Come Back for Me (Arrowood Brothers #1)(86)

“I don’t know!”

“He always makes the girls cry,” Sean or Jacob says. I can’t tell because my face is buried against Connor’s chest as I let everything go.

“It’s because she realized that he’s the ugly one of us.”

“True story.”

They joke back and forth, and I feel Connor’s chest rumble. “Ellie, baby, why are you crying?”

“Because they’re so nice!”

They all laugh, and I grip his shirt and tuck tighter against him so I can hide how bright red my face must be.

“They’re not nice at all, but you’ll learn to love them in time.”

“Come on, Ellie, we have a lot more to say, and we’d like to get to know you,” one of them says and then touches my back.

I sigh and step away from Connor because I can’t hide against his chest forever and, well, crying rarely leaves a girl looking beautiful, they all probably know that.

Connor and I turn to head up the first few steps, but the three brothers stare at the house as if it might grow teeth and eat them.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“This house . . . it’s not easy for any of us,” Connor answers.

I can only imagine. “Well, I promise that I will protect you all.”

They all smile the same lazy and attractive grin. I am so glad I wasn’t a teenage girl growing up around them. They are all insanely hot, and I would bet they are all good at getting what they want.

Declan is the first to take a step to me. “On that note, what could we possibly have to fear?”

Connor beams at me, and I can feel the fresh blush painting my cheeks.

We all walk in, and I hear a whistle from behind me.

“Nothing like it was the last time we were here.”

“Yes, and it feels nothing like it either,” Connor adds on.

Connor spent months fixing the house, barn, and equipment on the property. While he’s worked on the outside, I’ve done my part to help by cleaning the whole house from top to bottom and adding plants and curtains.

“I’m sorry that we’ve sort of taken over the house,” I say sheepishly.

“Sean, you’re sleeping in the barn or you can snuggle with Jacob,” Connor says with a laugh. “It’s Hadley’s bedroom until we move.”

My eyes widen. “Move?”

“We’ll discuss it later. First, let’s all go and talk.”

I don’t like the sound of it, but I’m not about to argue in front of his brothers.

I grab a pitcher of lemonade and cookies I baked before joining them at the table. I really did go above and beyond because, while they may be here to apologize, I don’t need it from them. The more Connor shared about his life inside this house, the less I cared about anything. I may have married an abusive man, but at least I could leave.

They couldn’t.

“I’d like to say something first, if that’s okay with you?”

They share a look, but then Declan nods. “Of course.”

“I’ve never really had a family. I was an only child, and when my parents were killed, I was young and made bad choices—well, mostly bad choices.” I sigh and shoot a small smile to Connor. “I just thought you should know that when I was eighteen, I was stupid. When I was nineteen, I was still stupid. And honestly, until Connor came back here, I was still stupid, only this time I was making stupid choices that affected my daughter as well. My point is, what you all did was wrong, but I don’t have the right to judge you. Your father, from all I’ve heard, was a horrible man, and he took advantage of the love you four share to get himself out of trouble. And he’s doing it even now by forcing you to be in a place that causes you grief, and for that, I’m sorry.”

“Ellie . . .”

I put my hand up to stop Declan. “No, I’m sorry for what you endured. While my adult life has been pretty horrific, my childhood wasn’t. So, I’d like to make a deal.”

Sean leans back in his seat with a smile. “A deal?”

Then I remember what Connor told me about their word to each other. “No, I take that back, I want to make a vow.”

Declan’s eyes shoot to Connors, and he grins. “You know an Arrowood vow is unbreakable.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Well,” Jacob interrupts, “it is for some of us.”

“I hope you’ll forgive him for breaking the one about love and kids. I’m really okay with that one going to the shitter.”

They all chuckle. Connor takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, kissing the back of my knuckles. “I am too.”

God, I love this man. I look into his eyes, and I get lost. He loves me so deeply that it hurts to imagine what life would have been like had he stuck to that vow. I wouldn’t have him, and that would be a tragic thing.

Someone clears their throat. “The vow?”

Crap. “Yes. The vow. I’d like for you all to give me your word that you will forgive me for all that I’ve done in the last eight years, and in turn, you’ll get mine that I will forgive you for all that happened eight years ago.”

Declan clasps his hands in front of him. “While I appreciate that, I think our debt is a little greater.”