I reach for him with one hand, pulling him in so that we form a small, closed circle. I’m at the center, held between two men who have wrecked me in all the best ways.
"I need you both to hear me," I say, willing my voice to stay steady even as emotion clogs my throat. "I belong to you. Both of you. This isn’t a fluke. It isn’t confusion. It’s real."
Silas’s breath catches audibly. Max’s hands curl gently around my waist, steady, grounding.
"This is real to me," I continue, pressing my forehead briefly against Silas’ chest before tilting my head up to meet Max’s steady gaze. "And I need it to be real for you, too."
"It is," Max says immediately, voice low and certain. "It has been from the beginning."
Silas nods against me, his arms tightening around my shoulders. "You’re ours, G. You always have been."
I let out a shaky breath, sagging into them both, feeling a fragile peace settle over the three of us for the first time in what feels like days.
Of course, because the universe has a twisted sense of humor, that’s exactly when Evie ruins the moment.
She saunters over from the kitchen, mug in hand, her grin wicked.
"God, this is so gross," she says, wrinkling her nose dramatically. "If I wanted to watch a Hallmark movie, I would’ve stayed in my room."
Silas groans under his breath. Max rolls his eyes. I snort against Silas’s shirt, laughter bubbling up before I can stop it.
Evie isn’t done.
"You’re really building yourself an old-man harem, huh?" she teases, nudging Max’s leg with her foot. "Couple more and you could start charging admission."
Max snorts. Silas mutters something into my hair that sounds suspiciously like, "She's not wrong."
I turn just enough to shoot Evie a mock glare. "I’m not building anything. It just...happened."
She raises an eyebrow, sipping her tea. "That’s what they all say. First, it’s two. Next thing you know, you’re juggling a starting lineup."
I shake my head, laughing despite myself. The tension lifts, just enough for the room to feel breathable again.
But the reality isn’t far behind.
I straighten, pulling slightly away from Max and Silas, though they both keep at least one hand on me like they’re afraid I’ll vanish if they let go.
"We still have to deal with Sebastian," I say, my voice quieter now. "He’s the baby’s father. No matter how complicated everything else is...we have to figure that out."
Max nods once, his expression shifting back to the careful calculation I know so well. He releases me gently, reaching into his back pocket for his phone.
"I’ll set up a meeting," he says, already scrolling through his contacts. "Face to face. No fighting. No drama. We get everything on the table."
"Are you sure that’s a good idea?" Evie asks.
Max doesn’t look up. "It’s the only way."
I press a hand to my stomach, the small but undeniable swell of it reminding me what’s at stake.
We can’t afford to let this spiral further.
We need answers. We need clarity.
We need to find a way to coexist, whether Sebastian wants to or not.
Chapter26
Sebastian