Free Merger (Triple Threat Book 3) by Kit Tunstall, R.E. Saxton Page A

Dominic’s brothers, and they truly were identical triplets. It was startling to see three copies of the same man for just a moment, though she was able to detect some subtle differences between them all.
    After exchanging introductions, she realized Roman had a slightly crooked nose, suggesting it had been broken at least once. The other brother, Luka, was just a little bit heavier than his two brothers, but he still looked lean and elegant. They were a lot of male for a woman to take, and she had to ruthlessly remind herself that she felt nothing for her husband. It helped her withstand the charm of his brothers, and she kept her expression cool as she exchanged greetings with their wives.
    It was difficult to maintain her stony façade when she saw the infants held in Sarah and Abby’s arms. Perhaps infant wasn’t the right word for the baby Abby held. He seemed to be older, sitting up and grabbing at things, while cooing and making sounds that almost resembled words. The one in Sarah’s arms was certainly an infant though. She didn’t look to be very old, but she had a head of thick black curls and startling blue eyes when she opened them to look in Lily’s direction.
    Having the babies to focus on made it easier to avoid Dominic, which she successfully did until they moved through to the dining room, and he held out her chair for her. She didn’t look at him as she nodded in his direction to give a tepid thanks before settling back in her chair and looking at the table around her. Since her stomach was rumbling with hunger, she waited until the maid had brought out the first course of minestrone and took a few bites before she broke the silence. “Sarah, how did you and Roman meet?”
    Sarah blushed slightly, and she was clearly being slightly untruthful when she said, “We ran into each other at his club, Triple Threat.”
    She nodded before turning her attention to Abby. “And how did you meet Luka?”
    Abby laughed, clearly amused by the memory. “He ran me over with his car.”
    Her eyes widened in shock. “What? Why are you laughing about that?”
    Abby waved a hand. “It was actually my fault. I was jaywalking, trying to get to a class for which I was late. I don’t know why I’m laughing, other than the memory just gives me a warm glow, other than the actual collision with the car and pavement. Luka swept me off my feet, literally—first to the hospital, and later, into a relationship.”
    She turned to Avriella, asking her the same question. “How did you meet Mario?
    “He was a friend of my father’s, and when he came to our house for dinner, I told him that night that I was going to marry him.”
    Mario chuckled. “I didn’t argue. I knew better than to try, and I didn’t want to anyway.”
    She was aware of Dominic stiffening slightly beside her when Abby asked, “How did you meet Dominic?”
    She gave the woman who was technically her sister-in-law a sweet smile. “He rescued me from a handsy friend, who wasn’t really a friend. I was in Mexico for spring break, and I had nowhere to stay after the falling out with my friends, so he kindly offered me a room in his suite.” She waited until he had exhaled, relaxing slightly, before she added, “Of course, I didn’t know at that point he was manipulating me into marriage so he could get my father to end some investigation against your mafia family.” To reigning silence, she took a sip of her white wine before nodding to Avriella, ignoring her stunned expression. “This wine is excellent.”
    The silence shattered a moment later as they all began talking at once. She was most tuned into Dominic, so she heard him curse long and low, which made her smirk. She took another sip of the wine while she waited to hear the fallout.
    “What’s Lily talking about, Dominic? asked Luka.
    Dominic muttered something before raising his voice to be heard over the others. “I told you I had a plan, and she was it.”
    Avriella shook her head.