He rubbed his thickening cock against me, making me swoon.

“I mean something like this.” He grabbed me, hoisting me up until my legs were wrapped around him. “Hmmm…now, what should I do with you, babe? So many positions, so little time…”

“Whatever you want. You know I’ll like it.”

He laughed, setting me back on the ground. He kissed me deeply, making me woozy. “You will like it. Now, walk over to the bed and just stand there. Don’t turn around.”

I did as I was told, listening to him as best I could over my own breathing, which had turned ragged. He unzipped his suitcase and, after rustling around for a bit, came back, still behind me where I stood at the foot of the bed. “Put your hands up over your head.”

I did, and I watched him twine one of his ties around my wrists to the bedpost. He pulled it tight.

Gabe was tying me up.

“Um…honey?”

“What, babe?” He feigned innocence.

“Should we really be doing this right before I meet your mother?”

“Can you maybe not talk right now?” He tied the tie carefully in a knot, then tested it, making sure it wouldn’t give. Then he grinned, his dimple on full display. “Babe, I am going to fuck you like this. From behind. While I bend you over. Hard. Deep. And you aren’t going to be able to get away from me.”

My body shook in anticipation. I licked my lips again. “I don’t ever want to get away from you.”

“You might in a minute.” His grin turned wicked. “When you’re begging to come, and I won’t let you until I say it’s time.”

I groaned—not this again.

“Just relax, babe. I love you. You can trust me.”

“I know—so can you hurry up?”

He chuckled, then undid my bra and freed my breasts, which felt heavy and full as he took them in his hands. He caressed my sensitive nipples and rubbed his cock against my ass—my panties were already drenched. He grabbed the thin material of the bikini strap and ripped them off me.

He held up the flimsy scraps of material. “Too bad. These were nice.” He pulled my hair back and kissed my neck as I relished the feel of his naked, hard body against mine.

All that was left were the heels. And his tie, tight around my wrists.

“One more thing. I’m going to blindfold you.”

My heart rate quickened as he placed another tie gently over my eyes and fastened it at the back of my head. “I just want you to feel.” He kissed my neck. “I want you to forget everything else.” With my sight gone, the painful rush of desire between my legs seemed that much sharper and in focus. I noticed again how hard I was breathing. He had me now. I couldn’t see, and I couldn’t use my hands. I was naked and defenseless against him, and all I wanted was his dick.

He sure knew what he was doing.

I backed up against his cock. He grunted, then laughed a little. “This is why I had to tie you up. Otherwise, you’d just get your way. Now lean over as far as you can. I want to see you.”

With my hands tied to the bedpost, I could only bend over enough to expose my sex. I heard Gabe kneel behind me, then he exhaled hotly against my slit. “This is fucking perfect,” he said as he dove in. He licked me from back to front. By the time he reached my clit and pulled it between his teeth, I was quivering, already close to coming.

So of course, he stopped. Dammit. He took the tender bud in between his teeth again, making me cry out. He stuck two fingers inside me, fucking me insistently, until I was about to explode. Then he pulled them out and took his mouth off me, leaving me on the edge. My body shook, desperately wanting the release Gabe was keeping from me.

I heard him stand up and finally felt his cock between my legs. He trailed it up and down my slit, getting it slick with wetness, and allowed me to grind my clit against it for a few glorious moments. Then he grabbed my hips and positioned himself against me. “Lean back toward me. We don’t have much time.” His voice was thick and urgent.

I used my wrist restraints to hold me up as I leaned back. Gabe’s hands were on me, pulling me down onto the head of his glorious erection. He proceeded to thrust into me, entering me swiftly, all the way. Holy fuck. He went so deep, I saw stars underneath my blindfold. He held on to my hips and bounced me up and down on his hard length, grunting, finding his own fast, hard pace.

I groaned and bucked against him, wanting to feel him explode deep inside me, needing my own release. He continued to thrust, and I continued to take it—he was in deep, thrusting hard, unyielding, just the way I liked it. Gabe held me tight, grunting. I could feel the power of his orgasm building as he flexed his hips and cursed—and then poured his hot release into me. My body clenched and shook around him. His fingers went to my clit and circled it, pushing me over the edge, my whole world going white as I almost blacked out from the intensity of my orgasm.

My body rocked against him. Then eventually, utterly depleted, I went limp. He carefully pulled out and, without letting go of me, undid the tie around my hands. I weakly pulled off the blindfold as we collapsed onto the bed. My legs felt like jelly.

Gabe opened one eye and looked at me, a satisfied smile on his face.

“What?” I could only manage the one syllable.

“I love you.” He kept his eye open. He clearly had something else to say.

“And what else?”

He closed his eye, still grinning. “And you better get cleaned up—you have to meet my mother in fifteen minutes.”

“Ugh—stop!”

He held up the tie he’d blindfolded me with. “How about I wear this tonight?”

“Shut up.”

And then, even though we had a million things we needed to do, we both collapsed in giggles.

* * *

The giggles came to an abrupt halt when Gabe’s phone buzzed a little while later. “Oh boy. My mother says she can’t wait any longer—they’ll be here in a few minutes.”

I yelped and headed directly to the shower.

After the fastest shower in human history, I threw on some Hannah-approved clothes. I did my makeup in three minutes—I didn’t need much; I had a post-sex-with-Gabe glow.

Gabe kept talking as he showered. “She’s so excited, she’s mortifying. Be prepared for lots of hugging and excitement.”

“About the wedding?”

“No—she’s excited about me and you. Mostly just you. She’s a little…exuberant, is all. You’ll see.”

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and Gabe briefly put his face in his hands. “Get ready for the firing squad.”

“Gabriel!” Cynthia Betts whooped as soon as she came through the door, followed by Levi, Ash, and Alexander Viejo.

Cynthia was petite, with an elegant blonde chignon. Still, she locked her much larger son in a bear hug, rocking him back and forth. “My baby.”

I could see his back stiffen. “Mother, I’m not a baby.”

She pulled back and swatted him. “You’ll always be my baby.”

Then, as if she had a homing device, she turned toward me. “You must be Lauren.” She swept me into her arms, and now it was my turn to be rocked back and forth.

“Mom, you’re probably cutting off her circulation.” Gabe sounded mortified.

She ignored him, pulling back to inspect me. “Well, I can see why Gabe’s wild about you—you’re stunning. And a natural blonde. I didn’t even know God made those anymore. You look like an angel.”

Gabe groaned while I smiled at his mother. “Thank you. I’m honored to meet you—you raised a wonderful man.”

Cynthia’s eyes filled with tears, and she started fanning her face, trying to protect her makeup. “Thank you. I’m just so glad you can appreciate him. He can be so difficult, and he’s controlling, I was starting to wonder if he’d ever—”

“Mom!”

“Oh honey, sorry.” But she didn’t look sorry. She clapped her hands, and her face broke into another wide smile, revealing her perfect teeth. “This is the best day ever. All my boys are here, I finally get to meet Lauren, and I’m getting married tomorrow!”

Gabe and Alexander were catching up, so Cynthia took the opportunity to pull me over to the couch. “You know, dear, none of my boys have ever been in a serious relationship that lasted. Levi was engaged once, but we don’t speak about that, not ever. Tara. If I even say her name, he goes ballistic.” Her eyes were wide. “But I’m excited, and I’m babbling. I’m so happy to hear that you got your sister back—but I’m sorry for all the trouble you’ve been through.”

“Thank you. She’s home now, and she’s safe. We’re still waiting to see how her boyfriend’s doing, but I’m trying to stay positive.”

She nodded, and I could tell that she was listening to me intently, filing away each detail. She kept smiling, reaching out, and holding my hands. She asked me more about how I’d met Gabe, then questions about Hannah, my company, and my parents. Five minutes into the conversation, we were both sniffling into our respective Kleenexes. There was just something about the Betts family… The last thing I ever wanted to do was talk about my personal life or the loss of my parents, but they had this way of extracting things from me.

“I’m so sorry about your mom and dad.” She blew her nose with one hand and patted my knee with the other. “Gabe was just in third grade when Lou died. It broke my heart to watch him cry like that.”

I don’t know if Gabe heard his name or finally noticed both of us were crying, but he extricated himself from the men and came over. “What’s wrong?”

Cynthia blew her nose again. “Nothing, dear. Lauren and I were just talking about her parents, and I was just telling her about Lou. It’s terrible to lose the people you love.”

She reached over and held my hand. “But we’re family now. You won’t ever be alone again.”

“You just might wish you were,” Gabe said under his breath.

His mother swatted him again. “That’s enough out of you. Now, tell Alexander to come over. He’s been looking forward to seeing Lauren again.”

He must’ve heard us, because he ambled over immediately. Just as I remembered from my time at MIT, Alexander was a dapper dresser, wearing an impeccable shirt and tie.

I shook his hand. “So nice to see you, Professor.”

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he pulled me in for a brief hug. “I consider it an honor to see you again. I’m thrilled that our paths have reconnected. You left school too early, you know.”

“Alexander. Do not badger her!” Cynthia called good-naturedly.

“All right, all right,” the professor said easily. “But I can’t wait to catch up with you and hear about all the wonderful things you’ve done. Thank goodness we’ll all be a lot closer soon and have more time.”

“Closer?” I asked, confused.

He just winked and patted my arm.

Ash and Levi came over, both already wielding bourbon. Ash leaned over to hug me. “We missed you this afternoon. I’m getting used to being your roommate.”

“Don’t get too used to it,” Gabe said under his breath.

I had a feeling there was going to be a lot of that—the talking under his breath—this weekend. Gabe was regressing into a petulant teenager before my eyes.

Of course, being madly in love with him, I found it adorable.

“Lauren, I feel like I need a hug too,” Levi said, reaching in. “All we’ve done is work since I met you—we haven’t had any fun.”

Gabe moved next to me and protectively wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You can stop touching her now.”

Levi laughed and released me. “Do you believe this guy? He can’t even stand to share you for a second. Ever since I took little Evie Brittain to the prom, you just can’t let it go—”

“You knew I was going to ask her,” Gabe said heatedly. “You could’ve asked anybody else.”

Levi smiled wickedly. “Yeah, but Evie was nice. Classy.” He got a dreamy look in his eyes, and Gabe’s grip tightened around me.

Levi took a sip of his bourbon, and I realized that he’d started drinking on our flight, hours ago. “You know who else is nice?” He leaned toward me conspiratorially. “Your lawyer.”

I sat up straight. “Bethany?”

Next to me, Gabe cursed while Ash did a double fist pump, celebrating as though he’d just scored a winning touchdown. “Yes! I called it. Pay up.” He held out his hand to Gabe, who was fishing in his wallet.

Gabe handed him a hundred-dollar bill, cursing some more.

Levi watched the exchange, scowling. “You guys were betting on me?”

Ash shrugged good-naturedly. “I knew you thought she was hot—she’s got all that swishy blonde hair, and she keeps bossing you around.”

“Which is totally your type,” Gabe said.

Levi puffed his chest out. “Is not.”

Gabe puffed his chest out. “Is too.”

“Aw, come on—knock it off.” Ash held up the money. “The drinks are on me. Let’s get this wedding party started!”

Both Gabe and Levi deflated and amiably accepted Ash’s offer for drinks. I learned, over the next few hours, that with Gabe’s family in celebration mode, there were drinks followed by more drinks. I lost track of how many bourbons they drank after we headed downstairs to the lounge, drinking, laughing, and eating until the place closed. Once Gabe loosened up, he and his brothers told story after story about growing up in Boston, and how wild they were after their father had passed away. Cynthia rolled her eyes at many of their stories. Others made her threaten to retroactively ground them.

They talked about Lou. “He was tough, but he was a good man,” Cynthia said, dabbing her eyes.

She patted Alexander lovingly on the arm, making sure his feelings weren’t hurt because she was speaking of her late husband. He nodded at her kindly, encouraging her to continue.

“He would be so proud of you boys today,” Cynthia said. “You’ve become great men, just like him. I even think he would approve of me marrying Alexander. He told me on his deathbed that he wanted me to move on. To live my life to the fullest.”

She took another sip of her wine and motioned to her boys. “But all I wanted when you kids were growing up was to be there for you. To be a good mother. Even though you boys ran a little wild, you always came home. You were always my good boys.”

The brothers all looked touched. Gabe raised his glass in a toast. “To Mom. I’m so glad that you’ve finally found someone extraordinary to share your life with. You deserve it. Alexander, as you are a biochemist, a genius, and a tenured professor, I expect that you will be very civilized and take excellent care of my mother. Not that she needs it—we all know she can take care of herself. And the rest of us.” Gabe secured his arm around my waist, pulling me closely against him, making me feel included, safe, and loved. Making me feel like I was part of the family.

“To Mom,” Levi said, raising his glass.

“Mom,” Asher said.

I clinked my glass too, feeling warm and happy inside.

Cynthia dabbed her eyes again. “I’m so glad we’re all going to be close again,” she said, sniffling. “I missed my Gabey. And now, especially with Lauren in the picture, being in California’s going to be so much fun.”

I felt Gabe stiffen. “Huh?”

“Alexander’s accepted a faculty position at Stanford, sweetheart,” Cynthia said. “So we’re moving out in the spring. And your brothers are too. Levi’s decided to expand his West Coast operations.”

Gabe turned to Levi. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d made it official?”

“Don’t sound so excited,” Levi said. “Besides, the way you’re burning through my agents, you should be relieved that we’ll be closer. I’ll be able to ship an endless amount of men over, and I won’t have to charge you airfare for a change.” He grinned at Gabe.

“I’m coming too,” Asher said. “I’m sick of the winters out here. Besides, I wouldn’t want Mom to miss me too much…since I’m her favorite.”

There were more drinks, discussions about the upcoming move, then we all stumbled off to our respective hotel rooms. By the time we climbed into bed, I needed a fire hose, or quite possibly a gamma ray, to blast Gabe’s booze breath away from me.

He crawled toward me on the bed with droopy eyes and a happy, slightly dazed look on his face. “Lauren, I’m coming for you…”

I rolled out of his way as he collapsed onto my pillow. “Babe.” His voice came out muffled. “Where’d you go?”

I couldn’t help laughing. “Away from your dragon-like breath, babe. Go to sleep. I think you and your brothers finished almost all the alcohol in the bar.”

“Babe. Come back.” His voice was still muffled against the pillow.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I sank back down beside him on the bed and ran my fingers lightly through his coarse hair. “I will not be kissing you until that breath has abated—hopefully by tomorrow—but I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

Ever. Because, after being lonely my whole life, I’d finally found a home.

* * *

GABE

The wedding was scheduled for four o’clock at the Parish of St. Paul in Cambridge, affiliated with Harvard University—Alexander was a proud graduate, and I was an equally proud dropout. After the ceremony, we’d head back to the Four Seasons for the formal, proper reception Cynthia had planned. More than two hundred guests would attend the black-tie affair.

I adjusted my tuxedo while Lauren finished with her makeup. “I don’t know why my mother’s insisting on having a big, formal wedding. It’s her second marriage, and quite frankly, they’re old.”

“Stop.” Lauren frowned at me. “She seems happy—I think she wants to celebrate. Plus, she said they have a lot of friends coming. It’s sort of a going-away party for them too.”

I popped an ibuprofen—my mother’s impending move, my persistent hangover, and my nerves about other things were giving me a headache. “I can’t believe they’re all moving out to California. I have a feeling they’re going to try to cramp our lifestyle.”

“You should be excited.” Lauren hustled out to the bedroom to get dressed. “You’re lucky that they’re going to be close by. I think it’s wonderful.”

I followed her, looking for my other cufflink, and saw Lauren zipping up her dress.

My heart stopped as I looked her up and down. “Holy shit, babe.”

“What—is this not the right kind of dress?” She looked panic-stricken as she smoothed it. “Hannah picked it. Oh no.”

“Stop right there. Turn and look at me, so I can see the whole thing.”

She stopped and turned. The black-sequined gown was floor length, strapless, and fit snugly, embracing her curves. I put my hand over my heart, making sure it was beating again. “I take back what I said about my mother insisting on a formal wedding. I’m thrilled about it.”

“Okay…?” She sounded confused.

“You look absofuckinglutely gorgeous in that dress.”

“Oh. Huh. Thanks.” Her shoulders relaxed. “You look very handsome. I’ve never seen you in a tux before.”

“That’s because I can’t breathe in them.”

She grinned at me. “I can’t breathe in this either.”

“We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?”

I closed the distance between us and pulled her against me, wrapping my arms carefully around her waist. “I want to kiss you—actually, I’d like to push you back on the bed and utterly defile you—but that dress looks delicate, and I know you just finished your makeup. I can’t wait to show you off to everyone. Now I’m glad my mom and Alexander invited everyone they know in Boston. All the more people I can parade my beautiful, brilliant girlfriend in front of.”

Lauren blushed, but she looked pleased. “Stop.”

“Not ever, babe.”