LAILAH
THIRTEEN
As promised, Dad's burgers were out of this world, the guys hardly even talked once the food arrived because they were stuffing their faces.
"Okay, I kind of want to order another one but I don't think I could actually eat it," Parker admitted as he leaned back and rubbed his stomach.
"I can't believe you ate all that," Kyle blurted. "That was two patties, a fried egg, and BBQ pork."
Dad had gone all out, using everything he could find in the kitchen to impress the boys. Each of us had gotten something different but all amazing in their own way. Mine had my favorites on it and was simple compared to everyone else.
"If this isn’t one table of happy customers, I don't know what is," Dad smiled as he walked up to us, drying his hands on a towel as he kissed me on the top of the head. "Hey Ladybug, you settling into the house all right?"
"Yeah, the house is amazing," I answered.
"Sir, that has to be the best burger of my life," Parker announced. "Allow me to shake the hand of a grilling god."
We all laughed when Parker reached across me to actually shake dad's hand.
"Son, you can call me Luke," Dad said, gripping Parker's hand.
"The way things sound, the lot of you are already part of the family.
I'm sorry my reaction yesterday wasn't all that welcoming, but I only have one little girl and as her father it's my job to look out for her.
It will be nice to have you all around for the summer so we can get to know one another better. "
"Thank you, Luke, that means a lot," Brayden shared, giving Dad a nod.
Dad stayed to talk for a few minutes but then he had to head back to the kitchen to help out with orders. Seems his burger night might be taking off faster than he thought.
"Hey, what do you say we take a day trip into Chicago?" Dylan asked. "Wisconsin is the mecca of cheese but there isn't all that much to offer in the way of entertainment."
"I have a better idea," Kyle announced. "Do any of you like roller coasters?"
Micah rested his elbow on the table leaning in. "I'm listening."
Kyle grinned at him like the cat who got the canary. "If we're going to drive all that way, I say we hit up Six Flags instead."
"Oh, I knew I liked this kid," Cami exclaimed. "Lala, if you weren't my homegirl for life you might have competition from your little bro."
"Don't let the boyish looks fool you, that little bro is the most down-to-earth person you'll ever meet. He might even give Hudson a run for his money on brains when it comes to math," I pointed out. "Theme parks are his major weakness though, brings the kid out in him like nothing else."
"So that's a yes?" Kyle asked, ignoring everything I just said.
"Let's put it to a vote," Hudson reasoned. "All who are interested in going to Six Flags raise your hand."
Everyone raised their hands but Phoebe, but once she saw that, she smiled and begrudgingly raised a hand.
"It's settled then. We'll have to head out fairly early, since it's a two hour drive and we want to make sure we have plenty of time to spend there," Dylan instructed.
Kyle had his phone out and was looking something up. "Looks like they open at ten thirty, so we need to leave by eight at the latest. Although it will help that it's a Tuesday and all the high schools won't be out yet."
"Wait then how come you're off?" Cami questioned giving him a skeptical look.
"My school runs on a different schedule so we got out last week, but I also go back to school sooner than everyone else," Kyle answered.
Sam came over and started to take plates from us. "Now, I know you aren't going to leave without having pie. Mrs. Mackenzie makes the best pie in the whole county, says so right on our sign."
"I don't know, we've had Lailah's pies and they are damn good," Parker challenged. "Seems like we’re going to need one of each flavor to test out that claim."
Sam laughed and shook her head. "How you have any room to eat another thing I will never know."
The table was soon loaded up with pie and everyone was sampling each flavor, but I took a whole slice of strawberry-rhubarb to myself.
It was my favorite next to sugar cookies, but for this it was only good while in season, so I was going to eat my body weight while I could.
As we sat talking and laughing, I felt a sharp stab of anxiety coming from Micah and noticed he was looking down at his phone.
He typed out a text message and then looked up.
"Hey, I need out," he stated, causing half of us to move out of the booth for him.
Without another word, he headed to the front door, phone already up to his ear. I knew he didn't know that he was broadcasting his emotions to me right now, but it was clear to me that things were not good.
"I'll be right back," I murmured to Brayden, giving his arm a squeeze so he wouldn't follow.
Stepping outside, I didn't see him right away but I felt the pull to the side of the building that was farther away from the main road the diner sat on.
Rounding the corner, I saw him pacing as he talked on the phone his anger growing by the second.
Taking a deep breath, trying to block out his emotions so they didn't overwhelm me, I sent him soothing energy in exchange.
This caused him to snap his head up seeing me standing there, he paused in his conversation as if unsure of what to do now that I'd caught him.
He sighed and held out his free hand for me to take as he put the phone on speaker.
"Ned, just so you know Lailah is here with me," Micah informed.
There was a pause on the other end of the phone before he spoke again. "Hello Lailah, I'm Ned, Micah's financial advisor and lawyer he hired to look into things with his aunt. Do you want me to continue, Sir?"
"Go ahead, I'll tell her about it anyways, she's pretty much my wife."
Hearing Micah say that gave me butterflies in my stomach that were not at all appropriate for this current situation.
"Congratulations, Sir,” Ned said without hesitation.
“I've contacted the council and King Rupert about the situation to see if there is anything your parents worked out with them.
They were all given the same documents that you were at their death, but I did discover that the will was updated weeks before you were to be gone.
The trouble is, that I'm just not equipped to deal with this kind of dispute on such a massive level.
Your aunt's team is throwing up roadblocks and I don't have the skill to get around them," Ned explained.
"I think it's time we pulled in more help on this, she isn't going to back down easily. "
Micah hung his head resting it on my shoulder as he gripped my hand. "Thank you, Ned. Do you have any suggestions?"
"If you want someone to fight dirty, then personally, America is the place to do that. I know our laws are different, but if you're not planning on playing fair then it doesn't really matter."
Then an idea struck me. "We can ask Dylan. The firm he works for is a branch of one that's main headquarters in New York, who's to say we can't fly out there if we need to."
"What's the firm's name?" Ned asked.
"Holmes, Cooper, and Lewis," I answered.
Ned let out a harsh laugh. "Oh yeah, they will be the right kind of people. They do tons of work in the business world, trust me you do not want to go against them if they have their eyes set on what you have."
"Alright, can I tell them to reach out to you if they have questions?" Micah inquired.
"Absolutely, it would be best for us to work alongside each other. They'll need someone with the correct law license to file some paperwork," Ned shared.
"Thank you, Ned, you took a risk on me being a kid and all," Micah said, pulling me into a half hug.
"Sir," Ned started and paused as if he was surprised by the kind sentiment. "I just wish I could be more helpful to you. I'll keep an eye on things, the council is trying to stall where they can, to give you time, but there isn't much I'm afraid."
"I'll get the ball rolling as fast as I can," Micah promised then hung up.
Neither one of us said a word as he wrapped me up in a hug and buried his face in my neck, holding on to me for dear life.
I could feel his pain and anger rolling through his body, so I tried to counter them as I rubbed his back.
It was at this moment I understood what Jay said earlier in the day, about Micah needing me more than the others in some ways.
He had Brayden, but with problems like this, he would never turn to his best friend for help.
Brayden's mom was now fully recovered but their family had some healing to do from everything that happened over the two years she was under the influence of Tabitha messing with her brain.
"We won't let her win, Micah," I promised. "Even if I have to take her down myself, I won't let her steal the only thing your parents left you."
Micah lifted his head at that and looked down at me with a smirk. "That has to be one of the sexiest things you've ever said, but I won't put that on you after everything you've gone through."
"Oh, know that's not how it works Mr. I heard you call me your wife and that means we do this together, no matter what," I told him with a glare.
His answer to my threat was to kiss me, and not just a peck on the lips.
It was all tongue and teeth as he tried to devour my mouth as if he could force me to agree with him that way.
Lucky for him, I didn't back down that easy and I gave just as good as I got, which is how I ended up plastered to the brick wall of the diner with my leg tucked up over his hip as he ground into me.
If it was Jay, I have no doubt that I would get fucked or at least finger fucked, but Micah wasn't as into the almost getting caught part of things.
He just liked to be in charge and decided what was going to happen.
"Ah guys…" Brayden's voice called.
We broke from our kiss to turn to where he stood with a faint blush on his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sorry to interrupt, but everyone's finished and ready to head home."
I couldn't help the snort that came out and quickly devolved into laughter. Here I was, dry humping one husband while the other had to come and tell us it was time to go, something about that just hit my funny bone and I couldn't stop laughing.
"What did you do to her?" Micah asked, giving me a quizzical brow.
"Me? I wasn't the one trying to fuck her with clothes on," Brayden said defensively. "I should be asking you that question, I could feel her lust even with my shield up."
Finally, I was able to pull myself together and wipe my eyes from the tears that slipped out. "Oh god, I needed a good laugh, can never have too many of those. Come on, lover boys, let's head home before the others get suspicious of us back here."
Micah grabbed me around the waist and tossed me over his shoulder, smacking my ass. "What if I want them to think the three of us are up to no good?"
"Well, that's up to Brayden," I answered.
This wasn't the first time that Micah alluded to having a threesome. It made sense that he'd be comfortable with Brayden since they were best friends and all, but I wasn't going to decide that for Brayden.
"What do you say man? You in or out on what's going down when we get home?" Micah challenged. "If I remember correctly, I get you all to myself if I want, seeing as it's our honeymoon, but I'm willing to share if you are, Brayden."
Peeking past Micah's arm, I saw Brayden staring at me and licked his lips. "I say the faster we get home the better."
"That's what I thought," Micah said, handing me off to him. "I'll let you have her for now, since I got her all worked up."
I huffed at that once Brayden set me on my own feet. "I'm sorry, when did I turn into a piece of meat to be handed out?"
Micah stepped up into my space and grabbed my chin. "Oh, you're no piece of meat, you're my delectable Cookie who I plan on eating up tonight. But make no mistake, I'm going to be calling the shots in our little tryst and you're absolutely going to love it."
I leaned in for the kiss I thought I was going to get, but instead he pulled away with a hungry glint in his eyes as he walked back to the front of the building.
"What the fuck was that?" I demanded turning to Brayden, who was also grinning like a fool.
"That Angel, was the real Micah, the man who loves control but rarely ever finds someone who will trust him enough to surrender," he paused and tilted his head to look at me. "Do you trust him enough to submit to him?"
A shiver of delight trailed down my spine. "Absolutely."