Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Penny

An hour later, and somehow, somehow, I’m still trapped in a bound game sheden with ten Hayes brothers who could not be more different If they triadi

I honestly don’t even remember hos Tyler convinced us

One second Asher was stonewalling the entire ides, practically glued to the couch with his arms crossed like a bouncer at a bad club, and the next Tyler was pleading like a five–year–old begging for her cream before dinner.

Something about how it was Asher’s duty to “bond” with his brother.

Something about how Tyler needed someone to finally beat me at Monopoly because, in his exact words, “the’s a demon in cute clathing and the must be

I’d snorted, flipping my hair over my shoulder with

“Unbeatable,” I said simply, like it was a law of nature.

Asher had grunted-

the dramatic fair I could muster.

Ime, disbelieving sound that somehow managed to say Challenge accepted without him even opening his mouth

Now here we are, an hour deep into financial warfare, and I am, of

winning

Because some things in life are just facts.

And Penelope Morgan reigns supreme at Monopoly.

Tyler has been to jail four times.

Faur

His little

red picer is basically renting a permanent room there

His properties are scattered, mortgaged, a sad broken empire that used to dream big but now cries softly in the corner.

“I hate this game,” he mutters dramatically, slumping face–first onto the board and nearly knocking over all the tiny houses.

1 lean back on my hands and grin down at him.

“You said that already,” I remind him sweetly. “And yet here you are. Still

He gmans loudly, fare still mashed into the board

“I knew this was a bad idea,” he says, his voice muffled.

“I should’ve just stayed at home and let the storm take me.”

Asher-

stoic, annoyingly unbothered Asher –

shrugs and rolls the dice like he’s doing something as boring as breathing

lasing

He moves his piece calmly, his pile of cash neat and stacked with military prection.

And okay, I have to admit

Chapter 48: Penny

He’s doing alarmingly well for someone who claimed to hate board games with his entire soul,

Still not winning, obviously.

But not embarrassing himself like a certain other Hayes in the room,

“How are you good at this? Tyler accuses him, sitting up and glaring.

-You hate games.

Asher glances at him, expression completely flat.

“It’s just strategy,” he says simply. “Planning, Risk management Calculated aggression

I stare at him for a beat.

“Did you just turn Monopoly into a tactical military exercise? | ask, eyebrows raised.

He shrugs again, as if to say, I there any other way?

Before I can roast him further for that absurd answer, my phone buzzes on the coffee table.

I reach for it, frowning when I see the name lighting up the screen

Madame Loretto.

ph no

oh no no no

My stomach drops to somewhere around my ankles, and I swear the room gets colder..

I hold up the phone helplessly

Madame,” I whisper, my voice climbing a full octave in

octave in panic.

Tyler leans toward Asher and stage–whispers, “That’s her scary

ballet teacher.”

Thanks for that, Tyler.

Really helpful.

1 scramble to answer, p

putting the phone to my ear with hands that are definitely not shaking, thank you very

much.

“Hello, Madame Loretto?” I say, trying to sound like I have my life together.

Her voice slices through the line, sharp and precise like a scalpel.

“Penelope. Good afternoon. Before you ask, no results yet it’s only Wednesday.

–

My heart, which had been preparing itself to either explode in joy or shrivel in despair,

Not results.

will be informed Saturday,”

, immediately does a screeching U–tun

Not yet.

Chapter 48: Penny

Relief hits me first.

Then dira, because if she

the antion, why is the calling at all?

Madame Loretta duenot believe in censal chats.

“However, the continues, her tone growing even cier

I am calling to remind you that this is not a vacation. You are to maintain your flexibility and technique. Stretch Work your medines, Attend the community studio if needed;

I nod frantically even though she can’t see me.⠀⠀

“Yes, Madame. Of course, Madame, I say, napping tis attention like she’s going to appear in the living room and Launch into a full inspection.

“Good. See that you do?

The line goes dead

Tlower the phone slowly, feeling the weight of her disapproval like it’s a physical thing.

Both His brothers are staring at me.

I force a smile

le that feels more like a grimace.

1, uh. I need to practice,” I say

Tyler blinks

I nod, already standing, tucking my phone into my pocket like it’s cursed.

“Yeah. At least stretch and run through a

Without waiting for an argument, I sprint upstairs and change- tights, tiny shorts over them, tank top tight across my

Hair in a u

a quick bun

No time to be cute

Madame Loretto’s imaginary wrath breathing down my neck is a powerful motivatar.

When I come back down, dragging my portable hame from behind the couch, I catch both pays staring

Well.

Tyler is staring like hes seeing a fun show he didn’t buy tickets

Ashet…

His gaze pins me in place, heavy, magnetic, focused in a way that makes my skin fash botter under the thin

tank

Like he could take me apart and put me back together without blinking.

Heat prickles up the back of my neck, but I shove it down.

Okay.” I say brightly, clapping my hands together. “You guys can leave now and save yourselves. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Tyler flops dramatically back onto the couch.

3/5

Chapter 48: Penny

“Nonsense,” he says: “I still need to beat Ash…

Asher sports under his breath

a low, disbelieving sond

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