by Maia Dylan
Her thoughts drifted back to the day after she confronted her brother and father. She had been upstairs when Faith called to tell her she was late for the meeting, and not having a clue what she was talking about had gone downstairs.
At their usual table sat Faith, Lucy, Faith’s mother-in-law Judy, and Sophia, all wearing knowing grins. There was a prettily wrapped parcel in the center of the table.
“What’s going on?” Cassadee took the Moscow Mule Lucy handed her and sat in the vacant chair.
“It seems like the women who eventually mate the men from Grey River come through a fire of their own.” Faith’s eyes twinkled as she looked around the table. “All of us here have battled our own demons and made it out the other side. We decided to start a club a few months ago and want you to join. We even have T-shirts!” She handed Cassadee the parcel and sat back, practically shaking with glee.
Cassadee grinned at the women sitting around the table and opened the parcel. She had never been a save-the-paper-kinda girl, and soon bits of paper were flying around until she had the T-shirt in her hands. It was a beautiful baby pink color and sported the words “I was targeted by a crazy man and I survived.”
Cassadee looked up and saw that they had all removed the shirts they were wearing so that she could see they all wore the same T-shirt. “This is so cool!” Cassadee had leapt up and thrown the T-shirt on over the ones she was wearing. It had felt amazing to belong and to know she had friends. Coming out of her memories with a smile, she turned to Lucy, who had just walked up to her.
“Oh my God! I am so nervous for you!” Lucy grabbed her hand, frowning when she found it chilled. “Are you okay?”
“Ummm not really.” Cassadee took a deep breath to settle the nerves in her tummy. “Lucy, I have never dedicated a song before. I mean I usually just get up and sing—no speaking, just singing. This time there’s speaking, and I don’t know what to say even if I can!”
“Cassie, baby, what’s wrong?” Sam’s voice came down their link.
She spun to look over the crowd meeting his and AJ’s eyes as they stood from their usual table, currently filled with friends and family.
“Nothing! Not a thing,” Cassadee blustered back, smiling in the hopes that she eased their concern, but judging from their frowns they gave her thought it probably came across a little manic. “Just a little stage fright is all.”
Both her men smiled and sent waves of love and confidence down their link to her. AJ blew her a kiss, and Sam pressed his hand to his heart and winked at her. Awww, damn they were so adorable.
“Ewww, stop it with the gooey, lovey eyes,” Faith sassed as she come up to her and Lucy holding three shot glasses of what looked like whiskey. “Come on, we heard you practice this song this afternoon, and your mates are simply going to drop to their knees for you.” Faith laughed like she had made a joke and Lucy glared at her. “Sorry, not making light of your sudden stage fright, but jeez, Cassie, you’ve been singing here every Thursday night for a month, and now you get to feeling a little nervous?”
“It’s not the singing that had me nervous,” Cassadee grumbled as she grabbed a shot from Faith, “it’s the damn speaking!” She clinked her glass against Faith’s and Lucy’s and slammed the drink, coughing a little at the burn. Well, no time like the present!
She climbed the stairs to the stage, a wave of silence flowing through the crowd. Faith or Lucy usually stood and introduced her sets, so seeing her come up alone was different. She watched as Sam and AJ frowned and shared a look. She walked over to the brand-spanking-new baby grand her mates had purchased for her. She ran her hand across the top of it, seeking comfort and strength before stepping up to the microphone that stood at the front of the stage.
“Hi.” Her voice cracked, so she coughed a little and started again. “Hi. Tonight I want to play something special to start with. But I wanted to say a few words first if you don’t mind. I came to Grey River because I was drawn to it from the first time I came across the name. When I eventually made my way here, I felt as if I had suddenly been welcomed home. And for someone who had never had a real home before, it was a really nice feeling.”
She looked over at the table where her men and friends sat looking at her, warm smiles on their faces. “Then you welcomed me into your lives and hearts and allowed me to do the same, many of you even going so far as to stand with me against Julius and Bryan. It meant a lot to me.”
Taking a deep breath she looked right at her mates. “Sam and AJ, you two are the best damn thing that has or ever will happen to me. You fill my heart with so much love and joy. Every day you teach me more about what it is to love and be loved.” Her men stood almost as one, their eyes never leaving hers, and walked toward her, the crowd parting for them like the Red Sea. “I’m no good with words. I can’t put into words all that I feel for you, but there is a song that says it perfectly for me. So, I dedicate this song to my mates.”
They stopped just in front of the stage, looking up at her with their hearts shining in their eyes. She settled behind the piano and began to play. The late great Etta James had what she wanted to say in her song “At Last.” Cassadee sang with her heart, playing the piano with passion and throwing all her love and emotions behind every word she sang. Each word became a promise, each note a vow, telling them of her love and devotion. Her voice ringing out and echoing her love for her men until the very last note died away.
She turned and saw her men hadn’t moved. Their love for her written all over their faces, from the moisture glistening in their eyes to the small smiles they had for her only. The room erupted in noise and applause, the likes of which she had never heard. But she never took her eyes from her men as they suddenly leapt up onto the stage. AJ wrapped her in his arms pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
“Baby, you slay me. Sit back down a minute, okay?” he had to whisper directly into her ear to be heard above the noise in the room.
She sat back down on her piano stool, and frowned when she saw Sam had the mic. Oh dear God, he wasn’t going to sing was he? Her man was a shower singer and as far as she was concerned, for the safety of all in the room that was where he should stay. Sam waved his arms a little and asked for quiet over the mic.
Ty suddenly roared from the back of the room, “Shuuut the fuck uuup!” which, of course, brought silence, a few snickers and an “Oh for God’s sake” groan from his mate.
“Thanks, Ty,” Sam said dryly, before he turned to face Cassadee. “Baby, that was amazing, you have voice of a sinful angel that makes my heart sing and my, well, other parts of me do other things.”
More snickers came from the crowd, and Cassadee grinned up at him.
“You are our fated one and our mate in truth. The more time I spend with you the more I realize you are my heart. You are everything to me, and I will love you forever.”
Cassadee felt tears start to well in her eyes as she started to get an idea of what was happening.
Sam handed the mic to AJ, who took it with a trembling hand. “That was a true gift and one I will hold in my heart forever, just as I hold you in my heart. From the first time I met you, you owned me. I never knew I walked this earth half a man for my whole damn life until I met you and you completed me.”
Cassadee was sobbing quietly now, and she heard some sobs and sniffles coming from the crowd, too. Her mates knelt before her and the crowd gasped along with her. AJ placed the mic on the floor and they each drew a ring from their back pocket. Opening them she saw that they were designed to fit together, a huge baguette-cut diamond in a platinum setting, and two thinner gold rings that would lie on each side of it. It was simply stunning.
“Cassadee, darling, my mate, be my wife?” Sam’s voice broke a little on the last word.
“Cassie, marry me, please.” AJ’s voice was filled with need. Cassadee pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to take a breath.
“Yes! Of course I will!” she cried, then threw herself into their arms, sobbing.
“Hell yeah, you will!”
Faith’s cheer could be heard above the crows making everyone in the room laugh. Cassadee knew in that moment that although she would always love singing the blues, she was done actually living them.
THE END
WWW.MAIADYLAN.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maia Dylan lives, loves, and works in beautiful New Zealand. She married her best friend and they have two adorable, but stubborn children who obviously take after their father.
Maia’s career has featured a lot of travel, and she has filled her time at airports and in the air with books, books, and more books. Her love of erotic paranormal romance has seen her amass a huge library. She has been an avid reader and lover of ménage romances since she read her first book in this genre about three years ago.
In January of 2015, Maia submitted her first ever manuscript to Siren Publishing. She wasn't at all confident that it would be accepted and in fact she was expecting a nicely worded e-mail with a resounding no! Much to her surprise less than two weeks later she had an acceptance and a signed contract in hand and since then she hasn't looked back.
Outside of writing, Maia loves to eat, so she loves to cook! Her herb garden is legendary, but she still has issues getting tomatoes to grow. She’s been a performer for years, and has even sung on international stages. She would love to own a classic Ford Mustang one day and of course have the opportunity to race it on a race track without fear of a speeding ticket.
Although ultimately her dream is to be able to write full time on a sandy beach with a Mai Tai in hand, she is quite happy to fit her writing in when she can. As long as someone reads her books, gets a laugh, and maybe comes to love her characters as much as she does, then she feels that she is living her dream no matter what!
For all titles by Maia Dylan, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/maia-dylan
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com