Chapter 14 Summer
Summer
Leaning on the railing of my family’s homestead, I rest a hand on my belly while I read Rebel’s message. Riot and Kelsey landed safely, and they’re all on their way back to the ranch.
I wonder what they’ll think of my expanding midsection. From what I’ve read, first pregnancies rarely show this early, unless the mother-to-be is carrying more than one baby.
Mine started swelling around the six-week mark.
Thankfully, a scan allayed my fears of it being triplets, although it confirmed that we’re having twins. Whether they’re boys or girls we’re not sure yet, but after we found out we both came to the same conclusion. We’re naming one of them Marty.
The ache inside me makes my chest tight. I miss my friend every day. We didn’t know each other long, but I admired her. Especially how far she would go for the truth. And for those she cared for.
She should be here. Writing up an exclusive on the wedding every entertainment site is trying to get the inside scoop on, then letting loose on the dance floor long into the night while we celebrate Rogue and Ivy. It’s hard to believe she’s gone.
A few yards away, the florist shuts the doors on her purple van, making the words painted in white on the side of it fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Violet’s Flowers. She pauses there for a long moment with her hand wrapped around the handle and her hair hanging over her pretty, but heavily made-up face.
I couldn’t see the bruise on her cheek when she first jumped out of the van and started unloading the tea roses for this morning’s brunch. It wasn’t until Storm noticed when he helped her set up, that I realized something wasn’t right.
The scowl that had crossed his face and hung there as he pushed her hair away from her face said a lot about what he thought.
This town... Devil’s Bend. It’s full of shitty assholes.
I hate coming back here, but how could I say no when Rogue and Ivy asked if they could get married here?
Jett waves to me as he leads an escaped goat across the lawn toward the paddock. “Stains, come on, you giant pain in the ass. Come, Stains.”
The big black and white goat has always been more of an escape artist and troublemaker than the rest of the herd. Always getting out of his fenced yard, stealing laundry, and eating the bushes along the driveway.
Jett stops to say hello to the florist before she climbs into her van. He’s all smiles, but as his fingers brush her hair away from her cheek, it quickly fades. His shoulders stiffen as he drops his hand to his side, and she scurries in behind the wheel.
That will be interesting for her. Having two of my brothers sweet on her.
He shuts her door and she drives away, bumping down the driveway and out of sight.
I take a long, deep breath and hold it in my lungs until it soaks into every cell.
Despite my hesitancy about coming back to Devil’s Bend, I really did miss the ranch.
The sweetness of the air. The quietness.
How bright the stars burn at night. All six of my brothers.
Though they’d have more luck putting a scorpion down my pants than forcing me into admitting that.
Coming home stirs up emotions I don’t miss. That’s why I kept postponing a trip. Knowing how close we are to a town full of people who called me a liar and a slut. Where the boys who assaulted me got to go on with their lives as though they didn’t cause the trauma that I’ve lived with.
God, no, I don’t miss Devil’s Bend. I could never step foot in town again and be happier for it. But the ranch will always be my home.
Despite the many changes my brothers have made around here in the last couple of years. They built cabins in what used to be one of the pastures, creating a picturesque place for tourists to rest and experience ranch life.
And they’ve gone above and beyond for the wedding. The homestead is picture perfect. The cabins have been fitted with every convenience for the guests who started arriving early this morning.
Burke brought the old, rusted Chevy pickup I learned to drive in closer to the barn. He lined the bed so that we can fill it with ice and drinks. Then he and my nephew decorated it with potted flowers and foliage.
Kale and Jett strung firefly lights from the trees, and Owen and Storm set up white iron tables and chairs for the brunch.
Adira appointed Henry his number one helper when he first arrived. My youngest brother has been tripping all over himself doing whatever the drag queen needs.
Ivy’s queen of honor stands proudly in the middle of the scene. A champagne flute already in hand, he rocks a delicate cream silk pantsuit while ordering the catering crew around like it’s another day at Mojito Bar.
A breakfast buffet is currently underway, along with a mimosa station. An orange juice station for those of us who can’t drink.
Ivy slips out onto the porch with her phone in her hand. Transfixed by whatever’s on the screen, she doesn’t notice me.
“Something wrong?”
A tiny scream escapes as she practically jumps out of her skin and drops the device. Her hand flies to her heart. A bubble of high-pitched laughter follows. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” I glance at her phone still on the ground. “Everything okay?”
“Um.” She stares at the device like it might bite her before she bends to pick it up. She joins me at the railing. “Some last-minute things need my attention.”
“Anything I can help with?” Sometimes I swear she’s part fairytale princess like Rogue claimed in the hospital.
She and Danica Garfield created her whole wedding wardrobe together, including her dress. Today’s outfit is a sparkly blue corset; its sweetheart neckline embroidered with snowflakes along with the hem of her floaty mini skirt.
“Uh, no.” A pair of bunny ears adorn her loose chocolate waves like a tiara, and she reaches up to straighten them. They’re a throwback to a time in her relationship with Rogue when she only had the guts to talk to him if she was in costume.
I squint when the sunlight catches on the crushed diamonds surrounding the round sapphire in her engagement ring. “It’s stunning.”
She stares at it. “Would you believe I’m still getting used to it? It’s been months and it still weighs a ton.”
“You should do sets like the boys do in the gym. Build those ring finger muscles.”
“Yeah.” She titters.
We fall silent, watching Jett wrangle the goat.
Relaxing, she leans on the railing and sighs. “It’s serene out here. Tell your brothers again how much we appreciate them letting us have our wedding here. After the last time...”
That’s all it takes for her to tense up again. She starts to twist the gold band around and around.
The last time these two tried to get married Rogue was arrested for murder and dragged away in handcuffs. A lot has happened since then, but it’s understandable she’s anxious. This time, they deserve to have a perfect day they can look back on with happiness forever.
“We’re miles from anyone,” I say. “No cops, no media. Everything is set up. This wedding is happening. No one can stop it.”
“No one knows where we are.” She pauses to let it sink in. “They can’t stop us if they don’t know where we are.”
“Exactly.”
“So I’m stressing about nothing.” The harrowed look she’s wearing fades.
“It’s normal to have jitters. Everyone does.” Or is that an urban legend passed down from bride to bride?
“Jitters?” She laughs. “This is literally my dream come true. I mean how often do you marry the man you’ve been obsessed with forever?”
“I would not know,” I say, tasting bitterness. It’s not directed at her. It’s not directed at anyone, but it sits in my belly like a heavy weight. “Sorry, that came out sounding jealous. And I’m not. I’m thrilled for you.”
She wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Rebel’s going to ask you one day soon. You know that. He loves you so much.”
“Then why hasn’t he?” I accidently saw the ring he bought before Christmas. I moved some clothes in his closet, and the velvet box was behind them.
I’d pried open the lid before common sense could prevail. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have flipped open that box. Unanswered anticipation is the worst kind of torture.
The ring inside was perfect. Exactly what I’d choose. An emerald cut diamond nestled between two smaller diamonds on a white gold band. Yet he hasn’t asked me, and Christmas was months ago.
But it’s not only that.
“He’s been distant lately. Quiet. He doesn’t look at me the same way he did before I got pregnant. I’m scared I’m not attractive to him anymore. That I’m not who he wants.” I gesture at my belly. “That this is not what he wants.”
“Stop that.” Ivy locks eyes with me. “You know that’s not true. You are everything to him. Family is his mission statement.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I wipe at my wet eyes.
Why can’t I shake this feeling that the man I’m living with isn’t the man I fell in love with?
If I didn’t know factually the triplets were triplets I’d start to wonder if another Maddox climbed out of the woodwork and body snatched Rebel from under my nose.
“These pregnancy hormones are doing a number on me.”
But if I’m hormonally crazy, then why isn’t he being his overbearing self? From the moment we met he couldn’t keep his hands off me. He’d goad me into touching him so that he could touch me without scaring me.
God help anyone who tried to get between us too.
I would have thought pregnancy would heighten those traits, but he’s barely touched me. And when he has, it certainly hasn’t been sexually.
It’s been far too long since we’ve had sex. Before the morning sickness. Before I told him I was pregnant.
I tried to make a move on him last night while we were in the barn, and he walked out on me. He’s famous. He could have any one of the beautiful starlets he’s worked with. Why would he want me with my rounding belly and my sweatpants and my greasy hair?
“I’m right. You’ll see,” Ivy says.
“I hope so,” I respond as the guests start to congregate. Bianca Del Ray is sandwiched between Ethan and Linc while they talk to a couple of Ivy’s drag queen friends from Mojito Bar. A sharp dressed Nathaniel snags a flute of champagne before he joins them. He seems to be in his element.
Burke is sheepishly following Rogue’s assistant Kia around with his hat in his hands. Luckily, she seems to like the redheaded behemoth as much as he likes her.
The rest of my brothers descend as the aroma of baked goods, bacon, and omelettes spreads on the wind.
The bartender serves up pink champagne and berries to Dizzy and West. The newest Maddox brother’s expression darkens before sweet, hyper Dizzy wraps her hand around his and guides the glass to his lips.
The drink is as pink as every inch of her outfit. Spinning back to the server she flirts with the man who clearly does not know how to handle so much energy in one explosive package. He keeps darting worried glances at West, who silently simmers next to her.
Ivy waves at Dizzy when her sister notices us watching. The girl becomes more animated, clutching West’s arm and waving her hand vigorously. He’s too busy glaring at Ben as he approaches to say hello to the girl he once dated.
The two men square each other up before Ben thrusts his hand out to West in an attempt to be friendly.
Ivy whimpers like she can barely keep whatever she’s thinking inside. “I have to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“Rogue and I started trying too.”
“Wait. No way. Really?”
“We’re trying to have a baby.” She beams at me. “I hope we get pregnant quick. Then our children can be besties as well as cousins.”
“That’s great.” I beam at her. I mean it.
She deserves happiness after this past year.
She kept Rebel out of jail and made her psychotic brother furious in the process.
He almost killed her. All she’s ever wanted was a family.
One that was loving and not full of narcissistic psychopaths.
“Having our kids close together would be amazing.”
“Imagine if one of us has twins,” she says as two white SUVs come into sight at the top of the driveway. “Or—Oh, look. They’re here.”
Ivy rushes down the wide steps, the boards creaking under the thrum of her footsteps. I follow at a more sedate pace.
Rebel, Rogue, Riot, and Kelsey climb from the first car. Two serious and stalwart men step out of the other and oversee the unpacking of luggage and baked goods, giving us the appearance of privacy.
Ivy leaps into Rogue’s arms and plants her mouth on his. His hands climb up her back and hold her so tightly it’s hard to tell where one of them starts and the other ends.
Seeing them like this...
“They saw each other before we came to get you,” Rebel says drolly to Riot, his blue eyes locking on me as Riot collects his and Kelsey’s luggage. He left before I woke this morning.
My fingers wrap around the diamond penguin at the base of my throat. A gift he bought me almost a year ago that reminded him of how determined I can be.
Used to be.
I can’t claim to be determined after I pretended to be asleep when he left the bed this morning. Too embarrassed after he rejected me. I’m more like a timid and scared mouse with the way my feet root to the ground now.
“Red?” He opens his arms for me.