Page 80 of Restrained

Now she smiles. It’s real and a great big smile as she takes a sip of coffee. “Yes. Yes, I was.”

“You dated Colt first?”

She nods. “You and Lola really have gotten to know each other, haven’t you?”

“She’s not just a hookup for me. Or a part of a scheme to hurt you or her. Or anyone.”

She studies me, pursing her lips and seems to accept that. “I believe you. I have no idea why, but it’s weird... You’re going to think I'm crazy, but I think I felt safe with you from that first meeting. But when I found out you lied?—”

I cut her off, “You had every reason to be suspicious. It’s smart.”

“I’m getting married.”

“I heard. Congrats.” I smile, not really knowing Lincoln from the one dinner I had with him, but if Lola says he’s good to her, I believe it.

“Thank you. Are you in love with Lola?”

Damn. Everyone surrounding Lola is blunt as hell. “Yes.” I don’t have to hesitate with that question anymore.

A slow, sardonic smiles slides over her face. “Don’t hurt her.”

“You know, so far in the short time I've known you all, I’ve been told if I hurt you, my balls will be shark food. And if I hurt her, they’ll never be able to identify my body.”

She snorts as she takes a drink from her coffee. “The Sterlings are intense.”

I laugh too. “No shit. I’ve been around some tough motherfuckers, but they are something else.”

“Now you know why I couldn’t shake them. Tougher than all the street kids I knew combined.”

“I’m really glad you had them.”

“Me too.” She smiles sweetly. “Anyway, you should be Lola’s plus one to my wedding.”

“You’re inviting me to your wedding?”

Her small shoulders shrug, and I feel her insecurity. “If you want to come. But you are the only blood relative I have, and she loves you. She’s going to need you.”

“Why? As far as I can tell, she loves you like a sister already.”

I can tell the feeling is mutual, but her smile fades. “Because of the location of the wedding.”

My blood runs cold. “Where?”

“The lakehouse.”

I shake my head. What the fuck? “Why?”

She swallows, and I see the tears are back in her eyes. I can’t imagine why they would ever go back there. “Closure. You don’t know the whole story. I’m almost certain of that. Linc and I... There’s a dark past there.”

“So you want to be married there?”

That makes no sense.

“Yes, because Nora’s wedding there was beautiful, and it was therapeutic being there. I just... I want Colt to be a part of it. I don’t want to hide from his memory because he meant so much to both of us.”

The brother she dated before the brother she’s marrying?

Okay, so maybe she’s a little crazy.

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