Love in the Dark (LarssonSiblingsSeries#1)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - EDWARD

EDWARD

It's boys night with my brothers, but this time we're gathered in my apartment. I prefer it that way, but they don't with the youngest two making arrangements to go out to the clubs afterwards. Ungrateful little shits. I even cooked for them.

It's close to nine o'clock now and we just finished up with the fajita meal when Noah drops the bomb of a lifetime on us all. It's ludicrous, and we're all staring at him with our mouths open.

I'm the first to speak up. "Like hell you'll ask her to marry you."

Taking a long drag from the beer bottle, he rolls his eyes. "I didn't count on you for any encouragement."

Levi's the next one. "Bro, are you crazy?"

"He's being manipulated, is what he is," I cut in, trying my hardest to calm down the rage suddenly pumping through my veins.

I know he's my brother, but he's being a stupid idiot.

Noah cuts his frustrated eyes over to me. "I can make my own decisions. I'm grown-ass man!"

Dexter chews on the side of his lip. "Please think about this before you go through with it. Asking Clara to marry you is a big commitment, and one that I know will end up ruining you."

The problem with being in an toxic relationship is that you're blinded by all of the wrong. I have no doubts that Clara has planted the idea of marriage in his head for months before tonight, and it makes me wonder if it's more that he feels that he needs to propose, rather than wanting to do it.

Noah slams back into his seat. "I can't believe you lot."

"It's because we care," says Levi as I get up to go over to my booze cabinet to grab a glass of the strong stuff, and he notices. "Is that the Hibiki?"

I show him the whiskey bottle. "Yeah, you want some?"

Levi nods. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind. Make it a big one."

I measure out around four fingers of whiskey into each glass and bring it over to him. "Do you see what you've driven me to open? I was planning on keeping this one unopened because it's an investment."

Noah sulks with his beer. "We never asked you to open it. Don't fucking blame it on me."

Levi sips on the nectar as he slinks back into the couch. "God, that's the shit. I'm pleased you opened it."

I try to settle back onto my space next to him, but it's useless. I'm a tight ball of anxiety, desperately trying to hold onto my sanity.

And, it's damn good whiskey.

I agree.

Dexter looks beyond confused when he sets his gaze on his older brother. "I just want to clear something up, Noah. You're not happy in your relationship. You say it all the time, so why do you think putting a ring on her finger is going to change things?"

And, there's why I worry—he can't come up with an answer.

I roll my eyes. "At least take a while to think it through first?"

Dexter nods. "Yeah, thinking about it sounds good."

It must mean something to him that we're all on the same page about it. I just worry that he's making a mistake that he's going to deeply regret. Noah's a sweet guy who's wasted on that piece of skirt.

"Enough about me." There's a buzzing from his phone, but he sets it to the side of the couch. "I want to know what your plans are for cancelling the interview with EcoMax."