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"Dude, just put it on or I'm throwing you out myself. I'm going to be pissed if we went to all this trouble just for you to blow it." Emmett's losing his cool; he's been doing that a lot lately.
Brent grunts, and as Emmett is in the middle, I'm assuming Emmett elbowed him. He must have put it on because the locks re-engage, and the SUV starts moving again.
Brent just won't give it up. "You're really not going to tell us where we're going? How do we know this isn't a trap?" Even I have to roll my eyes at that one.
"Brent, you're just going to have to trust me, now aren't you?" Marcus' voice comes silky smooth and deadly. I don't know what Brent did to piss him off, besides being annoying, but he'd better shut his mouth before Marcus does it for him. "Or I could drop you off at a fire station. Your choice."
"Are you calling me a baby?" Emmett snorts at Brent's outrage.
"If the diaper fits," Marcus deadpans, and Emmett and I lose it. It breaks the ice. At least it does after Brent quits pouting and asks how they've been.
"We've been doing fine." Marcus was never super chatty with us, but he's being awful short. Makes me wonder what they've really been up to.
"How's Lark?" I immediately add on, "and Braeden?" He may be Lark's best friend, but that bastard has foiled me every time I was able to sneak in a call to her.
"You'll get to ask them yourself soon enough." Well, isn't that cryptic.
My partner is silent, and I think he may be taking a nap. I have my suspicions that he's been in touch with Marcus more than I realized and probably Braeden too from his lack of curiosity. I give up and settle in for the ride. Marcus is right– I will find out soon enough.
Lark
"This is really good, Apollo. Thank you for cooking." It's the first thing I've said since we settled down to eat, and I only did so because the silence was getting to me. The guys didn't seem to mind the clinking of silverware in lieu of dinner conversation, but I feel ready to crawl out of my skin.
"You're welcome, Lark. Cooking is something I enjoy but never got much of a chance to practice. I hope you don't mind if I use you all as guinea pigs while we're here. I have the pantry and freezers fully stocked." Apollo's eyes brighten with hope when he asks to cook for us, and I can't refuse. The food is excellent anyway if dinner is anything to go by.
"I'm game, and from Braeden's plate there, I'll say he is too. Rex and Emmett will eat anything that doesn't eat them first." I blush at Apollo's happy smile and direct stare until I can't hold it any longer and tuck back into my asparagus and chicken alfredo fettuccine.
I'm still concentrating on my plate as Apollo and Braeden discuss options for the menu for the next few days when Brade taps my thigh from the seat next to mine. I glance sideways and find his hand open with a little pill resting on his palm. With no other choice, I shoot him a tight-lipped smile and take it from him.
As my hand raises to put the medication in my mouth under Braeden's watchful stare, I catch Apollo watching the exchange. Now I'm embarrassed. And pissed.
"I'm not a child," I hiss. Brade's expression slackens in shock, but he doesn't protest as I tuck the pill in the pocket of my jeans. I don't dare look at Apollo– I'm mortified at the scene that I caused.
Before either man can comment, a beeping starts from a console on the kitchen wall. Apollo wipes his fingers on a napkin, even though I'm fairly certain they didn't touch any food, and rises to go check. He's still in sight through the open doorway between the dining room and kitchen and doesn't appear concerned at what he finds. Braeden takes the opportunity to grill me.
"What’s the problem, Birdie? I didn't mean to upset you." Despite his backhanded apology, he's staring at the pocket my medication rests in.
"I didn't mean to snap at you, but you didn't need to do that in front of Apollo. And I can take my own meds, Brade. You had to have gone in my bag to get it, and while I love you, I do need a modicum of privacy. I know I was in a bad place, but I'm getting better." To take the sting out of my words I reach over and cover his large hand with my smaller one.
Usually, he wouldn't have done that in front of anyone, but maybe he's feeling off and overprotective. I'll have to talk to him later and make sure he's okay. He gives me a grin and a nod, but I kinda feel like I hurt his feelings. I huff a sigh, but Apollo comes back in and resumes his seat, so I don't elaborate.
"Marcus and the others have reached the turnoff to the drive. They should be here in approximately ten minutes." Apollo finishes his dinner as do Brade and I before he gets up to clear the dishes.
"Here, let me help with that." I go to get up but both Apollo and Braeden insist I sit.
"I'll help, Birdie." He nods in my direction and glances at my pocket before grabbing dishes and following Apollo to the kitchen.
He's giving me privacy to take it and still be bossy. Butthead. I pull it out but don't know what to do. On the one hand, the bottle directly says don't take it when pregnant but so do a lot of things like pain relievers and antacids. On the other hand, going off anti-anxiety medication cold turkey probably isn't a genius move either. I decide a half dose for a couple of days then quitting would be as safe as I can get. I bust the pill in half and quickly swallow it before either man comes back. I'll just have to make it clear to Brade that it's my decision. I snort at that thought. Like he'll ever let me be if he's worried.
"Where is she?" Rex's voice filters up the stairs.
Yep, I'd totally bailed while Braeden and Apollo were cleaning up and hid in my room. When I'd checked behind the curtained window, I'd found that mine and Brade's rooms face the front and therefore the driveway. As the black SUV appeared coming up it, I'd decided I wasn't going to be part of the greeting party. I just wasn't quite ready to see Rex— or Brent.
With the door cracked so it didn't look like I was hiding, I started unpacking my bags. It was a side benefit that I could eavesdrop better with it open.
"What do you mean, no? I haven't talked to her in weeks!" I was guessing Brade or Apollo had answered Rex too quietly for me to hear, and he wasn't happy with the reply. Tuning them out I keep unpacking.
