Page 23 of My Ex-Fiance's Best Men
The answer is right there, shining in the back of my head.
We reach the stream and walk along the crystalline water as I declare my intentions, emboldened by the anger of Matthew’s betrayal and by my mother and sister’s lack of support.
“Yes. On my twenty-fifth birthday, I will be doing something about it. Once I come into my trust fund and my twenty-five percent share of the company, I’ll be making some changes across the board.”
“Who’s voting on your behalf on the executive board?” August asks me.
“A fiduciary. I don’t know the guy personally. My mother assured me that he operates solely in my best interest.”
Dominic grunts, his brow furrowed with concern. “No offense, but I highly doubt that. He’s most likely paid to vote however your mother tells him to.”
“My birthday is only a few months away. He won’t be voting for me too much longer.”
“If Phoebe starts voicing her concerns now, Helen might try to knock her off the board altogether,” Theo warns the twins. “It’s better if she keeps her head down, at least for the time being.”
I’ve been keeping my head down for far too long and frankly, I’ve grown tired of being the good, obedient girl. Where has that gotten me? Mending a broken heart and a tarnished reputation.I’m constantly being labeled as “the lesser Baldwin” at every public event. I hear the whispers, see the looks they give me.
But as much as I hate to admit it, Theo makes a valid point. I need to continue to keep quiet until I have actual voting power.
“Ah, it’s so nice out here without a phone signal,” I say, grinning as I check the time on my screen and notice the absence of bars, eager to change the subject. “No contact with the outside world. Just us and… whoa.”
I come to a halt at the stunning view before us. Dominic, August, and Theo are just as astonished as I am.
The stream flows downward, surrounded by thick greenery on both sides. A couple of yards ahead, a conglomerate of obsidian shards jut out of the ground—remnants of an ancient volcano eruption. They look like shiny black tongues stretching out over the water, close to creating a bridge.
I sit on the edge of one, tracing my fingertips along the dark glass. Its surface is smooth and cool, sending shivers down my spine. Ages ago, this was red hot and incandescent, melting everything in its path.
“It’s incredible,” Theo says.
August takes water bottles out of his backpack and passes them around. I take a long, generous gulp of mine, taking a moment to simply admire the view and enjoy the company. New York seems so far away.
“I don’t think I ever want to go back,” I say quietly.
“Where? New York?” August asks.
I nod slowly. “It’s too beautiful here.”
“There’s no rush to return,” Theo says. “We could always extend the holiday.”
“And spend an entire month in Hawaii?” I chuckle dryly. “We all have lives to go back to, Theo. They won’t wait forever.”
“Five days in and she’s already thinking about home,” Dominic mutters, shaking his head in apparent dismay. “I don’t like it.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, suddenly worried that I might’ve ruined a perfectly good moment.
Instead of a reply, he grabs me and pulls me into a hot kiss. My mind catches fire as liquid heat quickly pools between my legs. As if suddenly activated, Theo and August flank me, keeping me pinned to the obsidian rock while they remove my clothes with quick movements.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I watch them remove their clothes as well.
“What does it look like?”
Theo kisses the side of my neck while Dominic grabs a handful of my breast. I gasp, arching my back under his touch, damn near melting when August’s lips close around my nipple.
“Oh, fuck,” I manage, trembling from the intense arousal as I let my hands do some exploring of their own all over Dominic and Theo’s bare, muscular torsos. “Out here? Are you sure?”
“No one’s here but us,” August says before his tongue spears my mouth and conquers me.
I submit with a sharp exhale, moaning as their hands roam over my body. My skin tingles, every inch of me coming alive as August’s fingers slip between my legs. Though the obsidian feelscool against my buttocks, my whole body warms as he works my clit into a swollen frenzy.
