Page 138 of Succumbed

I can tell she’s not convinced. She’s been self-reliant for so long, carrying the burden her asshole father heaped on her shoulders. Though I know she has friends, I also know she’s never let anyone help carry her burdens. Lex spent nearly four decades keeping people at arm’s length, and now she had three demanding assholes forcing themselves into her life. Anyone would be overwhelmed.

“I know you’re not a patient person,” I say, “and I’m not, either. But if you can be patient with me, with us…I think we have something worth fighting for.”

She looks up and I let her see the earnestness in my gaze.

“You’re not worried about what happens when it all falls apart?”

“First of all, it’s ‘if it falls apart’, not when,” I tease, then sober. “I’d be a fool not to consider the negative possibilities, baby. We’d also both be fools not to consider the positive ones and, from where I stand, they far outweigh everything else.”

Sighing, she leans her head on my shoulder. “I don’t have an answer for you today, Shane.”

“I don’t need an answer. I just need you to know I’m all in, and I’m not going anywhere.”

She tangles her fingers with mine. “I don’t deserve you, Shane Kelly.”

“You’re wrong. You deserve far better than me, but I’m just selfish enough to keep you for myself. And my two best friends, of course.”

She giggles and sniffles, burying her face against me. We sit on the bench for another thirty minutes, laughing and snuggling. By the time I escort her back to her office, it’s the best hour of my entire week.

Chapter 41

Lex

“Yo, Lexi!”

I pause on my way up the stairs, leaning down to peek through the railing. My nephew stands at the threshold of my sliding door in board shorts and a tank top that shows more skin than it covers. He grins and waves enthusiastically, lifting a pizza box in one hand.

“Hey, Jax.” I trot back down the steps, walking over to give him a hug. “You alright?”

“Can’t complain.” He raises the box again. “Figured I could use some help devouring this bad boy. Haven’t seen your guys around lately, so I also figured you had your usual tonight.”

Glaring at him, I walk toward the kitchen. “They’re not mine.”

“I’ll ask you again…do they know that?”

Handing him a beer from the fridge, I gesture toward the island. As I reach up for a wine glass to go with the bottle of white, he glances at the beer.

“This is my beer.”

“The kind you seem to prefer, yes.”

He perches on a stool, placing the pizza box on the island. “You bought my favorite beer.”

“I did.”

I hold out a plate, but he rolls his eyes. Chuckling, I pop them both back into the cabinet before settling onto the stool next to him and dragging over the paper towel holder.

“Awful nice of you, Lexi,” he says around a mouthful of pizza.

“It’s just beer, Jax. You’ve lived here long enough I should stock more than your favorite drink.”

“Nah,” he shakes his head. “You’re the busiest person I know. Yet you still made time to get something just for me. Last person to go out of their way for me like that was my mom.”

“We’re family,” I answer automatically, but the moment the words pass my lips I pause.

Jax notices. He always notices. He’s only been living with me for six months or so, but I suspect he could rival Ruby with his insightfulness.

“Why does talking about family make you go all frozen and stone-like?” He asks innocently, his blue eyes wide and inviting.

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