Page 106 of Lethal Attraction

“Oh,” Addison’s mouth twists unpleasantly.

“Not here,” Alana says quickly.

Loxley glares with the fire of a million suns before fisting Atlas’s shirt and dragging him so close their noses bump. “That got us into this in the first place.” She grits. “What did I say about having opinions?”

My brother gulps. “I don’t have a single one. I’m sorry, baby.”

She releases him before sighing and flicking a finger across her phone’s screen. “Next.” Everyone is silent for a moment before Loxley gives the table an impatient look. “This baby isn’t coming any quicker, people.”

“Uh,” Addison scrolls further down her list, “using a yoga ball to keep yourself moving.”

Everyone keeps tossing ideas out there, and I’m shaking with silent laughter the whole time. I catch Reed trying to hold it together, and it all breaks loose the moment he looks at me and sees the same restraint on my face. We break out into hysterics, tucking our heads as our laughter fills the bar.

“I’m so glad my suffering amuses the both of you,” Loxley croons from beside us.

Reed wipes a stray tear, his gaze caught in mine as his face softens. “I’m not amused by your suffering. I’m just…feeling fulfilled is all.”

I sober slowly, everything melting away until it’s just us. Warmth radiates through my chest as I smile at him. “Same here.”

Chapter thirty

Reed

This whole day has been like living a dream. These people are wonderful, this life they live is full of compassion and joy, and I can’t help but feel that Taryn, Emma, and I all fit right in. Not only that, but the woman in my arms is what brings it all together. Thalia is a vision when she isn’t brought down by trivial things. She looks so carefree and happy.

I want that for a lifetime. To see her smile every day. To hear her laugh light up a room. To know when she looks at me like that, it’s because she’s falling for me too. She may not want to admit it, but I think we’re both in too deep now. Just as my heart belongs to her, hers belongs to me.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Things are moving quickly, but I know this is where I’m meant to be. It’s funny, because my dad used to tell me the same story when he met my mom. They bumped into each other in a grocery store, and he didn’t even get her number, but he knew he was going to marry her. All it took was them running into each other again a week later, and that was it.

I thought their story was coincidental—there’s no way two people found each other and just knew they were it for one another. Until now. Until her.

I’m a believer because Thalia is my future.

I brush her hair behind her ear, observing her fondly as she talks excitedly with her family. Laughter is exchanged, good stories are swapped, but I’m solely focused on the woman who stole my heart and showed me that there’s so much more to the world.

I realize with a cold rush of clarity that I would do anything for her. If Brooks is bringing a war to them, then I won’t sit on the sidelines. Not while my girl is out there. I can’t.

No matter how much she’ll try to argue, we’re in this together. I won’t send her to the frontline unless I’m right there with her.

“I’ve got some news,” a young woman with dark, chopped hair appears behind Alana and Connor, a laptop resting on her forearms.

Alana turns. “Everyone, this is my protégé, Blair.”

“Hi, Blair,” Emma waves.

The young woman nods in greeting. “We may have a problem.”

Rowan sits forward, locking in as Addison takes his hand in hers, and everyone quiets.

Blair sighs as she flicks across the keyboard. “It appears that Brooks has been meeting with the West Branch leader, Vincent Locke, in hopes of gaining their help.”

“Fuck,” Rowan curses under his breath. “Of course. And has our grandfather agreed to this?”

Blair shakes her head. “Locke said that as long as his daughter is alive, he has no reason to accept helping a traitor.”

Thalia tenses in my arms, her spine going rigid as her hand tightens around her glass. Her eyes become distant at the mention of their mother, and it makes my chest constrict. I place a hand on her back before leaning forward and kissing her spine to distract her.

She loosens, letting her shoulders sink as she eases back onto me and rests her head on my shoulder. I rub my hands up her arms, keeping contact to show that I’m with her.