Chapter 68

My phone vibrates on the kitchen counter in front of me, and a text from Drake flashes on the screen.

I’m outside. And I have cappuccino and waffles

Frowning, I text him back.

Have you sent this to the wrong number?

No, dude! I’m outside the elevator to your penthouse. Press a button and let me up

He’s supposed to be in Chicago. What the hell is he doing here? I go to the intercom in the kitchen and check the screen, and sure enough there’s my brother, a goofy smile on his face and a tray of coffee and a brown paper bag in his hands.

I press the button to allow him up, confused as to what’s brought him all the way here but happy to see him. I grab plates from the cabinet, and a few moments later, I hear his heavy footsteps coming down the hall.

He holds up the paper bag and the tray containing three coffees. “Hey, bro.”

“I love that you never visit empty-handed.” He places his offerings on the island, and I wrap him in a hug. “But what the hell are you doing here?”

He cocks his head and winces. “I’ve been a shit brother. I should have been here for you, but that trial was …” He blows out a breath. “I’m sorry about you and Mel. And about the baby.”

“You couldn’t be a shit brother if you tried, but thank you.” I hug him again. “I’m fucking stoked you’re here.”

“Yeah, well Mase said Mel was staying with you for a while, but I wasn’t sure if she was still here. I brought her a coffee and some waffles just in case.”

Shit, Mel! I should go tell her we have company before she walks into the kitchen naked, which is how I asked her to dress for breakfast before she jumped in the shower ten minutes ago. Her footsteps coming down the hallway tell me I’m too late. I throw my hand over Drake’s eyes, and he yelps in surprise. A few seconds later, Mel walks into the kitchen. Fortunately not naked, but she is only wearing one of my shirts, which skims her mid-thigh, and I hope to fuck she has panties on under there.

Drake jerks his head away from my hand.

“Drake!” Mel claps her hands together. “It’s so good to see you.”

I don’t miss him taking in her outfit and side-eyeing me. “I brought waffles.”

Her eyes light up. “Then I’m even happier to see you.” She crosses the kitchen and peers into the paper bag before licking her pouty lips. I clear my throat, feeling strangely awkward. The last time I saw my brother, we were talking about divorce papers.

“I’m so sorry about the baby, Mel,” Drake says.

Her eyes fill with sadness, but she smiles at him. “Thank you.”

“Shall we eat?” I suggest.

“Please. I’m starving after …” Her cheeks flush pink, and she presses her lips together. I’m almost certain she wasn’t about to say anything about how hard I fucked her less than half an hour ago. It’s pretty much all I’ve done since I put my ring back on her finger two days ago, but the memory alone is clearly enough to have her blushing like a virgin.

Drake smirks at me. “Did I come at a bad time, bro? Because I can come back later.”

I roll my eyes at him.

“You’re not interrupting anything, Drake,” Mel says sweetly.

I wink at him. “Not right now, anyway.”

“Nate!” Mel squeals, and her blush deepens further. Unable to resist making her squirm, I slip an arm around her waist and kiss her. Looks like all of my brothers will know we’re back together by the end of the day.

After we finish the waffles Drake brought, he gets ready to leave. “I assume I’ll see you both at Dad’s for dinner later?”

I glance at Mel to gauge her reaction. I intended to spend the entire day alone with her, during which I would explore every single inch of her body. But her eyes are shining and she’s grinning from ear to ear. It’s easy for me to forget that from the age of thirteen on, she never had much of a family. It’s also easy to take mine for granted.

“Sure, we’ll be there later,” I tell him.

Mel claps her hands and squeaks her delight.

Drake nods his approval and wraps his arms around my beautiful wife, giving her one of his infamous bear hugs. He whispers something in her ear that makes tears prick at her eyes, but the smile she’s had on her face all morning grows wider.

After he leaves, I pull her in for a hug, desperate to touch her. She leans into me, her head against my chest. “What did he say to you?”

She laughs. “That’s between me and him, Ice.”

The way my brothers and father fuss over Mel, practically ignoring me, makes me feel like I’ve brought a celebrity to Sunday dinner. But their joy, especially hers, keeps me from begrudging any of them for it. After chasing my brothers into the kitchen to fix drinks and check on dinner, Dad pulls Mel into his arms, squeezing her like he’ll never let go. I watch the way she melts into him. My entire family fell in love with her the first time they met her, and I can’t blame them.

When he pulls back, they both have tears in their eyes. “There are plenty of babies in your future. I can feel it.” He gently wipes a tear from her face. “My Verona lost four babies before she had Elijah, and then she blessed me with five sons.”

A lump forms in my throat. I had no idea they went through that.

She chokes back a sob. “Thank you, Dalton.”

“No, thank you, sweet girl. You’ve melted this old man’s ice-cold heart.”

Drake sidles up beside me. “Well, fuck. She’s got Pop wrapped around her finger. I haven’t seen him smile like that since before …” He doesn’t need to finish the sentence.

I sigh with contentment. “Yeah, he’s not the only one she’s put a spell on.”

“I see that, brother.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder. “I’m happy for you.”

A throat clears behind us. Drake and I spin around, and I blink at the sight that greets us, sure it must be a hallucination. I manage to find my voice. “Maddox!”

He drops his huge duffel bag onto the floor with a thud and rubs a hand through his shaggy beard. “Hey!”

Drake gasps. “Jesus Christ, Mad.”

Our youngest brother shrugs. “I heard what happened. Figured you might need a hug.”

“Fuck yeah, I need a hug.” We both move at the same time, crossing the room and clashing in the middle, a mess of arms and shoulders as we grab onto each other. He smells of fresh air, peppermint, coffee.

“I’m sorry, bro.” He bands his powerful arms around my back. “Elijah told me what happened, and it sucks.”

I pull his face into my shoulder. “I’m so fucking happy to see you.” It’s been four years since Maddox walked out of this house with a promise that he’d never come back.

“Hey. He’s not the only one who’s missed you,” Drake says, and I let Maddox go so the others can greet him.

I’m gawking at him when Mel curls her slender fingers through mine. “Is this your baby brother?”

“Yeah.” I smile down at her.

“Is this the lady I’ve heard so much about?” Maddox asks, coming to stand in front of us.

“This is my wife, Mel.”

“Mel.” He pulls something out of his pocket. “I got this for you. It was blessed by a shaman. It’s for fertility.” He hands her a small wooden carving of the female form.

She takes it from him and holds it to her chest. “That’s so sweet of you. Thank you, Maddox.”

“Son?” our father croaks.

Maddox licks his lips, his dark brown eyes full of sadness or maybe regret. “Hey, Pop.”

“I really like staying here.” Mel drapes her thigh over me and presses her body against mine. “It’s so lovely seeing you with your dad and brothers.”

I trace my fingertips up and down her spine. “I like seeing you with them too, corazón.”

“And it was wonderful to meet Maddox.”

I pull her tight, pressing a kiss on top of her head. Having Maddox home is the cherry on top of this already incredible day. Nothing could be better than waking up with my wife in my arms, having my ring on her finger, waffles with her and Drake, all rounded off with dinner with all the people I love most in the world. “I’m glad you two hit it off.”

“He’s so interesting. He has so many stories.”

Yeah, you don’t know the half of it. I keep that thought to myself. Not my stories to tell.

“And your dad was so happy to have him home.”

“Yeah, we all are.”

She yawns and snuggles into me. “I love you, Ice.”

My heart feels like it’s about to burst. “I love you too, Spitfire.”

A little while later, Mel’s breathing evens out, and I roll her off me and climb out of bed. It’s unusual for me to struggle with sleep while she’s next to me, but my mind won’t stop racing with old memories. My brothers and me as kids. My parents hugging and kissing and laughing, so in love with each other. My mom’s death. Maddox leaving.

I pull on a pair of sweatpants and walk over to the window, peering out into the darkness. Sorrow overwhelms me at the sight of my father sitting on the bench where he spent so many summer evenings with my mother. Seeing him there, all alone in the cold, has me pulling on a hoodie and sneakers and leaving my sleeping wife.

Cold air hits me like a wave of icy water when I step outside, and I head over to Dad and take a seat beside him. “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night? You’ll freeze your ass off.”

He tilts his face up to the night sky. “Just wanted some air.”

“You okay?”

He closes his eyes and smiles. “Better than okay, son.”

“It’s good to have Maddox home.”

His Adam’s apple bobs. “It’s better than good. I thought I might never see him again.”

I squeeze his shoulder. “I know, Dad.”

He turns to face me, his eyes wet with tears. “Him coming home, you and Mel back on track … It’s been a good day.”

I lean back against the bench. “Yeah, it sure has.”

“You love her, son?”

“With everything I have.”

He pats my thigh. “I’m happy for you both.”

“You’re not mad I didn’t follow your advice? To never fall in love?”

His laugh cuts through the quiet night. “When have you boys ever taken my advice? Besides, that was the worst piece of wisdom I ever imparted.”

“Shouldn’t you tell the rest of them that?”

He laughs again, crossing his legs and resting his ankle on his thigh. “They know, son. Just like you did, they know.”