“You’ve been lying to me this whole fucking time?”
“We needed time to figure some things out before we told anyone. We planned on telling you this week when you came over for dinner.”
“Out of all the girls you have at your doorstep, why the fuck did you have to mess with my sister? You know damn well she’s only going to get hurt when you move on to the next one. Savi gets too attached. Her heart isn’t made for flings or whatever the hell this is,” he says, waving his arm around the room. “And you know that, Knox. Fuck!” He yells, pacing and running his hands through his hair in frustration. “I fucking trusted you like a brother.”
“I love her, Miles,” I say quietly, causing him to stop.
“What did you say?”
“I said I love her. I’ve been in love with her for years if you want the full truth.”
“I don’t understand?” He says, shaking his head in confusion. “You both have always hated each other. If you loved her, why didn’t you say something a long time ago?”
“I was scared,” I shrug. “Petrified, actually,” I chuckle, then wince when pain shoots through my jaw. “You know some of my past. I didn’t exactly grow up in a house full of love. I felt I didn’t deserve her. Hell, I still don’t ninety-nine percent of the time,” I scoff. “Pushing her away and making her hate me made it easier to keep her at a distance. I knew if I let her in, I wouldn’t have the strength to walk away. I…” I swallow past the lump in my throat. A small part of me will always believe I’m a selfish bastard for taking something so good in this world. “I didn’t want my dark past to taint her beautiful soul.”
“Jesus,” he mutters, taking a seat across from me on one of the plush chairs.
“I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but I won’t apologize for loving your sister. I’m all in, Miles. I’m planning on asking your dad at the ball coming up for his blessing to marry her. She’s become my entire world and gave me back a piece of myself that I had lost a long time ago. I will do everything in my power to make her happy and to keep her safe. I really hope Ihave your blessing on this because you’ve always been a brother to me, and I need you by my side at our wedding.”
“Fuck,” he murmurs, running a hand over his scruff. “This is really real.”
“It’s very real,” I say without hesitation.
He studies me long and hard, and for once, I let him see what I’ve tried so hard to hide. A smile plays on his lips, and relief floods my body, knowing he believes me.
“Then, I would be honored to have you as a brother-in-law. Your family, Knox, always have been. Just don’t fucking hurt her,” he warns. “I would hate to have to kill my best friend.”
“Hurting her is not going to be a problem. You have my word on that.” I stand up with him and slap his back in a hug.
“Sorry about hitting you,” he says, grinning way too wide to feel the tiniest bit sorry.
“No, you’re not,” I laugh. “You should have played hockey with that right hook. It’s been a while since I felt a good one.” I rub the soreness along my jaw and know it’s going to be tender for a few days.
“It was all that boxing we did to the bag growing up. All the moves you taught me backfired on you.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, throwing the ice pack on the counter. “I’m starting to regret teaching you my secrets.”
We walk back out and into the main house, where Savi is at the stove flipping pancakes. She turns when she hears us.
Dropping the spatula on the counter, she storms over with worry in her eyes.
“You fucking hit him!” She gives Miles daggers as her hand gently touches my busted lip and sore jaw.
“I’m fine. He got his one punch in and was smart enough not to do any more.”
“Didn’t want to hurt you. You have a game coming up, and it would only hurt my bets I have on you winning,” he grins, popping a piece of pancake in his mouth.
“I will never understand men,” she fumes, walking back over and aggressively flipping the last pancake before slapping it on the pile already cooling on the counter.
Miles meets my eye, and I nod toward Savi, knowing he owes her an apology.
Coming up behind her, he pulls her into a bear hug. I see her stiffen before she finally relaxes into him.
“I’m sorry I flew off the handle like that. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he says softly.
“You called me dumb,” she mutters, clearly still pissed at him.
“You’re not dumb. I didn’t mean it and shouldn’t have said it. I was just in shock. The last thing I expected was for Knox to be in your bed this morning. I had a hunch after last night’s dinner, so I came over to talk to you. I still believed I was seeing things that weren’t there, so it just surprised me, is all.”
