“It wasn't my first time.”
He grins. “I figured that. But you also didn’t have to tell Kai to kiss me.”
I shrug. “You needed to pass out. And I knew Kai didn’t have any feelings for you. That kiss served two purposes. To get you to pass out and prove to you that Kai is mine, you never stood a chance with her.”
Beckett raises an eyebrow. “I never tried to have a chance with her. I knew from the moment I saw her with you, she would never be anyone else’s but yours. I didn’t need her to kiss me to know that.”
I nod. “Then, why did you save us?”
“Because I care about her. I love her like a sister. And when I saw what the two of you have, I knew it deserves to be protected. The love you share is rare. I couldn’t just let it fail. And I knew if I had only saved her, she would never survive without you. She was only holding on for the babies before. But once they were born, she would have struggled to survive to live. She needs you.”
“There is a reason you and I share a connection. A reason Felix and Kai’s father both sought you out, out of all the people with your skillset in the world,” I say.
“I’d like to think I’m the only one with my skill set.”
I shake my head. “When you are healthy, we will see who has more skills.”
“Sure, wait until I lose an arm to challenge me,” Beckett says with a broad grin, lightening the mood before I turn it serious.
“Is Beckett your first or last name?” I ask.
“Last name, why?”
“Beckett was my mother’s maiden name.”
“Julia Beckett?” he asks, realization on his face.
“Yes.”
He swallows hard. “She put me up for adoption when I was little. I never knew her. My father was listed as Leone Rinaldi.”
I nod. “He also goes by Leone Black.”
Tears tickle the corner of both of our eyes. “You're my brother,” I say.
“Wow,” Beckett finally says after a pause. “That means Felix…”
“Is also your half-brother. Welcome to the family,” I chuckle.
“Jesus, my half-brother tried to kill me,” he says.
“He’s tried to kill me too. I’m sure he figured it out and thought he could either turn you against me or use you as bait to get me to come to him and fight for your freedom.”
Beckett frowns. “Brothers.”
I nod. “Brothers.”
“I always wanted a sibling growing up. I had good, caring parents when I was adopted, but they didn’t want another child. That’s why I joined the army and eventually, the FBI. I wanted to feel that bond with someone else. That protect others at all costs thing you only get when it comes to family.”
“Our mother did the right thing giving you up. Our father would have only turned us against each other. He would have made us fight daily to prove to him who is stronger to enter the games to become Black. We wouldn’t have had the chance to be real brothers. It’s better this way. Because now we can be real brothers.”
“I’m the better looking one,” Beckett says.
I smirk. “You wish.”
Beckett is blonde, with fair skin, and a big heart. He’s light where I’m dark. But watching him, I realize just because you were born into the Black family doesn’t mean you are destined to be bad. You can fight to live in the light. Beckett is proof of that.
“So what’s your first name?” I ask.