It was the best possible outcome. Only Dick managed to slip our tail, heading straight here to do something desperate. Exact his revenge.
Fortunately, he’s already confessed far more than he should to the sheriff’s deputies, so he’ll be behind bars for a nice, long spell. The dumbass better enjoy his time in the clink, considering he’s got me and the Bratva on his ass now. I won’t do anything stupid, but I’ll be damned if he ever gets near my family again. And the way he’s already snitching, I see plenty of stitches in his future.
By the time Christian and his deputies wrap everything up, and I make sure no permanent damage has been done to the front door, it’s ten in the morning. I take Izzie up on her shower invitation from last night, soaking into her love as much as the feeling of being a married man again. I’ve missed this closeness so much. With all the time and distance that’s gone on between us, I feel like I’m on a second honeymoon.
Only this time around, I’m even hungrier and thirstier for every inch of her. Because now I know what it feels like to lose her. A part of me doesn’t want to leave the house. We have so much to catch up on, and I know I need to take full advantage of this time before the kids return from Tahoe. But there’s stuff we can’t put off.
I won’t rest until her home locks are changed with high-security deadbolts, and security cameras and motion detector lights are installed. Even though I plan on spending every night going forward with my family and moving them back to my cabin as soon as possible, I’m not taking any chances. That’s where they belong, on my family ranch, where I know the security is foolproof, and my protective brothers are always close by.
But first things first. I’ve got to get those divorce papers back from Flynn. The drive to Flynn’s is accompanied by endless calls from my various brothers. They all want the fullscoop on why I stopped an intruder at Izzie’s house in my underwear, and what I was doing tangled up with her on the living room floor in the first place. Christian’s clearly thorough with spreading rumors through the family. Now that I’ve got so many brothers married, I’ve got to deal with their wives’ interrogations, too. I swear Jess takes notes on the whole thing. I warn Izzie to get ready for an article in the Chronicle.
Without fail, Izzie’s cheeks redden each time I explain the story because I’ve got my brothers and sister-in-laws on speaker phone, and I won’t let her out of my sight. I do enjoy the awkward pauses when each man or couple realizes she’s listening in, and she gives them a sweet “hello.” They all welcome her back graciously, without reservation, making it clear she never stopped being a part of the family. By the end, she’s got tears in her eyes.
As for me, worry twists my gut. There are two brothers who are completely mum—Flynn and Holden. Of course, Holden only calls when he’s allowed, and this kind of news won’t reach him for awhile. After my conversation with Flynn yesterday, my guess is he uses most of his calls to talk to Delilah anyway. But as for Flynn? I’m out of guesses. He’s the only brother who hasn’t contacted me. It’s not like him to be the last to comment on family news. Maybe he’s out riding or something.
Banging on his front door, now I’m getting even more nervous. His truck’s in the driveway, and his horse is in the stable. If ever there was a morning person, it’s him. So, what the fuck’s up?
Finally, the door opens, and I hear him mutter grumpily, “What the fuck can’t wait?” He’s standing there in a pair of jogging pants shirtless. As soon as he sees Izzie, he apologizes for his less than complete dress. I seriously never see him like this.
“Sorry, bro, but you’re the last person I thought I’d pullout of bed at this time in the morning. Hell, afternoon, now. What’s wrong with you? Are you sick? Depressed?”
Behind him, I hear footsteps padding towards the door and see Jasmine’s long ebony hair flowing over the oversized button down shirt of his that she’s wearing. “What’s going on?” she asks, looking blearily over Flynn’s shoulder towards Izzie and me. “Oh, shit,” she manages with a guilty wave before turning tail and hurrying back down the hallway.
“Looks like you’ve got some explaining to do, bro. But first things first. I need those divorce papers I gave you on Friday.”
Flynn is a very private person and looks sheepishly at me now. Clearing his throat, he says, “I could say the same about your bandaged head.”
“It’s a long story.”
He nods, not ready for a long conversation. “About the divorce papers, has there been a change of plans?” He happily eyes Izzie and me.
“Big change of plans,” I reply.
Izzie adds, smiling, “Well, a return to the original plan, actually.”
“Alright, give me a moment. I’ll be right back.” A few minutes later he returns with the paperwork, and I grab it relieved.
As we get back in the truck and drive away, Izzie shakes her head. “I’ve always thought there was something going on with Flynn and Jasmine. Now you’ve got to get me the sordid details.”
“Baby girl, you’ll probably have better luck getting them straight from Jasmine.”
“I may have to,” she replies, still shaking her head in contemplation. “So, what are we going to do with these?” she asks, holding up the divorce papers in her hand.
“Burn them in the fireplace while I set your body onfire in front of the hearth on the living room floor,” I reply with a throaty growl. “But first, we need to get your security straightened around. That is, unless you’re ready to move back into our cabin?”
She lets out a long sigh, looking up at me. “The kids and I have missed the ranch terribly. But I have so much to pack.”
“We’ll do it in stages. It’ll be easy.”
“And I’ll have to let Steve and Stacey know where to drop off the kids.”
My heart bursts at the thought of my family moving home. I can still hear a little reservation in her voice, and I know her mind’s working a million miles a minute, thinking about all that needs to be done.
So, I add a little motivation to the picture. “Imagine being spread out in the middle of our California King with me doing the filthiest things possible to you while the fire glows in our bedroom hearth. And don’t forget about our massive shower and bathtub. No offense, because I truly enjoyed what we did last night and this morning. But your bed and shower aren’t really cut out for a basketball-player-sized caveman like me. And neither is your living room floor.”
I stretch, still feeling the tightness in my muscles from that sleeping arrangement. It’s nothing a little yoga won’t fix, but there are still far more comfortable places we could be savoring each other’s bodies. By the look on her face, I can tell she’s already succumbing to the temptation. To clinch the deal, I add, “And if we’re lucky, you can avoid questions from your nosy next door neighbor, too.”
She laughs. “Alright, deal.”
