by Cindy Pike
Contents
Entwined Soul
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
1 Bliss with Flynn
2 Heath’s Big Wedding
3 Kyle’s Simple Dream
4 Living for my Work
5 Silas’ Winter Wedding
6 Expanding Our Family
7 Birthing Babies
8 Perfect
Entwined Soul
Copywrite © 2020 by Cindy Pike. Cindy Pike reserves all rights to and/or involving this work as the author. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, either living or dead, or events is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means whether electronic or mechanical, including information storage and retrieval systems, now known or hereinafter invented, without written permissions from the author, except for brief quotations in a book review.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my beautiful sister and her two boys that were taken too quickly from this world. They will forever be a part of our family. To Michelle, Liam, and Lukas—loved, always and forever. This is the happy ending you deserved to have gotten with your precious boys.
If you’re a mom that has lost a child, this is also for you. I’m sorry for your loss and I grieve with you and for you. That is something no parent should have to endure.
To all the moms out there that didn’t get the birth or feeding experience that they wanted, I’m so sorry. You have my deepest sympathies. Know that, no matter what, you’re beautiful and perfect, just the way you are.
I’d like to thank Naomi Marie Rushworth for her participation and for winning a cameo in this book! You rock!
Prologue
Jason’s Trial
Five Months Later
She Talks to Angels by The Black Crows
Nora
I button up my stark-white, flowing blouse, tucking it into the waistline of my dark royal purple slacks, and gaze into the mirror, marveling at the woman before me. Today is the day for Jason’s trial. Today, he goes away—hopefully, for a long, long time.
I slip my feet into a pair of low-heeled black pumps. My hair is pulled back into a simple low ponytail, my face lightly made up, just enough to hide the dark circles from a long night of tossing and turning.
Finishing with a long silver chain, with a tree of life pendant hanging to just above my navel, I step back, taking in the final look in the mirror. I’m trying not to go overboard. I want to look put-together, nothing more and nothing less. The goal is elegance with a slight edge, and I feel I’ve achieved it.
A knock sounds but before I can respond, the bathroom door pulls open to Flynn, dressed in a pair of khaki slacks and a sky-blue dress shirt. His tattoo peeks out from under the long sleeves.
“Can you help me with my tie, Spitfire?” he asks, the look in his beautiful eyes serious, in contrast with his cheerful self.
Smiling, I move into his space, my hands gliding over his stomach to settle on his chest. As I work on the knot, my smile widens. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as handsome as you. Except for Owen. And Kyle—oh, and Silas, and Heath.”
Not a hint of a smile. The darkness in his eyes only deepens.
My voice softens, imploring him to open up to me. “Talk to me, Picasso.”
He sighs. “I just want things to go our way today. Cora’s testimony will really help us, but if they set that sick fuck free…” Flynn trails off, his sentence left unspoken.
My heart tightens but I shake my head, a certainty in my voice that feels fake. “They won’t.”
“How can you be so sure? How is your faith in the justice system, in a man in a white wig and a jury of strangers, so strong?”
Hearing the worry in his voice nearly brings me to my knees and I cling to him a little tighter to stay standing, conscious of my legs going weak.
Owen
With a warm cup of coffee cupped in my hands, I stand at the double doors leading to the back porch and sip as I wait for the breakfast to finish cooking. Dressed in black slacks, a mint-green dress shirt, and black dress shoes, I run my hand over my hair, settling any strays.
Once nothing of the coffee remains, I push away from my position, load the cup into the dishwasher, and set it to run before plating up breakfast. Just as the last plate is ready, Nora and Flynn finally make their way into the kitchen.
Nora’s hair is faintly mussed and Flynn looks more at ease than he had earlier. It doesn’t take much detective skills to conclude that they’ve already had some fun this morning. Good. They both needed the distraction.
Last night, Nora tossed and turned, barely getting a wink of sleep, but refused to accept any sleep medications to help. Finally, Silas and I resorted to more pleasurable tactics to distract her.
“Glad to see you two have worked some kinks out,” Heath teases. He was up most of the night working out on the heavy bag in our home gym. Though his voice betrays nothing, his shoulders clearly give away the tension he still feels.
Nora’s face flames, a beautiful blush settling in her cheeks.
“At least someone did,” Silas says, looking pointedly at Heath.
Heath shakes his head. “I’m good. I’ve got it under control. Besides, I’d never do anything to jeopardize the case and the fucker getting his comeuppance.”
Nora goes to Heath and wraps her arms around his waist, her cheek against his chest. Instantly, Heath’s shoulders loosen and he rests his chin over the top of her head.
As they stand in their embrace, Kyle enters from the barn at the back of the house, having fed and watered the horses per my request.
“Something smells good,” he says, his eyes searching for Nora. When he sees her in Heath’s arms, he comes to me and helps me set the dining room table.
“Food’s on!” I call as I take a seat at the round table.
Everyone settles into their respective chairs and we all dig in. Except for Nora.
She drops into the seat beside mine, a little less than graceful. Setting my silverware down, I turn my body towards hers and put one arm on the back of her chair, huddling into her enough that she knows that I’m here.
“Talk to me.”
She smiles at the typical bluntness of my words, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Her hands find each other in her lap, one finger twitching as she resists the urge to wring them together. “My stomach is all in knots.”
The trial is for the things Jason did when he kidnapped Nora and Flynn from Heath’s home. Although it’s a natural reaction to the situation, it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.
I settle for the only words that can help. “We’re all here for you, Nora, right behind you and Flynn. We’ve got your backs. He can’t get to you.”
Whatever the case, this will be the last time she’ll have to see his wretched face. After today, none of us will ever have to worry about Jason Miller again. I’ve made sure of it.
It was hard to find someone willing to do what we need, and with the discretion that’s required, but we’ve found the perfect ‘caregiver.’
Nora looks at each of us around the table, slacking into her chair as she watches our family. “You’re right.”
Each one of us is on her side—here for her, right beside her, ready to catch her, should she fall.
Kyle
Once everyone is done, Flynn and I clear the table, with me rinsing so that he can load the second dishwasher. We work in silence until he loads the last dish in.
“Do you think he’ll get convicted?” Flynn asks, leaning against the kitchen counter, a faraway look in his eyes.
/> Popping in the dishwasher pod, I shrug. “Don’t think it matters. We won’t have to worry about him after today.”
Flynn nods his understanding.
We all know. The only person that doesn’t is Nora. We’ve purposely kept her in the dark.
I just hope that things will calm the fuck down once this is all over.
The press attention is pissing me off. Despite the role the other guys played in this whole situation, I’ve found myself under the watchful eye of intrusive journalists more times than I care to remember.
So what if I’m the one that led us to her and Flynn? Owen’s the one who stabilized them until they could be transported to the hospital. Hell, Flynn’s the one who was there! But I guess everyone wants a hero and they happened to pick me.
Heath has helped me come up with some tricks to evade the media attention, simple yet more than effective. So far, they haven’t caught on but if this continues for much longer, they’ll wise up and then I’ll really be in for it.
It’s a good thing the house got ready before Jason’s trial started up. It sits on enough land and has enough security, including the dogs, that no one can access us without our explicit permission.
Silas
With her hand in mine, our fingers intertwined, I lead Nora into the master bath to fix her hair. In moments like these, my world feels strong enough that it feels like it could weather any storm.
Before Nora, everything seemed so breakable, so insubstantial. Now, it’s as steady as a river’s flow. Sure, there are times where the waves seem untraversable, but she makes every day, every obstacle, all worth it.
I boost her up onto the counter, the position familiar from that incident in the restaurant so long ago, and pull the tie out of her hair. Her tresses fall, kissing her shoulders as I run my fingers through them, admiring the softness, the weight. Despite the layers to make her mane lighter, the haircut doesn’t take away much from her.
“If you get too anxious today, all you have to do is reach back and I’ll be right there, doll.”
She knows I mean it. Every day we’ve had to be in the courtroom, I’ve sat directly behind her without fail.
Our presence fortifies her, but she has a strength of her own that no one can take away. Even when she had to take the stand and relive all the fucked-up shit that motherfucker had done to her, she kept herself together. It’s only when we got home that the pieces fell apart, that the stress of the day broke her.
Today may break her again but every time, it gets a little less painful for her to glue herself back together again. And like every time before this, we’ll be with her.
We’ll always be with her, bringing her the pieces that she needs, stepping in instinctively at the right time. The tension that existed over our shared arrangement is no longer there. Arguments happen but we—the guys, Nora—we’re a team. A family.
And no one takes that from us.
Heath
As everyone prepares to leave, I head out through the backdoor to the dogs, needing the comfort that they can provide. My nerves are shot.
As I walk up to them, a pang in my heart reminds me that Bishop will never come ambling up to me ever again, that he was taken so brutally away from me. Although it’s a pain that will never leave, the sight of the newest addition to the family, Shield, coaxes a smile from my lips, dulling the lingering grief.
They hover, demanding a good rubdown, tails wagging, the whining little dopes, and I comply for as long as I can before it’s time to leave. At Owen’s beckoning yell, I make sure they have enough water and dry food before securing the lock on the dog run and heading back inside to the rest of the group.
“Who’s riding with who?” Silas asks as I enter, locking the door behind me.
“Kyle’s with Flynn and I,” Owen says, predictably already prepared with a plan. “You, Heath, and Nora can ride together.”
Gathering any last-minute essentials for court, like IDs, we file out into the garage. Nora hugs Flynn, Kyle, and Owen goodbye, pecking them on the cheek before pulling herself away.
It’s one of her many habits that I love. No matter how long the farewell, no matter how short the separation, she never fails to send us off and greet us with a hug and a kiss. It’s just one of the ways she welcomes us to herself, our home.
Flynn
Climbing into our respective vehicles, we drive down the long driveway and out of the gated perimeter of the property.
Waiting until the gate closes fully behind us, Owen sets the security code, arming the security system. It’s rarely used, since one of us is always home, but it’s for moments like these that it gives us an extra peace of mind.
The ride to the courthouse is silent. I’m too lost in my head to focus on how the other two are doing. Despite Owen’s contingency plan, which should calm me, I obsess over every possible worst-case scenario.
Owen approaches the parking garage of the courthouse, slowing behind Silas as he stops at the barriers in front of us and gets a parking ticket. Once Silas’s car is through, Owen pulls forward and takes the ticket from the automated booth.
Inside, there are plenty of parking spaces so we choose one close to the elevators.
Once we’re safely parked and the car is locked behind us, Owen calls for an elevator to take us all downstairs as Nora, Heath, and Silas join us. We wait in somber silence.
The ding startles Nora so I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to me, as the other guys surround her as well. Kyle stands on her other side, the other three in front. We cover her from all fronts.
Heath presses the button, prompting the elevator to take us down to the ground floor. Before we can make it all the way down, the lift jolts to a halt with a smack of Silas’s hand on the emergency stop button.
Silas turns to Nora, grips her hips, and backs her up against the wall of the elevator. Her hands lift to his shoulders and rest there.
“No matter what happens today, you will never have to worry about Jason again.” Silas’s voice is as hard as granite. “He won’t ever make you afraid again. He will never touch you ever again. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Nora says with a puzzled frown.
“Do you believe me?” Silas presses.
“Have you ever lied to me?” Nora counters, not waiting for a response before bulldozing on. “No. You never would. You’ve never let me down.” She looks at each of us in turn. “None of you have. When Jason had me, when I didn’t know if I was going to live or die, I wasn’t worried for me. I was worried for all of you. Because I knew you’d all move mountains, heaven—fuck, even walk through hell—to get me back.”
Her chest rises and falls rapidly with the fever of her words. “So, to answer your question, yes, I do believe you. I trust each of you with my life. Now can we get this thing moving? I’d like to get this over with. The sooner we’re done here, the sooner we can move on to more exciting things.” With a smirk and a dangerous glint in her eyes, she says, “I want to be fucked and not just by one of you…”
Heath smacks his hand on the emergency button and we jolt back into movement. Nora and Silas continue to hold each other’s eyes.
Fuck if that last statement wasn’t hot.
Great, now I’m going to be in court with a raging hard on. That’ll be comfortable. I send a look Owen’s way and get a commiserating one in return. At least I won’t be alone in my pain.
Finally, the damn elevator makes it to the ground level and we exit, the rest of the guys adjusting themselves as discreetly as possible, just as I am.
Nora
We make our way to the assigned courtroom before Flynn and I separate from the other guys to get to the prosecutor’s table. Our attorney is already there and she greets us with a handshake, then gestures for us to take a seat. The others sit directly behind us, Silas in the middle, Owen closest to the aisle, spacing themselves so that the entire row can seat only them, so that the only people at my back are my family.
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After closing arguments, the jury retires to a private room to deliberate. The guys consider a quick lunch break but decide against it. We’re too wired to eat.
Once court is back in session, we all file back into the room and await the final decision.
“All rise for Judge Rushworth!” the bailiff calls out.
We all stand as the judge settles into her seat.
“You may be seated.” The attendants fall back into their chairs. “Has the jury reached a decision?”
The head juror stands. “We have, Your Honor.”
“You may announce it to the court.”
“We, the jury, find the defendant guilty on all charges.”
An overwhelming sense of relief floods my system, more than welcome as much as it is paralyzing. Blood rushes behind my ears, blocking out the sound of any further discussion, as I turn to my guys, each of their smiles mirroring my own.
I can’t wait to get home so we can celebrate.
It’s going to be the best damn party of six.
1 Bliss with Flynn
One Month After the Trial
Lights Down Low by MAX ft. gnash
Flynn and I decide on a small wedding, just us and the rest of the guys. Since his parents are no longer a part of his life, he says that this, our family, is enough for him.
Around us, the leaves have turned beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red and the air has a bite to it. We decided on a Fall wedding, for no reason other than it was the soonest we could have it. With little to no planning required for such a simple get-together, who am I deny him?
After our dinner, we’ve planned for a staycation at home—we’ll stay locked in our room for seven whole days, only coming out for food when we need it. I’ve already made sure that no one will disturb us.
I examine myself in the mirror, pleased with the ensemble. The pair of dark, denim jeans, a simple, white, silk blouse, and white flats, with my hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, fits perfectly with the casualness of the day. There’s a simple lily flower in my hand.