Infamy (RiffRaff Records Book 3)

by L. P. Maxa

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  He nodded, short quick movements. “He does.”

  “I highly doubt that my uncle is trying to get Talon to have sex with his pregnant niece, Brody.” Usually I got a kick out of Brody’s crass wording and blunt outbursts, but this one was too much.

  “Luke asked Talon to keep an eye on you. He said you weren’t doing well and that you needed a friend. And he asked Talon to go to your OB appointments with you.”

  “Is that why he sent me a pizza the other night?”

  Brody’s gaze narrowed slightly. “Talon ordered you dinner? When?”

  “The night you found out about the baby. I texted him to check on you because you’d mentioned you passed out.” I took my hands from his grasp, waving them around. “Never mind about the pizza, I puked it back up anyway. Go back to the Luke thing. He asked Talon to be my friend? And go to my doctor appointments with me? Why?” My uncle was making me sound like a loser that needed a hand to hold to get through life. And that wasn’t the case. At all.

  “He was worried. And, he wants you and Talon to bang.”

  “Brody, my Uncle Luke does not want Talon and I to hook up. You’re being ridiculous.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car, grabbing my tote bag. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

  Once he swiped the doors locked, Brody came around the front of the car, taking my hand and walking by my side up to the rear entrance of the studio. “You said it yourself, your family doesn’t want you to raise the baby on your own. And I think Luke has nominated Talon for the role.”

  I snorted. “I’m sure Talon would be super pissed if he knew he was even auditioning.” I let Brody lead me through the winding hallways, our footsteps quiet on the dark red carpet.

  “Speak of the devil.” Brody rolled his eyes.

  Talon came jogging down the hall, taking my free hand and pulling me away from his friend. “Landry, I need you to walk in with me, not Brody.”

  “What? Why?” Brody held my hand tighter, refusing to let me go.

  “Luke is here already on holo, he wants to listen in on rehearsal since Brody sucked so much dick the last time the label watched.” Talon took my bag off my shoulder, putting it on his. “Luke thinks I’ve been taking care of you. It wouldn’t make sense for Brody to be bringing you tonight.”

  “Told you he wants you to fuck Talon.”

  Talon jerked back like he’d been slapped. “What?”

  “Brody thinks that my uncle wants you to be the baby’s father.” I sighed and let Talon lead me down the hall. Suddenly, I needed a nap. “I told him he was being ridiculous.”

  “Am I? Am I being ridiculous?” Brody crossed his arms over his chest, looking pointedly at my hand in his best friend’s.

  “Yes.” Talon and I answered him at the same time. Talon continued, “But unless the two of you want to come clean to Luke right now, tell him that you’re together and that Brody is possibly the baby’s father?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I can’t handle my family in the middle of all this right now.” I leaned to the side, placing a soft kiss on Brody’s cheek. “Not yet, okay?” There would be a day that my family would know the whole truth, would know everything that happened before and during my pregnancy, but today was not that day. I didn’t have it in me.

  I waved at my uncle as we walked in, but then sat on the long leather couch in the corner of the room. I seriously doubted Uncle Luke was trying to get Talon and I together. Why would he want to do that to Talon who was young, single, and had his whole life ahead of him? Like Brody. Only it was too late for Brody; he was already in this. Already worrying over me, going to OB appointments for a baby that might not be his. He’d held my hair back so many times over the last few days it wasn’t funny. He’d made me laugh. He’d taken care of me. I was sure Talon was a good guy. But Brody? Brody was a great guy, and I hated that my family only saw a crazy musician when they looked at him.

  I sighed and leaned my head back, closing my eyes. The band started rehearsal with a slower song, a ballad that was quickly lulling me to sleep. My stomach was doing much better, but I was still exhausted. I silenced my cell when it started to ring, and then opened a text to let Beau know I was busy.

  Landry: Can’t talk, at Clashing Swell’s rehearsal.

  Beau: Are you dating Talon Roberts?

  Landry: No. Why?

  Beau: At dinner earlier Uncle Luke mentioned that you two had been hanging out. He went to your doctor’s appointment with you? Is he the new guy? The other guy? The one that could be the baby’s father?

  My life sounded like a lame made for TV movie. Or like a torrid Hollywood tabloid headline. Holy shit. I really hoped the media didn’t get wind of all this. The press was constantly trying to get stories on me, and the rest of the Devil’s Spawn. We were all good kids, for the most part. But this? Two possible fathers and a web of lies? They’d have a fucking field day.

  Landry: No. He’s not the new guy, I swear. We’re just friends. Uncle Luke asked him to keep an eye on me.

  Beau: Who is the new guy then? I NEED TO KNOW.

  Landry: Number one, stop yelling at me, Sir Caps Lock. Number two, this is the first night in weeks where I’ve held down my dinner. Please don’t ruin it by asking that question.

  Beau: Since when do we keep secrets from each other?

  Landry: Cry me a river baby brother. You think that guilt trip shit is going to work with me? I’m the one that taught it to you.

  Beau: I’m not trying to guilt trip you. I’m worried about you. You’re thousands of miles away, pregnant and alone. Uncle Luke is trying to set you up with random musicians and you won’t let anyone come see you. Something’s gotta give.

  He was still guilt tripping me, only now it was working. No one could hit me in the feels like my baby brother could, and he knew it. He was right. We rarely kept secrets from one another. And I really did need someone to talk to, someone who knew more of the facts. But I still wasn’t telling him Brody was the guy I’d been seeing.

  Landry: The new guy found out about the baby, and I came clean. I told him that the baby might not be his.

  Beau: Holy fucking shit. What did he say?

  We were all going to have to clean up our language before this baby learned to talk. We cussed as much out loud as we did in text messages.

  Landry: He’s sticking around, he’s taking care of me. He wants to be with me, and he wants the baby…if it’s his, he wants to be in the baby’s life.

  Beau: But if it isn’t his, he’ll bail? Sounds like a world class prick Landry.

  Landry: No, he never said he’d bail. He just said he didn’t know 100% how he’d feel. And I don’t blame him. We’re both trying to figure all this out, okay? But I can’t tell you who he is. I don’t want anyone hating him if the baby isn’t his and he can’t handle it.

  Beau: What the hell is there to handle? Either he wants a future with you or he doesn’t, either he wants to be a father or he doesn’t. Blood means nothing.

  Landry: You and I know that, we’ve lived it. He hasn’t. My ex is a dick, our family is insane and the new guy and I were just a fun fling two weeks ago. He’s trying to adjust. We both are.

  Beau: He hurts you? I’ll kick his fucking ass.

  Landry: Which is why I’m not telling you who he is. Not yet.

  I put my phone on silent and shoved it to the bottom of my bag. I didn’t want to argue with my protective little brother. He didn’t understand what Brody and I were going through. He didn’t understand that things weren’t nearly as simple as they seemed. He of all people should know better. But since his epiphany and soul cleansing about everything that went down with him and Halen, Beau wanted all truths out in the open. He wanted everyone to come clean so we could face all our challenges as a family. It was commendable. It’d worked out for them.

  But they had history, and they were family already. Brody and I weren’t in love. We weren’t set in stone, we weren’t promising ea
ch other forever. We were one day at a time, figuring our shit out the best we could. This pregnancy wasn’t easy; the circumstances surrounding it weren’t easy. And I’d be okay with whatever Brody decided in the end, because I’d know that we both did the best that we could.

  I curled up in a ball, my head resting on the arm of the couch. The perfect beat of Brody’s drum, putting me to sleep.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Brody

  “Don’t wake her, Talon. Pick her up and carry her to the car.”

  I glared at my best friend from my spot behind the computer, silently daring him to do what Luke was telling him to.

  “I, uh, I think she’d prefer if I, uh…”

  I waved my arms, getting Talon’s attention. I mouthed the words motion sickness, but he wrinkled his forehead, telling me he wasn’t getting it. I pretended to throw up instead.

  Brax came out of the sound booth during the middle of my performance. “Gross bro, are you sick? Sympathy pains? I doubt Landry will find that funny.”

  Dane smacked him in the gut and made a cutting gesture across his neck.

  “Talon. Please pick her up. She’s a heavy sleeper.”

  “I, uh, I don’t want her to throw up?” I nodded at Talon, letting him know he was on the right track. I waved my hands around my head. “Dizzy. She gets dizzy.”

  “She does? Is that normal?” The concern in Luke’s voice was evident, but he was still pissing me off. “Did she mention it to her doctor? You should call him and make sure that she let them know she’s been feeling dizzy.” I reached down and grabbed the plug. “Maybe you should stay with her tonight, make sure the new meds are—”

  I pulled it out of the wall and smiled smugly when Luke went away. Favorite uncle or not, he was really starting to piss me the fuck off.

  “Dude.”

  I ignored Talon and crossed the room, throwing both my backpack and Landry’s bag over my shoulder. Then I scooped my girl into my arms, kissing the top of her head and whispering against her hair. “Come on, baby cakes, let’s get you home.”

  “I don’t like this any more than you do, you know that right?” Talon was walking ahead of me, opening doors and making it easier for me to get Landry to her car. “Luke is worried about her—he’s not trying to pimp me out.” I swiped to unlock the car then Talon opened the door, laying the seat back so I could set Landry inside.

  “Really? Because he wanted you to literally carry her to bed and then stay the night. What does that sound like to you?” Sounded like Luke wanted my best friend as his new nephew-in-law to me.

  “Please tell me you aren’t jealous.” T leaned against the driver’s side, keeping me from leaving. “You’re my best friend, man. I’m only doing what I have to in order to keep Luke in the dark.”

  I tossed our bags in the small back seat. “I know you’re only trying to help.” Landry was going to have to get a new car before the baby was born. There was no way we could bring…we…but what if it wasn’t me? “Fuck.” I put my hands in my hair, pulling it roughly. “It’s all so damn complicated right now. I don’t know if the baby is mine. I don’t know what Travis would do if it was his. Landry doesn’t want to tell her family about me. She doesn’t want them to know I could be the kid’s dad. And I can’t blame her, not really. Why introduce her family to a maybe, right? And now, Luke is basically trying to shove you and Landry together.”

  “You don’t have to be a maybe, Brody. Tell her. Tell Landry that you want to be there, no matter what. Tell her it doesn’t matter who the father is.”

  “But it does matter, T.” I sighed. “I mean, I think it matters…” The more time I spent letting myself fall for Landry, the more time I spent helping her through the pregnancy, the less everything made sense to me. “Until I know for sure, I can’t say those words to her. It wouldn’t be fair.”

  “Landry’s ex is a prick.”

  “Finding out you’re going to be a father, it changes you. It makes everything you thought you knew, everything you thought mattered…it makes it all fade away.” I reached past him, grabbing the handle and opening the car door. “The moment I realized Landry was pregnant, I swear my heart stopped beating. And then when it started again, it didn’t belong to me anymore.”

  “You’re going to make an amazing dad, Brody.”

  I started the car, my hand on the inside of the door. “I hope so.” I closed the door as quietly as I could and drove out of the parking lot, the radio turned down low. So many thoughts were racing through my head. I was a little surprised when I felt Landry’s small hand slip into mine. I glanced over, smiling. “Hey, baby cakes, I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “I’m sorry I slept through your rehearsal.”

  “Don’t be.” I kissed the back of her hand, my eyes safely on the road. “I’m glad you got some rest.” She needed all the sleep she could get. Now that the meds seemed to be working, she’d thrown herself back into working full force. Longer hours and more surgeries.

  “Brody?”

  “Hm?”

  “I want you to know that I appreciate you not making empty promises to me and the baby.” I squeezed her hand, at a loss for words. “And for the record, I think you’d make an amazing dad too.” We stopped at a red light and I turned to Landry. Her eyes were starting to close again. She’d heard Talon and me talking, she’d heard everything I said. I wanted to apologize, but I wasn’t sure for what. I hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true.

  “Landry.”

  “It’s okay, it’s really okay. I’m thankful for you, Brody. I’m thankful that you’re here with me now. I’m thankful that you’re honest with how you’re feeling. I’m thankful for all of it. I don’t know if I could have made it this past week without you.”

  “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than by your side.” If she liked my honesty, then that was what she’d get. I couldn’t predict the future, I couldn’t know for sure how I’d feel if Travis was in her life permanently. So I wouldn’t pretend to.

  “Keep being honest with me, okay? Don’t lie to save my feelings.”

  “Okay.” I gave her a quick half smile. “Please don’t fuck Talon.”

  She snorted. “I promise.”

  “You feel like fucking me though, right?” We stopped at another light and I winked. “Honestly, I want to bang you tonight. That okay?” She threw her head back, laughing. A sound I hadn’t heard in a couple days.

  A sound I would hold in my heart for the rest of my life.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Landry

  “Okay, room three needs his catheter removed since I completed his discharge paperwork.” I was walking, typing on a tablet and speaking to my patient’s nurse all at the same time. “Make sure he can urinate on his own before he leaves though.” Today was busy and I had a surgery in mere minutes. I handed off the tablet, turning left as the nurse went right. I shoved half a Snickers in my mouth and pulled my cell from my pocket when it started to vibrate against my hip.

  Brody: Baby. Cakes.

  Landry: What’s up? I have surgery in five.

  Brody: Did you take your meds? What have you eaten today? Have you had enough water? Can we fuck on the balcony tonight?

  Landry: I took my meds on the way to work. I’ve had some yogurt, a bagel, a banana and a giant candy bar. I’ve drank about 30 oz. of water. And we’ll see about the balcony. It looks like it might rain.

  Brody: You need to eat an actual lunch, a sandwich or a SALAD. Drink more water. And I’ll keep my fingers crossed it doesn’t rain.

  Landry: I’ll eat after my next surgery.

  Brody: Annnnnnd…

  Landry: And what?

  Brody: And you’ll also keep your fingers crossed about the rain. We need all the no rain vibes we can get.

  Landry: Fingers. Crossed.

  Brody: That’s my bad girl, now go save a life.

  I slid my phone back into my lab coat. It’d been two weeks since my first OB appointment. Two weeks of eat
ing, not puking. And last week, when they’d checked my weight, I’d gained five pounds back. Now that Brody was living with me and I was holding food down, I was feeling great. I was a little over nine weeks pregnant, and enjoying it for the first time. Amazing how energy and a calm stomach were affecting my mood.

  And, once again I loved the constant movement of general surgery. There was always something to do—patients and surgeries, post-op and consults. My days flew by in a blur and I barely had time to sit down. Days like today made me happy, made me remember why I wanted to be a surgeon in the first place.

  “Dr. Cole.”

  And there went my good mood. I rarely saw Travis around the hospital when we were dating. But since we broke up, and I found out I was pregnant, the fucker was everywhere. “Dr. French.”

  “I wanted to make sure you set a follow-up for Mr. Weston.”

  I cocked an eyebrow and an attitude. “Are you serious right now?” Wes was discharged four days ago, which meant the follow-up I scheduled had been in his chart for as many days.

  “I don’t appreciate the tone. I am an attending and I am keeping tabs on a VIP patient. A trustee.”

  And being a giant fucking douche in the process. “Yes. I set his follow up, he’ll be back here in about three weeks.”

  He nodded and then walked off. Why? Why did I date him? Why did I sleep with him? Why?

  I sighed and veered to the left, heading for OR Two.

  ***

  “It’s not raining.”

  I was on the couch, a tub of ice cream on my chest and my feet propped on my coffee table. “How was rehearsal?”

  Brody sat down beside me, taking the spoon from my hand and eating a large bite of cookies and cream. “Good. Luke’s holo-body watched again. He asked Talon why he didn’t bring you tonight.”