Page 37 of Complete Me
“Me?” I ask incredulously. There’s no way he picked me when he has Dallas, Liam, and Carter. I had resigned myself to never being an uncle or having kids to love on and be there for that weren’t mine.
“When I have kids someday, you’re going to be the best uncle. I’m going to force you to move into my house with me and my husband just so they can know you like I do.”
“Are you insane? That had better be twenty years down the road, Lena. You just turned eighteen.”
“Yeah, but you’re already my favorite person in the world, and the best brother, you’re obviously going to be the best uncle, too.”
“You’re crazy. Has anyone told you that?”
“Oh, whatever. Where do you think I get it from?”
“Sure as shit not me.”
“Promise me that when I’m a mom, you won’t leave my side and you’ll be just as awesome to my kids as you’ve been to me.”
“I’m obviously going to be way better to them’cause they’ll be way cooler than you,” I tease because I can’t help it.
Grace stirs in Kinsey’s arms, and she bounces her slightly to soothe her at the same time her hand reaches out and touches my forearm. It immediately steadies me, bringing forth a gentle calmness that I need in this moment, grounding me, pulling me back into the present.
I look at Kinsey, who is looking back at me with a huge smile on her face before glancing down at Grace, bundled in her arms. Sawyer chose me? His brothers are some of the best men I’ve ever met, and he chose me?
When I look back at Kinsey, I’m slammed with a massive amount of guilt that makes my stomach turn. He’d feel so fucking differently if he knew what’s been going on between me and his sister. Even if we haven’t fully crossed any boundaries, the intent is there. The sexual tension between us is palpable, and the connection we have is strong. Fuck. The realization of what a piece of shit I am hits me full force, and I feelan immense amount of shame. This was the wake-up call I needed.
“You okay, big guy?” Kinsey asks, and I nod my head in reply before turning back to Sawyer.
“You sure this is what you want?”
“It is. We’ve talked about it for months, and we both kept coming back to the same decision. You two. We know that Grace would be taken care of and loved for the rest of her life just as we would love her. We know you both would give her everything she needed plus some.”
“Nothing is going to happen to you, though,” I say, when we all know that isn’t a sure thing.
“You never know. And we want to be sure.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m honored, brother,” I confess honestly.
“Me too. I love her so much, and I’m honored you would pick me,” Kinsey adds.
Ivy speaks up next, “We love you both so much, and you’re two of our favorite people—equally. We needed to ask you before all hell breaks loose when everyone else finds out.”
Kinsey starts to laugh next to me, throwing her head back and making me smile. Her laugh is infectious, so sweet and pure.
“I cannot wait to hear Dallas freak out, holy shit. That’s going to be amazing. You prepared, big guy? Pretty sure he may attempt to murder you in your sleep to get the spot.”
“He can bring it. He knows what a punch from me feels like; he had a nice shiner for a few weeks. I’m not giving this role up for anything.”
“It’s still going to be hilarious to watch him flip out. Carter probably will too. He loves Grace and Charlotte.”
“They can take it up with me. They’ll get over their shit, they still get to be her uncles,” Sawyer affirms.
With my heart in my damn throat, I spend the next few hours hanging out with them, wondering how the hell I started to fall for Sawyer’s sister, and how the hell to close off those feelings for good. I can’t do that to him, and I certainly can’t do that to her.
Instead of going straight home after being at Sawyer and Ivy’s, I swing by Rogue to check on things. As I walk up to my locked office door, I see two books leaning against the bottom of it. A smirk toys on my lips as my heavy boots clamber against the hard floor of my shop. I unlock my office door and grab the two books before opening it. My head is spinning as I read the titles. One is the one I left in front of her door, and the other is one she left for me with a note sticking out of the top in the same way I left for her.
Reid,
This one made me fall in love with romance. She’s trying so hard to find herself, but everything is preventing her from spreading her wings. In him, she finds her strength to be free and so, so much more.
Chapters 17, 23, and 35.
