Chapter 20
Luc
Right Now
Van Halen
“Say that again?” Dean leans forward, propping his elbows on his knees as he does, like being closer to me will make what I just said any different.
“Lily had a baby, and it’s mine.” I repeat, saying it slow and loud so there’s no confusion.
“Is this a fucking joke?” Mikey spits out as he rises from the couch, throwing a hand in the air. “You don’t see this chick for two years and you’re just going to believe some baby she had is yours?”
I slide my phone out of my back pocket and open a photo of Larkin I took earlier today, turning it so he can see the screen.
“Think I can deny this?” I arch a brow.
His eyes pop wide, his hand fisting a clump of his hair. “Holy fuck.”
“Yeah.” I concur with a dip of my chin. “She looks exactly like me.”
“Let me see.” Dean extends his arm toward my phone, so I give it to him. After a second, he shakes his head. “Well, damn, brother. Should we get some cigars?” He hands the phone back to me.
“Think it’s kind of late for that.” I mutter, shoving my cell back in my pocket.
“So, what does this mean for you and the band?” Hayden, ever the practical one, finally chimes in.
I shrug as I take a load off in a chair, kicking my bare feet up on the table. “Trying to figure that out, but wanted to fill you in first.”
“Have you told Mom or Dad yet?” Mikey takes a swig out of the tequila bottle he’s holding after he asks me the question.
“Nope.” I scrape my fingers through my hair, still wet from the shower I took after our show. “Wanted to share it with guys first.”
“They’re going to fucking flip over this.” A wicked grin spreads across his face. “I wanna be in the room for that call.”
“Fuck off, Mikey.” Dean comes to my defense before I have a chance to respond to my asshat of a brother. “Think he needs that additional stress right now?”
I swing a glance in Dean’s direction and shoot him a silent thanks, and then address my brother. “They’ll be fine. Probably will be over the moon that one of us is actually giving them a grandchild.”
“Won’t fucking be me, that’s for sure.” He scoffs, pacing, bottle still dangling from his fingers. He’s going to need a liver transplant by the time he’s thirty-five at the rate he’s going.
“And thank that same God for that blessing.” I punch back. “One of you in this world is enough.”
“You’re such an asshole, Luc. Always thinking you’re so fucking special.” He stops to face me, pointing the bottle in my direction. “Believe it was you who ran our last damn tour into the ground. And oh yeah, what a fucking surprise, over this same chick!”
I jump to my feet and surge toward him, Dean somehow between us before I can throw a fist in the fucker’s face.
“Whoa!” Dean yells out. “Enough of this shit!” He pushes me with more force than I expect and I stumble back, pinwheeling my arms to catch my balance. “We’re not doing this with you two again.”
He jams a finger in Mikey’s chest. “Shut your big mouth and go sit over there.” He points to a chair that’s far enough away from where I was sitting that we can’t reach each other.
As I turn to sit, I almost run into Hayden. Always quiet, but always there. Our strong and steady. “You good?” He inquires quietly.
I nod. “I’m chill.”
My heart is thundering in my chest, but I go back to where I was sitting and force myself to settle back in. Dean and Hayden do the same.
“Now let’s see if we can behave, act like the adults we are, and have a civil conversation about this.” Dean directs a hard look in Mikey’s direction. “You feel me?”
“Whatever.” He grumbles, taking another large swig from the bottle.
“I’d like to ask her to come on tour with us.” I toss out, everyone’s gaze landing on me, shock evident on each face. I give them a second to process what I just suggested.
“I want to get to know my own child. I don’t want to have to put it off another two months.” I blow out a heavy sigh, trying to slow the bouncing of my heart. “I’ve already missed her first year.”
“You want to take a baby on tour?” Mikey’s expression doesn’t hide his disdain. “With us? Are you fucking serious?”
“As a heart attack.” I state. “I know it means we’ll have to make some changes.” My jaw clenches as I dart my gaze to each one of the guys. “This is something I really need to happen.”
“I’m not riding with some baby on a bus for hours. Thing probably cries all the time.” Mikey, ever the agreeable one chimes in.
“Larkin.” I practically growl, wanting to throttle him. “Her name is Larkin, and you are her damn uncle, so you better fucking find a way to deal, little brother.”
“Maybe we can get you your own bus.” Dean suggests, before I can act on the impulses pertaining to Mikey. “We’re going to have to loop Cherry in to see if that’s possible. Maybe she can get another bus for us in L.A.?”
“Yeah, let’s see what she can do.” I fold my hands in front of me, grateful that Dean’s got his head on straight. Cherry’s our tour manager and has a way of making the impossible possible.
“I can do that for you, Luc.” Hayden offers, and I thank him. “Just as a side note, that reporter from Amped is supposed to join us on tour once we’re in Portland. Are you planning on going public with the news that you have a daughter?”
“Fuck.” I sigh. “I forgot about that, but I definitely don’t want this shit out there yet. This adjustment is going to be hard enough on Lily as it is.”
“I can talk to PR tomorrow and see what they suggest.” Hayden advises.
“Appreciate that so much man.” I nod to him.
“I have a question for you.” Mikey chimes in again. “Have you asked Lily if she wants to do this?”
“Not yet.” I frown. Can’t be mad at him this time, cause calling me out on this shit is spot on. “I wanted to run it by you first to make sure it would be okay.”
“Like what we want or think really fucking matters.” He chuffs in anger. “You’ll do whatever you want like you always do.”
“Can you just stop being an asshole for five minutes?” I stand again, but don’t charge like I want to. “You think this is an easy situation for me to be in? Could you, just for once, be a decent fucking human being?”
He shrugs, locking angry eyes with me, slugging from the tequila in response. Fucking dick.
“We’re supposed to take off in the morning.” Hayden interjects, trying to break through some of the tension in the room. “What is your plan?”
“Yeah,” I sit before continuing. “I’m going to stay here another day to see if I can work this out with Lily. I’ll fly out to L.A. in time for our show.” I scratch my chin. “Hopefully Lily and Larkin will be with me.”
“And if not?” Dean asks, and I know it’s not to be confrontational, but because they all need to know I’m not going to lose it on them like last time.
“I’ll be okay.” I promise, meeting them all in the eye as I look around the room. “Not gonna crash and burn again. She may not give me the answer I want, and if that’s the case, then I’ll figure out ways to see them in between our show dates. It’ll be harder, but I’ll do what I have to.”
“That can’t happen again man.” Dean is referring to my epic fallout after I couldn’t find Lily last time we were here.
“It won’t.”
I’m going to get her back.
This devil fell for an angel, only to discover she had the ability to make hell burn brighter.