The Blackest Night (Dusk Before Dawn 3)

“Bronwyn cried when she found out you weren’t coming.” Not a lie, but neither was it entirely truthful. My mate had cried, but she’d been cooking and accidentally wiped her eyes with something that burned. Also, she was pregnant again and cried at pretty much everything these days.

I knew it would tip him over the edge, though. Liam loved Bronwyn, Thana, and Selene like sisters and hated disappointing them, especially if they cried. The women had refused to use this weakness to force him to attend family functions, but they’d never said I couldn’t use it.

“Fine,” Liam grunted.

Worked like a charm.

“Dinner is at five.”

“I have a transport to take care of in the evening, but I should be done around midnight. I—”

“Great! You can come early!” I interrupted in a jolly tone.

“That’s not what—”

“See you a little after midnight.” I hung up before he could get in another word and leaned back in my chair with a smug grin.

“Stephan Bancroft.”

My eyes flew to the open door to my office, and I spied my gorgeous consort glaring at me with her hands planted on her hips.

“Hello, angel,” I crooned as I held out my hand and beckoned her to come to me.

She didn’t budge. “Don’t angel me, Stephan. Did you just use me to manipulate your cousin into coming to Christmas Eve?”

My expression melted into one of innocence, and I raised an eyebrow. “Does that sound like something I would do?” I asked, pretending to be slightly offended.

Bronwyn’s brown eyes narrowed, and she took several steps toward the desk. “Yes,” she responded without remorse, obviously not falling for my act. I mentally sighed. She was too smart for my own good.

After standing from my chair, I prowled around the desk and shut and locked the office door before coming to stand in front of her. “Do you want me to call him back and confess?”

Her expression turned rueful, and she huffed as she shook her head. “No. I can’t say that I approve of your tactics, but I’m happy he’ll be here.”

I stifled a grin, but I doubted my expression hid my wicked thoughts. “I think I owe you an apology,” I told her as I grasped her waist and lifted her onto the desktop.

“Um...I’m not sure—” My hands slid up her legs and under her bright red skirt to part her thighs. “Yes,” she agreed breathlessly. “I think you do.”

I dropped to my knees and licked my lips in anticipation as I pushed the fabric up so it bunched around her waist. “How about I make it up to you?”

“Yes,” Bronwyn panted as she spread her legs even wider.

I apologized with my tongue until she shouted her forgiveness while she climaxed. Then I decided to put a couple in the bank for my next inevitable screwups. After two more orgasms, I gathered her in my arms and returned to my seat, cradling her in my lap. “I love you, angel,” I murmured.

She looked up at me with shining eyes, and I felt stunned like I always did whenever she looked at me this way. “I love you, too.”

I kissed her on the nose, then mouth, before snuggling her in close while she recovered. We were interrupted by tiny fists knocking on the door. It was time to join everyone and celebrate the holiday with the ones we loved all around us.