One week later, Ally watched Travis’s face as he painfully explained to his family the truth about his precognitive dreams, knowing how difficult it was for him. Her heart ached as she sat on the arm of his chair in his living room, his family all listening intently, as though they could sense how difficult this was for him, too.
Max and Mia were seated on the loveseat, Kade and Asha on the couch, all of them completely silent for a few moments after Travis stopped speaking.
“I knew,” Kade finally said, his voice low and uncharacteristically sad. “I didn’t know you were having dreams, and I couldn’t really figure everything out, but I knew everything that happened was more than coincidence. You were there almost every damn time we needed you. Why the hell didn’t you tell me the whole truth? That’s a hell of a burden to have to bear alone, Trav.”
“I couldn’t tell you,” Travis answered in a tortured voice, scrubbing his face with his hands. “You and Mia were all I had, and our father was insane. I didn’t want anyone to think I was as crazy as he was. I just wanted us all to be normal again.” He paused for a minute before adding, “I didn’t dream about your accident, Kade. I’m sorry.”
Kade rose, his face set in a grim expression. He walked to Travis’s chair and said adamantly, “Get up.”
Ally cringed, hoping she wasn’t going to regret talking Travis into telling his family everything. This was her doing, her idea completely. She loved Travis so much, and she wanted him to bridge the distance with his siblings. Ally knew they loved him just as much as he loved them, although he’d never expressed himself well because of his isolation, and right now Travis needed assurances. She just wanted him to be happy, to realize how special he was, and she was counting on his siblings to help.
She watched as Travis slowly got to his feet, staring at his twin’s somber face, his expression uncertain. It took Kade less than a second to wrap his older brother into one of the fiercest bear hugs Ally had ever seen.
“I love you, you asshole,” Kade said ferociously, hugging Travis tightly in his beefy arms. “And you could never be like our father. You’re the glue that held this family together every single time we needed it. I don’t give a shit if you couldn’t tell me about the accident. I wouldn’t be with the woman I love more than life if it hadn’t happened. Sometimes our pain in life is worth it.”
Ally watched, tears rolling down her cheeks as Travis slowly responded, and she saw his big body shudder as he hugged Kade in return, the two of them locked together in a brotherly embrace. She didn’t need to be told that it was the first time Kade had ever felt free to really express how much he cared about Travis because Travis had always kept everyone at a distance in the past.
“I love you, too, little brother,” Travis answered quietly, slapping Kade on the back as they separated.
Ally’s heart clenched as she watched Kade’s face turn into a happy grin as Mia came right up behind him and threw herself into Travis’s arms, her face wet with tears. “I’m so sorry, Travis. So sorry for everything. If I hadn’t gotten myself into trouble, you and Kade wouldn’t have been so distant with each other while I was hiding out in Montana. Max and Kade had each other. You didn’t have anybody,” she choked out on a sob, clinging to her older brother like a lifeline.
“I did, Mia,” Travis crooned, holding his sister and rocking her. “I had you. At least I knew you were alive. I didn’t have to deal with the hell that I put Kade and Max through because they thought you were dead.”
“I would have been if you hadn’t hidden me and kept quiet,” Mia answered, finally pulling back and kissing Travis on the cheek. “Max, Kade, and I would all be dead. You already know I love you, but I don’t think you’ll ever know how much. I’ve caused you the most problems, yet I still know you care.” Mia swiped at her tears as she stepped back, looking her brother in the face.
“I love you, Mia. I always have. And I’m your big brother. It’s my job to keep you out of trouble,” Travis told her almost arrogantly, but he was smiling.
Asha was the next to get her hugs and kisses in with Travis, and Max came forward and shook Travis’s hand and slapped him on the back in a brief hug. Stepping back from Travis, Max said remorsefully, “I owe you an apology, Travis. I hate myself for this, but I’ve resented you since I learned you hid Mia away from me.”
Max returned to take his seat by Mia, and Travis sat back down. Ally reached out her hand and Travis clasped it, bringing her palm to his lips and kissing it tenderly before bringing their joined hands to rest on the arm of the chair.
“I know you did, Max. And I knew to this day you were still resentful. But I never blamed you,” Travis answered honestly.
“I’m not anymore, Travis. I am so damn grateful, and I don’t know how to say thanks for saving every one of us,” Max answered thoughtfully.
“I can’t believe you all just accept this, that you believe me,” Travis said hoarsely.
Ally squeezed his hand, knowing that his family’s unconditional acceptance meant everything to him.
“Why wouldn’t we?” Asha asked curiously. “When Tate rescued me, he told me that you texted him. How did you know I needed him?”
“I had a vague dream the night before,” Travis admitted. “And I wasn’t feeling good about the whole situation.” He shrugged. “It happens that way sometimes.”
“You have an incredible gift, Travis. I think there are many spiritual things that we don’t understand, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t exist,” Asha murmured. “I’m more grateful than you’ll ever know that you texted Tate that day. I wouldn’t have made it even a few minutes longer without his help.”
Ally wanted to hug her friend for reassuring Travis, for trying to make him more comfortable with himself. “He saved Tate, too.”
Mia leaned forward, a look of awe on her face. “Tell us.”
“He told you?” Travis asked, looking up at her with a frown.
“He did. When my house was destroyed, he told me his story because I told him I thought you knew it was going to happen.”
Ally quickly explained what had happened with Tate to the rest of the family. Travis had already told them about his recurring dreams about Ally, and why he’d taken her to Colorado.
“Holy shit, Trav. That’s amazing,” Kade exclaimed, gaping at Travis.
“It’s peculiar. And so am I,” Travis rumbled awkwardly, but not very emphatically.
Ally sighed, knowing it would take time for Travis to completely accept who he was, but having his family know about it and validate him was an important step.
“You’re gifted,” Asha argued.
“Special,” Mia said with a nod.
“I never wanted to be gifted or special,” Travis rasped. “After our crazy childhood and our insane father, I just wanted to be normal.”
“You’ve never been normal,” Kade said with a grin. “You’ve always been an asshole. And what happened to the brother who told me he hadn’t met a woman who was worth losing his common sense over? Did you see the picture of you in the paper grabbing Ally’s butt and kissing her like you’d lost it in the middle of a formal ball?”
“Yep. I framed it and it’s on my desk at work,” he admitted non-apologetically. “I’ve joined the psycho men club. In fact, I might have to become the damn president of the organization.”
“Still want to get rid of that desk?” Kade asked with a smirk.
“Hell, no. Not anymore. It’s become my favorite damn piece of furniture in the whole building,” he answered emphatically.
Ally flushed, knowing exactly why Travis used to hate that desk. But they’d had a few more adventures in the office on that particular wood surface, and now he swore he’d keep it forever, even if it did distract him sometimes. But she knew he’d be cursing it again if she wasn’t around.
The men bantered a little longer, the women throwing in their own comments.
Ally looked down at Travis, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Today had been a big hurdle for him, and she knew he hadn’t really wanted to deal with it. But she had enough faith in his family to know that they’d always accepted Travis unconditionally, and she wanted him to know that, to believe that. So she had pushed him, encouraged him, hoping nothing would go wrong. Someday he’d be more comfortable with his special and unique traits, but he’d lived with his gift alone for so long that it wouldn’t happen overnight.
She’d been staying with him since they’d returned from Colorado, and although his house was enormous and had incredible security, it wasn’t ostentatious. Of course, she should have known it wouldn’t be, because that wasn’t Travis’s style.
He’d gone to her destroyed house with her, but almost nothing was recoverable. Strangely, she wasn’t really sad. There were a few personal items that she would have liked to have, but it was almost like she hadn’t even really started living until she’d fallen in love with Travis. And it felt like everything that had happened before in her life was all leading to this…to him. Travis made her feel loved, complete, and perfect. She doubted they’d ever stop fighting sometimes, but it was almost like…foreplay. Besides, Travis wasn’t the type of man who needed a wife who didn’t challenge him. And she adored his loving alpha male, protective personality. It made her feel safe, and there was never a day that she didn’t feel loved, even if he was pissed off at her for something.
“So when is the wedding?” Asha asked inquisitively, looking excitedly at Ally.
“Soon,” Travis said irritably.
“Next year,” Ally answered at the same time.
They looked at each other and frowned.
Travis wrapped a steely arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. “I’m not waiting until next year,” he informed her stubbornly, his voice holding a warning note.
“We haven’t set a date yet,” she told Asha with a wink.
“But it sure as hell won’t be next year,” Travis replied obstinately.
Kade looked at Max. “Should we start placing bets on who will win this argument?”
“Nope,” Max replied with a grin. “It wouldn’t work. We’d both be betting on Travis.”
Asha, Kade, Max, and Mia all laughed as they got up to leave.
“I think we’ll let you two work this one out,” Kade said, slapping Travis on the back as he walked past him.
Ally scrambled to get off Travis’s lap to see everyone out, but he held her tightly for a minute longer, whispering huskily into her ear, “We aren’t waiting that long, even if I have to get out my naughty tie.”
Ally shivered at the thought, knowing that when Travis wanted something, he always got it. When Travis really wanted to be wicked, he knew exactly how to get to her. “We’ll discuss it,” she told him firmly as she got up.
“Not for long,” Travis said ominously, a happy grin on his face now.
Ally smiled back, more than ready to bicker with him because it always ended in the most delicious make-up sex.
Finally, Travis closed the door behind his family and faced her, a look of relief on his face.
“Was it so hard?” Ally asked him tenderly, knowing it had been, and wondering if he wanted to talk about it.
“You were right. I needed to do it,” he answered in a voice husky with emotion. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms tightly around her and burying his face in her hair. “Thank you for giving me back my family, Ally.” His voice was coarse and raw with emotion.
Ally tried to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat as Travis held her tightly, his body quaking. She stroked his hair, wrapping her other arm around his neck, knowing how much all this meant to him. He’d been alone for so very long, having a family but yet never quite being connected to them since the death of his parents. Ally was so grateful that everyone in Travis’s family had tried to convince him that his parents’ deaths weren’t his fault. “I love you,” she told him gently, continuing to stroke his hair to comfort him.
“I love you so much I think it might kill me,” Travis said in a muffled voice, still not loosening his grip on her. “You need to marry me soon,” he added in a more demanding but poignant voice.
“We’ll talk about it,” Ally said, knowing she’d relent. She felt the same way as Travis did, and she didn’t want to wait.
Travis pulled back and met her gaze, his expression intense. “Like hell we will,” Travis grunted.
And then he kissed her, and Ally knew exactly who was going to win this argument as she was swept away by the same volatile passion he was feeling, the two of them completely lost in each other.