Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,259

their eyes raked over me with a fierce desire.

I remembered the first time I’d seen my Night Keepers all together at Everlake, their eyes filled with a hunger I’d felt deep in my soul too. It was the same look they gave me now, and I realised the five of us had always been inevitable. Fate had woven our destiny and there wasn’t a regret in my heart over how we’d come to be here. The good, the bad, the dark days and the light. They were each threads in a tapestry that was uniquely us. And I’d treasure it always.

Nerves warred in my stomach as I moved through the aisle of chairs. The back rows were filled by locals who seemed as pleased to be here as if they really knew us. At the front was Blake’s dad with his girlfriend, Christina, a redhaired woman who’d been his housekeeper back in the days of the pandemic. She’d brought him meals every week and ensured he made it through, being there for him when no one else could be. He’d introduced us to her as his close friend, but after a few months Blake had finally called him out on it and said he loved Christina and was just happy his dad wasn’t lonely anymore. Not long after that, Cooper and Christina had moved to Sunset Cove to be closer to us and I adored them both now like they were blood.

Sitting beside them was Danny in a pair of smart cream trousers and a white shirt, his eyes flicking from me to Mila who was standing at the front with the other bridesmaids. The two of them were more in love than ever and a little birdie had told me (AKA Blake) that Danny was planning on proposing soon. It was so freaking exciting.

All of the faces of the people I loved were angled toward me as I walked up to the arch of delicate pink flowers which my boys were standing under. A Marquesan man stood in white robes beside them, smiling kindly at me as I approached. I was so ready to be joined to them like this, I was practically bursting with excitement.

Kyan released me and squeezed my hand in goodbye before moving to stand beside the Night Keepers. My throat thickened with emotion as I gazed upon each of their faces, unable to believe I was lucky enough to claim one of these men as my own let alone all of them.

We’d fought battles together, spilled blood for one another and I knew we would cross any ocean in any land to be together if we had to. We’d proved that there was no force in this world which would keep us apart. So now there was just an eternity of life waiting for us to come and claim it. And I couldn’t wait to answer its call.

ONE YEAR AFTER THE WEDDING

"O h fuck, fuck, Jesus, shit," Blake muttered, carving his hands into his hair as the midwives flapped their arms at us and made us all get out of their fucking way for the hundredth time. They weren't pleased about there being four of us in here, but every time they demanded to know which one of us was the father, we adamantly told them that we all were.

And of course Saint had gone all Memphis on them over it, insisting they let us stay under threat of ruining their careers and personal lives. Though I had to admit, the midwife in charge of Tatum's delivery was the closest person I'd ever seen to matching Saint in pure fucking balls as she glared him down and told him to check his damn privilege. He actually did it too, though he clearly had no intention of being chased out of the room, but he was willing to let her call the shots in here aside from that.

This time, as the others were forced to retreat, I was the one who stayed by Tatum's side, tugging her hair away from her sweaty forehead and squeezing her fingers tightly while she panted and groaned on the bed.

The midwife did her examination in the few seconds between contractions and I swear my heart was racing even faster than the baby's which we could hear over the monitor that they'd strapped around Tatum's swollen belly.

We'd been here for sixteen hours and I had never in my life been as fucking worried as I was right now. I didn't know