Page 94 of The Betrothal

And the furniture? Although I’d only peeked under the drop cloths, the furniture varied from antique to modern, all of it carefully maintained and protected. No wonder he’d been so keen to have the property sealed fully, he must be desperate to move in.

I led him outside and groaned at the mess greeting us.

I turned to find Alex emerging with a chainsaw and a grim expression. He looked at the mess and he shrugged.

“It’ll be a little while, but hopefully not too long.” He didn’t sound optimistic and a fog settled heavily over my hope to be back quickly this morning.

Alex would have known how long it really took. Because it took hours. So many hours had passed before we cleared the fallen trees and dragged them out of the way.

In fact, by the time we’d cleared the path for the snowmobiles, made it out on the snowmobiles and the groundskeeper’s cottage was coming into sight, it was pushing midday.

Black-clad figures rose from the bench beside the lake as we crested the hill, waiting as we pulled into the yard, or maybe it was the garden, the snow was too thick to tell.

Pushing up from the seat I made my way towards them, both of them closing the distance faster than I could. Then I was wrapped into two pairs of arms.

Seb cradled my back, dragging the hood away from my face he leaned over me.

“We missed you, Killer. What took so long?” His question was urgent.

“The storm kept us there.” I smiled, in part to convince him that it was fine but the rest was just pure happiness. I missed him.

Demanding fingers cupped my jaw and turned me to look into the dazzling, glasses-free eyes of Ben.

“Hi. Sugar.” He punctuated each word with a kiss. “I’m mad that you left.”

His admission was like a dagger to the chest.

“I didn’t want to,” I protested.

“Oh, I know,” he soothed. “I’m just saying. I’m not mad at you.” He chuckled and the tension bled from me.

“Good, you had me worried for a second.”

He yanked Seb and me forwards and offered a proper kiss, tongue searching for mine. I kissed him back ravenously.

“Seb, would you like to take Izzy inside? Preferably upstairs,” Ben spoke over my shoulder.

“Benji, maybe now isn’t the right time to hash this one out,” Seb reasoned.

“It’s fine, Seb.” Alex joined us. “I deserve it.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s healthy for him.” Seb turned us both in place to clearly see the brothers.

“You took her from me,” Ben stated. “You don’t get to decide that, Alex. It was wrong.”

Alex had the good sense to look ashamed. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Ben dug his glasses out of a pocket and slid them over his face, messing his hair and straightening before he replied. When he did, his tone was all warning. “You don’t get to decide that for me, Alex. I’ll never forgive you for the time you stole from me.”

Alex gulped, pain dancing across his features. “Fuck, Ben. I’d prefer if you just hit me.”

Ben’s hand snapped out, the sound of flesh hitting flesh making me recoil into Seb’s hold.

“Now I’ve done both.” Ben shook his hand off.

Alex rubbed the blooming mark on his cheek shaking his head.

“You will never keep her from me, do you understand?” Ben growled.