Page 96 of Succumbed

“Fuck off, man. Rules are meant to be broken, and you know it.” I study him, knowing in my gut he’s off base about the Summit. And it matters to me if he wants her, and I know for a fact it matters to Linc and Lex.

“What business do I have wanting a woman like her?” His voice is low, as though he’s speaking to himself.

“What business do any of us have thinking we deserve the privilege of loving her?”

Dec searches my face. “You love her, too, then.”

I nod. “Yeah, Dec. I do.”

He chugs the last of his beer. “I’m happy for you.”

Laughing, I reach out and slap his shoulder. “You sound it, asshole. I love you, too. Not like I love her, but I do. And Linc.”

He looks as gobsmacked as Linc did the other day. These fucking Wildes are allergic to emotions.

“I love us together,” I continue. “There’s room for all of us, Dec. And as much as you’ve tried to fuck things up with her, I see the way she looks at you. Linc and I? We want you there. You two are the only family that’s ever counted, and I want our family whole. With Lex.”

“Jesus, Shane,” he rasps, rubbing at his eyes, “I can’t fucking cry in a dive bar.”

“Sure you can.” I say brightly.

His chuckle is low and short, but it’s there. Thank fuck. I relax into the booth and smile.

“Anyway, Linc and I need your help.”

Dec looks up as he sniffs. “With what?”

“Paris. Lex has only ever been for work; she’s never seen the city. I got Miles to build some extra time into the schedule so we can play tourist for a day.” I give him a small smile. “You’re the Paris expert, Dec. Linc set a bunch of stuff up, but he’s stumped on what to do for dinner.”

“You want me to plan a romantic dinner for the three of you in Paris?”

“For the four of us. And share whatever other ideas you have. We’re done with the asshole attitude, yeah?”

He barks a laugh. “Being done with the attitude and joining your date day are two very different things, Shane.”

“That’s not a no.”

He sighs heavily as he slides out of the booth. “It’s not a no.”

I follow him, leaving some cash on the table for the tip. “Thanks, man.”

“Don’t push it,” he grunts, but it lacks bite.

Eyeing him, I can’t help but push one more button. “So…you gonna add some big romantic gesture to the itinerary? Apologize for being a sack of shit for months and confess how you feel?”

I laugh as he glares daggers at me.

“Fuck all the way off, Kelly.”

Chapter 27

Lex

“Lex, how do you feel about bikes?”

I look up at Linc as he walks across the terrace toward me. “Does spin class count?”

He squints and cocks his head. “Not exactly?”

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