later as Killian tickled my toes broke the facade.
“Abra!” I scolded, but he just grinned wickedly at me, not the least bit sorry.
“I mean… it could work.” Ryder shrugged, and tossed me a wink when I raised an eyebrow.
“What did you do?” I questioned, sitting up a little straighter.
“Something you said the other day before we dug through your memories really resonated with me,” Damien started, and then glanced toward my golden Kraken. “It spurred an idea and I asked Theo if it was possible. When he guaranteed me that it was, we made it happen.”
“It took us a couple of days.” Theo smiled gently.
“And a quick flight to go pick it up,” Kill murmured next to me.
“But we really wanted to do something special for you,” Joshua finished.
I glanced to Hiro who nodded encouragingly, and then to Ryder who was practically bouncing. I knew how much my Ceraptor loved surprises, gifts, and special events, especially when they pertained to me.
I shifted in my seat, curling my legs under me as I sat up. I tracked Damien as he moved across from me and sat on the coffee table. In his hands, he held a small black box, and he leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees before popping it open.
The sunlight caught the gold and made it shine, reflecting the brilliant yellow color against the white satin inside.
Reaching in, Damien plucked the ring from where it sat and held it nimbly between his fingers.
My jaw was hanging open, and I peered around the room at all the smiling, eager faces, waiting to see if I liked their gift.
“It’s stunning,” I murmured, pressing a hand over my chest where my heart squeezed and pitter-pattered over the romantic gesture.
“It’s from your mother’s bracelet,” Damien explained slowly, trying to gauge my reaction. “I hope you don’t mind, but we had the gold plating melted down and removed from the iron core.”
“We found a jeweler who fashioned this design for you using the gold,” Theo expounded, and I was speechless.
“I feel like I’ve been crying a lot lately, but oh my God. You did all of this for me?” I gaped, absolutely stunned.
“Of course we did.” Hiro’s dark eyes were intent behind the black frames he wore.
“She really shouldn’t be shocked by now. How many times have we plied her with gifts?” Ryder teased, and Hiro tickled his side in response, making the Ceraptor jump and smack at his wandering hands.
“He’s not wrong,” Killian added, for once agreeing with Ry. “We love you, baby. We want to show that to you in a multitude of ways. Some of those will be gifts.”
“You know I never need material things, but this…” I reached out and touched the smooth gold. “This is special. Really special.”
“We all designed the bands,” Joshua informed me, filling the silence. “Show her, Damien.”
With a careful twist of his fingers, Damien broke the ring apart. I almost cried out until I realized the ring was made up of six intricate pieces hanging off of a center golden band. Slowly, Damien began arranging the rings back into place, weaving the pieces together until they formed one solid piece of jewelry again.
“It’s like a puzzle ring. Without each of the pieces, the ring isn’t complete, just like our relationship.” He held out his hand, and I slipped my palm over his. Large fingers clasped around mine, and Damien’s thumb whispered over my knuckles before he slid the ring onto my finger.
“And just like our relationship, all the intricate rings weave around the band in the center. That’s you, Nix,” Theo said, eyeing the ring on my finger with pride and joy.
“Some of us may have been friends before you entered our lives, but everything changed when we met you. You brought us together more than you will ever know.” Damien’s tone was husky, and his mind opened to share the steady flow of love that was aimed at me from all the guys.
“You bind us,” Hiro stated.
“You make us stronger,” Killian added. His hand landing on my leg with a gentle squeeze and caress.
“You make us complete,” Joshua finished, and Damien reverently brought my hand to his mouth and grazed a kiss along the back.
“You’ll always carry your mother in your heart and memories, but now you’ll have a little piece of her with you physically as well,” Damien murmured.
Every pair of eyes was on me as I pulled my hand from Damien’s and inspected the ring, angling it every which way