Chapter 4 Chrome
“Noah Braxton.”
I avoided direct eye contact with my wife.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Nothing,” I replied, hiding the bag of revenge items I’d bought last week behind my back.
Cameron folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t think so. You have that look on your face that you get when you’re planning something devious.”
She knew me too well.
“It’s not for you, my love.”
This gift was for my brother. A little payback since he’d fucked up the paint job I’d worked on for days on that minivan. A gift that was for him on his wedding day. The bastard.
He just didn’t have enough going on to occupy him. Idle Rael was fucking annoying, antsy, and far too inventive. I had to beat him at his own game this time. Determined not to let him win, I came up with an idea after we fought on the lawn.
“Babe, I’m going to get our little boy up from his nap and feed him. When I come out, I don’t want to see a mess.”
“You won’t, Cam,” I promised her, flashing a devious grin.
She didn’t say a word about the fact that I was, in fact, doing something devious. My wife was a fucking keeper.
Besides, I adored and loved her. I told her so.
“Keep it away from me, Nylah, and all the babies.”
“Done.”
She shook her head with an amused smile, heading into our son’s room. I could hear him starting to fuss. My boy knew exactly what time it was, and he never missed a meal.
I scooped up the bag and headed outdoors, scanning the lawn, driveway, and my bike before I left the porch. Rael and I had been in a constant war since the summer, battling one another for bragging rights about who was the most cunning brother. So far, it had been him.
I wasn’t happy.
Even with our private battle that included balloon fights and dangerous pranks, he’d still been a little restless.
I couldn’t pinpoint a reason other than that he was so ADHD that he needed to be occupied all the time.
He had it worse than me, but he was also a relentless bastard and didn’t understand the concept of mercy.
Unless it came to Nylah and his kids. Cameron and our little Liam. Other ol’ ladies and children from club members.
But me? The rest of our brothers? Open season.
Still, he scaled it back a bit since last Christmas when most of the brothers fucked with him and got even.
It didn’t change a damn thing between us, though.
I guess that was what I got for being his identical twin.
I couldn’t even get mad about it because I missed out on so much of his life that after reuniting a few years ago, I’d gladly put up with all his bullshit to be where we are now.
Living next door. Raising our families side by side. Members of the same MC.
Life was fucking good.
But . . . I was still getting fucking even.
I climbed on my bike and rode to my destination, parking behind the strip mall because I didn’t want anyone to see my bike and wonder what I was doing there.
Rael and Nylah were expected to arrive for their appointment soon to decide on the flavor and design of their wedding cake. I just happened to know the bakery owner since she’d moved here from Michigan and had gone to the same high school as Cameron—small world.
Nina was adding baked goods to the display case as I entered, immediately inhaling the aroma of cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. My stomach rumbled as I approached her, gesturing to the case. “Hey, Nina. It smells delicious in here.”
“Thanks. How are you, Noah?”
“Good.” I ticked my chin toward a row of cinnamon rolls. “Can I get a half dozen of the cinnamon rolls and a dozen peanut butter chocolate chip cookies?”
“Cam’s favorite,” she replied with a smile. “Of course.”
I paid for the treats and reached for the box. “I got something I want to run by you if you got a sec.”
Intrigued, she nodded. “Sure.”
When Nina faced me, picking up a bottle of water to take a sip, I wondered what she’d think of my plan.
“I want to pull a prank on Ian.”
Her eyebrows shot upward. “Your twin brother? What kind of prank?”
I described my plan, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Noah. That’s both genius and disturbing.”
Right? “Well, I know it’s asking a lot, but will you do it?”
She seemed to think it over. “You have my back, and so does the club, in case something happens? I don’t want to lose my business or be convicted of a crime.”
“It won’t happen, but, yeah, I got your back, Nina.”
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
Yes!
Let Operation Lax commence.
“HEY, NINA,” I GREETED the shop owner as I guided Nylah inside, my hand resting at the small of her back as we entered the bakery. “Have you had a chance to get those samples ready?”
“Hi! Yes, I’ve got a whole platter of flavors for you to try. Have a seat on the couch. I’ll grab them and join you.”
Nina locked the door and flipped the shop sign to CLOSED with a little clock that showed she’d open again at one after lunch. She left us to walk behind the register and display case and into the area where she prepared her baked goods.
“I’m really looking forward to this,” Nylah announced as I kissed her temple.
“I just love cake.” I shrugged as she punched me playfully on the arm. “Okay. Okay.” I laughed, stealing a kiss before Nina walked out, carrying a platter.
She placed a tray of cupcakes in various colors with little cups that I assume were filled with water, in front of us.
Plastic forks and knives, along with napkins, were stacked beside them.
“I want you to try the white cake first and give me your opinion. I use almond, and it’s a classic wedding flavor. ”
Nylah used her fork to cut off a little piece and tasted it. “It’s good.”
I picked up the rest and stuffed it in my mouth. Chewing, I thought it tasted a little dry and bland. Would it be okay to say that?
“You don’t like it,” Nina observed, watching me.
“Not my favorite,” I admitted.
“No problem. I’ve got plenty to choose from.”
We tried red velvet, something Nina called presidential, with raspberry jam and buttercream filling. Vanilla bean. Olive oil with coconut, which Nylah hated. Carrot, apple spice, and Funfetti. None of them were hitting right.
Nina stood with the tray. “Round two.”
Shit. There were more?
I lost track after that, growing full and tasting the last few with a worn-out palette.
The last we tried, something Nina named Chantilly with fresh berries and mascarpone seemed to be the winner. Nylah raved about it. She loved the simple syrup soak and the flavor.
Me? I wanted whatever flavor she did. I honestly didn’t care. All the cakes were flavorful. They just started to taste similar to me after the first few.
“What do you think, Rael?”
I couldn’t let her down. “The Chantilly.”
“Right? It’s the best one.”
“It’s decided then.”
“I do have some chocolate varieties if you’d like to try a few. They’re almost like brownies.”
Nylah declined.
But I loved brownies and fudge. “I’ll give them a try.”
Nylah elbowed me as Nina left us a third time to retrieve the chocolate samples. “You’re going to get sick.”
“I won’t,” I promised, kissing her forehead. “Iron stomach.”
Nina returned with the chocolate samples, and I ate all four. She shook her head with a giggle. “You must love chocolate.”
“Just cupcakes and brownies.” I shrugged, not stating the reason, or sharing with Nina that my mother always baked fudge brownies, and it had been my favorite growing up. Made me think of her and smile.
“Are you sure you want to stick with the Chantilly cake?”
“We are,” I assured her, squeezing Nylah’s hand as I held it.
She squeezed back in confirmation.
We stuck around for another hour, deciding on the decorations and colors, and went with a black, red, and white theme with edible sugar lace hearts and roses.
Nylah surprised the shit outta me when she pulled a cake topper from her purse and handed it to Nina.
It looked like us. A curvy blonde wrapping her legs around her groom’s waist as he held her, wearing dark jeans, a black shirt that looked like a tuxedo, and a black leather vest that even had my road name on it like my cut.
Fucking perfect.
“You did good, beloved,” I praised her as she beamed a wide smile.
We stopped for real food after that, and I took her to lunch at Millie’s Diner. I settled on fried fish and chips while she got Millie’s famous roasted chicken and vegetables. Everything was great until I sat on my Harley, hoping the churning in my gut was a fluke.
By the time I got her home, I was beginning to feel sick. My stomach protested all that I’d put into it today, which surprised me. There was a reason I said I had an iron stomach. I could eat almost anything, and spice never bothered me.
Until now.
My stomach chose that moment to gurgle.
And I knew, I fucking knew, I had better rush to the toilet.
I barely made it in time.
Nylah knocked on the door after about half an hour, checking in on me. “Rael? Are you okay?”
“Don’t come in here,” I warned her. She might decide not to marry me just from the fucking smell in this bathroom. I was going to have to open a window, burn matches, and say a fucking prayer to get the stench out.
Fucking hell.
“Um, is your belly upset?”
She asked me like I was Gavin or Gage. I wanted to laugh or tell her to fuck off. Neither was a good choice.
It wasn’t my ol’ lady’s fault.
“I’m fine,” I lied.
“Well, if you need anything, text me. I’ll just be in the living room with the boys.” She paused. “With the volume up.”
Fuck. My. Life.
She heard me. I sighed loudly. “Thanks, Nylah.”
Her laughter echoed in the hall before she joined the kids and played their movie a little louder. But not before I heard Gavin ask Gage, “Is Daddy’s butt playing a trumpet?”
Jesus. Fucking. Christ.
The walls in this house were too fucking thin. I would never live this down.
It took another hour for my stomach to begin to settle. Just as I thought I was done, it started up again. With a vengeance.
I wanted to punch the wall, but managed to keep my temper in check. How the fuck did this happen? Nylah wasn’t experiencing any of these symptoms. She seemed to be fine.
Just as I thought about it, a text chirped from my phone. I warily grabbed it, looking to see if it was Nylah.
Nope. It was Chrome.
How’s your belly, motherfucker?
Fuck me. He knew my favorite was chocolate fudge brownies. How the hell did he convince Nina to give them to me?
I sent back one response. A fucking skull and crossbones.
Laugh emojis filled my screen as he sent them to me.
My fucking brother.
I was going to kick his ass!