“You’ve done plenty of violent things. Should Elizabeth not love you?”
“That’s different.” His eyebrows bunch. “You are still young. You haven’t thought this through. You couldn’t have.”
I can’t hear how ‘young’ I am one more time. My chest aches. I love Brady. He’s been my rock, my overprotective pain in the ass. But right now, he’s oblivious to how much he’s hurting me.
“Brady!” Elizabeth snaps sharply. “Don’t say something you can’t take back.”
His shoulders sag. “Sera… I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I’m scared for you. You’re my little sister. I can’t lose you.”
The words soften my anger a little. “You’re not losing me. But if you keep treating me like I’m still that scared girl, you might push me away.”
Elizabeth lets go of my brother’s arm and steps forward to pull me into a hug. “Congratulations. We’ll talk later.” She gives Brady a look over her shoulder. “Without the testosterone.”
I hug her back. “Sounds good.”
Brady scrubs his face. “I need a minute.” He pauses at the base of the stairs before looking back at me. “We’re not done talking about this.”
Callum grunts as my brother storms up the stairs. “And to think I used to feel sorry for myself for not having a family. Phone’s with Finn. He’ll update you.” Then Callum’s gone, too.
Elizabeth grimaces. “Brady will come around. You know he’s a total control freak, but he loves you.”
She gives Liev and me an arch look. “I’m dying to hear this story, but right now I need to go distract the raging bull before he breaks something important.”
I nod stiffly, not wanting to talk about it, more than a little worried I’ll cry if I try.
I knew he’d be upset but the things he said… I had no idea that’s what he thought about me.
Liev puts his hands on my shoulders, turning me to face him. “You okay? Want me to murder-face him?”
I know he’s trying to make me feel better, but his shoulders are still tense.
“I think you already did that,” I sniffle, the tears threatening to spill. He tugs me into his chest and presses his lips to my hair.
“I’m sorry he’s unhappy about this, but nothing he said is true. You know that, right? There’s nothing I want in life other than you.”
I pull back and swipe a finger under my eye to get rid of the moisture. “Well, duh! I’m awesome.”
His chest rumbles against me. “Ready to go home, Little Warrior?”
“Yeah, let’s go home, Gangster.”
It’s notuntil we are in his car that I realize I don’t know wherehomeis. Does he mean my apartment? I don’t even know where he lives.
Ah, the realities of a spontaneous Vegas wedding.
His fingers drum the steering wheel. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod, staring out the windshield at the row of parked cars glinting under the late afternoon sun. “Yeah just... processing. Brady’s always been like that. He’s better since Elizabeth, but this was old-school Brady.”
“He’ll come around.” Liev’s voice is steady, but there’s a quiet edge to it, like he wants to say more but is biting his tongue.
“Where are we going?” I ask, glancing at him as he merges smoothly with the Atlanta traffic. “We haven’t exactly discussed the living arrangements.”
“Wherever you want,malyshka. Your apartment, if that’s easier. Or my place?”
I lean back, crossing my arms. “Ooh, the big, scary gangster’s lair. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Is it all black leather and chrome? Separate rooms for... you know… business?” I waggle my eyebrows.
He keeps his eyes on the road, face deadpan. “No, we like to keep torture separate from home life.”
