I pull a bottle of whiskey out of my desk along with two crystal glasses. We usually keep the Macallan for signing major contracts, but I think agreeing to our marriage arrangement is a time to celebrate. I fill both of our glasses with two fingers of the very expensive liquor and hand it to Graham.
Holding up the crystal glass, I give him a smile and say, “To the rest of our lives as brothers and making a new Meadows Family.”
Our glasses clink, and we both take a sip and set back in our office chairs. Graham pulls up the camera in our bedroom, and we just watch Nyx sleep until sleep starts to claw at us.
CHAPTER 62
DEMITRI
Nyx is off at a self-defense class with the girls. I think they have added a little red head named Molly to their little girl gang. I refuse to call them a group because, lord knows, with Alyra teaching them to fight, they would kick our asses without breaking a nail.
It’s been a few days since we inserted the tracker in Nyx’s thigh, and she is healing up well. Both mentally and physically, from the event. She hasn’t had nearly as many nightmares, or waking up screaming her head off. I will take that as a win.
Captain Montgomery has mentioned allowing her to come back into the office a few days a week to do some bitch work. Which she complained her ass off about, but she enjoys the time out of the house and gives her a little semblance of normalcy.
“Hey,” Graham comes strolling into the office where I have been staring at the engagement ring we picked out yesterday. “Have you called Bill yet?”
“No, I’m terrified he’s going to tell me to get fucked. What do I have to offer her?” My nerves are getting the best of me right now, and I can’t think of a time I have ever been so fucking scared.
“Pick up the damn phone, Dee. I’ll hold your hand.” Graham laughs while I pull up Bill’s number. The line rings a few times before he answers.
“This is Captain Montgomery.” Bill’s no nonsense voice rumbles through the phone speaker.
“Hey, Captain. It’s Demitri Meadows and Graham Hutchinson. You are on speaker phone. “I never want to surprise him with who is listening in.
“What can I do for you boys?” He sounds concerned. “Is Nyx okay? I hope this isn’t another phone call to tell me you have lost her yet again.” I know he is just kidding, but the tone of his voice gives nothing away.
“Oh, fuck that, Cap.” Hutch laughs.
“Ok, good. I didn’t want to have to hide your bodies.” Bill laughs, but I know he totally would hide our bodies if anything happened to her.
“I wanted to know if you would meet Graham and I for lunch or a beer? We…” Graham slaps me upside my head. “Ouch. I mean…I have a question for you.” I glare at Graham.
“Oh, this is going to be good.” His chuckle with a hint of darkness. “Okay, consider me interested. Meet you at Grant’s at like 14:00?”
“Copy that, Cap. See you this afternoon.” I hit the red end button and let out a huge breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“See, that wasn’t so bad, now, was it?” He laughs at me. “I’m going to go get a workout before lunch.” Graham leaves the office with a smile on his face.
As I pull up outside the small pub, my heart starts to pound in my chest. I can feel the anxiety putting my chest in a vice grip. Graham is sitting next to me in the truck. I look over at him and he is sitting there, the picture of calm.
Of course he’s calm. He’s not asking Cap to marry his adoptive daughter.
“Dee, breathe. You have to breathe, or you will pass out before you even get the words out.” He gives me a smile, and I feel a little of the stress leave my body. I could never do this without my best friend by my side.
I get out of the truck and straighten my shirt. I may have dressed like we are going into a business meeting. Light blue, button down, shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, no tie, and black slacks. I know that Bill would never care what I wore, but I wanted to make sure he knew I meant business. Pushing my shoulders back, holding my head high, I walk through the door of Grant’s Pub.
Bill is sitting in the far corner booth, with three beers at the table. Graham slides into the open side, and I sit down next to him.
“I figured this conversation could start with beers.” Bill lifts his glass in the air, we clink our glasses together and I relax. “So, what did we need to talk about, boys?”
I take a few quick breaths to try, and draw up the courage that 20-year-old me had. Graham leans back in the seat and gives me a slight nudge in the ribs to encourage me to talk. Meeting Bill’s eyes, he doesn’t look angry or as commanding as he normally is. This isn’t Captain Montgomery, it’s Bill the family man.
“O…okay, so…” I stammer, not able to get the words to form on my tongue.
Fuck, this is a new feeling. I would rather lay my Little Witch down on this table to use my tongue for other things. Get your head in the game, Demitri.
“You know that I love Nyx, with every ounce of my scared, dark soul, right?”Wow, Dee, this is really working out great.
