Page 16 of Crimson Love

She smiles and tears fill her eyes. “I know. The moment I found out you were my brother, I loved the idea of you. But over the last couple of months, I’ve come to love you. The money is yours whether you want it or not. Do with it what you wish within the parameters of the trust.”

“I’m not the easiest man to get to know.” Patrick says. “I hope to get there with you. When I learned you existed and about the kidney disease, getting you healthy and making sure Harlow was okay in the process was my priority. Now that we’re past that, my next one is making up for a lifetime of missed memories. Someone stole that from us, but I can sure as hell make the rest of your life easier. I’m too old to sugarcoat anything. I want you and Harlow to be the future of Stonebridge. That goes beyond the board of directors. The sooner we can figure that out, the better.”

I glance down at the number on the page again. It’s not a billion, but it’s a hell of a lot of millions. Hundreds of them.

And my father, Patrick Madison, wants me to have a hand in Stonebridge. I have no fucking idea why he thinks I wouldn’t run his precious company into the ground. It’s not exactly the kind of operation I’m skilled at.

My only responsibilities in life are my needy pets, keeping in touch with my old squad, and meeting deadlines with my boring as hell online job. It doesn’t matter how hard I force this news to sink in, it doesn’t.

I’m not sure why, but this trust fund doesn’t feel like a gift. It’s heavy, like a burden I don’t have the energy to deal with.

Despite the weight of it, I look at Patrick. A man with the same eyes as me and who used to look eerily like I do right now. I feel like I’m looking into a magic mirror of myself decades in the future.

“Thank you,” I say. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with it or what my future holds, but thank you.”

Harlow picks up her water and holds it out to the middle of the table. “To family and a beautiful future. May our love and devotion to each other run deeper than blood.”

Devon presses his lips to the side of Harlow’s head and lifts his tea. “I second that. Harlow’s family will be mine.”

Chrissie doesn’t need to pick up her drink since she never put it down. “I don’t have a trust fund, but I did get a raise. Here’s to thicker than blood.”

Patrick picks up his crystal glass of water, and his gaze never wavers from me. “To family.”

I have no choice. I pick up my lukewarm coffee, click it to theirs, and say the only thing that’s coursing through my veins. “I have a feeling this will be a wild ride.”

Chrissie throws back the last of her cocktail and the glass lands with a thud on the fine linen. “If there’s one thing I know about the Madisons, if it’s not a wild ride, it’s not their ride.”

Shit.

Who knew getting a kidney would be the easiest hurdle when I found my new family?

CHAPTER FIVE

BREAK THE ICE

Lennon

W hen I saw the top of a dark head of wavy hair moving through the labyrinth, I’d know it anywhere. I’ve memorized the chestnut color and every dip and wave. Not that I’ve seen it up close since the day he dragged himself out of bed to answer the door when I brought him food two months ago. I’ll never forget it. That day his hair was more luscious straight out of a deep sleep than it was when I found myself on top of him in the atrium of the manor.

That meeting was so uncomfortable, that once I realized I wasn’t getting fired for almost killing him, I never went back. When it came to Jett Cross, I became a lurker.

A shadow dweller.

Hell, I’ve become a pro at ducking and weaving when I see him around the manor.

Really, I’m just a woman too mortified to come face to face with him again. But Felicity forced me to have lunch in the employee lounge. My panties and I have managed to not be the topic of conversation since the day I swore I was going to get canned for tackling a kidney transplant recipient.

I had a good run. Eight weeks to be exact. But it all ended today when Amelia informed me that Blake had a conversation with Mr. Cross about my almost killing him.

It’s time I come out of the shadows and stop being a sleuth. Apparently, I haven’t apologized enough.

“Mr. Cross! Wait!”

He stops and turns.

His expression isn’t unhappy, but it’s not happy either.

I need to win this man over, if for no other reason than my conscience can only take so much in life. My goals were simple when I moved to Winslet —work hard, make everyone like me, and escape the rest of the world.