Page 174 of Mended Hearts

Greyson gave a humorless huff. “You’re right, Leighton.”

“Somebody better have that on fucking record,” she muttered.

“Please. Sit down.” He gestured to the chair in front of the desk, then to the sofa beside me.

“Can’t. Need to break something.”

“I’ll let you destroy the office afterward if it helps. Just let me get this out.”

“Fine.”

“I should’ve told you.”

“Damn straight. All of you are fucking assholes.”

“That’s a valid emotion to be feeling,” he said evenly.

“Please.Youdon’t fucking feel anything, you fuckingcyborg.” Her words hit hard—harder than she realized. Greyson’s brow pinched, just slightly. His jaw flexed.

He looked like he did the night I got high and drove home in his truck—seconds from losing control.

“Trouble,” I warned softly, but she shot me a look so sharp I nearly swallowed my tongue.

“Don’t you fucking‘trouble’me, Oliver. Or should I sayMr. Hart?”

“Leighton,” I said, my tone dipping into a quiet plea.

“Well?” Her voice broke like a whip. “Do I even know you? How could you keep something like this from me, Ollie? I thought we were a team. All that bullshit about doing thistogether, and the entire time you’ve beenlying to me?About what happened on that bridge? About the fact that we were safe with security hovering? Meanwhile, I’ve been walking around oblivious—letting the kids run off to fountains and playgrounds, free like normal children, with no idea there were fuckingtargetson their backs?” She scoffed, half bitter laugh, half growl. “Like I wouldn’t handle it?”

She tilted her head in that lethal way—a cat about to pounce.

“For fuck’s sake, I would’ve reported that guy at the parkmonths agoif I’d known there was a bounty out for our entire family. All thanks to knockoffIron Manand his broken fucking parts over here.” She waved a hand at Greyson without looking at him. “And I’m the idiot for not asking more questions about the armed fucking guards posted outside your house. I thought that was just some entitled billionaire shit.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“If you could lie about something this crucial, how the hell am I supposed to trust anything you’ve said in the last ten fucking months?”

“Baby, just let me explain?—”

She didn’t walk away, didn’t scream—just stood there, trembling, one hand pressing protectively to her belly. Feeling our son move, maybe. Grounding herself. It scared the shit out of me more than if she’d screamed. Leighton only went quiet when she was done. Or when I was dead to her.

“He wanted to tell you,” Greyson said, gaze steady on the woman he had clearly labeled the biggest threat in the room. “I didn’t let him.”

“Let him?” Her voice went flat. “Is there something you should tell me? Got his balls in a duffel bag, Greyson? Last time I checked, Ollie’s a grown-ass man who can speak for himself.”

“You’re right,” I said quietly, shaking my head. Every muscle in my body screamed to go to her, to close the fucking distance. “Leigh, baby, I should’ve told you. I chose you months ago, and somewhere along the way, I should’ve trusted you with this.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“For me,” Greyson said. “I put Ollie in a terrible position. His loyalty should never have been tested between his wife and his brother.”

“I’m not his fucking wife.”

“But you will be,” he said like it was already carved in stone. “Won’t you?”

What the fuck was he doing? Trying to scare her?

But Leighton wasn’t scared. She wasfurious.Beautifulin her righteous anger.

---