AllFreeNovel
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I let him. Money and prestige were the only characteristics we shared collectively. With some of the families the privilege was all they had. Elias and I were the exception. Our father navigated in lanes that weren’t always moral and ethical which meant we had to learn to survive in the light and the dark. The others did not. They paid for favors when they had problems. Elias and I had gotten our hands dirty often. Their fathers and grandfathers frequented boardrooms while ours dominated the underworld. I simply chose to toe the line.
Once everyone left, and it was just me and Elias, I ordered a bourbon and water for him while we settled into a private area of the club. I could tell where his head was from the look he gave me so I eased his mind.
“We choose our family,always.”
He nodded and lifted his drink, removing the top before he turned up the glass bottle of sparkling. When he lowered it, he confirmed, “There is never a question about what my position or yours is. However, you know it’s not cut and dry. Cress is mine. Nobody touches her or our children, but Christian is her brother. Even if I choose what’s best for you both and can live with the decision—and I will chooseherover Christian—the decision won't be that easy for Cress.”
“I know, which is why we have to navigate this delicately. There’s also Jona. Like it or not, she and Christian are extended family.”
Elias smirked and shrugged. “Yours not mine. If a choice has to be made? Again, you know where I stand.”
Cress will always come first with Elias.
“And you’ll risk the fallout with your wife?” I asked.
“I’ll make it right. I have my ways.”
“You can’t fuck the guilt out of her if something happens to her brother or Jona.”
Elias grew serious. “Don’t be so sure.”
“I choose to steer clear of anything connected to you, your wife, and your bedroom. The point is, we need to figure this out.”
“I don’t need to figure out shit and neither do you. If The Collective wants this on Christian, there won’t be a damn thing either of us can do to stop what happens.”
He was right so I assured him of my stance. “We protect ourselves, but we also do what we can to help Devereaux out of this.”
“He said he wasn’t following in his father’s footsteps,” Elias murmured. I sensed his agitation elevating.
“And I said I wasn’t following ours, but the lines often become blurred. It’s not as easy to detach or erase the sins of the past. Even with the best intentions.”
“I don’t know shit about that. I never wanted any of this, still don’t, the only reason I’m here is because you’ve always stood for me and I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me shit, Lias. We’re family. We do what we must.”
My brother still struggled with having to depend on me all those years ago. He also struggled with the way his condition challenged his masculinity. When he spiraled, he was vulnerable.
Having Cress was the best thing for my brother. The way she loved him was beautiful. The way she stood beside him was a show of her strength and commitment to their love. The way she accepted him as not only her lover but also her protector. I wanted what they had and almost believed the type of love Elias and Cress shared was so rare that not everyone would be privileged enough to experience.
“Regardless of what you believe, I owe you my life and my happiness.”
Because of me, he had his wife. Those were his thoughts but Elias had been the driving force bringing them together.
“Speaking of, you’ve been traveling for weeks.”
“Business.” He gave me a questioning stare.
“Business or thebusinessof avoiding what your life looks like now.”
Both.
“I’m good, Elias.”
The way he searched my face had me asking, “Are we switching roles now? Normally it’s me searching your face for the truth.”
He smirked. “The roles have shifted and you’re not good. You’re avoiding moving forward. You deserve to be happy, Ez. One failed marriage, which you shouldn’t have committed to in the first place, is not the end of the world.”
“I’m content. When it’s time for me to explore something more I will not deny myself. Right now, my priorities are figuring out this shit with Christian and getting a handle on these community projects I have on my plate.”
