House of Paine - (A Romantic Suspense - Book 2)

by Walker, Kylie

  “What do you need me to do?” Paige asked Roxi.

  “You can bring out the salads and plates if you want.” Roxi was sitting cross-legged on a blanket on the grass with the baby. She looked adorable with her.

  “I’ll help you,” Chloe told her. The two women went inside and as they got the plates and things out Chloe said, “I heard you’re living in the condo now. How do you like it?”

  “We love it,” Paige said. “Three nights a week I have to stay in New Jersey with my mother because I’m finishing my last year of school, so I’ll love it more when I can stay there all the time. But, I’m happy.”

  Chloe smiled. “Happy is good. From what I hear you had a year like a few that I had a while back. Too much chaos and uncertainty.”

  “Definitely. Sometimes I wake up and wonder if all of this is real or if I’m only dreaming.”

  Chloe laughed. “Derek and I have been married for almost a year now and I still feel the same. It’s real...just never take any of it for granted.” Damien walked into the house at that moment. Paige’s eyes fell on the love of her life and she said,

  “I definitely won’t.”

  Chloe went out with a load of plates and Paige stayed behind. When Chloe was gone she said, “Is everything okay?” He came over and put his strong arms around her from behind. He pulled her into his chest and kissed the side of her face.

  “Everything is perfect. Alex is stopping by though. He says he needs to talk.”

  Paige raised an eyebrow. She was grateful to Alex for everything he’d done for his brother and her and she always would be. There was still something dark and dangerous about him that made her nervous though, and she still didn’t completely trust him. “He didn’t say what about?”

  “No. Maybe business...Kevin said things are slow going for him. All of the publicity over the past few months hasn’t been good for business. He still asks me about coming in as his partner every time I talk to him.” Paige’s eyes widened and Damien grinned. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to. I will help him if I can but I think mine and Alex’s days of working together are in the past.”

  Paige was relieved to hear that. She didn’t doubt for a second that Alex was not running a completely legitimate business and she didn’t want Damien caught up in all of that again. Kevin and Sylvie had both retired and Alex was starting the business over on his own from the ground up. In other words...he had full reign. He loves money and power and expensive toys and women. Paige couldn’t see him ever giving any of that up to struggle the way most new business owners did.

  Damien looked like he was going to say something else when the doorbell rang. He went and let Alex in as Paige took a couple of salads out to the table outside. When she came back in for more the two brothers looked like they were having an intense conversation. She was worried, but she knew Damien would tell her what it was about. She didn’t stay and eavesdrop, although she was tempted. She carried out more food. When she came back in to get more she heard Alex say,

  “I’m doing my best to keep it straight brother. But no matter what I do...I needed to tell you that I’m proud of you. Jackson and everyone else in the organization always looked at me as the strong one. What they didn’t see was how much strength it took for you to strive to get out. They didn’t see how much more character and self-respect you have than me. They didn’t see you take care of our mother up until the second she took her last breath because I couldn’t deal with it and they didn’t know like I did how real the struggle was internally. We made her a promise and we both broke it. You felt guilty and tried to change it, I didn’t. You’re a better man than me and I wanted you to know that I know that.”

  Paige felt tears spring up into her eyes as she listened to Alex’s words. Coming from any brother they would have been touching. Coming from Alex, they meant even more. According to Damien the way Alex showed his love was by being there to beat or kill anyone who hurt or threatened his brother. He wasn’t one for words, so his words meant that much more when he used them.

  “Are you armed?” Damien said. Paige wondered why he was asking him that. Alex obviously knew. He laughed.

  “No, but if you hug me I can kill you with my bare hands.”

  Damien grinned. He had tears in his eyes too. He held out his hand to his brother and Alex took it. “You’re a good man bro. You just need to believe it.” Alex used Damien’s hand to pull his brother into him and then he did something that Damien told Paige he’d never initiated on his own. He hugged his little brother. Then shocking them further he said,

  “I love you, man. I hope you and Paige are happy, always.” Then making her laugh he yelled, “Did you hear that in there Paige?”

  She stuck her head around the corner, still laughing. “Sorry, I didn’t know you heard me in here.”

  “Please stick to being a doctor from now on,” Alex said, “You’re the worst detective ever.”

  Giggling, she went over and stood next to Damien. He put his arm around her. “Thank you for everything, Alex. Thank you for saving my life.”

  Alex looked embarrassed by her attention and said, “My brother was the one who walked in there with the balls to tell Kramer how it was going to go down. He’s the hero, not me.”

  “Yes, he is my hero,” Paige said, “But so are you. He’s right. You’re a better man than you give yourself credit for.”

  He let his eyes flick over hers and then he turned back to his brother. “I’ll see you guys soon. Take it easy.” Paige and Damien stood and watched him go. When he was gone Damien said, “I think if my mother is watching she’s finally happy and proud of us both.”

  “I think so too,” Paige said. “I know that I am.” Paige also knew that Greg was watching over her too. She felt him and she knew that he was proud of her. She would make sure that his memory lived on forever no matter what path her life took from here on out.

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