“I spoke to them on my way back from the gym. They’re gonna drop by in a bit unless you’d like to see the house?” His gaze bounces between me and Roman.
“What house?” Ro asks in between bites of the buttery chocolate goodness. Despite my churning stomach, I managed to eat a few with some chopped fruit and yogurt. Abby sure knows how to whip up a mean pancake.
“Our other brothers live at the Anderson family home. It’s where we grew up before shit hit the fan.” His expression sobers as he looks between us. “We can go to them if you’d like to see it. Or if it’s too much too soon, the guys can come here.”
I wonder if the evidence might be there? This might be a good opportunity to check out the lay of the land. “I’d like to see it, but it depends on Ro.” I won’t force my brother to go if it’ll upset him.
“Yeah, I’d like to see it too.”
“Okay, that’s settled. I’ll call Harley, and we’ll leave in an hour.”
“Are those yours?” I ask when we enter the garage attached to the house, immediately spotting the four motorcycles parked to one side.
Kaiden smirks. “They’re Abby’s.”
My brows climb to my hairline as I look over at my sister-in-law. “You ride?”
“Any chance I can get.” She beams as she eyes her collection. “They’re my babies.”
“I have a Pan America™ 1250. Ro bought it for me for my birthday.”
“Sweet.” Abby smiles. “Maybe you can bring it here and we can go riding together. Xavier is a biker too. The three of us could hit the road together. There are some great trails not far from here.”
“I have a shipping contact in New York,” Sawyer says. “Let me know if you want to arrange transportation.”
“You’re welcome to any of our cars,” Kaiden says, sweeping his hand around the large garage. There are three SUVs and two sports cars. “If you don’t want the hassle of arranging shipping.”
Having our own transportation would be handy, and I don’t want to be any more beholden to my brother. My brother’s vehicles probably have trackers, and I’d rather be able to move freely without anyone knowing my whereabouts. Besides, Ro loves his truck, and the familiarity might help. I nod at Sawyer. “I’d like to ship our stuff. Send me the details.”
“Wow.” Ro has his nose pressed to the glass of Kaiden’s SUV as we drive through the open wrought iron gates and onto the wide private driveway. “This place is huge.”
We can’t see much beyond the tall trees lining each side of the driveway except for rolling lawn in all directions. When we round the bend, a large two-story gray stone mansion looms in the distance, stretching wide on either side of the property, surrounded by thick forest at the rear. Several gabled roofs point skyward, covering a symmetrical arrangement of windows and doors on the front façade. Old-style pillars, a full wraparoundporch, and upstairs balconies complete the traditional-style house.
Off to one side is a large outdoor pool and tiled seating area. On the other side is a tennis court and what looks like a putting green.
Kai parks the car on the gravel-lined front yard, directly in front of an elevated porch with plush couches, chairs, and a coffee table. The two large wooden front doors are to our right, and they swing open as we climb out of the car. Two tall, dark-haired men stalk out of the house, walking down the steps to greet us.
I walk round to Ro’s side, swallowing thickly as our other two brothers approach. Abby was right earlier. We all look so much alike. Kai comes up on Ro’s left as our brothers stop a few feet in front of us. Instinctively, I scoot in closer to Ro, brushing against his arm and offering silent support.
The four of us look at one another for a few beats while Kai and Abby hang back.
The slightly shorter of the two guys steps forward with tears glistening in his eyes. “I’m Harley,” he says in a slightly shaky voice. He clears his throat. “I don’t think there’s a rule book for this situation, and I’m not sure what to say, only I’m so glad you’re here.” Fresh tears fill his eyes. “Kai and Rick said they would find you, and they did.” He swipes at his eyes, taking a step closer to us. Ro moves forward to meet him. “Welcome home,” Harley adds.
I grind my teeth to my molars as Ro and Harley move as one, embracing like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I shuffle awkwardly on my feet as they start crying. Ro’s body is heaving with emotion as he clings to his brother. A sob rings out behind us, and I can’t figure out if it’s coming from Abby or her husband.
Our other brother, Joaquin, leans against the decked post, pulling a casual pose as he pins me with a look. “Fucking pussies.”
I snort a laugh, and it helps to break the tension. My gaze rakes over the sleeves on both his arms. “Nice ink.”
“Same.” His gaze treks over my arms. “Decent artistry. Where’d you get it done?”
“Starlight Ink Studio in Queens.”
“I’ve heard of them. Isn’t that where Travis Maine works?”
I nod. “Yeah. I tried to schedule an appointment with him, but he’s booked solid for months and not taking on new clients.”
“Guy is a legend.”
