I've never heard Brade so jumbled in his thoughts. Usually, he's so thoughtful I'm temporarily worried something is wrong. I silently playback everything, and it clicks. My gaze jerks from my lap where it had traveled during his speech up to his face. I have to search it out, but it's there. Right there, skin slightly pinched at his eyes. The corners of his mouth trying to turn down.
"Why? Why haven't you told me?" Anger flushes up my neck and into my face like a tidal wave. I know I'm about to have one massive mood swing if he answers wrong, and there will be no stopping it.
"Bird— Lark. You haven't been and probably aren't ready for that. I didn't want to burden you with more." The plaintive notes in his voice eat at the edges of my anger enough to settle into a simmer.
"You promised we'd talk when we got home. Remember? And you haven't. I thought you'd changed your mind. Or I was too broken, and you didn't want to deal with it anymore." I fling my accusations at him, my voice rising, but I don't care.
"Now you are being a birdbrain. You want me to declare my undying love to a traumatized woman when I participated in the events? Maybe I thought you thought I was damaged. I liked some of it for fuck’s sake, Lark." I didn't think Brade had ever really yelled at me before. Not since we reached adulthood at least.
“Well, when you put it that way, no, but you didn’t have to leave me hanging.” Braeden looks stricken. “I didn’t mean to be mean. Sorry, Brade.” I deflate and pat the bed next to me. He doesn’t hesitate, and as soon as he sits down he pulls me under his arm and into his chest. Inhaling deeply, I sigh. He always smells good, like -- “Home. You’re my home. Ride or die, remember?”
“Of course I remember, silly girl. I just thought you might not after--” His opposite hand twitches up, and he shrugs. I don’t blame him; there’s not really a good way to bring it all up. I figure a rescue is in order.
“So, you think Emmett is hot, and I know you’re into Marcus. Apollo too, I’d think. And we all know how you feel about Rex. How many can I have again? You have a limit, or can I just lick you all?”
Now Brade is the one choking on air. I giggle and pat his back. Revenge is sweet. “I’m a hundred percent sure you did the licking already, and now you can’t get rid of them. If you want him, I guess I can let Rex stay too. Although he might be better off stuffed for all the brains he’s been using regarding you lately.” I can’t disagree with that statement.
“You think they’ll go for it? All of them, I mean.” Brade nudges my head back, so I can see the sincerity in his face.
“You already have all of them, love bird. You just need to give them the tiniest amount of encouragement, and they’ll worship you for the rest of their lives. You can count me in on that too. If you want a ring, we can do that. You want to shack up with us and pretend to be rabbits, we can do that too. But none of us are going to take what you aren’t ready to give, so you’re gonna have to lay it out there. Not that they won’t tease you until you cave though, so I’d be prepared for that if I were you.” I can get on board with everything he just said. There’s only one small problem. And it’s only going to get bigger.
I have to tell him about the baby.
“Brade, I need to--”
“I won’t bother her, but I’d like to get in my room and get a shower. Will you get him away from me? Apollo, seriously, we’re family, what gives?” Brent’s griping sounds loud and clear through the door.
I freeze with my confession still behind my lips. If I can hear him, he can hear me. It’ll have to wait until later. With a quick peck to Brade’s cheek, I hop off the bed.
“You want help unpacking?” He shakes his head. “K, I’m going to find out where all their rooms are, so I don’t have any surprises.” I scowl. “And say hello to Rex.”
“I should go with you, wait--” He holds his hands up to forestall my protest. “What I’m trying to say is I’m not going to. If you need me, yell. Expect me to be ready to thump someone though. None of them will take advantage of you without consequences, even if it looked like you were about to jump Emmett.”
I reach out to swat him and miss when he executes a roll on his back to pop off the other side of the bed. He's not wrong, but it's still kinda embarrassing.
"I'll get you for that!" I vow to him.
"What, like you got that spider?" He crooks that boyish grin I love so much.
Crossing to the door, I leave him with, "It was an entire family of them. The little freeloaders had to go. You're lucky your jacket is all that got toasted." I dart out and slam the door on his irate yell.
"Birdie! You said it was an accident!"
I laugh as I make my way down the hall and past the staircase. I'm guessing Marcus is putting at least some of them on that side of the house. Brent for sure.