Lola Stark - Destry

“So should I start calling you sister yet?” Austin laughed from beside me as I flopped onto the couch. He nudged his elbow against my ribs. “In all seriousness, I am glad you two sorted this out. He hasn’t been the same.”

“I’m happy too.” I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes for a moment, absolutely worn out from the panicked drive over to the ranch.

“Well, I’m going to head out. Got some stuff I’ve got to do in town,” Braxton’s deep voice echoed from across the room. My eyes shot up and I looked at him questioningly. I had noticed a change in Brax over the past few weeks. He had suddenly been disappearing at random times. Austin told me he’d missed a couple of family dinners, which was so unlike him and Ellie had told me he had been moody all the time. “It’s good to see you smiling again, ‘Melia.”

He kissed my forehead and left without another word. Turning in my seat, I looked at Austin who simply shrugged his shoulder; he was as clueless as I was.

Destry wandered back in not long afterward and found me snuggled up under a blanket with my head on Austin’s lap watching a movie. “You trying to steal my girl already?” Destry laughed and stopped in front of me dropping a kiss on my forehead.

Austin gently moved my head and stood up stretching out his arms. “All yours buddy. I adore this pretty girl, but we’ve all seen what an asshole you turn into without her.”

“Ha ha ha. Very funny,” Destry said sarcastically and slid down onto the couch. I lifted my head but he grabbed me behind my back and under my legs, pulling me all the way onto him and tucked the throw blanket over us. I snuggled down into him and let out a content sigh, perfectly happy to stay like this for the rest of eternity.

“Missed you, darlin’,” he mumbled into my hair after Austin had said his goodnights and left for bed.

“Missed you too, cowboy. Like crazy,” I whispered into his chest. “No more crazy,” I told him.

“Not unless it’s our own kind of crazy,” he replied honestly. “I’m not gonna mess this up again, ‘Melia. You’re it for me.” His voice had turned rough and a lump formed in my throat. This man undid me in every possible way. He drove me a little mad but took all my worries away with a few seemingly simple words.

“Take me to bed, cowboy,” I told him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He immediately obliged, picked me up and carried me upstairs to show me how to sin all over again.

Braxton

The moment Destry turned up with Amelia, I knew shit was going to get real and quick smart. I loved the girl like she was blood, but I knew things would change. The moment it was announced that she was moving into the farmhouse, I knew it was time for me to move on. It was time for me to get the fucked-up life I was secretly living under control. I loved my family; they knew everything about me, well, just about everything. I knew they were thinking I was being sketchy and I had seen the questioning looks and the flash of concern linger over their faces, so the only thing I could do was use Amelia moving in as an excuse to find my own place.

For the past six months, Ellie and I had been living in ‘Melia’s house. It was quiet, homely and a great place to hide away from prying eyes. Ellie was so wrapped up in her new life as a college student, so she was barely at home, which suited me perfectly fine. It meant I could come and go as I pleased without questions. Ellie’s transformation over the past six months had been incredible. The influence Amelia had on her was amazing. Ellie, Amelia and now Rach, had weekly catch ups and it was during one of these catch ups that Ellie had decided she wanted to go to college. She wanted to study for a business degree, as she wanted to take on a greater role with the farm. My baby sister never ceased to amaze me.

I walked out from my room at the back of the house with a towel wrapped around my waist. It was the first night I’d had somebody over and it was only because Ellie was away on a camping trip with friends and wasn’t due back until late that afternoon. The feeling of being able to share my bed and being able not to have to hide or worry about being seen was amazing. I had no idea why I chose to start a relationship—or whatever the fuck we were calling it—with someone I couldn’t be seen with. Just another fucked-up situation in the life of Braxton Reeves, that was why.

Even though it wasn’t the easiest situation to find myself in, I couldn’t help but notice I was smiling more these days. I was floating around on cloud fucking nine. It was a great feeling and today was no exception. Walking through the empty still house, I moved into the kitchen, filled the coffee pot and hit the button, pulling two mugs down from the top cupboard. I was taking the day off. My plan was to stay indoors and hopefully in my bed. I dialed Destry’s number to tell him that I wouldn’t be in and there shouldn’t be a problem, as he owed me a few days off so I was taking one off.

He didn’t answer his cell right off, which wasn’t unusual, so I left him a short voice message letting him know I had a few things I needed to do. My usual flaky excuse, but it was all I had ‘cause I sure as shit couldn’t tell him that I was planning on being balls deep all day while our sister was out of town. I ducked into the now empty bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face, calling out as I went “Coffee’s on!” and smiling at the small grunt I heard in acknowledgement.

Standing at the bathroom sink, I placed my palms flat on the porcelain sink, looked at my reflection and sighed. How I was going to continue keeping my secret was beyond me. My family loved me; there was no question about that, but I wasn’t sure how they’d take my news if and when I did ever decided to share it. I shook the uneasy thoughts from my head and focused on what the day would bring. I quickly showered and dressed, before I made my way toward the kitchen to finish our coffees and then lock myself away in my room with the one person who was slowly but surely overtaking my heart. Just as I stepped in the room, the back door flung open and in walked Ellie holding her bags.

“Hey, I’m back early. Coffee,” she sighed, grabbed a cup and walked out of the room without another word, and without commenting on my guest who just stumbled into the kitchen. I watched Ellie’s retreating figure and cursed under my breath that I wouldn’t be having crazy sex today with my sister in the house. The problem with old houses was the paper-thin walls. As I was turning around to grab my own liquid gold from the bench, the back door opened again with such force that it nearly jumped off the hinges. This time a furious Destry stormed in, followed by Amelia, Austin and Rach looking anxious and concerned.

“You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me!” Destry roared and shot forward grabbing my best friend Ryder by the throat. “You’re banging my baby fuckin’ sister!” he yelled, the veins in his neck pumping furiously. Ryder looked at me and my wide-eyed expression in fear. He then closed his own eyes looking defeated once again. A look I had seen so many times over the past couple of months. It was then that I made a decision that could rock the foundations of the Reeves family.

“Stop” Ellie screamed when she rushed in from her room.

“Stay out of it, Ellie,” Destry told her and turned his attention back to Ryder, who was staring at me with pleading eyes.

“Destry, put him down!” I yelled back at him. By this stage, everyone was watching on in shock as Destry assaulted the deputy sheriff and my best friend.

“You allowed it! You knew about this, Brax, and you allowed it!” He was seriously pissed. I had to do something to fix this. It was now or never, right?

Fuck!

“She’s not sleeping with him!” I said sternly. Ryder’s head flicked to mine. Destry continued to stare daggers through him. “I am.”

Destry took a second to register my words and instantly let go, his arms falling to his side. He looked at me with a completely confused expression sweeping over his face. The anger which was there moments ago, had all but vanished, only to be replaced by pure shock.

The most fearful thing was he didn’t say a word. Ryder took a step back, out of arms reach of Destry, and Ellie rushed to his side to see if he was okay, while I stood cemented to the spot, waiting for my family to disown me or at the very least say something. I had four sets of eyes burning into me, Destry, Amelia, Austin and Rach, and I couldn’t for the life of me read their expressions. All I could see was Ryder from the corner of my eye.

“Well, fuck me,” Rach said, finally breaking the deafening silence of the room. Her head tipped slightly to the side, a smile on her face. A smile that instantly made me relax. Just maybe this would be okay.

“Did that already,” Austin snickered, loud enough to be heard. Rach turned quickly and punched him fair in the nose. We all looked over when Austin hit the ground, and Rach turned and walked out the door muttering under her breath. What was going on with those two was anyone’s guess, and right now, I had enough problems of my own without worrying about whatever that was.

All eyes shot back to me and it was then, standing in the kitchen of the place I now called home, that I realized I’d just told my family, my protectors, my blood my biggest secret… but definitely not my only one.