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“You see, this is the problem,” Parker says, his voice low. “It’ll never be between just you and Eden. She’s family, West. You sleep with her, you break her heart, and it’s all of us who are left picking up the pieces. You get that, right? You get that Hudson will implode and I’ll be in the middle? Because he’s never going to accept you and Eden doing this.”
“He accepted you,” I point out.
Parker lets out a rough laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Yeah, after months of me proving myself. After I showed him I wasn’t going anywhere. That Autumn was it for me. And even then he still nearly kicked my ass. But you? We all know you won’t stick around. I can’t think of a single serious relationship you’ve had since that one actress. Celina? Celeste? I can’t remember. All I know is she dumped you because you couldn’t commit.” He shakes his head. “Why couldn’t you stop yourself? Why couldn’t you be the grown up you’re supposed to be. Eden’s a kid. She doesn’t deserve this.”
“She’s twenty-five. Not a kid.” I hate the way he’s looking at me. Like I’m the villain here. The three of us have been brothers in every way but blood since we roomed together freshman year.
“She cried, did you know that?” Parker asks.
I blink. “What?”
“When she told Autumn, she cried.”
My stomach tightens. “Why?”
“Because she’s afraid, I guess. And instead of going to you she talked to her sister.”
“Afraid ofme?” My jaw tightens. I don’t like the thought of her crying about me to Autumn one bit.
Parker lets out a long groan, like he’d rather be anywhere but here.
“You don’t get it, do you? You married her. You’ve… done whatever it is you’ve done with her. You even sent her breakfast.”
He knows about that too? What the hell is it with women and sharing?
“Of course I sent her breakfast. I had to leave for work before she woke up. I’m not a complete asshole.”
“She’s fucking falling for you, you idiot.”
The words hit me like a slug to the jaw. I open my mouth but no sound comes out.
“She’s not the kind of woman who can separate sex from love,” Parker continues, like I’m not already reeling. “You’re using her, you’re going to break her heart, and she’s gonna be devastated. And so will I.”
“You?”
He nods. “Yeah, because I’m going to be forced to choose between the guy who’s been my brother for almost two decades, and the woman I married. And though it’ll kill me, we both know there’s no choice here.” His voice cracks and the knife twists more.
“Nobody has to choose,” I tell him. “I’ve got this covered. It’s going to be fine. When have I ever let you down?”
Parker studies me for a long moment, his jaw tight, his eyes searching like he’s trying to see through the bullshit I’ve built around myself. “Then for all our sakes, you better hope you don’t mess this up. Because if you do… this won’t end clean, West. It’ll end bloody.”
I say nothing for a minute. The cocktail of annoyance, fear, and confusion is all too much for me to think clearly. And then my phone buzzes.
You haven’t messaged me for ten minutes. Is everything okay? – Eden XXX
Jesus, she even sent me kisses unprompted.
My hand tightens on the phone until my knuckles ache. She’s falling for me? And maybe I’m falling for her too.
The thought is terrifying.Unacceptable. I push it away and do the only thing I can. I grab control.
I’m leaving right now. I’ll be there in ten minutes. You better be waiting for me, wife. – West
twenty-six
EDEN
He knows I spilled the beans.
