Second Sets Omnibus

Fifty-Three - River

Being scared to enter my own house shouldn’t be a thing. Right? Like I shouldn’t feel my heart thumping wildly in my neck. Or the anxious swirl in my belly at the thought of walking through my front door.

But yet, here I am, standing in front of my house. By myself, wishing I had someone to hold my hand.

I peek at the quiet band house from over my shoulder. They’re in band practice right now, working hard to get back into a routine. At least, that’s what they told me they were doing before I left with Ly and dropped her off at school. I could march over there and demand someone help me walk into my house. They’d drop everything to help me. I’m sure of it.

But I won’t.

Why? Because I’m a bad bitch who needs to get over the fear coursing through my veins. By myself. Van invaded my privacy here. Multiple times. But he’s gone. Locked in prison until his very last breath. There’s no way he’s getting out now. Jordy made sure of it.

His security firm’s equipment is gone from my home, too. Every camera. Every wire. Any trace of him has been erased like he never existed in the first place.

So, why am I so fucking terrified to go inside? He’s not here anymore. I am. It’s my home, goddamnit. The place I built so Lyric and I could have a paradise of our own on a beach to ourselves. We were safe here. Just us and my security guards. Useless bastards. They’re gone, too, replaced by bigger and better people, guarding my driveway and walking the property. Carter gave me my own Veritas agents who will protect me no matter what. Or I’m sure Carter will murder them in their sleep.

So, I should feel safer than before. My stalker is gone. For real, this time. I have better guards. My guys are stuck to me like glue. So, why do I have this constant anxiety running through me, leaving me with sweaty palms and heart palpitations? God, my stomach churns, thinking about all the shit Van put me through, pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes.

Van somehow snuck his way onto my property, putting his fingers in situations he shouldn’t have. He tortured Ly for months with his constant tapping on the windows. Mine too. He watched us through the cameras. Probably every fucking day. I shiver, pushing the thoughts of what he did with those videos out of my mind. I have no doubt; he was a very sick man.

I don’t know if I can ever live here again without feeling his eyes on me. Or his hand on my mouth. Or his body pressed against mine as he held me captive.

I take a deep breath, grounding myself. I’m free. I can do this. Totally can do this without any help. Fuck.

Looking over my shoulder again, I peek at the band house, which seems eerily quiet from here. Maybe Rad could come over and help? He’d hold my hand and?—

No. I can’t. I need to face this head-on so I can continue living my life. Van can’t dictate my life anymore. I’m done letting him take up space in my brain. He can’t scare me anymore.

With trembling hands, I unlock the door and step into the house. I nearly piss myself when the alarm begins to beep at a steady pace, echoing on the walls. Holy shit! My heart nearly leaps out of my damn chest and takes a walk.

Right. Carter added new security for me after dismantling Van’s.

After inputting the code and turning it off, I freeze in the living room. My eyes dart around, taking in my familiar surroundings. My home. The place I built as our paradise. I take a deep, calming breath and shake the eerie feeling pushing down on my shoulders.

The feeling of ants marching across my skin starting at my toes makes my skin crawl. It feels odd standing here by myself. My home closes in on me. The walls caving in. I squeeze my eyes shut.

Maybe I should have brought them over. Then I wouldn’t feel so alone.

My guys appease me by letting me bed-hop in the middle of the night. Never protesting when I crawl in with one and then leave when I can’t get comfortable. Or fall asleep. That’s been the hardest part of coping. Every time I close my eyes, his voice rings in my head, and his face appears with that menacing grin.

They know something is wrong, but I just want to go back to normal.

Whatever that is.

I rub a hand up and down my arm, attempting to soothe the swirling nerves taking me over as I walk through the silent house. Nothing has changed. It’s all the same as I left it the day we left for Lyric’s birthday party.

A deep sigh rocks through me when I plop onto Ly’s bed and grab the white bunny she’s been asking for. I was too afraid to come here alone and grab it. Just that simple action threw me into a tailspin of panic. And I’m way too hardheaded to admit to the guys that I needed them to help me.

My fingers swipe over the beady little eyes of her white bunny as I contemplate our future. Ly’s and mine. Plus, the guys. They’re going to graduate from my program with flying colors in a few months. Meaning they’re going to leave us again. For months on end. We may still be in a relationship, but they won’t physically be here. I know we’ll have video chats and text messages. But it won’t be the same. I need to be in their arms. And I guess that’s what terrifies me. I’ve fallen down the same deep, dark hole of commitment with them. Last time, they left town without saying goodbye. This time… I don’t know. I believe them when they say they’re all in, but that nagging voice in the back of my head that’s been burned before fucks with me.

I also won’t be the person to rip their passion away from them with ultimatums. Rocking out on stage is their fucking dream, something they’ve wished for since they started in high school.

I also can’t do that to myself. Sure, I could go on the road with them and bring Ly. But what kind of life would that be? Becoming a band manager has always been my dream. I shine here and finally feel like I’m doing some good. I thought I’d never achieve it. Not from Central City.

Here I am, doing what I wanted to do. Same goes for them. This has always been something they’ve wanted. They talked about it from the moment I met them.

We all got out of Central City. Now, I’m afraid of where it’s going to lead.

Closing my eyes, I finally settle all the shit going haywire inside me. From the fear of the future to the fear of sitting in my house, I blow it all out. We’ll deal with that when the time comes. Maybe we’ll strengthen what we have further, and it won’t be a problem.

Everything is okay. It will all be fine.

Except…

My head snaps up when what sounds like a dump truck makes its way up the driveway. Gears shift, brakes squeak, and its engine groans when it comes to a complete stop, idling loudly. Low murmurs sound outside as doors slam.

What the fuck? No one else should be here. Unless my new guard let them through.

Clutching Ly’s bunny, I rush out of her room and into the kitchen. My heart sputters in my chest at the memories of watching Break leave the band house months ago, listening as their moving trucks pulled into the driveway.

And as I stand in my kitchen, the same spot I was in before, and peek out the window, it’s happening all over again.

Moving trucks sit in front of the band house, with twenty or so movers walking straight into the house and grabbing items.

I scramble to grab my phone. There has to be an explanation for this. There’s no way they…no. They’re practicing. Right?

I bring the screen in front of my eyes, and a call with Seger’s name on it is coming through.

“Seger,” I say out a breath, unable to take my eyes off the shit happening across the street.

“River,” he mocks back in a smooth voice.

“Why…”

“I need you to come to the office. We need to, uh, have a meeting,” he says, clearing his throat like uncertainty is rocking through him.

“A meeting?” I ask, swallowing hard. “Wait. Where are Whispered Words, and why are there moving vans outside their house?” Emotions bubble to the surface as I bring a fist to my trembling lips.

Was this all too much? Have they decided that this can’t happen anymore? Am I still too much baggage for them?

“Deep breaths,” Zepp pipes up in a smooth voice. “Just come down here. Take your time.”

“Don’t fucking crash on their account,” Seger quips playfully, not sounding the least bit worried about what is happening.

“Seriously? That’s all you’re going to give me? My band is moving out of the house… They…they…”

A sigh rocks through the phone. “I can tell you’re overthinking whatever is happening, Riv. Just trust us, okay? And please get down here so they can explain what’s happening. You might puncture my lung or something if I tell you. You need to hear everything from them.”

“Are they quitting?” I ask, swallowing the thick lump forming in my throat. If they’re quitting, then they probably got the offer they were looking for. We pay well, but they’re probably due a raise.

“Jesus. Yes. Now, would you get down here so they can explain everything? It’s not what it seems,” Seger says in what he thinks is a soothing voice.

It’s anything but.

Nerves take over when I hang up the phone and make my way to my car. It’s not as bad as it seems?

Liar.

“Good, you’re here. And shit, you’re mad as fuck,” Seger whistles, shaking his head.

Well, he’s not fucking wrong.

My face tightens as I march through the halls of West Records with murder on my mind. The entire drive here consisted of anxiety and burial plans.

First, my brothers will go. Their wife may miss them, but she’s got two more husbands to make up for their loss. RIP, West bros. It was nice knowing you.

Then, it’s my turn to murder my baby daddies. All four of them. Whatever they’ve got up their sleeve is killable. I’ll have their graves dug before they can say—River, please don’t.

“Yeah! I’m fucking fuming,” I grunt, moving past him as he catches my arm, stopping my movements in the middle of the hallway.

His green eyes dart around before he moves in, which is brave on his part. I narrow my eyes, ready to bite his nose off in retaliation.

“Riv,” he says, forcing my gaze to his. “Listen to them. Don’t just go off, okay?”

Don’t go off? No, I’m going to decimate them for leaving my program and walking away. For leaving me. They’re supposed to graduate in a few months and live their dream. Now, they’re giving it up or going somewhere else.

“In here. You’re making a spectacle,” Zepp grumbles, nodding us into the small room with the two-way mirror connected to the conference room.

The same damn room I saw them for the first time after five years of being apart. It’s like we’ve jumped in a time machine and traveled back in time to the point at which this all started.

Seger grumbles and curses under his breath, dragging me like a rag doll into the closed-off room. The door softly shuts behind us, leaving us to view the guys sitting around the conference table through the two-way mirror. My heart speeds up. I can’t fucking stand to look at them right now. I don’t know what scares me more. That they didn’t talk to me about this? Or that they’re possibly leaving me?

I narrow my eyes. “Why are you so calm? If they quit, that means they’re going somewhere else. Doesn’t it?”

My eyes drift to them, finally taking in the four men who’ve come to take over my life. Again. A long time ago, I promised myself I’d never fall into their dirty trap. Or fall in love with them. It’s so hard to resist their charms when all these old feelings have resurfaced with a vengeance, begging me to be in their orbit. I wonder if this is how fated mates feel when they finally find that perfect person their soul was made for.

Whispered Words may not be magically mine, but my entire being calls out to them and pulls me into them every time. No matter how angry I am at them, I still see myself with them.

As my eyes scan over the boys, my heart pumps faster, and sweat breaks out across my skin. The last time I viewed them from this angle, they were staring at their phones and barely talking. They fucking hated each other and loathed me even more.

And now?

Kieran smiles at Rad, who softly speaks in his direction, causing Asher to laugh and turn red. Callum leans his elbow on the table with a grin, shaking his head. Whatever they’re discussing brings them so much joy.

“Go and talk to them. We’ll be right here,” Zepp murmurs, gripping my shoulder. “It’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s something we were expecting.”

“Did you guys do this on purpose?” I whisper, looking between the two of them as they once again have a rude, silent conversation.

“No,” Seger grumbles. “We’d never purposefully put you through that torture. Scouts honor,” he says, holding up two fingers.

“You’re not scouts.” I roll my eyes, staring at the guys again with longing in my heart.

No wonder they didn’t want to help take Ly to school. They were planning… Well, whatever this is.

“I could have been, but dear old dad shoved us into private schools, never giving us a chance to enjoy that kind of shit. Now, get in there before they combust.”

“It’ll be fine,” Zepp says with reassurance, patting my shoulder.

“Fine. But if I have to kill them, you had better protect me with fancy lawyers and shit,” I grumble, wrinkling my nose when Seger bursts out laughing.

“Always got your back,” he chuckles, opening the door for me, and practically shoves me into the conference room.

I swallow hard when my guys freeze, watching me approach with caution.

“So, you called a meeting?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest and walking further into the room. “When I left my house, there were moving vans sitting outside.”

Rad slaps Kieran on the arm, gesturing for him to speak.

“We got another offer from EJ Records,” he says in a deep voice, nearly knocking me off my feet.

An offer? From another company? What in the ever living fuck is happening right now?

“And you accepted?” Anger boils in my gut as his eyes widen, and he takes a step back. His eyes fly to my fingers, curling in my pocket where my knife rests. I’m never leaving without it again. No matter what. Thank God, too. I’m about to put this through each of their eyeballs.

“Fuck. River Blue…” he trails off, swiping a hand down his face. “We didn’t accept the offer.”

“He told them to shove it up their asses with a smile on his face,” Rad snorts with glee, rising to his feet. “All one hundred million, too. That’d hurt.” He cringes, shuttering at the thought.

“Is that what you really thought?” Callum asks, cocking his head to the side. I swallow hard when his gray eyes inspect every inch of my body, and he nods in confirmation. “Understandable, Little Star.”

“Why else would you be vacating the band house without telling me? You…” I trail off, wondering what the fuck is going through their heads. If they aren’t staying here, then where are they going? They don’t have any prospects on the horizon. So, that means… “No,” I choke out, shaking my head. “There’s no way you’re just…”

“We quit,” Kieran says, coming to stand in front of me. His fingers brush against my cheeks, and he gives me a small smile. “We quit West Records. We didn’t accept that offer. We’re done, baby.”

“What the hell?” I murmur with a trembling lip. “You can’t just walk away from your dream. Guys, this is your fucking passion. You’re living something everyone else wants. You’re rock stars. You’re?—”

“Not anymore, Little Star,” Callum says with a head shake.

Not an ounce of sadness rests on their faces as they look up at me with soft smiles.

“It was,” Asher grunts, getting to his feet with the help of Callum as they situate his crutches.

“We have a lot more dreams, Pretty Girl,” Rad says with a shrug.

“But music is your life.”

“Was our life,” Kieran adds, bringing my gaze to his. “River Blue. This band was our dream for years. Getting here to this place, it was fucking wild. We’ve soared on stage and sold-out shows. But nothing compares to the little girl that wraps her arms around me and calls me Daddy. That’s the real dream with you and her.”

“And you, Little Star,” Callum murmurs, coming to my other side and moving a piece of hair from my shoulder. “You’re the ultimate dream.” His face softens when tears burn the back of my eyes.

“No. I can’t let you quit because of me,” I whisper, sucking in a breath. “You can’t?—”

“We can,” Rad says with a shrug. “Plus, we kind of already did. We’ve signed the papers giving up our contract.”

My eyes cut to the mirror, where I know my brothers are watching. Nosy bastards. They set it up so they could quit, and I’d have no say in the matter. Their death is still on the table. But my guys? Not so much.

“We knew you’d try to stop us if we talked to you about it. We were damn sure that this is what we wanted.” Kieran swallows hard, continually tracing the freckles lining my cheeks.

“You’ll regret it later,” I whisper. “You’ll…”

“Nope. No regrets, Pretty Girl. This,” he murmurs, pointing between the five of us. “This is our new dream. We’re going to build you a house on the beach with enough room for all of us.”

“We’re going to walk you down the aisle and say I do and make you ours forever,” Asher says with glossy eyes.

“I’m going to put so many babies in you—” Rad grunts when Asher punches him in the gut. “Asshole! Why do you keep doing that.” He sends Asher a scathing look.

“We’re going to take you out to dinner. Make you breakfast in bed. Give you the best orgasms you’ve ever had,” Rad says, wiggling his brows. “We have it all planned out, Pretty Girl. Every day. Just you, Lyric, and us.”

“Those, River Blue. Are our dreams. Music will always be here,” Kieran says, tapping his chest with his free hand.

“We don’t have to go on tour or play for millions of people…” Rad wheezes, trailing off.

“We’re right where we want to be. With you and Ly, building our future,” Asher says with determination.

“Besides, your brothers offered us jobs,” Rad beams, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, you can’t say no.”

“You’re all serious?” I ask in disbelief as tears stream down my face. “You’re seriously going to work here?”

“Yes,” Kieran chuckles, brushing the tears from my cheeks. “We’ve lived our dream. You helped us with that, and we appreciate what you did for us. Back then, in Central City, helping us set up for Battle of the Bands. And now, helping us work through our shit. You’ve done so much for us, and it opened our eyes. We weren’t happy because you weren’t in our lives. We weren’t happy because Whispered Words is nothing without River West.”

“We’d give up the world for you, Little Brat,” Asher whispers, licking his lips.

“But we’re doing this for us, too. We want to be in your lives. We want to help take Ly to school every morning and pick her up in the afternoon. We want to wake up for the night feedings and let you sleep. We want the shitty diapers, long nights, and beautiful sunrises with you,” Kieran adds again.

“We want all the things. Firsts, seconds, and lasts,” Rad whispers, moving in on me. “We want it all with you at the center of it. You’re our number one. You always should have been. Music can take a backseat. Everything else can get fucked. I mean, you can too; we’ll help with that. But you’re ours. Forever. Whether you like it or not.”

I sniffle, leaning into Kieran’s touch.

“I can’t believe you’re giving up everything for me.”

“You did it for us,” Asher says. “You gave up your whole life because we walked away. You raised our baby into an amazing child. You sacrificed your time and freedom to give yourself the life you deserved all along. Now, we’re here to help you keep moving forward. We love you, Little Brat.”

I close my eyes when their touches start softly stroking different parts of my body. Arms. Face. Back. Shoulders. They’re everywhere, surrounding me, promising to never leave my side.

“I love you, too,” I murmur through a ragged breath. “I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it, Pretty Girl. You’ll be seeing our faces every day from now on.” He wiggles his brows, forcing a laugh from my throat.

“So, what do you say?” Kieran asks, bringing my attention back to him. “Are you ready to start this new chapter in our lives?”

“Yes.” A smile breaks free, stretching across my lips when he leans in and kisses my cheek.

“Good, because I think we would have just kidnapped you, anyway.” Kieran shrugs, pulling back.

“I don’t doubt it,” I say with a laugh, shaking my head. “Well… Looks like I’m free for a day or two. What should we do?”

“Let’s go get reacquainted properly,” Rad quips, wiggling his brows. “My tongue wants to explore some new places.”

I snort when something bangs against the mirror on the opposite side of the room. Serves them right for being nosy assholes.

“All right,” I say, holding out my hand for him to take. “Let’s go then.”

The five of us slowly walk toward the door as a unit, with silence between us. Not the uncomfortable kind, either. It’s the satisfied—we finally made it—kind of silence.

It’s been five years of pure hell thinking they left without reason, leaving me with our baby and restraining orders. All we needed was time to patch ourselves back together and knit our relationship back to what it was. This time around, we’re more cohesive and in better control of our emotions. From this moment on, we’ll be a fucking family together. Forever in each other’s arms.

“So, how about that wedding proposal?” I ask when we make it out the front door after saying our awkward goodbyes to my brothers.

“Wait, what?” Rad shouts, turning sharply on his heel to face me.

“You heard me,” I say, waving a hand in his direction.

He swallows hard, eyeing the other guys, and pats his pockets. “I don’t have a ring.”

“That never stopped you before,” I say, smiling when his face reddens.

“Marry us, Pretty Girl. Please be our wife. Our baby momma. The woman who lets me clean her up when the others are done with her,” he asks in a low voice, taking my hand in his as the others gather around us with their hearts in their throats.

“Okay,” I say with a grin, squeezing his hand. “I’ll marry you all.”

“YES!” Rad shouts, throwing his arms around me and lifting me in the air. After several spins, he sets me on my feet and captures my lips with his. “Time to celebrate,” he chuckles, dragging me toward my car.

Whispered Words and River West. We started out as something impossible. Five broken people coming together and finding something other people long for. The love was there, but the timing was all wrong.

We spent five years apart from each other, growing into broken adults. We were people who depended on music, work, drugs, fighting, and fucking isolation to get us through the end of the day.

In the end, the five broken pieces patched themselves back together from the inside out and, in turn, connected again. The love is here. The timing is right.

And us?

Well, we’re whole.