Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
And Gage and Thorn will know the second they look at us what happened up here.
What have I done?
KAI
Lexy has wrecked me.
Not just physically, though that is definitely true. I probably—no bragging—just gave her the best sex of her life. But even though it was quick, it was also the best sex of mine.
Because it was her.
I was so mad at her for leaving, even though I knew it wasn’t her fault and she couldn’t have stayed. I took it personally, and ever since she left, some part of me has never not been angry with her. And that anger bled over into every relationship I tried to have.
None of them were right, because none of them were her.
I stroke her hair, her back, and eventually my hand makes its way down to her ass, rubbing gently. “Need to spank this,” I mumble absentmindedly.
She props herself up on her elbows and scowls down at me. “No spanking.”
I bring my hand up to cradle her face, because part of me can’t believe she’s really here, and I’m not just having an amazing dream that will turn into a nightmare when I wake up and find her gone. “Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.”
Her cheeks go pink, and I don’t need to ask why she’s embarrassed. That uptight prick she came here with isn’t good enough to lick the soles of her shoes. No way he ever played the kinds of games with Lexy that I know she would love.
I don’t ask if I’ve won the bet, either. No need to rub it in. The less time she spends thinking about her ex, the better.
“I need to get back downstairs,” she says softly.
“Yeah. Hang on.” I ease her onto her back and go into the bathroom, coming back with a warm washcloth. She gets tears in her eyes while I clean her up, and I pretend not to notice.
She’s never been treated right, not like she deserves. That’s going to change. I’ll take care of her.
If she’ll let me.
She’ll break my heart beyond repairing if she doesn’t let me, so I need to not fuck this up.
GAGE
“It’s obvious what’s going on up there,” Thorn says, leaning against the wall, his body angled to watch the elevators.
“Knowing your brother, yes.”
He lets out a heavy breath. “Guess that’s all wrapped up, then.”
Thorn doesn’t have any problem getting women, but he grew up in Kai’s shadow. When we were kids, he was the little brother; Kai and I were the leaders.
But all three of us, in ways that are only clear to me now, revolved around Lexy. She was the sun in our personal solar system.
“Don’t count yourself out.”
His head comes up, his eyes intent on mine, his brow furrowed.
“Lexy was always ours. She was never only his.”
He frowns, thoughtful. “Yeah, but do you really see him sharing?”
“It’s not his call to make.”
He stares at me a moment longer. And then he smiles.
LEXY
Sure enough, my dad and Belinda are gone when I get back to the reception hall. The DJ’s gone, too, and the guests, including Ava. There’s just the staff, cleaning up.
And Gage and Thorn, waiting patiently so we can go to family dinner.
I check with the staff to make sure the rest of the cake was sent home with the designated friend of the couple, who will store it safely in their freezer. It was, and they have everything else well in hand, so there’s really nothing for me to do here.
I grabbed a shower and changed my clothes before we came back down. My excuse, if Gage or Thorn says anything, is that I needed to freshen up before we went to dinner. Not that they’ll be fooled.
They both looked right at me when Kai and I came back in. No embarrassment, no apology. No anger, either; just frank assessment.
Part of me feels guilty, even though I know that doesn’t make any sense. But I feel as though I owe Gage the truth. I’ll find a moment to talk to him before I leave town.
Wait. Leave town and go where, exactly? There’s nothing to go back to. My mom’s still there; but my job, my boyfriend, even my home are gone, because I lived with Scott.
My stomach feels like a small freighter has capsized there, but my organizational superpowers are already at work. I can ask my friend Hillary to go over to Scott’s place and pack up my things before he does something petty, like give them all to the charity shop. Because part of me can imagine him doing just that.
Our finances are separate, thank goodness, so that’s one worry I’m spared. I have enough saved up that I can take a few days here, enjoy my reunion, and then decide what’s next.
Resolved, I turn toward the exit doors to see a woman standing in front of me. “Oh! Hello.” I vaguely recognize her as one of the guests. “Is everything all right?”