Page 48

“So why did you volunteer to be a pen pal with Letters of Hope?” Alexis stretches on the bed, her hair a messy halo, her eyes heavy-lidded after she woke up in my apartment.

She looks so goddamn beautiful.

We spent the last week between Christmas and New Year’s holed up in my place doing nothing other than watching movies ( The Notebook twice, The Sound of Music , where she sang along, completely off-key), reading poetry (Dickinson and Keats), helping her make her bucket list of traveling destinations (scaling Mt.

Everest, take pictures with penguins in Antarctica), and trying out new recipes found online (lasagna made from scratch and according to her, the best turkey club in the world).

Two small oven fires and barely edible food later, we’d then call for takeout.

To some people, maybe it’s boring—no jet setting to the Caribbean or dining at the best restaurants of the world.

But to me, it’s the best week ever.

I smile as I button my dress shirt and loop a tie around my neck.

She climbs off the bed and traipses toward me, wearing only my white dress shirt and revealing an expanse of smooth thighs.

My dick twitches.

Damn.

It’s getting ridiculous .

“Let me help you.” She grins and works my tie in practiced moves, fashioning it into a Windsor knot.

“Liam is helpless with this stuff. I used to do it for him all the time.”

My heartbeat kicks up at the mention of Liam.

I’m telling him about Lexy and me and he’s going to have to deal with it, whether he likes it or not.

She pats the tie and admires her handiwork.

“Did I ever tell you how much I love the color blue on you?”

A sharp inhale lodges in my throat.

She asked me the same question all those years ago.

I graze my finger over the bridge of her nose—my love in a gesture—and watch her cheeks pinken.

“Perhaps someday, you’ll find out why I love the color blue,” I murmur.

“And you’ll tell me about the cuff links too?” Pursing her lips, she traces her finger on the black floral surface, and I’m tempted to slide open the latch to show her the hummingbird underneath.

But something holds me back.

I want to show her when I can tell her everything.

“Once you’re out of your medical trial, I’ll tell you our story. All of it. No more secrets.”

“It must be so lonely, being the only one who remembers,” she whispers, her eyes tearing up.

An ache forms in my chest, but I push it away.

My Nova, the past or current versions of her, has the same beautiful heart.

I kiss her palm. “I’m not lonely anymore because you’re here.”

Alexis doles out a sweet smile and cocks her head to the side.

“Right. We’ll make new memories. So…why are you a pen pal? You didn’t answer me.”

“I actually started the program. Anonymously, of course. Not every good deed our family does needs to be advertised. Takes away from the focus on the right things. ”

After shrugging on my dark gray suit jacket, I check my watch, noting it to be seven in the morning.

It’s funny how the routines I clung to just to get through life without her suddenly don’t matter anymore.

Because she’s awake and here with me.

“As the years went by, and you were still in your coma, I needed to do something with my time outside of work. Donating money to medical research wasn’t enough. I wanted to be part of something directly meaningful to patients. Then I got to thinking, when you woke up, what would you need? How would it feel to have the world change while you were asleep?”

My voice thickens, and I cup her face.

“I thought it’d be rough. It’s hard enough to navigate this world when you’re healthy, but it’s ten times harder when you’re sick. In the beginning, the program was small—occasional letters and gifts to patients. But later on, I asked Olivia—”

“Olivia?” Her brow raises at my mention of her friend.

“Yes, your Olivia. With her being a psychiatrist, she probably didn’t tell you this because she wasn’t allowed to, but she helped Maxwell with his anxiety. A few of us reached out for her services or referrals from time to time. Anyway, I asked her if a long-term mentorship or pen pal program could be beneficial for patients recovering from extended stays at the hospital.”

I grab my phone from the dresser.

“One thing led to another, and Letters of Hope became what it is today. There are over a hundred volunteer pen pals now and other hospitals have joined the program. I enjoy writing to patients, being a listening ear. It feels like I’m doing something for you. And when I heard you submitted an application, well I—”

“Elbowed your way into being my pen pal? You sneaky, underhanded Deliminator.”

I bop her nose.

“I’m normally a boy scout, I swear.”

“Boy scout?” Alexis walks her fingers up my chest, lighting up tingles along the way.

“Someone didn’t seem very scout like the last few nights.”

Growling, I haul her against me, letting her feel my not so innocent hard on.

“Haven’t you heard? Never judge a book by its cover. And,” I bend down and lick the whorl of her ear; she shivers, “it’s always the quiet ones. We’re freaks in the sheets.”

“You’re insatiable.” She giggles and my phone pings.

“Fuck.” I groan and swipe to the barrage of messages waiting for me in the chat group my siblings started with our close friends.

“The Deliminator is in deep shit.” Alexis snickers.

Every year they rename the group to someone they want to haze, and apparently, it’s my turn this year.

“Sometimes, it’s good not to have a big family,” I mutter.

Rex

I tried. I really did.

Don’t kill me, Ethan.

Lana

You should see me snorting.

Rex

I don’t need to see you do anything.

You’re sitting next to me and spat your water all over my jacket.

Disgusting.

Charles

Rex, remind me not to ask you for help.

If your “trying” means spilling the beans in the first five minutes after Liam cornered you, I don’t want to know what happens when you don’t try.

Taylor

Hell hath no fury than a best friend scorned.

I hope you have copies of all your critical documents safely stored offline, Ethan.

Grace

I’m so happy for you guys!

True love wins!

Steven

Just like those books you read.

I love you, sweetheart.

Taylor

Save me from this nauseating newlywed shit.

Lana

I’m screenshotting this and showing it to you once you and Charles walk down the aisle.

Ryland

Give Ethan a break.

Once he resurfaces from his…

activities , he’ll probably be confused as hell.

Steven

Agree with Ryland.

TL, DR just for you: Liam found out.

Although, I’m surprised it took him this long.

You think you two mysteriously getting food poisoning at the same time is going to fly?

Maxwell

God, I hate to admit it, but Elias is right.

Anderson men are idiots when it comes to women.

Elias

I’ll say I told you so, but that’ll be terribly cliche.

Rex

What the hell , dude.

You aren’t in this group chat.

Maxwell

I’m not surprised.

Heck, I’ve always wondered how he got his info.

Ryland

Long story short, Ethan, I hope you have some good excuses, because Liam is on a warpath.

“Oh crap. Is this why he wants to meet this morning?” Alexis frowns at my phone.

I swipe to my earlier texts that I actually answered.

Liam

We need to talk in person.

Eight a.m. The Menagerie.

Ethan

Everything okay?

Liam

It all depends.

Just show up.

When I received his messages, I thought he had updates about the embezzlement case he wanted to discuss in person, since Liam thought the culprit might be someone well connected to our family.

“Probably. He’s being cryptic on purpose.” I roll out my neck muscles.

“What are you going to tell him?”

“The truth.” Returning my gaze to Alexis, who’s snapping her rubber band on her wrist, I murmur, “I’m desperately in love with his little sister and I’ll cherish her until the end of time.”

The snapping stops, and she gives me a watery smile.

“Won’t this mess up your friendship? I’m sure there’s some bro code about this, right?”

“There is.” She doesn’t remember I’ve told her about my vow to Liam before.

“But it doesn’t matter, because you’re the most important person in my life, you hear me? You’re unforgettable and one of a kind. He’ll just have to live with it. ”

Her eyes mist and I pull her into my arms before kissing her forehead, my lungs drawing in the calming scent of lavender.

Liam twirls a butter knife in his hand.

One rotation. Two rotations.

Three rotations.

A tap on the table.

Readjusting the grip.

The twirling begins again.

Unease slithers its way up my body, but I maintain a straight face as I stare at my best friend.

Or maybe former best friend at this rate.

A lock of dirty blond hair covers his right eye, his legs sprawled, one arm draping behind his chair.

The calm posture is deceptive.

I might be overthinking this, but I think he’s purposely dressed in a black short-sleeve T-shirt to show off his sleeves of menacing tattoos.

He holds my gaze, his fingers fiddling with the knife.

Rotations. Tap. Readjustment.

Rotations.

If you were to ask me this morning if I thought a butter knife was capable of bodily harm, I would’ve scoffed and thought you were insane.

Now, I’m not so sure.

I tug my cuff link, unwilling to be the first to flinch or blink.

“So… You and Firefly,” he rasps.

I nod. “We’re together.”

No use beating around the bush.

I was supposed to have this conversation ten years ago.

“I distinctly remember someone vowed to me he wouldn’t touch my sister.” His lips twitch into a half snarl.

“That our friendship was too important .”

“We were kids then. You thought I was breaking hearts and had commitment issues. Things are different now. You should know that. I haven’t dated anyone in forever.”

“Hence the commitment issues. My concern still stands. She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need more shit from a non-communicative, brooding asshole. ”

“I was waiting for Lexy, damn it! If waiting for a decade and living like a monk aren’t signs of commitment, then I don’t know what is.”

He jams the butter knife into the table, and I flinch.

Scratch my previous thought.

Butter knives are definitely capable of inflicting permanent damage.

“So you’re admitting this started before her accident then? After I specifically asked you multiple times and you swore to me and gave me your fucking word, you motherfucker.”

My skin heats as guilt swirls in my gut.

“I don’t regret anything with Lexy, but I do regret keeping it from you for so long. When she got into her accident, I didn’t see the point in telling you then.”

“How long?”

“What?”

“How long were you involved with her back then?”

I swallow, my heart thundering in my chest. This one’s going to hurt.

He’s definitely going to kill me.

“Two years.”

“Two fucking years? Ethan Delaney, whatever other middle names you have, Anderson, you messed with my sister for two fucking years and didn’t have the decency to tell me about it? Really?”

“I could give you more excuses, but they’re all bullshit. This one’s on me.”

He leans in and fists my tie, tugging me up from my seat.

“If I tell you I don’t buy this committed man in love act you got going on, if I tell you to break it off with her, what would you do?”

Grabbing his shirt, I snarl in his ear, “I’ll tell you to go fuck yourself.”

I let go and shove him back into his seat.

A tensed silence suffocates the private room inside The Menagerie, a lounge on the lower floors of The Orchid.

I’m so glad we’re meeting early and no one’s here to witness the inevitable bloodshed.

No one can take my Nova away from me again.

Suddenly, Liam laughs, the abrupt noise shocking me.

He slams his hand on the table and bends over, his body trembling.

The bastard .

“You should’ve seen the look on your face.” He slaps his knee and wipes his eyes—the asshole has tears from laughing too hard.

“Fuck man, you thought I was going to kill you, didn’t you?”

“Fucking shit,” I mutter and yank my tie loose, dragging in a deep inhale.

“You deserved it. You so fucking deserved it. I’m not a dictator, Ethan. You’re my best guy. I want you to be happy. I love Firefly and I want her to be happy. If the two of you being together will make you both happy, then hallelujah.”

Then the smile slips off his face and his nostrils flare, the icy glare back in his eyes.

“However…if you break her heart, your heart will have a hole in it, just like this table.” He yanks out the butter knife and tosses it onto his plate, revealing the damage he inflicted.

It doesn’t faze me. “I’ll hurt myself before I hurt her.”

That’s a vow.

He holds my gaze for a moment, then nods.

Then he crosses his arms behind his head and lets out a relaxed sigh, like he didn’t threaten me a few seconds ago.

“I’ve waited a decade to give you that spiel, so now that we’ve got that out of the way, I want to give you an update on your embezzlement case—”

“Hold on. Hold on a fucking second.” I raise my hand.

“What do you mean, you’ve waited a decade?”

Liam arches his brow and tsks under his breath.

“You really think you guys snuck around without me noticing? Really? You think your lovesick smile when you scribbled in your precious notebook wasn’t obvious? You think my sister bringing your favorite foods to my birthday party wasn’t a big fucking clue?”

He shakes his head.

“And then you had your one eighty degree personality change after Firefly’s accident. Do you think I’m motherfucking blind?”

“You asshole. You let me believe—”

“You deserved it. You kept me in the dark and I returned the favor.”

Blowing out a breath, I shift in my seat.

My lips twitch as I try not to smile.

It feels so good to have everything out in the open.

No more hiding. No more sneaking around.

“Fine. You got your revenge. Moving on. So, what do you have for the case?”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Liam straightens, pulls out a small piece of paper from his jeans pocket, and slides it over the table.

I turn it around.

I snap my eyes up, flames singeing my chest. Gnashing my teeth together, I crumble the paper in my fist.

“You sure?”

“A hundred percent. That’s the hedge fund behind BoC Equitable Investments. They moved the money already, but I tagged them before they shifted things around.”

“But why? These aren’t huge amounts. Sure, millions over a decade, but barely makes a dent. This makes no sense.”

Liam drums his fingers on the table.

“No clue. I don’t think we have the full picture yet, so don’t tell anyone.”

I grit my teeth, thinking about the asshole I’m going to murder the second I walk out of the building.

“Don’t you dare, Ethan. I see those wheels turning. I’m sure there’s more to it. Don’t do anything yet. Stay put.”

“I need to protect her. Would you do nothing if you were me?”

“You think I don’t care about my own sister? She’s not involved—she isn’t in trouble. If she were, I’d kill the bastard myself. Give me more time. Do I have your permission to get outside help?”

“Do you trust the person?”

“With my life,” he replies without batting an eye.

“Do it.”

“Burn the paper before you leave. Leave no evidence behind.” He gets up, then throws on his leather jacket.

“Remember, don’t hurt my sister, or best friend or not, I’ll hurt you. ”

Liam strides away, leaving me at the table, my mind whirring from the revelation.

Slowly, I unfurl my hand and smooth out the scrap of paper.

Ten digits. An account number.

And a name.

Dayton Sean Holden, Holden Investments.