Page 31 of Seduced in Ink
“I shouldn’t tell my siblings?” Benjamin asked, grinning. “Because they’re getting excited about the wedding. All of the weddings, in fact. You Boulder bunch keep getting hitched. But if this one’s fake? It may put a damper on the whole thing.”
Aaron finished his beer and was grateful when Ethan handed over another without him having to say anything. “I don’t know. Just give me time. Don’t tell anybody else. We don’t want Madison’s parents figuring it out more than they probably already have. It reduces the whole thing to a complete farce.”
“More than it already is?” Liam said, warning in his tone.
“What did you expect me to do? Her parents are horrible people.” Aaron looked over at Lincoln. “Sorry. I know they’re your aunt and uncle. But, seriously.”
“I hate them. Really hate them. I don’t even know if they’re going to be invited to our wedding,” Lincoln replied.
Ethan spoke up. “Holland and I already decided they aren’t. Her family’s not going to be invited, either. It’s pretty much just going to be a huge Montgomery family wedding. Fuck the rest of your families. I’m sorry, but I’m putting my foot down here.”
Lincoln shook his head and smiled before leaning down and kissing Ethan on the lips.
Ronin propped himself against the railing next to Aaron, wincing as he adjusted his prosthesis. He was working with an updated version from what Aaron could remember and looked to be having some problems. He’d been through hell and back, but he never complained. It made Aaron’s issues feel small in comparison.
“Madison’s family sounds like a bunch of assholes,” Ronin began and then winced for an entirely different reason, glancing at Lincoln. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. My aunt and uncle are assholes,” Lincoln said with a laugh. “Seriously, you don’t have to clarify you’re talking about her parents only. I’m pretty much an asshole for not wanting to be part of the family. And for walking away from the situation. I try to shield Madison as much as I can, but she still loves them for some goddamn reason,” Lincoln grumbled into his beer. Ethan leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Ethan gave Lincoln a sad smile. “She loves them because they’re her parents. I remember a time when they were nicer than they are now.”
“I just want to shake them for doing what they did.” Aaron told the guys everything that had happened during the dinner, including them inviting Guy. Everyone just stared before they all started grumbling and shouting at once.
“My God,” Benjamin said. “I’m surprised you didn’t punch the woman. Not that you’d ever hit a female, but I feel like this would have been an appropriate time.”
Aaron snorted at his cousin. “Oh, I thought about it, believe me. But I stormed away angrily, wasn’t polite, and drove to a park with Madison so I could yell at her. I was very mature.”
“You yelled at my baby cousin?” Lincoln asked, glowering.
Aaron held up his hands, keeping his beer secure.
“Yes. But she yelled back, and we just talked…” He trailed off a bit, and Lincoln narrowed his eyes.
Ronin snorted from behind him, while everyone else started to laugh.
“Talk. Sure. Just talking? What’s going on with you and my cousin?” Lincoln asked.
“Nothing,” Aaron lied quickly. “I’m just her fake fiancé. Everything’s normal.”
“Nothing is normal about the sentence you just said,” Ronin said, laughing. “I need to tell my girlfriend. At least when this is all over, and I’m allowed to tell her.”
“Hey, did you know that Ronin is dating my coworker, Julia?” Ethan asked, helping Aaron change the subject with a wink.
“Seriously? Small town,” Aaron said, grateful.
“Yeah, we’ve been together for a while,” Ronin said, shrugging. “We didn’t realize that we knew the same family until we talked about the Montgomerys one night. You guys breed more than rabbits,” Ronin said, and the rest of them laughed.
“And you haven’t even met my siblings yet,” Benjamin said. “I have four of them.”
“Dear God. There’s like a hundred of you.”
Aaron set down his beer and began counting on his fingers, laughing. “Yeah, maybe a hundred and twenty by now. They all keep breeding, too.”
Ronin snorted. “I’m glad I was invited to this then without having to marry into the family. Unless that’s somehow on the table for later.”
“Since you’re my friend now,” Marcus began, “you’re one of them.”
“If somebody does theone of uscult chant, I’m going to walk away,” Ronin snarled as Aaron opened his mouth to say that exact thing, apparently at the same time as Ethan. Both of them threw back their heads and laughed while the others joined in.