Page 82 of Tainted Hearts

We will give him his own good memories to replace the bad ones. Memories that are made by people who are not toxic or harmful, but who love him and have his back.

Isaac

Iknow Zed said hewas gone. I watched him leave with my own eyes. But I can’t help but think that it’s all too good to be true.

“Isaac?” Zed’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I look over at my brother. I still can’t believe he did what he did.For me.I hated him for a very long time. More than I thought I hated Abby. He was the son of my father's mate. I used to think that my dad would regret leaving Megan and go back to her and his first son, and leave me behind.

But now I know, Zed is not the enemy; the man who helped make us is. I like Zed, he’s a good man, a good mate, and after seeing who he really is, there’s just no way I can hate him.

“Yeah?” I ask, my attention only on him for a few seconds before finding Abby again.

“Go to her. Be her midnight kiss.”

“What?” My head snaps over to him. “Why?”

“Because she’s your mate. You're crazy about her, and you look like a love sick puppy watching her over there. Or a creeper, both would work.” He grins with amusement.

“I am not,” I mutter, but prove his point by finding Abby again. She’s sideways in Luke’s arms as they cuddle on a lawn chair. Her legs on Leo’s lap, who’s sitting in a chair next to them.

Noah is on Luke’s other side, playing with his blond locks as Abby talks to Frankie, who’s sitting with Libby and her mate.

Abby looks good enough to eat in that bikini. I don’t want to think with my dick, but it’s really hard when you have someone as fucking stunning as her as your mate while being unable to touch her.

“Isaac, I know you don’t think you deserve her, but you do. And I know you’ve been working your ass off doing things for her without her knowing.”

“You do?” I narrow my eyes. “How?”

Zed raises a brow. “Really? Do you know how obsessed I am with that girl? I know when she eats, sleeps, and pisses. So, I’d know if there was someone sneaking around, watching her.”

“I’m not watching her,” I huff. Okay, well, that’s a lie. I do watch her any chance I get, but I’m not like his crazy-ass and just watch her sleep. Okay, maybe the other night when she slept in our bed, but that’s different.

“Why are you leaving cupcakes at her door when you could be giving them to her yourself? Or doing her laundry? And Frankie told me about the few times she stumbled upon you telling the Heathers to leave Abby alone before they fucked with her. Well, not your Heather, Frankie already warned her to fuck off.”

“Okay, fine. Yes, I’ve been doing all of that. I don’t know how to be a good person, Zed. With the guys, we grew up together, we formed this natural flow of a friendship at a young age. I don’t have friends outside of them. I don't know how to...people. And I don’t know how to properly grovel. Abby isn’t the type of person you can buy forgiveness for, she wants actions of chance, but I don’t know how to do that.”

“I think you're doing a good job as it is. She told me about how you stopped her in the hallway that one time. Be more like that.”

“What? That was a moment of weakness, I was sure I had lost points when it came to her.”

“Nah.” He chuckles. “I just know her pussy was wet for you.”

“You're weird, you know that?”

“Yeah.” He shrugs, taking a drag of his smoke. “But being normal is boring. Now, stop looking like a little bitch and go talk to our girl. Get a little tongue action when the clock strikes midnight.” He grins before turning around and heading inside the house.

Abby leaves the guys and heads over to the hot tub. I see them getting up to join her, but when they look at me, I shake my head, and they sit back down. Luke gives me a shit eating grin, followed by him raising his fingers up into a V and flicking his tongue between it. I glare at him, flipping him off.

But Noah gives me a soft encouraging smile.I love them.

“Hey,” I say as I slip into the hot tub, trying to ignore the way my heart is pounding in my chest. God, I feel like some kind of virgin when I’m around her.

“Hey.” She grins. “So, have you finally grown a pair?”

“What?” I furrow my brows.

“Isaac, let’s stop playing games.” She slides over to me, and I’m fucking shocked when she straddles my lap. I look up at her stunned. Is she drunk? I know she had a few, but I don’t think she is. “You're my mate.”

“Yes.” I nod slowly.

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