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“I knew something was wrong.” Bas sounds tortured.

Really? I didn’t suspect a thing. Did I pay so little attention to my own wife that I never realized the extent of her heartache?

Yep. I feel blind, stupid, double-crossed, and utterly bowled over.

I’m also angry as hell. Yes, at Becca for clamming up and plotting to blindside me, rather than finding the courage to tell me how she felt. But I’m seething in fury at the Lunds for scheming and interfering and having no compunction at all about ripping my life apart for their financial gain.

“I didn’t know how to help her,” Bas goes on miserably. “I didn’t know what was wrong. And I couldn’t step over the line…”

“Thank you for…” Not resenting me when I stood between you and happiness. Being my friend. Staying true, even when it cost you.

He hangs his head. “Please don’t hate me.”

“I can’t. You did everything you could in a shitty situation.”

Bas’s head pops up. As if on autopilot, I stand and round the desk. I’m aware suddenly that in all the years I’ve known Bas, I’ve never hugged him. In the past, I wasn’t a fan of these male expressions of friendly affection. But over the last seven and a half months, everything has become different. I lost my wife, met my siblings, fell in love… My head has changed. My heart has changed.

I back up my words by bringing Sebastian against me and giving him a hearty man-slap on the back. He does the same. I feel him swallow. I sense the sob he holds in. I hurt for him, knowing he’ll never have the lover he pined for.

He backs away, managing to hold himself together. “Thanks…brother.”

“Brother.” I nod. “I hope you fall in love again and that she’s everything you ever wanted or needed. I hope she makes you sublimely happy for the rest of your lives.”

“Thanks. I hope that happens, too. I’m so fucking tired of being alone.”

“I know. Now, if you don’t mind me leaving this brofest, I’m going to kick the Lunds’ asses.”

Chapter Seventeen

As I’m driving to Nia’s cottage, I seethe. Douglas Lund didn’t think twice about tearing apart my life with Becca. I’ll be damned if he gets the chance to try again with Nia.

I dial my wife. I need to tell her I’m heading over. She needs to know the Lunds are scum.

No answer. I scowl and dial again. Nothing. That’s unlike her. I try not to let it, but worry bares its teeth and gnaws at my gut.

Please, God, don’t let anything happen to her…

Maybe she simply has her head in a moving box. Or better yet, in the shower. Yeah, I’d like her all naked and wet and available for me to pleasure as soon as I tell her what’s up.

In the nine days we’ve been married, it’s crazy how much my need for her has grown. We spent last night locked in each other’s arms, drowning in kiss after kiss, touch after touch. I want her again. I want her more than ever. I’ll want her always.

But she doesn’t just fire my blood. I admire her, respect her. Weirdly, she also soothes and comforts me just by being near.

There’s no doubt about it; I’m hopelessly, irrevocably in love with Nia.

Learning the extent of Becca’s duplicity only helps me realize how much deeper and more substantial my relationship with Nia is. I’m in a far better place with the right woman.

And Sebastian… I feel sorry as hell for him.

As I cruise down the main drag outside of Nia’s neighborhood, her little blue compact in the corner of the parking lot of a cafe catches my eye. What is she doing here? It’s two in the afternoon. Maybe she got hungry. But if she’s there, why didn’t she take her phone inside? Is she grabbing a quick takeout order?

Frowning, I pull into the lot and park near the door. I can’t see past the restaurant’s tinted windows for a glance inside, but now that I think about it, she’s mentioned this place once or twice. According to her, they make a mean peach pie, and my wife definitely likes her sweets.

With a little smile, I head for the door. I’ll surprise her, maybe even order something and eat with her as I fill her in on the day’s events. She might have some insight. Not that I’m not handling the situation. I think I’m actually doing a decent job. The old me would have been pissed enough with Bas to burn bridges. Logic would have dictated that by coveting my wife, he was betraying me. The old me didn’t understand love. This me? I get it.

But my heart isn’t all mush. Nia may try to talk me out of squashing the Lunds. I’m disinclined to hear reason. I’m definitely not selling them a fucking thing. They want Stratus? They’ll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands.

I don’t give a shit that my decision will cost me a billion dollars. I’m going to do everything humanly possible to grow my business into a mega empire. I’m going to become untouchable. Nia will be at my side, helping me. So will Sebastian. Together, we’ll ensure that neither Douglas nor his shitbag son can lay a hand on the company we’ve worked so hard to build. We can grow Stratus so big I’ll be Jeff Bezos rich. Then the Lunds can go fuck themselves.