A reporter pounded on Cash’s door as my rage-filled leopard inhaled sharply, clearly trying to not lose his temper. Rhett smoothed over my injury as I relaxed back into the leather seat of the car.
Then I saw the snap happen. My eyes went wide as the camera flashed, and Cash was out of the fucking car so fast it seemed impossible.
Holy fuck. I watched as Cash threw the guy up against the driver’s side window and landed a punch on his jaw that had blood flying every which way. Rhett let out a low whistle as Cash smashed the man’s camera before tossing him aside like a rag doll. He flipped off the others behind him, who were who were staring in shock, before getting back into the car.
I was past being able to stop the smile from forming on my lips. I mean, come on… the man beat the fuck out of a bastard reporter, broke his camera, and then told them to all to go fuck themselves.
“Fucking human assholes,” Cash muttered, turning the car so that we rolled up onto the sidewalk and around the van blocking our way. He was then speeding towards the privacy of the compound, no doubt knowing human law enforcement would be on their way shortly.
“Cash, honey, you okay?” I asked as his slate eyes met mine and a smile formed on his lips.
“Much better now,” he admitted, running a large hand over my thigh and grasping it in a possessive hold I loved so much.
“Dean says meet him at the new construction. Did he tell you, bunny? We built it for you.” Rhett admitted it so easily. I blushed slightly, nodding. I didn’t trust myself to say anything; if I opened my mouth I’d probably blurt out all my feelings or be awkward as hell. I wasn’t good at emotions… Yeah, shocking. I know.
Security immediately opened the gate, and the minute we were in the compound, I felt my body sag in relief.
We turned down a different road than normal, and my eyes followed each brightly colored house that filled the compound. I could see the Reid and Louvre estates from their hilled place that looked over everyone else. Looking ahead, I could see that we were going up a slight hill and I gaped in astonishment as we came up to what I could only describe as… home.
My mouth hung open, in confusion and amazement, at just how well the Reid brothers knew me. They might be the most perfect stalkers ever.
This estate was placed slightly lower than the other two, but it was far more spread out. Every single inch of the outside spoke to warmth and life. It was so different from the cold, expensive mansions I’d known most of my life. The glass, steel, and large empty rooms of those mansions were beautiful, but they lacked a comfortability. This house was made for a family, even if ours would be unique as fuck.
When the car came to a stop behind the other two in the circular driveway, I got out and began walking slowly towards the house. I barely heard the voices around me as I admired the Mediterranean masterpiece and the landscaping that highlighted Arizona’s natural beauty.
“What the fuck happened?” Adriel demanded.
“We just got word from my guard that you were in a car accident?” Desmond asked.
Dean was already inspecting me, but I bat his hand away playfully, not giving a fuck about my head anymore. I heard him demanding answers as Rhett and Cash explained our little situation. Draven, though, waited near the pathway that led towards the front door, looking equally as curious about the house as myself.
I knew my boys would spend the next fifteen minutes doing whatever they did when they wanted to deal with humans illegally. Trust me, I had no doubt someone was going to be in trouble for today, and not the type of trouble where they were simply fired.
Draven’s hand was cold but rough to the touch as he intertwined his fingers with mine, our steps taking us down the stone pathway towards the luxurious yet welcoming estate in front of us. Maker. This was so vastly different from the cold modern Louvre estate or grand marble Reid residence.
I was in love.
The entryway consisted of a pale wooden door framed by a trellis of desert flowers that arched above it effortlessly. At its base was a Moroccan tile that accented the red roof and cream-colored exterior. Sunlight seemed to bounce off the structure and into the space around it.
Looking briefly at the path we’d entered from, I realized the landscaping was designed to make it so the house was somewhat naturally hidden from street view. It left me with a sense of privacy and comfort.
“Holy shit,” I muttered as I turned the blue glass doorknob to reveal a massive open-concept living space. The high ceilings and massive span of windows that showed off a backyard court space with a rich garden at its center were the first things that caught my attention. The sun glinted off a massive bright blue pool that I had the urge to go explore. Then I began to notice the room, which featured warmly painted walls and purposely worn wooden floors. The elegant gold and brown decor reflected the shades of the courtyard outside. All of the furniture was refined and polished, and comfortable-looking blankets and rugs were strewn about the space. The whole vibe made my chest relax.
I could live here. I could actually fucking breathe here.
Instead of exploring the rest of the main floor, I pulled Draven towards the staircase that led upstairs. My brows rose upon finding that the entire second floor was filled with brightly-colored bedrooms that looked out on the backyard and large pool.
It was stunning.
When I finally found the large master suite, a question erupted from my mouth before I could control it. “Why so many bedrooms?”
Not that I minded, but I was curious.
I turned on my heel to find Cash offering me a grin from where he leaned in the doorway. Draven squeezed my hand and walked across the gold- and cream-colored bedroom to a private balcony that was home to a small breakfast table. Cute. I watched my leopard mate curiously, waiting for his answer.
“Cash?” I prodded when he didn’t offer a response.
His ears heated slightly as he shrugged, still looking amused. “No idea. Twelve seemed like a good number.”
Rhett chuckled, shaking his head, but not saying anything as he joined Draven on the balcony. Dean walked in, and I wasn’t positive if he’d heard the question or not, but he answered it anyway.
“Four for us, not that you would ever be sleeping alone, plus several for our kids. Though some of those may already be spoken for since it seems there will be more of us here than originally planned.” His fingers tilted my face as he searched for my head wound that had already healed.
Wait, what the hell had he just said?
“Kids?” I parroted. The clinical way that he seemed to explain the concept of goddamn children blew my mind.
“Yes, the little monsters you have when you want to make a family with someone you love,” Adriel offered, looking around before pinning me with an amused look. “You know what children are—”
I put my middle finger up at him as he chuckled, clearly loving my momentary shocked silence. Desmond walked over to me and tugged me from Dean, who oddly let me go. He probably knew the demon needed me. Even I could tell that.
I let out a small yawn, seemingly exhausted after the bullshit at school, and looked at all of them. “Yes, I know what children are… I guess I just never considered that.” I was now, though.
Of course, that would be way in the future, because let’s face it—I was a hot mess. But I had lived so long without any plans to have a future, without any hope for a family or love. Now I could have all of that and so, so much more. The concept was so odd that it momentarily transfixed me. I had no idea what children would mean since I was a siren. I didn’t know if our magic could be transferred… but those thoughts could wait for later.