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*NOEL*

When I arrive at Mateo’s place, he is sitting on his sofa with Lynn, drinking tea with her. That’s a rare view. I can’t remember the last time he so casually hung out with a potential date. They must have clicked somehow.

Mateo’s apartment is small, but he has a talent for using space well. It looks much more spacious than it is because he uses everything so well.

“I am glad you dropped by,” Lynn says, taking out her notebook. “Tell me when you are free. Aden got in contact with a good lawyer. I am going to organize the first meeting.”

I still feel guilty for bothering Aden and his co-CEO, but Lynn doesn’t look like she minds. As for Mateo, he looks incredibly happy. Both he and Sterling were very vocally pleased that I decided to accept Aden’s help.

“I think I could squeeze in Friday morning,” I tell her. “Or is that too soon?”

“No, that should work. That way, you can kick everything off before the weekend. You are meeting Aden’s family, right?”

I groan. “Yes, I am so nervous.”

“Don’t be,” Lynn says, in her usual dry manner. “He barely visits them anyway. Even if you make the worst impression, it won’t matter.”

“Oh, I am not nervous about them! They hurt my man. As far as I am concerned, they can go fuck themselves,” I exclaim. “I am nervous I won’t be able to stand up for Aden. I have to deliver!”

“I don’t think Aden expects you to defend him,” Lynn points out.

“That doesn’t matter. I am going to be his shield for once!”

Lynn blinks at me. “You have the weirdest sense of logic”—a sudden smile curls her lips—“but I can kind of see how that clicks with Aden. He can be weird, too.”

“I take it that’s a good thing?”

“It is,” Lynn says. “He has been more his usual self since he met you. It’s almost like the time when he built the company, and we started to work together.”

“Do you have some intel on the brothers?” I ask.

“Why, you want to harass them?”

“Maybe a little.”

Lynn smirks. “Well, Oliver is my ex. He is really trying to get closer to Aden again. He lacked a bit of backbone, though. Not sure if that’s changed. Kayden was extremely mean to Aden. I still remember when I met the family for the first time, and thought, how much of an asshole he was. I ran into him a couple of years ago, and he had changed, but I don’t think that really matters to Aden.”

“But he wasn’t the one who…” I pause. I am not sure how much she knows, and I am also not sure if it’s okay to talk about it in front of Mateo.

“I will go and order us some food,” Mateo says before getting up and giving us some privacy.

“Wow, the man can read the room,” Lynn says. “I am impressed!”

“He has always been very aware,” I point out, eager to talk well about Mateo, so that he will hit it off with Lynn properly. “Plus, he definitely has a backbone.”

“I figured,” Lynn says, smiling slightly. “So, you wanted to ask something about Kayden?”

“I am not sure if it’s okay to talk about it,” I admit.

“Let me think… the worst they did to Aden.” She pauses. “There was plenty of bullying and harassment. But I think the breaking point for Aden was when he got busted for being gay.” She looks at me thoughtfully. “Your lack of surprise shows me you know that already.”

“But it wasn’t Kayden, right?” I ask.

“I don’t know. Could have been Martin. He is the second youngest after Aden, and he really looked up to the older brothers. He might have outed Aden just to impress them, but I can’t tell for sure.” She hesitates. “Listen, this family can be very kind. Aden’s mom, for example, is a sweetheart, and the brothers really grew and changed. But Aden has a different reality. For him, that’s probably the pit of hell. Just promise me you will be there for him.”

“I told you already, I am there to have his back, not to kiss up to his idiotic brothers.”

Lynn grins. “I had a feeling you would say that. Not one to shy away from a challenge, huh?”