Page 110 of Let's Be Forever

“I’m always going to be here,” I tell him, kissing his cheek.

His chest vibrates as laughter expels from his mouth.

“What’s so funny?”

“A few years ago, we were bonding over our shitty parents.” He pulls back to look down at me. “And fast forward, here we are, still bonding over our shitty parents.”

I chuckle. We’re the same: we laugh and use sarcasm to cope. It’s either that or we lose our minds.

“Some things really don’t change, huh?”

“No.” He shakes his head, smiling so carefree. “I love the consistency.”

“Play with doggy.” Rosie bounces her puppy on Sylas’s lap, repeating herself over and over until he picks it up.

“While you do that, I’m going to finish cooking.” I stand and he’s right behind me, so close I can feel his heat seeping into my back.

“What are you making? Do you need any help?” He follows me into the kitchen.

“Enchiladas, the green ones. Your favorite. And no, I don’t need help. I’m almost done. Go play with Rosie.”

Before he walks away, he draws me into his arms, and into my ear, quietly says, “So, when are you sitting on my face again? I’d love for us to continue being consistent.”

I suck in a breath. I don’t get to reply before he’s pinching my ass and heading back to the living room to play with Rosie.

Our eyes lock. He winks, and I glare. “Beg first.”

“Happily,” he says, flashing me a crooked smirk.

44

SYLAS

Like Christmas,I never liked celebrating my birthday.

It was a day where I was constantly reminded who birthed me, who had given it all to me. I was thrown the biggest parties, and anyone and everyone my parents knew were invited. It was over the top, and it was never for me.

The birthday signs were there, but the decorations, the cake, what we did and how we did it wasn’t what I wanted. It never was.

I hated it, but then I met Anna. The first birthday we spent together, she made me a cake. In passing, I mentioned I had wanted a Spider-Man cake when I was little. I’m certain the conversation lasted a minute or two tops. I didn’t want to keep talking about it and she didn’t press.

But on the morning of my birthday, she showed up to Colorado, decorated my condo with everything Spider-Man, and my cake was exactly as I’d envisioned it when I was a kid.

Every year after that, it became a different superhero until I ended things. I didn’t anticipate for her to continue the tradition after so long, but she did.

In the kitchen of Matias Vargas’s house in Cape Cod, a cake decorated with a few Marvel superheroes sits on the island.

“What do you think?” Anna stands next to me.

“I love…” I look down at her and draw my attention back on the cake, only to do a double take. My train of thought gets derailed, and so many words fight to be let out, but I can’t formulate a sentence, let alone make a sound.

I clench my jaw and swallow hard before my eyes sail over the Venom costume she’s wearing. It molds to her body, accentuating every curve.

I’m probably drooling from the way I’m staring at her, but I can’t look away. I can’t stop gawking.

Today’s my birthday. I had no plans but to be with my two favorite people in the world. I didn’t care what we did as long as I got to be with them. And after not spending the day with Anna for hers because I had two away games, I was ready to be with them.

But Marc and Thea had different plans. They not only planned something for me, but for Anna as well. Which is why we’re in Matias’s house. All the guys from the team and their family members will be here, so will Anna’s friend and sister. Frost, Berlin, and Rowan will be leaving tomorrow morning, but I’m grateful they and my other friends have shown up for me.