40. Kiera
KIERA
Despite Dom’s general broodiness, it only took us a few days to settle back into some sense of normalcy around the house.
I enjoyed my days lounging around and sketching while Spencer and Leo waited on my every whim and desire.
Lady spent hours roaming the yard, thrilled to have her rule of the roost without the company of Viv’s noisy chickens.
When she wasn’t at work, Dom did whatever it was that beasts got up to during the day. And frankly, as long as she wasn’t picking fights with me, I wasn’t going to ask what exactly that was.
It was a good thing, of course. Aside from the relief that came with knowing that he was free from Bill’s legal guardianship, it was also just a huge milestone. Spencer hadn’t been able to stop talking about it for weeks, grinning from ear to ear with pride over her nephew.
And of course, because she was Spencer, there was no going small for this day. She’d planned every little detail of his birthday celebration to perfection. But there was one very small detail that still needed to be worked out: whether or not I was coming with.
Her plans were lowkey enough that I couldn’t imagine Dom saying no if I took precautions. After all, where else was safer for me to be than with two of my hulky protectors?
But Spence was protective of the kids — I’d seen as much when I’d accompanied her to the hospital just a few months ago. I would totally understand if she just wasn’t ready for that yet, or if the kids weren’t.
It was Caleb’s special day, after all. I didn’t need to overshadow it by being introduced as his aunt’s captive-with-benefits.
Still, it would be nice to know what the plan was at some point. And as the hours ticked down to the party, I started to doubt Spencer would ever make a decision.
I sunk back into the couch with a huff, clutching my sketchbook to my chest as Leo ducked her head into the living room. “You sure you don’t need anything before I go get ready?”
“No,” I shook my head. “Just let Spencer know I’m here. And to say bye before you guys head out.”
“You’ve got it, Princess.” Leo smirked, tapping the doorframe before heading off to the stairs.
But before I could pick up a pencil and get back to work, Spencer appeared in the doorway with a grin on her face. “Is that what you’re wearing?”
“Depends, you still haven’t told me what I’m doing.” Despite my best attempt to hold the scowl for just a second, the sight of Spencer’s giddy smile instantly melted away my chilly attitude.
“Well you’ll want to wear something comfortable, but maybe a bit less casual than your pajamas…”
My heart pounded in my chest as I realized what she was implying. I sat up, setting my sketch pad at my side. “Are you sure?”
Of course I wanted to go — I wanted to do anything that felt important to Spencer.
But I knew that this situation was complicated.
Spencer wasn’t their mom, and she never tried to be, but I knew well enough from Maura’s revolving door of creepy boyfriends how weird it could be when a parent-figure brought around their new boo.
“I’m sure. And Caleb is too,” Spencer nodded, plopping onto the couch beside me.
“He’s eighteen now, so I asked him what he thought about it, and he really wants to meet you.
Abi does too, but she’s been begging me to bring home a girl forever, so that wasn’t a surprise.
Plus, it’s not like you’re going anywhere. ”
I raised my brow at that last sentence. “Is that right?”
“Well, yeah. Unless you had other plans. But to be honest, that would kind of suck since I’m like, madly in love with you.”
My cheeks prickled with heat and my ears rang as I tried to make sense of the words. “You what?”
I wasn’t sure how she said it with such casual confidence. Like it was just a simple fact of existence, like the sky being blue or the Earth being round.
And where most people would have been shaken by my lack of response, she just smiled as she gave my hand a squeeze. “I love you, Bunny. A lot, actually.”
It made me just as dizzy the second time. Looking into her sparkling brown eyes, I knew that I felt exactly the same. Despite my nerves, I let the words my heart had harbored for months bubble past my lips. “I love you too, Spencer.”
“Took you long enough,” she smirked, cupping my cheek and pulling my lips to hers. The kiss was soft and tender. There was always a heat with her, but it only added to the soft melting feeling she created deep in my chest.
When she finally pulled away, smirking at my shock, I couldn’t help but smack her shoulder. “What’s so funny, Moore?”
She took the hit like it was nothing, laughing from deep in her chest. “And you thought you were straight.”
“Oh, shut the fuck up.” I shoved her, but she just wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me closer. “I was working through a lot! Besides, you’re gonna regret turning me gay now that you’re officially stuck with me.”
“I highly doubt that, Bunny.”
She pulled me in for another kiss, reminding me exactly how gay I was. But before I could get too swept up in the moment, an incoming text drew her attention to her phone. “It’s getting late. We should go get dressed.”
I let her take my hand and lead me up the stairs, dropping me off at my door before heading off to her own room to get dressed. Taking her cue on the casual outfit, I opted for loose, knee length black denim and a black crop top under a sleeveless flannel.
A bit utilitarian, perhaps, but I got the sense that whatever we were doing would require a certain range of motion. Still, that didn’t stop me from clipping on a long belt chain and my bike chain bracelet before pinning my wig into place.
I fucking hated this thing. I had daily fantasies about burning the damn thing. But the disguise was my ticket to freedom, as far as Dom was concerned. Besides, it would be nice if Caleb’s first impression of me wasn’t the face he’d seen plastered all over the news for the past couple of months.
“Ready, baby?” Spencer crooned from the doorway, a mischievous grin already tugging at her lips.
“Ready,” I smiled back, following her down to the foyer to meet Leo and, to my surprise, Dom. A part of me had assumed she’d be staying home — after all, she didn’t seem like the celebratory type.
I hadn’t voiced my confusion, but Spencer must have felt the question tighten my shoulders. Her eyes followed my gaze to Dom before smirking. “Who do you think is paying?”
Seeing Spencer and I descend the stairs, Leo did a quick double take. “God, you’re pretty. Are you allowed to be that pretty?”
But Dom, ever the ray of sunshine, just let out an impatient huff.
“We’re going to be late,” she pushed off the doorframe she’d been leaning against. “Let’s get going.”
“I’d be ready much faster if you weren’t making me wear this stupid wig,” I muttered, but she was already out of the door by the time the words escaped my lips.
I tried to swallow down my irritation.
Whatever. Don’t stoop to her level. The last thing we need is to fight in front of Spencer’s poor nephew.
And as Spencer looped her fingers with mine to lead me through the door, Dom’s barbed words felt like little more than a splinter.
Slipping onto the back of Spencer’s bike, I let her drive me out of the mansion’s iron gates and down the winding backroads of Valemont.
It seemed like my lovers knew every patch of pavement in this little town — somehow, they were always managing to take me down some path I hadn’t seen before, some untouched stretch of Earth that belonged to them alone.
Probably not super safe to repeat routes. Especially given my high profile.
I leaned into Spencer’s back, trying to distract myself from my guilt at the risk I brought into their lives by peering out at the beautiful sunlit valley below us.
Soon enough, we’d arrived at our location: a strip mall at the end of the Earth.
Most of its eateries and clothing shops were pretty worn down.
It was hard to tell if the doors were shuttered for the night or forever.
But apparently, the big, auxiliary building at the edge of the lot was what we’d really come here for: the LaserZone.
The technicolor neon sign over its door felt out of place against the drab aesthetics of the surrounding stores. But just like its neighbors, it seemed completely devoid of life except for a beat up old Lincoln parked out front.
As we drove closer to the building, the front doors of the sedan swung open to reveal a teen boy with shaggy brown hair and a younger girl with blunt brown bags and hair down to her waist.
Abi and Caleb. Duh.
The sight of them suddenly made my heart pound. Of course I’d been nervous to meet them, but it was hard to sit in that feeling in all the bustle of getting out the door. But now that they were standing in front of me, everything felt so much more real.
We’re really doing this. I’m really meeting them.
Pulling up beside the car, Leo was the first to kill her engine and pull off her helmet. “Sup, kiddos? How’s ol’ Lincoln treating you?”
“Good, good,” Caleb nodded before Abi piped up.
“It’s leaking black stuff.” She smirked as her brother hissed at her.
“You weren’t supposed to say anything.”
She laughed, running to Leo for protection.“I don’t want to die in that death trap ‘cause you’re feeling stubborn.”
Dom had her helmet off next. “Engine oil? Why haven’t you brought that in yet?”
Before he could answer, she whipped her head around to Spencer. “He needs to bring that into the shop, or you need to let me give him something newer.”
But Spencer just shook her head, clicking open her visor as she helped me off the back of her bike. “He needs to learn how to take care of his things. If he wants a nice car, he’s got perfectly good bones for one right there, and an aunt that is willing to help him with the car anytime.”
She narrowed her eyes at him briefly before pulling off her helmet. “But we can deal with scheduling later. First, we’ve got a very special birthday to celebrate.”
Caleb smirked at his aunt as she approached him for a hug, and I swear, it was like seeing a teenage version of Spencer. Same goofy grin, same shaggy hair, but younger and with the gender swapped.
It made me wonder what Spence had been like when she was younger. Was she always so playful and sweet, or was that something she’d grown into with some space from her tumultuous childhood?
While Caleb was busy greeting Spencer, Abi had already moved on to Dom, climbing all over her bike and playing with her helmet. Usually, Dom was so cagey about other people touching her shit — I half expected her to snatch the helmet back or bark at Abi to get off the bike.
But she was completely unfazed by Abi’s invasive approach. In fact, she seemed to welcome it, showing her how to place her grip on the handlebars and tilting the bike so she could pretend to take a curve.
As the girl’s laughter echoed through the parking lot, a heart-melting smile pulled at Dom’s lips. Her tenderness unlocked a wave of memories of my own childhood, all the times Dom had been this sweet with me.
Isaac’s presence had always evoked a certain level of stress and broodiness from her, but despite it, Dom managed to be so thoughtful and kind with me back then.
I’m glad she can still do that for Abi. Even if she insists on acting like a brute with the rest of us.
Before I could get too lost in my spectating, Spencer pulled away from Caleb, gesturing toward me on her bike. “Caleb, I’d like you to meet Kiera.”
“Kiera,” I parroted nervously, holding out my hand for a stiff shake.
A handshake? What is wrong with me?
Caleb glanced down at my hand with a smirk before taking it. “Caleb.”
His eyes seemed to flicker over my face when he looked at me, and my chest instantly tightened. Did he recognize me from the news? Usually, people couldn’t place me without the red hair.
But then Spencer cleared her throat, lowering her voice as she leaned toward my ear. “You can take off the helmet, Bunny.”
“Oh, shit!” I muttered, clumsily undoing the chin strap before unveiling my freshly mussed, staticky wig. “Sorry about that. Kiera! Happy birthday!”
The words all came out jumbled, but my eyes were working well enough to see Dom lean in toward Leo. Shaking her head, I could hear her mutter, “Is she having a stroke?”
The heat rising to my face certainly made it feel like I might faint. But as nervous as I was, Caleb seemed nervous too.
“Thanks!” He smiled, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “It’s nice to meet you. Aunt Spencer has never brought a girl around before, so this is pretty cool.”
“She must be speeecialllll,” Abi crooned, still dangling off Dom’s bike.
“Abi, don’t be weird,” he glanced back at his sister.
While they bickered back and forth, I tried to reckon with the shock of that news.
I knew that Spencer was protective of the kids, of course. But I also knew that she had quite the dating history before I came around. I supposed I’d quietly assumed that at least one of those people would have gotten close enough to meet the kids, even in passing.
But Spencer just laughed and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “She’s right, kid. Kiera is special.”
The attention was unbearable. I was honored, but the whole day carried so much more weight now too. What if I fucked this up? I’d already acted like such a weirdo.
But before I could put my foot back into my mouth, Dom whistled for attention. “Alright, let’s get a move on. I’m renting this place by the hour, so less chatter and more shooting lasers!”