"I'll be right back, babe." I wink up at him.
"Come on Sexy Dexie, let's see what's on TV and make-out." Lily teases. Kaseton laughs and I glare back at him from the doorway unimpressed.
"Mm mm, nope. You can address him as Declan or Dex, anything but that. You're married to his best friend and he is my boyfriend. I don't approve." I say nipping it in the bud. Declan holds his arms out palms forward.
"That ship has long sailed, Amity." She says laughing. Dex shakes his head frantically. Kaseton seems to think it's all still hilarious.
"You can bet your pretty little face it has, sweetheart." I say firmly. “It won't stay that pretty, either, if you keep pushing my buttons.”
"I'm sorry but I don't like her. Never have, never will." I utter as Kaseton and I go up the stairs.
"I know, maybe now you know a bit about how I felt when I walked in on you and Dex in the barn." Kaseton mutters from behind me.
"It was a kiss, Kaseton and I'm sorry I did that to you but I have always been...." I go to reply but stop myself not wanting to admit it because I don't know how true it is.
"In love with Dex?" Kaseton says anyways.
"Not sure yet." I tell him honesty.
"I am." He says and I know what he means. I reach over and playfully pat his hand.
"I know you love him Kase, you don't have to tell me but you might want to tell him and your wife you've jumped the fence." I laugh and he does too shaking his head. I start their bath water and then go to grab them some pajamas from their room while he makes sure they don't climb in the tub yet. Especially since I haven't taken their clothes off and their so tired.
"All joking aside I truly am sorry about all that, Kaseton. I'd like to think you have forgiven me because I really did feel awful about what I did to you. It should have played out differently."
"The past is the past. Like you said, him and I worked it out and of course I forgive you, Amity, I'm not just his friend. We were all good friends. You are just as much a part of our group as he is." He replies.
"Thanks." I tell him as I pour bubble bath into the tub.
"No problem." He says stopping at the door. "Hey, I'm glad you're back. I know Dex is too. Y'all really do have some beautiful girls and I hope you're happy here now and you get all that Georgia stuff worked out." I pause what I'm doing and look up at him worried.
"How do you know about Georgia?"
"The swelling on your cheek, those hand shaped bruises on your wrist and neck as well as the ones in different stages of healing, and your busted lip don't fool me. I've seen those cases before. I know Declan would never lay a hand on you so I'm guessing it was...... An ex because it's happened more than once. Good job on the makeup though." He says feigning a smile. "You're in a safe place here now, with Dex. He won't let anything like that happen to you again. It's ok to relax and let your guard down around us." His words affect me more than I think he intended. My eyes gloss over and I have to turn away from him.
"Do you think anyone else noticed?" I asked distressed.
"We're all medical response professionals in one way or another, Amity. It's safe to say there's a good chance. If it's any consolation, the front you put up today was impeccable." He adds. "Declan really cares about you. Just take it easy and don't be too harsh on him. He hasn't stopped talking about you since the day you left. He looks at you as if you never did. I know he's been in love with you since our Junior year of high school, he took your leaving really hard."
"Thanks." I reply baffled at the news. "Oh, can I ask a personal question, since you seem to already know so much about me." I ask and he nods. "Why did you tell Lily you don't want kids but you're amazing with mine and Dex's?"
"Because you can't turn a hoe into a housewife." He laughs. I go wide eyed at his casual demeanor.
"Why did you marry her?"
"It was one drunk night in Vegas. I'm trying to make it work because I royally fucked up and embarrassed myself." He replies with a shrug. "You know how my family is. All of them upstanding citizens and then there's me."
"That's not a good enough excuse and there's nothing wrong with you." I point out. He just shrugs his shoulders again and smiles.
"It is what it is, we all make mistakes."
He walks out of the bathroom and several minutes later I'm putting the kids in the tub, I hear lots of loud laughter coming up the stairs. It's music to my ears. I haven't heard laughter in such a long time. It's weird how once you're deprived of something you don't really know what you've missed out on until you find it again.
"Time to get out sweet girls." I mutter. They've both been sitting in here for who knows how long playing and splashing while I'm daydreaming. I pull them out and dry them off then dress them in their pajamas. After they're dressed I walk them down to the living room, I recognize several familiar faces. Some from earlier and others including Carly that I hadn't seen since I left. I look over at Dex questioningly and he answers my thoughts.
"It's a welcome home party. Do you care? I know the girls are going to bed but I wanted to watch a fight I missed the other day."
"Oh, no. Of course not. The girls just wanted to give you hugs before they go to sleep. As long as we keep it down they shouldn't be disturbed." I reassure.
"We won't be a problem." He replies.
"Who's fighting? Is this the UFC 168 that just aired Saturday? I haven't seen one of these in god knows how long." I smile excited and rub my hands together with anticipation. "Wait for me, I want to watch it too." Lily furrows her brows at me and everyone else looks at me like I'm crazy.
"No," Kaseton laughs, "it's a local sanctioned MMA event."
"Seriously? When did Bryan start doing that? Anyone we know?"
"Yes, seriously and the Pier has always sanctioned fights." Amber says. I feel like I'm seriously missing something or they're all just messing with me.
"No they haven't, I use to go to events all the time with the guys." I tell her. "The only fights in Bryan were underground."
"It started a couple years ago because of all the illegal fights." Kase answers.
"Night daddy." The girls both say exhausted in unison. They reach out to him when he leans forward with his arms out. They each kiss one of his cheeks and squeeze his neck tight.
"Night little princesses."
"Night beautiful girls!" Jeremy calls out laying it on thick, which embarrasses them. They start to giggle and Delia runs over to him with a goofy grin.
"Goodnight, Uncle Jeremy!" She squeaks as he hugs her tight. When he puts her down everyone else tells them goodnight at the same time. She slaps her forehead.
"Oh gosh. That's a lot of hugs!" She says frustrated and yawns.
"It's ok sweetheart." Amber laughs. "You can give us all hugs later after you've had your beauty sleep."
"Thank you." She replies relieved. "I'm tiyurd."
We go back up to the room and I hurry them into bed not wanting to miss the show. I read them a quick story, they're both out before I finish. I go in to Dex's room and clean my face. If Kaseton says they know there's really no point in hiding it anymore, plus they're all firefighters, cops, and paramedics.
I reach the landing in the living room met by a few stares and immediately regret my decision to wash my face feeling self conscience. The only open chair is Dex's now empty one. I throw myself down with a yelp and grip my side.
"Ow, holy cow, chocolate chip cookies, ow." I look up finding all questioning eyes on me but Amber, Jeremy's wife, is trying not to laugh. "Stop staring at me like that, you're making me uncomfortable." I point to my face. "It goes away and I'll be gorgeous again." I frown at Amber.
"Sorry, I'm trying not to laugh but, ‘holy cow, chocolate chip cookies’?" She giggles.
"She doesn't cuss unless she's insanely pissed. That's how we all knew when she was genuinely mad." Jeremy laughs and I curl my lip at him.
"Could you seriously come to my house everyday and do my makeup for me because that cover-up was spot on!
"
"Ha! It wasn't that great of a job, Kaseton saw right through it." I glare in the direction of the kitchen looking for Dex. "I promise it had nothing to do with technique either, my makeup brand works miracles."
"What happened, Amity?" Jeremy asks curious.
"Domestic Violence." I utter and look around praying for Dex to come save me just as he walks in from the kitchen.
"Up ass it, baby girl!" He grins and then stops when he catches on to the tension in the room.
"Who hurt you, Amity? Someone here in Texas?" Jason asks protectively. He looks like he's ready to kill someone just as Dex had. I stand from my spot and lean on the arm so Dex could have his seat back. He grips my hips and pulls me over the side back across his lap.
"No, no one here. Hadley has it under control, Macon PD made the arrest this morning. Drop it, it's not something she wants to talk about." I smile inside feeling a bit of relief. Dex pulls me closer and kisses my temple. "You ok? They're just concerned." He whispers, I bury my face into his neck and kiss his collarbone. I know they are but I hate explaining it over and over. "Someone hit play. I want to see Kaseton beat the shit out of Ochoa since Amity made me miss it the other night."
"I didn't make you.... Wait....Kaseton!" I bellow. "What the heck? You weren't fighting when I left!"
"Honey, you missed a lot. He's not the only one who fights." Amber informs me.
"Who else?" I ask aghast.
"Several. Now hush, it's starting." Dex whispers into my ear. I lean back into him again and rest my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me with a gentle squeeze.
"You...." I go to say. He places his pointer finger on my lips to hush me, I oblige for his sanity and mine.
It feels like old times having everyone here watching an event at my parents house. I'm surprised at the fact that I forgot all about Brody until this moment. I tense in Declan's arms and he catches it pulling me into him closer than before.
"Elephant shoes." He whispers.
"Elephant shoes." I softly reply burying my face into his neck.
Before I know it I've forgotten all about the bad things that's happened in the last couple days, again. I turn my attention to the large screen TV to see Kaseton has already won the first round and is no worse for wear but the other guy I don't recognize is. The bell sounds and they both stand again and touch gloves in the center of the cage. Ochoa backs up a couple steps but Kaseton advances and takes a body shot and an uppercut.
"Oh!" I huff. Dex chuckles in my ear at my reaction. It takes a few seconds for Ochoa to regain his footing and Kaseton actually allows it. "Moron! You could have had him!" I say and throw some of my popcorn at Kaseton. Ochoa takes the fight to the ground lunging at Kaseton's legs but screws it up and Kaseton ends up at his back.
"Hey, I'd like to see you fight!" He pauses catching what he said. "Sorry." Kaseton frowns. Kaseton wraps his arm around Ochoa's neck and his legs around his torso.
"Don't apologize for me." I reply not taking my eyes off the TV. I lean forward not realizing how into it I am. Not a second later Ochoa taps out. "Seriously! That's how it ends? Pft!" I huff.
"How did you expect it to end?" Dex asks confused.
"I don't know more oomph? Good job though, Kase!" I beam proudly.
"Yea, if I could only get one asshole to fight me I may get a title shot." He retorts.
"Who holds the title?" I ask curiously.
"You ha...." Amber starts to say and everyone stops and stares at me.
"Some cocky asshole." Jeremy raises his voice cutting off Amber.
"The title holder fights in two weeks though." Jeremy points out. "We should all go." I sit up in Dex's lap excited. I haven't been to a live event in I don't know how long.
"I want to go! Can we go? Will you take me?" I hear everyone laughing behind me. "Come on, please! I really want to go!"
"I don't know. I might have to work." He says matter of fact.
"If you don't take me I'll just find someone else or go alone." I point out. "I'm sure Hadley or someone would be more than glad to watch the girls so I can go alone. To watch all those sexy, muscular, sweaty men beating the ever loving crap out of each other." I finish. He purses his lips together and everyone laughs even harder. "Sexy, sweaty, shirtless men.... Mm, maybe even tattooed. Lots of flexing mouth-watering muscles covered in ink." I repeat. He actually cracks a smile.
"You're going to be recovering from surgery. It's probably not a good idea." He says.
"Oh bull, I'll be two weeks out. I would go tomorrow after my surgery if there was a fight." I state. That's seriously how bad I want to go. I lean my head back on his shoulder and give him my best puppy dog pouty face. He knows I love these kinds of events; the only aversion I have to them is if it were him.
"That's definitely not going to happen." He says looking at me sternly. "...and don't give me that look."
"Ok fine, we won't go to the imaginary fight tomorrow but we will go in two weeks to the real one and that's final."
For the next couple hours, we all sit around reminiscing on the past. I can't believe how much time has past and how much I've missed out on. Sitting here looking at everyone's faces and the comfort of being here with Declan and having our family together left me with the feeling of finally being safe. He is my safe place and where I've belonged all along.
"I'm going to shower and go to bed. I don't think I'll be able to sleep to much for the next few days." I say crawling out of his lap. "Goodnight you guys. It was really nice seeing you all again. Maybe once I'm good and recovered we can host a party or something." I smile at everyone. "Hell yea! How about in two weeks. After the title fight we can all come back and celebrate the bastard who's most likely going to keep his belt seeing as how he's held it for the last four years." Jason offers.
"Sounds like a plan."
The bed ruffles when he climbs in and wraps his arms around me. He leans over me and kisses me on the cheek, I roll over placing my arms around his neck.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" He asks.
"No, I've been up. I can't shut off my brain." I say honestly. "I can't believe Kaseton and some of our friend’s fight. I hope you smartened up about all that mess. I couldn't fathom having to worry about you getting hurt like those morons." I confess.
"It's not that bad and as I recall it didn't bother you so long ago, in fact, it turned you on." He interjects.
"It did not!" I laugh embarrassed. "You've obviously forgot about the time I busted your lip after you took me to your underground fight. Kaseton's was a clean fight. I never would have guessed he just had one by looking at him but some of those guys don't come out so lucky. I mean just look at how badly Ochoa turned out." I add.
"It's not always gory and Kaseton is a heavy hitter and a hell of a blocker. He reads guys well and knows their moves before they even make them." He says uncomfortably.
"Aww, you have a man crush on Kaseton. Y'all have a bromance don't you? Should I be worried?" I tease.
"A bromance?"
"A bro romance. A bromance, I don't know y'all are BFFaE. Best friends forever and ever." I giggle.
"I only like one hell of a pain in the ass girl I can't get out of my head. So Kaseton is going to have to go on the back burner." I ease in closer to him and shiver into his side.
"Cold?" He asks eyeing me closely. I nod at him and he leans forward pulling the blankets up around us more. He pulls me in close next to him and kisses my forehead.
"Thanks," I say snuggling into his warm body.
"So, be honest. How do you like your little mini-Dex's?" I ask curiously without looking him in the face.
He chuckles, "I think, they're pretty awesome. I see a lot of me in them. I mean they look just like me; I can see that now but they look like you too. I think that's why I thought they might have been someone else’s; I couldn't get past what they favor from you. They make some of the same faces you do and you were right about the clumsy thing, that's certainly not me. I thought Delia wa
s going to give me a heart attack this morning and at the aquarium." I start to laugh silently to myself when I think about her running around blindly. She seems so awkward like she's still trying to find her legs.
"Can I ask you something?" He says. He's wringing his hands together behind my back, so I know he's kind of nervous.
"Of course you can, you can ask me anything and you don't have to ask if you can ask me a question either. Just do it." I say. He's probably wondering about the kids anyways and he deserves to know everything there is because being in their lives is a blessing.
"Do you really look at my picture and cry?" He asks nervously, I try to push away from him but he grips me tighter. I stop when my side protests. I turn my head away from him and readjust uncomfortably.
"That's not what I meant when I said anything. I thought you were going to ask about the kids." I mutter. "How do you even know about that?" I don't know how to answer this question. I did it because I missed him and care about him, I don't want to tell him that.
"The kids aren't here, we can't just talk about them all the time. I want to get to know you again too.... Delaney ratted you out, by the way. She's very perceptive." He replies. I try to move away from him again but he pulls me back into his side.
"Yes, I have. I didn't make a habit of it or anything. I didn't even know they knew I had done it before. I was having a really rough day and I was missing home, my parents, my whole life here. I missed you and didn't feel like I could have come back. I tried a million times. I needed help with the girls and there wasn't anyone I could lean on for support. I don't know how to say this but when I left I really cared about you and it tore me up inside to stay away but I didn't feel like there was another option at the time." He pulled my hand over onto his oh-my-god-amazing-abs and brushed his knuckles across the back of it.
"As much as I wanted to, I didn't think I could go after you. You though, you could have come home at anytime. I wasn't the only one that missed you, you know. Everyone did." He confesses. “My god, I missed you.” He wraps both his arms around me and pulls me deep into his chest again. I wish he would have come after me and saved me from myself. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding in.
Insufferable Weight of Silence Page 10