Lior’s gaze was frantic like he was searching for any clue that I might crumble into a messy pile at any moment now.
“Can you take our stuff to the room and wait for me there? I’m going to speak to my family.” And possibly destroy our relationship, but I was fed up with being treated like I was less than just because of their warped sense of how life should be.
He cradled the back of my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. “Come back to me in one piece, okay,” he said against my lips.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
Armed with everyone’s room numbers, thanks to the receptionist, who was happy for the scene to disperse, I headed up to the only place I knew there was a chance of finding someone to have my back.
Lex’s room.
On my way out of the elevator, I bumped into Victoria’s sister, Ellie.
“Dude. Congrats,” she said, holding her hand up for a fist bump. “For what it’s worth, that’s how I’d do it too if I ever found someone crazy enough to tie themselves to me legally.”
“Um, thanks?” Word got around fast.
She looked at both ends of the hallway before saying, “The wicked queen is having a tantrum because God forbid life happens to other people. It may be the first time in her life something hasn’t been all about her. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for living your life and seeking your happiness. Her problem is not your problem.” She sighed. “I wish your brother saw that, but I guess love is blind and all that.”
“Thank you, Ellie. That’s weirdly reassuring.”
She grinned. “I’m just gutted I didn’t get to set you up like I did Lex and Emery—the second time, at least. I didn’t think you were in the market for love.”
I chuckled. “Neither did I.”
She excused herself to go have a sexy date with the breakfast buffet and disappeared into the elevator, leaving me in the hallway.
I followed the room numbers until I found Lex’s. The door wasn’t closed all the way, so I heard the voices inside.
“He didn’t bring a date. He brought his fucking husband,” Adam said in a raised voice.
“I’m sorry, what?” Lex sounded like he’d choked.
“What I said. Mom is crying in her room because she’s hurt. Victoria is crying in our room because she’s upset. Avó may or may not have gone down to the hotel kitchen to borrow a butcher’s knife, and Dad…well, Dad is trying to keep everyone happy and failing miserably. It’s not even nine o’clock in the morning. All because, apparently, our big brother went and got married.”
Lex laughed. “You have to be joking. He wouldn’t do that.”
“He wouldn’t? Lex, he’s the practical joker. The one we can count on to lighten the mood. He never takes anything seriously. I wouldn’t be surprised if he did it just to get back at Victoria.”
“That’s not fair, Adam. Okay, maybe not entirely inaccurate, but he wouldn’t do that to you,” Lex said. “Who did he marry? Tanner? He’s protested so much about not hooking up with him that he’s the only person who comes to mind.”
“Worse. Lior Van Stern.”
Bile bubbled up from my stomach. I slid down the wall and sat on my heels with my head between my knees.
It was finally clear what my family thought about me. It didn’t matter that I was there for them whenever they needed me. All the times I’d dropped everything to help my brothers. The two years I’d worked with barely a break, saving money so we could open the agency as soon as they graduated. Being there for Lex when he was conflicted about lying to Emery about their relationship prior to him losing his memory.
It was all worth nothing.
I was nothing but a fuck boy to my brothers.
“Hey, Noah, what are you doing out here?”
I looked up to see River standing there.
“I’m surprised you don’t know yet,” I scoffed.
“Know what?”
