by Mj Fields
* * *
After dinner, the younger people made s���mores and walked out into the ocean. They were splashing each other and Brody watched Maddox standing at the shoreline smiling at them.
���Is he okay?��� Emma asked kissing Brody on top of the head.
���Is Lexington in bed?��� Brody asked as he took her hand and kissed it.
���Yes, Aunt Margret insisted she sleep in with her and Uncle John,��� Emma smiled and sat on the deck with her back against his chair.
���If she wakes do you think she���ll be scared?��� Brody asked.
���She fell asleep in your arms, I���m sure she���ll be fine.��� Emma smiled up at him and then looked back at the kids.
���Do you see that?��� Brody laughed.
Emma watched as Ava was talking to Maddox.
���I do,��� she smiled. ���Do you think he���s alight?���
���I think this is a safe place for us to let him try to figure it out,��� Brody rubbed her shoulders.
���I suppose. I wonder what���s going on with Harper, they haven���t even spoke that I���ve seen.��� Emma looked up, and Tessa smiled as she sat next to them.
���They���re mad at each other,��� Tessa said.
���Why?��� Emma asked.
���She���s mad at him for not telling you and he���s mad at her for telling me.��� Tessa smiled and handed them a glass of wine.
���Thanks but I���m on some pain medication. Well not yet today, but I���m a bit sore,��� Brody smiled.
���Okay,��� Tessa set it down.
���I���ll take that,��� Jade, another cousin of Troy���s, smiled and sat down.
���Hey Jade,��� Emma smiled. ���Look at your kids.���
���I know, all grown up. Is Lexi asleep? I���m having a baby moment,��� Jade grinned.
���She is, why not have another?��� Emma asked seriously.
���Please don���t give her any crazy ideas,��� Ryan kissed Jade quickly and sat down.
Jade laughed, ���I want another.���
���Jade, that���s honestly not funny,��� Ryan looked at her.
���I wasn���t trying to be,��� she warned.
���Oh heck no Jade,��� Tessa laughed.
���You both know by arguing with me you���re making me want it more?��� Jade glared at Ryan.
���Oh Jade let���s have five,��� Ryan smiled, ���Maybe six.���
Jade tried not to laugh, but she couldn���t help it, ���No just one.���
Ryan shook his head and smiled, ���Starting now?���
Ryan stood and held out his hand, and she smiled, ���Maybe later.���
���Maybe?��� Ryan looked intensely at her.
���I think at this point in life we have to make sure our children are being safe. We���re almost old enough to be grandparents,��� Alex joined in.
���Speak for yourself,��� Jake walked up and pushed him. ���Hey Brody Hines, I���m Jake Ross.���
���Nice to meet you Jake Ross,��� Brody smiled.
���I love your music,��� Jake smiled enthusiastically.
���Jake leave the poor guy alone about music,��� Kendall smiled and sat. ���How are you Emma?���
���Good, and how are you?��� Emma smiled and moved over for her to sit next to her.
���I���m good,��� Kendall sat down and hugged her.
���Where���s Ben?��� Emma asked looking around.
���Work call,��� she motioned to the house.
John walked out with Brody���s phone and handed it to him. ���This was ringing in the bedroom next to us.���
���I apologize, thank you.��� Brody looked at his phone.
���Everything alright?��� Emma looked up at him.
He kissed her quickly, ���My brother called, I���ve been trying to contact him. I should call him back. Please excuse me.���
Emma stood up so that he could get away, he winced when he stood.
���You need to rest,��� Emma said looking up at him and grabbing his face.
He smiled and held his hands over hers and rubbed his face gently into her hand, ���I have been, all day long.���
���Okay, go call your brother. I���m going to see how Maddox is doing.��� Emma stood on her toes and kissed him.
���I can go with you,��� he rested his forehead against hers.
���You need to call Bobby.��� Emma stepped back and smiled, ���Go���now.���
Brody smiled and walked away.
���Damn Emma,��� Jade laughed. ���I think he likes you.���
���Yeah me too,��� Emma blushed. ���I���m going to see how Maddox is feeling.���
���If you need to talk Emma, I���m a trained professional,��� Jade smiled warmly and giggled.
���Thank you but Brody���well I���m alright. I really am,��� Emma smiled and walked away.
* * *
���Bobby, finally,��� Brody said when his brother answered.
���Is it true? Is Rebecca dead?��� Bobby asked.
���Yes,��� Brody said softly.
���She tried to kill Maddox, who I had no idea about? She was behind all the stuff you���ve been through?��� Bobby asked quickly.
���Yes, and Maddox is my son,��� Brody���s tone was guarded.
���Okay, what the hell is ������ Bobby began.
���How did you hear?��� Brody asked cautiously.
���Bo had someone drag me out of the field, my commander told me you had called but didn���t leave any information,��� Bobby was annoyed.
���Bo? Is he there?��� Brody asked.
���No, but I have leave coming and I���m going to see him, he wants to discuss something with me, something about our father,��� Bobby was clearly agitated.
���Bobby, don���t go to him until you hear back from me. I think you and I need to get together, very soon,��� Brody said sadly.
���Fly home, I���ll be done here in three days,��� Bobby offered.
���Give me a couple days to figure this out alright, wait for my call,��� Brody sighed.
���Will do,��� Bobby agreed.
���Bobby, Google my name, look what you have missed, while you are doing whatever the hell it is you do, and be careful, please,��� Brody���s voice was tender.
���You to Brody,��� Bobby hung up.
Brody walked out, and Emma and Tessa were fussing over Maddox.
���How���s he doing?��� Brody looked at Maddox and smiled.
���He���s doing extremely well. One of his stitches has dissolved, and the others are almost there.��� Tessa pulled his shirt up to show Brody.
Ava and Harper walked out, and Harper gasped out loud causing everyone to turn to look at her.
Harper was embarrassed by her reaction and looked at everyone.
���Are you okay?��� Tessa asked.
���No! That was a stupid, stupid thing you did! You could have died.��� Harper turned and walked away quickly.
Maddox frowned and looked down.
���Well I saw it on the news and thought you were very brave.��� Ava smiled and sat nex
t to him.
���Thank you,��� Maddox said softly and looked up in the direction Harper went.
Emma smiled sympathetically at Maddox, ���Are you tired?���
���Yes,��� Maddox stood up.
���Okay let���s go get you something for the pain, and get you to sleep.��� Emma wrapped her arm around his back and guided him towards the house.
���Hey London, you ready for bed?��� Brody smiled.
���Do I have to?��� London whined.
���No, Princess, just stay out of the water, or you���ll be waterlogged.��� Brody smiled and followed Emma and Maddox in the house.
���I���m really fine, I���m just tired,��� Maddox assured them.
���Okay, so you don���t need a pill?��� Emma asked.
���No, I���m sure I���ll sleep well tonight,��� Maddox said unable to hide the sadness in his voice.
���Maddox, she was afraid you would be hurt,��� Emma hugged him.
���She lost my trust,��� Maddox said sadly.
���Trying to ensure your safety Maddox,��� Emma pulled back and held his face. ���She cared enough to get help for you, thank God.���
���All very overwhelming emotions I���m far from ready to deal with. I trust my family; you, Dad, London, my grandparents and I know Lexington���s not talking,��� Maddox said softly.
Emma looked up at Brody and she looked confused and at a loss, not at all a reaction Brody was used to when it came to the three children that were theirs.
���Em, would you go check to see how London is faring, she looked to be ready to drop at any moment,��� Brody kissed her head and smiled.
���I love you Maddox Hines.��� Emma kissed his cheek and walked out the door.
���So you���re mad at her?��� Brody sat on the edge of the bed.
���I���m exhausted,��� Maddox admitted. ���I do know she embarrassed me. That was the first thing she���s said to me. I don���t understand if we���re friends why���s she so angry at me. But I also know I really would like to go to sleep. Maybe we could talk tomorrow Dad.���
���Alright but if you need anything come get me, I���m serious, at two in the morning if you want to talk come wake me,��� Brody hugged him. ���I love you, goodnight.���
���I love you, please tell Emma the same, I think I forgot,��� Maddox said and laid down to sleep.
* * *
Brody walked out onto the deck and looked at all the people still laughing and having a good time, he knew they all loved Emma and London and that they were kind and good people. He knew they were safe here and that his suspicions needed to be kept in check so that he could fully enjoy his time with the people he loved.
He watched Emma sitting on the deck floor laughing with all of them, she felt him and turned and started to stand.
���Emma may I steal your husband for a few moments?��� Collin asked.
���Sure,��� Emma smiled at Brody.
���Can we talk for a few minutes?��� Collin asked.
Brody followed him down the stairs into a room under the deck. Collin punched in a code, and the door unlocked.
���Wow what the hell is this, The Bat Cave?��� Brody chuckled.
Collin laughed, ���Well sort of. It���s an operations area of sorts and a safe room, it���s come in handy before.���
���Maybe I should build one,��� Brody looked around in awe.
���You have a tunnel Hines���,��� Collin smirked.
���How do you know that?��� Brody gasped.
���When Troy died, I looked into things. I should have been around when you went missing, but for some reason I wasn���t,��� Collin said expressionless and unapologetic.
���London, you wanted to be sure she was safe,��� Brody thought out loud.
���Yes, of course. I have people working in and around the London area right now.��� Collin flipped on a few of the computer screens in the security center and hit a few keys, ���This guy, is he a person of interest?���
���That���s James, and yes I���ve been trying to find him for a few months now,��� Brody looked at the still shots on the screen.
���Why, what do you need from him?��� Collin asked.
���He was there when I went missing, he was with me at the place I was staying after hell as I call it. The resort of sorts I guess, women paid to be dominated.��� Brody sat back and let out a deep breath.
���Okay Brody, we have him under surveillance, and I have to tell you this shit is not good. He���s not directly involved that we can tell, but the place Maddox was held, there are no leads, your sister didn���t do this alone, so I have to ask you Brody, are you hiding anything from me that could help blow this out of the water, anything, even something you feel is trivial?��� Collin sat back and watched him for a moment.
���I think I do have something, but Emma������ Brody groaned loudly and stood up, ���Fuck!���
���I���m all about open communication Brody. We should work through this tonight when they go to sleep, enjoy the rest of the evening and then brainstorm for an hour or so. If we don���t get back up there, they���ll worry, and we are supposed to be having a good time.��� Collin smiled brightly, and Brody laughed.
���It is uncomfortable for you?��� Brody asked.
���It was at the beginning and to be honest when my head���s in work mode, when I need to solve a problem. I sometimes get less than hospitable. That lands me on the shit list,��� Collin laughed. ���I still enjoy my wife, and I certainly don���t enjoy the cold shoulder.���
Brody followed Collin out the door. ���We���re safe here right. I���m having a hard time knowing London, Lexington, and Maddox aren���t under my roof.���
���Of course, I have eyes everywhere,��� Collin patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the cameras.
���Where did you two go?��� Tessa asked leaning over the railing watching them walk up the stairs.
���The Bat Cave beautiful,��� Collin whispered and laughed.
���Oh, so does Brody know you���ve been spying?��� Tessa whispered in his ear and hugged him.
���Yes,��� Collin said softly against her neck.
Emma smiled a goofy smile as she turned towards Brody, ���London���s in bed.���
���Em are you intoxicated?��� Brody tried not to smile as he looked at Emma���s silly grin���
���I only had two or five glasses of wine,��� she giggled and quickly straightened her face.
���What happened between two and five Love?��� Brody looked at her in amusement.
���Not sure,��� she shrugged, ���But six is waiting and six is afraid of seven.���
���Oh really, and why���s that?��� Brody smiled at her in amusement.
���Because seven eight nine,��� Emma laughed and so did he.
Brody sat down, and watched Emma smile and giggle. He couldn���t help but smile, she was happy, so happy.
���Music Man,��� Emma smiled up at him, ���Take me to bed.���
Brody smiled, ���Anything you ask Em.���
���Goodnight everyone,��� Emma stood and stumbled.
Brody caught her by the elbow and smiled, ���You���re drunk.���
���I am not���okay maybe a little.��� Emma concentrated a
nd held her fingers close together showing him what a little meant.
���Some men may find that gesture offensive Em,��� he laughed.
���Not my Music Man, he���s this big,��� she smiled and stretched her arms wide and laughed.
���Wow and you can still walk,��� Brody chuckled.
���No, but I can ride.��� Emma cocked her head to the side and winked in an attempt to be sexy.
���Now how could I pass up an offer like that?��� Brody kissed her head, and they started up the stairs.
���Lexi, is Lexi still asleep?��� Emma yawned when they walked into the room. Brody nodded his head yes and smiled. ���Maddox is asleep?���
���I���ll check, and London���s sleeping with the older girls���Harper, Ava, Riley, Maggie, and Sydney?��� Brody smiled proudly at her.
���Yes, well she���s asleep I doubt they are.��� Emma tried to step out of her shorts and almost fell over and laughed.
���Stand still Em, I���ll help you,��� Brody gave her a steamy smile.
He grabbed a nightgown out of the bag and turned towards her. She lifted her arms in the air and smiled. He slowly lifted her shirt, making sure his fingers slid up her sides causing her to squirm. He held the shirt in his hand and folded it haphazardly as he watched Emma���s eyes widen as she chewed on her lip. He took his time walking to the clothes basket to set it in. He slowly pulled his shirt over his head and looked at her as he dropped it in the basket. Brody walked up to her and bowed his head and sucked softly on her bathing suit top covering her already erect nipples, and she moaned loudly. He stood back and licked his lips slowly as he looked at her trying to decide where to start. He stalked slowly towards her, and she gasped in anticipation of what was to come. He placed his lips around hers and softly sucked and pulled back. Emma���s mouth gaped slightly, and he rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. He kissed her neck and pulled the cup of her bathing suit down exposing her breast and kneaded it gently as he kissed slowly, seductively down her neck and finally took it in his mouth.