Chapter Twenty-Nine
Dusty
Panic crashed through the bond from Saoirse as a ring gleamed on her hand.
“I’ve been getting some texts from my team, and I think we need to watch the videos. Apparently we made quite the splash when Vixen Underground pulled us onstage.” I tried to keep calm for her sake.
We’d apparently been very busy before stumbling back to the villa.
“I vaguely remember her set, and you going onstage.” She frowned.
“Videos? What did you do?” Fiona laughed.
“I don’t know.” Saoirse’s voice went small.
Giving her a hug, I got the remote and turned on the TV. “Let me cast the videos so we can all see them. Here’s the first one.”
Taking Saoirse’s hand, I pulled her over to the couch and she curled up on my lap.
“I think we caught Functional Alcoholics before Vixen, right?” I vaguely remembered that.
She nodded. “I remember everything before that. When we got tacos and bought hats. It’s just after we took the pills, and did some shots, that everything became hazy.”
“As they should.” Hale plopped down in a chair.
Fiona climbed on the couch and put her head in Saoirse’s lap. Carlos sat on Hale.
I played the video. Vixen saw me and was speaking to the crowd in French. She got them to chant my name so I’d come up.
Some security guards helped me onto the stage. Saoirse scrambled up with me.
She put her hand over her face. “You introduced me as your sky. Though I guess that’s better than my name.”
We watched as I got Vixen to play something… and Saoirse started to sing that song in Irish. Helping Vixen with the beats, I began rapping in Spanish.
And Vixen added in vocals towards the end.
The crowds went wild.
“That was amazing,” Fiona breathed.
“Yes, and according to Kace it’s gone super-viral. You know what Vixen’s fans are like. My label saw it and wants me to do it for my next album. My agent and Kace have been texting me about that,” I replied.
Saoirse nodded. “I’ll do it.”
“You will?” I know she said she’d consider it. But her saying she would made me happy, though I’d defend her if she didn’t want it. “They also want a version with Vixen,” I added.
She thought for a moment. “Her voice is lovely.”
Her body felt so right in my lap. It wasn’t just the bond, either.
Hopefully, this next video wouldn’t freak her out. My team had questions about it. So far my moms hadn’t seen it.
The video started with Vixen, Saoirse, and I all joking around in French. She asked when the wedding was. Then all of the sudden, Vixen was like, Why not now? I’m licensed to perform weddings in this country.
In the way only Vixen could, she crowd-sourced everything. A moment later, Saoirse was onstage in a gold bodycon dress and heels, with a veil covered in blinking penises. Someone had even given up their ring for her.
He’s cheating on me anyway, the person had said.
The Functional Alcoholics came on stage and played a wedding song, as Vixen married the two of us onstage.
And we kissed.
“And this would be why my father’s having chickens,” Saoirse breathed.
“My team is basically just like, Is this a stunt or real? No worries either way. But yeah, I could see how your father might be concerned. I told my team that it was a stunt. Not trying to diminish anything, but the public doesn’t need to know our business,” I explained.
Her family had seen it?
“Oh, thank goodness. No. They don’t need to know. Is… is it real?” Anxiousness came through the bond.
“If there’s no marriage license, no. It’s partially why my team is so chill.
This feels sort of on brand for me. Of course if it’s real, it’s still on brand.
And we don’t have to say anything to anyone about it.
Though Ava, Beefy Pot Roast, has seen it and is a little pissed she wasn’t there. ” I laughed.
Carlos laughed. “Me, too. I mean I missed your wedding.”
“Right? Re-do! Re-do!” Fiona chanted.
“Huh. That’s where the dress came from? But why did I wake up wearing it?” Hale asked.
“You were cold and it was on the floor,” Fiona replied. “I think.”
“That tracks.” Hale nodded.
“Hey, it’s fine. If it is legal, we can have it annulled if you want. We can call this a stunt and have a do-over. No big. Whatever you want,” I soothed.
“I’m not sure we can get it annulled,” she said softly.
Right. The bond.
“One thing at a time. As for timeline-wise, we went out with Vixen and a bunch of other people after her set for drinks and breakfast. We took a hotel snowmobile back. Which seems a little reckless of us. Also, we must have told the hotel we got married, and that is why we got a celebration package with the cake and champagne, and a fancy dinner,” I supplied.
“At some point during the heat, we must have had a pause, and you made us chilaquiles,” Carlos added.
“I did. I think I bought the tortillas off the taco place. Saoirse tried tacos,” I announced.
Saoirse was texting someone. “Tacos are delicious.”
“They are,” Carlos agreed.
Fiona looked at me, but didn’t say anything. She then turned to Carlos.
Carlos rubbed his chest. “No. Yes?”
“I think so.” Her face brightened.
“Come here.” He held out his arms, and she crowded onto the chair with them.
“You bonded,” Saoirse said softly.
Carlos looked over at Fiona. “I sort of remember that. You were pretty insatiable, and you liked it when I did that, so I bit you, not sure if it would take. Kappa bonds are hit and miss. But it did, and here we are.”
“We’re going to have the best party,” Fiona squealed.
“We are. I… I’m sorry I didn’t ask permission, but I don’t regret it one bit. I love you.” Carlos kissed her hard.
She kissed him back. “You know I love you. This is perfect. We are going to have so many cute babies.”
“We are,” he laughed.
“It’s okay. You two can move to New York. It’ll be okay. Even if you don’t want to stay with me, I’ll help you with everything. And if you do, well, you do need four people to form a pack in New York City,” I explained, seeing how close Saoirse was to being overwhelmed.
Saoirse gulped. “Okay.”
“Fiona, did you bond with me, too?” I teased. I remembered being in the room sometimes, because the presence of another alpha made Fiona relax a bit more. But I didn’t remember fucking anyone but Saoirse.
Did I feel anyone but Saoirse?
“I don’t think so.” Fiona shook her head.
Carlos pouted. “You didn’t bond with me, Dusty? I thought we were friends.”
“We are, but I don’t want to tap that,” I laughed. My phone beeped. “Shit. Okay, so we can’t get a plane out until tomorrow. You’re going to miss your game, man.”
Carlos sighed. “It’s fine. We all need fucking showers anyway.”
I was absolutely paying a de-scenting fee for this place, wasn’t I? I’d settle all these extra expenses before I checked out, not wanting the festival to be responsible for all this.
“Well, I should charge my phone and see if it works. Otherwise, I guess I’m texting Grif from your phone, Dusty. Unless Hale wants his sister to know he’s with me,” Carlos said.
Hale had grown very quiet.
“I… fuck.” Hale looked like he was going to cry.
“Don’t cry. Oh shit.” Fiona’s eyes grew wide. “I feel that.”
“I feel that, too,” Carlos whispered.
“I... I’m so sorry.” Hale’s panic filled the room. “I don’t remember it. But I think I bonded with both of you.”