Page 39 of Double Dare

I notice Mom wipe her eyes, so I roll mine at her, pointing right at her. “You secretive witch.”

She gives me the finger and a smile.

“Where the fuck is he now?” Ry asks.

“Lakes is waiting for my call. I told her if I bucked up and told you guys, she could bring him here.” Dom laughs, wiping his face. “Should I call her?”

We all punch him. Dumb question.

The relief I feel that my brother is okay is…weightless. I missed him. What a dick.

Chapter 16

As we pull into the lane and drive past the resort, Liam groans.

“Shit, I knew they had money, but I never expected this. They’re going to think I’m a gold digger. I’m too much of a piece of shit to fit in at a place like this.” He gawks at the giant main lodge of the resort, the log-cabin feel of it charming and warm despite the snow.

“Once you meet them, you’ll think differently. They’ll put your foul mouth to shame.” I smile, knowing the Dare boys are going to give Liam the best kind of welcome.

I pass the resort, wind through the path, and park in front of the Dare house. Sitting here, we can see them all in the living room, and by the looks of it…

“Dom’s being put through the wringer,” Liam laughs. “Serves him right.”

They’re all grouped around Dom, their arms flailing, punches flying, shoves occurring in rapid succession, and Dom’s just taking it all while laughing. He looks happier than I’ve seen him in a long time, and I’m so glad he finally told his family. It’s hard keeping a secret from those you love, especially when your secret is as incredible as Liam is.

“Are…do you think I can do this? I don’t think I can do this. There’s so many of them.”

I remember my first time meeting all of them. We were on a mountain, sitting at the top of the Cliff of Patience, and the only one I’d seen before was Jed. When I learned he had nine other hot brothers, my jaw hit the rocky ground. But it didn’t take long for me to feel comfortable around them. They have that kind of vibe that puts you at ease, matching your energy until you’re comfortable amping yourself up to theirs.

“You’ll be fine. You’ve got thick skin, and their love language might be insults and banter, but you’ll be too stunned to be hurt by it. You’ll be laughing within the first minute through the door. I promise.”

“But…what will they think of me?” He motions to himself. Yeah, he’s that scraggly, rough around the edges type, but he’s got a heart of gold, a kind soul, and a warrior’s attitude. Plus, he’s nice to look at.

“They’ll love you.”

“How do you know?”

“Because Dom loves you, and that means they’ll love you. But once they get to know you, they’ll love you even more. Trust me. The second you walk inside that house, you become family, and the Dares never turn their backs on family.” I squeeze his hand. “And if someone, especially Kade, makes you feel uncomfortable, I’ll knock his ass out. Got it?”

He blows out a breath. “Thanks, Laken. Fuck it. Let’s do this.” He opens his door.

True to form, the first comment Liam hears is a flirt. Zahn struts right up to Liam, not giving a single shit about personal space, wraps his arm around his shoulders, and says, “I guaran-fucking-tee I’m a better fuck than Dom. Want me to prove it to you?”

This then strikes off a competitive ‘I’m a better fuck than you are’ challenge, and the Dare boys get swept up with Liam. Or maybe Liam just gets carried off like an Egyptian Pharaoh on the tide of their bullshit.

“Thanks, Laken.” Dom hugs me. “For fucking everything.”

I wrap my arms around him, his scruff scratching nicely at the top of my head. “I hope they gave you a hard time.”

“Oh, they called me every name in the book and laid into me hard. I deserved it.”

“Damn right you did. Forgot who your family was there for a bit.” I squeeze him before pulling back. “Proud of you.”

“Dom, get off my girl.” Jed snatches me. “Because now I have a boyfriend to dish it back with.” Jed winks at Liam across the room. “Next time you hide a hot boyfriend from us, I’ll castrate you, got it? No more life-altering secrets, yeah? Smarten up.”

They hug, call each other a few names, and then Dom rushes off to save Liam from the twins, the words ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ flying around the living room.

“Pisses me off he went to you and not us, love,” Jed says, watching them. “Thanks for being there for him. I get why you couldn’t tell us now.”

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