Always Crew

by Tijan

  This boy. This guy. This man. I was going to marry him. I was going to have his babies. I would fight him, with him, and for him forever. He was mine, all mine, and I was going to savor that he came into my life.

  His hand pressed against the back of my head and finally he stopped. We were inside the house. How we got there, I had no clue, but we were in total privacy.

  “God.” He lifted his head, setting me on the kitchen counter.

  My legs remained wrapped around his waist. He didn’t step back, just his head moved so he could see me.

  “I was so fucking scared. That call—” he choked off. The terror was still in him. One of his hands pressed to my leg and he closed his eyes, needing a minute to control himself. “I couldn’t even talk to you on the phone. You called, said you were fine—and I wanted to kill someone. The need to rip their heads off, it was just like when you were arrested.”

  I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him back in.

  “It was the Red Demons.”

  His hand went up my back and he grabbed fistfuls of my shirt. His head buried into my neck. “I know.” His voice was muffled. “I want to kill them. I want to—”

  “No.” I eased back again, leaning back on the counter.

  His head tipped back to see me. I framed his face with my hands, trying to wipe that fear from him if I could’ve. “It’s done. Everything is done. They know I recognized Heckler—” Oh, yeah. I already told Cross, and Zellman, and Jordan, besides Channing. They all knew. The Red Demons didn’t need to know that part. “I promised not to say a word, and promised not to hunt them as a bounty hunter later, but it’s done. It’s done. They’re out of our lives. I think my Dad, too. He told me he wanted everything from me, but he’d ask for nothing. I know what that means. That means he’s gone unless I reach out. It’s over, Cross.”

  He searched me, then drew in a shuddering breath. His gaze fell to my mouth and he cupped the side of my face in his. “If they had done something to you—”

  The Red Demons knew what I promised to do to them if they had hurt someone I loved, but they didn’t know Cross. They had no idea. Cross flipped his shit when I was arrested. I shuddered myself at what he’d do if something happened to me.

  Drawing in one more harsh breath, he framed my face back and tipped my forehead to his. “I love you.”

  I whispered back, my hands falling to his arms, “I love you, too.”

  We took a few more minutes before there was a discreet knock.

  The patio door slipped open.

  Cross tensed, cursing under his breath, but our time was up.

  Zellman swept in next, the same fierce hug that I got last night.

  Jordan joined.

  After a full minute, when it became obvious they weren’t going to let me go, Cross joined us and I lost track of time as my guys held me.

  Two hours later, it was a full-on party.

  Aspen and her friends went to get food and drinks. The grill was turned on and Zellman and Jordan were in charge of the meats. I’m pretty sure they had plans to grill a pizza, or two of them. If they could grill water, they would’ve.

  By this time, Tabatha and Jessinda had joined us, too, but they came in at a slower pace.

  Tabatha came over, gave me a tight hug, and she stepped back, flicking away some tears. She couldn’t look at me so she was half-turned away, but her hand was on my arm. She gave me a squeeze. “Just be safe, Bren. Please be safe from now on.”

  I grinned. “Right. Because I invited them here.”

  She looked then, more tears spilling as she did, and a small laugh slipped out. “You know what I mean.” Then her eyes trailed past my shoulder, to the backyard. “He’s back there?’

  Jessinda waited for us to have our moment, then gave me a nod and went to the backyard.

  That honesty I could handle. She knew she and I were never going to be friends, but there was a small moment of decency where she gave me the nod, glad I was good. Then, off to the true reason she was here.

  “That’s going to be interesting.”

  The words came from me as both Tabatha and I watched her go. The doors slid open, and when they closed, we saw that Jordan wasn’t alone. Jade was standing next to him and he was grinning down at her. Oh yeah. Jordan was full-on flirting with Aspen’s roommate.

  Tabatha stiffened. “I didn’t know about her.”

  “I think it’s a new development.”

  I eyed Tab, not knowing what my place was here.

  Then she sighed and stepped back from me. “Whoever he ends up with, I just hope he’s happy.”

  I nodded. “I think he will be.”

  She blinked away some more tears, then gave me another reassuring smile. It was forced, but it was there. She looked at my hands. “You should have something to drink. What do you want? I’ll go and get it for you. Or I can run to the store?” She was now seeing everyone else and her eyes got big. “You’ve got a whole party happening. What about little sandwiches? There’s a deli not far. I’ll run and grab some.”

  “No, there’s already—”

  Didn’t matter.

  She was gone.

  And this time, I had no idea if she’d come back.

  Then, the arrival I’d been primed and waiting for.

  I heard his truck stop on the street.

  I had a full view of them, and he stopped smack-dab in the middle of the street, not giving a fuck, and launched himself out of his driver’s seat. He rounded the back and I was standing. I was moving to the door.

  He was clearing the front lawn in record time.

  I was opening the door.

  The door was caught and wrenched open, and then my brother was there and I was once again caught in a tight hold and I was being pulled back outside.

  A ripple went through Channing as he just held me.

  “I’m ok—”

  “Shut up. I need this.” His tone came out strangled and rough.

  I let myself be held, and held, and held.

  Another ripple went through my brother before he growled, shaking his head. “I’m going to rip his head off. I’m going to—”

  I just let him say the threats. He needed to spew them out.

  After my moment with Cross, I called my brother and told him everything that happened. I wanted him to know, but it hadn’t mattered. He still wanted to murder our dad. I knew he wouldn’t, but I was letting my brother have his feelings. Super healthy of me, right?

  But then Moose was next.

  Congo.

  Lincoln.

  I wasn’t prepared for the full team of his bounty hunting office.

  It was thirty minutes later when another truck pulled up, and Channing, who hadn’t been able to make it into the house yet, stiffened. “What the hell—”

  A blonde fireball was heading our way.

  And a hand shot up in the air as she bypassed him, going right for me. “You fucking tell me your sister is in trouble, and don’t wait for me?!” But then Heather was in front of me and she took a moment, touching my sides before tears welled up in her eyes. “If they had done anything to you—” But she was done talking, too.

  I was hauled in for another hug.

  She was rocking me back and forth, her whole body trembling. “I would’ve killed them. All of them. I would’ve taken a hunting knife with me, and ripped them from balls to throat, and then I would’ve hacked off their legs, their arms. I would’ve kept the head for last—”

  “God. Woman. I love this graphic side of you.” Channing was smirking next to us. “Please, tell us more.”

  She tensed, but her hand moved and I heard a smacking sound.

  Channing just laughed before easing in, sliding an arm between us and he stepped back, Heather in his arms. She growled up at him and tried to grab for his head. “You—”

  He evaded her hold, still laughing and said to me, “Excuse me. I need to make things up with my woman, or I’m in for a world of hurt that’ll last a year.�
��

  “Damn right, you are.”

  He picked her up, heading into the house, and I had a feeling he was taking her to the basement. I just hoped they didn’t go to Jordan’s room because … gross.

  Heather wasn’t alone.

  Scratch had been standing on the sidelines, waiting for his turn.

  He gave me the most endearing and sweetest smile and my heart broke, literally.

  My tears started falling, and my cousin stepped in, grabbing me up and wrapping his muscled arms around me. “Aw, cuz. Don’t.” He smoothed a hand down my hair and folded his body around mine. “I’m just so thankful you’re okay.”

  I don’t know why it was my cousin.

  Maybe he was just the last one I could handle, or how tender he was holding me, but I broke.

  I was sobbing in his arms, and I didn’t even know why I was sobbing.

  Maybe because of the stress of what I thought I was running into when I first got home? At seeing my dad? At hearing the true threat from the Red Demons? Of my dad saying goodbye in his way? Or everyone else coming when they heard I was in trouble?

  I was sobbing. I was a mess.

  I was a puddle of emotions, and I didn’t know how to rally myself. This was so un-Bren-like that even that was making me cry until after my cousin held me for a few more minutes, then the door opened and arms I knew so well took me from my cousin.

  Cross had me, and that was enough for me.

  The dam broke, and I fell all the way.

  I’d have it no other way.

  From: Tazsters

  To: Brenners

  Subject: first saying it here that I’m super glad you’re safe

  That’s it. I’m done emailing.

  We’re FaceTiming from now on.

  Also, is this the wrong time to tell you that there’s something sexy about a guy in the white mask. Yes, scary as fuck. Yes, there’s creep vibes too. And most definitely dangerous, but yeah… kinda hot and I’m saying that in a whisper so don’t be mad at me.

  SO WISH we’d known about the impromptu party at Casa de Cain.

  OH! I know I called before, but I’m repeating again that Race and I are good. Miscommunication. He’s clueless when other girls try to flirt with him. I have since educated him, and he now treats them as if they have a virus.

  The Best Twin

  Two days later and I took the garbage out, when a shadow moved.

  I whirled, not knowing what to expect.

  Bonbon was there. There was no wind, nothing, and yet, her hair was moving around like she had her personal fan. I had no clue how she did it.

  She raised her eyebrows up, dressed in camouflage, and she smiled, her teeth flashing in the dark. “The van option is there. Always.”

  “Jesus Christ, Bon!” Hawk came up behind me and moved toward Bonbon. She took her arm, then turned to me. “Sorry. So sorry. She called me and insisted I drive her over. She was going to leave a casserole. That’s all.”

  Brock told me that he was going to have me ride with Hawk on our bail jumps from now on, and I was excited for it, but I still had no clue how I felt about Bonbon.

  “Uh. Yeah.”

  Bonbon pulled her arm from Hawk’s hold and almost seared me with her gaze. “And you tell your man, chopped liver and garlic. He’ll know what I’m talking about.”

  Hawk cursed again. “Okay. We’re done. No more late night scavenger hunts with you.” She began guiding Bonbon past me, giving me a tired and exasperated smile. “Again, so sorry. I’ll see you at the office later.”

  “Yeah.” I watched them go. “Later.”

  A whole uneasy feeling took root in my chest. I had no clue if I wanted Bonbon as an ally or an enemy. She was terrifying in both cases.

  BREN

  We had another shocking moment when a month later, after Cross went on a bail jump with me, after he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was alone against the bail jump. Cross got in the way. The guy outweighed Cross by two hundred pounds, but hadn’t mattered.

  Cross took him down, but he didn’t get out of that fight unscathed. And Brock swore that all my guys would get the right training because we couldn’t take in our bail jumps already roughed up. Shit happened, but apparently that was frowned upon.

  That night was when our surprise happened.

  CROSS

  Someone was pounding on the door, and at the same time, ringing the doorbell.

  They sounded as if they were alternating. Pound. Ring. Pound. Ring. They were jabbing at the bell.

  Bren and I were coming out of our room, and at this point we weren’t hurrying to the door as fast as we would’ve a few days ago.

  Zellman got there first and yawned before nodding at the door. “It’s your brother.”

  My brother.

  I was jolted at hearing that, but I didn’t know why.

  As soon as he said it, he turned back to his room and we heard a female speak from inside.

  Bren and I shared a look.

  Zellman was drowning his sorrows the only way he knew.

  The basement door swung open and Jordan came out. “What’s going on?”

  Bren asked, “You alone down there?”

  “What?”

  Pound.

  Ring.

  I went for the door, flipping the light on as Bren commented, “Never mind. It’s Blaise.”

  “Oh. Gotcha.” And Jordan swung around, the basement door shutting once again behind him.

  There was a pattern here.

  As I opened the door, I glanced at Bren. “You can head to bed, too, if you want?”

  Her answer was to take a perch on the couch’s armrest and she smiled, the same bags under her eyes that Zellman had. Yeah. We all looked the same.

  It’d been a trying month, lately with Zellman since he learned Sunday was already in Florida to be with her aunt.

  Then I turned around, and my brother was standing frozen on the front step.

  His gaze was stuck on my face and he sucked in his breath. “Holy shit.” His jaw clenched. “Who did this?”

  That jolt happened again, but this time it was harder, faster. It spread through me.

  I was rattled.

  “What?”

  “Who the fuck did this to you?” He jerked his chin up, indicating me.

  Bren came to my side, her hand resting on my back and she walked around me. Looking out at his truck, she asked him, “It’s two in the morning. Why don’t you come in?”

  He clipped his head to the side, jerking back a step. “No. No. I’m good. Just need to know who did this to you.” He was looking at me, speaking to me, but his answer was directed toward Bren. “Got an email. Who did this to you?”

  A full ten seconds.

  That’s how long it took before it penetrated, but—my brother gave a shit about me.

  He cared.

  That knowledge warmed me, and that shocked me.

  Blaise.

  I had no idea how to process this.

  “You can’t touch this guy—” Bren started to say.

  “Cross,” Blaise growled.

  “Seriously. It was a bail jump. Cross hurt him worse.”

  He cared. The motherfucker actually cared.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You shitting me?”

  “Yeah. I’m fine.”

  He looked me up and down. “You don’t look fine.” He let out a curse, his hands in fists. “I’m going to have to go to the soccer field and do drills till the morning now. I can’t hurt someone.”

  Bren’s hand pressed into my side and she looked up at me.

  Her gaze was beseeching, and crap.

  I said before I really thought about what I was saying, “I’ll go with you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You look like you can barely stand.”

  I grinned. I didn’t look that bad, just not quite as pretty as before. “I’ll be the prettier one of us real soon. The guy only roughed me up a little. And I’ll come with. I ca
n just sit or whatever. I can retrieve the ball for you or something if you do shots on goal.” My grin deepened. “Because we both know you’ll miss. Your aim is for shit.”

  He half-laughed. “Fuck you.” Then, a cocky smirk. “You can be goalie.”

  I barked out a laugh and groaned right away. My ribs were hurting from that, too.

  He raked his hand through his hair. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll drive and bring you back.” He said to Bren, “Don’t worry. I won’t work him over too bad. Can’t. The fucker’s half-incapacitated.”

  She waited as he left before pressing both hands to my chest. “You sure about this?”

  I drew her in, holding her. “Yeah. I didn’t see it till just now, but he cares. Guess I got a brother out of this after all.”

  She smiled, and her eyes grew tender. “Guess you did. Brothers. Who knew we needed them until we got them?”

  Or got them back, in her case.

  I drew down, my lips to hers. “Come here.” She surged up, closing the distance, and she showed me her love in that kiss.

  After that, I went and hung out with my brother. Voluntarily.

  From: Tazsters

  To: Brenners

  Subject: I did a thing.

  I might’ve totally lied and exaggerated about Cross’s injuries to Blaise.

  Not sorry.

  Like, at all.

  But also, don’t tell him.

  The Best Twin

  We’re going back to FaceTiming again. It’s much more fun, but one last email.

  BREN

  “Talk about cryptic.”

  Tabatha was half-laughing as she walked up behind me. I glanced back, not getting up from my position. I had called her here, and she sat down the next second.

  “Seriously. Are we turning into stalkers now?”

  I was at my new place, or my new place in Cain overlooking the houses.

  I didn’t know the reason I came to stalk, just that it had something to do with my mom, but after my last realization talking with my dad and Maxwell Raith, I knew that was all bullshit.