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Prologue

Allen

I watch Ro her hand and yelling at his dad Roman smiles That’s no small oing He was a reat pains to stay away from

Until Ana

My sister worked a miracle in thisso by

“When did you know you lovedhim, but unable to stop myself

Roain, Roman doesn’t share with anyone but Ana Still, I owe thefor death I did everything I could to die I fucking hated myself There are still days that I do Days when the darkness behind ain I beat it down by sheer will, but I never forget that it is there, nipping at et

“From the moment I first saw her,” he says easily and I can see from his face he’s completely serious

“Get the fuck out of here,” I answer, shaking my head no

“I may not have called it love, Allen, but theto her, I knew she was mine”

“I think that’s called lust, Boss, and I’m not sure I want to talk about my sister like that”

“You asked Call it what you want, Allen, but the truth is I never wanted to let her go and I never planned on it I called it a s, but I was full of shit”

He turns his head froain Roman is a tall man, with so uard hi of gray that’s just beco visible and he’s clean shaven His suit is iht On his hand is his wedding band and it’s not visible but I’ve seen it Under that ring is a tattoo of just one name: Ana

“She’s so else,” I tell him, and I mean it Ana risked her life to save me, and because of her Ro I could to destroy her—I blamed her I blamed her for shit I shouldn’t have Still, she stood behindthe one man she should have stayed away from for help

“That she is, Allen”

“You’re a lucky man, Roman”

Ana and little Ro on the deck, waiting for the deck and Ro close behind He keeps them close to his fa to lose, he keeps it guarded like the treasure it is I liked that I liked that my sister was treated like a precious treasure I want that for her After the hell she’s been through—and the hell I put her through—she more than deserves that

“Allen, you may not believe me now, but mark my words One day a wo upside down You’ll take one look at her and you’ll feel like you’ve been hit by a bolt of lightning”

“Roman—”

“You will go down on your knees to keep her and if she’s a good woladly”

I take in his words I take the else; he can’t because Ana and his son are here now and Ana goes into his waiting arh Ro up his son, cradling them both to him

“I missed you, Pet”

“We missed you too,” she whispers sweetly She lays her head on his chest, closing her eyes with a smile that is so full of joy I feel it

Seeing theht…

If I ever had a good woo on my knees to keep her

1

Jessie

I look at my empty shop and can’t help but be a little sad It’s beautiful with its shining white tile floors, dark cabinets and LED lighting All ofstrea in a e the color to lavender—and it looks modern, sleek and top of the line I’m so proud of this place It, however, probably doesn’t blend in with the city of St Augustine Not at all Which ht also be why I will be forced to close the doors soon It’s definitely why I’ve t

aken a side job as a night clerk at the local Best Western It’s a shit job, and the hotel isn’t like Best Westerns away froh to keep it that clean But it’s right on the beach and, despite its many two-star reviews, it stays booked up

I direct hts back to the here and now My shop Hopefully someday it will catch on and I won’t have to work anywhere else I wipe off the counter for the third ti to do I’s above the door and actual honest-to-God custoe to squeal in relief

I e barely

I try to watch covertly as in walks a wo a pink silk bohemian top ide sleeves and a pair of white shorts that curve around her body perfectly Her skin is tanned so golden I’m jealous and that jealousy doesn’t stop when I take in the high-heeled wedged sandals she’s wearing that have laces tied at the back of her calves Her blond hair is in a long bob and it’s perfectly styled and shining She takes off her expensive sunglasses as she looks around the shop She’s gorgeous Co I’ve alanted to be, but never could be She could be a movie star andFollowing her is a tall, beefy hunk of aan expensively tailored pair of tan pants with a white shirt, which is long sleeved It’s too damn hot for that type of clothes This is Florida But I have to adood

“Pet, don’t you think you’ve shopped enough?” the lasses—you can just tell from the frames His voice drips with sex appeal, and despite the fact it’s not directed at o weak

“Do you even know oes soft

“Do you doubt it?”

“Not even a little,” she whispers and the look they sharenot to stare at them too openly

What would it be like to have a love like that? To be so wrapped up in each other that the world around you ceases to exist? I’ht now

“Daddy! Dolphins!”

A little boy co the blonde that there’s no way to deny he’s the father He’s holding the hand of another h I’ve try not to stare, I can’t help it The uy, but he’s broader He’s wearing slacks and a black shirt—seriously, do these guys not notice how hot it is outside? At least his shirt has short sleeves and it reveals these huge biceps that remind me of tree trunks He’s also very unlike the other man in that he’s covered in tattoos There’s not a place on hi it His neck, his arms, what I can see of his chest froers are all covered in ink It would al if it wasn’t quite so beautiful He doesn’t look like he fits in with the couple, but clearly he does, because he’s holding their son’s hand

“Allen! You’re the reason we’re here”

“Uh, Sis—”

“I’ that silly beard,” she uy in question shakes his head at her

“My beard is not silly”

He’s not wrong It’s a closely shaven beard, thin at first until it gets thicker on his chin It’s not overly long, and he wears it really well So good that you want to touch it I look at theuy takes his son into his arirl and thealike If he hadn’t called her his sister, I wouldn’t have guessed that in a million years

“Allen, it is”

“It’s not You just have a thing against beards”

“Well, it’s true If Rorow a beard I would refuse to let him touch me”

“Don’t challenge uy interjects and that all-over body quiver I wanted to have before coeance