“Yup, this is the one,” Oliver agrees without hesitation before his gaze slides back to his brother. “What are you two doing here?”
Hayes glances at their sister, who’s standing stiffly in the entryway. “Mom wanted us to check on Kia and make sure she was all right.”
“I texted her,” Kia mutters, crossing her arms in front of her like armor.
“What she needed, and what you owed her, was a real conversation,” Hayes shoots back, tone edged with concern rather than anger. “She’s been losing sleep over you, kid.”
Oliver moves closer to me, the warmth of his body brushing against mine. His hand finds the small of my back, and the contact sends a ripple through me even as it anchors me in place.
“She’s going to stay with me for a while,” he says firmly. “Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out. Tell Mom not to worry.”
Ava steps forward, her expression gentling as she wraps Kia in a warm embrace, murmuring something against her ear that’s too low for me to catch. After a beat of resistance, Kia’s rigid shoulders sag as she allows Ava to steer her toward the kitchen, her defenses lowering just enough for affection to slip through.
When Ava finally releases her, Kia’s gaze meets mine for a brief second. There’s something stripped bare and vulnerable in her eyes.
It’s a look I recognize all too well.
The quiet relief of not having to be strong for once.
The sight scrapes against an old, hollow ache I thought I’d buried years ago. For as long as I can remember, there hasn’t been anyone to share the fallout with. No siblings to divide the weight or cushion the blows. Watching Kia fold into Ava’s arms, accepting comfort she might not have realized she needed, stirs something raw and unfamiliar in me.
It’s envy, yes, but also longing.
I don’t know what’s worse… wanting to belong here or knowing I wouldn’t know how if I tried.
Oliver’s palm drifts higher along my spine, as if he can feel the storm brewing beneath my skin. He doesn’t fill the silence with useless chatter. Instead, he traces lazy circles with his thumb, each one sending little tremors through me. Somehow, that quiet comfort speaks louder than anything he could ever say.
Hayes’s curious gaze bounces between us before his mouth quirks into a knowing smirk. “I guess this would be a good time to welcome you to the family, huh?”
A rumble of laughter vibrates through Oliver. “Don’t scare her off. She’s already trying to come up with any reason to bolt.”
Even though heat floods my cheeks, I don’t move away. If anything, I’m hyperaware of Oliver’s hand pressed to the curve of my back. Instead of letting go, his touch settles more firmly, possessive in a way that sends a thrill through me.
It’s a subtle but unmistakable claim. One that tells everyone in the room exactly where I belong.
And who I belong with.
The most dangerous part?
There’s a traitorous, secret piece of me I can’t seem to silence that doesn’t want him to let go.
Far below the penthouse, a siren wails before fading into the distance.
For everyone else, it’s just another Wednesday night.
For me, it’s a fragile interlude.
One that I fear won’t last.
40
Oliver
By the end of the night, after Hayes and Ava have headed back to their hotel and Kia disappeared down the hall claiming exhaustion, the apartment falls quiet. Rina and I remain on the couch, the silence settling between us. She’s curled up beside me, head tipped back against the cushion, fatigue etched into every line of her face. Even with shadows smudged beneath her eyes, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
My need for her goes so much deeper than her body. I’ve had nights with women where that’s all it ever was. Heat, skin, and the rush of release before walking away untouched by anything real. That kind of desire has always been easy.
Forgettable.
