Page 111 of Boulder's Weight

"He's the only family I have left," I say softly. "The only one worth keeping, anyway."

Boulder's hand comes up to cup my cheek. "He like me?"

I can't help but smile. "He does. He basically gave us his blessing."

"Good." Boulder leans in, his lips brushing mine in a gentle kiss. "Because I wasn't planning on letting you go anyway."

The kiss deepens, and I lose myself in it, the stress of the day melting away under Boulder's touch.

When we break apart, I rest my forehead against his chest, grateful for the break.

"Amara wants to talk to your brother when he wakes up," Boulder tells me. "Get the full story about Benji and Sally."

I nod against his chest. "I figured. Whatever he knows, he'll tell us."

Boulder's fingers tilt my chin up, making me meet his eyes. "You trust him that much?"

"With my life," I say without hesitation. "Sam's never lied to me. Not once."

Something flashes across Boulder's face—so quick I almost miss it—before his expression softens. "Then I trust him too."

The night flies by, and then so does the day.

I guess Sam really needed the sleep, to allow his body to heal.

It’s a little past four and Sam is meeting with Amara and the officers while I wait in the main room.

Boulder insisted on being present for his talk, and luckily they agreed to let him be in there.

Oakleigh plops down beside me on the couch, handing me a beer. "So, that's baby brother, huh?"

I accept the beer gratefully. "That's Sam."

"You two are close," she observes. "It's obvious."

"He was the only good thing in that house," I say, the memories causing an old ache. "After our mom died, he was the only one who saw what our father really was. The only one who cared about me more than the family business."

Oakleigh squeezes my knee sympathetically. "Family's complicated. The blood kind and the chosen kind."

I look around the clubhouse, at the people who've accepted me even with all of my baggage. "I'm starting to see that."

The door to church opens, and Boulder emerges first, his expression grim.

He makes his way directly to me, taking the seat on my other side.

"How'd it go?" I ask anxiously.

"Your brother's clean," he says. "Amara believes his story, and so do I. He's confirmed what we suspected—Benji's been in contact with Sally, though it seems like a marriage of convenience sorta thing rather than a real alliance."

"So he can stay?"

Boulder's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. "As long as he needs to. Under protection, just like you."

The gratitude I feel is overwhelming. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Boulder says with a small smile. "Thank Amara. She's the one who made the call."

Sam emerges next, looking slightly shell-shocked but otherwise all good.

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