“So, the game plan is? I already know I’ll be sidelined on this. I’m okay with it. My judgment is to seek revenge and get retribution for what they’ve put Tinsley through.” I grip the back of my neck, feeling the tension in my muscles.
“The game plan is to let them have control of things while you rest for a few days,” Tinsley states as she walks into the office.
“Oh, the girls are going to love her. You are so fucked,” Bridger says under his breath.
“Yep, he’s not wrong,” Drake says before hugging Tinsley like he’s her brother already. Damn, I love my brother for this. I know she needs a family unit surrounding her.
“We hug in this family. I’m Drake, if you didn’t catch that.” This jokester is throwing all kinds of bullshit out. It’s all in good nature.
“As if I couldn’t tell. You two are practically twins,” Tinsley says, moving out of his hug, then coming to my side. I loop my arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to give her a kiss on her forehead.
“I figured you’d still be asleep.” I smirk at her. She’s wearing a sweater and leggings. Tinsley’s hair is in a loose ponytail on one side of her shoulder, face clean of makeup.
“It got cold in there without you,” she whispers. We’re both lost in our own world.
Slade clears his throat, all of them having their own chuckle. “Tinsley, this is Slade and Bridger. You met Drake already.” I watch as she shakes their hands, giving them her full attention.
“Thank you so much for all of your help. I truly appreciate it. Let me run upstairs and bring you my laptop? Leo mentioned Easton may want it.” She goes to turn, but I tighten my hold on her.
“Anytime. You don’t have to rush for us. We’ll be here for a bit. Heads-up though. We told the women folk not to bother you guys today. You know how they are though. I have a feeling you’ll be invaded in the next twenty minutes. Raelynn and Cam might not make it today, they’re both busy. I’m sure they’ll be here in the coming days.” Drake shakes his head. Why Giana didn’t just ride over with him is a mystery to me. I tip my head sideways. He shakes his head. That enough tells me she wanted to drive herself, not with him. That means shopping afterwards in Giana’s world.
“I’ll go grab it now then, and make us some food. You said the fridge was stocked?” Her head tips back to look up at me. God, do I fucking love this woman. My hand moves to the nape of her neck. If our family weren’t surrounding us, I’d kiss the hell out of her. I wouldn’t stop though, so I refrain. I kiss her lips softly.
“Yeah, but you don’t need to do any of that. These guys know how to fend for themselves.”
“It’s okay, it’ll keep my mind busy. It also helps me snoop around your house. You didn’t tell me how massive it was. Is that like the requirement to live in this neighborhood?” she jokes, knowing damn well this place isn’t that big. Not compared to what she comes from, at least.
“You’re cute.” I tap her nose, her eyes getting dreamy.
“I’ll be back,” she says over her shoulder.
“Yep, I approve. She’ll fit right in,” Bridger inserts.
“Not sure I care if you do or don’t,” I grunt. The smiles all of the guys are wearing tell me their opinion isn’t needed.
“Tinsley’s right, you’re home for the time being. I don’t want you or her out in broad daylight. After today, we’ll all be staying away until we get the all-clear from Easton. It’s gonna fucking suck, but Robert will be running scared shitless soon, and who knows what he’ll do. For now, it’s contained. Once he figures out he’s being monitored and trailed everywhere, not to mention the bugs the butler placed in strategic places before he upped and moved to Cabo. We all need to play this safe,” Slade laments. He’s a sly motherfucker. There is no doubt about it. He’s got a few things up his sleeve.
“Alright, though spending a few days with my woman and nothing else, that sounds more like a vacation,” I joke, but we all know I’ll be on high alert.
“Let me know if Tinsley can go along with that as a vacation, then have her get with Taylor on that. I swear that woman is already planning the next one, and we just got back from one last month.” He shakes his head.
“Speaking of, Kellie and I will be planning one as soon as this case is done.” He and Kellie both need time away before the weather starts to turn in the winter months.
“This is fucking summer compared to Washington. Jesus, I thought I was going to get frostbite.” The guys laugh at that. Tinsley returns, hands the laptop to me, then she’s off to the kitchen or to snoop. Like I have anything I wouldn’t want her to see anyways. She’s fucking cute.
“May as well go see what’s in the kitchen. I’m awfully hungry.” Drake rubs his stomach.
“Aren’t you always?” Bridger rolls his eyes. It sure as hell feels good to be home, even with these knuckleheads.
Sixteen
Tinsley
One Week Later
Leo and I have become closer in this past week. It also helped that we were basically on lockdown for the exception of the gang coming over one night. Even when Slade was wholly against it, I guess Taylor couldn’t be stopped once she put her mind to it and gave as good as she got.
It was a lot of fun to interact with everyone, like we were all one big happy family. I didn’t think about my parents, the hired hit on my head, or the fallout that is surely going to happen. My last name comes with a lot of publicity, to the likes that I don’t want to deal with any of it. Yet I know it’ll be a necessity to go back to Washington once Slade and Travis’s plan comes full circle.
The smorgasbord of food that was brought in when Taylor, Kellie, Raelynn, Cam, and Giana came bustling in with their men following had me cracking up. The girls carried the drinks, and the men were grumbling about how they think we’d eat all this. Everything from chips and salsa, fajitas, cheesecake, and donuts were brought. I think Leo and I ate off the leftovers for two days straight before they were gone.
“What are you thinking about that has you so lost in thought?” Leo comes in from the garage; he was tinkering on something out there. I didn’t pry, mainly because I’ve been online dealing with my college back in Washington and see what it would take to transfer to one here in Virginia. I’ve already decided I’ll be dropping my business major and picking up more creative writing style classes and keep working on my English degree.
“I just got off the phone with Seattle University. They said something that didn’t make any sense to me,” I tell Leo.
“Fuck, something wrong?” He sits beside me. Leo’s home is warm and inviting. I have a feeling his mom has something to with do it. There’s a flair of modern to it, in the side tables, coffee table, and TV console, but the brown leather couch, loveseat, and chair are fluffy and inviting. It doesn’t make things seem closed in, especially now. Leo stated we have to keep the curtains closed at all times and I’m to remain away from the windows, which really sucks. I’ve wanted nothing more than to go on his back patio. He has an outdoor fireplace, a hot tub, and it overlooks the forest. I want to watch as the trees sway in the breeze, how the snow lies heavily on the branches, and feel the crunch of the grass beneath my feet.