Coming Home: Dominant Devils Book 2 (14 page)

“Give it some time. She’ll come around. She’ll be twenty-eight this year dude. It’s not like she’s going to be taking off to go to college and stay in the dorms and shit. The community college is only forty minutes away. I’m sure she can get her degree there if she really is serious about going to school,” I say sounding more sure than I feel. I wouldn’t put it past my sister to take off to another state to go to school. Like me she’s got enough money socked away that she could pay for school and live for years if she had too.

“We’ll see man. What about you? You’re a dad dude. I didn’t see that one coming. It’s cool though,” my best friend says trying to breach the subject. I know he’s wondering where my head is but I don’t know what to tell him.

“Yeah that was a shock but a good one. I spent the day with the kid. He’s pretty cool kid. He loves his momma though. Damn that’s all that boy talked about. From what I can tell she made a good life for him and surrounded him with good people. I just don’t know how to handle this shit. I know I’m going to be a father to my son but I don’t know how Avery and I will fit into each other’s life”.

“I feel ya brother. That’s some serious soul searching shit. You’ll get there hopefully, if not you’ll be in the whiskey-drinking-pulling-on-your-own-dick club with me”. Leave it to Wall to try and make a joke in the midst of a heart to heart.

“As long as your pulling on your own dick fucker. You’re not pretty enough to play with my dick”.

“What the fuck ever! We both know the chicks think I’m hotter than you, asshole,” I get told with a slap on the back.

“You do know that you’ve got the hots for my sister right. My twin sister at that,” I said shutting him up when he choked on his whiskey from my words. “Now pass that bottle over here. I need a little liquid courage before I go up to check on my son and his momma”.

After two quick draws on the bottle I left Wall to himself at the table. I’m sure Happy would make sure he made it to the couch to crash. He could sleep at the table for all I cared at this point. The only thing on my mind was my woman and my kid. Funny how shit can change in a matter of hours. When I heard the words from Avery yesterday afternoon I was lost. I was lost in pain, love, hurt and disbelief. I rode around the mountains til the wee morning hours trying to clear my head. When that didn’t work I came back to the house and watched her sleep. I wanted to curl up next to her in bed so bad it physically hurt last night but, I felt betrayed. I still do even though I find myself understanding her reasoning. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get past all this shit but, I had to try. I’ve wanted her for far too long and now we had a son involved.

I stopped at the door to her room. I didn’t want to just walk in on her and I didn’t want to wake her either if she was sleeping. I tapped lightly but got no response. Fuck it, she wouldn’t scream at me with the kids asleep in the rooms next door. I slowly opened the door and let myself in. The lamp on the nightstand was on giving me enough light to see she wasn’t in bed. Panic filled me. My first thoughts were, she run off after I lost my shit earlier. Oh god not again. If she left me again I would be tracking her ass down and dragging her the fuck back this time. She wasn’t leaving me again. I raced to my son’s room to see if she had taken him with her. Who the fuck am I kidding there’s no way she left without him.

My fears were put to bed when I entered Hunter’s room. I found the room dark with only the light from the TV. Even in the dark it didn’t take me long to recognize the two sleeping figures in my sons bed. There under his covers were the two people who owned my heart. It was then I realized I needed to fix this shit. I need this woman and my kid with me at all times. I needed to man the fuck up and get over my shit. We were going to be a family if I had anything to say about it. I’d keep those thoughts to myself though. I’d go slow and not push her to a point where she would run away from me. I saw how she froze yesterday when I told her I loved her. I’d ask her about it in the morning but, right now I was going to carry my woman to bed. Even as tiny as she was, Hunter’s twin size bed was not made for the two of them.

I opted to leave the TV on in case Hunter needed a light in the middle of the night. My boy was still getting used to his surroundings and I didn’t need him freaking out when he woke not knowing where he was. I bent over Hunter’s bed and placed a quick kiss to the top of his head before turning to the other side to scoop his momma up in my arms to carry her to her own bed.

Avery still slept like the dead. Never once did she open her eyes or stir while I carried her to her own bed. Once I got her situated under the covers I sat in the chair in the corner of the room like I did the night before. I sat in the chair watching her sleep for the second night in a row. After a few hours I could feel my eyes growing heavy and I knew it was time for me to head over to the clubhouse to get some sleep but the words that left her mouth had me siting back down only on the edge of the bed.

“I love you Braxton. Please forgive me. I’ve missed you so much baby.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned over her. I wanted to see her eyes as I had her repeat that to me. I want those fucking words again and again. The only problem I had was she was still asleep. She must be dreaming or maybe I willed my imagination to hear those words. I had no fucking clue but I wanted to hang around in case she said them again. I pulled my boots off and laid my cut on the night stand. My intentions were to only curl up next to her for a minute. I just need to be close to her even if she didn’t know I was here. What I didn’t plan on was falling into the most peaceful sleep I’ve had in years.

I woke to little hands shoving my shoulder. Avery was still asleep thank god. I didn’t need her waking up to my morning wood poking her in the back. Something tells me she wouldn’t appreciate it at all. I rolled over placing my finger to my lips. “Sssshhh...We don’t want to wake momma buddy. Let’s go get breakfast kid.”

“O’tay daddy,” my son whispered.

I rolled out of bed carefully picking up my cut and my boots in one hand so my son could take the other. Together we walked to the kitchen for a bowl of apple jacks and a cup of o j.

Avery

I woke up to the sun streaming through the damn windows again. Frist thing I was doing was ordering a set of black out curtains for this room. I didn’t do well waking up to the bright lights of the sun. Years of sleeping in the dark quarters of the bunks in the tour bus have ruined me. Looking at the clock I found it was only eight am. Hunter must have had a big day yesterday with Axle if he was still sleeping. He’s normally waking me up at the crack of dawn looking for his daily fix of cereal. Maybe living a normal life for a change would have its advantages after all.

I needed to get my ass in gear. I had to run out to Athena’s truck to grab everything I bought yesterday. With the spectacle we came home too I totally forgot about my bags. I climbed out of bed with a nice big stretch and took off to check on Hunter without even glancing in the mirror. I could only imagine looking at the hot mess that would be reflected back at me. Stepping out into the second story hallway I could hear the voices carrying up from what was probably the kitchen. With it being Thursday I assumed everyone was up to get their work days started.

I opened the door to Hunter’s room finding his bed empty. Looks like my son has suckered someone into making his cereal for him. Hopefully one of the girls would remind him of his daily dose of vitamin c. I stopped by the bathroom to brush my teeth and run a comb thru my hair before heading downstairs to join the fun. The kitchen looked like grand central station this morning. Wall and Happy were sitting at the island bitching at Carrin because Octavia got the first dips on the pancakes she was cooking. Athena was pouring herself a cup of coffee while in a quiet conversation with a grumpy Madison and there at the table was my son. He was sitting with his father, Hawk, Zeus and a couple I haven’t met yet. The older man had a striking resemblance to Hawk. Then it clicked. The couple must be the Commander and his wife Rose.

I decided to help myself to a cup of coffee but I wasn’t sure where the mugs where in this gigantic kitchen. Athena stopped mid-sentence when I walked up. “I don’t mean to butt in but I need a mug and a gallon of my favorite caffeinated beverage.”

With a laugh Athena turned to the cupboard behind her to pull a mug out for me. “How’d you sleep? I hope our screaming match didn’t keep you up,” Madison apologized.

“Girl it was fine. I couldn’t hear anything from Hunter’s room. I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep. I’m glad Hawk took pity on me last night and carried me to my bed at some point. If not, I would have had neck cramps from hell this morning. Remind me to thank him later.”

“I don’t know why you should be thanking him, unless he was here on some parallel universe last night. After he and Athena had their own little blow out he left. He ended up crashing at his parents’ house. The three of them just got here about twenty minutes ago,” Carrin piped in from the stove.

“Yeah girl it couldn’t have been Hawk. When he decided to go all alpha male on me last night we had a hell of a fight and he took off. That mother fucker pulls all that listen to me bullshit, kisses me, takes off all night and then decides to come strolling in here this morning like nothing’s wrong,” Athena added bitterly.

Well, shit if it wasn’t Hawk again then who the hell moved me to my bed last night? I think I might have to have a conversation with the men of this house about boundaries. Not today though. Today I plan on going to see my sister and then to the shop to see my bestie. I just needed to find a car to steal for the day. “Hey Madison, what do you have planned today?”

“I’m actually headed to work. I haven’t been in since last Thursday and I can only imagine what the pricks have done. I’m sure shits just been thrown everywhere. I’ll probably be there all day just getting shit organized. Why what’s up babe?”

“I was going to ask to borrow your car. I haven’t seen my sister yet. I was going to swing by to see her then ride over to see Romy and Izzy. I’m sure they’ve got shit they’ve got to say to me too. I might as well get it over with.” I spun around to look at the person who addressed me next.

“Take my truck and I’ll just take the bike. I’ve already got one of those booster things in the back and I’ll have one of the prospects follow you in.” Axle says from the table. What the hell? Was he listening in on my conversation? What does he mean he already has one of those booster things? I’ve got to have an escort too? This is too much. Me and this asshole needed to talk and get a few things straight.

“Axle can I talk to you for a minute,” I said as nicely as I could muster.

“Nothing to talk about babe. If you’re going out you’ll drive my truck, which I know is safe, and you’ll have a prospect with you, to keep you and my boy safe. Too much shit going on right now for you to question me. Me and the boys will be around but there’s some irons in the fire that need our attention more than your visiting; can’t be worrying bout where the fuck you’re at or what the fuck you’re doing. You wanna go out that’s fine but, it’s on my terms. If not feel free to stay right here in this big ole house by your self today,” Axle laid the law down.

“FINE! Just tell me where is your truck and how long am I going to wait for my babysitter to show up,” I threw back at him.

“I’ll have the prospect bring it over within the hour. I’ll leave it here for you until we find you something else but, hear me when I say, you don’t leave this fucking house to go anywhere but the clubhouse without me knowing,” he told me then fell right back into the conversation with Hawk at the table.

When I turned back towards the girls they had put their heads down. I wanted to call them a bunch of traitorous bitches but I couldn’t. All three of them had probably heard worse last night from the men of the house while I escaped with Hunter to watch a movie. There was no need to cause a scene so I just put Athena on the spot. “Is your truck in the garage? I never brought my bags in last night and I need to get my ass ready if my escort’s coming to chauffeur me around all day.”

“I brought them in last night. I just put everything in the bottom of your closet. I figured you’d be up looking for shit this morning.” “If ya get back before I leave the range today you ought to stop by. I’m sure I’ll have a babysitter today too. Whoever it is can watch both of us,” Athena added with a wink.

“I just might do that. I haven’t shot anything in years,” I said turning my head to meet Axle’s eyes quickly before turning to head towards the stairs. I saw the pupils in those big blue eyes change when I got a little sassy but I really don’t give a shit.

At some point while I was in the shower Hunter came up to get changed. He must have had some help from his aunt because the clothes weren’t scattered all over the place. From the looks of things, he would be in jeans and the navy blue long sleeve thermal Madison picked out yesterday. No doubt she was the one who helped him change. I reached in the bag from the electronics store to open the charger I got yesterday. My phone’s been dead since before we got here. I had to use Carrin’s tablet to email Layla about shipping my things. No one around here had the new iPhone so I couldn’t rob a charger from anyone. I hardly ever use the damn thing anyway but I wanted to check in with everyone. They should be in New York by now. I’d let my phone charge while I got myself ready and make some calls in between my visits today.

At least I didn’t have to decide on an outfit for the day. I went sparingly on our shopping venture only buying two pairs of jeans and a hoodie with the exception I made in Victoria Secrets. With the help of my three companions and one hundred eighty dollars later, I was the owner a four new bra and panty sets. Let Axle put that in his pipe and smoke it. I’ll give him the money back when I get my wallet here but I’d pay money to see his face when he sees my favorite store pop up. Just as I finished getting dressed my phone rang on the night stand. I grabbed the phone to answer it on speaker phone so I could put some make up on to cover the bruises on my face.