ALEX

"I hope whatever you called us out for is important because I''ll make you pay for making me leave my honeymoon earlier than nned." I grit my teeth as I pull out a chair for my wife.

"You''ve been gone for a month, Alex. Please spare me the dramatics!" Sloane

rolls her eyes.

"Rayen probably thought you''re both dead now." Isabelle adds, making me shoot daggers at her.

"Izzy! Don''t say such things to provoke him." Athena says with a shake of her head.

I sigh, too bad she loves this red head. I would have organized a clean way for her to disappear for uttering such nonsense.

"It is very important! It''s not a new sex style lesson, but it''s still valid." Luca takes a seat leaning against the chair.

"You''re a bunch of idiots. Sloane, why did you call us? I don''t have all the time in the world."

She rolls her eyes and then leans forward.

"I''m nningn''s birthday."

The room erupts with a collective groan.

"You''re kidding me," Luca mutters, slumping back in his chair like she just told him the unicorns were real. "That''s the big emergency?"

"I should''ve stayed behind," I mutter, rubbing my jaw. "You dragged me off a private ind just to n a party for that idiot?"

"Excuse me!" Sloane raises a brow,pletely unfazed. "He''s your best friend! Also, if you call him names again, I''ll jump you while your wife watches. Do you want her to see you being beaten up by a girl?"

She crosses her arms, pushing her silver blond hair back, I swear this girl is the reason I''m afraid of having daughters.

"It''s my favorite man''s birthday." She continues, " That''s an emergency."

"I''m with you, girl! It''s totally urgent." Athena gives her a reassuring squeeze on the hand.

“Oh for fuck''s sake,” I scoff. “I haven''t even approved of this rtionship. If he does anything stupid, know that I''ll put him six feet under, Sloane. The fucker is my best friend as you''ve said. So, don''t put me in that position.”

"Gee, thanks for the love, dear brother." she grins, "Good to know the man I love is still on your murder list."

"He never left it," I reply tly.

"Can we not talk about murder over cake?" Isabelle sighs, grabbing a notepad and pen from her bag. "Sloane, what''s your n? Before these cavemen start throwing punches?"

"That reaction is a little too excited. Thrilled about nning parties for other men, Izzy?" Luca watches her with an interest and possessiveness I''ve never seen him direct at a woman.

"It''s something you''d know nothing about. Seeing you''re a one night stand jerk and all." Isabelle shoots back.

You know what?

This isn''t bad at all.

"Stop it." Athena leans back hissing in my ear so only I can hear.fn371c Find the newest release on fι?dnοvel/fn371c

"What?" I ask innocently.

"You''re enjoying this aren''t you?" She eyes me, making me hold back a smirk. "The opportunity to pay back Luca for his shit? I definitely I''m."

"Can we all pay attention?" she snaps, mming her palm on the table like a mafia boss-in-training. "Before I strangle all of you with party streamers."

Everyone quiets, partly because we know she''s serious, and partly because thest time she nned something, it ended with fireworks and three securityints.

Honestly, I don''t know how she has managed to thrive as an event nner and interior designer, sometimes I suspect it has to do with her surname.

Makes me feel sorry for my friend. She will spend his money like there is no tomorrow. It''s a good thing hees from old money.

I know because I had to take away her ck card just to limit her spending. The card I gave her had a limit of ten million dors but she would still spend it all on useless shit.

My sister spends more money than she actually makes, by a mile.

"I want this party to be perfect," she continues, flipping open a little pink notebook with ''Chaos Coordinator'' written on the cover. "And not somest-minute drunk gathering with whiskey and whatever shit you people eat."

"That''s hown likes it though," Luca mutters.

Sloane gives him a deadly re.

"No, that''s how ''you'' like it."

Athena tries not tough, hiding her smile behind a coffee mug. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her in, mostly to keep fromughing myself.

"So, what''s the theme?" Isabelle asks, twirling her pen.

Sloane''s eyes sparkle with mischief." That''s where these guyse in. I don''t know much about him, so I need ideas."

"How can you date someone you barely know?" Luca asks in a mocking tone.

"We had only dated for a few weeks after which went into ama. Besides, spent thest six months in Physio, learning how to walk. again Any other dions?" If Tooks could kill, tomorrow would

have been Luca''s burial.

belongs to s

I notice Athena freeze at the mention of Sloane''sment about ama. But

she''s too busy fighting with the rest to notice how guilty it makes Athena.

I squeeze her hand and pull her chair closer so I can run my hands through her

hair.

"We equally don''t know much.n has always been reserved about things that matter. All we know is because of his ''High intense'' ability to feel in extrême, I''m sure you''ll get his approval. His little excitement is the thunderous joy in the rest of us." I respond.  s

Sloane sighs.

"What about his mum? I heard they were having some problems with his Dad so she left for a while. Maybe if we can convince her to fly in, as a

surprise?" Sloane eves us with hopeful eyes.  s

"That could work. He clearly told me only you and her matter to him." Athena backs her.

Sloane''s eyes light up in excitement as she leans forward, grabbing Athena''s hand,

"Did he really say that?"

She nods.

Sloane''s smile stretches wide, real and rare. The kind that pulls at the corners of

her eyes and makes her look like the girl I remember before life knocked her

sideways.

I will never admit it ton, but I''m so d she''s found someone who can make her

this happy.

"I knew it," she says, almost to herself. "He acts like nothing touches him, but

deep down he''s soft."

"Soft is a stretch," Luca mutters. "The guy once knocked out a man with a stapler."

"Not to add he gives no face of remourse no matter the oue of a surgery session. He must love you lot." Isabelle adds.

Her cheeks blush but she makes noment to that.

Clearing her throat, she says

"Alright, so I''ll look into getting his mom flown in," she says, already jotting it down

in her notebook. "What else would make it special?"

"He hates big crowds," I offer. "Keep it private. ssy, but not too shy."

“So... cigar lounge? Whiskey bar? Live jazz?” Isabelle suggests, suddenly in full party mode.

"Add a poker table," Luca says, surprising everyone. "That''s hown and I became friends."

I raise a brow. "Pretty sure you hated him back then."

"I did," he says. "He stole my best friend. I hate sharing." He says, but his eyes

are not me.

I follow his gaze and notice that he''s having a stare down with Isabelle.

Interesting.

Sloane ms her notebook shut. “Okay! I''ll take care of the rest. You guys just

show up and don''t ruin anything. Got it?"

"No promises," Luca says.

"I swear, Luca, if you cause a scene..."

"He won''t." Isabelle responds.

Everyone rxes but I can''t help a smirk forming on my lips.

Have I been missing something?