Page 56 of Climbing Everest

Everest

I might have gone overboard.

Most of the bags and boxes were downstairs, but there are still far too many in my room. At least it’s currently my room.

The constant noise coming from down the hall is getting on my nerves, but apparently, my guys decided to bust down the walls between a spare room and Madd’s room to make a huge bedroom complete with an Alaskan king bed to fit all four of us.

I’ve got to be honest – I kind of love the thought of the four of us sleeping together every night, of feeling their body heat against me, of feeling as though I’m wrapped in this cocoon of muscles and strength.

Of having a bedroom that is ours, not one as impersonal as the one I’ve been using, not bouncing between rooms. No, just like a regular married couple, I’ll be sleeping beside my men every night for the rest of my life.

The wedding is less than eight days away since today is quickly passing, and I’m not at all nervous.

Or at least I’m not nervous about getting married. It’s literally nothing more than a technicality and a reason to wear the beautiful gown I chose to wear as I walked down the aisle.

Not to mention the amazing reception I’ve planned for after.

Kato might have started out with a big show of possession, but I’ve turned this animal into a full-blown monster since I took the reins.

I suppose I should be stressed, going over every last-minute detail, but that was why Kato had originally hired the event planner and why I added more members to the planning staff.

The only thing I want to have to do that day is get my hair and makeup done, wear the gown, and show up to the church.

Honestly, the only anxiety or fear I feel is over the fact we have no idea where my father has gone. No one has heard from him or my mother since the night of my reemergence in Cedar Springs.

How the hell did he simply disappear without a single person seeing him? While Cedar Springs is fairly large, there are so many factions and groups that someone had to have at least seen which highway he took or which direction he was traveling.

There is a strong possibility he could try something while we’re distracted with the whole getting married thing. I’m not na?ve, though. No chance in hell Kato won’t have a small army at his disposable to make sure the day proceeds without any bloodshed.

Or at least no blood shed from any of the four of us.

I refuse to dwell on any of that for now. I have enough on my mind to keep me pissed for a while. No reason to throw in the whole asshole parents crap to go along with everything else.

Turning my attention to the bedding and sheets I bought for the massive bed that will be delivered before the new massive bedroom is complete, I pile it up in the corner of my room. It’ll need to be laundered before we use them.

I don’t even care if they’re enclosed in plastic – nothing touches my body before it’s washed. The thought of what could be on the fabric has always given me the heebie jeebies. Hey, we all have something weird about us.

Light tapping on the doorframe has me glancing over my shoulder before turning back to my task.

Just because they finally came clean and made an appointment for me to choose whether or not I actually want to try for another baby doesn’t mean I’m any less angry with the giant standing in my open doorway.

“Madd’s looking for you,” he says.

I sigh heavily. He’s looking for me because he apparently has a present for me that required assembly, or at least that’s my assumption since it wasn’t ready yet when I got home.

“Did something happen during the meeting with the Pakhan?” I ask, barely gracing him with a flick of my eyes in his direction.

“Why do you ask?”

Now I fully turn toward him, tossing the throw blanket I picked for the living room couch onto the pile of things to be laundered, then cross my arms over my chest.

“Kato was acting weird. I mean…more distracted than normal, and he pretended I didn’t buy a Porsche on his dime.”

“He told you to buy a car and whatever else you wanted,” Brix says, crossing his arms over his chest and shrugging.

“Because you’re all trying to buy me off. You realize that won’t work, right? That’s not how you earn forgiveness.”

A muscle jumps in his jaw and I can tell he’s clenching his jaw to keep from shooting something back at me. I almost dare him at this point. I have this weird energy flowing through me and I could really use an outlet.

I mean, a hard hate fuck would definitely work, but a screaming match could suffice if I had no other choice, I guess.

None of them have even asked how my appointment went. Of course, I won’t know until tomorrow or later whether I’m pregnant from the blood test, but there are other things we need to discuss – like how I’d opted not to go back on birth control.

You know what? If they can keep shit like that from me, I can do the same. Maybe I’ll wait a few weeks like they did before I come clean.

Although, I suppose it’s not technically coming clean since it’s exactly what all three of them wanted anyway.

I wasn’t lying when I said I would have agreed had they simply come to me about wanting to try for another child.

And sure, I understand their original plan was nothing short of a punishment, a way to entrap me, a way to force a child on me since they’d believed I had voluntarily killed our first baby.

“At least tell me if the meeting went well? Any bloodshed?” My attempt at humor falls flat. Neither Brix nor I so much as crack a smile.

“Went as well as to be expected, and no bloodshed.”

I turn my back on the ridiculous number of items I purchased – in hopes of pissing Kato off to no avail – and cross my arms as I stare at Brixton. “Is this gift from Madd supposed to earn my forgiveness?”

Am I being petty? Maybe I am. They’ve apologized, and they were right – they didn’t know the truth.

Doesn’t mean they should have kept the information from me for so long. If Maddox hadn’t blurted it out, would they have waited until I was legally bound to Kato? Or maybe they would have simply waited until I was officially knocked up.

Oops. Forgot to tell you we removed your birth control.

“It’s just a gift, E. From both Maddox and Pakhan Roman. And…us. All three of us, I guess.”

I tilt my head and frown at Brix as he pushes a hand through his long hair, his eyes only ghosting over my face before he pretends to survey the damage I did to Kato’s credit card.

Something is definitely up. He looks uncomfortable, but I can’t tell whether it’s because he’s not sure what to say or because, like Kato, he doesn’t quite approve of whatever gift is waiting for me.

But he’d literally just said the gift was from all three of them, so then why is Madd the only one presenting said gift?

My nostrils flare on a deep breath. As fun as it had been spending Kato’s money, I can admit I’m a little worn out. Both physically and emotionally.

Flora split off from me at the last store we visited, so it had been up to me and my shadows to haul all this crap into the house. The rest will be delivered, and I have every intention of sitting pretty and watching my guys carry boxes and bags into the house.

“Where is he?” I ask. Might as well get this over with and find out what has Brix and Kato so uncomfortable.

“Basement,” he says, jerking his head for me to follow him.

I haven’t been down there other than the day I confronted Kato and got fucked into the padded floor.

Better not be some kind of workout equipment. It isn’t that I’m opposed to a treadmill or even lifting some weights, but no woman wants something that makes us feel as though our bodies aren’t good enough when we’re already pissed.

Instead of peppering Brix with questions, I walk silently beside him, stealing glances at him every few feet.

Why the hell does he have to be so hot? Why do all three of them have to make my panties wet and my heart race?

As I watch his tattooed forearm swing beside me, my heart softens a bit. His hand is clenched in a fist and he’d looked…well, almost sad when he came into my room to tell me Maddox was ready for my surprise.

This isn’t right. I want to stay mad at him, at all three of them, but they’re human. They made a mistake and I know they’ll spend the rest of their lives making it up to me.

How do I know that?

Same way I know all three of them will be over the moon when I reveal I decided against getting a new implant and I’m ready to start trying for a family.

When we were young, we used to talk about how many kids we wanted. We’d tease about whose sperm would be strongest. They would come up with these future contests to see who could knock me up the most often.

Now? I’m not sure I’m ready to think about having more than one to take care of, because I sure as fuck will never do like my mother and allow another person to raise my son or daughter the way my nannies did with me.

Although…I mean, having a little help would be okay if we had at least three kids. That would give each of them a shot at knocking me up.

Why the hell am I thinking about this right now? I’m still angry – more like hurt – and whatever surprise Madd has for me isn’t making Brixton or Kato all that happy, even if Brix said the gift is technically from all three of them.

Images of a pony wandering the backyard flash through my mind, but Brix said Madd and the gift are in the basement.

A puppy, maybe? A kitten? I know my guys aren’t hip on pets.

Mainly because they used to say there’s always a chance someone might not come home, and the poor cat or dog would be sitting there waiting for someone to feed and water it.

Never understood that sentiment considering every Family has a slew of employees who I’m sure wouldn’t let an innocent animal starve to death.