But my mind was stuck on my oldest brother, his damaged relationship with his childhood best friend, and the way that weighed on Ville. I wanted to force Bodhi to spill his guts, then sort everything out with Wren. Only then could Ville actually grow to like Bodhi. Or maybe like him again. I didn’t think they’d had problems in the past.
But the instant I set foot in my room, all thoughts of the outside world vanished. Ville had stripped down to his boxers, which clung to his thick thighs. He was staring out the window like the night sky had all the answers to his problems. The small bedside lamp was on, casting the room in a warm glow, and the shadows across his muscles made my mouth water.
The whimper was entirely involuntary. But it made Ville turn, and his gaze heated.
“You take a thorough shower?” He asked, voice at least an octave lower than it normally was. I nodded quickly, then blindly shut and locked the door behind me. Ville’s grin turned positively predatory. “Good. Then get naked and on the bed. Face in the pillow and ass in the air. Because I am going to eat you out until the only name you remember is mine.”
I let out a moan as I scrambled to do as I was told.
Somehow, I got roped into stringing lights around the porch of the big house. I wasn’t quite sure how that happened or why it was necessary. Fern and Mom insisted though, something about the fact that now that everyone had arrived, and the wedding was only two days away, things needed to look nice for what would be the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night on the lawn.
Ville tried to insist on him being the one to climb the ladder but I kissed him until he agreed I could be the one to go up. He still didn’t like it, if the way he hovered at the bottom of the ladder was any indication. He had the thing in a death grip.
“You just like staring at my ass,” I teased as I clipped in the lights.
“The view is the only perk,” he stated flatly. “Hurry up so you can get down.”
I chuckled and focused on my task. I only had a few more clips to go, and I really should have gotten down and moved the ladder. But I was certain Ville wouldn’t allow the ladder to tip, so I leaned instead. I liked the way he yelled at me.
Just as I straightened again, Juanpablo let out a raucous bray, and a second later, Demi’s SUV came tearing up the drive, way faster than she should have been driving. She practically screeched to a stop and threw open her door.
“Get down right now!” She shrieked. My instinct was to yell back, to insist I was fine, but then I saw her eyes. It wasn’t about me being up high. Something else was going on.
I scrambled down as fast as I possibly could and she was right there by the time I had feet on the ground. She grabbed my wrist in a vice-like grip, her fingers digging in. I winced, but she didn’t let up.
“What happened?” My heart was pounding so fast and my mind was in overdrive, trying to figure out what had scared her so badly.
Demi didn’t say a word. She just yanked me toward the house. I hadn’t been prepared for it, and I stumbled over my own feet. But Ville was right there to keep me upright. One glance at him and I knew he was about to say something. I grabbed his hand instead, tugging him after us, and squeezed. His eyes were venomous but he kept his mouth shut.
Like a weird little train, we walked into the house. Demi kept pulling, even though I would follow wherever she wanted. The moment the kitchen came into view, she stopped dead. Nick was chopping with professional speed, his knife flying over the cutting board. He didn’t even look up. But Mom froze where she was mixing spices. By the smell of it, I was guessing it was herfamous pork rub. I knew ribs were on the menu for tomorrow night.
“You!” Demi bellowed, pointing a finger at Mom. “This is all your fault!”
“What in the world?” Mom asked, eyes wide. She set down her spoon and rose to her feet, but Demi wasn’t done.
“You did this to me! It’s all your fault!” An errant curl fell in her face, and Demi angrily swiped it away. “If it wasn’t for your genes, I wouldn’t be in this mess.”
Nick set down his knife and left the room, not saying a single word. Mom took a step forward, but Demi let out an honest to goodness growl, and she stopped. Demi still had her fingers clamped around my wrist, so I let go of Ville’s hand and wrapped my hand around hers.
“D?” I asked, voice low and calm.
“Triplets!” Demi’s voice was insanely high. “I thought four kids was a lot. But no! Because of your damn genes, I’m going to have six. Becausetriplets!”
The silence that followed her announcement was so loud that my ears rang. Mom recovered first, her face breaking into a wide, sunny grin. She clasped her hands together and bounced twice on her toes.
“Oh, sweetie! You’re pregnant again! How wonderful.”
“Did you miss the part abouttriplets?” Demi shrieked. Then she sucked in a shuddering breath and whipped around, her eyes wide and terrified. I grabbed her up quickly and hugged her tight. She was suddenly shaking. “Ultrasound showed three sacs, three heartbeats. It was just supposed to be to try to figure out how far along I am.”
First things first. I tilted my head so I could speak in her hair. “What’s the guess?”
“Maybe eight weeks? I go back in two to see again. I…I…Emery!”
“Ville, chair,” I ordered and he jumped into action, pulling one of the dining room chairs over so I could lower my twin into it. Demi sat hard, and I crouched down, holding her hands in mine. “It’s gonna be okay, D.”
She shook her head rapidly. “They’re gonna come early and have to be in the NICU.”
I was not one to lie, but especially not to my twin sister. “Without a doubt.”
