KAT
Despite how charming the Reed family behaved, I remained insanely intimidated by them. Mostly, I couldn’t forget their power in the world versus mine.
Back in high school, I had been warned about crossing the Reed kids. Rowdy’s cousin Elle was also in my grade. She frequently got into shouting matches with the cheerleaders. I once saw her punch a guy in the face when he tried to defend his “whore” girlfriend.
Every Monday, I would hear stories about fights between the Reed family and various people. Often their friends from Rawlins would come up to Little Memphis and run wild around town.
Though I enjoyed the gossip, I also heard rumors about people who messed with the Reed family ending up in a local quarry. Those stories returned to me as I watched Rowdy’s family fill up the hospital room.
“Are you tired?” Maria asked me in Estonian.
“My incision is beginning to hurt a lot.”
“It’s almost time for your pain medication. You should drink as much broth as you can manage.”
“I want to hold my babies,” I said to Maria as tears burned my eyes. “But I’m scared to sound greedy with Rowdy’s family.”
“They seem nice.”
“You know what people said in school.”
“You knew the same things when you slept with Rowdy.”
“He was my crush. I thought sleeping with him would help me let go of that fantasy.”
Maria shook her head and smiled. “That was a terrible plan.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I nuzzled her shoulder and sighed. “They don’t look like scary people, but I fear what might happen if we anger them.”
“Rowdy will protect you,” Maria said, and we looked at him in unison.
He instantly noticed our gazes on him. Rowdy’s frosty blue eyes held such warmth right now, yet I could tell he was tired. We all needed a good night’s rest.
Rowdy stole Cavan from Sabrina and brought him to me. “You haven’t cuddled with him enough.”
I smiled at how he had guessed what I wanted. When Rowdy treated me so well, I couldn’t imagine him hurting anyone, let alone me.
Sabrina tried riling him up before she left by asking loudly, “What if this chick refuses to move to Little Memphis?”
Rowdy immediately replied, “Then, I’ll start a Little Rock chapter and move here.”
Sabrina gasped while Lula frowned. When Bebe looked to Pax for reassurance, Rowdy’s dad nodded with approval.
“You can be the president,” Pax said. “Who’d you pick to be your VP?”
“Sabrina,” Rowdy replied, instantly derailing his sister’s irritation.
“Wait, so two of my kids would be in Little Rock?” Bebe asked, growing agitated.
Lula stopped fiddling with Colson in the crib and turned to her mom.
“You’re reacting to Rowdy putting on a show,” Lula said and gestured at me. “He’s playing to a different audience.”
“I’m not playing,” Rowdy insisted. “I’ll move here if Kat won’t move to Little Memphis. She’s gotten me all wound up. Besides, I need to help raise my boys.”
“Maybe get one of those Rawlins kids to be your VP,” Pax said, still fixated on Rowdy becoming president. “Someone easy to control like Ben or Farley. Or if you want a fox, maybe get Cher. She tends to nod at everything you say.”
“Wait, why am I not the VP?” Sabrina demanded.
“More importantly, why was I never suggested as VP?” Vanessa asked, opening her eyes after taking a mini nap in a chair near the cribs. “I nod at shit Rowdy says.”
“But you have a business in Little Memphis,” Pax told his youngest daughter. “Why would you want to give that up?”
“I don’t, but it would have been nice to be asked.”
A smiling Rowdy announced, “Well, if I do move here and start my own Crimson Guard chapter, I’ll have tryouts for the VP position. But that’s not today, so let’s drop the subject.”
His sisters didn’t seem satisfied while Bebe remained worried. I sensed Pax was thinking about who he wanted for this proposed Little Rock chapter.
After the nurse gave me another dose of pain medicine, Maria took Cavan from me and insisted I rest.
“Maybe we should head out,” Pax suggested. “We’ll come back tomorrow.”
Rowdy didn’t want to leave yet. Bebe also seemed reluctant to go.
Leaning in front of where I rested on my side, she looked into my eyes.
“I plan to get to know you well because we don’t do that stupid shit like your other families.
The Reed family sticks together. So, if you have questions or problems, you won’t go silent again, will you?
No, you’ll say your piece, and we’ll work things out, okay? ”
Nodding, I admired Bebe’s mixture of a soft heart and a steel spine. She stroked my head and smiled at Maria. While Bebe gave the babies a final look, Rowdy took her spot in front of me.
“I’m still planning that date,” he said and kissed me softly. “I want you to rest as much as you can. The more you rest, the more Maria will be able to rest. Then, you’ll both be energetic for when we return tomorrow.”
I mimicked his smile and thought about when we might be alone like we were back in Little Memphis. Though I didn’t feel even a little sexy, Rowdy was hot enough for us both.