Page 79 of Billionaire Bad Boy Auction

Dean gave a short nod, his gaze fixed on some distant point across the water. “I can’t fix this for him. I have all this money, and I can’t fix this or him.”

“You’re doing what you can, Dean. You’re supporting him. You’re trying to steer him in the right direction. Sometimes that’s all anyone can do.”

He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t look at me either. His jaw clenched, the muscle ticking as he stared out at the water. “He’s my brother. I should’ve seen this coming. Should’ve stopped him before it got this bad.”

“You’re not his keeper,” I said softly, though I knew the words wouldn’t ease his guilt. Dean had always been the one to pick up the pieces when Seth fell apart. It was second nature to him, as much as breathing. But this? This wasn’t something he could fix with a wrench or a checkbook.

Dean finally looked at me. “He’s going to hate me for this.”

“Maybe,” I admitted. “But he’ll hate himself more if he doesn’t face it. And when he’s ready, he’ll understand why you did it. He’ll be grateful you were there to encourage him to do the right thing. And loving him through it.”

We stood there holding each other for several minutes with the boat rocking gently. I felt him withdraw emotionally. He cleared his throat. “Want a drink?” he asked and stepped back.

“Please.” I nodded.

Dean moved to the cooler, pulling out a couple sodas and handing one to me. I popped it open and took a sip. He leaned against the side of the boat, his eyes distant again, lost in thoughts I couldn’t reach.

I wanted to say something—anything—to pull him back, but I knew better. Pushing Dean wasn’t going to work. He’d only shut down more. Instead, I sat back down on the bench, letting the quiet settle between us. The cove was serene, the water lapping gently against the boat’s hull, and for a moment. Just being out here was calming.

“It’s not your fault,” I said gently. “Sometimes people lose their way. But that doesn’t mean they can’t find it again. You just have to keep doing what you do. Stand tall. Be his rock.”

“Thanks,” he said with a sigh. “I will. I always do. It’s just so tiresome. He’s remorseful now, but I can’t help but wonder how long it lasts. He gets out of jail and goes back to his old ways. Then what?”

Dean took a long swig of his soda, his gaze still fixed on the horizon. I didn’t know what to say. Seth had always been unpredictable, even back in high school. He had a way of charming people into giving him chances, only to burn through them just as quickly. But this time felt different. Turning himself in? That wasn’t the Seth I remembered. Maybe there was hope after all.

“He’s making a choice,” I finally said. “That has to count for something. It’s not easy to admit you’re wrong, especially when it means facing consequences.”

Dean scoffed softly, shaking his head. “You don’t know Seth like I do. He’s good at saying the right things, but following through? That’s another story.”

“Maybe,” I conceded. “But people can change. If he’s serious about this, he’ll need you more than ever. And if he’s not… well, you can’t keep holding him up if he refuses to stand on his own.”

“Easier said than done,” he muttered.

“Isn’t everything?” I replied with a small smile, hoping to lighten the mood just a little.

The silence this time was a little easier, less fraught with tension.

“I have something to tell you,” I said.

“Yeah?”

Suddenly my news felt too bright, too happy for this moment. But I swallowed and pushed forward anyway. “I talked to my dad today. About reopening the brokerage.”

Dean’s expression didn’t change at first. Then slowly, a smirk tugged at his lips. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“For the first time in a long time,” I admitted.

Dean studied me, his gaze traveling over my face like he was looking for any sign I wasn’t being truthful. Then he did that thing that still caught me off guard—he grinned. A real, full, devastating grin that lit up his entire face and made my stomach flip.

“I’m happy for you, Portia. I mean it.”

A tension I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying slipped from my shoulders. “I feel kind of guilty being so excited when you’re dealing with all this.”

Dean shook his head. “Don’t.”