Page 22 of His Forever

Butthis? This wasn’t just business. This was a shitstorm with Leo Banachi right in the middle of it.

The man who had stolen my heart over twenty years ago, only to break it in the end.

And now, after all this time, after everything I’d been through, he still had my heart—even though it was hardened and cracked. Held together by years of hurt and distance. It wasn’t a question of whether I could fall in love with Leo again. I’d never really stopped. The real question was whether I could handle loving him, knowing full well that he might break my heart all over again.

“I knew you’d be able to find your way,” Leo called up to me when I was halfway down the stairs, that familiar warmth in his voice.

I laughed softly, trying to shake off the tension that had been building up in me all day. “I did, but I still think you should hand out maps.”

He nodded, grinning wide. My heart skipped a beat. God, even after all this time, he wassohandsome when he smiled like that. The years had changed him, sure—he had a few more lines around his eyes, his face was a little more weathered—butthe way his smile lit up his entire face, that was the same. It still managed to knock the breath right out of me.

“I’ll get Murphy right on that,” he teased, his eyes never leaving mine.

I rolled my eyes, reaching the last step, now standing right in front of him. We were eye to eye, closer than we had been in years. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

Leo just stared at me for a moment, his expression softening. He gently shook his head like he was trying to shake off a thought. “What was that?” he asked, his voice low, almost absentminded, like he had just been lost in his own world for a second.

I tipped my head to the side, trying to read him. “Nothing,” I said lightly, though I wasn’t sure it wasnothing. There was something in the way his eyes connected with mine that made my stomach flip.

He stepped aside then, holding his arm out to me. “I told everyone to be in my office in five minutes. I thought you might want a second to gather your thoughts,” he said, his voice a little steadier now.

I placed my hand on his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin through the fabric of his shirt as he led me down the hallway to the left. We walked side by side, our footsteps quiet against the hardwood floors. The walls were lined with dark wood paneling, rich and warm, and the faint smell of leather and whiskey lingered in the air. We passed a few closed doors before stopping at the second one on the right.

Leo opened the door and gestured for me to step inside.

The office was spacious. A large wooden desk dominated the far side of the room, on its surface scattered with papers, a laptop, and a half-empty glass of whiskey. In front of the desk were two plush chairs. The kind that looked like you could sink into them for hours without wanting to get up. To the left, therewas a worn leather couch that sat in front of a stone fireplace, a soft fire crackling inside. The warmth from the flames spread throughout the room, making it feel cozy despite its size. On the opposite wall was a tall liquor cabinet standing with bottles of whiskey, bourbon, and scotch lined up neatly and their amber liquid catching the light.

It felt like Leo in here—masculine, calm, controlled. A place where deals were made, secrets were kept, and burdens were carried.

I glanced around, taking it all in, before turning back to Leo. “Nice place you’ve got here,” I said.

He gave me a small smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It does the job,” he said, his tone quieter than before. He walked over to the desk and picked up the glass of whiskey, swirling the liquid around before taking a sip.

I followed him further into the room, letting my fingers trail across the back of one of the chairs in front of his desk. I could feel the weight of everything between us, all the years, all the unsaid words hanging in the air.

“You know,” I started, trying to keep my tone casual, even though my heart was racing, “I thought seeing you again would feel... different.” I paused, searching for the right words. “But it kind of feels like… nothing’s changed.”

Leo looked at me over the rim of his glass, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Maybe because some things haven’t,” he said simply, his voice low.

I didn’t know what to say to that. The way he was looking at me, the way he said it—it was like there was a whole conversation happening between us that neither of us was willing to speak out loud.

Before I could say anything, though, the door opened behind us, and I turned to see Apollo stepping inside, followed by Creed, Princeton, and Murphy. They each gave me a nod, their facesserious as they filed into the room, taking the remaining chairs in front of Leo’s desk.

Sig, Don, Jack, and Clyde were right behind them and took spots on the couch or stood along the wall.

“Well,” Apollo said, breaking the silence, “let’s get to it then.”

Leo set his glass down on the desk and leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the room before settling on me.

“Brynn,” he said, his voice steady but heavy. “Why don’t you start?”

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the weight of their eyes on me. This was the moment. The one I’d been dreading. I had to tell them enough to keep them on our side without revealing too much. Not yet. Not until I knew... I didn’t know what. A lot of what I did dealt with a gut feeling.

Guy had shown and taught me a lot, but the most important thing he had ever told me was to trust my gut; it never would steer you wrong.

I took a deep breath, meeting Leo’s gaze one last time before turning to the others.

“Alright,” I said, my voice stronger than I expected it to be. “Let’s get started.”

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