Page 65 of Damaged & Deadly

“God, I haven’t been here in forever,” I admit when we crest the top wall and take in the view of the sea stretching out before us. “Not since the last time we were here.”

“Same,” Hadley agrees, her eyes taking in the view before she turns to face me. “I guess I have some explaining to do.”

I sit on the low wall surrounding the top of the roof, my legs dangling over the edge, and she moves to join me before starting into her story, and by the time she’s finished, I’m in awe. I always knew she was living in a difficult situation, but she never elaborated, and I never pried, but I had no idea the extent of it. What she’s survived is unimaginable. “That’s…” I trail off, shaking my head. “It’s like something out of a movie.”

“Right?” she laughs, and it’s easy and carefree. Nothing like the laugh I remember. Tearing my gaze away from the horizon, I turn to look at her.Reallylook at her.

“You seem happy.”

She smiles, something she’s done a lot of since she showed up earlier, and yet it’s still jarring to see. She very rarely smiled when I knew her, and even when she did, it was fleeting and hesitant. Nothing like the relaxed grin that lights up her face now.

“I am,” she admits. “Happier than I ever thought I could be.” With that surreal grin still on her face, she nudges my shoulder. “Tell me about you.” She waggles her eyebrows in a very un-Hadley-like gesture that makes me burst out laughing. “Which one of them are you doing? Please tell me it’s Cain. He was so convinced a woman couldn’t make him change his ways, but I knew it would just take the right one.”

I blush, and Hadley must see it written all over my face because her eyes widen. “Hell, yes!” She holds her hand up for a high five, yet another move that seems so out of character. “Go you, girl, doing them both! The multi-dick life is the best.”

I snort a laugh. “Oliver mentioned you have a reverse harem relationship going,” I subtly pry, curious to know more.

“Yup. There’s Beck, his brother, West—he’s the quiet, nerdy one—Cam, the jokester, and Mason, my surly softy.”

“I don’t know how you juggle all those different personalities,” I confess.

She shrugs. “It has its moments, but for the most part, it’s easy. It’s all about compromise, honesty, and open communication.”

I gnaw on my bottom lip before deciding to open up about my conversation with Oliver last night.

“That’s a tough one,” she admits when I’m finished. “His history with Evie is definitely tricky, and while I don’t feel his guilt is justified, I can understand why he feels that way. I think all you can do is give him his space. Let him make up his mind for himself, but honestly, I don’t think you need to worry. It sounds like he loves you, and while this is all a bit of a mind-fuck for him, that love will win out at the end of the day.” She squeezes my knee in a reassuring gesture. “Just give him a bit of time. I think the three of you would make a great team. You could be exactly what Black Creek needs.”

“Uhh,” I hedge, not exactly sure how to tell her the next bit. “It’s not just the two of them.”

“What?” she chuckles, surprise coloring her features. “Who else?” She gasps. “Oh my god, Marcus? Or one of the kids? They’re all at least eighteen now, so totally possible,” she surmises aloud.

“Eww.” I shove her shoulder. “No. They’re friends with my brother.” I shake my head, horrified at the thought of viewing kids that I lump in with my brother in any sort of romantic or sexual way. “Just, no. And Marcus, while admittedly hot, isn’t my type.”

“Well, don’t leave me in suspense, who is it then?”

I hesitate, glancing at her from the corner of my eye while blurting out, “Dante Antonelli and his bodyguard.”

Silence follows my confession. “As in those Antonellis?” She points across the wide river to where the tall Antonelli skyscrapers glitter in the midday sun like a shining beacon, only emphasizing the dilapidated condition of the rest of the city.

“The one and only.”

Her gaze swivels to mine, and I can see the caution in her eyes. “Are you sure they aren’t playing you?”

“I’m sure.” I lift my left hand, where my wedding band sits snugly on my ring finger. “Dante married me and everything.”

Her eyes widen to the size of saucers, her mouth dropping open in shock as she snatches my hand toward her face for a closer look. “What the fuck?” she mumbles to herself. “Tell me everything.”

I chuckle before launching into the whole crazy story. By the time I’m finished, she’s gaping at me in a mirror image of how I stared at her when she finished filling me in on what happened to her.

“Fuck, girl. Caught between two hot mafia men and two hot gangsters… that is a very panty-melting place to be.”

“Tell me about it,” I grouch.

“You’re going to have quite a task on your hands, making four alpha males get along.”

I groan, burying my face in my hands. “I know.” I’m still hoping to get all four of them to tolerate one another, but I don’t yet know how I will achieve that.

She nudges my shoulder, making me look up at her. “If anyone can do it, it’s you.” She shrugs. “And if they love you like they claim they do, they’ll work it out.”

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