I Married My Ex-Fiancé's Ruthless Older Brother

Vitiel

n, stripping the moisture from my

k with the ease of a soldier, his muscles shifting

s just the crunch of gravel under our boots

dangerous

lways the Capo who broke promises. He was the boy wh

loose rock. M

violently as gr

le

ear and lunged, his body hitting the dirt to brea

nd hard. I land

uttural sound that vib

stantly in my hair, checking for

leg was torn. Blood was seeping through the denim

ed out, sitting up. H

tory between us hung heavy in the air,

ed at m

shing the dirt from my clothes

ack," I said. "

. He winced but forced a smile. "I promi

summit. The wind whi

white fire tearing through

n his back,

sh, El," h

eyes. I stared a

him anymore. I did

rength to burn ever

is breathing. It used to be my

he sleeping bag n

s bleeding over the horizon, painting

n't at th

voice. Fev

s "Lovers' Tree" stood. A chain-link fence wrapped arou

was holding his phon

e triumphant. "I told yo

usted brass lock. D

It felt like I had

rough tinny and shrill. "I remembe

ieved. Desperate. "We did. Nothing c

d the mountain t

hit to his knee to k

. He needed to prove his devotion to

was the chaperone for h

ill smiling at the s

mile

Sof," he mutter

t. He looked guilty. Like a chil

he said. "She

find the lock," I said

t be like that. The trip was for us. The

ng down,

Let me pack the tent. My kne

yourself,

my back

wn the moun

y rolled ankle, but I didn't stop. The p

him at the trailhe

ted M

si

d off m

't want to hear him tell me that he loved me

me four ho

on me. He assume

stened to him whist

. He had sec

ze he had just