Page 36 of My Ex’s Billionaire Brothers (Forbidden Hearts #5)

ANYA

This is the weirdest—and best—Fourth of July of my entire life.

Dinner comes and goes in a blur of brisket, ribs, and a million overlapping conversations.

Even after we push our plates away, my aunts, uncles, and cousins linger in clusters around the yard and inside the cottage.

Dessert platters litter the main table—pecan pies, fruit salads, and at least two trays of brownies—while some of my younger relatives carry steaming mugs of coffee laced with too much sugar.

A few of the older folks sit around the living room, flipping channels between baseball and the local news coverage of the holiday fireworks.

I’ve been chatting with my mother about the best way to freeze leftover brisket for sandwiches when I catch sight of my cousins Jenna and Bryce slipping away through the back door, apparently trying to escape notice.

Nobody else seems to see them, so I mumble a half-baked excuse about needing fresh air and follow their trail out into the yard.

It doesn’t take much sleuthing to find them.

The pungent aroma of weed leads me to a little clearing behind the tall stack of lumber my dad has been using for the new fence.

Sure enough, there they stand—Jenna, in her baggy band T-shirt and cut-off shorts, and Bryce, wearing a snapback cap and sporting a cringe-inducing attempt at a mustache.

They’re both giggling as they pass a joint back and forth.

“There you two are,” I announce, hands planted on my hips in my best big-cousin stance. “Sneaking off, are we?”

They both freeze, eyes wide. For a second, I almost laugh at how startled they look. Then Jenna breaks into a grin. “Anya! Hey, we’re not exactly sneaking. Just…having some holiday relaxation.”

“You know Mom and Dad would blow a gasket if they found you here, right?”

Bryce’s mustache twitches in concern. “Are you gonna tell on us?”

“Relax,” I assure them, lowering my voice. “I’m not the tattletale type. But maybe put that out if you see Dad approaching. He has zero chill about that kind of stuff.”

They laugh, and Jenna holds out the joint in my direction. “Wanna hit?”

“Nah. I’m good.”

They both shrug, resume their smoking, and motion me closer. Jenna pats the edge of a cracked cinder block that serves as an impromptu seat, and I settle beside her. It feels cozy, the three of us huddled behind the woodpile like we’re teenagers breaking curfew.

“God, I haven’t seen you in forever,” Jenna says, exhaling a long plume of smoke.

“You still in school?” I ask her.

“Yeah, one more year. Bryce here’s got two, because he took a gap year to find himself.” She shoots him a teasing look.

“I needed that gap year,” Bryce retorts, passing the joint back. Then he peers at me. “So, what’s up with you dating three brothers?”

Jenna elbows him. “Oh my God, Bryce. Have some tact.”

“No, it’s okay. Guess that’s what everyone’s been gossiping about, huh?”

He lifts a shoulder. “Pretty much. Uncle Alexei was talking to Dad about fence stuff, and I overheard some stuff about you and, uh…your men.” His voice cracks on the word men. It’s so adorably awkward, I have to suppress a laugh.

“It’s not exactly how you’re picturing it,” I say.

“But yeah, I’m, um, seeing three guys right now.

” I pause, glancing between them. “My ex Calvin dumped me in a spectacularly awful way. The short version is—I ended up in the orbit of his older half-brothers. And now…” I spread my hands. “Things happened.”

Jenna nods, eyes bright with curiosity. “Sooo…what’s it like? Being with three men at once? Is it just…I don’t know, like, constant sex?” She giggles, half-mortified at her own question.

I feel my cheeks warm, but I shake my head.

“Not constant. Though I’m not complaining about the frequency.

” They both burst into laughter, and I join in.

“But, to be honest, it’s more about the emotional connection.

Each of them is different—Gage is all protective and quiet, Hunter is the funny one, and Theo is…

well, Theo’s all business on the outside, but he’s got a good heart underneath it.

They balance each other out. It’s weird, but it works. ”

Bryce leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Aren’t you worried they’ll, like, get jealous if you’re spending time with one but not the others?”

“I guess it was a concern at first,” I admit.

“But we talk about everything, we’re honest, and so far, it’s okay.

I think it helps that they’re all so close.

No one’s left out in the cold, and I don’t feel like I have to split myself in three.

It’s…I don’t know, I don’t have it all figured out yet. But I’m happy.”

Jenna exchanges a look with Bryce. “That’s so cool,” she breathes. “I mean, it might not be my thing, but it’s awesome you’re living your life the way you want.”

“Yeah,” Bryce agrees.

I offer them both a genuine smile. “Thanks, guys. And yeah, it’s definitely cooler than Calvin.”

“So, assuming this goes okay,” Jenna says, “what happens next? It’s not like you can marry all three of them…”

I chuckle at that. “Yeah, well…” The truth is, I don’t know. “We’ll jump off that bridge when we come to it.”

My cousins nod sympathetically, and we fall into an easy chat about their college courses and my bizarre road trip from Boston to Castle Beach. I realize how much I’ve missed them—missed this , the comfortable back-and-forth of family who don’t judge you for every decision you make.

Eventually, they offer me a last pull from the joint, but I decline again with a laugh. We exchange hugs, promising we’ll actually hang out before I leave town. Then they slip into the shadows, giggling, and I find myself alone with my thoughts.

I re-enter the cottage through the back door, noticing how quiet it has become. Sure enough, most of my family has dispersed. A half dozen folks remain, nursing the last of the desserts while discussing tomorrow’s beach outing.

I find my guys near the staircase, talking to one of my uncles about some local fishing technique. The moment they see me, their eyes light up. Hunter gives me a bright grin, Gage nods in acknowledgment, and Theo offers a small, fond smile.

“Hey,” I say, stepping between them. “I’m going upstairs. You three want to join me?”

We make our way up the creaky staircase to my childhood bedroom. Thankfully, my door is still as I left it—slightly open, revealing my old queen-sized bed covered with a floral comforter. Once all four of us are inside, I shut the door and flip on the small desk lamp.

Without preamble, I blurt out, “I’m not taking your last name.”

The three of them stare at me like I’ve grown a second head. Hunter rubs the back of his neck, confusion etched on his face. “Uh…come again?”

“I’m not taking any of your last names,” I repeat firmly.

“Not Carver. Not anything. I know it’s presumptuous to even say that, considering we’re not…

well, we’re not on the verge of a wedding or anything.

But if that day ever comes, or if there’s some formal arrangement, I just want to make it clear—I’m not doing it. I’m not changing my name to yours.”

Gage folds his arms, a curious expression on his face. “That’s…okay? But why bring it up now?”

“Because I’m tired of feeling like I don’t exist outside of the men in my life.

I was always my father’s daughter, or Billy’s girlfriend, then Calvin’s fiancée, living under his name, waiting to take his last name.

And you know what? I’m not sure I even want to keep my father’s last name.

Maybe I want something completely different—my own name that represents who I am, not who I belong to. ”

A slow smile tugs at Gage’s lips. “That sounds like a great idea. The new name, I mean.”

Theo takes a moment before adding, “I respect that.”

Hunter exhales softly. “Just so I’m clear, you’re not worried we’d, like, make you take our name or something, right? Because that’s not?—”

“No,” I interrupt, softening my tone. “I know you wouldn’t force me. But Calvin always assumed I’d take his name. And I realized I assumed it too. I never questioned it. And that’s the problem—I didn’t question anything back then. Now I’m questioning everything. ”

They exchange glances, each of them wearing a distinct look of relief or understanding. A little of my tension melts away.

I chew on my lip, my next thought buzzing.

“There’s something else,” I say. “I want my own place. At least for a while. I need to figure out how to live on my own terms, by myself , for the first time in my entire life. I’ve always had roommates, or lived with Calvin, or stayed with my parents. But I want to try having my own space.”

Theo nods immediately. “I couldn’t agree more.”

I feel a surge of affection for these men—my men, in a sense—who don’t protest, don’t try to talk me out of my decision. They just listen. They see me.

“On that note,” Theo says carefully, “how would you feel about a job?”

My mouth drops open. “A job? Doing what?”

“That’s up to you,” he replies. “If you want something more conventional, you can send me your résumé. My HR department can find a suitable position for your skills. Or…” He pauses, glancing at Gage and Hunter. “You could be our entertainment coordinator.”

Hunter chortles, and Gage lets out a rumbling laugh. My eyebrows shoot up. “Entertainment coordinator? That sounds suspiciously like ‘professional girlfriend.’”

Hunter raises his hands. “Nah, not like that. But hear us out. We’re workaholics.

All of us, even though Theo pretends otherwise.

Frankly, we’re always going a hundred miles an hour.

Sometimes we forget to, you know, enjoy life.

” He shoots a grin at Theo. “Mr. Spreadsheet here has it the worst, but we’re all guilty. ”

“That’s where you come in,” Gage says. “You could plan our downtime, schedule vacations, remind us when we need to step back or lighten up. You’d be the one telling us to close our laptops or put down our phones. Full autonomy to keep us from working ourselves to death.”

“So you’re saying you want me to boss you around?”

A slow, mischievous smile spreads across Theo’s face. “Until we’re naked, of course. Then the roles reverse.”

I snort. “That’s a lot of authority.”

“Your mental and emotional health is important to us,” Gage adds, his voice gentler now. “And so is ours. We figure this arrangement might help us all.”

“So I’d plan vacations for us? Or date nights, or…what else?”

Hunter shrugs. “Whatever you think is best. You see us working too hard, you call us out on it. You find a fun destination, you book it. We work for you in that sense.”

My heart thumps. I find myself imagining a future where I have a small, cozy apartment of my own, a job that literally involves ensuring the people I care about actually live their lives instead of slaving away all day.

“It sounds kind of incredible. But do you really think it can work as a real position?”

“We can do a trial run,” Theo suggests. “Three months. We’ll figure it out. But I think you might enjoy it.”

“I’ve spent so much of my life being told what to do—by my parents, by Calvin. The idea that I could be the one calling the shots, even in a limited capacity…it’s pretty appealing.”

Theo goes on, “Think about it, Anya. If you decide it’s something you want to try, we’ll make it official. Pay you a salary, give you whatever resources you need. Travel budget, scheduling tools, maybe even an assistant if it grows beyond personal stuff.”

I raise my eyebrows. “An assistant? Okay, I’m in. Let’s do a three-month trial. See if I can handle being your drill sergeant.”

Hunter cheers, a quiet whoop, and Gage nods in approval. Theo gives me that understated smile of his that always makes my stomach go floppy. The four of us stand there, the hush broken only by the soft hum of the desk lamp.

In this moment, it hits me—I’m choosing this path, forging it on my terms. I’m not stuck, I’m not pressured, and I’m not powerless. For the first time in ages, I feel genuinely excited about every day to come—not just the big milestones.