Sawyer
I got Katie back to sleep. When Dillian left around midnight after the two of us ate a half gallon of ice cream and, along with a full bottle of Irish cream liquor, the door closing woke her up.
It took me another half hour of reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to get Katie back to sleep. She demanded I read that story since she enjoyed playing with 'Romie' so much two days ago.
Darius came in while I was reading to Katie. He climbed into the bed at the opposite end of his sister's and was back asleep within five minutes.
Tee arrives at my doorstep ten minutes after Katie falls asleep. He texted me his arrival instead of knocking, thankfully. "I'm so glad you texted instead of knocking. I just got the kids to sleep ten minutes ago."
"I know how it is," he reminds me of the child his family is raising.
Ali's sister-in-love and her two husbands were murdered in front of their little boy, who is now a teenager. Kassius adorably combines his mother and father with golden hair and blue eyes.
To make matters worse, whoever did that had also removed a set of twins from Remy's womb. The family is still attempting to track them down.
This was the night before I was kidnapped by Razor Grothman. I wish Carmen and I would have killed the slippery bastard. He just won't die like some zombie he keeps popping back up every time we think he is dead.
"Tabby had her third kiddo last month." Tabitha and her four guys are close family friends of theirs.
"That's awesome! Are they done having kids?" I ask curiously.
"Tabby just wants one more, since they planned on one kid for each of the fathers. It's been comical since blue balls happen often when they are trying for kids. It's much better for them between trying for kids, according to Lawson."
I laugh, just imagining those four fussing about blue balls. Tabitha's husbands are named Lawson, Quinn, Colton, and Erik. They are the Aftermath Crew, who clean up the Death Kings' crime scenes.
I was always visiting them whenever Dad would send me to stay with Tee and his family during the summer. It was great because I would spend one entire month away from home, but it sucked because it meant I was also spending one full month away from my boys and Carmen. Tee would let me call them on his cell. The other two weeks of the month were spent with Mémeré and Pèrèrè. Ryder, Tee's husband, would send me a cell phone to use while there. I would leave it when I headed back home since Dad didn't allow me to have one until I was fifteen.
I go to the fridge, grabbing a couple of beers for us. We sit close on the couch. "So, how is Ali handling everything? I know it's difficult for her since I'm sure she would love to have her own."
"We can't change the past, but she sure loves the future. She spoils all those kiddos like a proper aunt. I wish we could visit you more often. We would all love to get to know Darius and Katie. I'm sure they would be in into all kinds of trouble, together with Kass."
He is right. Darius and Kassius, or Kass, are the closest in age.
"I have a great support system here. Carmen and her husbands are amazing, and her parents treat the kids as if they were their grandchildren," I remind him.
"I'm happy to hear you say that, me. You still come to visit us. I get pictures from Maman every time you three visit during the summer," he says.
I smirk at that. Mémeré enjoys rubbing it in her son's face about what he is missing out on when he doesn't come to see her.
"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.