“Just that he is the foremost popular game maker on the planet. His first game took the world by storm a few years back.”
Dia glanced back at Apollo. “What? What games?”
“Video!” all three Whitehawk’s said at once.
Dia didn’t know what to say as she turned back to Ryan. “You didn’t tell me that.”
Ryan looked uncomfortable for the first time since they’d arrived. “That’s the project I’ve been working on that I wanted to show you. We just never got around to it.”
“You’ve got a new game?”
Ryan’s discomfort with her instantly changed into a confident smile as he looked at Apollo. “Not just a new game. A whole new gaming system. I’m taking it to the biggest electronics expo in the country next month.” He grinned. “It’s going to blow gaming out of the water!”
Dia stood, stunned, as the men were once again talking excitedly. She hadn’t ever played a video game but knew her cousins had been weaned on them. Her aunt Destiny had complained about how much they’d played when they were kids. She studied Ryan, realizing now why he was so confident with her cousins. He was in his element, talking about his passion, and he was in the company of men who obviously thought him a king. She smiled to herself, deciding it was time she learned more about her man and his talents, other than his ability to make her scream with sexual satisfaction.
“Dia? Are you coming or not? The baby is crowning!”
She whipped around but Sapphire was already gone, so Dia pulled Ryan’s head down and kissed him quickly, but soundly. “You and I have a lot to talk about later. But I’ve got to go.”
“Go! I’m fine out here.”
“I can see that.” She smiled at him and the rest before hurrying back into the house. She made her way to the bathroom just in time to see her mother lift the first baby into the air, its tiny body dripping. Sapphire waited until Aunt Haven clamped the umbilical cord, then handed Amen-ra a pair of surgical scissors to cut it. The baby girl was quickly placed into Destiny’s hands, and she took it to the table that had been prepared with heat lamps, cloth diapers, and towels.
“Number two is coming!” Rayne said, her voice cracking with the emotion of becoming a grandmother. Dia’s eyes filled as she was sure everyone’s did. Jewell was blowing hyper-breaths as she moaned through the second delivery and then leaned back, resting her head against the tub while the second daughter was scooped up and the disconnection procedure was repeated.
Destiny had wrapped the first baby and, to Dia’s surprise, thrust the child into her arms before running back to prepare for the next one. Dia’s breath caught as she looked down at the tiny face and fisted hands exposed above the receiving blanket. The realization she was now an aunt tilted her world. She and her sisters were no longer the children of their family; there was now a new generation.
Seconds later Jewell groaned and pulled herself forward to push through the next contraction. After Aunt Haven handed the second tiny girl to Sapphire, she stepped back up to Rayne’s side and was ready with another blanket once baby three was born.
Dia watched as Jewell settled back, her eyes searching the room to land on Dia and the child she held, then Sapphire and the baby she was cooing to softly. Finally she smiled up at her husband as he approached her with their youngest daughter his arms. Dia nearly stepped forward to show her the miracle she’d created, but the pleasure on Jewell’s face transformed to shock as she curled forward and screamed.
Rayne, who was looking from granddaughter to granddaughter, turned back to face her child. Haven and Destiny were by her side instantly. Rayne glanced to oldest and youngest. “Take Amen-ra and the babies to the bedroom we’ve prepared.”
Fear filled Dia as she hurried from the room, the sound of Jewell’s hysterical cries following her out the door. Though she wanted to know what was happening to her sister, she didn’t want the baby to become distressed or herself to be in the way. Sapphire was behind her, but Amen-ra wasn’t. She looked back to see Destiny rushing up behind them with the youngest in her arms, pass them, then beat them to the bedroom.
“I’ll leave this baby with you two. Amen-ra refuses to leave, and I need to get back in there.”
She placed the baby in the center of the bed and hurried back out, leaving Sapphire and Dia to look at each other in fear. “What is going on?”
Sapphire’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know!”
Dia eyes filled as well as she tried to take even breaths. She sat on the side of the bed and placed her charge next to her sister. “Should we do something to identify which is which?”
Sapphire shook her head and placed the middle child on the other side of the youngest. “They have a marker in the other room. Aunt Destiny should have marked their birth order on each one’s heel.”
The sisters looked at each other and started unwrapping the babies. When each had a Roman numeral clearly marked, they sighed in relief. But it was short-lived as the sound of Jewell’s scream reached them, making the babies cry.
“I have to go back in there!”
Dia shook her head, though she felt the same way. “We can’t. Mom asked us to stay here.”
Sapphire shook her head, nodded, and then put her face in her hands. Dia pulled on all the strength she had and started wrapping the babies back up. “Stop it, Sapphire! I’m scared too. But these babies are terrified and we need to take care of them.”
Jewell’s screams stopped abruptly and there was complete silence. Terrified, Dia shared another panicked look with her oldest sister. “I don’t hear anything now,” she whispered.
“Me either.”
Suddenly the robust cry of a baby came through the door and she knew her face had to reflect the shock in Sapphire’s. “Another one?”
Sapphire’s tear-stained face transformed into one of joy. “Oh. My. Gosh! Can it be?”
They bundled the three little girls hurriedly, needing to get back to see if their sister was okay. Before they could get to the door Destiny arrived, carrying baby number four. She smiled at them.
“Welcome your nephew, girls.”
Slowly they moved forward to look at the tiny little boy. Dia looked up in wonder. “Mom said there were only three. How did she not know?”
Destiny smiled. “This little troublemaker was hiding behind his sisters.” She laughed. “I bet they’ll make him pay for it many times in his life.”
Sapphire, looked up, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Jewell is okay?”
Dia reached over and put her arm around Sapphire’s shoulder with her free hand and then looked to their aunt for reassurance. “She is, or you wouldn’t be so relaxed, right?”
Destiny nodded. “She’s exhausted, but she’s fine now. This little fellow wasn’t expected. It terrified her when she felt him coming. She was afraid something horrible was happening to her body.” She sighed. “Had us all pretty scared too.”
Sapphire turned and placed the baby she held on the bed and cried harder. Confused, Dia looked to her aunt, but Destiny looked as perplexed. Sapphire didn’t cry as far as Dia knew. Jewell was fine and now had four healthy babies.
“Sis? What is wrong with you?”
Sapphire glanced up and emitted a shaky sigh. “I think I’m pregnant.”
Chapter Nine
By the time Jewell and the babies were settled, and the family had paraded through to congratulate her and Amen-ra, the men who’d waited out on the porch had the fire pit and the large barrel grills going strong. The smell of barbequing meat filled the air thanks to Apollo and Zeus, who stood over the grills sipping beers and flipping steaks, chicken breasts, beef ribs, and even burgers. Amazed that they’d gotten things going so quickly, Dia shook her head in amusement.
She’d always thought it funny her cousins were such meat eaters, when both of their parents only ate meat sparingly, after a great deal of apology and then thanksgiving to whatever animal had given up its life to nourish theirs.
Her mother an
d Aunt Haven had turned to the dark side some time back, according to Aunt Destiny, and not only ate meat frequently, they did so without apology, though giving thanks was still expected. Now the matriarchs, Sapphire, and the Cavanaugh-Hansen cousins, who had arrived just after the stressful event, headed to the kitchen to whip up side dishes to feed everyone. Dia was given a pass since her new man had been left alone too long according to her mother, who had gotten only a quick look at him, when Dia introduced him to each family member while they were oohing and awing over the babies. Rayne had said a quick Hi and welcome, gave him a hug, and then sent her youngest a wink before moving on to her next self-appointed chore.
Dia hadn’t protested. Kitchen duty wasn’t her forte, and Ryan most definitely was. But she’d sent him off and made sure everyone had something cold to drink before allowing herself to step out of the fray. Excited to get back to Ryan, she was grinning when she finally found him out in the field with Heracles pitching small corn-filled bags a good twelve feet into a point-marked board with holes. Deciding men were nothing more than large boys, she walked across the driveway and approached them to find her cousin was his usual happy, silly self. It was obvious Ryan, with his glasses back in place, was having a ball. He was new to the game of Cornhole and beating Heracles hands down.
“Hey cuz, your man’s got killer instincts.” Heracles’s right brow lifted. “Probably from playing his games all the time.”
Dia walked straight to Ryan, and he removed his glasses as she got closer. “This is fun. You want to challenge me next?”
She grinned and kissed his mouth. “Sure. Or we could take a walk and snuggle a little.”
With a quick glance at Heracles, she raised both her brows, hoping her cousin took the hint. She wanted time alone with her man before the family sat down to eat. At that point, if they’d gotten her father sobered up some, Ryan was likely going to get as grilled as the cooked meat.
Ryan looked to Heracles, smiling. “Sorry, dude, duty calls.”
Heracles laughed and nodded. “Whatever happened to bros before hos?”
Dia considered punching her cousin, but she had better things to do with her energy. She smiled up at Ryan as his grip around her waist tightened, but he was looking at her cousin, his gaze sharp.
“Since there aren’t any hos here, it doesn’t apply.”
Startled by Ryan’s tone, Dia glanced back to find Heracles’s gaze filled with speculative amusement, before he shook his head as if he pitied her man.
“Looks like another one has bit the dust.”
“He’s kidding with you, Ryan.”
Ryan glanced down at her then back at her cousin with a self-depreciating grin. “Sorry, dude.”
Heracles brows pulled together. “No problem.” He glanced at Dia. “You be nice to this one. He’s a keeper.” With that he turned and trotted toward the cabin.
Ryan kissed the top of her head. “I feel stupid. I don’t know why him saying that went all over me.”
Dia pulled his head down for another kiss, this time lingering until they were both breathing a little heavily. “Don’t worry about it. Heracles speaks before he thinks, and he and I have called each other worse all our lives.” She grinned at him. “You’d better get used to it. My family likes to tease and little is taboo.”
Ryan’s eyes were serious as he looked at her. “I’ve never had anyone to tease with, so I’ll probably look like an idiot.”
Dia pulled him back into a tight hug. “I know they’re going to love you. My male cousins already think you are the coolest thing to ever walk through the door, from what I saw earlier. Which reminds me, are you famous?”
As Ryan’s cheeks filled with color, he shrugged.
“Kind of. I played video games shortly after I started college, but they didn’t challenge me, and I’d end up beating each new one pretty quickly. So I decided to try building my own. It wasn’t as complex as what I do now, but it took off on campus. Out of the blue I was offered a ridiculous amount of money by one of the big game system manufacturers, and I took it. That allowed me to buy what I needed to start building bigger, and I’ve had great success with the games I’ve built since then. But they are nothing like what I’ve just created and am about to demo at the expo. I’ve made a gaming system that is like nothing out there. I won’t just be selling games. The whole system is mine. I can’t wait to show it to you to see what you think.”
Dia stared at him, speechless.
Ryan grinned. “And if you’re wondering, the answer is yes. I’m pretty loaded.”
Dia frowned, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t care if you didn’t have a penny to your name.”
He pulled her closer. “I know that. As special as you already are, knowing you want me, just me, socially awkward nerd that I am, makes being with you so much more amazing.”
“Hey, you guys! Food’s ready!”
“And here I thought we would have snuggle time.”
Ryan stuck out his lower lip, pretending to pout, but the gleam in his eyes gave him away. Dia laughed. “Sure, pretend I look better to you than a steak right now.”
“I’m finding I have dueling appetites.” He wiggled his brows. “But being the realist that I am and knowing how much energy snuggling with you takes….”
“Come on, then. I sure wouldn’t want you to pass out while I’m ravaging you.”
She started to pull away but he pulled her right back. “Ravaging me? I’m not really feeling the steak right now….”
Dia giggled and swatted his hands away when they were suddenly all over her. She finally was able to grasp one to pull him toward the cabin. Several sets of eyes were on them. Her cousins, mother, and aunts were grinning. Her father, Uncle Logan, as well as Uncle Tom were not. She bit her lip as she stared at her father. “My dad is watching us.”
“Everyone is. Which one is he?”
“The one targeting you with a glare.”
Ryan chuckled. “Gotcha. I think I can take him.”
Dia laughed and turned to him. “Behave. I’m his baby girl.”
They made it to the front yard and Garrison took the steps a little unsteadily, meeting them front and center. “Hi, Daddy. Aren’t the babies adorable?”
Garrison’s gaze hadn’t left Ryan until then. He glanced at her and nodded. “Yes. Very. Who’s this?”
Dia had never seen her father even slightly inebriated, so she wasn’t sure what to expect. “Daddy, this is Ryan Steward. Ryan, my father, Garrison White.”
Ryan held out his hand. Garrison shook it but then took a step back, clearly off balance. He eyed their guest up and down. “So tell me, who are you and why are you all over my daughter?”
Dia nearly choked, horrified. She searched the porch for her mother, but it was clear she was enjoying the show too much to intervene. She flashed Rayne a look, but only got a laugh from the woman who had given her life. She turned back to her father. “Daddy, you’re drunk!”
Garrison laughed and fell backward. Ryan caught him before he could lose his feet, but her father shook him off as soon as he was upright again, though still swaying. Thankfully, that was enough to get her uncles down from the porch. They positioned themselves on either side of her father, though both looked about to burst from holding in laughter.
Dia took a deep breath. She was mortified this was Ryan’s first impression of the man she’d worshipped since her earliest memory. She turned to him, afraid to see his reaction, but he was smiling with kindness in his eyes.
“It’s good to meet you, sir. Congratulations on becoming a grandfather.”
Garrison nodded, importantly, and then smiled. “You too, son. No. No. Wait. Not you. You’re not a grandfather.” He glanced back quickly and lost his balance, but Tom caught him. Garrison sent him a dopey smile. “Where’s Rayne?”
Tom took him by the shoulders and turned him toward the porch. Her mother was coming down the steps, not bothering to hold her amusement in check. She walked up to her husband, and Tom
stepped back so she could loop his arm over her shoulders. She glanced first at Dia and then smiled at Ryan. “My dear brothers-in-law have plied my husband with whiskey, so I hope you’ll excuse us while I find him a bed.”
“No problem. Do you need help?”
Pleasure at his answer shone in her eyes as she nodded. “I do, but I’m going to let these two big oafs, who put him in this condition, take care of it. You stay here and enjoy yourself until I get back. Then I’ll have to play the role of father and give you the third degree on my husband’s behalf.”
Ryan nodded, grinning. “I look forward to it.”
Rayne handed her husband over to Tom and Logan, who were grinning for all they were worth. The retribution in her eyes did nothing but make them laugh. She turned back to Dia as they hauled him in the direction of the porch. “I’m sorry, honey. All I can say is…men!”
A resounding, “Hey!” came from her male cousins, making Dia laugh. “It’s fine, Mom. I hope he comes out of it okay.”
Rayne shrugged. “He’s never had that much to drink in his life as far as I know. I just imagine he’s going to pay the devil for it.” She grinned. “Hopefully he won’t be such a baby the next time one of you girls goes into labor.”
She turned away laughing, missing the smile that froze on Dia’s lips. She glanced up at Ryan, but she couldn’t say anything in front of her family. From the furrowed browed look he gave her, she was certain his thoughts matched hers.
They hadn’t even thought of protection.
His features smoothed out and he gave her a little shrug. “I know,” he said quietly.
She studied his amazing eyes and spoke as quietly. “What if?”
A slow grin turned into a smile. “It would take some getting used to. But I think I’m okay with it, if you are.”
A shuddering breath escaped, and she nodded. “Cross that bridge when?”
He nodded. “But talk about our future either way?”
Dia bit her bottom lip, released it. “Yes.”
“Yes what?”
Unforgettable Heroes II Boxed Set Page 165