Page 129 of Manhattan Secret

“Did you have to tell him private family stuff?”

I love my brother, really I do, he’s the sweetest guy, but he really needs to grow up.

“I don’t have secrets from him. I really can’t help you out this month.”

“She can’t help you out at all,” Lachlan says, harder tone. “Get a job, pay your own bills, stop relying on your baby sister.”

“Listen…I just need a short-term loan, Laney.” Teddy starts, but Lachlan cuts him off.

My man-boy has never suffered fools or bullshit and though Teddy is my blood, I’m warm all over for someone being on my side. Hard and real talk is something Teddy needs.

“I don’t give endless fucks what you need, just leave Delaney out of your shit.”

“She’s my sister, she doesn’t mind helping me out.”

“You’re a goddamn parasite, man. Grow the fuck up, you’re what, nearly forty? And still sponging off your sister, you should be ashamed of being a man. Get a job, get a life, you’ll feel a damn sight more pride in yourself than you do now begging for money.”

Oh, god.

I want to intervene, I want to tell Teddy sure I’ll give him a loan, just so I can get him off the phone, but Lachie’s hand squeezes my thigh before he takes that same hand to my back and starts stroking me.

“This is what I’m gonna do for you, man. This is a one-time only deal and it’sonlybecause of Laney. I take care of her, she’s mine and she’s not going to be your banker anymore, you getting this?”

I don’t even hear Teddy’s replies at this point, my heart is too full, too loud to listen to anything other than Lachie.

“If you love your sister, then you man the fuck up. I’m gonna give you a video call in a few minutes, I’m gonna introduce myself properly as Laney’s man and then I’m gonna help you get on your feet. It’s one time, Teddy, you screw up again, you don’t come to Delaney. I’m the one taking care of her, and I won’t be happy if you try to squeeze money out of her again.”

I’m crying by the time Teddy apologizes to me and the call ends. Lachie pulls me into his lap, and I cry some more, burying my face in his neck.

No one has ever done that for me before.

Sure, I have a good family and we love each other, but to stand up as my protection, this is brand new and I fall so much more in love with him.

Composing myself, still holding onto the sides of his neck, we are as close as can be with our clothes on, so it doesn’t go unnoticed the hardness pressing between my legs. For this one minute though, I’m not focused on getting into his pants.

“I want to say something,” I tell him. “And I want you to not say anything before that mouth of yours can snark or smirk or any of the other gorgeous bad boy things it says.”

“I say gorgeous things?”

I lay my fingers over his lips to shush him, “You know you do. Thank you for what you just did, Lachie. No one has ever done that for me before. I love you so much. So freaking much, I think my chest is going to burst open.” My emotion becomes too big when I lay our foreheads together, Lachie’s big hands span my hips, squeezing a little to show he isn’t unaffected either. “You did that for me, Lachie. You must forgive me a little … please, forgive me a little.”

“God, Laney.”

It’s not far-fetched to assume he’ll burn me down in flames, tell me to still work for it.

I will.

I so will.

But then. “The second I got that first text from you I forgave you. Wanted you back. I waited for you to come to me, make me see… makeyou seethat we are worth it, baby.”

Oh, dear god.

Eyes clash, hardly breathing over my thumping pulse and ecstatic, swirling belly.

“You … wanted me back even then? Before I’d pleaded and begged and made you manicotti?”

“Even then,” he smirks, running his hands over my hips and lower back.

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