“I’m objective. If they don’t like you, I’ll tell them to go fuck off—”
“No!”
“—because they aren’t the brothers I thought they are. I don’t hang out with idiots with bad taste.” Grant tilts his head. “You need a bracelet.” He reaches into the huge island in the closet and pulls out a gorgeous string of rubies. “Here.” He loops it around my wrist. The platinum hook has my name engraved, along with an infinity symbol next to a heart, to indicate I’m worth infinite hearts. “The cherry on top, even though it’s kind of in the middle.”
I laugh and give him a hug. The intercom announces the first arrival.
Grant checks the security app. “It’s Noah. Let’s go say hi.”
* * *
Noah isn’t the only one there by the time we make it to the first floor.
“Noah. Huxley. Nicholas. Say hello to Aspen.” Grant puts a protective arm around my shoulders.
Noah beams, then hugs me. He looks vaguely familiar. “We saw each other at the steakhouse.”
“That’s it!” I smile.
Huxley and Nicholas hug me, too, although I get the feeling Huxley isn’t really a hugger. His embrace is both stiffer and briefer than his brothers’.
More people show up quickly. Emmett and Amy. Sebastian. Griffin and Sierra. I’m fascinated that Sierra is the CEO of an adult toy company. I looked it up, and it’s super popular. Not only that, it’s considered one of the best family-owned businesses to work for in California.
We sit at the table. Emmett smiles. “Welcome to the family.”
I look around, a little confused. Grant and I are just living together at the moment.
“Totally,” Huxley says.
“But…” I pause.
“Grant used to say love didn’t exist,” Griffin puts in.
“Hey, that was before,” Grant says. “And due to averylarge misunderstanding—”
“He never had us meet a girlfriend until now,” Emmett adds with a warm smile. “Or let anyone live with him.”
“So you might as well be part of the family,” Nicholas says.
I smile, relaxing at their ready welcome and explanation. Grant squeezes my hand.
“She’ll be like the sister you never had,” Grant announces.
“Why sister?” Noah says.
“That way you don’t feel anything inappropriate about her,” Grant says, with a dangerously possessive glint in his eye. “I’d hate to have to kill you.”
His brothers groan, and we end up laughing. Although Grant said he and his brothers all have different mothers, there are remarkable similarities. It’s the hair color and the square jaws. And the air of wealth and power—like they know they can get whatever they want.
Except Noah. He’s a bit distracted the entire time. In addition, he seems to blurt out whatever comes to mind.
Like…
“Don’t tell me you cooked,” he says to Grant, looking at the massive spread.
“Of course not.” Grant passes me the mashed potatoes I’ve been eyeing.
“And you didn’t make your girlfriend do it,” Noah says.
