Chapter 13 #2
“Uncle Bane made you feel welcome? Damn. He doesn’t even make me feel welcome all the time.”
“That’s because we thought you might not make an honest woman of his niece.”
“Wait? Aren’t you his nephew? You called him Uncle Bane,” Charlie asked.
“Yep,” Barron said.
“And you married his niece?” Charlie asked.
“I did. But, you have to understand, which you will once you get all the names and families straight. Each of us calls each other cousins, family, uncles and aunts. But only some of us are actually related through blood,” Barron said.
Daisy and Brandt are actually siblings, and their parents are Bane and Janie, as you know.
Bane’s sibling is Bam, who is married to Everly.
Their daughters are Analise and Emmalyn. ”
Charlie glanced toward Analise.
Analise winked at him. “That’d be me and my sister.”
“So, I mated Emmalyn. She’s literally Bane’s niece, but I’m not literally Bane’s nephew, though we all call the parents’ generation aunts and uncles because we all grew up together and live in the same vicinity,” Barron explained.
“I knew it was more or less a family compound sort of thing, but now I’m a lot clearer.”
“Glad to be of service,” Barron said. “When you meet the rest of them, Kaid and Delilah are my parents. He was Alpha before it was passed to Brandt.”
“Okay, and when you say Alpha, you mean… what exactly?” Charlie asked, looking back and forth between Barron and Brandt, then Havoc before looking back to Barron.
There was a silent ‘oh fuck’ moment, when Barron and Brandt realized Daisy hadn’t explained everything to Charlie yet.
“Uh, it’s more of a you’ll understand it better as we go along kind of thing,” Barron said.
Brandt just shook his head and glared at Daisy. “Couldn’t find time to tell your man, yet, huh?”
“I just found out he was planning on sticking around when you did. I’m not the one assuming anything, you are. Don’t look at me.”
Brandt focused on Charlie. “Will you trust me to say that you’ll understand everything in time? You will. I give you my word on that. Everything works out with you and Daisy, you’ll see first hand.”
Charlie held Brandt’s gaze for a few moments, before he looked at Daisy and smiled gently at her. “Looks like I’ll have to if I plan to stick around.”
“You ain’t going nowhere,” Havoc said.
“Changing the subject if I may, Barron and I were talking this morning and got some changes to discuss. We were going to wait until everyone was together, but who knows when that will be, and most of the parties involved are here now, so…”
“Sure, go for it,” Havoc said.
“First, y’all see Barron and Emmalyn’s house is laid out. We’re about to have the slab poured and get started on it,” Brandt said.
“Really? Why? She already comes over here at the butt crack of dawn every damn day she’s feeling good,” Havoc said. “Now she’s going to be living across the street.”
“Yes, but now you can go irritate her whenever you want to,” Analise reminded.
Havoc thought about it, his head leaning first to the right, then to the left as he looked off into the distance while his mind worked. “You know, that could be a good thing. I might like this.”
“You do realize you’d have to get up before dawn to come to our house and bother Emmalyn,” Barron said.
Havoc scowled. “I don’t like that idea anymore,” he grumbled.
“Either way, we’re going to be working on their house,” Brandt said. “Once it’s finished, that’ll leave Barron’s home empty.”
Lucien and Hellen shared a look.
“We were thinking since Lucien likes the water so much, it might make sense to offer it to Hellen and Lucien,” Brandt said.
“Yes!” they both said at the same time.
Barron chuckled. “Sorry we had to talk you into it.”
“We’ve been thinking that if no one else wanted it, we’d like to have it,” Hellen said.
“Consider it done,” Barron said.
“And that leaves Hellen’s house.”
“I don’t think anyone wants to live in it. I don’t even really want to live in it, but it is what it is,” Hellen said.
“What if we tore it down, and put in a pool. I’ve heard a couple of y’all mention it, and I really like the idea. We could use the whole lot and even make a splash pad for the littles, and maybe put in a fire pit on the opposite side for bonfires and all.”
“Yes!” Everybody said.
“I need a lazy river, so I can float my ass around it while I enjoy a beer,” Havoc said.
“I doubt we’ll put in a lazy river, but a large pool is doable,” Brandt said.
“Olympic sized?” Havoc asked.
“Definitely,” Brandt said.
“That could work,” Havoc said.
“It’ll be right down the street from y’all, though, and during the summer, all the kids will want to be there.”
“Good. Nothing more I like than playing with my baby. We’ll be there first, right?” Havoc asked Harley.
Harley nodded enthusiastically. “Can Gerald swim?”
“Baby, I don’t know if iguanas should be in chlorinated water,” Analise said. “We’ll figure it all out, though.”
Daisy raised her finger just about shoulder level to get attention, as she might have done in school even. “I, uh, I’ve been thinking about maybe starting my house. I mean, if we’re talking about restructuring and all.”
“Remi’s will be empty,” Barron said, without thinking too much about it before he heard himself saying it.
“No. Remi’s house is going nowhere. It’ll always be there for him when he decides he wants it. This is not a permanent situation with him,” Brandt said firmly.
“Oh, I don’t want Remi’s house. I was thinking of building my own.”
“Where do you want it?” Barron asked. “We got places on every street back here. Just pick one.”
“I’m not sure. Maybe across from Remi and Christian’s. Maybe across from Brandt and Tempest, opposite side of the road back there, though.”
“We can open up some new streets back here, too. It’ll just take a little while,” Barron said.
“I think that you should live right next to us, then Carson can come visit me every time he’s at your house,” Harley said.
“Problem with that is that Havoc owns everything on his side of the street, up to the lot before the corner,” Brandt said.
“Didn’t want anybody building right on top of us,” Havoc said.
“I’m thinking that I really don’t want to be right on top of the river. Maybe the opposite end of this street, across from Remi and Christian and Kiernan? I’d like to have two lots myself just to be able to keep a little space for whatever else I might want to do one day.”
“Take the ones behind you, too, to keep somebody from being too close to your back yard. You can keep the woods there,” Havoc suggested.
Daisy nodded. “What Havoc said.”
“We can put you right across the street from Remi, Christian and Kiernan, but in the middle and you’d have however much extra space you want. Before you go home today, you should come walk it out with me and give me an idea of what you’re thinking,” Brandt said.
“Okay. It’s not a rush or anything. I just, think I should start thinking about it,” Daisy rushed to clarify. “I’m just, thinking is all. Right now, anyway.”
“It’s a good thing to pick your spot. We still got Ronan, Angelle, and anybody else to consider. Eventually, even our kids are going to want their own place,” Barron said.
“Which is why I got so much land. We can put in another road off the highway further down and they can designate their own area. We’ve still got space here for everybody to have their own home, and three or so extras for visitors and family during holidays and such, without crowding each other out.
The next generation is already allotted for at the other end of the property, if they want it,” Brandt said.
“If it ever comes to it, Kaid has more land out near the stream, too,” Havoc said.
“Yeah, but I hate to destroy that area. It’s beautiful there. So many memories,” Brandt said.
“Same,” they all echoed.
“There’s no need for that,” Brandt hurried to assure them. “We’ve only cleared and accessed a quarter or so of the acreage I bought. There’s plenty of room on the roads we already put in for all of us. When we need more, like I said, we can open up more further down on the other end.”
“We going to have us our own town before we’re finished,” Havoc said. “I volunteer as governor of the territory,” he said dramatically, making his naturally country accent thicker than usual.
“I’m pretty sure the Alpha has that responsibility, baby, but I’m sure he’ll let you know if he needs help,” Analise said with a pat on his shoulder.
“Fine,” Havoc said, forcing an indignant tone into his voice, but not quite able to hide his grin.
“If we’re all finished, I’m going to start taking all this food upstairs, and make plates to send home for the soon-to-be-mommas,” Analise said.
“I’ll help,” Daisy said, getting up and taking several plates in hand.
“I guess I will, too,” Hellen said, picking up the platter with all the small bowls of potato fixings on it and following them upstairs.
“Can I have a toaster pastry?” Harley asked.
“You can,” Havoc said, grabbing the basket and reaching inside to take out enough for everybody to choose what they wanted.
He laid out two layers of pastries still wrapped in their wax paper, then straightened them all out and closed the top of the basket on those still inside.
“More in the basket if anybody wants them,” he said.
“Here baby-girl, why don’t you and Carson go play while you have your dessert? ”
“Okay,” Harley said excitedly, taking two of the pastries he offered her. “Which one do you want?” she asked Carson.
“That one,” he said, pointing to an apple one.
“Come on, let’s go see if we can find some bugs for Gerald,” Harley said.
As soon as the males were finally alone, Havoc, Lucien, Brandt and Barron all focused on Charlie.
Charlie looked at all of them staring at him. “What?” he asked, looking from one to another of them.
“What’s his name? What did she tell you?” Brandt asked.
“He was a professor of hers. He didn’t tell her he was married.
When his wife found out she stalked Daisy, popping up even outside her classes and at her dorm, literally everywhere she went shouting obscenities at her.
Screaming to everybody within earshot that she was a home wrecker and had lured her husband to commit adultery and shit.
For his part, he claimed that’s exactly what Daisy did.
“That’s bullshit,” Analise said quietly, having come right back out to get the rest of the dishes. “Daisy said that he wore down her resistance, and told her how special she was and how he never thought he’d feel that way again after his divorce. Only there was no divorce.”
“You knew what happened?” Brandt asked.
“A couple of us do. But she didn’t want anyone to know. So, we just took care of her the best we could.”
“Why didn’t she sense his lies?” Barron asked.
Analise shrugged. “She said she’s so embarrassed that she allowed herself to be taken advantage of. She should have known better, but she just didn’t pick up on it.”
“Could be that he’s her mate. A fucking asshole, but her mate. Look at my dad and his first mate. He had no idea. And Uncle Bam couldn’t read Everly, so maybe it has something to do with that,” Havoc suggested.
“What happens if he was her mate?” Charlie asked, not at all sure he wanted to know the answer.
“Oh, that sonofabitch has already signed his own death certificate,” Lucien said. “So, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.”
“No, he’s wanting to know what happens to him and Daisy if her professor was her mate,” Analise said.
“There are often connections to more than one person that we never notice, or explore and they don’t work out for one reason or another. Doesn’t mean you can’t forge a bond with someone else. Doesn’t mean you can’t have another mate come along.”
“Our mom is our dad’s second mate, and he loves her stronger than he ever did the first,” Havoc said. “Of course, she was a psychotic bitch, but, still, it applies.”
“When are we heading into New Orleans?” Lucien asked.
“I cannot leave Tempest right now. I’m talking any hour now,” Brandt said.
“I can go. I just have to be sure Everly can stay with Emmalyn for me. And whatever you do, don’t freaking tell Emmalyn, she’ll insist on going to whip some ass.”
“It’s alright. We got this,” Havoc said. “Me and Lucien can handle it.”
“I’m going,” Charlie said.
Brandt’s gaze flicked up to Charlie. “I’m not sure you want to get involved in this, Charlie. We’re not planning on just bruising him up a little bit. It could get really ugly. And like it or not, we plan to pay his wife a little visit, too.”
Charlie nodded slowly. “I understand that. One of them lied to, took advantage of, and betrayed Daisy. The other terrorized her and humiliated her so badly she left school before graduation and never went back to finish the few hours of her degree. I want to be there.”
“Charlie, you’re not exactly married into the family yet,” Barron pointed out.
“Clearly,” Charlie said. “And if I don’t stand up and show that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe and sane, then how would I ever convince her that I’m the right man for her. If you’re not willing to give your everything for the woman you love, then you don’t deserve her.”
Havoc grinned at him, his crooked smile on full display. “You got that right. Hey, you sure you’re human?”
Charlie’s expression showed what a ridiculous question he thought that was. “Pretty sure there’s nothing else to be,” he said. “But I’m going. And I think you should invite Mr. Bane, too. He knows something’s off with Daisy, and if it was my daughter, I’d want to be included.”
“He’s right. I’d never hear the end of it,” Brandt said. “When are y’all planning on going?”
“Tomorrow?” Lucien asked.
“Tomorrow,” Havoc said. “Barron, you stay with Emmalyn. There’s going to be four of us already. We got this.”
“Four?” Brandt asked.
“Me, Lucien, Bane and Charlie,” Havoc said.
“I already said I wasn’t sure it’s a good idea for Charlie to go,” Brandt said.
“You gonna stop him? He’s got a right,” Havoc said.
“They’re not married!” Brandt insisted.
“If I have my way, we will be,” Charlie said.
Brandt sighed. “You need to have a talk with Daisy. If after you have that talk you still want to go, you let us know. Until then, you’re not going. And it shouldn’t be tomorrow. We need a little time to get some details. We got a name now. We need to do a little research.”
“And on that note, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear this conversation. I am not a witness when Daisy gets mad she wasn’t advised before hand,” Analise said.
“I’ll take the heat. The bastard needs to die,” Lucien said.
“Hey! You forget we’re waiting?!” Hellen called from the porch.
“I’m coming,” Analise said, stacking a few more plates in her hands and leaving them all to finish their plan.