Page 75 of My Ex's Billionaire Brothers

“You said something last night,” she begins. “When we were all talking about making it…official. You said it meanteverythingto you. Did you really mean that?”

I can’t resist leaning in to press a slow kiss against her lips. “Yes.”

The wind whips around us, the ocean roars at our feet, and for a moment, it’s just the two of us in our own world. When I pull back, her cheeks are flushed, and my entire body hums with the reminder of how incredible she is.

We walk again, arms around each other’s waists now. She nestles closer, as if seeking my warmth in the breezy afternoon. After a few minutes of quiet, she lets out a contented sigh.

“I’m so thankful for you…all of you,” she murmurs. “But especially for you right now. You’ve always been the one who can make me laugh. Even when you’re making jokes at the worst times.”

“Hey, that’s my specialty.” I grin. “We can’t all be Gage with his no-nonsense approach. Or Theo with his crisp, refined manner. Somebody’s gotta crack wise and keep people loose, right?”

She laughs, leaning her head against my arm. “Exactly. So…what about you, Hunter? What are you most thankful for?”

I pretend to mull that over, scratching my chin. “Hmm. If I say anything other thanyou, you’ll be offended. But if I sayyou, it’s super cheesy. You’ve put me in a tough spot, babe.”

“Shut up. I’m serious.”

I gently catch her by the shoulders and turn her to face me. My gaze roams her features—the curve of her cheek, the sparkle in her blue eyes, the faint smattering of freckles she hates but I adore. “I’m serious too,” I say quietly. “I’m thankful for this very moment, Anya. The way you’re looking at me right now. The way you make me feel. Like maybe I’m not some giant mistake.”

Her eyes widen. “Why would you ever think you’re a mistake?”

There’s a twinge in my chest, an old wound reopening. I’m not used to talking about this, but I want her to know. “It’s old stuff. My mom…well, she wasn’t exactly warm and nurturing once we got older. After me, Theo came along, and it was all about the new baby. She’d do that with every new kid. She loved babies, but once they started, you know, talking and being actual kids, she lost interest. I guess I decided it was my fault that I wasn’t…enough. Then, with Theo being so perfect?—”

“Hey.” She squeezes my hand. “Theo’s not perfect.”

I huff a half laugh. “I know thatnow. But back then…it felt like he was everything good, and I was that loud, rowdy kid no one wanted around. I was always getting into fights…she never cared if I came home bruised or bleeding. I started thinking,I’m just an afterthought.Gage got out early—he was older and didn’t stay under her roof long. Meanwhile, I felt stuck.”

She exhales softly, her expression filled with empathy. “Hunter…I’m so sorry.”

I lift a shoulder. “It’s okay, really. I’ve made peace with it. The dojo I trained at sort of became my family. But those feelings? They linger. That’s why I joke around a lot—keeps me from brooding.” I pause, letting the sound of the waves wash over us.

Her eyes glisten. She raises her hand to my cheek, fingertips warm. “You’re not a mistake,” she says, voice trembling. “Not to me, not to Gage or Theo. You’re the heart of this relationship, no matter how many of us there are. And I’malwaysgoing to want you.”

The surge of emotion hits me hard enough that I can’t speak. I tug her closer, letting my lips meet hers in a kiss that’s part gratitude, part longing. She leans into me, and for a brief, blissful moment, the rest of the world ceases to exist.

Except we’re not alone on this beach. A sharp, derisive voice draws us out of our reverie. “Get a room, would you?”

I pivot, still holding Anya protectively. A few yards away stands Billy.ThatBilly. The guy from the flower shop and her ex-boyfriend from high school. He looks like he just rolled out of bed—hair half-sticking up, wearing a faded T-shirt that’s seen better days. His scowl is unmistakable.

“What’s your problem?” I ask, stepping between him and Anya. My tone is low, and I can’t hide my annoyance. Of all the times to show up.

He sneers. “My problem is seeing my ex crawling all over some muscle-bound clown onmybeach.” He waves a dismissive hand. “It’s…disgusting. Y’all should be ashamed.”

I grit my teeth, but Anya is quicker. She sets a hand on my arm, as if telling me not to snap. I swallow hard, keeping a lid on my temper. “Jealous much?”

Billy ignores me, sneering at Anya. “Jealous? Of what, exactly? Having a third of a girlfriend? I don’t need that kind of drama.”

Anya’s chin lifts, and she looks him square in the eye. “See, here’s the funny thing, Billy. No one asked for your opinion, and there’s a reason for that.”

His face twists, anger simmering under the surface. “What did you say?”

She crosses her arms. “You. Don’t. Matter. Your opinion doesn’t matter. That’s why no one asked you for it. And that’s why you’re really angry, isn’t it? Because you’re stuck in this town, running your mother’s old flower shop. That’s what you’ll do until the day you die, and you’ll never leave Castle Beach. You told me a million times you were going to escape one day—go to the big city, be someone important—but you never did. And deep down, you know you never will. Meanwhile,Igot out, and that burns you up inside.”

Her voice is calm, almost pitying, and I see Billy’s cheeks flush a deep red. He opens his mouth to speak, but she steamrolls him with, “I hope you find something that gives your life meaning one day, Billy. I genuinely do. But it’s not going to be me, and it’s not going to be this conversation. Good luck.”

Without waiting for a response, she turns on her heel and strides away from him, her dress swishing around her legs. My chest swells with admiration.Damn, that was hot.

Billy’s mouth hangs open, completely at a loss for words. I can’t help but grin, glancing from him to Anya’s retreating figure. “It’s like they say. The dildo of consequences rarely arrives lubed.”