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"Yeah, exactly," I agree, chuckling and gripping my nape as my cheeks heat, “Uh…I’ve dabbled in a lot…sci-fi…suspense…romance.”
She lifts a brow at me and giggles, “Romance, huh? You're gonna share your favorites with me?”
I roll my eyes at her and chuckle, “Yeah, we can swap book recs.”
We settle back into a comfortable silence and I just…watch her. I can't get over how beautiful she is. I want to be what she needs. I want to be the man who can give her his entire heart. I’m not there yet, and I know that. I have some damage from the past that still manages to sneak into my head. But I don't want to lose the chance of having something with Dakota.
After this morning I felt like something just clicked into place. I can do it, right? I can be what she needs, can’t I? I want to be able to call herandAiden mine. I know it would make me happy.
But can I make her happy?
Can I be a decent parental figure to Aiden?
Jesus fuck, is that even something she would want with me?
I feel like I’m sitting here, watching her work, and I can't fathom what our future looks like. I’m obviously getting ahead of myself but I can't seem to stop. I want her to want me just as badly as I want her. I want this to be our life. Spending time with her while she works, kissing her any chance I get, holding her atnight, spending time with Aiden. I want it all. I just need to find the courage to ask if that’s what she wants.
???
The second I get into the kitchen I know that I'm in some deep shit. Sebastian and Maddox are leaning against the kitchen island with serious expressions. Madd’s posture is rigid, the set of his jaw speaking volumes more than words ever could.
“We need to talk,” Sebastian says in a completely serious tone that is so unlike him. The seriousness in his voice sends a clear message: this isn't a conversation I can dodge or deflect with humor or indifference.
The moment the words leave Sebastian's lips, the atmosphere in the kitchen tightens, the air suddenly thick with tension. It's not often that Sebastian adopts such a grave tone.
Feeling trapped, like a fucking cornered animal with no escape route, I brace myself. The sensation of being hunted, targeted for a conversation I'd rather run miles from, sets my nerves on edge.
“About?” I grunt, trying to hide the way my skin is fucking crawling.
“Dakota,” Madd states, terse and loaded. I can feel the tension spike. His jaw clenches, a clear sign of his frustration, and I'm momentarily thrown. Anger? At me? Or is there something else?
The mention of Dakota’s name sends a jolt through me, a mixture of fear and confusion. What about her? My mind races, sifting through recent events, trying to pinpoint anything that could have triggered this level of seriousness from Sebastian and Maddox.
"What about her?" I ask, genuinely confused.
Seb sighs and grips the back of his neck, some of that terse attitude fading away as he looks at me with sad eyes. "We’ve known you for so long that we know exactly who you are. So we know that you don't date. You don’t do relationships or even hook-ups, D. We know that girl fucked you over—“
"Don't." The word is a growl, torn from somewhere deep within me.
Anger is coloring my vision at the audacity. It's well-known that there are things we don't talk about. They may be my brothers but they have always understood thatsheisn't something I can openly discuss. Just like we don't talk about Madd’s childhood or why Sebastian got discharged. It's a line we drew and have always respected. So why in the fuck do they think that now is an okay time to cross that line?
“You need to hear this,” Madd states emotionlessly, his gaze never once leaving my face. “You need to understand the repercussions of your choices.”
I let out a short barking laugh and turn to the fridge, ready to dismiss this entire conversation. They’re drawing conclusions that aren't there. Dakota isn’t Bre…Dakota isn't the one who hurt me. They’re both acting like I can’t handle having feelings or a relationship.
So why are all my doubts flooding back, trying to invade my head with second thoughts about my decision to want her? Because part of me knows that they are right. I’ve spent a decade swearing off relationships and rarely participating in hook ups. So maybe I can’t handle it.
“You can't make a move on Dakota when you aren't even willing to have a relationship,” Maddox continues when he realizes I won't be speaking, “End it, D. I don't give a fuck, end it now before you hurt her just because you're incapable of love.”
Maddox's words hit me like a truck, leaving me winded, stunned into silence. It's one thing to battle your own demons, towrestle with doubts that creep in the dead of night. But hearing them voiced so bluntly by someone who knows you inside out? That's a whole different level of fucking painful. His accusation slices through the fog of my thoughts, laying bare the fears I've kept locked away.
Doesn't he understand? I've loved and lost in ways that have left scars so deep, they've become part of who I am. It's not that I'm incapable of love. It's that I'm terrified of yielding to it again, of giving someone the power to leave me broken beyond repair.
“Fuck you,” I breathe with no bite behind it. Just straight up hurt because Maddox has been my friend since childhood..and he doesn’t believe I’m capable of love. “There’s nothing going on with Dakota and me.”
Seb snorts and rolls his eyes. “I saw you leave her room this morning," he says, and it's like a punch to the gut.
My breathing picks up and all those doubts I tried to push away just slam into me. What the fuck was I thinking? I know I care about her. That is not up for debate but honestly, how could I put her in a position to be hurt? She’s been through so much that entering her life and fucking it up should be a crime. And Iwouldfuck it up. Somehow someway I know I would.
