Unraveling Fayth (Devil's Knights Book 8) Read online

  “Troy! I’m fucking pregnant!” I shouted.

  Brock cried out, and his cute, little face scrunched up. I buried my face in his sweet scent and turned my back to Troy.

  “Dammit, Marley, I’m sorry.” He put his arms around me. “You know how I get. I can’t see past my own nose sometimes.”

  Troy was right. I did know how he got, and that was one of the things I loved about him. He could see humor in anything. “You just need to reel it in sometimes,” I whispered. Brock was playing with my hair, and Troy’s hands rubbed my stomach.

  “You’re having my baby again, Marley.” Troy stated.

  “I sure am,” I mumbled.

  Troy sighed, and I turned around in his arms. “We’re gonna have two kids under the age of two running around the house.” I nodded. “Ol’ Bandit isn’t going to know what to think.”

  “He’ll get used to it, just like he did with Brock.”

  Troy brushed my hair out of my face. “You’re having my baby,” he repeated.

  I nodded and knew that it was finally sinking in.

  Troy grabbed me around the waist and spun Brock and me around. Brock clapped his hands and laughed at his silly daddy.

  Troy pressed a kiss to Brock’s cheek and took him out of my arms. He set him in his highchair and dumped a pile of Cheerios in front of him.

  “Troy, that’s too many,” I scolded.

  Troy tossed the box of cereal on the counter and grabbed me around the waist. “Silence,” he whispered.

  “I kill you!” Brock shouted.

  Troy pressed his forehead to mine, a goofy grin on his lips. “I promise not to let the new baby watch Comedy Central.”

  “Promises, promises,” I whispered.

  “I love you, Marley,” he growled against my lips.

  “I love you too, Troy.”

  ********

  Cyn

  “Get in the car.”

  I grabbed my purse and hitched it over my shoulder.

  “Get in the car now, Diamond,” I heard Rigid say as I walked out the front door.

  “You need to have a firm voice, Rigid.” I walked up to the car and put my hands on my hips.

  “I can’t have more of a firm voice than I do, Cyn,” he growled. “I wanted a big, burly Doberman, and you come home with a girl Doberman with a neon pink collar on, and you name her Diamond. How the hell can you be firm when saying Diamond?”

  “Like this, Dad,” Micha called from the open car door. “Come here, Diamond,” he said, patting his knee. Diamond hopped into the car, and I slammed the door.

  “You’re losing your touch, Rigid. I’m going to have to start calling you Ashley. It seems to suit you better.”

  “You do that, and you’re going to end up over my knee,” he said menacingly.

  “Promises, promises,” I chided.

  Rigid pushed me up against the car and caged me in with his arms. “You better be thankful we have somewhere to be, or I’d make good on my promise right now.”

  “Micha is staying the night at Gwen’s tonight,” I purred, running my hands up his arms.

  “Are you just trying to get me riled up?” he asked.

  “Maybe, but you’ll never know for sure.”

  “Cynthia, you’re trying my patience,” he mumbled next to my ear.

  I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him close. “Good,” I whispered.

  Rigid delved his hands into my hair and devoured my mouth.

  “How the hell after five years, do you still drive me crazy?” he asked when we finally came up for air.

  “Probably the same way you drive me crazy. Chemistry, big man,” I said before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

  “As soon as we get home, I’m going to show you chemistry,” he mumbled.

  I pressed a quick kiss to his lips and ran my fingers through my hair. “I can’t wait.”

  ********

  Paige

  “One more.”

  I shook my head and brushed on my lip gloss.

  “Paige, come one. How can you not want one more?” Demon asked from where he sat on the edge of the tub, holding our three-month-old son, Braxton in his arms.

  I heard running down the hallway and knew my two reasons for stopping at three were about to burst through the bathroom door.

  “Ma, Mom, Mommy,” Ryan and Riley yelled as they pounded on the bathroom door. I looked at Demon in the mirror and pointed at the door. “Our three-year-old twins are the reason I don’t want any more. If I managed to make it through the terrible three’s with those two, I think we’ll be doing good.”

  “Come on, Paige, you know how boys are. Next time, we can have a girl,” Demon pointed out.

  I rolled my eyes and turned around. I leaned against the bathroom sink and crossed my arms over my chest. “You promised me with Braxton that he was going to be a girl. I’m pretty sure when he screamed bloody murder when he got circumcised says differently.” I knew that Demon couldn’t predict what we were going to have, but I still liked to point out that he was wrong about Braxton.

  “That’s because we had sex on a Tuesday with him. I figure we shoot for a Thursday, and bada bing bada boom, girl.”

  “Did you really just say bada bing bada boom?” The man was pulling every trick out of the bag to try to convince me to have another baby.

  Demon shrugged and looked down at Braxton. “How can you not want to have another one of these?”

  Ryan pounded on the door and demanded I open it to open his juice box. “Because that,” I said, pointing at a sleeping Braxton, “turns into screaming banshees who need juice boxes opened at all hours of the night.” I opened the door a crack and grabbed the juice box Ryan handed me. I poked the straw through the hole and handed it back to him. “You boys better not have gotten dirty,” I called as they ran down the hallway to their room.

  “One more, and then we’re done,” Demon promised.

  “How about we just practice?” I suggested.

  “Baby,” Demon wiggled his eyebrows at me. “You know we don’t need to practice. We’ve got this down pat now.”

  I shook my head and pushed off of the counter. “Enjoy the ones you’ve got, Demon, because they are all you’re getting from this baby factory.”

  I patted him on the shoulder and opened the bathroom door.

  “I love you, Paige,” he called while I walked down the hallway. “Even if you won’t give me any more babies.”

  “I love you, too, Demon.”

  “That’s all you have to say?” he hollered.

  “Do you need anything more?” I yelled back.

  I heard him grumble and walk out of the bathroom. “No, but since you won’t give me any more babies, you have to change Braxton. He just stunk me out of the bathroom.” Demon handed Braxton off to me and shook his head. “I could feel him filling the diaper, baby,” he grimaced.

  “And you want another of these?” I laughed.

  “Do you think we could get one that’s potty trained?”

  I shook my head. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works.”

  Demon pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “Then, I think we’re good with the three poop machines we have.”

  I busted out laughing. “Well, while I take care of this one, why don’t you go make sure the other two are ready to go. We need to be to Meg’s in half an hour and no matter what we do, we always seem to be an hour behind.”

  “I’m on it, baby.” Demon headed down the hallway to the boy’s room and yelled “what are you doing” when he jumped into their room. The boys busted out into giggles, and I smiled down at Braxton.

  “I think we’re pretty good at five, don’t you bud?” Braxton smiled up at me, and I felt a rip roaring fart on my hand. “We’re definitely good at five.”

  ********

  Gwen

  “Oh God, help me out.” I waved my hand at Gambler, who just stood by my door and watched me struggled to get up.

  “Why the hell a
re you wearing heels?” he asked.

  “Because I look hot in heels. Flats make me feel old.”

  Gambler grabbed my hand and hoisted me out of the car. Hoist was the most appropriate word for anything these days when it came to me getting up. My eighth month of pregnancy was not agreeing with me. “Yeah, well, flats keep you and my baby safe. Now, I’m going to have to follow you around all day making sure you don’t fall over.”

  “You act like I’m a wobbling tower of Jenga pieces,” I sneered, grabbing his shoulder to steady myself.

  “I have never heard a more accurate description of you being eight months pregnant and teetering around in heels.”

  I slapped Gambler on the chest and looped my arm through his. “One more month,” I mumbled.

  Gambler helped me up the curb and looked down at me. “I love you, Gwen, and you do know we’re at least doing this one more time, right?”

  I nodded. “I love you, too, and I know. As soon as we’re given the okay, we’re onto baby two, but do you think we could just worry about this one right now? He’s pretty feisty today,” I said, rubbing my stomach where he had just kicked.

  “He’s ready to come out.” He rubbed my stomach and the baby kicked again.

  I shook my head. “Nope. He needs to stay in there and cook a little bit longer. We still have to finish unpacking all of the boxes, and then get the crib put together. Three weeks, at least.”

  “Let’s hope he heard that,” Demon said and pulled me to Meg’s house.

  We had just moved into a three-bedroom ranch over by Slider’s house, and we had both realized how stupid it was to move while pregnant. Gambler ended up doing ninety percent of the work while I either complained or slept. So, it actually wasn’t that bad of a deal for me, it was Gambler who was getting the short end of the stick.

  “I think we’re the last ones here,” I mumbled. Everyone was spread around Meg’s backyard and deck.

  “Yeah, it looks like we are, although I don’t see Ethel or Gravel.”

  “You think they’re okay?”

  Gambler shrugged. “I sure fucking hope so.”

  ********

  Ethel

  “What did he say?”

  I looked over at Gravel and shook my head.

  “Dammit, woman, tell me what the doctor said.”

  “Negative. It was negative,” I sobbed.

  Gravel slouched in his seat and sighed. “You about gave me a heart attack there. You know I’m old and my heart can’t take that.”

  I set my phone on the dash and looked out the windshield. We were parked outside of Meg’s house when the doctor called. I had been waiting all day yesterday for the phone call, and it never came. Gravel had insisted I contact the doctor myself, but I had fought him off. Thankfully, the doctor had finally called, or I knew Gravel would have barged into his office on Monday and demanded to know the results of a bump they had removed from my breast.

  “So, it was nothing. No cancer?”

  I nodded. “It was benign.”

  “Holy fuck, Ethel. I thought I was going to have to go through worrying about losing you all over again. Twice was enough.”

  I had to agree with him. Six years ago, I had been diagnosed the first time with breast cancer, then three years ago, I had relapsed and gone through chemo and treatment all over again. It was a hellacious few years, but I had made it through. “Negative,” I said, laughing. “It was negative!” I shouted.

  Gravel looked over at me like I had lost my marbles. “You okay over there, woman?”

  “I’m great,” I sobbed as the realization hit me. I had cheated death again. “I didn’t know how much longer I had on this Earth, but I knew it wasn’t going to be breast cancer that was going to take me out. “I love you, Gravel. I love you so much. You stood by me and helped me so much these past years. I never would have made it without you.”

  Gravel threaded his fingers through mine and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand. “You’re a fighter, Ethel. I knew it the day I met you, and I know it now. Nothing is going to take you from your family. You won’t let it.”

  I closed my eyes and nodded. “I love you, and I love that huge extended family we have waiting for us.”

  “Yeah, who would have known they would have thrown a shindig all because we tied the knot?” Gravel chuckled.

  “It only took us forty years to get here,” I laughed.

  “Yeah, but we finally made it.”

  ********

  Fayth

  “Eat it.”

  I shook my head and pushed my plate away. “No.”

  “I dare you,” Slider coaxed and held the fork full of potato salad in front of my mouth. “You know you want to.”

  I leaned in and whispered softly. “I freakin’ love Marley, Slider, but nothing on this Earth could make me put that in my mouth. I could tell the potatoes were raw the second I stuck my fork in it.”

  Slider shook his head and leaned back in his chair. “You’re gonna hurt your friend’s feelings if you don’t at least try it.”

  “I don’t have to try it to tell her that I tried it.”

  “That’s lying, Mom,” Marco said next to me. “You always told me that no matter what, always tell the truth. I think it’s only fair that you tell Marley her food is crap.”

  “Hey, how come you didn’t take any?” I asked him, looking at his plate that was full of food, but didn’t have any raw potato salad on it.

  “Because I asked Remy who made what when we were going through the line. He told me it was all good to eat besides the green bowl.” Marco shoveled a fork full of beans into his mouth and sighed. “Way better than raw potatoes.”

  Slider laughed, and I glared at him. “And how the hell did you manage to not take any?”

  “I saw Marley walk in with the bowl. You should really pick up on these things after five years, Fay.” Slider winked and waved the fork in front of me again. “One bite won’t kill you, Firecracker.”

  “Oh, you took some, too,” Marley called as she walked over to our table with Troy trailing behind her. “How was it?”

  Troy shook his head and waved his arms in the air. Slider smothered a laugh with the back of his hand and turned away from Marley. “Excuse him, he’s got a horrible case of being an ass today,” I explained to Marley while I kicked Slider under the table. “He was dropped on his head as a baby.”

  Marco choked on his food because he was laughing so hard, and I had to slap him on the back to get him breathing again.

  Troy came up behind Marley and wrapped his arms around her. “Did you hear our news?” he asked, rubbing her belly.

  Thank you, sweet baby Jesus, Troy was giving me an out so I didn’t have to tell Marley how horrible her food was. “Oh my god,” I gasped. “That’s amazing!”

  “Saved by the baby,” Slider mumbled under his breath.

  I managed to kick him under the table one last time before I stood and hugged Marley. “I’m so happy for you,” I gushed, wrapping my arms around her.

  “Yeah, we weren’t going to tell anyone, but apparently Troy just can't keep it in.”

  Troy grimaced and shrugged. “You know me, I just can’t keep a secret.” He also couldn’t stand to see his wife’s feeling get hurt either.

  Gwen and Paige came over, and Troy told them too.

  Slider grabbed my arm and tugged me over to the side of the huge tent we were sitting under. “You know you’re going to have to pay for those kicks, right?” he whispered in my ear and wrapped his arms around me.

  “I don’t know why you have to tease me so much.”

  “Because I like the way you blush when you try to lie,” he said, brushing a finger down my cheek. “And, I wasn’t going to make you eat that. I don’t want you to choke on a raw potato.”

  “How chivalrous of you.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Is Marco heading back to Chicago with Remy tonight?” Slider glided his hands down my back and grabbed my ass.

  “No,
I think he's staying one more night, and then they are headed back.”

  “So, one more night and then I’m back to having you all to myself?”

  “Yes, do you think you can control yourself for that long?” I chided.

  “Probably, but that’s only because I’m going to have you tonight.”

  “Slider,” I scolded as I batted his hands away. “I can’t take you anywhere without you trying to fuck me.”

  “That’s because it’s my favorite thing to do. Can you really blame me?” he whispered in my ear.

  I couldn’t blame him, but it would be nice for the man to have some self-control. “Five minutes, that’s all you get. Everyone is going to wonder where we went if we’re gone for longer than that.”

  Slider picked me up, and I couldn’t help the yelp that escaped my lips. Everyone look over at us, and a guilty smile spread across my lips.

  “We’ll be right back, Ethel,” Slider hollered over his shoulder and headed to the side of the house.

  “Any kind of stealthiness we had going for us, you blew out of the water,” I scolded.

  “You really think I care?” Slider asked, pressing me against the side of Meg’s house and running his hand up my thigh.

  “No, but I would hope that you would care if I cared.”

  “That’s a whole lot of caring that I just don’t have time to care about, Fay.”

  I put my hands on Slider’s shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Is it always going to be like this?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like we can’t get enough of each other, and we have a huge group of friends that are like family?”

  “It hasn’t changed in the past five years, Fay. Why all of a sudden do you think it will?” Slider cupped my cheek and stroked his thumb along my jaw.

  “Everything is perfect, Slider. I’m terrified it’s all going to fall apart.”

  Slider shook his head. “And you know what you do when things are going good?” I shook my head no, because if I did, I wouldn’t be terrified of change. “You hold on, and don’t let go.”