Bayou Stix Series: Bayou Stix Limited Edition Box Set (97 page)

I
brought Clove into this sitting room to relax for a bit and get her off of her feet. She’s exhausted. I’ve already decided that we’re staying for another half an hour and then we’re heading home. She needs her rest and tonight was a lot for her with the launch and the excitement, then add in Chelsee, and my proposal… and she’s beat.

She’s lying back in here and I’m rubbing her feet. She’s purring like a cat at my ministrations. But I can already tell that as soon as she stops for sixty seconds, she’s going to be out like a light.

I decide to just let her rest when suddenly her eyes pop open as we both hear voices in the hallway. Someone is clearly upset. Damn, I wonder what some asshole did. I hope it wasn’t anyone I know getting caught doing something they shouldn’t have.

After a minute, I realize I know the male voice. Holy shit, it’s Dade!

Clove jumps up and before I can stop her, she races across the floor and opens the door a crack to peek at what’s going on in the hall.

I’m right behind her and we look into the hall to see who has Dade so upset.

Am I seeing correctly?!

Apparently I am, because Clove gasps and looks at me. She asks me without words if I know what’s going on.

I shrug down at her. I’m just as lost as she is.

Dude, what the hell? Why are you arguing with Dr. Bird in the hallway?! Dr. Bird, as in Clove’s doctor. How the hell do you know her, Dade?

We both listen and try to see if we can gain some insight.

Dade has his hand on her arm and she’s trying to pull it away, but he’s not letting go.

Dr. Bird says in a low, furious voice. “Let me go, you asshole!”

Dade answers in a voice just as furious. “What are you doing here? And I’m an asshole?! Are you kidding me?!” She tries to free herself again and he pulls her into his body. She struggles and her blonde hair falls out of its topknot.

Clove whispers to me, “What the hell is this, Liam? How does my brother know my doctor?!”

I whisper back, “I have no idea. Honestly, I don’t know. Should I go out there and break this up?”

Clove shakes her head and says, “No, I want to know what the hell is going on and I doubt either one of them is going to tell us.”

We continue to watch the spectacle.

Both are breathing hard, but Dade groans and tightens his arms around Dr. Bird. She pulls back again, but it looks like she’s not trying very hard to escape. Dade leans in and kisses her.

Clove and I watch with our mouths hanging open. Dade pushes her against the wall and holds her there and he devours her mouth. I feel like a perv for watching this. Ugh, is this what he felt like when he walked into the kitchen all those times and saw me kissing Clove?!

I don’t want to see this. I’m about to pull Clove back into the room and give them some privacy when we hear a resounding slap. It echoes down the hall.

Dade looks at Dr. Bird in shock and his hand touches his face where she just slapped the piss out of him.

He grits out, “You slapped me!”

She cradles her hand and the look on her face clearly shows she didn’t mean to do that. She spits words at him. “You. Do. Not. Touch. Me.” Stepping back, she glares at him. “Don’t ever touch me again.”

Dade looks at her in exasperation, “Why are you so mad? Do you have any idea how hard I’ve been looking for you, Rayne?”

I look down at Clove and we both mouth, “Rayne?”

Dr. Bird’s name is Melonie, so why is Dade calling her Rayne?! What in the hell is going on here?!

She says, “You haven’t been looking for me! And my name isn’t Rayne.”

Dade steps back and looks at her in accusation. “What?”

She glares back at him. “You heard me. My name isn’t Rayne! Funny you want to find me now, but you didn’t care enough to even tell me you were leaving!”

I’m so lost. What in the fuck is this? How does Dade know Dr. Bird and why does she sound like he hurt her?

Before I can stop myself, I open the door and step into the hall. Clove tries to pull me back in, but the noise of the door has alerted both Dade and Dr. Bird to our presence. Both look up at us with apprehension. When Dade sees who it is, his shoulders slump.

Dr. Bird says, “Clove. Liam. I’m sorry that we disturbed you. Is everything alright?”

She’s switched over from enraged woman to doctor. I appreciate that, but right now I want to know what has these two at each other’s throats.

Clove interrupts my inner musings. “Dr. Bird, thank you. I’m fine. I was just tired and Liam brought me into the sitting room to get off of my feet for a bit.” She gestures to Dade. “Excuse me, but how do you know my brother?”

Her face loses all color. She gasps, “Your brother?!” She looks from me to Dade. “You’re… He’s… Oh my God… he’s your brother?!”

I don’t know what’s going on, but I remember something else. “Yes, Dade is Clove’s brother. He’s also my bandmate and friend. And I’m sorry, Clove and I are very lost right now. We weren’t trying to pry but we heard the angry voices and then we realized one was Dade.” I point at Dr. Bird. “How do you know Dade and why is he calling you Rayne? I thought your name was Melonie?”

Dade has been staring at Dr. Bird in silent rage, but after my questions, he explodes. “
Of course y
our name isn’t Rayne!” He laughs harshly and mutters, “You told me you worked in an office?!” Glaring at her, he spits out, “You’re my
sister’s fucking baby doctor?
” He laughs and there is no humor in it. “Oh and for the record, I left in a hurry because I got a frantic call that my baby sister was in the hospital. I was going to call you once I got to the airport, but
you
never gave me your number.” He harshly laughs again and slaps the wall. I see Dr. Bird jump. “But then again you also told me your name was Rayne. What the fuck else did you lie about? I’ve wasted enough time here,
Dr. Melonie Bird
.” He stalks down the hall calling over his shoulder, “Have a nice fucking life.”

Her shoulders slump and all of the color leaves her face as she watches him walk away. As he turns the corner, she turns shakily to us. Her hands come up and drop back down. She looks at Clove, who is frowning as she stares down the hall that Dade just disappeared into. Dr. Bird says dejectedly, “I’m so sorry you saw all that. I’m sorry. I met Dade on my vacation. We- we spent some time together and then he just… left. I didn’t know his last name and I never knew who he was.” She looks down the hall again and tucks her hands into her pants. I see them shaking. “I’m sorry. I have to go. Thank you for the invitation. It was a lovely party. I- I have patients in the morning. I’m so sorry, Clove. I fully understand if you’d like a new doctor. I- I have to go. Goodnight.” She turns on her heel and hurries down the hall. In the opposite direction Dade went in.

Clove just stares at her retreating figure. She slumps against me. Looking up at me, she says flatly, “I’m drained. Can we go home?”

Tucking my fiancée against my side, I get her into the truck. As she stares out the window, I text Blue to let her know that Clove is beat and we’re heading home. Once we get home, I undress her, and slip her beneath the covers of my bed, which is now our bed. She never wakes up.

The next morning, I wake early. Glancing over at the alarm on my nightstand, I see it’s only 6AM. I can’t sleep and I don’t want to wake Clove, so I slide out of bed and decide to go work out.

Once I get to the garage, I hear the music pumping. It’s loud and angry. I’m not the only one who can’t sleep.

I walk in and see Dade wailing on a punching bag. He’s covered in sweat and it’s running into his eyes, but he never stops. He’s so focused on the bag, I don’t even know if he sees me.

Leaning back, I just watch him go. I’ve never seen him like this. Makes me glad he likes me and reminds me…

Stepping over to the music, I turn it down. He stops and glares at me.

I hold my hands out in surrender. “Hey, don’t come at me. I didn’t do anything. Well, except propose to your sister, without your permission.”

This gets a chuckle. “You had my permission, asshole.”

I’m taken aback. “I did? I never asked you and I probably should have. I’m sorry.”

He crosses his arms. He’s breathing heavily. He might be in his mid-thirties, but Dade takes care of his body. I’m a little intimidated. He nods at me. “Yes. I asked you if you loved my sister. You said you did and that you wanted the baby. I didn’t punch you in the face.” He smirks. “Therefore, I gave you my permission.”

Nodding at that fucked up logic, I say. “I’m glad you didn’t punch me in the face.”

He laughs. “Yeah, me too. Clove would be pissed.”

I picture her flying off the handle at Dade. It makes me laugh. He joins in. I sober up as I ask, “Are you sure you’re ok with me marrying her? And being the baby’s father? I, well, I don’t know a thing about that.”

He stops laughing and looks at me seriously. “The fact that you’re in here telling me that when you know good and well I could beat your ass, tells me you are exactly the man for her.” He walks over and claps my shoulder. “I’d be honored to have you as a brother-in-law, man. And even more honored to have you as the father to my nephew and maybe a few more of them later down the line.”

I get a little choked up. “Thank you, Dade. You’re alright for an old man.”

He grabs me in a headlock and musses up my hair. Throwing my hands up, I laugh and call out, “Ok. Ok. Dude, watch the face. Don’t mess up my face. Clove likes it pretty.”

He laughs and pops me with his shirt. He asks me if I want to go for a run with him and I agree, so that’s what we do.

Two hours later, we’re back and both of us are sweaty messes. As we walk into the house, the smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls greets us.

Walking into the kitchen, I find my fiancée leaning over the oven and stirring something on the stove. Grabbing her and whirling her around once the oven is closed, I pull her close and kiss her, sweat and all.

She moans into my mouth and pulls back wrinkling her nose. “Good morning, my love. Fancy a shower? You smell like an old goat and well this is my sacred space.” She shoves me with a laugh. “Go shower and then come eat.”

Pulling her in for another kiss, I squeeze her hips as her baby bump presses against me. Then whistling, I head to our room since I was ordered to shower.

Once we’re all settled into the kitchen and eating breakfast, we hear the front door open and then Cruz floods into the kitchen closely followed by Erik and Alec.

Shit, I forgot. Oh well, now is as good a time as any.

Dade looks at them in question. “Any reason why you three are in my house first thing in the morning?”

Cruz laughs and reminds Dade that they are going over the tour dates. We’ve left the final decisions to the two of them and Alec says to me, “Still going see the house this morning, right?”

Clove looks at me in expectation as Dade’s head whips around. They say at the same time, “What house?”

I shrug and feel my face heat up, but I answer as I look at Clove and avoid Dade’s gaze. “You know I was looking to move out of here after you moved in and we had our stuff… but, then we got together and well, Alec has been looking for a house… for us. He found one I think is perfect. I looked at it last week and I wanted you to see it. I want to see what you think. If you love it, I’m going to buy it. For you… For us.”

Clove is just staring at me in rapt fascination. Dade is glowering. “You’re going to marry her and now you’re moving out?”

I look at Dade, incredulously. “Dude seriously, you want us to get married and live here with a new baby, too? The house is literally around the corner. It’s like three minutes from here!”

Clove gets up and kisses Dade’s cheek before sitting on my lap and wrapping her arms around my neck. She says to him, “Big brother, I’m not a child. I’m a woman who’s getting married and about to be a mother myself. You’ll always be my big brother, but I have to leave the nest. You brought me home when I needed to come back and you gave me the love and support I needed.” She looks around the kitchen. “You all did. You are all wonderful men and I love you. You are all my family.” She leans down to kiss me. “But Liam and this baby are my family now, too, and we need to do this.”

Dade is looking at her with a reverent expression on his face. “Welcome home, baby girl. I’m glad you came back and I think this is exactly where you were meant to be.” He points at me. “I think that fool is exactly who you are meant to be with. Go ahead. Leave the nest. But just remember, I’m your big brother and you can always count on me.” He winks at me. “If he ever messes up, you just let me know. I’ll be there to fuck up his pretty face before you can hang up the phone.”

Everyone laughs. Even me.

I love these crazy ass people. My imperfect family is just perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

For all of my readers who have been with me from the beginning, I thank you for taking a chance and sticking with me. For my new readers, I hope that you find pleasure in my words and that my characters are relatable.

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