Damon: are you around?
I don’t expect her to answer right away, but my phone vibrates in my hand less than a minute later.
Kait: around?
Damon: I just flew in and I really need to talk to you about something
Kait: did I know you were coming to town?
Damon: no, it was a last minute thing
Damon: can we meet somewhere? I’d rather not come by the house since I can’t stay for long and I don’t want to disappoint the girls by not sticking around
Kait: they’re doing a sleepover with Danica and the kids tonight and your father isn’t home this weekend
Damon: I’ll be there in an hour or so, just depends on how bad traffic is
Kait: I’ll be here
Kait: is everything okay?
Damon: I hope so
I wait to see if she has more to say, then tuck my phone into my pocket.
“So, where are we going?” Jax asks, his phone in his hand. “I’ll just let our driver know.”
“My father’s house,” I tell him and give him the address. “The girls are at Kait’s sister’s for a sleepover with their cousins, and my father is out of town for the weekend.”
“You still doing good?” Jace asks as Jax types out a message. “You don’t have to be a part of this if you don’t want.”
“I’m fine.” I square my shoulders so I hopefully look as confident as I sound, because I’m sure as fuck not feeling it. “And I need to be there.”
Jace nods, and Xave slips his hand in mine.
I clutch it like it’s my safety blanket, and we go out to the front of the airport to meet their driver.
It’s a bit of a tight squeeze with all six of us in the back of the limo, but being squished next to Xave isn’t something I’ll ever complain about.
It takes about forty-five minutes to get to my father’s house, and the rest of the guys chat and joke around while I sit there and try to stay engaged while my stomach feels like it’s full of knots.
When we get to the house, the driver pulls up in front of the main entrance, and Killian throws the door open.
We all pile out of the car, and Xave stands a few feet away from me.
I understand he’s trying to give me space so Kait doesn’t see me clinging to him like a baby koala, but I’m beyond caring whatshe thinks of me having a boyfriend, and at this point, I don’t even give a fuck if my father finds out about us either.
Stepping closer to Xave, I take his hand and hold it tight. He offers me a reassuring smile, and some of my anxiety settles.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Yup.” Pulling in a deep breath, I lead the group up to the main door.
It swings open just as we reach it, and I don’t miss the way Henry, our longtime butler’s, eyes widen when he sees me and Xave holding hands with his cousins crowded behind us.
“Damon,” he says with all the professionalism in the world as he steps back. “I didn’t know you were coming home this weekend. Or that you were bringing friends.”
“Hi, Henry,” I greet as we all come into the house. “It was a last-minute trip. Is Kait around?”
