Bound In Secrets

Catching Up

"Fine, we will come to stay with y'all for a week this summer. I can't take too much time away from work. Cruise does his best to hold down the fort, but he needs help occasionally, like tonight. That's why I was there for a while instead of at home."

"Good. Anytime you need help with the business, just call Rye. Phone, you." I handed him my phone. When he is done, I have all the numbers of his family, not just that of his wife and her husband, Ryder.

"Why do I need Cal and Dom's numbers?" I ask. He shrugs, telling me I never know when something might happen.

Ugh, typical cryptic Tee.

"Do you remember Cal trying to teach me to play guitar?" I asked him.

I was horrible.

"Then he tried to teach me to sing." I shudder and Tee busts at the seams with laughter.

Cal said I sounded like a dying raven. Whatever that means.

"I've never seen Cal give up on someone so quickly. Usually, Ma Brudder has more patience with his students." Tee says that, but I don't believe him.

Callum tried to teach me something new each summer, but being musical was not my cup of tea. He would become so frustrated with me that he would start cursing in French while throwing knives at a target.

"Callum was pissed that you would rather dance with Jax. You were good at it, though. Wished you'd have become a dancer, me," he says with so much pride in his voice.

My uncles and aunt have always been some of my greatest supporters. I love dancing. The music speaks to me that way. Etienne paid for dance classes to continue what Jaxson "Jax", Tee's husband, was teaching me until I became pregnant with Darius.

"I just couldn't get back into it after Dare was born. I'm happy with my life now, Tee."

Tee stares at me so intently that it causes me to shift in my seat. Instead of letting him see how much I wanted to continue dancing, I drained my beer.

He knows I lied.

Tee stands going to the fridge to grab us both another one. I thank him as he sits back down. "Jaxson wants to open a few studios all over the country for kids who want to dance but can't afford it. We provide the children with everything they need. We pay the teachers for their time, but it doesn't come out of the kids' parents' pockets. We need dance teachers here, cher." I consider Etienne's proposition.

It's nothing new for him and his husbands to do things like this. Callum already has music studios set up around three states to teach kids music, whether or not they have money. The studios provide the instruments that stay there. The teachers are paid by Death Kings Records.

"You want me to run and teach one of these dance studios here?" Tee jerks a nod.

"I found a building Jax might be interested in when I was wanderin' around town today. He will be here in the mornin'." He drinks more of his beer, and I do the same.

"Rye looked into da club and discovered that since you took over, the profits have quadrupled," he comments.

I roll my eyes. Of course, when I told him I owned the club, he consulted with his other husband.

Ryder "Rye" is a genius with a head for numbers and strategy. He also has an incredible husky voice with a wide vocal range that made him the perfect lead singer for their band Kings of Death. The band was popular throughout their high school and college years.

"I wouldn't mind dancing again, and teaching could be fun. Especially since I'll be working closely with my favorite uncle-in-law." I wink at Etienne.

He groans, running his hand down his face. "Please don't tell him that. He'll rub it in every chance he gets."

I laugh because it's so true. Uncle Jax is the goofball, legally married to Tee. This is interesting because I know Rye and Ali are both in a sexual relationship with them. Dom and Cal are both only in a sexual relationship with Ali, who Rye is legally married to. Sucks you can only legally marry one person on paper. But they are all handfasted and are committed to one another.

By the time we are ready to call it a night, we drink a twelve-pack while catching up about what has happened since the last time we were together.

I even told Etienne about the nightmares I've been having resurfacing. He is the one that helped me work through them last time, so he knows all about what happened to me when was fifteen.

He reminded me I'm stronger now and well-trained so that I will never become a victim again. I mean, Aunt Ali taught me all the diverse ways to castrate a man and how to peel a dick like a banana.

I had my uncle in my bed next to me tonight just in case I woke from another nightmare. This way it's fresh in my mind so I can purge it quickly by talking to Tee immediately.

I sleep soundly until...

"Hold her down," Leroy snarls at Michael and Francis, who are with him. They move to hold my hands while Leroy sits atop me with his hands around my throat.

I can't breathe. I need to breathe, but it won't make it to my lungs with my airway being blocked.

The only good thing I can think of as he moves is telling me to be a good little whore for him like I am for the college dick I hang with. My boys have never touched me like I'm being touched now.

I have never felt so helpless in my life. The only good thing can take pride in is that I caused them physical harm by scratching, elbowing, kicking, and punching them.

Reliving that is not the weird part. Their faces morph into that of Razor Grothman, my living nightmare.

"Awe now, cher, I think you know where ma pet storm is and I want him back." He purrs in my ear.

I spit in his face with a manic cackle. "After what you did to my friend, that ain't happen, asshole." I snarl at him.

"Oh, cher. Fraid dat was da wrong answer, you," Razor says as he lights a blow touch. "Dis gonna hurt."

I scream as my skin blisters, and the acrid scent of burning flesh reaches my nose.

It will be a long time before I can dance again, much less wear my favorite set of heeled boots. Well, once I buy new ones to replace the ones Ransom stole. I gotta say that man has great tastes in fashion.

Sure enough, I wake up screaming, remembering the smell and feel of my flesh being peeled away. I check my feet to see the grafted skin on them.

"Razor," Uncle Tee growls. I nod to him. "We will get him, Cher. He'll slip up soon enough and once he does, he'll stay dead this time, even if Dom lobs his head off like he did da Vaquero Muerte."

I look at the clock. Five o'clock a.m. I might as well get up. But, before I climb out of bed, there is a knock on my door. I sigh.

I really should give Storm my phone number so he can text me instead. The thing is, I kind of like this little morning ritual we have going on.

"I'll go get the door and start the coffee, cher. Do what you need to," Tee says, stretching while sitting on the side of the bed in a pair of shorts.

I thank my uncle as I change my clothes to get ready to start my day with workout clothes. I'll probably take Tee to the gym with me this morning after I drop the kids off at school.

When I walk out, I find Storm and Tee in a glare-off.