Chapter Thirty-Six
DEE
The Next Day
We spent last night making love—hard and fast, then slow and romantic. Now I’m completely worn out, curled up in our bed with Colt’s arms wrapped tightly around me. He’s still asleep, and I don’t have the heart to wake him. After everything he’s been through in the last twenty-four hours, he deserves this moment of peace.
I hold him a little tighter and close my eyes, letting his scent calm me. I’ve missed him. It was only a week apart, but even an hour without him feels like too much. Being back here, wrapped in him, feels right. Feels like home.
There is still a twinge of guilt for asking him to take the test, but if he hadn’t, I’d be in Joseph’s guest room right now, pining for my husband and believing I left him so he could be with his ‘family.’ A family that was never his to begin with.
I can’t believe Macy never told him about Hux. That betrayal is going to tear at more than just their brotherly relationship. It could rip the band apart. And I know, somehow, I’m going to have to be the one to help Colt fix it. Even if Hux is a complete pain in my ass, Colt still loves his brother. He needs him even if he doesn’t realize it yet.
Colt stirs beside me, his arms tightening as he inhales like he’s breathing me in. “This is how I’m meant to wake up every morning,” he murmurs into my hair, his lips brushing my scalp.
“What do you mean?” I ask softly.
He pulls back just enough to meet my eyes. “Waking up entangled with my wife… shagged out from rooting her all night,” he smirks.
I chuckle. “You have such a way with words.” Shaking my head, I lean up to kiss him. He meets me halfway, soft and slow, his hand brushing over my cheek.
“Yesterday really was a shit show, I’m sorry,” I whisper.
He sighs, his expression softening. “Don’t be. I should’ve gotten the paternity test ages ago. I just… he looked so much like me. I didn’t stop to think that it’s because he looks like my fucking idiot brother.” I feel him tense again, and I know where this is headed.
“Look,” I begin carefully. “About Hux… what he did was wrong, no doubt about that. But maybe you should talk to him. I know he’s probably feeling like shit. For the sake of the band, at least hear him out.”
“Fuck him. He’s out of the band,” Colt growls.
“Babe…” I sigh. “12GUAGE-Slayedcan’t exactly be about the Slade brothers if there’s only one of you.”
“I don’t care. We’ll change the name, get a new guitarist, whatever. That prick is never stepping foot on stage with me again. He’s always wanted what’s mine. He’s probably hit on you, too.”
I swallow hard. The first time I met Hux, he did throw out a line about ditching Colt for a ‘real man.’ But now’s not the time for that morsel of truth.
“No,” I lie gently. “He’s never tried anything. He hates me, remember? I doubt he’d ever try to get in my pants.”
“Give him time,” Colt mutters. “He’ll try.”
“Colt, I know you’re pissed, and I get it, but maybe Macy seduced him. You don’t know the full story.”
“Ha. Don’t even get me started on that bitch,” Colt snaps, turning his face into the pillow.
“Okay,” I say quietly, concedingfor now.
He exhales hard. “You think you know people. Turns out, you don’t know shit. How the fuck am I supposed ever to trust Hux again, Dee?”
“He’s still the same person, Colt. He made a mistake, a big one, yeah, but it was a long time ago. And, if you think about it, he did you a favor. If he hadn’t screwed up with Macy, you might’ve married her. You’d be stuck in some nine-to-five job, living a life that never would’ve brought you your dream… or me.”
His eyes find mine, and his shoulders relax. “I wouldn’t have met you,” he says softly. “And my life would be fucking empty.”
“Very fucking empty,” I tease. “Now shut up and kiss me.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he murmurs before his mouth meets mine, hungry and grateful.
***
While Colt is in the shower, I head downstairs to start breakfast. I open the refrigerator only to find it practically empty—clearly, he didn’t get groceries delivered while I was gone. I sigh and shut the door, then cross to the coffee machine and start a pot.
