Harper shoots to her feet, pretty in her pink dress, yet a vicious sight as she fires at my father. “No, Josh. Absolutely not. You interfered in my relationship with Felix and Tyler once. I won’t let it happen again. You’ve done a lot of good in your life but you’ve also made some disgusting decisions.”
His face pales. He’s known Harper for twenty-seven years. During each encounter between them, she’s appeared polite, quiet, and like a sweet girl. He’s speechless, unsure what to make of her right now. “Harper?—”
“Let’s stop dancing around the truth of what happened with Paul Ferguson—I was about to be raped and your sons saved me. Yet you sent Felix away for it, to a reform school. You manipulated Tyler into lying to me. Do you not realize how much damage you’ve caused in our lives?”
Tyler and I stare at Harper with shocked admiration. “Should we interfere?” I mutter to him.
“Definitely not.”
“Youwillstay out of our relationship this time,” Harper warns.
Dad’s jaw tightens. He looks to Tyler—his sensible son—hoping Tyler will see reason.
Tyler leans both forearms on the backrest of myarmchair, watching Harper with pride. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”
Dad’s face is red, his temper ready to explode. “This family is the face of Forever Families.”
Tyler scoffs. “When have any of us ever wanted to be the face of Forever Families? Take me out of the picture. I’ve always smiled and played along to make you happy, and I don’t just mean about Forever Families. I’m talking about how you were never around for us as kids, yet I acted like your absence was fine; when you asked me to help cover up Paul’s death; my career; fuckingeverything. My whole life, all I’ve ever tried to do is make people happy. I’m not doing it anymore. And while we’re making announcements, I’ve quit my job. I’m going into business with Felix.”
I bite back a laugh at all the truths Tyler dropped on our father. I have to admit, I’m impressed with him and Harper.
Yeah. Things reallyaregoing to be different between us three this time.
“Dan, I’m sorry. I fucked up,” I say as the two of us step into Dad’s office, leaving the rest of the family in the living room. “Tell me what I can do to make this right between us. I’ll say it again—Ally is safe. You two never should have been dragged into this. But it’s over now. You can relax.”
He shakes his head, staring out the window atCentral Park. “This isn’t just about Ally’s safety. I don’t know a thing about you.”
“That’s a bit of a dramatic statement, don’t you think?”
He turns to me and groans. “Look, I’m glad you and Tyler worked out your issues. I hope us four brothers can return to the way things once were because those days were the best. But I’m so fucking angry at you, Felix. How could you drop all this news on me about your past yet leave me hanging and barely explain any of it for weeks? You’re not just my brother. You’re the closest friend I have. But it doesn’t feel that way at the moment.”
My forehead creases as I string together the true meaning behind Dan’s frustration.
He rubs his jaw with irritation, then lowers his voice. “You’ve got a traumatic past. I’m sorry. I didn’t know any of this about you. I wish I did. I want to know what you’ve been through. This isyouwe’re talking about, the one person I have looked up to and idolized my entire life.”
My throat tightens, hearing the vulnerability in my brother’s voice. Jesus fucking Christ. This kid is not seriously about to make me cry.
I swallow hard and try to prevent my voice from dipping. “I kept you out of everything to protect you.”
“I was young. I get it. But I’m not a kid anymore.”
“You’re right.” I pat Dan on the shoulder. “We’ll have a long chat right now and I’ll tell you everything.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
FELIX
Life is fucking good.
The last of Harper and Tyler’s belongings have been moved into the penthouse today, crowding the living room with boxes.Ourpenthouse. Their names have officially been added to the property. We finally have the life we always wanted.
The three of us have gone public. Paparazzi captured photos of Harper holding Tyler’s and my hand, even kissing each of us as we escorted her to the theater. Her career is flourishing due to all the gossip. Forever Families not so much.
While I’m not pleased to have caused the parents strife, I won’t live my life to please them. Their organization will bounce back eventually, as it did when Dan and Ally went public.
Dan and I are good again. Killian has eased up, secure in his job thanks to me throwing money at Sacred Heart in the good old fashioned Blackwood way.
We’ve had Dan, Ally, and Killian over for dinner. InHarper’s spare time, she’s been busy with Ally, attending wedding dress fittings and bridal showers. With the wedding only ten days away, Tyler and I insisted on throwing a bachelor party for Dan, but he doesn’t want anything like that, just a poker night with the four brothers.
