Page 42 of Oathbreaker

“And Colt,” I whisper. “He was their beautiful, gorgeous friend and he treated me the same before and after I made the transformation from ugly duckling to a woman finally comfortable in my own skin. We always joked and bantered and talked about everything and nothing and all the stuff in between. He always saw me”—I thump a hand against my chest—“and then finally, finally for two days and one night, I had him, had the fantasy of him, of us, had the plans we made for a future together. And then…I lost him.”

Willow’s eyes are glassy. “You lost someone you loved, but you also lost your dream.”

I nod.

“They won’t hate that you had that, sweetheart,” Jade says. “Because that’s the most beautiful and saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Willow brushes a tear away and nods in agreement.

“I think we could write a few platinum songs and an Oscar-winning film to boot with all of that angst,” Lily says dryly.

“Lily!” Jade snaps.

She shrugs. “You know I’m not wrong—hell, you’re already probably writing the lyrics in your head as we speak.”

The slight flush on Jade’s cheeks tells me that, indeed, Lily isn’t wrong.

“It’s okay, you guys,” I say, bravely soldiering on. Because I’ve had too many years of doing just that to stop now.

And anyway, the truth is out.

They know where my head was back then—and is now.

“But we still need to find a way to tell the rest of the guys without it ending in a brawl. Colt is still recovering, and he doesn’t need to land back in the hospital.”

“Unfortunately,” Lily says. “I do think that Atlas is angry enough to throw a punch.” A beat. “Or ten.”

“I’ve never seen Hudson as mad as he was last night,” Willow groans.

“Royal took the news okay,” Jade says. “But he’s so protective of you and Frankie. Hearing that Colt…” She trails off and nibbles at the corner of her mouth.

“It’s going to be fine,” Aspen says.

And I’m not the only one whose mouth drops open as our gazes go to hers.

“I have a plan,” she tells us. “We have a new bourbon rep coming to the Sapphire Room. Banks and I will tell the guys they need to come in for a tasting since I can’t while I’m breastfeeding?—”

“Didn’t you just get drunk off your ass like a few days ago?” Lily asks.

Aspen smirks. “All I have to do is mention my breasts and some female bodily function and Royal and Dash will forget all about that.”

“And Atlas?” Jade asks, and for the record, she doesn’t argue Aspen’s point.

I don’t either.

Because my brother may be tough, but female stuff scares the shit out of him.

“You think I’ll ask Atlas for help and he’ll turn me down?” she says. “Especially with Banks out of town with the Vipers?”

Lily glances over at me. “Oh, she’s good.”

I nod.

Because Lily’s right.

The only problem…

Now I’ll have to tell my brothers the truth.