AS PROMISED, WHEN we woke up early this afternoon, Gavin and I made the overhead mirror our bitch as he made slow and sweet love to me. I almost feel stupid for being so worked up and afraid of having sex with him because now that we’ve taken it to the next level I feel closer to him than ever. The only reason I’m not upset about the wait is because I think everything has happened as it needed to.
Right now we’re in the back of the SUV on the way to the airport to fly to Dallas and I’m enjoying the, I’ve been having amazing sex buzz, for the first time in my life. The only way I could be happier right at this moment would be if Tally’s crazy ass was in jail and I could talk to Minnie and Dillon about Gavin.
Squeezing my hand, Gavin brings me back to the present. “Deep thoughts?”
I can’t help the little frown I give as I shake my head. “I was just thinking about how badly I want Tally to be caught already. I’m safe here with you and I know security is all over my family, but…I haven’t even been able to tell Minnie and Dillon about you yet because as soon as they know, they’ll want to come meet you. This whole Tally thing needs to be resolved.”
His jaw clenches as he nods his agreement. “Yeah, I’m right there with you. I hate knowing there’s some crazy bitch out there wanting to harm you. I can’t believe she’s managed to evade capture for almost three goddamn weeks!”
The car comes to a halt as we pull up to the plane so we stop talking about it and let go of each other’s hands for the moment. Part of the security protocol for me is that I can’t hesitate leaving or arriving places. I’ve gotten very good at being a blur, running from the car onto the plane or from the plane to the car at each stop. I’m used to it, but I hate it. It feels like I’m surrounded by some weird cloak of invisibility and I’m really at the end of my rope with the whole thing.
The second the rear door opens I jump out and run up the stairs onto the plane. Gavin comes up right behind me, and as soon as we’re safely inside and out of sight, he wraps his arm around me from behind and holds me loosely as we start walking toward where Flynn and Tessa are seated. They’re in deep conversation and looking around, I realize the mood on the plane is very subdued.
Immediately, I go into panic mode. “What’s going on?”
Flynn gestures to the couch so Gavin and I both sit down. “It’s not about our family, Leah. Everyone is all out of sorts because something went down after the show last night with Ian and Cole back at the hotel. We’ve been waiting for him to get on the plane but he just called management and said he doesn’t need anything else to complete the book so he’s not coming. Shit’s a little fucked up.”
Leaning forward Gavin looks at Flynn. “How’s Cole?”
“Fucking pissed as all hell last night, and I haven’t seen him today because he and Devon left and went to another hotel. I’m not sure what started it but Ian went off and called Cole a pussy and, well, shit went downhill fucking fast after that. They got into a fist fight and—”
Flynn stops talking as there’s a commotion at the front of the plane. Turning I see Cole and Devon coming on board. They’re a united front, hands clasped tightly together. When Cole looks our way and smiles, I swear the entire plane breathes a sigh of relief. Tyson comes in right behind them and immediately starts working the group on the plane, telling jokes to ease the tension. It doesn’t take long for everyone to chill out and when it’s time for wheels up, everyone is in a much better mood. Tyson is a godsend in tense situations, and I’ve never been more relieved he can work a group like no other.
We’ve just come back from dinner with the band and are settling in on the couch to watch TV when there’s banging at the door. Gavin rushes to open it and as soon as I see Flynn with Tessa right behind him, I know something has happened.
Rushing across the room to me he says, “Your brother is going to call my phone back in a minute to talk to you. I swear to God everyone is going to be fine so don’t freak out. They got her, Leah. She’s dead.”
I start to say thank God when it hits me that he said everyone is going to be fine.
“Wait,” I screech. “What do you mean it’s going to be fine? What happened?”
“I know this is going to upset you, but—”
His words are silenced by the ringing of his cell phone. Handing the phone to me, he says nothing else so I swipe the answer button and lift the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
I expect to hear my brother but before she says a word I know it’s Minnie on the line.
“I don’t want you to be upset when I tell you what happened, so you need to take deep breaths and stay calm. Remember the most important thing is the threat is gone and it’s never coming back.”
“Tell me what happened,” I plead.
“Your brother is fine now but Tally managed to get to us earlier and she shot him before the police could take her out—”
I let out a little scream as my heart straight up stops beating for a minute. “My brother’s been shot?”
“Yes, in the shoulder, but I swear to you he’s fine now. The nightmare is over and we’re all safe,” she says on a choked sob.
There is nothing between calm and the hysterical tears that practically start flying out of my eyes. I know Minnie is trying to be strong but she’s obviously been through a trauma and the two of us are crying on the phone because we’re separated by hundreds and hundreds of miles. Wrapping his arm around me, Gavin holds me tight while I cry and Flynn keeps handing me tissues.
The two of us are almost incapable of stopping our tears. When I hear Dillon demanding that she give him the phone, I take a real breath for the first time since Minnie said that he was shot.
“She made it sound all dramatic but—”
I know my brother better than almost anyone in the world, so I can tell he’s full of it. “Don’t you lie to me Dillon Cooper. You sound like shit,” I cry softly. “How close did this come to having a different outcome?”
The heavy sigh he lets out tells me that I’m right.
“Close,” he says tiredly. “If the police hadn’t shown up when they did…”
Realizing my brother was almost killed hits me so hard I start trembling in shock. If Tally had taken him from us…I can’t even finish the thought because it’s making me want to vomit.
Interrupting my hysterical breakdown Dillon says, “I do have some really fucking good news for you though.”
“Better than the fact that you’re alive?” I ask in a shaky voice.
“Let’s say it’s the best reason to be alive. I asked Minnie to marry me and she said yes.”
I’ve known for a while he had a ring being designed, but he told me before he wanted to wait until after Tally was caught to propose. He was gung ho on planning a big proposal, so I’m surprised he ditched that plan.
“I thought—”
“Yeah,” he says with a laugh. “A bullet to the shoulder adjusted my priorities real fast. As soon as they had me in the ambulance, I asked her to marry me.”
Now I’m laughing and crying at the same time. Yes, I almost lost him, but by the grace of God my brother is alive. Tally didn’t win and now, after so many years of praying, Dillon and Minnie are finally going to be together the way they always should have been.
“I’m so happy,” I sob.
“Yeah,” he says dryly. “I can really tell that through your tears.”
Rubbing my eyes with a tissue, I blubber out a laugh. “Shut your face idiot! You don’t screw with a woman in tears. I’ll remind you of how funny you are when I’m kicking your ass later. As soon as we get off the phone I’m going to call the airlines and fly home to see you for a few days. I’ll leave tonight. Am I flying to Vegas or are you going home soon?”
A few seconds pass silently.
“You’d come home for a few days?” he asks.
“Yeah, there’s a show tomorrow night here in Dallas and then it’s on to Houston for two nights followed by Georgia. I’ll just skip Houston and meet back up in Georgia.”
“Leah, that’s stupid. Are you having fun?”
I don’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
“Then you need to stay right there. For the first time in forever, everything is really fine. Give me a week or two to get settled back in at home and then Minnie and I will fly out for one or two of the shows.”
“That’s crazy. I want to be with you and support Minnie—”
“I know you do,” he chuckles, “But seriously, we’re fine. Knowing you’re actually having fun and enjoying life is the best thing you can do for me.”
My brother is an idiot. Like I’m really going to go right on having fun without seeing with my own two eyes he’s really okay. Still, he’s a stubborn ass when he wants to be so I’m just going to go ahead and let him think that he’s talked me out of it.
“Alright, you win. But if you need me for any reason at all—”
“I know that Lee. You’re the best sister a guy could ever ask for and I love you like crazy. The doctor is on his way back in so I have to go, but I’ll call you tomorrow. Be good and no more crying. Everything is fine. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
After ending the call, I hand the phone to Flynn who is now sitting on the couch holding hands with Tessa.
Adjusting my position, I turn to Gavin. “I don’t want you to be upset, but I have to go home for a few days.”
Shaking his head at me with a look that says he thinks I’m an idiot he responds, “Babe. Duh? Already had that all figured out.”
“I’m with you Leah,” Flynn says from behind me. “I’ve already got management on chartering a jet for us because it would be too much to take the huge plane there and back. I’m going right to Vegas and I’ll come back tomorrow a few hours before the show. You can come back with me or stay with your brother, the choice is yours.”
I think it over a minute before responding. “As of now I’ll plan to come back with you, but if he needs anything or is in a worse condition than what he told me, then I’ll stay.”
“Sounds good—I’m going to take Tessa back to our suite to pack a bag. I’ll call you as soon as I know what time we’re flying out.”
As soon as Flynn and Tessa leave the room, I turn in Gavin’s arms and hug him tightly. “Can you come with me?” I ask quietly.
I feel his chest rumble under my ear as he lets out a short laugh. “Babe, as if I’d sit here whistling Dixie while you were gone! Of course I’m going with you. We’re a fuckin’ team, you and I. I totally understand you may need to stay there for a while but I’m going to stay with you for as long as I possibly can.”
I can’t help the dorky smile that spreads across my face as I nod against his chest. “You’re the best thing—”
Before I can finish my sentence, Gavin’s cell starts ringing. When he picks it up, I quickly realize it’s Flynn. A few seconds later the call is over.
“We fly out in an hour so we gotta pack quick and get downstairs to go to the airport in half an hour,” Gavin explains. “Sound good?”
Nodding my agreement I answer, “Sounds great.”
It’s a crazy time to do it but I can’t wait to see my brother and Minnie and fill them in about Gavin. I just know that they’re going to love him and I’m excited to see how happy they’ll be to see me finally with someone.