Page 58 of My Ex-Best Men (Ex Marks the Spot #4)

***Claire***

“ C ome on, sweetheart. Time to buckle in again.” Will’s voice was soft as he spoke next to my ear while picking me up. “We’re almost home, baby.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my face into his neck.

I wasn’t ready to wake up. I’d forgiven them in my sleep and things had been great again.

I wasn’t sure I was ready for it while I was awake.

One strange thought kept bouncing around my head, though. “She told you her grandma died?”

Will stopped and snorted. “No, but she had Jordan imply it. And then she was crying about someone dying. When I finally asked her about it, she admitted it was her aunt’s cat who’d died.”

I let out a strangled laugh. “No.”

“Yeah.” He sighed a bone deep sigh. “I’m sorry, Claire. I love you. Then, now, and forever. You’re the only person I want to hold.”

I wasn’t ready to say anything but I tightened my arms around his neck and pressed my cheek into his neck again. It seemed good enough for him because he kissed the side of my head and let out a grunt before moving to the seats.

He loved me. They all loved me. I was in love with them.

They’d flown over an ocean to get me. My heart pummeled my chest and my breathing hitched.

It was exactly what I’d wanted from all of them the first time around.

I’d stayed awake for what felt like days waiting for them to show up and sweep me off my feet and tell me they loved me a decade earlier.

They were giving me exactly what I’d wanted and needed.

There was something inside me still holding back, though.

Will put me down and buckled me in before taking the seat next to me. “When we get back to the island, I have to find Madeline and set this straight. I’d like you to come with me.”

That woke me right up. “Why?”

“I need you to know for sure that nothing happened with her. I need you to hear me end the friendship. So you know that I’m serious about this, Claire.”

I wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to end the friendship but I wasn’t stupid, or a saint.

I wasn’t great at forgiveness and no part of me believed that Madeline deserved it.

So instead of pretending like I was a better person than I was, I just nodded.

I wanted to see him end the friendship. I wanted to see Madeline suffer the way she’d made me suffer.

“We’ll all go. It wasn’t just you that she hurt, Will.” Anthony sat across from me with a hard look on his face.

I tilted my head as I studied him. “I thought you had a meeting you couldn’t miss.”

A small smirk lifted one side of his mouth and it made him look devilishly handsome. “So I lied. I just wanted to get you back on our home turf. This way it’ll be harder for you to get away from us.”

I gaped at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yep.”

“You lied.”

“Yep.”

I sighed. “You’re not even sorry.”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Whatever.”

Zane laughed. “Don’t leave us to deal with his billionaire bullshit by ourselves ever again, Claire. He’s impossible when you’re not here.”

“I’m great all the time. I’m just better with you around, Claire.

Maybe it was wrong for me to lie to get you back here but I also kidnapped you, so…

I don’t think I should start looking too closely at my morals where you’re concerned.

” Anthony glanced out the window as the plane eased onto the runway.

“I’ll just say this now so we’re all clear.

If you’re thinking of running once you get off this plane, I will chase you down.

I’m not losing you. If you need me to keep my hands to myself and my mouth shut until you’re ready to forgive us, that’s fine, but I’m not letting you go.

Ever. I love you. We all love you. Maybe alone we didn’t deserve you but there are three of us and you deserve this much love and care. Okay?”

My breathing sped up as my heart raced. Maybe I wasn’t ready to let everything go but I could concede that much. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

I nodded. “I won’t run away. Being kidnapped one time is enough for me.

Plus, after taking the longest nap in a luxury bed on a private jet, I’m afraid to admit that I never want to fly economy ever again.

Just this morning… Yesterday…? Whenever I was on that flight alone to London, I think someone sneezed on the back of my neck from two rows back.

And I definitely caught a guy trying to take a picture of my ass while I tried to get to the bathroom. ”

“So you’ll stay for my plane?” Anthony said it without any hint of malice. He sent me a soft smile after. “Whatever it takes. Whatever I have is yours, sweetheart.”

The pilot came over the clear intercom to announce we’d landed and spouted off the temperature and weather before going silent again. I stood up and realized the three of them were watching me with tension clear on their faces.

I rubbed my eyes and looked down at my feet.

“I’m not ready to say things are fine just yet but I’m not crazy.

Even just the few hours I was away from y’all I felt like my chest was cracking open.

You each love me. I’m not ready to say that back yet, either.

I’m not going anywhere, though. I should’ve stayed here and talked everything out.

So that’s what we’ll do now. After we find Madeline. ”

Will interlaced our fingers and his big body shuddered as he exhaled. “I’ll make it right.”

I believed him. I also felt like a fool for letting Madeline trick me.

One thing about Will that I should’ve known down to my bones was that he was a good man.

He wasn’t an asshole who would’ve done anything to hurt me.

On purpose, anyway. He was the same man who’d taken my virginity so sweetly and patiently that when other friends told me their horror stories later in life, I’d had to look away guiltily because mine had been perfect. Because of him.

Zane cupped my chin and tipped my face up to his. Before I knew what he was doing, he stole a kiss and then sent me a devilish wink. “If Anthony can be heavy-handed and unapologetic I can, too.”

I followed them out of the plane, a smile trying to fight through my stoic expression.