“Don’t,” I warned.
“Why no—? Oh fuck! It’s in her hair!” Avery screamed which caused Riley to start screaming and thrashing all over again.
“Please!” Riley sobbed. “Get it out!”
“Avery! Sit down and hold her,” I ordered. I didn’t intend to sound as harsh as I did, but I couldn’t get it out of her hair until they both calmed down. “If you two will stop screaming and be still for just a minute, he’ll let go of her hair. Just be still and be quiet for a few seconds, okay?”
Avery sat quietly while she tried to hold Riley yet keep her at a distance. Any other time I would have laughed at how ridiculous they looked. “You’re going to feel my hand moving your hair so I can get him. I promise I won’t let him crawl on you. And then he’s going to spend Christmas break at the clubhouse.”
I continued to talk to Riley, and Avery, while I waited for the little bastard to open his pincers. Finally, he dropped into my hand and I quickly put him in his box. “He’s out. You’re okay, princess.”
“I’m sorry, Riley,” Braxton cried. “I just wanted to show you.”
I reached down to pick up Braxton while Avery was trying to calm Riley. Just as I had him in my arms, a sharp pain shot through my stomach that had me dropping to my knees.
“Kellan!” Avery gasped. “Copper! We need help!”
Copper appeared seconds later and took in the scene. “How about you two kiddos head downstairs for a minute. I hear there’s some cupcakes in the kitchen.”
“Can we, Mommy?” they asked in unison.
“Yes,” Avery answered immediately.
Copper was already helping me to my feet when River entered the room. “I’m okay,” I said even though I didn’t know if that was true.
“What happened?” Copper asked.
“I think I overdid it running up the stairs and then picking Braxton up. It didn’t even occur to me that I wasn’t supposed to lift him. I just need a minute. Once the pain goes away, I’ll be fine.”
“Let me check your abdomen and make sure everything looks like it should,” River suggested.
“Okay,” I agreed and yanked my shirt over my head. River stepped forward and pointed to Braxton’s bed. “Lay down on your back.”
I eyed the tiny bed and looked back to her. “You have got to be kidding. How about the floor?”
“That’ll work.” Once I was stretched out on the floor, she ran her hands over my stomach and carefully pressed around my incision and over my liver causing me to grimace. “Does that hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t feel great either,” I admitted.
“So, it’s tender?”
“Yes, but that’s nothing new.”
She nodded and got to her feet. “I think you’re fine, but if anything feels off, you should call the doctor,” she said seriously.
“I’ll make sure that he does,” Avery vowed.
I also got to my feet and pulled my shirt back on. “Let’s go back downstairs. I’m sure we scared the hell out of everyone just now.”
“Please, get that thing out of my house,” Avery said desperately.
“I’ll take care of it,” Copper promised and picked up the box containing Sir Stingsley and his scary food.
“Thank you!” Avery exclaimed before following River downstairs.
“Listen, brother, I know you’re chomping at the bit to track down who was responsible for the wreck, but try to put it on the backburner for right now and enjoy Christmas with your family.”
“I don’t know if I can, but I’ll try,” I replied.
