It wasn’t like I was going to escape meeting them.
But if I was going to endure this thing, I was going to need some fresh air and probably about fifteen beers.
The salty air hit me as I stepped out onto the large elevated deck that lined the entire back of the house. The view of the Atlantic struck me with a swift kick of awe.
Smoke curled from the built-in grill that took up the far end of the deck, the sweet aroma of honey-glazed chicken billowing with the air and mending with the scent of the sea.
Austin and his wife, Edie, who I’d met before practice, were down at the shore, their knees tucked to their chests.
“Ah. Tastes like summer, doesn’t it?” Ash said where he manned the grill, dragging in an overexaggerated whiff.
I roughed a restless hand through my hair that whipped in the breeze. “Not exactly sure what summer tastes like, but that smells damned good.”
Ash stretched out his hulking arms, tongs in one hand and a giant metal spatula in the other. Buffoon was actually wearing an apron that said Kiss the Cook. “Knew you couldn’t resist this awesomeness. Welcome to a whole new brand of Ash-Magic. Griller extraordinaire.”
“You mean bullshitter extraordinaire.” The screen door slammed shut from behind just as the voice hit my ears. I spun around to find a tall, slender woman walking out, long, wavy dark-brown hair spilling around a face that appeared as innocent as could be.
“Darlin’. How could you wound me that way?” Ash asked, tone aghast and rippling with playful affection.
The woman tsked. “How could I what? Point out the fact that you are absolutely ridiculous?”
“Ahh, see, now I thought you liked it just fine when I got ridiculous.” There was nothing but suggestion in the words, and the woman was blushing as she walked toward him. Ash reached for her, tucking this shy girl into the curve of his side. She swatted his chest. “Like I said, ridiculous.”
With a huge grin, he planted a kiss to the top of her head. “Leif, meet my Peaches. My wife. Most beautiful girl in the world. Lover of the ridiculous.” His voice dropped to a whisper on the last, and he nipped at her cheek.
She giggled a small sound and he groaned.
“Nice to meet you, Willow.”
“We’re really grateful you came. Our sweet Liam would have been devastated if Zee couldn’t travel with him. It’s kind of you to take time out from your own life to come and help us out.”
I scratched at my temple, feeling like a total dick when I thought of the dollar signs that were currently going cha-ching as they popped into my bank account. But somehow, I had to accept it wasn’t just about the money. I’d probably be here either way.
“Uh, glad to. Not a problem at all.”
A clatter of movement burst from behind, and the door banged open again. This time, a stampede of kids came flying out.
Brendon was at the helm, the kid a complete wild child who clearly couldn’t be contained, with about seven kids on his tail.
Only one I really noticed was Penny.
Penny.
She was there, emerging last, looking around, unsure.
My heart fisted in my chest.
What the fuck was that? This feeling that was too close to awareness. Knowing that her mom had to be near. This urge that made me feel like I needed to wrap this kid up, too.
Protect her.
Fight for her.
Her feet slowed just a bit when she saw me standing there, her brown eyes slanting my way.
Curious and shy.
A blonde girl who had to be about her age reached out and took her by the hand. “Come on, Penny. You’re on my team. No way we’re lettin’ Brendon win this thing. His head’s already big enough, don’t ya think.? He’ll be rubbin’ it in forever if we let him.”
“My head is exactly the right size, thank you very much, Kallie!” Brendon hollered with a laugh over his shoulder as he bounded down the five deck steps to the boardwalk that led to the beach. “I think you’re all just jealous I’m faster than you. Butterflies aren’t exactly fast, now are they?”
Right, the blonde was Baz and Shea’s oldest child.
“Um, you’re older, that’s why,” she threw right back.
“And awesome. Don’t forget that.”
“Kallie is awesome,” Penny defended.
Brendon grinned. “Oh, I know. I just want her to prove it to me.”
They raced the rest of the way down the steps to the boardwalk. Austin and Edie stood to keep an eye on them as they tumbled into the sand.
Ash gave an amused shake of his head. “Hoodlums. All of them.”
“Yeah, and let’s just hope all those terrible crimes they are committing continue to consist of glasses of spilt milk and a few wrestling matches on the floor.” Sebastian had slipped out onto the deck, his voice a casual rumble as his gaze took in the kids tackling each other to the sand.
Tamar stepped out behind him, carrying a platter of steamed vegetables. “You do know they actually started betting on those matches the other morning? It’s escalating. Anarchy is descending. Like father, like son.” Her mouth tipped into a playful, sultry smirk as she glanced over her shoulder at Lyrik who had followed her out, carrying another tray.
He shook his head. “Uh, no. Swear to God, I’m going to lock that kid up from thirteen to twenty. Won’t even take the chance of him following in his daddy’s footsteps. That’s a no go.”
Tamar giggled. “You do realize that is in like . . . six months? I think you might have to rethink these plans, Rockstar.”
Lyrik curled an arm around her waist, tugging her back to his chest, his voice going deep. “Protect what’s mine. However I have to do it.”
She spun around, the fingers of her free hand crawling over his shirt up to the tat on his neck. “I think you’ve done a fine job of that. You’ve shown him how to be a good person. How to act. I don’t think a padlock on his door is required.”
“Yeah? Speak for yourself. Kallie is sure going to get one,” Baz piped in.
“In your dreams, Daddy Bear.” Baz’s wife, Shea, stepped out. I recognized her from the tabloids.
She and Tamar seemed to be the two that always seemed to pop up in magazines and stories, Shea an old country singer who’d left her mark on the music scene years ago, and Tamar refusing to miss a single show when the band was on tour.
Self-proclaimed as Sunder’s biggest fan.
“Don’t you know when you try to hold your kids back is when they stage a revolt?” Shea’s voice was pure southern persuasion.
“She turns thirteen, and you’ll see who’s staging a revolt.” Baz’s brows lifted to the sky. Clearly, he didn’t agree.
Ash cracked up. “Thank fuck I had a boy. I would lose my damned mind if I had a girl.”
Lyrik chuckled low. “Got one of both. Believe me, man, doesn’t change a thing. Worry’s gonna be there in one form or another. Worth every fuckin’ gray, though.”
A stake of agony pierced me, right at the center of my ugly, depraved soul. Wound bleeding hatred and vitriol.
My eyes squeezed closed like I could block out the assault of the past.
Then my lids were peeling open when awareness skimmed my skin.
Fuck.
Mia.
Mia who was looking at me like she was surprised to see that I was there while somehow not being surprised at all.