Instead, I watch him rise to his feet, frowning as he reaches out a hand to me.
Over the next few minutes, he helps me to find some clothes, drying my back and joking that he has to turn away so he doesn’t see me naked.
It’s nice. Peaceful, and completely fucking terrifying.
I don’t know what to make of what he told me. Part of me is elated, euphoria spreading through every cell in my body. The other part doesn’t trust it at all.
I don’t understand how he can truly care about me after the start we had, after everything he has had to sacrifice, and after the artificial way we came together in the first place.
The future feels murky and filled with obstacles, not least his relationship with Flynn. I can’t imagine my brother rolling over for him. Flynn Jenson doesn’t live under anybody else’s rules.
“You’re thinking too much,” Gray says tenderly, as he towels my hair dry.
“Are you going to take over the club?” I ask, and the silence that follows makes my gut twist.
“I’ll be a silent partner,” he says, squeezing the last drops from it. “But I’m an investor now. I have to be.”
“And if Flynn wants to buy you out?”
“Then he can. But I’m guessing it’ll take him a while.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re an arrogant son of a bitch.”
“Hmm. True. But I also know this city,” his fingers press lightly on my shoulders, turning me around as his steely gaze meets mine. “The club will be a success. I’ll make sure of it. That district is hard to manage, the rents are skyrocketing, and without significant support, it would have failed.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Maybe not. Maybe you would have had a miracle, and JJ’s would have become the best club in New York City. But I doubt it.” He smirks. “With my backing, it’ll do well. That’s all any of you should care about.”
“JJ’s?”
“Has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it. Jones and Jensons.”
“Jensons would be first.”
He licks his lips, smiling down at me. “Sure.” His hand runs through my hair, pulling it over my shoulder. “Plus, there’s another reason the investment is a good thing for me.”
“Don’t tell me, you plan to open three more businesses in that district?”
“Not quite, it’s closer to home.”
“What?”
“Well, I have to keep Flynn happy now that I’m dating his baby sister.”
“Dating?” I ask, my heart thumping as his arms come around me again.
“Hmm, I would say so.”
“That’s kind of presumptuous, don’t you think?”
“Maybe a little bit,” he smirks. “And thinking about it, I should probably make sure all your brothers like me, right? Maybe I should order a bunch of pizzas tonight.”
“I think you’ve spent enough money on my family for one day.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he says quietly. “Nothing matters except convincing you to let me stay.”
Two hours later, I’m sitting on the floor of my living room, propped up against Gray with my brothers all around us. Seb and Ben have inexpertly patched each other up and are sitting, eating the final slice of pizza from the box.
