Steal the Moon

Chapter Two

I missed Neil Roberts every second we were apart. He was my best friend and official gay husband. He’d been my bodyguard and my playmate. Everything that had gone on in the last six months didn’t quite seem real because I had yet to share it with him. I might have been able to handle the separation if I knew he was off somewhere having a good time and enjoying his life, but he was in trouble.

Neil had been Daniel’s servant for several years. He was a crucial member of the crew I worked with. Before Daniel had come clean about his status as the Council’s Nex Apparatus—a really pretentious way of saying he was their assassin—we made our money the old-fashioned way. We stole things. We specialized in arcane objects no human thief would touch.

Neil was the muscle. Sarah was our witch. Daniel handled everything we needed a broody vampire for, and I held us all together and took care of anything that required a deft touch. Over the years, we’d become close.

That all changed six months ago when Daniel had forced his will on his servant.

Danny had been riding a high from feeding off some supercharged sexual energy and discovered his new power over his preferred animal, the wolf. Neil was angry because his lover had been the one chosen for sacrificial lamb duty. Back then I sided with Neil, causing a rift between myself and Danny that led to my untimely death and Daniel’s refusal to even hear Neil’s name spoken.

I didn’t blame Neil. Maybe he should have hung around and fought it out with Danny, but I understood the impulse to run. I also understood how stubbornness could put a person into a corner it was hard to get out of. I wanted to reach out to my friend to let him know I was still here for him. I just needed to find his ass first.

“He’s been really hard to track.” All the bimbo act had been erased from Jane’s demeanor. “I started in Vegas where Sarah saw him last.”

Sarah nodded and shared a look with Felix. “I wasn’t very helpful, I’m afraid. He hugged me. He told me to ask you to forgive him. Then he changed and he ran off.”

The minute Felix had picked up Neil, he’d come out from under Daniel’s influence and been able to act on his own again. He fled Las Vegas that night with nothing but the fur on his back. I made sure to put money in his bank account, but as far as I could tell, he hadn’t touched it. He was alone with no money, no cell phone, and no friends.

“I suspect he spent most of the winter in wolf form. I have reports of a white wolf wandering the Sangre de Cristo mountains in Colorado. Most of the wolves in the area are gray or brown, so he stands out,” Jane explained. “I tracked him for a while in my wolf form, and I spent a couple of days running with him, but I couldn’t get him to change into his human form.”

I took a long breath. At least he was alive. “How did he seem?”

Jane frowned. “He seemed weak. It’s surprising because staying in his animal form for that long should have made his wolf incredibly strong. It makes it harder when you’re in human form, but his wolf should be solid. Do you have any idea why he was weak? He was thin despite the fact there was ample game in those woods.”

I had a theory, but I suspected Jane wouldn’t like it. “Do you know who my husband is?”

Jane nodded, but her expression was blank as though she didn’t want to give away her real opinions on the subject. Daniel was a controversial figure even in the vampire world. Jane was a wolf, and wolves rarely trusted vampires. What I was about to tell her wouldn’t make that trust any easier. “I know who Daniel Donovan is. Everyone in our world is aware of him. Your faery made sure of that.”

The last bit was said with a hint of salacious question. Lots of people were interested in our living arrangements. I had learned to ignore it. “Neil was Daniel’s servant.”

Her eyes tensed slightly. “So it’s true. Donovan can call wolves.”

There was no point in lying about it. Daniel didn’t. “Yes, he can. Neil took a blood oath to serve my husband several years ago. When he made the oath, Daniel’s control of this particular power was nominal. Since then he’s grown and his power grew with him. When Neil attempted to break his oath, Daniel was able to control him physically.”

Jane shuddered. “I’ve heard of this power, but it’s been many generations since a vampire’s shown mastery of it. You have to understand how this will affect my people’s view of him. They’ll fear him.”

Making inroads with the werewolves had proven difficult despite the fact that he couldn’t control a wolf without the wolf making a blood oath to him. It almost would have been easier if his animal to call had been the panther or the tiger. For sheer numbers, the wolf reigned supreme. “That’s neither here nor there. Our problem is Neil. Neil was justifiably upset by the turn of events. He felt betrayed by Daniel. In my husband’s defense, we were going into an incredibly dangerous situation and Neil was our only backup.”

“I’m not judging anyone, Zoey,” Jane said. “I’m just trying to do my job, and I don’t see how any of this makes him weak.”

“Part of the oath is an exchange of blood. Neil took Daniel’s blood once a week. It made him unnaturally strong. Without the blood, he would become weak, possibly weaker than he was before.” I knew how addictive Daniel’s blood could be.

“None of us knew Neil before he made his arrangement with Daniel,” Sarah said quietly. “We don’t know what he was like before. All I know is how freaking strong he was with the blood. He could control the change down to a single finger, and he wouldn’t break a sweat.”

The blonde wolf tapped a finger against the table. “I can see where that kind of power would be tempting. It certainly seems to have tempted Zack over there. Tell me, Mrs. Donovan, does it make you stronger?”

I smiled wryly because I wasn’t about to let that phase me. I was married to a vampire. What did she expect? “It tends to make me heal, and after some of the damage I’ve taken, I appreciate that. Look, I understand you might not like my husband. Perhaps you don’t approve of my lifestyle. It doesn’t matter. I just want to find my friend. If you can’t do that for me, please let me know so I can find someone who can.”

The private investigator studied me carefully. “Do you really care for Neil?”

That was the easiest question she’d asked. “I love him very much.”

“So this isn’t about revenge,” Jane said as though she had suspected all the while it might be.

I laughed long and hard at that thought. “No. I don’t want revenge. I want to find my friend. I want to let him know I still love him with my whole heart. I want him to come home.”

Her brows met in a V over her eyes. “You’re not at all like I thought you would be. You’ll have to forgive my prejudices. Vampires are a little like bogeymen. We’re suspicious of your husband because vampire kind has tried to enslave us more than once, so when a king comes calling, we have to wonder why. I would have thought his queen would be cruel. I wouldn’t have thought she could love a servant.”

“He isn’t my servant. He’s my friend.” I didn’t explain that I hated the title of queen. I loved Daniel, but there were many times I wished he was just a regular guy because the queen crap got in the way of my life all too often.

Jane nodded, her mind obviously made up. “I’ll go back out and try to talk to him again. If I can arrange a meeting, I will. If I can get him to come back with me, that would be best, but I think a meeting is more likely.”

Hope lit in me. It was the closest I’d gotten in six months. “I’ll take it.” Jane got up to leave but I held her back. “If he needs anything, please provide it for him. I’ll pay for whatever. Just put it on my bill.”

The detective nodded and promised to update me soon.

When she was gone, I sat back and Sarah reached out to squeeze my hand. “We’re going to find him.”

I gave her a watery smile, then cursed foully as I saw Lee Owens standing not two feet away, bulky arms crossed with an amused expression on his bearded face. I had managed to keep Zack out of it, but now I got to deal with Lee. He normally didn’t spend a lot of time with me, but he was loyal to his brother.

He looked from me to the bar where Zack had his tongue about halfway down Lisa’s throat. “Nice, Zoey.”

I shrugged and started coming up with roughly a thousand different excuses.

“So you’re looking for Donovan’s first wolf,” Lee surmised.

Lee wasn’t exactly a fool. I simply nodded.

“I don’t think he wants his first wolf back,” Lee pointed out. “But then this isn’t about Donovan, is it? This is about you.”

“Yes, it is and I…”

Lee held his hand up to stop me. “It can stay between us, Zoey. He’s my boss not my master.” Lee refused to make an oath to Daniel, preferring to simply be an employee. I often thought Lee had only taken the job to make sure Zack didn’t get himself killed. “I think it’s nice you want to find your friend. I also think I’ll deeply enjoy the creative ways you keep Zack’s nose out of your business. I have to say, Zoey, watching you make him crazy is the best part of this job.”

Relief flooded my system. I was just about to thank Lee when I noticed the door to Dev’s office open.

Dev walked out followed by Daniel. Dev was mouthwateringly sexy in black slacks, an olive dress shirt, and a sport coat. He made sure the door was locked behind him, and then his eyes searched the floor until he found me. He smiled and my heart fluttered. Daniel was already halfway down the stairs. He’d dressed for the occasion as well. The jeans were at least a dark wash and his shirt had a collar. I still sighed over his broad shoulders and those dimples he got when he grinned.

“Girl, you’re just a goner,” Sarah laughed. “I don’t know how you keep up with that.”

“It can be really tiring,” I admitted.

“Hey, Z.” Daniel greeted me for the first time that day. He’d been asleep when I left earlier. He pulled me off my stool and wrapped those strong arms around me. “Happy birthday, baby.”

His lips met mine and suddenly I didn’t care about anything but the fact that they were here with me. I let go of my frustrations with Zack and the situation with Neil for the time being. I wanted to enjoy my time with my guys. I let my arms wrap around Daniel’s neck as he held me tight.

He set me on my feet and while he greeted the Days, Dev leaned over and kissed me as well. “Good evening, Felix, Sarah. Lee, I appreciate the work. We’ll take it from here.”

My bodyguard bid us farewell and I turned to Daniel. “Hey, don’t you need to eat before we go?”

While this was my traditional birthday dinner with my dad, Daniel wouldn’t be enjoying whatever my father had catered in.

Daniel gave me a slightly sheepish look. “I kinda already did.”

Dev held up his left wrist which sported two neat fang marks. “We were in a Halo match and I was kicking his ass. He whined that he was hungry and couldn’t concentrate.”

“Well, I was,” Daniel replied. “You had a substantial advantage.”

“Yeah, the advantage is I’m way better than you,” Dev shot back with a laugh. “Stick to chess, egghead. Anyway, I had to find some way to shut him up.”

“Yeah and what happened after I had a little snack?”

Dev pointed. “Do you have any idea how much that hurts, asshole? Those aren’t girlie fangs you got there. My wrist still aches. This is my firing hand.”

“Oh, maybe mommy will kiss it better,” Daniel returned. “I killed him like forty-two times after I ate. I’ll give you your rematch tomorrow because I’ll enjoy killing you again.”

I punched Daniel in the arm. “You hurt him? You’re supposed to make that nice for him.”

Both boys backed off with hands held up.

“Not going to happen, Z,” Daniel said.

“I’m with Dan on this one,” Dev agreed. “It’s all fine and dandy if you’re there, but if you’re otherwise disposed, there’s going to be some manly pain involved. It’s okay. I punched him in the face after he was done.”

A grin lit Daniel’s normally somber face. “He did. It tickled.”

Sarah and I looked at each other and shook our heads. Boys. I would never completely understand the male friendship that was blossoming between Danny and Dev. It involved playing a lot of video games, calling each other all sorts of vulgar names, and trying to hurt each other on a regular basis. I’d caught Dev shooting Daniel in the leg just to see how long it took him to heal. They had a bet.

I glanced up at the clock. “We should get going. I don’t want to keep Dad waiting.”

Sarah and Felix took their own car. They were going clubbing after the party so Dev, Daniel, and I found ourselves happily alone in the limo as we drove through the Dallas night.

“So tell me, baby, how did you make poor Zack’s life hell today?” Daniel asked as the limo pulled away from the club. His eyes held an expectant gleam.

“I was perfectly well behaved today.” I lied because I wasn’t about to tell the truth.

“I seriously doubt that.” Dev pulled me into his lap. “I like the skirt, sweetheart.”

He didn’t really give a crap about the skirt, but he enjoyed having easy access to what he did like. He slid his hand up my leg, squeezing my thigh and making me lean against him as I tried to breathe. We had some time before we got to my dad’s and I had to deal with the intricate social situation we were in. Maybe if my guys were satisfied, they would be a wee bit more tolerant when they realized I hadn’t exactly done what they asked me to. I’d promised them I would have a conversation with my dad about our living arrangements. Yeah, I hadn’t exactly gotten around to that.

“I like what’s under the skirt,” Daniel said. He sat across from us, his body relaxed as he watched.

Dev started to pull my skirt up, revealing my legs. “I think the vampire wants a show, sweetheart. Spread those legs for him.”

I did as he asked, letting him arrange my legs so Daniel got a good view.

“That is a gorgeous sight, baby,” Daniel said. “It’s the perfect end to a damn fine day.”

Dev’s hand slid up my leg, and I could already feel his cock pressed against my back. I had to hope they had asked the driver not to stop until they told him to or my dad might find out some things he didn’t want to know about my love life.

“Why was it a perfect day?” My skin was already heating up.

Daniel’s lips quirked up slightly. “We got invited to the Gathering today.”

I sat up, a little shocked. Dev huffed and pulled me back, obviously peeved at the interruption.

“The wolves are going to let you come?” The Gathering had been this spring’s big project.

Once a year there was a gathering of wolves held in Colorado, where the strongest pack in the country resided. The alpha of the pack was a man named John McKenzie. The alpha had been adamant in his refusal to meet with Daniel. Dev had spent the spring playing the king’s ambassador, attempting to find a way to convince the alpha it was in his best interest to hear us out. The Gathering was coming up in a few weeks, and they were beginning to believe their attempts would prove futile.

“Can’t we talk about this later?” Dev asked as his long fingers teased their way around my underwear. “I’m off the clock, Your Highness, and would seriously like to concentrate on fucking our queen.”

Daniel smiled ruefully. “Yes, I got that. I just thought you might want to tell her she’s the centerpiece of your successful proposal.”

“And I will,” Dev replied as my back arched when he gently pinched my clitoris, and I felt that slow build starting. I shuddered in anticipation of what I knew was going to be a nice couple of minutes. “After I make her come a couple of times.”

Dev was insistently trying to build me toward what he thought of as a starter orgasm. He used his thumb to apply sweet pressure and worked two fingers into my pussy.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he whispered against my ear. “I missed you all day. His Highness over there kept me in meeting after meeting while he slept the day away, but all I wanted to do was find you and fuck you.”

Daniel frowned. “Well, it wasn’t like I was really sleeping, Dev. We agreed I couldn’t let anyone know about the daywalking thing. That means you have to handle daytime meetings and I only get to listen in. Otherwise, we might not be having this discussion.”

It ran through my mind that they were really having a whole conversation I should probably be a part of, but I wasn’t listening. How could I when Dev was so expertly driving me toward pleasure? His thumb pressed on my clit while he and Daniel argued about something. I just tried to breathe. My vision went soft and fuzzy as Dev spread my legs further and worked a third finger in. He curled them inside, tickling some magic place he always found, and I let my head fall back against his chest as I sort of exploded in a daze of pleasure. No one can get you off as fast and well as a fertility god.

I looked at Daniel as I caught my breath and saw the episode had definitely heightened his interest. His jeans were full and my hands itched to cup that heaviness. I had been questioning the wisdom of going to my dad’s, but now I really just wanted to stay in the limo forever.

“Beautiful, lover,” Dev was saying behind me. “Let’s switch positions and see if I can make that happen with my tongue. Who am I kidding? We both know I can.”

I was just about to do whatever he said when Daniel’s previous words managed to punch through the haze of lust. I sat straight up and moved away from Dev’s clever hands because if he got them on me, I would be a puddle of submissive pleasure again.

“How am I involved in this particular plot of yours?” I tried in vain to straighten out my skirt, but it was hard to look respectable after an experience like that. My every muscle was a little limp, and I had to force myself to focus. They’d been working on this operation for months, and not once had they really talked about it with me. So I was surprised to discover I was the centerpiece.

Daniel frowned. “I told you we should tell her.”

“And I was going to,” Dev replied curtly as he reached for a bottle of champagne he had chilling. He popped the cork expertly and poured two glasses. “At the appropriate time.”

He passed me a glass, and I downed it just to get some of my composure back. “When is the appropriate time, Dev?”

“There’s a time and a place for everything, lover.” Dev sat back, not attempting to hide the fact that he had a massive erection. He was the very picture of decadent beauty. “Tonight is not for business. Tonight is the time and place to have your lovely legs wrapped around my head. Tomorrow we can discuss business, but Dan over there just can’t stand the pressure.”

Daniel stared at Dev from across the limo. “Trust me. We should get it out of the way. She can blow up and scream at us for a while and then you can do that thing you do where you talk to her and rub her and she’ll come around and then we can get freaky. She’s going to be ten times more pissed if we do the freaky stuff first and then tell her.”

He really did know me well. I was getting anxious because the last time they decided something without talking to me about it, I got saddled with Zack and Lee. “Somebody better tell me right now or I swear there won’t be anything freaky happening to either one of you for a long time.”

“It’s not a big deal, Zoey.” Dev’s voice went all smooth and silky. “We just had to use our assets to get us into the meeting, and you know I consider you our greatest asset.”

I rolled my eyes because I wasn’t about to let him “handle” me. “Cut the bullshit, Dev. What am I supposed to do?”

He shrugged and refilled his glass. “You do it almost every day, lover. All you have to do is fuck me.”

I raised my eyebrows because there had to be more to this. “And John McKenzie cares that you get laid why?”

“It’s a fertility ritual, Z,” Daniel explained. “The wolves are willing to pay handsomely for a high priest of Faery to perform a fertility ritual, and one of the methods of their payment is to let me in. That and a million dollars.”

“A million dollars?”

Daniel leaned forward. “Their birth numbers have been low the last couple of decades. Dev’s magic is rare on this plane. Even in Faery he’s rare. The fact that he lives here and is willing to provide the service is an opportunity the alpha can’t pass up. McKenzie is viewing this as a way to truly consolidate his power. If he can provide fertility for the packs, they’ll follow him. It does nothing but help me to have a strong leader for the wolves. I would really prefer to only have to deal with one alpha instead of fifty. It also provides excellent cover. If the Council finds out I’m there, it’s a cash-making enterprise.”

Dev, Danny, and I had performed our first ritual together in Las Vegas, though I hadn’t really known that was what we were doing at the time. It had been a happy accident, but since then, Dev had been thrilled to regain his power. His hold on the magic had gotten impressive. Since it involved sex, Dev liked to practice at every given opportunity. Daniel was able to feed off sexual energy as readily as blood, so it had given him a boost as well. The more he fed off that magic, the earlier he woke and the more sun he was able to handle.

Daniel’s ability to daywalk was a secret we guarded zealously. Besides Dev and me, only Zack knew, and he’d been told to keep the secret even from his brother. The only vampire who knew was Daniel’s patron, Marcus Vorenus, who also had the ability.

A sense of relief came over me. I wasn’t sure why they had thought this would be a big deal. We kind of did it a lot. “I don’t have a problem with the ritual. Let’s go to Colorado and help some wolves make puppies.”

“Good. Now let’s get some practice in.” Dev reached out to haul me back into his lap.

Daniel cleared his throat. “It’s a public ritual, Z.”

“What?” Now they definitely had my attention.

“Again,” Dev began, gritting his teeth as he glared at Daniel. “That was something to bring up later. We have to ease her into the situation.”

“You expect me to do that with the two of you in public? That’s not going to happen. Do you know how fast that will end up on YouTube? How could you agree to that?” I asked Dev, but then rolled my eyes because I was talking to the wrong boy. “I know why he agreed. He’s a pervert. But you? How can you be willing to do that with a hundred wolves watching?”

“I won’t actually be there,” Daniel clarified. “This is an experience for just the two of you.”

“You see, sweetheart, Daniel is a greedy bastard,” Dev explained, his voice soft and cajoling. “If he’s there, he’ll suck up all the energy and then there won’t be enough left for the wolves. If we were talking about fifty or sixty couples it might be fine, but this is a big gathering. We need as much of the magic to disperse in the crowd as possible. It’s just me and my goddess. That’s you, lover. You’re my goddess.”

“Don’t you ‘goddess’ me. How could you have thought I would be all right with this, Devinshea Conlan Quinn?”

“Now you’re in trouble.” Daniel chuckled under his breath.

I pointed at him. “You stay out of it.”

Dev sat forward and reached for my hand, taking it in both of his. “This is important to me, Zoey. This is far more than just a way to get into the Gathering. I was going to ask you to be my goddess anyway. Please believe that. Daniel and I have discussed it, and he’s agreed that it’s time. Our relationship has settled and we’re all happy.”

“So I get to be a porn star because we’re all happy?” I might have a crazy sex life, but I hadn’t gone that far despite Dev’s multiple attempts to convince me that cameras were fun.

Daniel glanced out the window, obviously leaving this conversation to us.

Dev squeezed my hand, moving closer. “No, you get to be my goddess. I want it to be real, Zoey. There are rituals involved. I gave up my priesthood when I left Faery. I can call myself a high priest all day long, but no one will really recognize me without my ascension and my goddess. When I left the sithein, I never thought I would be able to do this again. This is sacred to me. This is who I am. I am a priest, and this is what I was born to do.”

“Dev, I’m sorry.” I just couldn’t envision myself allowing such a private act to be public. I’d played his “goddess” on several occasions, though he’d never used the term before. Those had been intimate situations where the magic had been just for us. I knew that many fertility rituals were public, but I couldn’t see myself performing one. “I just can’t. I hope you understand. I want to help, but not like that.”

Dev let go of my hand, sat back, and took a deep breath. He looked like a man who just had something important taken from him. He sat back and took a long drink of champagne. When he was done, he smiled at me. “Of course I understand, sweetheart. It won’t be a problem. I’ll figure something else out that will satisfy McKenzie. Now, it’s your birthday. Let’s have some fun.”

A grim expression settled on Daniel’s face, and I knew I’d really done something bad. Dev was talking about how much he was looking forward to this weekend and our plans for the three of us to go to the movies. He chatted on but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. Daniel kept looking at me like I’d kicked Dev and needed to apologize. I wished Dev would just get mad and scream at me. I could fight, but I hated this feeling that I’d let him down.

“Devinshea, can we talk about this?” I asked quietly.

He took a negligent drink. “There is nothing to say, sweetheart.”

“There is. You’re obviously upset.”

“I’ll get over it. It makes things a bit more difficult on the political front, but I’ll figure it out. It’s why I get paid the big bucks.” His cavalier attitude was bullshit. He didn’t get paid crap, obviously. He worked because he believed in the cause. “I’m looking forward to your party, sweetheart.” He frowned suddenly. “I’m afraid I have to disappoint you a little bit, lover. I wasn’t able to have your present delivered tonight. You’ll get it in the morning. How would you like a candy-apple-red Porsche?”

If Dev had meant to buy me a Porsche, it would have been sitting in my father’s driveway with a big bow around it. Dev didn’t forget or put things off. In all our time together, Dev had never forgotten a birthday or anniversary or holiday.

“Why can’t you give me my real gift? It has something to do with the ritual, doesn’t it?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing, Zoey.”

“Then give it to me,” I requested softly.

Dev pulled a small box out of his pocket and sat it on my lap. “It isn’t the real one. I sent a request to the sithein for the real one. They refused me. This is a facsimile, but the jeweler did a good job. You may have it if you want it, of course.”

I opened the box, and my eyes widened at the lovely gold medallion. It was delicate and feminine. There was a raised sun symbol, and the entire medallion was circled with a foreign writing. I suspected it was Gaelic. “What does it say?”

“It says ‘you are my goddess, maker of my magic, keeper of my power.’” Dev read, his voice too steady. “Like I said, it’s not the original.”

Tears burned in my eyes. How much was my modesty worth to me? Dev had given me everything he had, and I was willing to let him down because I didn’t want strangers getting a glimpse of me? Dev had grown up in an entirely different world from Daniel and me. Dev was the one who so often had to adapt to fit into our culture and respect our customs. Perhaps it was time for me to mold myself to his needs. We were a threesome though, and I had to make sure we were all on the same page.

“Daniel, how do you feel about the ritual?”

He took a long breath, releasing it with a sigh. “We’ve been talking about it for months. If this is what Dev needs and you’re okay with it, then so am I. Z, this could be something big for us, but I don’t want to use either one of you like that.”

Dev groaned, a sure sign that this was a well-worn argument. “You’re not using us, Daniel. We’re in this together. I want this. I want it very much. This is a chance to prove myself. If it also gets us the loyalty of the wolf pack, then I don’t see why it’s bad.”

He was right. And, hey, if I was going to be a porn star, at least I’d be a highly paid one. I leaned into him. “I love you both. Yes, I’ll perform the ritual with you, Dev. I’ll be proud to be your goddess.”

Dev smiled, the world around me lighting up. He unclasped the necklace and put it around my neck, his hand touching where the disc lay against my skin. “That looks perfect. I love you so much, Zoey.”

“Now aren’t you happy we got through that?” Daniel said, relaxing as the tension left the space.

Dev winked at me. “I am.”

Daniel pulled me into his lap, cuddling me close. “Good, then it’s my turn.” Daniel pulled out a similar box and handed it to me.

I looked down at it. “Did you shop together? Zack told me you got my present at the comic book store.”

Daniel’s hand tightened around my waist. “No, yesterday was just new comic day. I got this a while back. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you. I hope you like it. I…would really like for you to wear it. I mean, only if you want to.”

I opened the box and there was a polished golden band. “A wedding ring?”

He held up his left hand. There was a matching masculine band on his finger. He hadn’t been wearing it earlier, so I assumed he’d slipped it on when I wasn’t looking. “I know we didn’t have a traditional ceremony, but I like the idea of wearing rings. You can wear Dev’s necklace and my ring.”

It was times like this that made the rest of the crap worthwhile. I let the sweetness of the moment wash over me because I would remember it for the rest of my life. I gave the ring to Daniel and let him slip the band on my ring finger. He brought my wrist to his lips and laid a tender kiss there. I hugged him for the longest time because I was finally wearing my Danny’s ring.

The car pulled to a stop and I realized we had reached our destination, and several problems suddenly occurred to me. My father would probably make no comment on the necklace, but he was damn straight going to notice the wedding ring I was suddenly sporting.

“Danny,” I said carefully, “I love my ring but I’m going to put it back in the box just for tonight.” I slipped it off my hand and placed it back in the little velvet box.

A long moment passed as both my men stared at me.

“Would you like to explain why, Zoey?” Dev’s voice was practically arctic.

Daniel moved me off his lap. I was pretty sure it was so he could properly glare at me. “Damn it, Zoey. You didn’t tell him.”

Dev frowned at me, too. “You promised me you would talk to your father about us. He hates me, Zoey. He thinks I wrecked your marriage. I was looking forward to actually making some headway with your father tonight of all nights.”

I cringed just a little because I had promised the boys I would talk to my dad, but my dad could be really hard to talk to. I’m his only child, and he stills treats me like a princess. It was not an easy conversation to have. What was I supposed to say? “Hey, Daddy. I’m shacked up with two men and I really love them both and I sleep with them sometimes at the same time.” It just isn’t a thing you share with your dad. I had been sure I could get through one little dinner. “I just need more time. I promise I’ll tell him soon. Let’s just get through tonight.”

Daniel shook his head as the driver opened the car door. “I’m not doing it, Zoey. I’m not lying to him. If he asks, I’m going to tell him.”

Daniel got out of the car and stalked up to the front door, where my father was waiting with a hug for his son-in-law.

Dev moved to the sidewalk but turned back to help me out. Though he was courteous, it was easy to see he was pissed. He offered me his arm, and we started up the driveway. “One has to wonder what you’re ashamed of, Zoey. Given the fact that Harry loves Daniel like a son, I have to assume it’s me.”

“Devinshea,” I sighed.

“I’m sure it will be a lovely evening, darling,” Dev murmured as my father was giving him the evil eye.

This was why I memorized the earlier sweetness. Loving two men is twice the joy, but when it goes wrong, it really goes wrong. I’d made a terrible mistake because I had the feeling my father was going to find out exactly what had been going on, and I wouldn’t like the way my messengers delivered this news.