Aiden snorted, and Ronan shifted so he could look directly into Aiden’s eyes. “I’m serious. I adore it because it’s the same damn thing I would have done if I was in their shoes.”
Rolling his eyes, Aiden groaned. “Lovely. Those boys don’t need your help or for you to enable them.”
“Nope. I have no intention of being a good influence. That’s your job.”
Chuckling, Aiden wrapped his arms around Ronan and held him close. He’d never expected to find Ronan again, let alone discover that this man he’d longed for would fit so perfectly into his life.
A loud knocking on the bedroom door had them both jumping, arms tightening around each other as if someone were threatening to rip them apart.
“Thirty-minute warning,” Marcus said on the other side of the door, “though you should know that Rafe and Philippe are already here.”
Tipping his head away from Ronan, Aiden called out. “Thank you, Marcus.”
“Should I be worried that Rafe and Philippe are here?”
“No. He just added that because Rafe’s patience for us to appear probably won’t last thirty minutes, and he’ll likely come looking for us.”
“We can always give him an eyeful,” Ronan threatened with a waggle of his brows.
“No, but I think we can have some fun in the shower before we go downstairs.”
With a shout of joy, Ronan released him and jumped from the bed, already heading toward the bathroom, Aiden’s laughter following on his heels.
Chapter Thirteen
Ronan knew removing the sappy, dopey grin from his lips was physically impossible, so he didn’t even try as he followed Aiden from the bedroom into the library, where they’d had their sparring match not so long ago. It had been just two nights, but now it felt like a lifetime had passed. He’d come into the house full of fear, hope, and determination. He hadn’t known if Aiden still cared for him after so much time, if there was any chance of them being together, but there would have been no living with himself if he didn’t at least try.
What made it better was that he was standing there with his fingers entwined with Aiden’s. His man was wordlessly announcing to his slice of the world that they were together, that Ronan meant something to him. And everyone in the room noticed it immediately.
While holding his hand, Aiden took Ronan around, personally introducing him to every member of the clan. He quickly learned that Lola was Rafe’s oldest friend, who also helped to run his nightclubs. Ryder was a silent, darkly brooding man who took great care to watch over the effervescent and skittish Gideon. Jullien was Philippe’s oldest friend, but he stuck close to the trio.
Aiden then moved on to his sons and their mates, though it wasn’t necessary. All the same, there was an official feeling to it all. As if the act meant Aiden was offering his stamp of approval. They were all perfectly polite if a little wary.
As they finished, a short, dark-haired woman entered with an incredibly tall man who resembled Wyatt. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh, Aiden! He’s adorable. You’ve got to keep him even if you have to lock him up!”
“Oh, yes. Father can finally build his sex dungeon just for Ronan,” Rafe said, and Ronan nearly choked on the laughter he was trying hold back.
“Ethan?” Aiden called out.
“Fifteen minutes and forty-seven seconds. Definitely a new record,” Ethan immediately stated.
“What?”
Aiden looked over at him, his face bland, but Ronan could tell he was fighting a smile. “How long before someone said something inappropriate.”
Rafe snorted. “It’s Sofia’s fault. She just tossed that out there like anyone could possibly ignore it.”
“You can’t argue with that logic,” Ronan smirked.
Aiden pointed a finger at him. “No. No enabling already. I want at least a six-month reprieve.”
Ronan playfully shook his head. “Without a sex dungeon, the best I can offer is three.”
“Nooooo!” Winter wailed. “The mental images! Rafe, this is all your fault!”
With his usual decorum, Aiden turned to Sofia and smiled warmly. “Sofia Montgomery, may I introduce you to Ronan Svendson? Ronan, this is Sofia Montgomery, head of the Montgomery clan.”
Ronan took her offered hand and bowed low over it. “It is an honor to meet the powerful leader of such a respected clan.”
“I am happy to make the acquaintance of anyone who puts such a wonderful smile on Aiden’s face,” she greeted as he straightened and released her hand. “This is my mate, David Montgomery. He also happens to be the older brother of Wyatt Varik.”
There was no hiding his surprise as he looked at the man again. That would explain the resemblance. “Two clans with shifters,” he murmured as he shook David’s hand.
“Yet another reason for the European Ministry to not like me,” Aiden grumbled. “We are already planning to abolish the old law in the Americas banning vampires and shifters from associating. Sofia, Marcus, and I are still working on the wording of the new regulations.”