AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tell me he didn’t deserve that,” he argues.
Scar puts her head in her hand just as Joe walks back into the room after hearing the commotion. “Please tell me you have something for me to smoke,” she pleads to him without responding to Kade. She already admitted to us that Kade and Luca were justified in their anger. Joe pulls a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his pocket and deftly tosses it to her. She catches both with an ease and immediately lights up.
Declan doesn’t seem bothered by it, so I just roll with it. She doesn’t smoke often, especially recently. Usually only when she’s really stressed. I do give a pointed look to Kade at pushing her to this point. At least he has the wherewithal to look slightly sheepish.
After several inhales where she focuses only on the smoke spilling from between her lips, she faces Kade again. “Are we done now? Got it out of our system?”
“If that’s an offer,” Luca pipes up only to shut back down as she glares at him. “It’s not like I got a turn,” he finishes quietly.
“We’re done now, right?” she asks, leaving no room for argument or smart ass comments this time. She pins each one of us with a deadly stare, waiting for our acknowledgement.
“I’ll be good now,” Kade promises, somewhat begrudgingly. I scoff, I don’t think he knows the meaning of the word. He flips me off but Scar rolls her eyes.
“Please leave. Now,” she directs to Joe and Charles. “Before I get an even bigger headache.”
Whatever had him hesitating before, it is no longer. He moves slowly, still clutching his midsection and panting as Joe ushers him out of the room.
“That mean we can go home now?”
Everyone releases some of the tension they’ve been holding when she nods yes. She finishes her cigarette and heads back to her room to pack up her stuff. It’s less than an hour before we are back in the van and heading back to St Graves.
* * *
There’sthe telltale sign of the pitter-patter of feet that just barely prepares me to catch Roe before she flies around the corner and launches herself into my arms.
I drop Scar’s bag and catch her just in the nick of time as she squeals and giggles. I chuckle as I tickle her sides. “Hi there, sweet girl.” Her laughter fills the room and the exhaustion that was seeping into my every fiber evaporates like it was never even there.
Kade laughs behind me and picks up Scar’s bag as I walk further into the room. I don’t make it even two steps before I almost trip over both of the twins hurling themselves at my legs and wrapping themselves around each one.
“Shit,” I curse as I stumble and barely manage to right myself. Kade claps his hand down on my shoulder and squeezes.
“Good luck,” he cheers happily as he pushes past us and makes his way into the house. I laugh as he curses when Blu comes running from the back of the house, hearing the commotion, and does his best to take out Kade as he jumps up on him.
All three of the kids giggle as I take long slow steps, dragging the twins with each one. This is probably their favorite activity in the world. They take every opportunity they have to be dragged around like this.
“I didn’t know I was going to have such a good surprise waiting for me when I got home,” Scar coos from behind me. Sweeping in to steal Roe from my arms. At least now it’s easier to move. I bend down and pick up Cal into my arms so I only have to drag Kai behind me. Just as we are about to reach the living room, Ian must come into his line of sight because all of a sudden he releases my leg and jumps to his feet.
“Daddy!”
Cal immediately starts wiggling in my arms, simultaneously trying to turn to look and get down to his feet. I let him down and he’s off like a rocket, chasing after his brother to jump on their dad.
I’ve missed the chaos that only kids can bring into this house. Even with as loud as we can all be, it’s too quiet without them.
Ian manages to sweep both boys up into his arms and carry them after us into the living room. I don’t know how he does it. Scar snuggles Roe, even as she giggles and tries to break free to say hi to the rest of the guys. Scar teases her and tells her she has to stay with her now. Her squeals of delight ease the anxiety and stress of the last twenty-four hours.
Kade appears from the back hall, probably after putting Blu back outside. He’s still just a pup and often still pees when he gets too excited. Kade sneaks behind Scar to swipe Roe from her without her noticing. She shrieks in surprise as Kade lifts her to his chest before tossing her in the air and catching her. He catches her and cuddles her into his chest.
“Dang, Roe baby. You’re getting heavy. I almost dropped you,” he teases.
“Daddy’s being silly,” she laughs, shaking her head and refusing to believe he almost dropped her.
“That’s right, baby,” Ryder agrees, stealing her from Kade. “Tell him if he thinks you’re heavy, he needs to spend more time in the gym.”
Ian groans. “Please don’t tell any of these psychos that.” Jade shakes her head as she walks up to him, taking Kai from him. He eagerly climbs into her arms and rests his head on her shoulders, yawning.
The taunts continue as the kids say hi to everyone and we all begin to settle in. Just as we all get comfortable sitting down, Charlene walks into the room with trays of sandwiches.
“I thought everyone might be hungry,” she announces as she sets the trays down on the coffee table. Kai and Roe both pop up from where they were laying down in Jade’s and Scar’s laps. I grab a plate for all three kids and grab the heart-shaped sandwiches obviously meant for them and the three of them settle on the floor to start eating their food.
