“If the other Amazons are like Monroe, I don’t know if I’ll survive it,” he mutters. But his grip has loosened on the steering wheel. “Are you sure? I don’t know if this is a decision we can change our minds about after the fact. If we go to her with the intent of staying, we’ll be under suspicion every time we interact with the Raiders.”
I think about Iris, about Maddox and Cohen and the others I’ve become friends with over the years. They’ve been a family of sorts, and if that means there’s a new distance between us, I don’t think it will break those relationships entirely. How novel. “What about you? You’re Abel’s second-in-command. That’s not exactly an easy position to fill.”
“You’d be surprised.” He stares out the windshield for a long moment. “Be sure, Shiloh. If we do this, there’s no going back.”
“I’m sure if you are.”
Another, longer stream of curses. “Well, shit, guess I better go talk to my brother.”
Abel must have seen that our conversation was finished, because he ambles over. Broderick rolls down the window. “You’re not going to like this.”
“Strangest thing.” Abel looks at him and then at me. “I just got word that Monroe Rhodius is stepping up as queen of the Amazons. This have anything to do with what went down this morning?” He focuses on me. “Glad you’re okay, Shiloh.”
“Me, too.”
Broderick nods slowly. “Yeah, it has to do with that. I’ll fill you in later, but the bottom line is that she’s my Bride, and I’m not willing to give that up, queen or no. Donovan can take over my duties. It will even be good for him—he’s spent too fucking long floating through life. It’s time he took on some responsibility.”
Abel studies him. “So you’re really going.”
“Yeah, I’m really going.”
Another glance at me. “You, too?”
“Yes.”
He sighs and drags his hand through his hair. “Well, fuck. This isn’t ideal, but the fact is that it positions you better than I could have dreamed to—”
“No.”
“What?”
Broderick shakes his head. “No. I won’t give Monroe and her people information about our family and the Raiders, but if we’re going there for her, I also won’t ferry back information about the Amazons.”
Abel narrows his eyes. “That’s one fucked up tightrope you’re going to be walking.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
“I could stop you, you know.”
Broderick snorts. “Maybe for a little bit, but then you appear weak when you finally fail to hold us. Better to look like we’re following my Bride. Hell, it actually makes you and the Raiders look even better.”
“Hmmm.” Abel leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “That Amazon of yours feel the same way?”
“Only one way to find out.”
She does. I know she does. But I keep my mouth shut because ultimately, I am just another solider in Abel Paine’s small army, while Broderick is his second-in-command, at least until Donovan officially steps in for him. They have to hash this out properly now in order to minimize potential issues in the future.
Finally, Abel nods. “I’m not going to pretend I understand, but I’ve chased my own love in unexpected places. Good luck. To both of you.”
“Thanks.”
Broderick is already rolling up the window and putting the truck in gear. “I’ll touch base later to get our shit.”
“Sure.” Abel stands there and watches us drive away, an unreadable expression on his face.
Broderick reaches over and takes my hand, and I let him tug me across the seat to tuck under his arm. He presses a kiss to my temple. “Let’s go get our woman.”
It’s easier than I could have dreamed. We even park in the same spot. A few of the Amazons look like they want to stop us, but no one gets in our way as we take the elevator up to Monroe’s floor. Gladys is even in her normal spot.
Broderick manages to sound almost polite. “I’m here to see my Bride.”
Gladys makes a face like she doesn’t want to tell him—to tell us—where Monroe is but also can’t think of a reason to keep her from us. “She’s in the room at the end of the hallway.”
Broderick takes my hand as we move quickly in that direction. A little touch to anchor me in the midst of so much change. Everything is changing.
He opens the door without hesitation. We find Monroe standing in front of a full-length mirror. Alone. She looks beautiful in a silver dress with her hair pinned up and her customary red lipstick. The shock on her face has me wondering if we made a mistake. Broderick doesn’t hesitate, though. He all but drags me after him as we step into the room.
Monroe looks from him to me. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re my Bride.”
She goes still. “I can’t leave the Amazon faction now, Broderick. Bride or no, my people need me. I’ll hold to the agreement and I’ll work with you and Abel to ensure peace as well as I can, but I have to be here.”
I step around him but keep my hold on his hand. “We’re going to be here, too. If you’ll have us.”
“What are you saying?”
“I love you.” Now it’s my turn to tug on Broderick’s hand, pulling him closer. “We both care so much about you. Ten months was never going to be enough for us. The three of us work. Together. As a throuple. We don’t work as well in pairs.”
“But…”
“She’s right,” Broderick cuts in. “About all of it. I won’t inform on the Raiders to you, but the Amazon’s secrets are safe with me, too. I give you my word. I don’t want any of that shit, Bride. I just want you.” He smiles at me. “Both of you.”
“Are you sure?” she whispers. “You have to be sure. If you do this while I’m queen, there’s no going back. We can’t be on-again, off-again. It has to be all or nothing.”
“Then we choose all.”
“We choose you,” I say.
He holds
