Unbroken (The Protectors 12)

“Yeah,” Magnus said, looking at Dante like he was crazy. “Aleks’s bedroom door doesn’t have a lock on it.” He looked pointedly at me and Aleks. “Use the bathroom on the second floor. It’s big and has a lock. It’s also pretty soundproof.”

“Um, no, it isn’t,” Aleks interjected as he eyed his brother briefly before shooting Magnus a grin. “And thanks, that’s a great idea. Come on, Vaughn, let me show it to you.”

“Nope, nope, nope,” Dante said as he came around the island and stood in front of his brother. “Okay, okay, you win. You can close your door when Vaughn is in there with you. Just… just stay out of that bathroom. You’ll just ruin it for us—” Dante said. “Me,” he quickly corrected as he realized he’d pretty much just confirmed what he and Magnus really used that bathroom for.

Aleks laughed and hugged his brother. I returned to the island to sit down and watched as Aleks nudged Dante a few times, then motioned silently to Magnus with his eyes. I had no idea what was going on until Dante blurted, “I picked a date!”

Magnus stilled and looked up from where he’d been wiping down the counter.

“What?” The older man had a weird mix of surprise and hope in his expression.

Dante went around the island. “I know what day I want to marry you.”

“Don’t fuck with me, Dante,” Magnus whispered in a rare show of distress.

Dante’s eyes softened as he stepped up to Magnus and gently grabbed his face. “I’m not, baby. I swear, I’m not.” Dante looked at Aleks briefly. “I’m sorry I’ve been so… so…”

“Stubborn,” Aleks softly supplied as he moved back to my side and took my hand. Dante actually nodded, which led me to believe this topic had been one of probably many the brothers had discussed the night before.

“Yeah, stubborn. I’m sorry I’ve been so stubborn about committing to a date, but I just, I was trying to give you enough time to back out.”

“Two years, Dante,” Magnus growled as he closed his hands around Dante’s wrists. But I could tell the man wasn’t actually angry. “I’ve spent the last two years learning who you are, inside and out. And all it’s done is make me love you even more. Whatever flaws you’re waiting for me to see, I assure you, they don’t exist.”

“They’re in my head,” Dante acknowledged. “But here… here is where I know I’m enough for you.” He pointed to his chest, much like Aleks had the night of the party. “I’m not sure my head will ever catch up,” he said softly. His vulnerability was almost painful to watch, but it made him so much more human to me. And it was proof that Aleks’s brother and I had a lot more in common than I ever would have guessed.

“It will, Dante,” Magnus said with a sigh. “But even if it doesn’t, I’m going to have the best time reminding you that you’re not just dessert.”

Dante let out a wet-sounding laugh at that. Aleks and I looked at one another because the statement made no sense to us.

But then again, it probably shouldn’t.

Aleks and I had him liking my grits the best, these two men had a strange obsession with dessert…

“So when?” Magnus asked as he put space between his and Dante’s bodies.

“Um, now?” Dante said. He glanced at his watch. “Well, in half an hour, anyway. The father or reverend or whatever he is is on his way. He’s got to be back at his church by nine. It’s Father O, remember? He runs that church that Levi and Phoenix volunteer for and Mav and Eli got married at.”

“We’re getting married today?” Magnus asked.

“I know it’s crazy, Magnus. It’s not that I want to get it over with or anything, but I want it to be just us and our immediate family for the ceremony. We can go to the courthouse tomorrow and make it official and then maybe have a party at some point—”

Magnus kissed Dante to shut him up. I put my arm around Aleks as he leaned into me. I could feel the happiness radiating off him in waves.

“We got it, Pop-pop,” I heard someone call as the front door flew open behind us. Three little boys along with a big yellow dog ran into the kitchen, and I quickly tucked my gun into the waistband of my pants and covered it with my shirt so the kids wouldn’t see the weapon. Magnus shot me a grateful smile.

One of the taller of the three boys was carrying a box of cereal and I smiled when I recognized what it was.

“Here, Aleks,” the boy said as he shoved the cereal at him. “Pop-pop says you like Trix.”

“Thanks, Matty,” Aleks said as he leaned down to hug the little boy. I saw two men come through the door and I could see the tell-tale sign of a gun at the larger man’s back when he shut the door behind him. I didn’t recognize him, but I knew who he was just the same.