June 17th – New York City

“Um, you’re clowning me, right? I mean, you have to be.”

Kelly sniggered and arched a brow at Liam. Watching him fumble while getting dressed was truly funny. He’d buttoned his vest wrong three times, and now, he was trying to strangle himself with his tie.

Slapping his hands away, she growled at him until he dropped them to his sides so she could move in close enough to fix his sloppy effort. In no time at all, she saved his bacon and pulled off the perfect wedding day neckwear.

He turned away and inspected her handiwork in the mirror. “Not bad, sis, but I don’t get how a girl from the woods has formal bow tie proficiency.”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Liam. Bow tie proficiency? Have you always talked like that, or is this a case of binge watching Downton Abbey?”

With a comical cringe, he said, “A little of both, I’m afraid. But what about you? I’m serious.” He gestured to the gray tie. “How’d you do this?”

She shrugged. “I Googled it. Had to,” she quickly added when he laughed.

“Matty?” he asked.

Pfft. “Yeah. Him and Roman. I thought guys knew this stuff.”

“Well, I can’t speak for that cretin you plan to marry, but for my part, it doesn’t matter if I know how or not because I’m so nervous it’s a miracle I got my socks on.”

He gave her an up-and-down inspection. “You look nice.”

The expression on her face suggested she expected him to say more, but that was it. Men, sheesh.

“Nice. Hmph. Just what every girl wants to hear when she’s wearing several thousands in jewelry and couture.”

His wince told her she hit one of the nerves that made them getting close a real struggle.

“I’m an asshole, and I’m sorry.” He looked at her again. “You look beautiful, Kelly. Really. Thanks for letting Rhiann play stylist.”

“Let her?” She scoffed and shook her head. “Dude, I effing begged her to dress me. Especially after I got a look at what Brynn and Charlie were wearing. Those dresses did not come from the bridal barn!”

“The bridal barn! Bwah-ha-ha. Good one.”

She helped him slide into the tailored cutaway of his tuxedo and felt her jaw clench. This most likely was what Matty would look like someday. It still blew her mind that Liam was her older half-brother, and that he bore such an uncanny resemblance to her.

There wasn’t a whole hell of a lot of tentative in Liam’s character, so she did a tiny double take when a lost and confused expression spread on his face.

“Would you mind doing the boutonniere? If I try, I’m sure to jam the pin into my finger and get the tux bloodied.”

“And we can’t have that,” she teased. “Rhi would vapor lock, and since you’re down an adult best man to do these things, that makes it my job.”

She took the single white rosebud from its container and waved it at him.

“But you’ll have to take a knee because even with heels, I’m too damn short for technical work.”

Showing some adorable klutziness, he dropped down and gave her a crooked smile. They both jumped slightly when the silently hovering photographer snapped yet another picture. It took effort not to snarl, but she managed somehow. This day was about Liam and Rhiann – not her shitty attitude.

Smiling for show, she carefully placed the delicate flower on his lapel. Reminded of their audience, she lowered her voice so only he would hear. “I take it Rhi was serious about the white wedding thing, huh?”

Liam looked her in the eye and colored. “Shit, she told you, didn’t she?”

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I think it’s sweet. She wants to make it clear that it’s only ever been you. Not a lot of guys get that, you know.”

Kelly almost swallowed her tongue when her brother arched his brow and said, “Roman and I have a lot in common.”

At his comment, it was her turn to blush beet red. She needed a change of subject, so she asked a question as he struggled to his feet.

“Do you have the rings?”

He grinned, and she recognized the meaning behind his smug-alert high beam smile because Roman did the same thing when he was feeling rather full of himself.

“Yes! Check this out!” He laughed with genuine excitement and snatched a velvet ring box off a table. Cracking the hinged lid like a game show host giddy with delight, he practically pushed the jewelry in her face and proudly crowed, “Look.”

Rhi’s ring was set with sparkling diamonds, and his was a simple band.

“Went with platinum for mine. And FYI, little sis, Roman had his eye on a tungsten band. It was dark and had a burnished edge. Manly man bling.” He snickered.

He put his band into a tiny ring slot in his vest. She picked up Rhiann’s ring to admire the sparkling beauty and noticed some engraving on the inside. “May I?” she asked.

“Oh, uh, sure.”

There it was again – that tentative thing he did earlier. It dawned on her that until Rhiann came along and rescued his uptight ass, he must have been awfully alone. Kind of like she’d been before Roman almost ran her over and in the process changed her entire life.

She held the band up to look more closely. “Milaya moya, always,” she read out loud. “What does it mean?”

“It’s Russian for my sweetness.”

Intrigued because her brother was something of a tight ass, she arched a brow. “No offense but you don’t strike me as someone who uses endearments.”

He sniggered and came back with instant snark. There might be hope for their future yet!

“And you can fuck right off, little sister. Rhiann has been milaya moya since she was a teenager.” He stuck out his tongue and said, “So there.”

“Oh, so you mean once upon a time, you had a romantic streak?”

He sobered instantly. “My once upon a time was more about what I didn’t have.”

The sudden constriction in her throat was Kelly’s reminder that more joined her to Liam than what kept them apart. He wasn’t to blame for the hardship she’d endured, and the more she got to know him, the challenges of her brother’s early life far outweighed the advantages he earned.

“I have something for you,” she murmured uncomfortably.

His brow arched. Just the one. “Should my bodyguard be present?” he quipped.

“Methinks the family jewels are safe,” she drawled. “For now.”

The photographer caught Liam’s laughter. And also the moment she handed him a small gift box.

“It’s nothing, really,” she muttered with a shrug. “Just something I made. For you.”

Her heart rate steadily rose until she felt the rapid thud of each beat in her throat. Would he dismiss the gesture? It was just homemade, after all, and maybe that sort of thing wasn’t her older brother’s style.

She watched his hand lift the lid. The tie tack she’d meticulously worked on for a couple of weeks sat on black velvet. Liam froze. So did she.

After a long pause, she started to panic. What was happening?

“Kelly,” he murmured. She gasped at the heavy emotion in his voice. “This is for me?”

“Well, yeah. It’s a, um … it’s your logo. The phoenix, right? It’s a mosaic. Uh, real gold.”

Panic seized her. She self-consciously tugged on her dress. At that moment, she felt like a kid begging for acceptance at an art show. Real gold? Shit. She sounded desperate.

She was so lost in nervousness that he took her completely by surprise with a tremendous hug.

“Sis, shit. I’m speechless. You made this?” he asked as he pulled back.

Kelly had to compose herself when his expression of total wonder detonated a happy bomb buried deep inside.

“It’s gorgeous.” He looked at her, and everything got weird when she saw tears building in his eyes. “A family heirloom. Wow.”

Did he say family heirloom? His voice had dropped to a whisper, and she strained to catch every word.

“My mom didn’t have anything. She was, as Rhiann would say, the cheap and cheerful type. I have a pair of her amethyst earrings, though. But that’s it. There’s nothing else to pass on.”

He held up the detailed mosaic and wiped away a tear. “But this. My god, Kelly. My sister made this and gave it to me on my wedding day. Thank you.”

His voice quivered when he added, “Now, I have something to pass on to my son someday. God willing.”

Moved by his display of emotion, she offered a wobbly smile. “We’re gonna make this work, Liam. This family thing. My real wedding gift to you is a promise that I’ll try harder. When you guys get back from Greece and we’re settled in the cul-de-sac, we’ll throw down big time, okay?”

He chuckled. “Sam and Ginny have already made it clear that Thanksgiving will take place at their house.”

She grinned. “You made Sam’s whole life last night with that little speech you gave after the rehearsal. And putting us together in the front family pew was a nice touch, big brother.”

“I kind of like having sudden grandparents.”

“Oh, my god! Speaking of grandparents! What the fricking hell with Rhiann’s grandmother?”

He broke out a hearty laugh. “Oh, you mean Brianna Charles? Impressive, isn’t she? Rhi is negotiating a publishing deal to write the old girl’s story. Broadway legend and grand dame of the family.”

“Matty nearly swallowed his tongue when she started singing.”

They shared a laugh at the memory and finished getting Liam ready to do his groom thing.

“Still nervous?” she asked.

“I’ve dreamed of this for a long time, and trust me when I say the wait hasn’t always been so easy. My nervousness is more for the show than the actual marriage. You know how New Yorkers are. They love a good spectacle and silently hope something, anything goes wrong.”

“I think your bride and the symbolism of her white wedding will give all those fuckers plenty to gossip about.”

“Professor Wilde is pleased so everyone else can suck my dick.”

“Having the father-in-law on your side is a good start.” She giggled and gave him a nudge.

“Can I get a few formal shots of the groom and his sister?”

They stared blankly at the photographer for a second before getting it together. A dozen poses captured for posterity, and then it was time to move things along. She was to be the last to enter the church before Rhiann’s mother. Matty absolutely insisted that he, and not Roman, be the one to escort her down the aisle.

It was great to be surrounded by so many good men. Sam. Roman. Professor Wilde. The Justice crew. Even Matty. She reasoned that all the good guys in her life were the work of the universe making up for the gigantic piece of shit that fathered her. And Liam. And Matty.

Liam dismissed the photographer and drew her in for another hug. Kissing her cheek while squeezing her hands, he smiled and said, “It means everything to me that you’re here, Kelly.”

She smiled back. “And you’ll be returning the favor. Soon. If Mr. Bishop has anything to say about it.”

Straightening, she gave him a wink. “Showtime!” With a little wave, she exited the room and took a deep breath. Time to make her public debut as Liam Ashforth’s sister.

July 18th – Bendover, Arizona

Happiness – deep, unstoppable happiness – has a way of sobering a guy up. At least that’s what Alex thought. These days, his life was an embarrassment of riches. He had a gorgeous wife, a successful business, loads of friends – the sort who’d walk into a hail of gunfire for him – a loving, supportive family, and this year, twins!

“Happy Father’s Day, Daddy,” Meghan purred as she bent to kiss his cheek. She swung around from behind and sat on the ottoman next to his legs. Her bright, vivacious smile did what it always did – zinged him straight in the heart.

She was fiddling with the necklace he’d whipped out of thin air for Mother’s Day. Since the twins weren’t due until June, he’d been caught empty-handed when Aiden and Stevie arrived way early – leaving him no time to get the appropriate bling. He’d fantasized about a million-dollar bauble from Tiffany’s or something else that fell into the bitches need romance category.

The thing was, though, his first lesson in daddy-hood involved a frantic run through a Wal-Mart Supercenter for the thousand and one things they didn’t have ready and waiting. He was pushing two carts full of newborn diapers and a shit ton of other baby stuff past the jewelry department when a birthstone jewelry display caught his eye.

Discovering that the emerald was May’s stone, he’d gotten lost in the symbolism. Perfection didn’t come close because all things emerald were Meghan’s. He loved the color. It was her eyes and Irish badassery in one. They got married in the emerald month because … emerald.

He drove the saleslady crazy and made her show him everything in the damn case until he settled on a necklace with two hearts and a teeny tiny emerald. It was a wonder his molars didn’t crack from how hard his jaw clenched when she congratulated him on savvy shopping because why? A birthstone sale. Everything was 25% off. In the end, the Wal-Mart jewelry cost him less than a hundred bucks. He wanted to yell like a crazy person.

While Ben took charge of their haul it took half an hour of the man’s long-suffering sighs for Alex to read every fucking card in the Mother’s Day display. Picking that damn card was crazy hard.

Meghan lost her shit when he gave her the cheap, wrapped gift. He’d been ready with a promise to buy her the moon and the stars once shit calmed down, but her weepy reaction was so over the top, he had no choice but to swallow his pride. He’d given the mother of his twins a made in China necklace from Wal-Mart for her first Mother’s Day, and she treated the frantic gesture as an instant heirloom.

“I hope you weren’t planning on holding your children anytime soon,” his wife cheerfully drawled. “It’s like watching pass the potato, in stereo!”

Alex chuckled and gently caressed her cheek. “You cooked up some mighty awesome babies, Mrs. Marquez. Everyone wants a taste of their deliciousness and with two, it’s double the pleasure.”

He felt the pulse of love in her expression and heard her playful side when she giggled. “You mean I finally did okay in the kitchen?”

He laughed at her jest. Meghan was good at a lot of things, but she sucked at the domestic arts. Without Carmen and Ria to smooth her jagged edges, they’d be laboring beneath a mountain of dirty laundry while living off frozen pizzas and canned ravioli.

“Indeed you did, wife!” He tapped her nose. “And man, can you cook or what?”

They turned to watch the assembled group pass Aiden and Stevie back and forth. She reached for his hand and held tight.

“Hey, guys, look!” Parker bellowed. He held Aiden up. On the baby’s head was a headband with Yoda ears.

Angie happily snapped pictures, and before he knew it, Stevie was sporting a headband with Princess Leia ear braids.

“Something is so wrong with those two,” Meghan muttered.

Alex chuckled because he heard the affection in his wife’s voice.

“Don’t worry,” he assured her. “He’ll get his. You just wait till they have their kid. I’m planning my Uncle Alex fuckery now.”

His spirited Irish goddess mate smirked and gave him a double dose of snarky shade. “It’s not just him, ya know. Angie is just as bad. Your sister is a goddamn troublemaker.”

“Truth,” he muttered with a snicker. “She lives to start shit. And Sophie? Argh! Those two are a nightmare together. Sophie stirs the shit, and then Angie takes it from there.”

Meghan sighed and raised his hand to her face. As she rubbed her cheek on his skin, he enjoyed the tender moment.

“Teo is so beautiful,” she quietly murmured. “Sophia loves being a mother.”

He noted her subtle urging to share how he felt about his sister’s unusual situation. His wife wasn’t one to let sleeping dogs lie for very long.

“I really am happy for her, love. No shit.” He thought the direct route would be the easiest and fastest way to exit the subject.

Nope, not so much.

“Jace is a surprise though, huh? Those two are like a blended family from a sixties sitcom.”

Ergh. Jace Delacroix. Alex was having a helluva time coming down off the ledge where the guy was concerned. He was fine as Remington’s cousin and ran the stable with both hands behind his back, but something about discovering he and Sophie had a history ruffled Alex’s feathers.

And it definitely did not help matters that Delacroix was in the lead for the position of operations director for the agency. He’d let Sophie twist his arm and bombard him with a relentless stream of background information to prove Jace was the perfect person to take over the running of Justice. She was right, of course. The guy had an impressive education and work history. His family dabbled in a bit of everything, and he was well-qualified to run a global company.

Complicating matters further, his damn father weighed in. Told him to suck it up, stop bitchin’, and hand the agency to the man. Alex would still have complete control – it’d just be someone else riding the desk on a daily basis.

“Don’t you ever get a funny feeling about them?” he asked his wildly perceptive wife. “Something else is going on there. I’m sure of it.”

“Baby,” Meghan said in a hushed murmur. “You promised not to interfere. Remember?”

“No,” he reminded her. “I said nothing about interfering. I said I wouldn’t play matchmaker. That’s all.”

She sniggered. “One couple at a time, okay?”

“What’s that mean?” he asked with an air of innocence.

“Nice try.”

He said nothing until she smacked his thigh. “Alex! Seriously?”

Grinning, he rubbed his leg and smirked. “All right, all right. You caught me.”

Her shaking head and wifely frown weren't very convincing. Especially not since she was all but biting her lip to keep from laughing.

“Tell me again when Domineau arrives.”

“Next week sometime,” he told her. “She wouldn’t be more specific.”

“And Rafe? What’s his deal?”

He shifted uneasily and took a deep breath. This one was quite a lot like going out on a limb. And not a very sturdy limb.

“I think he’s aiming for a flight before the Fourth of July holiday. Did I tell you he turned down our offer to use the casita? Said he needed something with more space.”

“Have you figured out yet who he’s bringing?”

Grumbling unhappily, he told her, “He wasn’t exactly forthcoming. Said he’d explain when he sees me. And then he rented a fucking house in Sedona. I don’t get it.”

“You’re little scheme will blow up rather spectacularly if his plus one is a woman.”

“Yeah, I know. And considering Domineau will have control of the entire Justice armory, don’t imagine for a second I haven’t considered the possibilities.”

His admission that putting Rafe and Domineau together might lead to a disaster hung in the air once Carmen and Duke sauntered toward them. He was finally used to Duke as a romantic partner for Carmen. They were a solid match, and he was quietly overjoyed for his second mother. She was clearly smitten with the gruff Vietnam vet, and he treated her like a priceless treasure.

“Your boy has all the ladies wrapped around his little toe,” Duke said with a hearty snicker. “And don’t get me started on Stevie. She’s an angel.”

Carmen puffed up with pride and beamed at Alex. “He’s like his Papa ... charming the women.”

Meghan giggled. “Well, if he’s like his daddy, you’ll have to give me pointers, Carmen. Maybe some ideas for handling Aiden when he’s a rambunctious schoolboy.”

Parker approached with a wiggling pink bundle. “Squeaky Marquez needs a change.”

Angie peeked from behind her husband’s back and made a face. “Please tell him he’s not all that clever. Just because squeaky sort of rhymes with Stevie doesn’t make that her nickname. Sheesh.”

“Why not?” Parker asked with affront. “This little lady doesn’t cry. She whimpers and squeaks. Ergo, Squeaky.”

Duke laughed. “Ergo?”

“Lawyer language.” Meghan sniggered.

“Ah, got it.” Duke turned to Carmen and smirked. Then he looked at Angie, drily asking if she so on, and so forthed. His sister, of course, cracked up.

“Here you go, Dad,” Parker said as he lowered Stevie into his arms.

Alex loved the way the babies smelled. Something was special about it, so he put his nose in his daughter’s neck and lovingly snoodled her. She squeaked, and for a long second, he lost himself gazing at his daughter’s sweet face.

Ben had Aiden on his shoulder. It made his heart happy to see the older man cradling the baby. Without Carmen, Ria, Ben, and Betty, his goose would have been cooked in that first year after he came home to Arizona in one piece – albeit stitched up and reconstructed.

He owed them an awful lot. Them and Zeus. They brought him back from the edge, so by the time Draegyn and Cam finally showed up, he was at least half of an operating human instead of the depressed cripple he was at first.

Aiden’s head was moving side to side. Alex didn’t have to wonder what the boy searched for. Even though they were barely at the six-week mark, it was obvious to everyone that besides his mommy’s boobs, Aiden’s next priority was his sister. He sometimes became agitated if the two were separated for too long.

Meghan reached for her son. Ben kissed the lad on the head and handed him to his mother. She cradled him in her arms so he could see and pointed at Stevie.

“See?” Meghan murmured. “Daddy has little deirfiúr.”

Alex loved the Irish words and phrases she spoke to their children. They’d get plenty of exposure to his Spanish heritage because of their last name, if nothing else, so he wanted them to embrace both sides of the gene pool.

He kissed Stevie’s head. His first Father’s Day was a memorable occasion. Sophie and Teo had come by earlier along with his parents for a small celebration. Aunt Wendy and Uncle Matt showed up next, followed by Parker and Angie. Carmen, Duke, Ria, and Ben brought up the rear.

With so many Family Justice newborns in the mix, everyone else opted to stick close to home and keep their celebrations private.

It still astonished him and nearly everyone else how the Justice brood had grown in so short a time. Where once there was just him, Drae, and Cam, now there was an entire crew making up the family he and the others were making here in the Arizona desert.

“Dude,” Parker growled. “You’re ready for the twenty-fourth, I hope.”

Meghan laughed happily. “Daddy’s a drummer,” she informed their son. “And Uncle Parker thinks he’s a rock god. They have a band.”

“Desert Thunder,” Angie cheered.

“I’m more than ready, you dumb fuck,” he growled at Parker.

Carmen tsked. “Language, Papa.”

Meghan scoffed. “Whatever,” she sniped with a deliberate and comical eye roll. “Lacey is the language police around here whereas I’m the proud daughter of an Irish cop. Translation? I swear like a construction worker. These kids are doomed.”

Why he grinned like a fucking idiot, Alex wasn’t sure. Maybe because what his wife said was so true. They all suffered from vulgaritis. Some more than others. Except for Lacey. In fact, creative swearing was a Family Justice hallmark.

Parker gave a quiet roar of delight. “Thunder Cock is in da’ house.”

Everyone groaned and shook their heads.

Yeah, Alex thought. The twins were doomed.

“All right, you fuckers. Get outta my house,” he playfully demanded. “It’s bath time.”

Angie snickered, and he pinned her with a look. Then his troublemaking sister turned to his wife and said, “I can’t believe he makes you give him a bath.”

Even though the comment was fairly tame as far as typical snark went, it was nonetheless met with gales of laughter. Stevie wiggled as the laughter rang out, and Aiden grinned from the security of his mother’s arms.

They’d all been through so much and this moment, right here? This was the good stuff that made their lives so rich.

Family Justice was strong. Strong and unified. Nothing could stop them now.