I made Mia a promise the moment we stepped on her family jet. If we went to Tennessee for a few days so she could meet my parents, we would go to her family cabin for Christmas. This trip wasn’t just about keeping her safe. It was about getting her to relax and have a stress-free pregnancy. It’s what she deserved, not what she’d received.

From the moment our relationship began, we’d dealt with some level of stress. From fighting our feelings for each other to hiding the fact we were together, we worried about things we shouldn’t have. It only grew worse upon Izzy’s arrival, but Wesley played his part in all the chaos. Mia and I thought getting rid of Wesley would make things easier for us. Wrong. We’d gone from two meddling exes to one deranged ex who couldn’t let go.

If Izzy was behind the jacked up steps or the snake that was shipped, I wouldn’t stop until she paid for her crimes. She was not getting away with it this time, not after the damage she’d already caused.

To top things off, Mia’s father revealed a secret about her birth just an hour before we left. His admission messed with Mia’s mind, and it did the same to mine. As if I wasn’t worried enough about her safety, especially after Izzy threatened her, it was disturbing to learn her mother had kidnapped Morgan Brooks. Had the police not discovered the location of the house, who knows what would have happened to Mia and her mother. I shuddered at the thought.

Pulling up the driveway that led to my parents’ house, I glanced at the passenger seat of the rental car. My chest tightened when my eyes fell on Mia. She’d fallen asleep not long after we left the airport. I did my best to get her to take a nap during the flight. Instead, she made me the newest member of the alleged mile-high club.

I chuckled at the thought. Pregnancy hadn’t slowed our sex life. Mia was still comfortable in her body, and I loved everything about it, especially the fact that my child was growing inside.

It’s a good thing she got a little sleep. Once she met my family, we’d be up for hours. Before the night was over, my mother would invite everyone in the county with the slightest relation to us over to their house. Talk about overwhelming. I hoped I could get my dad to talk her out of it. While I wanted Mia to meet everyone, I didn’t want it to be in one night.

Being home was strange. Even coming up the driveway and seeing the old homestead had a way of hitting me in the gut. This place would always be home, but it wasn’t my future. It was part of my past. Wherever Mia was, I would be there too. She was the mother of my child and would soon be my wife. I would always come back to visit, but Arizona was my new home.

As soon as I pulled the car behind my dad’s truck, I killed the engine and stretched. Traffic this time of day was horrendous, and I’d spent forty minutes making my way down the interstate. I was ready to be out of the vehicle.

Mia drew in a breath as she woke from her nap. I watched as she blinked her eyes a few times before finding me. As soon as she saw me, she smiled.

“Hey.”

“Hi, beautiful. We made it to my parents’ house.”

“Already? How long was I asleep?”

I glanced at my phone inside the mount and read the time. “About an hour. I was in traffic for forty minutes then it took a little longer to get through town. Do you feel better?”

She nodded, but I could tell something was wrong when her eyes shifted to the windshield. Instead of raising her seat back into an upright position, she placed her hand against her forehead and sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

As I touched her cheek, she leaned into my hand. “I hope your family likes me.”

“Trust me, they will love you. You have nothing to fear.”

She gazed at me this time. “They won’t hold Izzy against me?”

“No.” I leaned my head toward hers and gave her a soft kiss. “My mom knows all the details. She holds nothing against you. No one does.”

“Okay. Then I believe I’m ready.”

“Good. I can’t wait to show you off to everyone.”

I heard her snicker when I left the car and shut the door. Once I made it to her side, I noticed the front door opening. I hoped my mom would give us enough time to get inside before she bombarded us with hugs and kisses.

As soon as I opened Mia’s door, I motioned toward the house. “I thought we might make a stealthy entrance, but I should have known better. My mother could hear a snail moving across the driveway.”

She shook her head as she took my hand and eased out of the car. As excited as I was for her to meet my family, it fringed my nerves. Mia and I came from different backgrounds. My parents lived comfortably, but we were far from wealthy. Part of me wished I was taking her to some large estate like her family friend, Greg, in New York.

Approaching the large deck, I offered Mia my arm just before we ascended the steps. She linked her arm inside mine and smiled. When I felt her tremble, I rubbed her hand. “Don’t be nervous.”

The words were meant for her, but they were a reminder to me as well. Mia loved me, no matter what. I’d never known her to think differently of someone just because of their social status. Her job was to help people achieve their dreams.

I was the one with the problem, the one who was embarrassed that he wasn’t rich. It was one of the reasons I gave Mia attitude when I arrived at Music Haven and heard what she was offering. At no point did she treat me like a charity case. It was coming from little and being offered everything that struck a chord inside me. It was time to move past it. Mia wasn’t ashamed of me. She loved me.

When we crossed the deck, Mom was waiting just inside the door. Once we were a few feet away, she came outside, opening her arms.

“My boy has returned.”

Mia released me as Mom wrapped her arms around my neck and crushed me in a hug I returned with just as much zeal. “Hey, Mom. I missed you.”

“Not as much as I’ve missed you.” She squeezed me tighter then released me. When she pulled away, I saw her wipe at her eyes and laugh. “Sorry. I told myself I wouldn’t cry, but I can’t help it. It’s been months since I saw you.”

“I know. Life’s been kind of hectic.”

She nodded as her eyes shifted to Mia. “Hello, sweetheart. You must be Mia.”

“Hi, Mrs. McAllister. It’s great to finally meet you.”

“Likewise, but please call me Kay or Mom if you want.” Mom drew Mia into an embrace. “Your pictures don’t do you justice. You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you.” I noticed the scarlet shade in Mia’s cheeks when she and Mom ended their hug. Mom winked at me then motioned us to walk inside.

Entering the sitting room, the scent of cinnamon teased my nose. Mom had the house decked out for Christmas just like every year. It brought back a slew of memories as I gazed at the seven-foot tree sitting in front of the picture window. There were already presents under the tree, most likely for extended family. Mom never placed our gifts under the tree until late on Christmas Eve. Even when I got older, she kept the tradition going.

“Where is Dad?”

Mom shut the screen door and pointed upstairs. “He’s in bed, napping. He told me to wake him once you arrived. Do you want me to take your coats?”

“No, I still need to get our suitcases. You can take Mia’s though.”

“Don’t you need my help?” Mia asked. Her brow folded above her nose as she looked confused.

“It’s a couple bags and two suitcases, which are on wheels. I’ve got this.”

Before she could argue with me, I helped her out of her coat and handed it to Mom. After she took it from me, I noticed her glance at Mia. “Oh, my goodness.” Mom covered her mouth. “You’re showing. How adorable.”

Mia grinned as she patted her belly. “I think I get bigger each day.”

“She’s full of it, Mom. She’s barely gained any weight.”

Mom laughed, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. As long as the baby is healthy, that’s all that matters.”

“We’re good so far.” Mia smiled at me as she cradled her stomach. It made my heart stutter. God, she was beautiful. I fell more in love with her every day. Each time I saw the tiny protrusion under her shirt, my heart soared. She and the baby were my life. I couldn’t imagine not having them.

Maybe this is why Mia and I went through so much heartache in the beginning. Perhaps I had to know what it felt like to lose her, to truly grasp how important she was to me. I knew that now, and as God is my witness, I’d never do anything to disappoint her or doubt her again.

Once Kay left to go upstairs and wake her husband, Ayden went outside to get our luggage. I stood inside the sitting room, feeling awkward at best. As I observed my surroundings, I studied the pictures hanging on the walls, the shelves, and the mantle over the fireplace. The ones of Ayden made me smile. Even as a teenager, he was a cutie. Maybe I was biased.

Taking my time to view the pictures, I made a slow sweep across the room, enjoying some of the funny photos of my fiancé. If we had a son and he resembled his father, I was dreading motherhood. All the girls would love him. What was the old saying? I’d have to keep a stick around to beat the girls off him.

I chuckled. Girl or boy, our child would be special, no matter what he or she looked like. The baby would be ours, and that alone made him or her unique in my eyes. He or she would be the heir to Music Haven—and my heart.

When I ran out of pictures to admire, I found myself standing close to the Christmas tree. Multicolored lights twinkled through the branches and ornaments. Adorned with an angel on top, the tree held a lot of history. Handcrafted ornaments spoke of childhood projects Ayden completed. Some were family-made with everyone’s handprint as reindeer. Others were heirlooms, like the porcelain Santa and the snowman made of pinecones.

Everything about the tree spoke of Christmas and the spirit of the holiday. It made me miss my youth, back when my mother was still alive. We didn’t get a white Christmas at Music Haven, but we usually saw it between Christmas and New Year’s at our family cabin in Flagstaff.

Backing up toward the fireplace, I warmed myself as I stared at the tree, thinking about the ones we’d had at the cabin. Both my grandmother and mother loved decorating, and they allowed me to help when I was old enough. After we had finished, we’d sit by the tree and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa.

My favorite part of the trip wasn’t the fact that I had presents waiting under the tree. It was the time I had with my family. Both my parents and grandparents were busy working. Christmas was the one time of year when they didn’t. It was family time, and that was precious to me even as a kid.

I wanted Ayden and me to have more time with our child. I knew it would be tough when he went on tours, but we’d have him around when he wasn’t. Those times would be sacred. I would make sure I wasn’t a slave to my job.

Andi would be there to help, and if we needed someone else to fill in, I had a few prospects in mind. There was always my dad too. He would help. If it made me happy, he would do it in a heartbeat.

The screen door creaked as it opened. A cold draft blew around me, but I didn’t mind when I saw Ayden. He set the bags on the ground as he wiped his feet off on the floor mat. When his eyes found mine, his lips crooked.

“Miss me?”

I nodded. My heart beat faster when he walked my way. As soon as he reached me, I took his hands in mine. “Wow, Ayden, you’re cold.”

“I’m used to this weather. Arizona is spoiling me though.”

“I don’t mind the cold. It’s refreshing.”

His laugh was hearty. “Stay here until spring and then tell me if you feel the same. I said I was used to the weather. I never said I liked it.”

“So you wouldn’t want to move back here someday?”

Placing his hand against my cheek, he caressed my skin with his thumb. “I want to be wherever you are. Your life is at Music Haven, so that is where we’ll be.”

Ayden tugged my arm and pulled me close. I loved the feel of his arms around me, the way they made me feel safe. His words delighted me too. I once worried if he’d move away from Music Haven after he found success. It was one of the reasons I worried about him finding out I was pregnant.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs had Ayden easing back and facing them. A man as tall as him came down the stairs wearing a smile that reminded me of Ayden’s.

“Good to see you, son.”

“You too, Dad.”

Both greeted each other with a handshake, then his father pulled him into a hug. They patted each other’s backs then broke their embrace. I could see the pride in Ayden’s father’s eyes. He loved his son. I knew I’d see that same look in Ayden’s eyes when he looked at our child. It made me more anxious for that day to arrive. I still had several months to go.

Mr. McAllister glanced my way as he stuck out his hand again. “Hello.”

“Dad, this is my fiancée, Mia Brooks. Mia, this is my father, Holden McAllister.”

I gave him a firm handshake and my best smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Call me, Holden, Mia. Welcome to our home. It’s good to meet you.” He studied my face a moment before he released my hand. “You’re the sister, right?”

His question confused me at first, but when I realized what he was asking, it felt as though lightning had struck me. “Yes, sir. Ayden’s former girlfriend is my half-sister.”

I felt Ayden watching me, but I couldn’t look at him. My nerves were on edge, and I wasn’t sure how to react. I hoped Holden McAllister wasn’t holding Izzy’s actions against me. It was my biggest fear, and one Ayden swore was nonsense.

“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, my dear,” Holden spoke after an awkward moment of silence. “To be honest, I understand why your sister’s such a vile person. She got shorted on the brains and the looks.”

My face burned with embarrassment. Before I could respond, I saw Kay elbow him in the ribs. “She just met you, Holden. She knows nothing about your personality. You promised to behave.”

He held up his hands defensively while nodding his head. “My bad. I couldn’t resist. I thought it was the best way to break the ice.”

“Don’t pay attention to him.” Kay patted my arm then punched her husband on his. “He likes to make people feel awkward when he first meets them. He’s weird like that. Doesn’t get out much.”

When she rolled her eyes, I chuckled. Ayden’s hand met the small of my back as he pulled me closer. “Sorry. Mom said it best. My dad has a weird sense of humor. But he wasn’t lying. You did get all the brains and the beauty.

I was back to blushing, but at least this time, I enjoyed it. Ayden had a way of making me feel amazing. He knew how to break my heart too, but I’m glad that was behind us. It didn’t mean we wouldn’t ever fight, but there would be no more distrust. We were partners in this relationship, and we’d be partners in life once we were married. Whatever was ahead of us, we’d face it together.

That included the birth of our baby.

“Are you guys hungry? I have lasagna left from dinner. It’s probably still warm.”

“Sounds good. I’m starved.” Ayden tapped his belly and rubbed it.

I nodded at his mom. “Food sounds great right now.”

“Perfect. You guys can follow me to the kitchen if you want. Your dad turned on the heat in the apartment out back this morning. We figured you guys would like a little privacy. Besides, your grandmother is living here now. Although, she’s over at your Great Aunt Sarah’s house tonight. Plus, Aunt Jenny and your cousin, Toni, are staying with us for a little while.”

I didn’t miss the way Ayden’s nostril’s flared.

“What happened with her and Uncle Steve?” His mother didn’t answer. Instead, she gave him a grim look. “He better not have.” Ayden’s voice sounded gritty when he spoke this time.

His mother grabbed his shoulder and shook it gently. “I know what you’re thinking, but don’t. Uncle Johnny took care of it.”

The more they talked, the more confused I grew. Part of me felt as though I was prying into their conversation. Ayden would explain it to me eventually, but it didn’t make the awkwardness go away.

When I caught Ayden looking my way, I wasn’t sure what to say or do. He didn’t give me a chance anyway.

“Sorry to expose you to family drama so soon. Aunt Jenny is my mom’s baby sister. Uncle Johnny is Jenny’s twin. They’re five years older than me, so we kinda grew up together. Toni is Aunt Jenny’s daughter with my Uncle Steve. I shouldn’t even call him that.” His jaw clenched as he glanced at his mom. “Steve has a nasty habit of hitting my aunt. Last time he broke her arm. What did he break this time, Mom?”

Kay glanced at him as she hugged herself. “I’m not going to tell you if you don’t calm down.” Her gaze shifted to me. “My son’s been wanting to return the favor to my brother-in-law for years now. Ayden’s the reason Steve went into therapy. He was doing better when my son left.”

“What caused the relapse?” Ayden gritted his teeth as he waited for his mom to answer.

“The same thing as always. Heroin.”

I wasn’t a stranger to drugs or the people who used them. I’d seen my share backstage with different groups when I was a teenager. Once I took ownership of Music Haven, I let it be known that I wouldn’t tolerate hardcore drugs on my grounds. If people wanted to smoke pot or drink, so be it, but the rest of that crap they could keep off my property.

Wesley came close to losing his job when I found out he was using drugs. Had he not went to rehab and cleaned himself up, he would have been out of my life years ago. As much as I could have used it to my advantage, I couldn’t do that to another human being. It wasn’t right. Regardless of the cruel things Wesley did to me, I never sunk to his level.

“So what happened to Aunt Jenny? Which bone did he break this time?”

“It wasn’t Jenny this time.”

As soon as I felt Ayden tense, his mom grabbed his chin. “Hey. Look at me. Beating Steve’s ass won’t change anything. You’ll end up in jail, something you don’t need. You have a fiancée and a child on the way. Let this go.”

“Fine. I won’t go looking for Uncle Steve, but he better not show his face around here.”

“He won’t. He’s in jail.”

Ayden’s back straightened. I swore I saw him smirk before he asked, “For how long?”

“Until his court hearing.”

This time, Ayden’s dad chimed in. He motioned us to follow them to the kitchen. Once we did, Ayden pulled out my chair then sat in the one beside me. He laced his fingers with mine as his father sat across from us.

“Johnny was on the phone with Jenny when Steve came into the house raising hell. He heard Steve hit Jenny. A second later, there was a loud thump, then Jenny began to cry. Johnny just happened to be at work when all of this went down.”

Ayden motioned for his dad to pause then glanced at me. “Uncle Johnny is a deputy with the local sheriff.”

His father nodded. “Needless to say, the police got involved. Once they showed up at Steve and Jenny’s house, Johnny and Deputy Barker witnessed Steve push Jenny out the door. Toni was trying to get between them, so Steve grabbed her arm and slammed it against the column on their porch.”

I gazed at Ayden when his hand flinched. “Unbelievable.”

His mother walked over to the table with two plates of food in her hands and two bottles of water tucked under arms. She set them in front of us then joined her husband. “Toni’s little arm snapped like a twig, but the doctor said it was a clean break. She thinks she’s cool now because she has a bright pink cast.”

“Oh yes,” Holden smirked, “and I guarantee as soon as she sees you guys, she’ll beg you to sign it.”

Ayden’s hand relaxed as he smiled. “She won’t have to ask twice.”

Just as he took a bite of his food, his phone buzzed. He removed it from his back pocket and viewed the screen. As soon as I noticed his brows knit together, I grew concerned. Hopefully, it wasn’t Izzy.

“I gotta take this call. I’ll be right back.”

When he walked into the other room, confusion spun through me. He’d never taken a phone call away from me. I wasn’t sure why he would now, unless it was something he didn’t want his parents to hear. Still, nothing came to mind.

“Is the food warm enough for you, Mia?”

I glanced at Kay and nodded. “It’s delicious. Thank you so much.”

“Did you have much morning sickness?”

“Oh boy,” I snickered. “Why do people call it morning sickness anyway? It’s all day.”

Kay laughed. “That it is. I was so ill when I carried Ayden that I lost weight. I had to be hospitalized at one point from dehydration. Once I got into my second trimester, it finally eased.”

“I’m glad mine wasn’t that bad.”

Taking another bite of the lasagna, I caught Holden staring at me. He wasn’t secretive about it either. Instead of looking away, he studied me harder.

“Is something wrong, Holden?” It felt weird calling him by his first name when I just met him, but I didn’t want to offend him or his wife. They’d been sweet to me so far.

“Sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to stare. I was trying to find any similarities between you and your sister. You look nothing alike.”

“We share the same father, but my sister looks like her mother, and I look like mine.” I shoveled another bite of food into my mouth hoping he wouldn’t keep asking me questions about my sister. She was the last person I wanted to think about right now.

“I don’t mean to pry,” his father continued, “but she’s the reason you guys are here sooner than you planned, isn’t she?”

Swallowing the food in my mouth, I nodded again and took a drink from my water bottle. I knew Ayden had spoken with his family, but I wasn’t prepared to answer their questions.

“Is she that much of a danger? I mean, she was just issuing threats, right?” When Kay asked the question this time, I drew in a deep breath and prepared to tell them the truth. They had no clue how deranged my sister was.

By the time I finished tonight, they would know everything.