Page 95 of Breathtaking

His words hit me harder than he may ever know.

“The entire world, my love. The entire world will be watching. Your family may have had the eyes of this town and this state and at times, even your country, on them... But trust me when I say the entire world will be watching.”

* * *

Maddox

My mother and Lennon are going over everything they think Brennan could possibly need when I step into my office to take the call that just came. Rhys’s name flashes again with an incoming FaceTime.Fuck. Lennon hasn’t even talked to him today.

I cross the room before answering. “Hello?”

How do you address the king of an entire fucking country?

Dad slides into my office behind me and shuts the door.

“Maddox.” Rhys’s face appears on my screen, and he doesn’t look different, even if somehow, I expected him to. “How’s my sister?”

Right to business.

This I can handle.

“She’s worried about you.” I sit behind my desk and switch the call to my computer. “But she’s okay. We’re leaving for the private airstrip in a minute.”

“Do you understand what you’re walking into?” He runs his hand through his hair, and I see the weariness lingering in his face. “I hope when you said for better or worse, you meant it. Because this is going to be worse.”

My fists tighten at my side. “Question anything you want, but don’t question my love for your sister.”

“Good answer. I’m going to need you to remember that this week. No matter what anyone says... No matter what they try to force her to do when I’m not around. No fucking matter what happens, she’s your job. Lennon is the only thing you are responsible for. Put her first because as of this morning, I can’t.”

Fuck... What the hell am I supposed to say to that?

“She’ll always come first for me,” I tell him with complete certainty. “Her life, her happiness... they matter more to me than my own.”

“Good.” He nods his head like that’s what he needed to hear. “Remember that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He disconnects the call, and I look at my father. “Have you ever not been the scariest motherfucker in the room?”

“Nope,” Dad says in all seriousness.

“Pretty sure that’s about to change.”

LENNON

One day your child will come home and be overwhelmed with memories.

Make sure the good ones outweigh the bad.

—Lennon’s Secret Thoughts

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I check in with Maddox as I run my hands over the shoulders of his suit coat. “I mean, you’re kind of screwed if you’re not. But at least I asked, right?”

The joke falls flat as my husband stares back at me, all brooding seriousness wrapped in a gorgeous package. Far too serious for this early in the morning and having gotten very little sleep.

“I’m sorry. I make horrible jokes when I’m nervous, and my nerves are a mess at the moment.” I drop my forehead to his chest and close my eyes as his hands cup my neck and lift my face. “You have nothing to be nervous about, Lennon. My parents will have Brennan whenever he’s not with us, and I’ll be by your side every step of the way.”

“Promise?” I ask as someone knocks on the bedroom door of my family’s jet.

“With my entire heart, love. With my entire heart.” Maddox lifts my chin and ghosts his lips over mine. “Are you ready?”

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