“Yes, and left us all alone to deal with stuff.” Again, Nathan kept his mouth shut.
Mommy had paid off her funeral, or someone had, and made all the arrangements for it. The only thing they’d had to do was to get dressed and go, and even that had pissed off Astrid. There’d been no money for her hair and nails to be done, or new clothes. “I swear, Nathan, I wish every day that we’d just killed Demi off, and we’d not be in this kind of shit. We’d have all her money, the house, and even that grandmother of hers.”
“If we’d killed her off, there wouldn’t be any money, would there?” She growled low, and he knew that if he spoke again, it had better be something worthwhile. “Why don’t we go down to the courthouse and find out when she’s getting married? Could be that they’re going to have this big fancy wedding, and we could go there and steal a few of the gifts. Surely she has friends that’ll send her nice shit.”
They got their crap together, fearful that if the room was left unattended they’d be kicked out, and their clothing, what little they had, would be taken. Nathan didn’t have much. When they’d gone to the will reading thing, he’d only taken his wallet. Nothing was in it, but he had figured that if there was a check or something, he’d have his identification to cash it. He’d not even figured that there would be nothing for him. His mommy had done them both terribly wrong, he thought.
Toward the end of Mommy’s life, they were both wanting her to just die. Christ, she took forever, even on her last day, to just let it go. They had sat around the house, making it look like they cared that their mommy was dying, so that the attorney, who was there more than them, could see that they were good children. And that Demi was the one that hadn’t even shown up for her last breath. Of course, then they’d not known that Mommy had a will and that Demi was getting it all. Had they known, Nathan was sure that he’d not have bothered putting on the act of caring. It was boring as fuck watching someone die, and he’d just as soon never have to do that shit again.
The courthouse was busy. He didn’t have any idea if there was a big trial coming up. While he could read, it took him forever to try and get through a sentence. The words would give him a headache, and they’d swim around on the page so badly that he’d have to lay down after just a little bit of reading.
Astrid could read, and fast too. It sometimes made him want to hit her when she was able to zoom right through something. Usually she’d just read to him, but when she was in a snit, she’d not and just hand him the paper with a smirk on her face.
There were flowers everywhere in the big main room. He started to ask someone what was going on when he saw Demi. Christ, she looked like a pretty picture. And
when she smiled, he nearly fell back from it, it was so bright. Who would have thought that something like a smile could make a person’s face just shine right up?
“Hello, Nathan. You here for the wedding?” He shook his head no. Nathan had a feeling that she was the one getting married, her being all dressed up in white, but didn’t say anything. “Well, I have to get going. You stay out of trouble or I will come after you.”
She was gone before he could say anything, and he had planned to be pissy to her too. Maybe knock her around so that her pretty dress was all mussed up. He looked for
Astrid then. Nathan was about as mad as he’d been in a long time.
“You know what I just saw?” Astrid asked if it was Demi. “Yes, and she’s here in a white wedding dress. The bitch is getting married right now. Damn it all to hell and back. Why did she have to go and do a thing like this for? There will be no money left if she keeps this shit up. Just like you said. I have a mind to go and get my ball bat and use it on her again. We’ll see then who she leaves things to.”
In his head that had made more sense, but Astrid didn’t seem to care. She was telling him now to go and find the two of them a log or something. A rock would even do. They were heading out of the big building when six men, all of them dressed up in the best-looking suits he’d ever seen, came through the door. And they had big smiles on their faces too. Made him want to knock them in the heads. He didn’t, of course.
They were not only bigger than him, but none of them had an ounce of fat on them either. Nathan knew his limitations, and the way to get the better of someone. Do it when they weren’t looking and make it so they didn’t get right back up.
They were looking for something to bash Demi’s head in with when a big limo pulled up in front of the courthouse. Both of them stopped to watch. A man got out and put his hand back in to help a woman out. He didn’t know who they were, but Nathan instantly hated them. Today was the end this shit of being on the receiving line for nothing. They didn’t deserve this, and he was going to make sure that these people knew it, too.
He found himself a thick stick. Honestly, he was too fat to carry much more than that. When he got the money, he was going to have one of those operations where they cut off the food to your belly. Nathan was sure sick of trying to pull his belly in enough to piss, and to fit in a shower stall like a man.
They were waiting by the limo when Demi finally came out of the building. The man standing next to her was laughing, and Nathan wondered what the hell he could find so funny. Christ, he’d just married a bitch—didn’t he know it?
As Demi started down the stairs, he stood up. Demi just looked at him, and then at
Astrid. He had helped her find the big stone she had, but it looked stupid now that he thought about it. Neither of them were in good shape, and he could no more have run from hurting his sister than he could have walked away from a fine meal. Or a bad one, he didn’t care.
“And just what is it you plan to do with that, Nathan? Astrid? Hit me? I do hope you realize that I’m no longer the child I was. I’m a grown woman who knows how to fight back.” Astrid told her that she wanted her money. “What money would that be?
The money that your mother had? There wasn’t any. How about the estate money?
Nope, not any of that either. You guys are shit out of luck, I guess.”
“Demi, you’re not being nice at all. You’re going to get yourself in a world of hurt if you don’t behave and fork over some money.” He looked at the men around her when she did. “We don’t want to have to hurt anyone else. You just give us half of what you have, and we’ll be on our way. It’s the least you can do for us since you made it all without sharing when you was out of the house.”
“The least I can do, Nathan, is to get into the car and go home. And that is just what
I’m going to do. I don’t owe you a thing, and I’d not expect to get anything from me either.” He pounded the stick in his hand, no longer caring that it was too little to do much damage. “You touch any of us with that, and this thing between us will be done before you draw back to use it.”
Confused, he just stood there. Was Demi telling him to hit her, or was she threatening him? He didn’t think she’d be asking for it. To his way of thinking she deserved being hit and more, but before he could work out what he should do, she was in the big limo and gone.
The six men there just stared at him. Nathan looked over at Astrid when they started down the stairs. One of them just picked him up like he didn’t weigh close to four hundred pounds. He didn’t have any choice but to look at the man when he ordered him to, and Nathan was afraid.
“You come near my family again, any of them, and I will break you in half. Do you understand me?” Nathan nodded, then shook his head. “What is it you don’t understand? The family being safe or me killing you?”
“I don’t know who your family is to stay away from. I understand the rest of it. I don’t care for being threatened, so you know. And if I had my ball bat, I’d show you.
But I don’t, so you can get off this time.” Nathan landed on his ass and knew that he was going to have a difficult time getting upright again. Astrid said he looked like a giant turtle when he did that.
“My family is the McCrays. That would include Demi as wel
l, since she did just marry my brother. Stay away.”
They stepped around him as he sat there. And before he could count to ten, they were gone. He and Astrid were the only two around.
“Well, if that don’t beat all.” Astrid said that they were going to get it. “Yes, but I don’t know that we’ll be able to take them all on. We’ll do it one at a time.”
They plotted all the way back to the hotel. Yes, Nathan thought, he needed his trusty ball bat. Or one like it. Demi was going to pay, by God. And so would that man.
~*~
Lucian wanted to kill something. He wouldn’t—it was his wedding day—but to have her family come along and put a sour note on their big day really pissed him off.
When his mom came into the room with him and smacked him hard on the cheek, he had to work hard to calm his bear.
“You let him go right now and I will have your ass in that shed faster than you can talk your way out of it. You know I will too.” He nodded and told her he was sorry.
“You’d best be telling that to your new wife. You being in here pouting about not being able to hurt someone that messed up your day is pitiful. What do you think would have happened to you had you hurt that man?”
“He’d be dead.” She smacked him again. “Perhaps this would be a good deal faster if you just told me what I should be doing. I know it would be less painful.”
“Does she look to you like her day is ruined? Did she say a word about how she was so angry that she wanted to kill someone?” Lucian looked over where his pretty bride was standing, talking to his brothers, and said that she’d not. “But you think that just because you had someone talk to you badly, it’s enough reason for you to stay in this room and not be out there with that lovely wife of yours. I should have beat you more as a child, Lucian. I swear, you are trying my patience today.”
“You’re right. I have been a sour child.” She said she was always right, and he’d be better off when he remembered that. “Yes, I will be. Thanks, Mom. By the way, we’re going to have a baby.”
He left her there. Lucian could almost see his mom’s face as what he’d said to her registered. Lucian found his father and kissed him on the cheek. Demi had told him earlier that he was going to tell his parents, and she would just stand back and watch them scramble to hug him.
“Dad, I have something to tell you.” His dad nodded and said that he loved him. “I love you too. Demi and I are going to have a baby soon. We wanted to tell you and
Mom first, and—”
The hug took his breath away. Then Dad swung him around the room until he was almost dizzy with it. After putting him down, he looked at the man he most wanted to be like. A father like his dad was, and a man that people respected, but not for what he had in his bank account.
“You just made my whole life with that sentence. I’m telling you son, to be a grandda after being a daddy—well, you just made me the happiest man in the world.
Did you tell your mother?” About that time, she grabbed Lucian from behind and hugged him. “I’m guessing you did. Oh my, a grandbaby. What is it? Boy? Girl? You know, I just don’t care.”
“We don’t know the sex as yet. But we did want you to be the first to know. And
Mom, you could help Demi a little about this. She’s worried that she’ll make a terrible mom, just because of the way she grew up without a good role model.” Mom said it would be her pleasure, but she thought that she’d do a fine job. “I know that, but she’s very worried.”
“You leave it to me. Oh, Lucian, this is wonderful news. I’m so happy. Aren’t you thrilled, Alden?” Dad kissed Mom on the mouth, and apparently that was all the answer that she needed. “I need to tell someone. Who haven’t you told?”
“My brothers.” She looked shocked, then she asked if she could tell them. “So long as you have us by your side when you do. Or, why don’t you just have Demi there? It will make her feel so much better when she’s able to see their reactions right away.”
“Good idea.” She kissed him again. “I’m just so very happy. A daughter and a grandbaby all in one day. I’m beside myself with happiness.”
Mom clapped her hands loudly when she went to get Demi. But before he could watch what was going on, Demi grabbed his hand and held him close to her. Dad joined Mom on the other side. This was going to be epic. He only hoped that his brothers thought so as well.
“I’ve just had the most wonderful news. Lucian and Demi are going to have a baby.” There was silence for a full minute. And in that time, Demi squeezed his hand so tightly he was sure that he’d have broken bones. “Did you hear me? You’re all going to be uncles.”
The silence was broken by the five of them whooping it up. Each of them gently hugged Demi and thanked her. She had to ask what they were thanking her for when
Pierce spoke.
“For bringing happiness and love into this house again. We all had it, we did. But this, having you a part of the family, I don’t know, it feels like we’re coming together. I love you, Demi McCray.” She smiled and said that was the first time anyone had called her that. “Yes, well, let me be the first to welcome you to the family. Sister dear, we are yours to command. To a point.”
They all said the same thing, welcoming her to the family and happy that they were having a child. Lucian was very proud of his brothers. They were gentle with her, and she let them be. In a few days he was sure that she’d take them to task for treating her like a fragile flower. But for now, they were about as happy as they could be.
“We’ll be having a dinner at our house tomorrow night. Sort of a moving in kind of thing. I know we tried that before, but you know how life can be. Always cropping up something.” Dad cleared his throat. “I would like to say something that’s been on my mind for a few days now. I want to say it to Demi.” Dad turned to her. “You’ve given us more than just houses and money in our accounts, love. You’ve given us happiness that we’d not even known we were missing before. I get up every morning now and don’t worry about what bill is not going to be paid. And I go to bed each night thanking the good Lord for bringing you to us when He did. Not for the money, though that has been a big help, but for the love that you’ve given us. I just don’t know what we’d have done had you not come when— I don’t think I’m saying this very well.”
“Yes, you’ve said what came from your heart, and that means so much more to me than if you’d written yourself a speech. And I love you too. I’ve never had a father before. My mother was...well, you know what she was. You’ve made it very easy for me to take you to my heart and keep you there. All of you have.” She looked around the room, then at Lucian. “And I have the best, most understanding mate and husband in the entire world.”
They kissed then. And it occurred to him, like a bolt of lightning hitting him in the heart, that he really did love Demi. Not for her money, like Dad had said, but for her heart. She was the very best thing that could have ever happened to him. And he picked her up, much like his father had him, and swung her around the room.
“I love you so much, Demi McCray. Love you more than anything.”
He kissed her again, much to the delight of his family. He loved her. There wasn’t anything in the world that could bring him down now. He had a wife, a baby on the
way, and a good home to raise all their children in. Lucian couldn’t foresee anything getting him down ever again.
Chapter 8
Demi read over the contract. It was straightforward, and the two loopholes that she’d found were not that serious that she’d turn the deal down. The people in town needed this more than she needed to back out of paying off the debt incurred should her end of the deal fail. Such as not having enough people to fill the slots open. She looked at Jamie when he said her name.
“I’ve been over the property that you suggest. I’m going to have to start over—I think you knew that when you called me about it.” She said she had, that the building there was out of date. “It is. And the
building isn’t fitted for what I need it for anyway.
Storage for cars doesn’t have a lot of need for conveyer belts.”
“Yes, I understand. But you will use some of the people here to help with both the tear down and the construction. From what I’ve heard there are about a dozen workers here from the last build. And you saw the shape of that one.” He said it was good and sound. “The contract mentions expansion. I can see that, Jamie. Custom fitting cars with logo and paint jobs is highly sought after. And the fact that you make it all here is a plus too.”
“I agree. And yes, I can see the need for expansion. You’ve convinced me that I have a very good product that needs to be out there.” He laughed when she smiled.
“You have a good head on your shoulders. Does that new husband of yours know that?”
“I do.” Lucian came in the room with them just in time to hear the question. After kissing her on the mouth, he sat in the chair next to Jamie. “I have an idea that I’d like to pass by you, Jamie. It concerns the dealership you have here in town. Why not fancy up a few of the cars on this lot? You know, make them have every little gadget known to man on them. Show them what the new plant is going to be doing here when you open it. Then take out a full page add that you can have anything you want in your new car. I noticed that the only places that you have that sort of advertising is in the larger cities.
With the new businesses coming to town, I think you might be surprised at the people who could come here to see them and perhaps purchase.”
“Honestly, I have thought of it, several times, but the management there, prior to your brother, said it wouldn’t be a good idea. Putting things in place that people couldn’t afford.” Jamie pulled out an envelope. “I was looking over the reported sales for that dealership before coming here. Josiah has already hit his sales goal for the entire month. And he still has seventeen days to go. He’s only been there for a week and a half, and I can already tell a difference is being made.”
Lucian: McCray Bruin Bear Shifter Romance Page 9