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I reach for his face and cradle it in my palms. “He didn’t die because of you, Griffin.”
Tears streak his cheeks. “He did, Piper. If I had understood the depth of his talent back then, I would have paid for art school. I had no idea.”
“How could you have known?”
“I thought it was a frivolous choice. He kept those paintings hidden in his room.” He exhales roughly. “My mom was the only one behind him and I drowned out her voice.”
“His paintings are intense.” I look at him. “There is so much pain in them. He was a tortured soul, Griffin.”
“Sebastian and Dylan have said the same thing.”
“Sometimes an artist uses their medium as a catalyst for their pain. I believe your brother did that.” I blow out a breath. “He put everything he was feeling into each stroke of his brush. He captured his internal struggles on canvas.”
He nods in silence.
“Whatever drove him to take his own life was much bigger than what you two argued about.” I feel a tear well in the corner of my eye. “He was in pain for a long time, Griffin.”
“I wish I would have understood this when he was alive.” He searches my eyes. “To my family, they were just paintings. We couldn’t see beneath their surface.”
“He was brilliant.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “I’m in awe of what he created.”
“I want to show you more of his work.” He strokes my hair. “I want to tell you more about him.”
Reaching up, I take his hand in mine. “I’d love that.”
Chapter 50
Griffin
My intention wasn’t to make love to her when I came to her place, but that’s exactly what happened. We spent hours in her bed, sharing slow sensual kisses and a hard fuck that shook the walls.
I need her. She feels it now, but that’s not enough.
“Piper.” I trail kisses over her bare collarbone. “Wake up, baby.”
Her eyelids flutter open. “I’m awake.”
“I love you,” I say the three words that have consumed me for weeks.
Her bottom lip quivers. “I love you too.”
“You’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met.” I rest my head on the pillow so I can gaze into her eyes. “You understand me in a way no one ever has.”
“That’s because I love you.” She smiles softly. “I think I fell in love with you that first day in your office when I turned around and saw you.”
I laugh. “It was love at first sight.”
“Love at first beat of my heart after your eyes locked on mine.”
“You felt that too?” I question with a quirk of my brow. “My heart beat harder after I saw you. Something changed. I knew you were meant to be a part of my life.”
“Does that mean we have to thank Marco?” She scrunches her face. “I can’t say the bad sex was worth it because I found you. It wasn’t.”
“He was bad in bed?”
She laughs. “He was a bad kisser. You do the math.”
I kiss her. It’s deep and lush. “I’m the best kisser, aren’t I?”
