"Nathaniel Aiden Hunter!"

I laugh before I turn around, recognizing the voice of the only person that calls me that.

"Aria Macy Hunter."

And it's hard as fuck to hold back tears when my sister crashes into me before I can even get a good look at her, her arms coming around my waist so tightly my breathing gets rigid. I honestly don't give a fuck about that, though. I hug her back just as tight and lift her up to spin her around. Her familiar scent hits me like a ton of bricks and it's amazing how at home I feel. There's just a sense of belonging you have with your twin that you can't get with anyone else in your life, no matter who they are. And not being able to see Aria for more than a year? It fucking sucked.

"It's about time." I say gruffly and set her down. I take a step back so I can get a better look at her. "You look amazing, sis."

And she does. She's never looked healthier or happier and when she beams up at me with a smile that displays all of her teeth, I realize that I haven't seen that smile in years. It reminds me so much of the old Aria that damn if my nose doesn't start stinging a little bit.

"So do you, bro." Her voice is also husky but she holds back the tears like I do. She squeezes my hand with both of hers. "You look happy."

"I was thinking the same about you." My smile is bittersweet. I love that we're both in a good place but hate that it has to be when we're miles apart.

"Don't do that." I don't even have to ask how she knew what I was thinking. Sometimes I forget how strong twin instinct is. "You're here now and not for long so let's just enjoy it. Stop thinking about how we're going to be miles away soon when you just got here."

"You're right." I sigh because she is. It's only then that I notice another woman standing behind her, standing patiently and watching us with an amused smile. I hold my hand out, remembering my manners. "Hey. I'm Nate."

"That I know." She grins and shakes my hand. "I've heard about you so much I feel like I already know you. Helps that you're kind of famous too."

I laugh a little bashfully at the compliment. "Well, thanks. You a friend of Ria?"

"You haven't told him about me?" She puts a hand to her chest but it's clear she's just joking around. Aria gives her a little shove, laughing. "I'm this dipshit's best friend. My name is Melanie but I go by Lenny. It helps with my tough girl persona."

I smile in amusement at that. She isn't wrong. She's definitely badass and equally stunning too. She has piercing ice blue eyes, jet black hair, and sharp and tough features. She has various tattoos on her arms and legs that would make her look kind of intimidating if it wasn't for her carefree smile that tells me she's sweet as hell. I can admit she's one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen and based on the fact that Aria is so comfortable around her? I immediately like her. Aria doesn't trust easy so I know her best friend was carefully picked.

"Actually, Ria has mentioned you. I just always assumed Lenny was a dude."

"You thought I had a guy best friend and didn't lose your shit?" Aria's mouth actually drops open. "Are you even my brother?"

"You're so fucking dramatic." I roll my eyes. I don't elaborate and tell her that I felt fucking elated that she was getting close to guys to begin with. I'd worried that she'd never trust one again besides me and so I felt relief when I thought her best friend was a male. I was definitely wrong and now I'm back to square one, wondering if she'll ever give any guy a chance in the future. I just don't want her to think that all the dudes are there as shitty as Robbie. I want her to be able to trust love if it ever comes into her life. I would have never looked at it that way before but maybe she's right — I did change. I have Del and now I want Aria to have someone too.

"What's on the agenda?" I say instead and disregard my train of thought.

"It depends on when you can spare time." Aria starts walking and I follow her lead, wheeling my suitcase behind me. "You're staying at my place so we'll have plenty of time to talk and catch up but I do want to show you the firm I work at and some other places."

"Cool." I check my watch for the time. "My meeting is all day tomorrow so we have the rest of today and Sunday to do what you want."

"All day for a meeting?" Lenny's brows go up. "That's impressive. I could never do that shit."

I laugh. "It's not my favourite part of the job but all things have to go through my approval and there's a lot that needs to be done for the new nightclub."

"I still can't believe Aria is named after this one." Lenny jerks her thumb at my sister. "When she first walked in my tattoo shop to get a piece done and told me her name, I pointed out there was a nightclub down the street also named Aria. She never told me the connection, though."

"I don't go around telling my story to everyone." Ria shakes her head, smiling. "And I told you eventually."

"A year later." Lenny confirms.

"You have a tat?" I ask my sister, unable to get past that piece of information. She never told me about it.

"Yeah." She shrugs. "Got it after I found out I passed the bar test. I was shit-faced and impulsively decided I wanted a tattoo."

"It wasn't impulsive." Lenny points out. "You had the design in mind for a while. The alcohol in your system just gave you the courage to finally get it."

"I never saw it on you." My eyes do a quick scan of her now.

"It's on my back." She clarifies.

"What is it?"

"It's a woman riding a Phoenix. It just symbolizes rebirth and who I am now as opposed to who I was before."

"Badass. And you did it?" The question is for Lenny who smirks.

"Hell, yeah. I see you have some work done on your arm. If you want to add another piece I'd be happy to do it for you free of charge."

"Thanks." I nod. Already, I know I'm going to take her up on her offer.

The three of us leave the airport and cross the street to where Aria's car is parked at pick-up.

"Do you want to drop your things at my place and then swing by my firm or would you rather go to all the places first and settle in at the end of the day?"

"I'm not tired. I can leave the settling in for later."

"Awesome." She starts the car and takes off while I get comfortable in the back, admiring the scenery while we pass it. I roll down the window so I can take pictures and send them to Delilah, as per her request. She replies immediately with a picture of her and Zack making surprised facial expressions. I burst out laughing, having no idea how she pulled that off.

"I've never seen you smile like that." Aria comments with a grin as she meets my eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah." I pocket my phone, feeling my smile stretch wider. "Never felt like this either."

"Ooh, are you in love?" Lenny turns around in her seat to waggle her brows at me. "Do tell."

"I know it sounds like she's asking but she's not." Aria snorts. "You have no choice. You gotta tell her."

"She's right." Lenny agrees unapologetically.

So I spent the next ten minutes quickly recapping to both of them how things have been like since the day I met Del to now, when we're finally together. I spend an additional five minutes showing the girls pictures of Del and Zack and some of the three of us that they 'aw' at with such high-pitched cooing I swear my ears ring.

"I want to eat him!" Lenny says in a monster voice that cracks me up. This chick is fucking awesome. "So, are you his Dad since Chris the Chicken Shit ran for it?"

"I bet they based the movie 'Chicken Run' off of him." Aria sniggers and the two high-five. I'd be amused at their jokes if Lenny's question didn't kickstart my heart nervously.

"I'm not sure." I shift uncomfortably. "We haven't talked about that yet so I don't want to say anything about it."

"I get that." Lenny shrugs. "It just seems to me that you've been there for Zack since he was in the womb and even more so now that he's here. You probably know his favourite bath toys, where he likes to take his naps, and the clothes he's comfiest in. The only thing that doesn't make you his father is the fact that you aren't calling yourself one."

"Wow, you're blunt as hell." I blurt, a little flustered by her words and not knowing what else to say.

"Life is too short not to be, dude." She turns back around in her seat and I watch curiously in the sideview mirror as her face slightly drops. There's a look in her eyes that can only be described as grief. I feel myself sympathizing for her. I guess everyone really does have battles of their own to fight.

Aria clears her throat and obviously steers away from the topic as she tells me about her favourite restaurants that she wants me to try out later today. I listen instead of talking for most of the time but I'm fine with that. I'll take every word she gives me so that I can remember them when I'm back home and missing the fuck out of her all over again.

***

"Jesus, that was good." I say with a groan as Aria lets us inside her apartment. "I'm still not over it."

"Told you." She tells me with a laugh as she tosses her keys on a nearby coffee table. "Once you have our wings, you can't go back."

"I might need to steal some before I leave." I agree.

"I wish it wasn't so soon." Aria sighs and hugs my torso. I hug her back, welcoming the affection that she hasn't shown in years now. I guess this place really did heal her.

"Why won't you move back, Ria?" I murmur.

"She's scared." Lenny answers instead as she sets up her equipment by the reclining chair in the living room. I told her my idea for a tat and she sketched it out for me while Aria showed me around her firm. She's really fucking good and there was no way I'd decline a free tattoo at her level of talent.

"Shut it." Aria rolls her eyes and pulls away from me. "No, I'm not."

"Bullshit." Lenny cackles, screwing a new needle into her tattoo gun. If she notices Aria's glare, she doesn't say. "You're one hell of a warrior, babe. Yet every time you think of Boston you become a scared young girl again instead of the tough woman that you are now. Going back to the place that broke you doesn't mean it'll break the growth you made, too. It just means it won't be able to lay a hand on you because you're that far ahead of everything you've left behind."

"I like you." I tell her for probably the tenth time today. "You should come to Boston, too."

"I've had plans to." Her answer surprises me and my brows go up. What are the fucking chances? "There's a tattoo parlour there that's really well-known and working there would put me on the map as an artist. I applied there a couple of years back and they offered me a job but because of...personal reasons, I declined. They told me the offer stands as long as I want it and they meant that shit. I get emails every couple months asking if I've re-considered. I guess they really like my work and I'm finally ready to take that step but I refuse to do it without taking this one with me."

She points to Aria who scowls but I recognize the look of guilt, too. "I've told you way too many times that you should just go."

"Nope." Lenny chirps. "I know you won't be able to go back on your own so you're stuck with me until you're ready. I'm not going to be another person on your list of people that have let you down. I stay, babe."

"Definitely dragging her back with me." I tell Aria and ruffle her hair. "I just stole your best friend, dude."

"Whatever." She grins. "I'm glad you two are getting along."

Lenny pats the recliner to tell me she's ready and I take a seat, lifting my shirt over my head and lying down. Lenny blinks.

"I'm usually not impressed with men's bodies 'cause I'm used to them but you're seriously ripped, bro." She whistles.

"Thanks." I say with a laugh and stretch out my arm so she can get to work on my bicep. "Getting your ass kicked as a career will do that to you."

"Seems worth it to me." She flicks the gun on and raises her voice to talk over the buzzing. "Everyone knows the Fighter's Den boxers. You guys should be proud of yourselves."

"We are." I look over at Aria. "Ash says hi, by the way. He misses you."

Aria suddenly drops the packet of chips she was in the middle of opening, cursing under her breath and snatching it back up. She moves the hair out of her face and clears her throat, smiling tightly. "Cool."

"Cool?" I raise a brow. "He said you're replying to his messages now but still not as much. What's going on? If you're mad at him you need to tell him. Even I'm starting to get pissed, Ria. He's going through a lot of shit right now."

"I know." Guilt passes over her eyes. "He told me about everything so you don't need to lecture me. I told you — it's just distance. I don't know how to be as comfortable with him as I once was."

Lenny snorts and I my eyes shift to hers in question. Does she know something?

"Whatever it is, fix it now. If you know what's going on then you know he needs all the support he can get. I don't want him to get involved in the wrong shit again, Ria. It's going to ruin his fucking life this time. We can't let that happen to our best friend."

"I know." This time her eyes reflect pain and she looks down at her fingers, wringing them. "I'll fix it."

"And while you do that, just please consider moving back. It hurts that half the time I feel part of a family of seven and not eight. Do you want us to get used to your absence?"

"Never." She admonishes and visibly swallows. "Please don't ever get used to me being gone, Nathan. Lenny's right, okay? I'm scared. I'm scared of a lot of things right now and I'm trying not to react to them the way nineteen-year-old Aria would. She's my knee-jerk reaction and a bitch to get rid of."

"I get it." I sigh and take a peek at Lenny's progress so far. I smile in approval as how good it already looks. "Just remember that you're not alone, okay? Hopefully that helps."

"It does." She says softly and pulls her legs up to her chest. "I'm glad you're here right now."

"Me too."

"You guys are fucking adorable." Lenny comments absently, drawing out a curve with her needle. "I feel like I'm watching a Disney movie."

Aria and I laugh, sharing equally amused looks.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I retrieve it with my free hand, smiling when I see Del is FaceTiming.

"Hey, baby." I say when I pick up.

"Hey!" She waves and tucks her hair behind her ear. My chest tightens painfully. Fuck, I miss her so much. "How's the trip going?"

"Amazing. Look." I move the phone to show Lenny working on me. "I'm getting a new tat."

"I can't wait to see." I hear her say. I hold back a smirk, knowing how true the words are. Del loves that I'm inked.

I put the phone to where Lenny is, who pauses her work to wave. "This is my tattoo artist of the night and also Aria's best friend."

"Hi, girl." Lenny grins. "You're as beautiful as the pictures Nate showed us of you. If I swung for your team, there's no way you'd be with him right now."

"Thank you?" Del laughs. "Who's us?"

"Give me the phone." Aria snatches it from me as she asks and I blink. When the fuck did she even walk over to us? "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm finally meeting you. Hi!"

"You must be Aria." Del responds sweetly. "I definitely see the resemblance."

"But I'm better looking, right?" She winks and settles back on the couch.

I hear Del laugh. "No contest."

"Lies!" I interrupt.

Aria gives me the middle finger without taking her eyes off the screen. "I feel like I've known you for years. I mean, technically I have because my brother doesn't shut up about you. I'm so glad you guys are finally together."

"So am I. I definitely gave him a run for his money."

"He's a good one, huh?" We share a smile. "Can I see Zack? I'm obsessed with him. Don't freak out but he's my phone's home screen."

I hear more laughter and rustling and I'm guessing Del is going to get Zack. "I totally don't mind. He's a ladies man anyways so he'd love that."

Aria suddenly breaks out into a squeal and I know Zack on the screen now. "Oh my God! Hi, baby! You're so cute, I might actually die."

"Hey, let me see." I wave my arm at Aria. "Give me the phone, brat. I want to see my little man."

"You see him everyday, Nathan." She says instead and starts making weird faces at the screen. I can hear Zack's excited laughter in response. "Aw, you like me!"

I sigh and sink back into the recliner. I look over at Lenny when she laughs. "She's such a crackhead."

I snicker at her choice of words.

"Stop talking shit." Aria glares but she's grinning.

"You should come visit us here in Boston. That way you can see Zack, too." Del says not-so-subtly.

I cough into my fist at Aria's unamused expression.

"You've clearly been speaking to my brother about this." She tells Del, lips twitching. "He beat you to it, though, and just so you know I...I'd really like to be back in Boston, too."

"Ria." My shock is unmistakable. I share an equally stunned expression with Lenny. I didn't think she'd actually take us seriously.

"What?" She shrugs. "You guys are right. I'm not the same person I was before I moved. Besides, no matter what I accomplish here it means nothing if I can't have my family beside me when it happens."

"Fuck, yeah!" Lenny high-fives me and points at my sister. "It's about fucking time."

"Calm down." Aria laughs. "It's not like this is going to happen right away. I have a bunch of cases I need to finish up first. I'm not going to go back on my word for all these women who need me. I'm going to fulfill my promises first and then stop accepting new cases. Then we can move."

"So what's the timeline for that? Roughly?" Del asks.

Aria sighs. "If I'm being honest, based on how most of these cases look so far, I'd say another year if I stop accepting new cases effective immediately."

"Damn. Really?" My disappointment is clear and Aria nods ruefully.

"It's better than not being here at all, right?" Del says. "As long as you come back for good, who cares how long it takes to get your affairs in order? Your family isn't going anywhere so do what you need to do, Aria. Another year will suck but it's better than the alternative of not having you back at all."

"I like her." Lenny tells me in approval.

I grin back and say with obvious pride, "Everyone does. Delilah Stevens is one in a fucking million and she's mine."

"Wait." Lenny drops her tools suddenly and stands. I startle at the change and look up at her in question. "Delilah Stevens? Like the author?"

"You've read my book?" I hear Del's excited voice.

Lenny's jaw drops and she runs the short distance to Aria, snatching the phone. "Holy shit! I can't believe I didn't make the connection before. Dude, I fucking loved Heart of The Storm. I read it three times. Lincoln is everything I want in a man — aggressive, intimidating, demanding, and goddamn hot as hell."

Del laughs. "I'm so glad you liked it! I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

She shakes her head and points an accusing finger at Ria. "How is it that you just happen to be surrounded by famous people?"

Aria snorts and makes a rock sign. "Go me."

Lenny rolls her eyes, refocusing her attention to Del. "Tell me there's a second book."