46. Lex
“Holy shit, look at this place.”
I chuckle to myself as Linc’s voice wafts up the stairs, full of awe. My house has been transformed in the hours since he and Shane left that morning, protesting my order and kissing me senseless on the porch. They’d only stopped when cars started pulling up behind them, a small army of event staff pouring out to prepare the grounds. As finalists in their category, the guys would be in attendance to hear whether they’d be walking away winners.
Pausing by the mirror at the top of the stairs, I study my reflection. My stylist and his team left moments ago, sweeping out of my glam room in a cloud of hairspray and air kisses. Massimo called the look modern sophistication, my hair slicked back with my makeup minimal. The dress is royal blue silk that wraps around my neck, leaving my left shoulder bare to hug down my figure and flare at the knees, a long swath of material hanging to the floor over my right. I turn, eyeing the plunging back. They’re going to lose their minds.
“Gorgeous!” Linc yells. “Where you at?!”
“Lincoln,” Shane tuts.
I chuckle, picturing his frown.
“Patience!” I call, turning the corner toward the stairs.
As I start down, my breath catches in my throat. Dear god, they should wear tuxes more often. They are tailored to perfection, black pants fitted perfectly over muscular thighs. Shane sports all black, his jacket a luxe velvet with satin lapels. Linc’s dark green jacket shines, silky all over with a black bowtie and white shirt. And between them, a teasing smile on his lips, Declan topped his black shirt and tie with a jacket in a shade of cream so rich it looks gold. Could they really all be mine?
When I finally catch their attention, they freeze. Shane recovers first, desire darkening his icy gaze as he settles a hand in his pocket and watches me with predatory intent. Linc gapes like a fish before coughing a muttered curse into his fist. Declan moves toward me as I draw closer, taking my hand the second I’m within reach. He draws me out into the foyer and leads me into a spin, a pleased sound rumbling from his throat as he catches sight of my back.
“Boss, are you trying to distract me?” he rumbles.
Smirking, I pat his chest. “You’re a big boy, Declan. You’ll manage.”
His eyes burn at the challenge, squeezing my hip as he kisses my forehead before stepping back.
“I’m glad you’re all here.” I reach out to take Shane’s hand. “Nate mentioned something the last time we spoke, and I wanted to hear your thoughts. All of you.”
Shane’s fingers tighten around mine. “Let’s hear it.”
“He suggested you could go after Anne-Marie, sue her for damages to your company, and to each of you personally. He’s even willing to help us build a case, if that’s what you want. And you know I”ll support you, whatever you decide.”
Linc and Shane look to Declan. He smiles softly, and my heart twists in my chest.
“Honestly, Lex, we’ve given her enough of our time and energy. Anne-Marie is in our past, where she belongs. I, for one, would much rather focus on something brighter.” His emerald eyes flash as they flit to his brothers and back to me. “Our future.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Shane murmurs, while Linc nods with a wide grin.
“Very well.” A smile tugs at my lips. “Happy hour started a few minutes ago. Why don’t you go get a round and find Parker?” I kiss Shane, then Linc. “I have to greet the rest of the board before things get underway.”
“We’ll see you after, then?” Shane asks.
I nod, then hold up my hands, shooing them away.
“Now who’s the distraction? Go, begone with you, guests of honor. And good luck!”
They obey, Linc walking backwards with his lip between his teeth as he rakes his eyes over me. I laugh as Shane stops him from crashing into a side table, turning him around by the shoulders with a firm tug.
“Lex! This place is ridiculous!” a bright voice calls behind me as they disappear around the corner.
I turn to the front door, smiling as Preston Brooks steps through in a bold red chiffon gown with a high neck and a slit to mid-thigh. I’d asked all the Brightest in the Bay board members to use the front entrance, while the majority of the guests are being sent through the lavish side gate to the gardens.
“I’ll take ridiculous as a compliment,” I laugh, embracing her.
“You should! I’ve never seen so much marble. You could make this a wedding venue, for fuck’s sake.” She looks around, brown eyes wide.
I chuckle. “It’s so good to actually see you. You’ve been dialing in for most of the board meetings the past few months.”
Her smile falters, almost imperceptibly. “I’ve been on the East Coast a bunch.”
“I see.” When she doesn’t elaborate after a moment, I smile, letting her keep her secrets. “Shall we? The rest of the Board is either in my study or still on their way.”
She loops her arm through mine as I lead her down the hall, eyeing my dress. “This color is divine. Are we both arriving fashionably late to our own party?”
“Is there any other way to do it?” I whisper conspiratorially.
Her answering laugh announces our arrival as we reach my study, faces turning towards us with matching grins.
“Welcome, everyone,” I say, bowing my head briefly. “Thank you for being here.”
Preston snorts. “I think we should all be thanking you for this stunning venue you so kindly donated, Lex.”
“Nonsense,” I protest over the chorus of agreement. “It’s my pleasure. Enough about that. Let’s go celebrate this year’s Brightest, hm?”
As much as I love the Bay’s startup community, I’m ready to send them all home. The winners are all deserving, and I am beyond pleased to be celebrating their successes, but my eyes keep drifting to Linc, Shane, and Declan. The manicured gardens, sparkling lights, and impeccably dressed crowd melt away as I watch them, my mind wandering to inappropriate places.
Nate arrived shortly after things got underway, making a beeline to greet me. We’ve found time to reconnect roughly once a week since he showed up at Athena, and he helped us fully navigate the intricacies of taking over a government contract. I can’t call him a friend yet, but we are certainly on our way to something…more.
The program wound its way through various categories, recognizing the Brightest startups by industry, special interest, and community impact. We’re finally coming to the headline award of the evening, known simply as the Brightest, which celebrates the startup with both an impressive debut year and significant community impact potential.
I clap along with the crowd as Preston takes the stage to announce the nominees for the Brightest, which includes Solum and four other startups. My eyes dart to the guys, who stand in a tight group across the space. We managed to avoid each other most of the night, the anticipation making me more anxious for things to wrap up.
Flashing her winning smile to the crowd, Preston rips open the gold envelope.
“I’m delighted to announce this year’s Brightest in the Bay, fresh off their spectacular debut at the Green Innovation Summit in Paris–Solum Technologies!”
The audience roars with applause and cheers as the guys embrace and Linc claps his brother’s shoulder. Declan grins back at him, such joy in his expression I can’t help but smile in return.
“Accepting on behalf of his business partners, Lincoln Wilde and Shane Kelly, is CEO and founder Declan Wilde!”
Preston grasps Declan’s hand for a firm shake, his eyebrows rising slightly as she passes him the award. He walks up to the podium with his eyes on the engraved glass, a broad smile on his face. He sits it carefully on the edge and chuckles, shaking his head.
“It’s an honor to be here,” he says, looking out at the audience. “If you’d asked me four months ago if I could see myself here, I would’ve scoffed in your face.”
Gentle laughter sweeps through the crowd.
“Our road here was rocky. It was paved with betrayal and challenges, some out of our control, and more than I want to admit my own damn fault.” He glances down at the podium, voice raw. “As I stand here tonight, I feel compelled to confess.”
The crowd is quiet, rapt. Something flutters in my gut, my heart rate picking up.
“I didn’t win this,” Declan proclaims, raising the award in one hand.
What the hell? My brows knit in confusion. I try to seek out Linc and Shane, but their attention is glued on Declan.
“This award, and the successes that brought Solum here, are all owed to one person. A beautiful, brilliant, talented woman with endless patience and a will so strong she could carry this entire community on her shoulders.” He chuckles, cocking his head. “If I’m not mistaken, she has.”
My heart is in my throat, my hand trembling as I touch my fingers to my lips. Declan’s eyes snap to mine across the crowd, as though acutely aware of where I am.
“Lex Livingston, this award belongs to you. You saw what no one else could, believed in three bumbling idiots–”
He smirks at the soft gasps and chuckles from the crowd, then continues.
“You believed in us based on nothing more than your intuition and commitment to doing what’s right. I punished you for your belief for months. Because I was afraid.”
Declan stares into my soul. People are glancing between us, whispering to their neighbors. I’m vaguely aware of Van drawing closer, Cami at his side. He places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, but I can’t look away from the man on the stage.
“You okay?” Van mutters.
“I don’t know,” I whisper, reaching up to grip his fingers in mine.
“I told myself I was afraid to trust someone else, afraid to risk being betrayed all over again. But I’ve recently realized it was another lie I told in a misguided attempt to protect myself.” Declan pauses, breathing deeply.
“Oh, I was afraid of you, alright. I was afraid of how you could see straight through me. How you challenged me, forced me to confront every flaw I knew and hated. It took far too long for me to recognize you were coaching me, driving me, helping me overcome things I thought would always hold me back.”
Declan’s voice goes hoarse. “While I was too busy lying to myself, you were daring me to dream bigger than I ever thought possible. And making sure every goddamn one came true.”
My breath stutters as I try to control it, chest constricting with the weight of my emotions. Van steps away, Linc and Shane surrounding me in his stead, anchoring me with a hand each to my hip and shoulder.
“And the best part? I could see how it wasn’t just me you were pushing to be more…it wasn’t just my dreams you cared about.You’ve had the same effect on all three of us from the beginning. We’re sharper businessmen, better engineers, more conscious community members because of you.”
The first tear spills over, sliding down my cheek. Linc and Shane shuffle closer, bodies touching mine on either side as I grip Shane’s hand at my hip and Linc’s on my shoulder.
“You make me want to be a better man, Lex. I can’t imagine living my life without you, let alone running Solum without your counsel. Every opportunity you had to claim ownership of our success, you turned right back on us. I won’t let you do it tonight.”
Declan tears his eyes from mine and I feel the loss like a physical ache. My knees go wobbly, Shane’s arm around me tightening to hold me up.
Declan gazes out at the audience. “I don’t think any of you will disagree. No offense to the well-deserving startups recognized tonight, but no one shines brighter in the Bay than Lex Livingston.”
The applause is thunderous, cheers sounding across my expansive yard. Smiling faces turn to me as I dab at the tear tracks on my cheeks, laughing in disbelief.
“Thank you, Lex,” Declan calls, sparkling eyes finding mine once more. “You never once gave me an inch. I love you for it.”
My mouth falls open as the world narrows to nothing but the two of us. In a daze, I watch him step off the stage, walk through the crowd as they part seamlessly for him, giving him a straight path to me. Then he’s here, taking my face in his hands and holding my gaze so fiercely I think I might combust.
“I’ve never seen you speechless,” he murmurs, lips twitching into a smile.
I laugh wetly. “What the hell did you just do, Wilde?”
His expression softens, turning more serious. “Can we go somewhere?”
Breathless, I reach up and take his hand, leading him away. I’m vaguely aware of Preston and the other board members onstage to close the ceremony and say farewell to the audience. I’m supposed to be up there with them, but I know Preston will cover for me. After Declan’s very public speech, I doubt anyone will hold my absence against me.
The security guard pulls back the velvet barrier when we reach the landing, standing still and stoic as we slip past and make our way up to my bedroom. I open the door and lead Declan in, heart beating erratically in my chest. He pulls the door shut as I watch, his fingers curling around mine.
“Scotch?” I ask, voice shaking, as I turn to the decanter on my wooden side table.
“Alright,” he rumbles.
My hands tremble as I pour the liquor into matching snifters, stepping close to Declan to hand it over. He accepts it gently, eyes on mine as he takes a slow slip. I follow suit, gulping the smoky alcohol down and turning to set my glass back on the antique brass tray. Declan steps up behind me, setting his glass down before trailing his fingers down my arms.
“Breathe, love,” he whispers, pressing his cheek to mine over my shoulder.
“There’s that word again,” I manage, voice little more than a croak.
“Love?”
Dipping my chin, I swallow roughly. “Do you mean it? Did you…did you mean it?”
“Every word.”
I gasp a laugh, turning to face him. “And you couldn’t tell me before?!”
His brow creases as he reaches out to grip the side of my neck. “I wanted to raise the stakes. It felt…I felt like I needed to do something more. To earn your forgiveness.”
“You don’t need a stage to prove yourself, Declan. This, right here,” I wrap my fingers around his wrist, leaning into his claiming touch, “this is what matters to me. Us.”
Sighing, he presses his forehead to mine. He grounds me, calms some of the anxious energy skittering through my body. I let my eyes fall shut and relax into him, dropping my arms to rest my hands on his waist.
“I’m not always going to get this right,” he whispers. “Like I have for months, I’m going to make mistakes, going to fuck up. But I promise you, I’ll love you through it. I won’t stop trying.”
He straightens, stroking a thumb along my jaw.
“I don’t want perfect,” I vow. “I just want you.”
His eyes flash as he steps closer, pressing himself flush against me. I can feel all the strong, hard planes of him through the thin silk of my dress, feel his arousal push against me as his cock thickens.
“What do you want?” he demands, pressing his thumb to my lower lip.
“All of you,” I whisper. “No more keeping me at arm’s length, Declan.”
“No more,” he intones, mouth inching closer.
I lean into him, ghosting my lips against his. “I’ve missed you,” I breathe.
“I’m here now, love, and I’m yours.”
My heart sang. “I love you, Declan Wilde.”
His name is barely out of my mouth before he hauls me into his arms and slams his lips to mine. I moan into the kiss, clinging to him as I give him everything he asked for. Groaning, he reaches down and swings me up into his arms.
“What do you plan to do with me?” I tease, running my fingertips over his jaw in wonder. He’s mine.
“Everything,” he growls playfully, eyes sparkling. “If I’m honest, though, there’s something I’ve been dying to do since well before Paris.”
He takes me to the bed, gently laying me down before shrugging off his jacket and stepping out of his shoes. Then he crawls up into my pile of pillows and gathers me in his arms. Well, I’ll be. Declan Wilde is a snuggler. Who would’ve guessed?