Gifted Connections #5

Chapter 10

“Hey, baby, it’s time to eat,” Remy husked in my ear as he gently climbed into the bed beside me.

After we returned from our shopping trip, I was beyond exhausted. The guys wouldn’t even allow me to put away my clothes. I vainly attempted to protest their insistence on a nap, arguing that I wanted to help Drake start our dinner. Needless to say, I was outvoted.

“What time is it?” I mumbled.

“Almost six,” he murmured, brushing my hair off my face.

I sighed and snuggled into his body. His fingers were like magic as they gently disentangled my hair and rubbed my scalp. If he wanted me to leave the bed, it was the wrong way to convince me. If I were a cat, I would be purring.

After a few moments, he must have realized what his touch was doing to me because he chuckled. “Come on, baby girl. Let's get you and the babies fed.”

I jokingly grumbled and wiggled further back into him. My eyes popped open when my rear encountered his erection, and my libido immediately sparked. I could definitely go for slaking another one of my hunger pangs first.

I reached back and grasped his hardened length, gently squeezing it. By his sharp intake of breath, I knew I had surprised him. My lips curved into a wicked smile as I firmly stroked him.

“Wanna feed me this first?” I requested.Scratch that.I demanded it.

“Baby,” he half-heartedly protested.“It’s been a while since you ate, and we need to get your weight up.”

Before I took my nap, Jace fed me a peanut butter, banana, and fluff sandwich with a side of pickle chips. Don’t judge; the babies made me do it. It was all washed down with a large glass of milk. I had already eaten more meals today than in two days of captivity.

“I’m not that hungry yet, at least not for food,” I insisted as I wiggled out of my panties. Along with one of Remy’s t-shirts, that was all I’d worn for my nap. As I rolled onto my back, I was glad for that Freudian slip—fewer clothes to divest.

I was more than happy that Remy didn’t need any further bidding before he quickly rolled over and removed his boots and socks first. Then he stood and did that sexy man thing, reaching behind his neck to pull off his black t-shirt. I bit my lower lip as his massive, bare chest with six-pack abs was bared to me. His hands made short work of releasing his belt, unfastening his button, and sliding down his zip. I moaned aloud when he stripped himself of his pants and red boxer briefs in one fluid motion. His long, thick cock bobbed against his abs as he crawled toward me.

“I thank God you came back to me, to us,” he husked as he reached for the hem of my shirt.

It was his turn to bite his lower lip as my body was revealed to him. He reached out and reverently caressed my shoulders, breasts, belly, and legs. He groaned when he pushed my knees apart and saw how wet I was.

“I’m so thankful to be back,” I breathily stated.

Like a man denied a meal for months, he lowered his head between my legs without preamble. I keened out a loud cry at the first swipe of his skillful tongue. He made an almost growling noise as he lapped up my juices. When he began to massage my clit with the tip of his tongue, I moaned, my back bowing off the bed.

“Careful, baby,” he commanded as he splayed one of his broad hands over my pelvis. He pushed my hips back down and hummed. “I forgot how amazing you tasted. I can stay here for hours and make you come over and over again.”

“Please don’t,” I gasped as he attacked my clit again.“I need to feel your cock in me.”

The vibrations of his chuckle did funny things to my clit, and I moaned.“Not until I know you’re more than ready for me, baby. Your tight pussy needs to be more than ready for my cock. It’s been too long.”

I was speechless and nearly panting as he continued to eat me out. He had me on the brink several times and would back off each time. I didn’t know if he was teasing me or trying to ensure my orgasm was powerful, but I was getting impatient.

“Please, Remy,” I panted.“I need you now!”

He chuckled, but he must have pitied me because the next time he latched onto my clit, he whirled his tongue and applied pressure. Finally, my orgasm slammed into me, ripping a scream of pleasure from my throat.

My chest heaved from exertion, and my breath came in gasps. My whole body tingled and trembled from the aftershocks of the explosive orgasm. When I vaguely registered Remy arranging a pillow beneath my ass, I cracked my eyes open to see him kneeling between my splayed legs. He was firmly stroking his cock with almost painful-looking tugs. The head of his cock was weeping pre-cum, and suddenly I was eager for another orgasm.

“Are you ready for me, baby?”

I eagerly nodded as I attempted to lift my hips. “More than ready.”

His eyes were dark with desire as he knelt over me. His lips found mine as he slowly began to inch into me. “I love you,” he murmured against my lips. “I can’t imagine a life without you or my babies.”

I moaned as he slid into me with one sure stroke, stretching me wide.I had forgotten how big he was.

He stilled, his eyes as wide as mine. “Are you okay?”

I laced my arms around his neck and returned his lips to mine. It was slightly uncomfortable, like I was almost too full, but I couldn’t deny him or myself this intimacy.

“More than okay,” I moaned, tilting my hips to meet his.“Give it to me, baby.”

His tongue tangled with mine, and our tongues' movements mimicked our lower bodies. His thrusts were nearly languid as he pushed in and out of me, ensuring his pelvis ground into my clit with each push.

The intermingling of our moans, gasps, and groans filled the room like the sweetest symphony.

“Come with me,” he bade as his lips left mine to nibble on my neck with his teeth.

Our lovemaking was different than our norm. Generally, he liked it a little bit harder and primal. I didn’t mind the change, but I felt like he was intentionally reining himself in, like he was afraid of harming the babies or me. It was up to me to reassure him that I could handle more.

“Give it to me harder,” I countered.

He stilled momentarily before shaking his head and nibbling along my shoulders.

“Remington Murphy,” I said firmly, weaving my fingers in his hair and intentionally yanking it back. “Give me all of you. As much as I love this, I need you to give it to me like you normally do.”

His eyes darkened with lust, but his stubborn ass merely shook his head in denial once more. My ire with him rose, and I tugged harder on his hair before nipping his lip. I was almost regretful of my actions when I tasted the metallic taste of his blood on my tongue— almost .

That seemed to do the trick. It set Remy off, and my primal beast was back. His thrusts sent me sliding across the sheets. I had to hold him tight as the backboard began to slam against the wall. I continued to cry out my encouragement, and my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

It was almost painful, but I needed him never to be afraid to hurt me in any way. It had been an issue in the past, and I never wanted it to be again. However, moments later, I felt like I was on the verge of begging him to be gentler, but then an epiphany struck me. I was a healer. I’d never tried to heal myself since I had made my connection with Lincoln.

I could feel where he slammed into me, and I imagined healing the offended area.After a few brief moments, I was stunned to find it was working. I couldn’t feel any more pain. Instead, I could only feel the low ache in the bottom of my stomach, warning me of my impending orgasm. This orgasm was different than any other I had ever felt. It was like a warm cup of soup on a cold day, the first sip of your morning coffee when you could barely open your eyes.

Suddenly, Remy let out a loud, inarticulate sound. “What did you do?” he gasped as his body began to tense.

I couldn’t even answer him before I was hurled off another precipice. Black spots flooded my vision, and I screamed. Immediately, my body began to shake as he swelled within me. He bellowed my name. His hot seed filled me, and I clamped down on him as it flooded my already full womb. His thrusts became more and more shallow as he finished.

Our breathing was ragged, and I could feel the sheen of sweat on both of us, evidence of our lovemaking.

“Baby, what did you do?” he asked in awe as he slowly kissed me.

It was challenging since I was still out of breath, but I also needed the connection and intimacy.

“Hmm?” I muttered, suddenly sleepy once more.

I didn’t even have the energy to get up, wash, and pee even though it was a compulsive desire to relieve myself after I made love. That, and I could feel his hot seed still expelling from my nether regions.

“Right before your orgasm,” he explained as he languidly kissed my exposed neck. “It felt like you were applying warmth to my cock.”

I smirked as I cracked one eye open. “Did you like it?”

He narrowed his gaze as if he knew it wasn’t just a cool sexual trick I had discovered. “I did, but—” he hedged.

“But nothing,” I hastily cut him off with a smile. “I wanted to try something new, and it worked.”

“Blake,” he said patiently as my stomach loudly grumbled.

Saved by the belly. I didn’t even think I was hungry, but I guessed the babies were.

Remy hopped up. “Shower, then we’ll go eat.”

He must have seen my triumphant smile as he pulled me up because he gave me a stern look. “But don’t think this conversation is over.”

I nodded placatingly, knowing that I had no intention of telling him his thrusts had hurt for even the briefest second. I might like it sweet and sexy sometimes, but I wanted it raw and primal other times, and I wasn’t going to deny us our shared pleasures.

η

“What took you so long?” Jaxson immediately chastised us the moment we walked into the private dining room.

The facility now had a communal kitchen with four varying sizes of dining rooms attached to them. It allowed families and friends the space to congregate together without having to sit in the dining facility. One rescued pregnant woman managed the areas, and Drake booked us a slot this morning.

I was pleased to learn that tonight’s dinner would be a more intimate affair with my close friends and family. I didn’t mind eating in the cafeteria but liked the idea of not having people I barely knew or didn’t know hovering over us or watching me. It was evident at lunch that I was under scrutiny. Some were jealous because of my relationship with the guys, and others thought I was unstable after my confrontation this morning.Rumors started spreading about me. I knew Tamara was behind some of them, but not all of them. Despite knowing that Jaxson and I were connected, she was still salty that he’d dumped her for me.

“Dinner’s not even on the table yet,” Remy stated as Harry rushed us.

“Up,” he insisted, holding his hands up toward me.

I smiled and immediately scooped him up. It warmed my heart to see what a one-eighty he had done. Gone was the scared little boy that couldn’t communicate. Instead, nestled in my arms was a toddler that showed no signs of the terrors he faced at night. I was thankful that everyone had pulled together to “heal” him to the best of their ability.

“Hi,” he impishly said as he batted his long russet eyelashes at me.

He was such a cutie. I reluctantly admitted that Miranda knew how to make beautiful babies. Even with all the different sperm donors, she had six beautiful children. It wasn’t just my ego speaking either. I knew I wasn’t ugly or plain by any means.

“Hi.” I grinned down at him before finding a seat between Jaxson and Troy.

“You have a healthy glow about you.” Troy smiled knowingly.

“Pregnancy will do that to you,” I tartly replied.

They weren’t stupid. I was sure they realized Remy had been sent to retrieve me nearly an hour ago, and it wouldn’t have taken that long to get me. Plus, I had already noticed my flushed appearance. Of course, it didn’t help that Remy couldn’t keep his hands to himself in the shower—not that I was complaining.

Troy and Noah exchanged looks before the latter smirked. “It’s the same glow you had this morning.”

Remy chuckled, but I shot them a scathing look.“Last I checked, I was still pregnant this morning.”

Some of our family and friends chuckled knowingly, and my face heated.

Noah seemed undeterred by my ire because he reached over the table to tuck a stray curl behind my ear. “I love this glow on you. I would love to make sure you stay glowing.”

“Keep it up and see what that’ll get you.” I glared at him before picking up my water glass.

“Doesn’t pregnancy last like two years?” Alex asked in confusion as he climbed onto my lap beside Harry.

“Gosh, I hope not,” I groaned as I fondly ran my fingers through Alex’s soft curls.

“Elephant pregnancies last like twenty-two months,” Ella said from where she sat beside Hazel and Nadia. “Last I checked, Blake wasn’t an elephant.”

I looked at the guys in confusion. It seemed like a random fact to know at seven years old.

“The zoo,” Jace explained.

Alex mutinously tilted his chin. “She’s going to get as big as one!”

The room erupted in laughter while I gasped in mock affront.

“Alex Ray,” Lincoln said with stifled laughter. “As men, we should never comment on a woman's… belly. Pregnant or not.”

“You are beautiful and nowhere as big as an elephant,” Troy hastily reassured me as if I needed it. He kissed my temple, and I shrugged and shook my head.

I knew I was going to get large. I wasn’t even halfway through my pregnancy, and it looked like I’d swallowed a volleyball. However, I was okay with that. For now, that was.

“Why not?” Alex asked without guile as he absently rubbed my stomach. Then, as if a light bulb went off in his head, he inquired, “How long are cows pregnant? Sierra says she’s going to be as big as a cow.”

More laughter erupted in the room, before I heard Sierra pipe up from the doorway. “I’m indeed going to be huge, but luckily, I’m not carrying a calf.”

I turned slightly and was relieved to see Gavin, Mercedes, Bentley, and Lexus flanking her. Then I frowned as I looked around the room. Around the table were Dawn, Herman, Rachel, Race, Terrance, Marcel, Pops, Miranda, Greg, Hazel, Cora, Beth, Mr. Moore, Micah, Patrick, and Victoria, but no Jemmy.

Before I could dwell on it more, the far door swung open, and Megan came into the room carrying a serving dish with what looked like chicken parmigiana. My stomach growled in appreciation as she set it down in the middle of the table.

Rachel stood up. “Do you need help grabbing more dishes?”

“Yes, please,” Megan answered as Drake came in carrying two huge pasta bowls.

“There’s garlic bread, mussels, bruschetta, roasted green beans, and a salad,” Drake added.“Thanks.”

“I’ll help.” Dawn and Victoria nearly stood up simultaneously.

“I got the mussels,” Kade said, coming through the swinging door.

Drake had already told me that when Kade wasn’t training with Jaxson, he was in the kitchen. He liked to eat and figured learning to cook wouldn’t hurt him. Drake was impressed at how dedicated he was to the task.

“This all looks amazing, Megan, Drake, and Kade.” Greg spread a dinner napkin on his lap. “Thanks for having all of us.”

“Well, you are family,” Megan demurred before her eyes snapped toward me.

I merely shrugged, knowing I couldn’t argue with them. They had been a cohesive family unit when I was gone. Miranda and Greg had even taken turns watching Ella and Alex when Pops would take Megan away for some weekends.

I guided a cup toward Harry’s lips. He attempted to snatch it up, but I wasn’t sure how well he did with glassware.

“How was shopping today?” Sierra inquired as she took a seat diagonally from me.

“Great.” I genuinely smiled. “Thanks again for letting me borrow some of your clothes.”

“I heard it was… interesting.” Sierra pointed at Jaxson.

Jaxson smirked, and before I could say anything, he stood up dramatically and pushed his chair back. Right before our eyes, a set of DD breasts sprouted from his firm pecs.

A gasping choking came from my left. Terrance was choking on his wine while a guffawing Marcel pounded on his back.

“Jaxson James!” Megan cried out in dismay. “Put those away!”

“Why?” Jaxson teasingly asked while he fondled them.

“Eww,” Alex cried out in horror. “Why do you have boobs?”

“Language,” Pops gently chided him.

“I wanted to see if I could help nurture our children when they get here!” Jaxson’s shamelessly stated.

I shook my head and buried it in my hands. “Jaxson,” I groaned, torn between amusement, mortification, and exasperation.“The kids are here. Let’s not send them to therapy sooner than necessary.”

“I already go,” Ella calmly stated.

Kade attempted to stifle a laugh. “Me too.”

“Too late,” Micah added with a mischievous grin.

“Noobs!” Harry loudly exclaimed, pointing to Jaxson’s chest with a giggle.

I groaned once more as the room erupted in laughter.

“Why, just why?” Terrance inquired, having recovered from his choking.

“Well, we were talking about whether or not Blake planned—”

“So help me, Jax,” Remy growled.“If you finish that statement, I’ll make sure I give Lincoln some ideas for retribution.”

Jaxson’s face fell only momentarily before his grin was back in place. “Now, now, big guy. I haven’t pulled any pranks on you or Jace in a very long time, so don’t make me put you back into my rotation.”

“Do you really want us to put our heads together against you?” Lincoln drolly inquired with a smirk of his own.

“Bring it,” Jaxson taunted.

“I don’t get it. Why would you need breasts?” Ella asked with a look of distaste.

“Well,” Jaxson said, “you see, when women have babies—”

Before Jaxson could finish the lesson, he sprouted wings and a beak. He attempted to talk, but nothing but squawks emerged from his lips.

“Bird!” Harry happily exclaimed, clapping his hands in amusement.

“Yes, bird.” I smugly nodded as the room echoed with laughter once more.

Jaxson looked around the room, flapping his arms—I mean, his wings. His beak continued to open and close in rapid procession, with nothing but trills and squawks emerging from it.

“Ake?” Gavin inquired, wiping his eyes of tears.

I grinned and nodded. “I think it’s a good look. What do you think?”

“The best,” Troy agreed with laughter as he kissed my temple.

“I think you should keep him that way for the whole meal,” Noah insisted.

“I might,” I said smugly, holding my water glass to my mouth.

Of course, that only caused Jaxson to screech in more outrage.

η

“I feel like I need to take a walk,” I groaned as I helped load more dishes into the dishwasher. “I understand I need to gain weight, but I can’t just… let myself go.”

“The doctor said it was okay if you work out for now,” Troy reminded me as he dried a saucepan.

“Before she starts working out again,” Jace inserted, “she needs to gain more weight.”

I shot him a look, and from the looks Jace, Remy, and Lincoln gave me, there was no chance I could circumvent this issue. Too bad they’d forgotten that I could be just as stubborn. I wasn’t planning on running marathons, but walking couldn’t hurt. There was no way I would be confined to bed rest any sooner than I had to be. The doctor had already warned us that was a possibility further into my pregnancy.

“I’m sure I gained a few already,” I protested, putting the dried pans into the storage closet. “Walking won’t hurt me.”

Drake cleared his throat before pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Walking will probably be beneficial when you’re closer to labor,” he reasoned, surprising us all.Generally, he hated confrontations. “We can take turns walking with her to ensure she doesn’t overdo it.”

“We’re almost done,” Jaxson stated. “We can all go.”

I was glad to see he was less salty now. After I reverted him to his regular body, he’d refused to talk to anyone for a good half hour. Like always, Jaxson wasn’t known to hold grudges, so he quickly bounced back. However, I had no illusions that he wouldn’t seek retribution from the people who’d laughed the hardest and longest. Marcel would definitely be the first to pay for it, especially since he went to the convenience store, grabbed a pack of sunflower seeds, and threw handfuls of them at Jaxson.

Troy sighed. “I have to check in with my team.”

Noah frowned, pulling me into a hug. “I have a mother that’s seven centimeters dilated. Should I tell Dr. Branch I can’t assist her and the nurse practitioner?”

Selfishly, I wanted to remind Noah I hadn’t even been home for twenty-four hours, but I couldn’t. Pops and Paul had been interviewing candidates for the labor and delivery ward, so I just had to be patient for another week or so. They’d already hired two of the four employees needed. Soon, I could get some quality time with my guys.

I wasn’t going anywhere, and we had the rest of our lives to spend together. The dire circumstances in the labor and delivery unit had to take precedence. I had to be understanding and allow Noah to do his job.

I lifted onto my tiptoes and grazed his jaw with my lips. “You’re needed elsewhere,” I reassured him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Damn right, you’re not.” He tilted my chin up and gently kissed my lips. “I love you,” he murmured as he pulled away.

“Love you too.” I chased his lips for one more kiss. “Now, get out of here. Go deliver another baby.” I impishly smacked his ass as he turned and walked away.

He yelped and whirled around in shock while the other guys laughed.He narrowed his gaze on me. “You know what they say about payback.”

“Promises, promises,” I goaded with a laugh as Jaxson embraced me.

“Come on, buttercup. Let’s stretch our legs out for a bit,” he said.

“All done?” Drake asked as he turned to survey the kitchen.

“Looks like it,” Troy said before he placed a kiss on my lips. “I’ll find you in like an hour. It shouldn’t take me that long. You sure you don’t want to come with?”

“Okay, and no, not today,” I murmured against his lips.

As much as I liked seeing what they had done in my absence, I didn’t feel like sitting through a meeting. I hadn’t been brought up to speed on their missions, so I would have been lost the entire time. Spending quality time with the others sounded so much better.

“It was worth a try,” he said with a smile and a shrug.

Once he left the room, the rest of us headed out. “We can take a walk over to the entertainment wing,” Jace suggested. “I think they're playing Lord of the Rings and some rom-com this week.”

They had made a movie theater, arcade room, and billiards room in my absence. They weren’t extravagant, but it wasn’t anything to balk at. It kept everyone entertained, and morale was up because of the additions. Sure, the town wasn’t too far, but it wasn’t feasible to make the trek often.

Jaxson let out a snicker, and Lincoln rolled his eyes. I smiled once realization set in. “Is it your new one?” I asked with genuine interest.

Jaxson groaned. “Seriously? Doesn’t he have a big enough head? He already has his fan club stroking his ego enough.”

“I thought it just hit the box office?” I linked my fingers through Lincoln’s before I turned and shrugged at Jaxson. “And don’t be so salty. He’s mine. I should watch his work. You best believe I’ll watch as many of your games as possible.”

Jaxson nearly preened, his grin making his dimples pop in all their glory. “Yeah? There’ll be a lot of games, especially when I make the NFL.”

“If,” Lincoln teasingly coughed.

“When.” Jaxson glared at him as Drake, Jace, and Remy chuckled.

“So, your movie is playing?” I interrupted the quarrel that was sure to ensue.

Lincoln smiled and squeezed my hand. “It wasn’t hard to get them to give me a copy,” he said with a shrug, then gave me a rueful look. “Maybe we can watch it after hours, though.”

I laughed, realizing that even if most people were accustomed to his presence, some were still eager to get closer to him.It couldn’t be easy.

“That’ll work for me,” I agreed.

“Do you think I’m going to make it?” Jaxson blurted out, looking at me.

It took me a moment to realize what he meant. I smiled at the rare sign of insecurity and reached up to cradle his cheek. The odds were against him, but if anyone had the determination and heart to make it, it was him.

“I know you will,” I reassured him, feeling my heart soften at his radiant smile.

He placed his forehead against mine and breathed out. “I need your faith in me.”

Jaxson always chased laughter and thrived on creating chaos, but I knew most of it was a front for some of the insecurities he carried from his mother’s abandonment. He’d adapted and prevailed, but his self-doubt crept in every now and then.

“Always,” I reassured him.

We continued our journey to the entertainment wing to see what we could get into. The children abandoned us immediately after dinner. Ella and Nadia were heading to dance since the class had taken off and now offered sessions five nights a week. Micah, Victoria, and Patrick were visiting town with Mr. Moore and Cora to get more comics. Grandma Hazel had taken Alex and Harry back to the apartment to build Legos. Miranda, Megan, and Dawn had gone into town too, wanting to check out a few catering companies and the bakery. Kade said he needed to get some papers completed for school.

We were nearing the billiards and shuffleboard room when I heard music from one of the open doorways. I leaned in, recognizing Ben, Ricky, Mike, and Taylor. Mike and Taylor seemed to be in a heated debate.

“Okay, okay.” Ben sighed in exasperation. “Mike, let’s hear what you got, then Taylor. After that, Ricky and I can decide which version sounds best.”

I smiled and leaned against the door jamb, glad that Ben seemed fine. The last time I saw him, he’d looked barely alive. If Victoria hadn’t protected him, goodness knew what would have become of him.

The familiar scene was one I had experienced what felt like eons ago. Only back then, Ben and I were collaborating with input from the others. A wave of nostalgia hit me, and I found myself listening to the riff they were attempting to put together. Back then, Ben wasn’t confident in the music he wrote, so I was pleased to see him making an effort to do so now.

I listened as they played the verse out, nodding along to the good chords and wincing at the ones that didn’t seem to harmonize.

“What if…” I couldn’t help but interrupt. “You created a bridge.” I paused near Taylor. “May I?”

He nodded, though the look on his face was skeptical. He wouldn’t remember my ability to make music because of the time jump back. All he probably remembered was how we had jammed together at Halloween and the first night they’d made it to the mountain facility.

“How does this sound?” I asked as I played the part they had been arguing over.

“Or better still,” a familiar-yet-not-familiar voice chimed in.

I started slightly when I saw Gavin. He was alone, and from the deep frown on his forehead, I could see he was attempting to unwind. Like me, he liked to express himself with music from time to time. Since he was alone, I assumed his predicament with Jemmy, Mercedes, and Sierra had him tied up in knots.

We watched him unpack his guitar case and play the same verse with a few revisions. I smiled and nodded, admitting the added melody gave the song more depth.

“That was sick!” Ben enthused, but then his smile faltered. “I might have to work on the vocals, though. Some of those keys might be out of my range.”

“Do you have the song?” Gavin asked next. Ben eagerly nodded and handed them off to him. Gavin gave me a sly wink and handed them to me. He grinned, though sadness lingered in his eyes. “It’s all you, Ake. I’ll harmonize.”

Excitement bubbled in my stomach. It had been too long since I’d immersed myself in music. I felt like a missing limb had been reattached. I could have asked Horatio for a guitar or a keyboard, but it probably would have come at a steep price I wasn’t willing to pay.

When Gavin opened his mouth to join in on the chorus, my eyes widened. In his old body, he’d had a great voice, but his new voice had unique grit to it. He sounded amazing. Gavin must have thought so too because he gave me a grin and wink.At one point, Ben pointed at me, and I realized he wanted me to take the following verse by myself. I grinned and nodded. I had to admit this song was gold. It was good, and I could see many people relating to it.

The song was about meeting someone and being fooled by them. It spoke of pretty lies, broken promises, and the “fake” face they put on in front of others. One of the guys must have just gotten over a heartbreak because it was basically roasting the girl.

I couldn’t relate on a personal level, but I had seen Heidi in and out of enough relationships to put feeling into the words. Even before she had gotten into drugs, I had seen her through some of the guys she had brought into our lives. I had seen how fake they were.

By the time the song ended, I was grinning ear to ear. Good music gave me such a high. From the other guys’ expressions, they were feeling it too.

It wasn’t until the song ended that the subsequent whistles and clapping reminded me that my guys were there. I was so focused on the music that I’d forgotten we had other plans. I grinned over at them.

“That was awesome,” Ben enthused. “So much better than what we came up with. Can I play you another song to see what magic you can do?”

I hesitantly looked back over at the guys. I didn’t want them waiting on me or to ruin any plans they’d made.

“I’m game if Ake is.” Gavin pulled up two chairs.

“It’s up to you, baby. We don’t have anything going on,” Remy encouraged.

“This is better than hanging out at the movies or pool room,” Lincoln agreed.

“I can run back to the apartment and get your guitar,” Jaxson enthused.

I looked down at my stomach and grimaced. I wasn’t sure if that would work logistically.

“The babies might get in the way of that,” Jace reminded Jaxson dryly.

Everyone laughed at Jaxson’s expense, and I couldn’t help but walk over to him and pull him down for a kiss. “Thanks for offering, though.”

Ben frowned. “Should you be standing that long?”

“I’m not an invalid!” I protested with a laugh. “But maybe I should sit,” I quickly added when Drake opened his mouth to protest.

He smiled at me and kissed my forehead.

“We can take this to the music room,” Jace offered next. “It has a piano, and the acoustics are better.”

“We tried that,” Taylor scoffed. “That douchebag in there wouldn’t let us use it.”

I frowned over at Jace. Jaxson rolled his eyes. “Mr. Daniels can be a douche, so it’s a good thing what we say trumps his decision. Dad donated all the instruments and equipment there.”

“If you guys want, I can run interference,” Jace said.

Ben, Taylor, Mike, and Rick exchanged glances in a silent exchange before Ben enthusiastically nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

Jace pointed to the door which I assumed led to the music room.

“I’ll return to the apartment and bring the snacks,” Drake offered.

“That would be awesome!” Rick exclaimed.

“We just ate!” I feebly protested.

“And the babies need to eat again soon,” Remy stubbornly countered.

I knew it was no use arguing. This would be a reoccurring issue while I was pregnant. Actually, who was I kidding? This would be an issue for a long time. They had always been protective, but more so now than ever.

“You guys sounded amazing.” Lincoln nestled me into his side as Gavin fell into step beside us. “As I said, if you ever want to pursue it professionally, I have some contacts.”

“So does Pops,” I ruefully admitted.

At his questioning look, I smiled and shrugged. “I’ll explain later,” I said as Ben looked over his shoulder.

“We got a gig down at the bar in a few weeks. You guys want to jam with us?” he asked.

“I’m not sure about that,” Jace stated. Even in my mind, his hesitance was clear.

“We might be able to if we have our Knights accompany us,” Remy added.

“I don’t think we should live in fear,” I said.

I understood the need to be cautious, but I couldn’t allow Horatio to dictate my life moving forward. Pops, the Knights, and my guys had hurt him significantly. His followers were scrambling like cockroaches beneath the harsh light of day. I wasn’t foolish enough to underestimate him, but I refused to live in constant worry and dread.

“Can she think about it?” Lincoln finally said aloud.

“We can always assess the risk and move on from there,” he told us. “We went into town today, and we know Horatio has no eyes on us right now. I’m sure we can find enough gifted to hang at the local bar next Friday.”

Jaxson snorted in agreement while Ben, Mike, Taylor, and Rick gave us puzzled looks.

“You’re talking in your heads!” Ben cried out in protest, but there was no real heat behind the words.

“Rude,” Taylor teased.

“Oh, right.” Mike snorted. “‘Cause of your dad. Gotta lay low and all that shit.”

I grimaced. “Sperm donor.”

“Yeah, you dope,” Taylor groused. “A real father wouldn’t kidnap you.”

“Ignore Mike. You remember how he is,” Ben said with a roll of his eyes.

I tried to adopt an air of nonchalance. “It’s all good.”

“We can always work on the new music. If they’re there, cool. If not, we can manage like always,” Mike snarked.

“But you have to admit, they bring more to the table,” Rick countered.

“True, but we’re doing just fine without them,” Mike obstinately stated.

“Trust me,” Jaxson said smugly. “You’ll do a lot better with Blake, and Gavin also took you to the next level.”

“Gavin, my ass,” Mike grumbled. “I’m not buying that shit for a dollar.”

Gavin’s wince immediately made me feel defensive on his behalf. He didn’t need anyone else to believe him, save Sierra and Jemmy, and people like Mike would just hinder any progress he might have made.

“I see Mike is as lovely as ever,” I said dryly. “No one asked you to buy anything Mike,” I scoffed. “The only ones that matter are the ones he cares for. And we believe him.”

Luckily, we’d reached the music room, so the conversation was cut short. Jace went into the room first, then moments later, he beckoned us forward. An older gentleman was giving us a sour expression when we came in, so I assumed he must be Mr. Daniels.

I had never met him before, but he was clearly a civilian. He was too old and out of shape to be anything else. I wasn’t trying to be judgmental, and he may very well be gifted, but somehow I doubted it.

Mr. Daniels gave us a disgruntled look, indicating he wasn’t too happy to have us there. Seeing no one else in the room, I was bewildered by his behavior. I barely refrained from rolling my eyes when he gathered a weathered satchel and stormed out.

At the last second, he glared at Jace and spat, “This room better be in order when I come in tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll make sure it is,” Jace diplomatically stated.

He was a better person than I was. I would have been much snarkier.

Ben whistled appreciatively. “Man, look at this room.”

I had to agree with Ben. Before I was taken, the music room was rudimentary at best. It was just a space we utilized to keep the kids and teens entertained and out of trouble. In my absence, it had been remade into an elevated classroom. The walls looked reinforced with some kind of soundproofing material. An ornate desk was situated in the front of the room with whiteboards behind it, and twelve desks were arranged in the center of the room. The back of the room was set up like a stage, complete with microphones, a piano, and musical instrument stands. Along the walls were a few overstuffed, oversized couches and chairs. This place was fantastic! It now rivaled Pops and Jace’s music room back in the mansion—or what had been there.

“Look at these instruments,” Taylor added as he surveyed a wall of guitars, banjos, and ukuleles.

“Let’s get down to it. I got Katy and Meena waiting on me,” Mike whined.

Ben, Taylor, and Rick exchanged looks, then began laughing.

“They’re going to find out soon, dude.” Jaxson shook his head and sighed before he took a seat on one of the couches.

I rolled my eyes as I caught on to what was happening. Mike was an attractive-looking guy, but he had the personality of a slug. I didn’t know how Jemmy had ever dated him. It was no secret that he was a dog and a player who didn’t know how to be monogamous to save his life. I knew his mother’s indifference and the loss of his father impacted his behavior, but it was no excuse to continue stringing women along.

In the gifted community, casually hooking up with a few people at a time wasn’t unheard of. Dawn, Marcel, and Terrance had done it often. The big difference was that the people they casually hooked up with were well aware of the situation. Mike, on the other hand, was known to make girls think they were the only one for him, only to be two-timing them behind their backs.

“It’s been almost a month, and neither one has figured it out yet,” he cockily stated.

“ Yet ,” Ben scoffed. “They will, though. You’ll slip up like you always do.”

Taylor made a retching noise. “Enough about Mike. Let’s get to playing. Blake, want me to set up next to you to share the sheet music?”

“Sounds good,” I agreed as Jace placed a keyboard in front of me while Lincoln procured a comfortable-looking chair.

“I’ll turn on the sound system and set up the microphones,” Jace offered as Gavin and Ben pulled out their guitars.

It wasn’t long before we were all situated. Like before, Ben, Gavin, and I had undeniable chemistry on stage. Even with the new voice, Gavin complemented our vocals. The joy and contentment I felt were beyond compare. Being surrounded by most of my guys and doing what I loved was the greatest homecoming I could have asked for.