The Girl's Got Secrets (Forbidden Men #7) (50 page)

Four Years Later

Well, Non-Castrato ended up surviving. We did lose one more member of the band, but surprisingly—or maybe I should say sadly—it wasn’t Gally. Heath Holden left the group right about the time Asher’s dad had been sentenced for another ten years in prison, or more importantly right around the time Jodi dropped him and Billy both, and took up with some dude in a motorcycle club. Well, she said club...I called it a gang, but whatever.

Speaking of Miller Hart. Asher hadn’t been the victim of any more wire-cutting pranks or the like after his dad was arrested the day he’d given me the chocolates, so we all agreed he had been behind them, after all. And yes, being right about that felt
so
good!

Anyway, my cousin Tomás was more than happy to take up with Non-Castrato when Heath dropped out, playing the lead guitar and singing backup for Asher, much to the disappointment of Tío Alonso. Big T adjusted quite well to rock music, though. He especially liked the flock of women it brought. And Asher certainly didn’t help my cousin’s new man-whore ways in the least because he always shooed the ladies Big T’s way.

Not that I wanted him to keep any for himself. No, Asher Hart was all mine, and only mine.

And life was good. Oh, so...good.

We were both sweaty and exhausted after our performance at the Metro—yes, I said the freaking Metro, baby—but jazzed and ready to see our friends as he tugged me into the back of the cab behind him, then right into his lap so he could wrap his arms around my waist and kiss me soundly.

I kissed him back a few seconds before pulling away to laugh and yell, “¡Dios mío! I can’t believe we just played at the Metro.”

Asher kissed his way down my throat. “I can’t believe we have to go see my lame friends, and I can’t take you straight to bed right now. You look too good in this outfit.”

He slid his hand up my thigh until it disappeared inside my short jean skirt. But I caught his wrist and sent a quick glance to the cab driver, hoping he wasn’t watching us.

“Now, now, Mr. Hart,” I warned with a grin, batting my nose against Asher’s. “Tío Alonso explicitly told us none of that until after the wedding.”

Asher groaned and pressed his forehead to mine. “Your uncle is so fucking delusional. We’ve been dating four years now, I’ve put a ring on it,
and
we’re living together. Does he honestly think we haven’t—”

I pressed a finger against his magical lips. “If he doesn’t then I’m certainly not going to be the one to clue him in otherwise. Are you?”

“Fuck no.” Asher snorted right before he trailed a row of kisses down my neck. “But neither am I going to remain celibate for another month until we’re properly married.”

Oh, neither was I. Pressing my mouth to his ear, I whispered, “Just wait until I have you alone in our room, and I’ll show you how celibate I’m not going to be either.”

He groaned and grew hard against my bottom. “That’s it. We’re skipping this whole friend-get-together thing and heading straight to our room with a bottle of champagne and maybe some strawberries...and chocolate syrup.”

Giddy about his eagerness, because I had on a surprise under my clothes that I just knew he’d enjoy ripping off, I merely tapped the tip of his nose with my finger. “But Ten and Caroline don’t get to visit often since they moved to California. I want to see them and catch up.”

“Fine.” He thumped his head moodily back on the seat of the car and groaned. “I’ll do it for Caroline. But Ten can eat shit.”

I grinned, glad he and Ten still liked to bicker and needle each other from halfway across the country. But I also knew he missed his friend and was eager to see Ten again, along with the rest of the gang.

I’d been surprised at how readily they’d all accepted me after the way my relationship had started with Asher. I feared they’d be more judgmental because I’d lied and hurt their rock star. But they’d treated me the way Asher had wanted them to treat me, with warm acceptance. And now I felt as if they were my family too.

“I still can’t believe Tío Alonso told us no sex until the wedding.” Taking my hand, Asher began to play with my engagement ring. “He’s never going to like me, is he?”

Kissing his cheek, I said, “Hey, don’t worry about it. He can’t stand any kind of outsider. Hell, he barely tolerates me, and I’m his niece. But Abuela loves you to pieces, so that’s all that matters.”

Asher looked up at me, his brow crinkling. “Remy, your uncle loves you.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes, even as my chest tightened with the idea. “Only because I’m blood. He
has
to.”

But my fiancé shook his head. “No, he doesn’t. Just last week, he asked me for two hundred Non-Castrato fliers to pass out to customers at the restaurant. And I’ve heard him brag you up to others more than once.”

I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. “Really?” Okay, maybe I wasn’t so abhorrent to my uncle. Wow.

“Really.” Asher kissed my forehead. “No one
has
to love you, family or otherwise. We all just do...because, well, we can’t help it. You’re amazing.”

“Look at you, being all sweet,” I murmured, trying to make light of his words even though they affected me deeply. I touched my mouth to his. “You must really want to get laid tonight.”

“Why, yes. Yes, I do, even though every word I speak is the truth. You’re impossible not to love, Remy Elisa Curran, almost Hart.”

“As are you, Ashley Jean Hart.”

He gasped. “Oh, you smartass. You just couldn’t resist, could you?”

“No.” I giggled, and he kissed me again.

When the cab stopped next to our hotel, we were breathing hard as we pulled apart. I was about to tell him,
skip the friends for a few minutes, we could have a quickie in our room first
, but after he paid our fare, he took my hand and dragged me inside, looking up Pick’s hotel room number on his phone as he went.

“It’s room 312,” I told him as he scowled and scrolled through his messages.

Asher glanced up. “Are you sure?”

I only nodded and smiled.

Shaking his head, he cupped the nape of my neck. “See, this is why I’m marrying you. I’d be a lost mess without my organized Remy.”

After another soft kiss, he groaned and pulled away. “Okay, friends first.”

Remarkably, we made it to room 312 with all our clothes still on. After Asher knocked, he kissed me again. He was always frisky after a show; the rush of performing was as much an adrenaline boost to him as it was to me. And I loved it.

The door came open. “It’s about time. How many freaking quickies did you two have on the way over?” We broke apart to find Eva arching her eyebrow at us as she rubbed her very pregnant belly. “If you two aren’t careful, you’re going to end up like this.”

Asher only chuckled as he pulled her in for a hug. “What? Aren’t you ready to be an aunt?”

“Probably more ready than you are, honey.” She slapped a kiss to his cheek and pulled away. “Now get in here. You’re missing all the fun.”

“Asher and Remy are here!
Yay
!” Aspen cried as soon as we stepped into the room. She sat on the floor with a half-empty glass in hand as she leaned against Noel. Clearly drunk, she lifted her cup to us before she tipped her head back and drained it.

Reese and Caroline popped to their feet as they hurried forward to embrace us with a round of hugs. The rest of the guys waved, while both Zoey and Quinn and Felicity and Knox remained curled together in their seats, looking too cozy to get up and greet us. Felicity’s arms were full with her little bundle of joy, anyway. Mason murmured something to Pick, making Pick laugh, and Ten sat in the middle of the floor with a flushed face and...what the hell? Were those
tears
in his eyes?

An also very pregnant Reese hugged me and then Asher, telling us how much she’d loved the show. Then Caroline was butting in to grab my hand and check out my engagement ring because she hadn’t gotten to see it yet.

“I’m so happy for you guys.” Wrapping one arm around my neck and another around Asher’s, she hugged us in to her.

“Thanks, beautiful.” Asher kissed her cheek before furrowing his brow and hitching his chin toward Ten. “What’s up with your husband?”

“Oh, don’t mind him.” Caroline waved an unconcerned hand toward Ten. “He’s only a little shell-shocked. Just found out he’s going to be a daddy.”

“¡Oh, Dios mío!” I screeched, jumping up and down. “You’re pregnant? Omigod, congratulations!” I yanked her into another hug and we laughed together as we jumped in a circle.

“Isn’t it great?” Reese asked, rubbing her own belly. “Our group’s just turning into a regular ol’ baby-making factory.”

Asher hooked an arm around my waist and pressed his mouth to my ear. “And I have this sneaking suspicion we’re not going to be very far behind them.”

I glanced at him, but he didn’t seem appalled by the idea. Instead, he wiggled his brows and smiled as if asking,
You want to?

Holy shit, I couldn’t believe this. Asher was ready to have babies...with me?

We were already grandparents. A couple months after Asher and I had bought a house with a large, fenced-in backyard where Mozart could play to his heart’s content, we’d gone to the pet store and gotten him a companion, one they’d assured us was another male. But only months later, Mozart swelled up before popping out three little babies.

Guess I hadn’t been the only one posing as a dude, after all.

I had no idea how Asher and I would work a human baby into our lives, being on the road so much, singing and playing for Non-Castrato. But I wasn’t worried. With a man like Asher Hart by my side, I didn’t fear the next day. I only looked forward to the promise of tomorrow.

The End

Acknowledgements
:

Thank you to my beta/early readers: Elisa Castro, Shi Ann Crumpacker, Alaina Martinie, Lindsay Brooks, Ada Frost, Katie Anderson, Ana Kristina Rabacca, Mary Rose Bermundo, Sarah Symonds from Inked in Books, Amanda at Beta Reading Bookshelf, Jennifer at Three Chicks and Their Books, and Michelle and Pepper at AllRo-mance Book Reviews.

Another very big, special thank you to Eli Castro for tak-ing so much time to go over the manuscript and translate and explain what each translation meant!

Thank you to my editor Stephanie Parent, and proof-readers Autumn at the Autumn Review and  Shelley at 2 Book Lovers Reviews!

Thank you to Ada Frost for my amazing book cover this time around.

More thanks to all the supportive people who visit my social media sites and read my stories, keeping me in business, especially everyone on the Facebook Group: The Forbidden Men Lovers! Love you guys.

Thanks to my huge family, thanks to Kurt, Lydia, and the brand new Sadie (who was with me every step of the way...literally, since she was stuck inside me the entire time) for providing me with my own happily ever after, and then finally thank you to God.

I know I don’t deserve so much help and support from so many people, but I cherish and appreciate it, recognizing it for the amazing gift it is, anyway. Thank you.

About Linda Kage

Linda grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now she lives in Kansas with her husband, daughter, and their nine cuckoo clocks. Her life's been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing's always been a major part of her world, and she’s so happy to finally share some of her stories with other romance lovers.

Please visit her at her website:

www.LindaKage.com

Spanish to English Translations

A lo hecho, pecho = What was done was done.

Abuela = Grandmother

Adiós = Good bye

Agua =  Water

Amigo = Friend

Ay por Dios = Oh my God

Bien = Fine/Good/Okay/Not bad

Bien hecho = Well done

Buenas noches = Good night/ Good evening

Cállate = Shut up

chica = Girl

Chinga = Fuck

Chingaderas = Pieces of shit.

Chinguen a su madre = Motherfuckers. Literally "Fuck your mother."

Cielito Lindo = Popular mariachi song, roughly translated “Sweet Lovely One”

¿Cómo te llamas? = What's your name?

Dios = God

Dios mío = My God

Disculpa = Excuse me

En serio lo siento tanto = I am so sorry.

Eres mi nena, mi chica. Te amo = You are my baby, my girl. I love you

Español = Spanish

Espera = Hold on/Wait

Gracias =  Thank you

Grande = Large

Gringo = Person from the US

Hermosa = Beautiful

Hijo de puta = Son of a Bitch

Hola = Hello

Hola. Buenas noches = Hello. Good evening/Good night.

Idiota = Idiot

Increíble = Incredible

Limpia tu camisa = Clean your shirt.

Llegas tarde. = You're late.

Lo siento = I'm sorry

Locos = Crazy

Madre = Mother

Más = More

Más duro = Harder

Más rápido = Faster

Más vale tarde que nunca = Better late than never.

Mi linda nieta = My beautiful granddaughter

Mi nena = My baby

Mi padre = My father

Mierda = Shit

Nada = Nothing

No hablo inglés = I don't speak English

No puedo esperar = I can't wait.

No sé = I do not know

Nombre = Name

Pendejo = Asshole/stupid. Literally "one pubic hair."

Por Dios = My God

Por favor = Please

Prima = (Female) cousin

Pronto = Right away/hurry/soon

Puta = Whore

¿Qué pasa? = What's up?

Que Sera Sera = Whatever will be will be.

Quedarse = Stay

Quiero sentarme en tu cara. = I want to sit on your face.

señorita = Miss/unmarried woman

Sentarse = Sit

Sí = Yes

Sí, tío querido. = Yes, uncle dearest.

Solo hazlo = Just do it.

Solo un beso = Just a kiss/Just one kiss

Te amo = I love you

Te amo más de lo que nunca he amado a otro. = I love you more than I've ever loved another.

Te extrañé = I've missed you.

Te ves triste. = You look sad.

Tengo que hacer esto = I have to do this.

Tío = Uncle

Tu casa = Your House

Uno más = One more

Ya no puedo hacer esto =  I can't do this anymore.

Yo quiero = I want to/I want