Stern Men Always Finish Last

Chapter 27

Finally. It was my week with my darling. She has spent the last 8 weeks floating between my brother's homes and our family sleepovers at Mr. Griffin's residence. But this week, she was staying with me.

We were on break from Ashley Waters so I was going to get even more time with her. I had attempted to protest that this wasn't fair to my brothers, but they quickly shot me down; reminding me that I had put myself behind them for months.

My chosen family really was amazing. After my mother was killed, I was certain that I would be alone for the rest of my life. No one would want the broken boy who hid behind formality. I wasn't really even sure the Academy would want me in the long run.

They had tested me out with at least 10 different teams when I was finally paired up with Sean. I hated him at first. His carefree, anything goes, laissez faire attitude grated on every last nerve in my body. But I was a perfectionist even then; I would have seen that job through to the end even if I ended up killing Sean in the process.

By the end of it though, we had forged an unlikely camaraderie. He forced me to see that I didn't have to hide behind my suit and emotionless mask all the time and I forced him to see that he was wasting every damn opportunity he was given. Sean is still the most brilliant person I have ever met. Kota isn't far behind, but I'm not sure Kota could have slacked off for years like Sean did and still have managed to have a PhD and MD by 17. Sean was a damn fool back then. If I'm being honest, so was I.

After that first mission we just kept signing up for other ones together until we realized we had formed a team without trying. I helped him study for his exams, he moved in to live with me so I wasn't alone all the time. He made me eat a candy bar, I made him quit smoking. He made me laugh, I made him focus. Somehow we found a way to balance each other out. I thought that with him and my brothers I would be complete. Sure they would all eventually settle down and I'd be an uncle to a whole troop of children. Then Sean dragged in a 5 foot, 100 pound force of nature into our office at Ashley Waters and I was swept away.

Sure, I was angry with him at first. It was day one with students and he was already flirting up the female population. If he wasn't careful, he would blow our cover and maybe even land himself in jail. I later found out that he had been lurking in the halls and had seen her with the boys. They were obviously smitten already and when that foul excuse for a man McCoy showed up he stepped in to save her. I had to admit to him that I was wrong about his judgment and apologized. He's never quite let me live it down.

Then he brought her to the office. I was instantly taken by her beauty, but I knew my place well enough to keep a distance. When she had mentioned knowing Kota things started to change. He would only have neglected to tell me for a very short list of reasons. I wanted to know which it was, but I was banking on the fact that he wanted to date her and was feeling her out before going through any official channels. I filed away the information for the next family meeting.

Her toe tapping had drawn me out of my planning state and I was pleased when I realized she was in time with the music on the radio. One look on her face and you could tell she knew the song but couldn't place the name of it. Her response to my inquiries about the piece and her thoughts on musical instruments had fascinated by her. I kept reminding myself that she was Kota's and that I would not interfere with the happiness of one of my brothers. Besides, I was stiff, formal, and cold no one as bright and beautiful as her would ever want me.

I held onto that belief until 9 weeks ago when she turned my world upside down for what felt like the millionth time. I should really stop underestimating her or at least learn to always expect the unexpected when she's involved. She did want me; all of us. It was the best feeling in the world to love someone and have them love you in return. It wasn't something that I ever expected for myself, but I was thrilled to have found it. To share that feeling of complete happiness and contentment with my brothers was icing on top of an already sweet cake. Luke would have loved it.