Page 76 of My Ex-Boyfriend's Brothers

Later that night, after I’d put Anderson down for the night, I was sitting on the same couches I’d once sat on with Brad, with my husbands. I leaned back against Luke’s chest and giggled when his hand trailed up my stomach to my chest.

“Are you missing me?”

He kissed my neck and cupped my throat. “Yes. If you can be quiet, we could go to our room and take care of it.”

Ryan snorted. “Maggie? Quiet?”

I lightly kicked him. “I can be quiet.”

“You can-”

The alarm dinged and let us know someone had opened the front door. I sucked in a sharp breath because I knew their dad and step-mom were already in their room for the night and that they’d mentioned Brad could be stopping by. It’d gotten late enough that I convinced myself I wouldn’t have to see him after all.

Luke pressed his mouth to my ear. “Relax, baby.”

Easier said than done. I hadn’t seen Brad since the day in Christina’s hotel room when she’d dumped him. I’d worried about running into him since then, afraid of how awkward it would be, or if he’d be mean to me. There was also a tinge of fear that he’d try to hurt my relationship again. I just didn’t trust him.

Jackson leaned over and kissed me before standing up. “I’m just going to grab something to drink.”

I grabbed his hand. “Jack.”

He sighed. “I’m not going to do anything, baby. I’ll be good.”

Luke and Ryan both snorted. Ryan picked up my foot to massage it while shaking his head. “Bullshit.”

Before any of us could make another move Brad was standing in the doorway. He stared at us, a deep frown on his face. He’d put on a little bit of weight since I’d last seen him, all of it centered in his middle. His hair also looked thinner.

And just like that, I realized I’d built him up to be bigger in my head than he was in real life. I’d let myself turn him into a monster who could ruin my family but he wasn’t. He was just a sad little man.

I struggled to my feet and put my hand on Jackson’s chest to settle him. “Brad. It’s been a while.”

He looked at my stomach and a cruel smirk played at his mouth. “I-”

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” I smiled. “I’m over how you treated me, but your brothers aren’t. If you vocalize whatever mean thing you’re thinking about me, I can’t promise you that they won’t do their best to make you eat your words. We have a family now. You have a nephew upstairs and a niece on the way. I’m willing to leave the past in the past to make things easier for your dad and everyone else here. Are you?”

Luke wrapped his arms around me from behind and growled. “I suggest you say yes, Bradley.”

Brad seemed to be thinking it over. His face darkened as he did and then he narrowed his eyes at Luke. “Give me back my job. With a raise.”

“No.” Luke didn’t expand on his answer.

“Then you can all go fuck yourselves.” Brad turned around and a few seconds later we heard the door slam.

I shrugged. “Well, that was dramatic.”

“You okay, baby?” Jackson cupped my face with shaking hands. I could tell he wanted to go after his brother.

I smiled and nodded. “Honestly? I think I needed that. He looks pitiful. I don’t wish bad on him but it does seem like karma has taken a chunk out of him.”

“He really just asked for an allowance, basically, to be nice. God knows he never actually did any work so it wasn’t like I could expect him to now.” Luke sank back down on the couch and pulled me into his lap. “You were brilliant, baby.”

“I think so, too.” I laughed at their incredulous looks. “What? That was something I’ve been dreading for so long and now it’s over. I feel great. I feel like I could stay really quiet for you guys tonight.”

Ryan laughed and blew out a deep breath. “Jesus, you’re perfect, Maggie. I don’t know how we got so lucky.”

“You were patient and you worked hard. That’s how good things come to everyone.” I bit my lip. “Just like I’ve been patient and worked hard at keeping my libido at bay today. So good things should come my way.”

Jackson picked me up and barked at his brothers. “One of you grab the baby monitor. The pool house should be far enough away to mute some of her screams.”

I grinned over his shoulder at Luke and Ryan. “And grab a snack for after!”

Jackson grunted. “And to think, you used to be so sweet and quiet.”

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