“I hate to break this to you, bud, but you kinda kidnapped her.”
“Aren’t you in the least bit concerned about the house?”
“Is the demon spawn okay?”
“Yes, I hired him a babysitter.”
Cruz scoffs. “You could have just had the security guys feed him a couple of times a day.”
I scowl. “Lexi was worried about leaving him alone.”
“And you’ll do anything to ease Lexi’s worries.” His tone is part teasing and part gratitude. Most brothers would be losing their shit if they’d just been told everything I just did, and I’m starting to wonder if he’s been doing too much relaxing on this holiday.
“I thought you were going to flip out,” I admit.
He sighs. “Am I worried about the fact someone broke into my house and could have hurt my sister? Yes, of course. But I also know she’s in the best possible hands. There’s no one I trust with her safety as much as I do you, and if this is what it took to get you to finally make her yours…” He trails off.
“Married life has made you soft.”
He chuckles. “Speaking of married life, should I have Riley start planning?”
“She doesn’t even know we’ve matched yet,” I point out.
He’s quiet for a moment, and I wonder if the inevitable big brother talk is coming. “Colt, you know you guys would have matched even if you didn’t fuck with the algorithm, right?”
I shake my head. “There’s no way?—”
“You’re perfect for each other, Colten. Have been your whole lives. I’m just glad you’re finally at a point where you’ve pulled your head out of your ass.”
I glance toward the bedroom, my heart beating too hard in my chest as I imagine Lexi sleeping soundly between my sheets. “Me too.”
It’s the first time since I made this decision that I’ve actually sat with it for long enough to think about how I feel.
And the only emotion I can confidently pick out from the mess inside my mind is relief.
Because after all these years, after yearning for her, longing to hold her anytime I want, Lexi De Luca is finally mine.
I spend the next few hours making my way through the emails, texts, and calls that have somehow piled up despite only being out of action for three hours in the early hours of the morning, but I want to be available when Lexi wakes up.
By that time, she should have an email from the matchmaker, and I’ll no longer just be her brother’s best friend.
She’s going to have a lot of questions, and I want to be around to answer as many as I can. Although I’ll be keeping some pieces of information to myself, even if it’s just for now.
The last thing Lexi needs after waking up to someone in the house this morning is to find out that her number one subscriber is someone she’s known her whole life.
And to be honest, it’s handy having that extra line of communication for when she needs someone to talk to that isn’t in her immediate circle. It might make me an asshole, prying into the private parts of her mind under false pretenses, but just like everything I do, I do it with her best interests at heart.
I’m just wrapping up a call with the accountant when the bedroom door flies open, dragging my attention away from my computer immediately.
Lexi stands in the doorway, her hair rumpled from sleep, my shirt still overwhelming her petite frame, but it’s the look on her face that makes it almost impossible to remain seated.
She holds her phone up. “How long have you known?”
EIGHTEEN
LEXI
Colten was right. I did need to sleep for a few hours so I could get my bearings and recover from the adrenaline drop I was riding this morning.
