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  “What’cha thinkin’ about that caused that dreamy look to appear on your face?”

  “You know exactly where my mind went with your words,” I bat my eyelashes at him.

  “When we get home, we’ll see what we can do to ease you and see if we can make things better than what you’re actually imaginin’.”

  “I can’t wait,” I breathlessly reply.

  He winks at me and grabs my hand, he intertwines our fingers, and squeezes my hand. I know he and Levi have been concerned about me, I just need to show them there’s no reason to be. I’m okay, I must be showing my hand too much for them to have caught onto the fact that there’s something going on with me. I’m usually a lot harder to read, but for some reason I’m an open book where they’re concerned. I thought my sisters were the only ones who could read me so well, and that’s only because they grew up with me.

  I close my eyes and lay my head back against the head rest. I just need a few minutes to mentally prepare myself for the inquisition I’m sure is coming my way. I’m not the only one who’s easily readable, I also can tell when my guys are up to something. I feel the car pull to a stop and he turns it off. I look over at him and give him a sleepy smile. “Good to be home,” I tell him.

  “Yeah it is, today was a long day,” he replies.

  We both exit the car and I grab my bag. We meet at the front of the car like we do every night and he places his hand on my lower back and escorts me inside of the house. Levi is waiting for us in the living room, he never goes to bed before we walk through that front door, it’s his way of knowing for sure that we make it home, safe and sound. With the events that my sisters have gone through, neither one of them rest easy unless one or both of them have eyes on me at all times. I know that it’s been frightening since they’ve entered my life, so I give them leeway.

  “Hey, honey,” I say, going up to him and getting my good evening kiss. He leans down as I go up and we meet in the middle. “How was your day?” I ask him, as I do every night. Even though we talk on the phone at least five times throughout the day time and evening hours.

  “It was long. I made you a bubble bath,” he says. Yep, they’re definitely up to something, my radar goes off in my head.

  “Thank you, I really need one tonight,” I say, walking down the hallway, shedding my clothes as I go. I head straight into the bathroom and sink into the tub. Leaning back, I close my eyes and let some the water sooth the soreness throughout my body.

  Levi

  “Did she say anythin’ to you on the way home?” I ask my brother.

  “Not a damn thing, but I didn’t really pry either. She just looked so worn out that I didn’t have the heart to ask any questions.”

  “We can’t put it off,” I say to him.

  “I know, but I hate doing it while she’s so worn out.” I get where he’s coming from, but maybe her exhaustion will help loosen those lips of hers.

  Instead of replying to what he said, I walk down the hallway picking up each item of clothing that she stripped out of. Last in the line is her shoes, I put them in the closet and then walk into the bathroom to deposit her clothes into the hamper.

  “Need any help washing your back?” I ask her.

  She opens up one eye and says, “Always, honey.” I walk up to the tub, she sits up and I grab her frilly sponge she uses and apply her body wash and lather it up. This is one of my favorite ways to take care of her, I love rubbing on her body, regardless of what it leads to.

  “Feels so good,” she moans, and my dick reacts to the moan he’s only used to hearing while he’s buried deep inside of her delectable body.

  “That’s good, baby,” I reply, my voice coming out huskily.

  I lift up the cup that sits on the side and put water inside of it. “Lean back, baby, let me wash your hair.” Once every strand of her hair is wet, I grab her shampoo and rub it in my hands until it lathers up. I then apply it to her scalp and massage then run it through her long as fuck black hair. I rinse then repeat the action with her conditioner. I know she lets it sit for a few minutes, so I pick the sponge back up and wash her body from head to toe. I love the aroma that comes from her products, her scent has always been intoxicating to me. I swear I could walk down the street not knowing she was there and smell her, it’s like a beacon to my nostrils. I’d follow this woman anywhere, even down on my knees if that’s what she requests. I grab the cup and fill it back up with water then rinse the conditioner from her hair.

  “Baby, the water’s cooling now, let’s get you out before you catch a chill.”

  “Do I have to?” she asks, and I can hear the sleepiness in her voice. Maybe Carson is right, and tonight isn’t the night to pressure her. They’re both off from work tomorrow, maybe in the morning will be a better time.

  “Ya, baby, let’s getch’a out of the tub and tucked into bed.”

  Once I get her dried off, I grab her brush and hair dryer and carry her and the items to the bedroom. She sits up and lets me comb out her hair as I dry it. This is something Carson and I try to do for her, otherwise she’ll go to bed with it wet and wake up spending hours straightening it and taking time away from spending some time with us. Me in particular, since Carson spends his days with her, and I only get those precious minutes in the mornings and nights. On my slow days at work, I do crash on their daytime hours. Especially when they’re slammed and need someone manning the front. I’ve told them over and over again that they need to hire a receptionist, but they are cautious and only want to hire someone they really trust. Not that I blame them, it’s their legacy they’re protecting after all.

  I tuck her in bed, kiss her goodnight and walk into the living room where Carson is kicked back on the couch, beer in hand and is watching one of the tattoo shows he and Rainey like to watch.

  “She sleepin’?”

  “Yeah, man she crashed as soon as her hair was dried. I’m thinkin’ that since you’re both off tomorrow we’ll put our plan in motion then.”

  “Sounds good, I’m gonna catch a shower and join her in bed. I wanted to shower with her, but you kinda killed that when you presented her with a bubble bath.”

  “It’s your fault,” I tell him.

  “Mine? How?” He asks, pointing to his chest.

  “You messaged me and told me she was sore, I was only being a good Ol’ man.”

  “Fucker, ain’t gonna tell ya shit anymore,” he says getting off the couch. I laugh at his retreating back earning myself a sign that indicates I need to fuck off. I throw him one back in response, even though he can’t see it, it’s the principle after all.

  Carson

  I wake the next morning with Rainey’s head nestled on my shoulder and looking down, notice her legs entwined with Levi’s. It puts her at a sideways position, which shouldn’t surprise me, she’s a beg and cover hog. We’ve had to start keeping two extra blankets at the end of the bed, otherwise we’d freeze while she’s snug as a bug. It’s mine and Rainey’s Saturday off and we’re closed on Sundays and Mondays, so I am looking forward to the three-day weekend. I promised our other brother, Tic, that we’d help him chop down some trees at his place tomorrow, so today I want to take the opportunity and spend some quality time with just the three of us.

  We’re usually at the clubhouse or with her family and don’t really get some time where no one is interfering in one thing or another. Don’t get me wrong I love my brothers and Rainey’s family, but there are times when quality time with the extended family becomes a little too much. Deciding I need to soothe the beast when it wakes, I decide to go start my girl her coffee. I slide out from underneath her much to her displeasure which she lets me know when she mumbles about me stealing her pillow from her…i.e., my chest. I crack a smile but keep going about my mission. I plan on waking them in the next ten minutes anyways, so we can get on with the day. I want to take her on a ride on the bike and stop somewhere for a nice lunch. My girl loves being on the back of either mine or Levi’s bikes, making us
very happy men. Once I have their cups made, I take them in the bedroom and set them on the nightstand on Levi’s side.

  “Hey, man,” I say, shaking his shoulder.

  “What’s up?” he asks, looking at me blurry eyed.

  “Wanted to take our girl on a ride and out to lunch, you game?”

  “You know I am,” he replies.

  “Here’s your coffee,” I show him. “I’ll let you wake the beast while I take care of my mornin’ business.”

  “Why do I get the pleasure of tamin’ her other side?”

  “Cause you’re the one who slept in, I made the coffee.”

  “Damn, she’s mean as a rattlesnake when you wake her.”

  I smile walking out of the room, “It’s your turn, brother.”

  “Fuck,” I hear him mutter.

  Levi

  Rainey has two personalities, the one after coffee and one before. The latter one isn’t one I usually try to be a part of. I usually make myself scarce and let Carson take care of that one, because honestly, she scares the fuck out of me and after she threatened to chop off my dick the first time I woke her up, I haven’t tried to since.

  Taking a deep breath and placing a pillow over my dick, I shake her shoulder to try and gently coax her awake. “Rainey, sweetheart, it’s time to get up now.”

  She mumbles something unintelligible, so I try again. This time I end up ducking and weaving when her arms start swinging. “What! What the fuck do you want?”

  “Blame Carson, he told me to,” I say, trying to not be the bad guy and on the other end of her fists anytime soon.

  “Why?”

  “He wants to take you for a ride and out to lunch.”

  “Awe, that’s so sweet of him.” Why is he the good guy?

  “Here, baby, I made you some coffee.”

  “Oh, honey. You know me so well.” I smile at that statement and look over and notice Carson giving me the stink-eye. I shrug my shoulders and smile wider at him. There, take that asshole. He flips me off and I just laugh at the intended insult. Hey, she’s no longer trying to take me out, so I’ll use what I’ve got at my advantage. She takes her first swig and moans in happiness, leaning over and puckering up my lips she gives me a peck and finally smiles at me.

  “Love you, baby.”

  “Love you too, handsome.”

  “Hey! What am I, chopped liver?” Carson asks.

  “Of course not, I love you, too. Thank you for being thoughtful and taking me out for the day on the bike, baby.” He comes over and leans over me giving her a kiss, I push him away and he laughs while Rainey giggles.

  “Come on you two, the day’s awastin’,” he says, going to his drawers in our shared dresser and pulling out jeans and a shirt. Wait a minute, is that my shirt? Sure the fuck is! Asshole, no wonder I can’t ever find my shirts when I want to wear them. Just because we’re brothers doesn’t mean he gets to get my clothes out of my drawers and wear them because his ass is too lazy to do a load of clothes. I am not his personal one stop shopping center.

  “Get your nasty ass outta my clothes! No wonder I can’t ever find my shit, man.”

  “Stop whinin’ like a little bitch, I haven’t had time to catch up on laundry this week. I’ll wash it when I wash my clothes and put it back in your drawer like I always do,” he says walking away. I look over at Rainey and she has a loving smile on her face.

  “Don’t worry, Levi. When I do my clothes tomorrow I’ll do y’alls and make sure it’s put away. Give your brother a break, he has been working really hard the last couple of weeks.” I can’t deny her anything, so I reach over, kiss her on her cheek and stand up from the bed. I stretch my sore and achy muscles and hold my hand out to help her up from the bed. Now that she’s wide awake, my dick isn’t so scared of her anymore.

  “Need some assistance getting dressed, Rai?”

  “I think I’ve got it, thanks for the offer though.” The sassy little minx winks at me and I begin to drool like a newborn baby. She is sex on legs, and I can’t ever seem to get enough visual, when it comes to her, and her body that I love to explore, and admire…on a daily basis, if permitted. Exception to that rule is when she gets a visit from mother nature. Then, Carson and I find any excuse we can to have others around as witnesses in case she goes postal and rips our hearts out. She’s vicious that time of the month, and it’s like trying to reign a kitten’s claws in. But I wouldn’t trade any time I have with her for anything—the good, the bad and the evil.

  We’re on the bike and traveling through the streets heading towards our destination. Rainey’s head is thrown back, and I can’t help but look through my side mirror and admire the way her head is thrown back as she takes the sun in on her face. How the fuck two assholes like us got lucky enough to catch her is beyond me, but I’m a selfish fucker and I won’t let her go now if you paid me every green bill that’s been printed since the beginning of time. For the first time in weeks she looks happy and whatever’s been worrying her is long gone from her mind.

  We pull up to the bistro that she loves two hours later. We took the long route here since we don’t get enough riding time in since these two work endless hours at the shop. They’re both so creative and love what they do, so I don’t complain about the hours they keep. Do I wish they had a nine to five, so I’d get more time with them? Absofuckin’lutely, but I wouldn’t begrudge them from doing something that called to them as much as what they do does. I have the same passion for bikes and cars, I love to diagnose them, fix them and I even restore them to the beauties they once were after being neglected for so long. I wouldn’t want to give that up, so I can’t very well ask them to walk a path I’m not willin’ to.

  We walk into the bistro, each of us holding one of Rai’s hands and no one looks our way twice. We come here as often as we can, so they’re used to us, plus, Carson threatened a beat down the first time we came, and everyone looked upon us like we were carryin’ the plague or some shit. Ever since then, we’ve been treated like kings and she’s gotten service that is equivalent to what a queen should get.

  Rainey

  Walking through the doors of my favorite bistro, that Dad used to bring me to when he was still alive, memories of the first time that I brought my guys here assaults me and brings thoughts to the forefront of my mind of what’s going on right now. I haven’t checked social media this morning or my emails, deciding I wanted to give my guys a day free of my inner misery. I look around to see if any eyes are on us, and luckily, they aren’t. The first time we came here was a disaster, if the owner and manager of the establishment weren’t here, my men might have gone to jail that day…

  I’m so excited to show my men where Dad used to bring me on our father/daughter dates. He used to have one with each of us once a month, those memories are something I’ll cherish for as long as I live. We walk in and I hear the words—slut, whore and tramp come from different patrons. I feel the guys go stiff next me and I tug on their arms to get them up to the counter, so we can order, and go outside and sit on the patio where hopefully we’ll be alone and won’t have to deal with other’s judgements of us. As we’re in line, some asshole has the nerve to say, this is a family establishment, we have children here, we don’t want them exposed to your brand of trash. Before I have the opportunity to hold Carson back, he has the man up by his throat and against the wall.

  “The fuck did you just say?” The guy of course couldn’t talk since he could barely get any oxygen in his lungs from how hard Carson had a hold of his throat.

  “Carson, baby,” I say walking up to him, “he’s not worth it baby, let him go.” Carson looks at me, and Levi grabs me by the arm and moves me behind him. He gives his brother a nod and Carson returns his attention to the asshole.

  “Get your hands off my husband!” I hear a woman screech out, but that’s not what worries me, it’s the children who are crying at witnessing their father being in a chokehold.

  “Levi?” I say grabbing ahold of his arm, “
you have to stop him, his kids are seeing this, and they’re terrified.”

  “They’re learning a lesson right now.”

  “And what lesson would that be,” I hiss out at him.

  “That you shouldn’t go around judgin’ others and this may teach ‘em to keep their mouths shut and opinions to themselves. One day, they may remember this and not want a beat down and keep their traps shut!” Dear lord, he actually believes this nonsense coming out of his mouth. I look over in time to see the man’s wife raise the vase that’s on the middle of their table for decoration purposes and see that she has plans to use it on my man’s head. I don’t fucking think so! I scoot around Levi and grab the woman’s arm before she has a chance to swing it down.

  “Listen, lady,” I begin, “I get you’re upset, but if you touch one hair on his head, it will be you getting a lesson taught today…understand?”

  “Then have your trashy boyfriend get his hands off my husband!” The fuck did she just say to me?

  I look over at Carson and tell him, “Carry on, these two need a lesson in manners, baby.” Levi grins at me and I shake my head, I can’t believe people are so damn narrow-minded in this day and time.

  “What’s going on out here?” I hear and look over to see Dad’s best friend, Jerry. He’s the owner of this establishment and he and his wife Rayne, who I’m named after, come out of the back.

  “Jerry, Rayne,” I say. The guys look over to the duo who has come in and nod their heads at them in greeting. “These are my men, Levi and Carson,” I say pointing to them as I make introductions. “These fine people of your establishment had some not-so-nice things to say about us.”