Page 79 of Thanking Her Brother's Best Friends

"IT DOES NOT EQUAL YOU SELLING YOUR BODY AND SOUL TO SOMEONE ELSE!" I bellowed at him. Oliver poked his head around the living room door.

"Mom, are you having a hissy fit?" he asked innocently.

Just perfect.

"Where did you learn that word?" I asked him, making a very poor attempt to sound dignified.

"Aunty Abi told me to not disturb you because hissy fit," he replied innocently. Ben let out a strangled grunt as I made dagger eyes at him.

"Thanks for telling me, baby. But I'm fine. Did Aunty say what you'll be doing this evening?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Amusement park and cotton candy, if I'm a good kid."

"You're always a good kid, Ollie," Ben interjected warmly. "Why don't you help your aunt in the kitchen? We'll be along shortly."

I watched as he withdrew his head. The sound of his footsteps pottering down the hallway kept me quiet. It would suck to live in that penthouse without him.

But I had to keep his safety first. Abigail was a bitch, but she would never harm my son.

I couldn't say the same for my ex.

"Stay for lunch?" Ben asked. "I think Abi's got something special planned."

"No," I replied. "I have work to do."

"Selene..." Ben looked at the window, then the potted plants that lined the space under it, then fixed his eyes on me. "I'm sorry for being so blunt before. I just think everyone deserves a few chances to get their shit right."

Not when the shit involved hitting your sister and bailing on her kid because the asshole thought he deserved better than him. But no one is telling you that, and it's my fault.

"You can't change someone who wants to stay the same."

As the words slipped out of my mouth, a dreadful realization occurred to me.

Wasn't I, unconsciously and over the span of the while I'd been with Dom, Niall, and Aiden, also trying to do the same to all of them?

Even Aiden. Especially Aiden.

The idea that this wasn't anything serious, that I was fine with the four of us having a series of one-night, one-morning, one-afternoon stands, had long gone out the window.

Of late, I'd mostly been telling myself I just liked them for the company.

And because they treated my kid right.

But deep inside, IwantedAiden to be present. All of him.I wanted him to be in love with me.

Because I was in love with him. With all of them.

Fuck my life.

"Selene?"

I stood up and my head immediately swam. "Sorry, Ben. I gotta go. Thanks so much for Ollie."

"Are you—"

"I'm fine," I said briskly. "Just got my mind on work. I'll see you next week."

Ben wouldn't be Ben if he didn't try one last time. "At least think about talking things out with—"

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