The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 76 - seventy six

Chapter Seventy-Six

Malachi’s POV

I was driving us to the park, watching Alicia out of the corner of my eye. She had the window rolled down, her silver hair whipping around her face as she smiled at everything we passed.

She was happy. Genuinely, completely happy. And I’d done that. I’d given her this moment.

The feeling that gave me was better than any business deal I’d ever closed. Better than any revenge I’d ever taken. Better than anything.

"Look at that dog!" She pointed excitedly at a golden retriever on the sidewalk. "It’s so fluffy. Do you think Pa Wood’s Charlie would like a friend? Maybe we should get him a friend."

"Charlie is fine alone," I said, trying not to smile at her enthusiasm.

"But everyone needs friends. Even dogs. Especially dogs." She was rambling now, her words tumbling over each other. "Maybe a cat too. Do you like cats? I like cats. They’re independent but also cuddly. Like the best of both worlds."

I did smile then. Couldn’t help it. This version of Alicia, unburdened and carefree, was addictive. I wanted to keep her like this forever. Wanted to build a world where she could always be this light.

"You’re in a good mood."

"I’m in the best mood." She turned to look at me with those eyes that saw too much and not enough at the same time. "This is nice. Just us. No mansion. No family. No responsibilities. Just a normal morning."

Just us. Like that was something simple. Something we deserved.

I reached over and found her hand, lacing our fingers together. "Just us," I agreed.

When we pulled into the parking lot, she was out of the car before I could even turn off the engine. Like a child on Christmas morning. Pure excitement radiating off her.

I followed more slowly, watching her take in the park entrance. The way her eyes lit up at the colorful banners. The way she bounced slightly on her toes.

God, she was beautiful like this.

We walked through the entrance together and I immediately noticed what had her so captivated. Couples everywhere. Young and old. Holding hands. Sharing food. Laughing together.

Living normal lives that people like us could only pretend at. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

But today, we were pretending. And I’d make damn sure it was convincing.

Alicia grabbed my hand and started pulling me forward. She was literally jumping as she walked, trying to see everything at once. The carousel. The game booths. The food vendors.

"Where do you want to go first?" I asked.

She kept bouncing. "I don’t know! Everything! I want to do everything!"

A protective surge went through me. I wanted to give her everything. Every experience. Every joy. Every moment of happiness this miserable world had denied her.

"Then we’ll do everything," I promised.

We started walking and she suddenly gasped, pulling me toward a cotton candy cart.

"Cotton candy! I want cotton candy!"

I frowned instinctively. The thing was pure sugar. No nutritional value. Probably made with chemicals and artificial coloring.

"That’s pure sugar. It’s detrimental to your health."

She looked up at me with wide eyes. Made her expression soft and pleading. That face that could make me do absolutely anything.

"But it’s so pretty. Please? Just this once?"

I tried to hold firm. Tried to be the responsible one. But she was looking at me like I held the keys to her happiness. Like cotton candy was the most important thing in the world.

"Alicia—"

She stuck out her bottom lip. Just slightly. And tilted her head.

I was done for.

"Fine. One."

"Two!" She held up two fingers triumphantly. "One for me and one for you."

"I don’t eat cotton candy."

"You will today."

She ordered before I could protest. Two massive clouds of pink sugar on paper cones. She took one immediately, biting into it with pure joy on her face.

"This is amazing," she said, holding the other one out to me. "Try it."

I looked at the cotton candy. Looked at her eager expression. Knew I was going to give in.

I always gave in when it came to her.

I took a small piece and put it in my mouth. It dissolved instantly. Pure sweetness. Nothing else. Just sugar.

She was watching me like my opinion mattered. Like whether I enjoyed cotton candy would determine the success of this entire day.

"Well?" she prompted. "What do you think?"

"It’s sugar."

"But do you like it?"

What I liked was the way her eyes sparkled when she was happy. The way she smiled without any guardedness. The way she made something as simple as eating cotton candy feel like the most important moment in the world.

"It’s... acceptable," I said.

She laughed. That bright, uninhibited laugh that I wanted to record and play on repeat forever.

We kept walking. She ate both cotton candies, rambling about random things. I just listened. Memorized every word. Every expression. Every moment.

This was what I wanted to give her. Not just today, but always. A life where she could be this free. This happy. This herself.

Then she saw the game booth and stopped dead.

"I want that," she said, pointing at a giant stuffed rabbit.

"We can just buy you a stuffed animal."

"No! I want to win it. That’s the whole point."

Of course she did. Because Alicia didn’t want things handed to her. She wanted to earn them. Fight for them. Prove she deserved them.

It was one of the thousand things I loved about her.

She paid for a round and started throwing rings. Missing. Getting frustrated. Trying again.

I watched her determination. The way she refused to give up even when it was clear the game was rigged. The way she kept trying because that stupid stuffed rabbit mattered to her.

And because it mattered to her, it mattered to me.

When she started to look genuinely upset, I stepped forward. "Let me try."

"You think you can do better?"

"Yes."

I paid for a round. Studied the bottles. Calculated angles and trajectories the way I calculated business deals.

This wasn’t about the game. This was about giving Alicia what she wanted. And I always gave Alicia what she wanted.

First ring. Perfect.

Second ring. Perfect.

Third ring. I threw it with complete confidence. Watched it settle perfectly onto the bottle.

"We have a winner!"

Alicia squealed and jumped up and down. Pure joy. Unfiltered happiness.

Worth every second.

"The rabbit! The white one with pink ears!"

The attendant handed it to her and she hugged it like it was the most precious thing in the world. Then she looked at me with such gratitude, such affection, it made my chest ache.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

"I’m naming him Mr. Hopps."

"Mr. Hopps."

"Yes. Because he’s a rabbit and rabbits hop. It’s perfect."

I couldn’t help but smile. She was ridiculous. Adorable. Mine.

She stood on her toes and kissed my cheek. "Best morning ever."

It was. Standing there in that park with Alicia happy and carefree, clutching a stuffed rabbit and smiling at me like I’d given her the world when all I’d done was win a rigged carnival game.

I’d burn down the entire world to keep her smiling like that.

I’d destroy anyone who tried to take this happiness from her.

I’d do whatever it took to make sure she always looked at me with that soft affection in her eyes.

Because somewhere along the way, this woman had become my entire world. My obsession. My purpose. My everything.

And I was never letting her go.

Not to Travis. Not to this family. Not to anyone.

She was mine. And I was hers. Whether she fully understood that yet or not.

I watched her cuddle the rabbit and chatter about what else we should do today. Watched the sunlight catch in her silver hair. Watched her be free.

And I made a silent vow.

I’d give her this. Every day if I could. I’d build her a life where she could always be this happy. Where she never had to go back to being the careful, guarded version the mansion required.

Whatever it took. However long. Whatever I had to destroy to make it happen.

She’d have her freedom. Her happiness. Her life.

And she’d have me. Always. Protecting her. Providing for her. Loving her in the only way I knew how.

Completely. Obsessively. Without reservation.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, looking up at me.

"You," I said honestly. "Always you."

She blushed and looked away, but she was smiling. That soft, private smile that was only for me.

"Come on," she said, pulling my hand. "I want to ride the carousel."

"The carousel?"

"Yes! I haven’t been on one since I was little. Please?"

As if I could ever say no to her.

"Lead the way, little bird."

And I followed her. Would follow her anywhere. To carousels and cotton candy stands and anywhere else she wanted to go.

Because wherever Alicia was, that was home.

And I’d finally found mine.