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Lexi sed and I could see a flash of pure fear cross her face "I know, Axel I remember your threats just as much as you, and I re on being stronger, and holding on to hatred will only keep ain, where I could hear what sounded like closet doors opening and shutting "And Austin loves you"

I frowned

Lexi noticed "Austin puts est time now He’s my protector and refuses to let er"

I stared in silence and Lexi blushed I could see on her face how much she loved my brother It made me feel uncomfortable I’d never witnessed that kind of love before and knew one hundred percent that I could never be that ihed "Axel, if Austin thought you were in any way a danger to ht now My Austin trusts you, implicitly, and because I know that ed too… I trust the Axel buried deep within you, which has Austin’s love, has finally broken his way to the surface"

Lexi circled the wedding ring on her finger Meeting aze, she flicked her chin to the upstairs direction "You better get upstairs and tell hi By the sounds of it, he’s already unpacked for you He’s been saving you a bedroom since we moved in"

Lexi disappeared into the kitchen and I stayed in the entranceway on hup the long spiral staircase and ca off in all directions

Following the hallway to the sound of drawers being pulled open, I couldn’t help but look at the photographs lining the walls: Austin at the draft, dressed in a suit, holding his 49ers shirt, then hi high school, his stiddafrom his cheek I felt both a mixture of shame and pride at that Ashamed he’d ever earned one in the first place, but proud it wasn’t the guy he was now

I walked farther toward the rooer than all the rest, made e as Levi was now, singing on stage in Verona

I don’t kno long I stood there, but when rown nu shaht ged--ht, savelife while she was trapped on her bed with ALS unable to do anything about it They’d shot people, dealt drugs… and I’d cheered them on all the way

"It’s my favorite," Austin spoke from behind me, but I didn’t turn around I couldn’t look away fro face

"It was kept in a trunk she had under her bed I never knew about it This one, pictures of our grandparents we never met" Austin paused and came to stand at my side "Pictures of us all as kids… so many damn pictures"

I still didn’t speak I couldn’t