Page 25 of If You Claim Me
I open my arms.
She wraps hers around my neck and whispers, “Roman says you’re too old for me, anyway.”
I laugh. “I think that’s true.”
Callie hugs Mildred, and then she reattaches herself to Roman.
More of my fiancée’s friends congratulate us. Mildred visibly relaxes once she’s surrounded by her Babes. I envy her easy friendships and the way people rally around her. Mildred is exactly what the Grace family needs. They just don’t know it yet.
More than once I catch my brothers-in-law casting judgmental glares at Mildred’s friends. I swirl the ice in my scotch—I needed something strong to get through this—as Julian and Bryson finally decide to acknowledge me.
“Connor.” Julian tips his glass.
“Julian.”Fuckhead. I lift my own glass in reply. “Bryson.”
“Your sisters seem to like your girlfriend,” Julian observes.
“You mean my fiancée.”
“Mm... It’s a little strange that this is the first time we’ve met her,” Bryson adds.
“She comes to my games all the time.” Again, it’s not untrue.
“So she spends a lot of time with these guys.”
“If you’re referring to my teammates, then yes.”
“Doesn’t that concern you? Your girlfriend being such good friends with a bunch of hockey players?”
“I’m a hockey player,” I remind them.
“Yeah, but you come from better stock,” Julian says snidely, tipping his chin toward my friends.
“I can see the allure.” Bryson claps me on the shoulder and tsks. “But marrying down?”
“Better than sucking my father’s dick all day every day,” I say through a dark smile.
Julian chokes on an ice cube.
“Connor, I hope you’re behaving yourself.” Mother appears at my side, looking a little frazzled, but still perfectly put together. She doesn’t try to touch me.
“Just talking about how nice it is to be rich and entitled.” I scan the room, searching for my bride-to-be. She catches my gaze, head tipping slightly.
“Connor,” Mother chastises.
I wish I’d devised a signal so Mildred knew when to stay put. Unfortunately, my focus was not where it should have been leading up to today. Mildred abandons the safety of her friends and heads for me.
And of course, because this day isn’t enough of a shitstorm, my father moves to stand beside my mother.
Mildred steps right into the viper pit.
I extend my hand when she’s close enough, and she slips her warm, soft palm in mine. I bring her hand to my lips, immediately comforted by her presence and the contact. I wrap a protective arm around her waist and pull her to my side.
“Darling, I’d like you to meet my parents. This is my mother, Courtney, and my father, Duncan.”
“It’s such an honor to meet both of you,” she says warmly. “Thank you so much for hosting our engagement party.”
“I thought it was a good way to ensure we’d meet you before the big day,” Mother says. “Connor can be quite secretive when it comes to his significant others.”
