Page 113 of The Elusive Billionaire

“Rex? You named that thing Rex? Like ‘king’?”

The dog leaps from ten feet away and slides into the passenger seat like he’s stealing home plate.

“W-R-E-C-K-S,” Cian spells. “Because the fecking thing has separation anxiety and wrecks the shite out of everything.”

“And why is he coming with us?”

“Because if you thought the hurricane caused some damage, it’ll be nothing to what he’ll do if we leave him here alone.”

“Why isn’t he sitting in the back?” Braxton asks. At least he’s as confused as I am.

“Wrecks won’t stay back there, and we’ll end up chasing him all over Happiness. Trust me, it’s better if he’s contained.”

“Nothing in this town ever makes sense,” I mutter.

Peering through the glass partition separating us from the cab of the truck, I find Wrecks gnawing on the dashboard.

“That something you want to happen in your prissmobile?”

I wince as Wrecks’s teeth sink into the dashboard a second time.

“Fuck no.”

“That’s what I thought. Now let’s go.”

Cian shifts the truck into gear and presses a little too heavily on the gas. Braxton and I are thrown to the tailgate and land with a thud in a pile of limbs.

“He did that on purpose,” Braxton mutters.

“Why the hell?—”

“You wore a fecking suit to hang windows, Grey.” Cian chuckles darkly. “Are you even trying to fit in here?”

Disentangling myself from my brother, I cautiously make my way over to the wheel well and take a seat, then use both arms to hang on to the side of the truck.

“I don’t need to fit in.” My words are lost to the wind whipping around my face, but Brax hears them just fine.

“But don’t you want to?” he asks. “Don’t you want to be part of the family we’re creating here?” His voice is raised, but I’m not sure if he’s angry or just making sure he’s heard.

Do I want to? I want to be where he and Sage are, yes. I want to be where Savvy is, even if it pisses me off in every way. I want to see Braxton’s child grow up. I want to be there for Sage as he enters each new phase of life. I even want to watch Madi become a mother because I happen to know she’ll be an excellent one.

But do I want all these other…complications that come with the newfound big, messy family?

A car horn interrupts my internal war. Braxton and I both glance up to find Moose behind the wheel of my SUV, fighting off Pops, who appears to be leaning over, attempting to beep the horn.

“He’s going to get them killed.”

“Pops must have really enjoyed his teen years.” Braxton chuckles.

“What?”

He waves toward Pops, who’s now sitting back in his own seat with his arms crossed over his chest. Is he…pouting? “That man is seventeen going on seventy-five.”

Cian slows to a stop at a four-way intersection, and Pops rolls down his window and raises his fingers in a peace sign. “Go get our girls.” He lowers his index finger so now he’s flashing the universalfuck yousign. “We’ll scare off the boogeyman.”

“Jesus,” I mutter. “Is this the best plan we’ve got?”

Cian steps on the gas again, causing Braxton and me to readjust our grips so we don’t topple over. We go straight, while Moose turns right to head to the inn.