SWNOVELS The Devil’s Reward: Chapter 55
I need to bleach my brain.
I’m so excited I’m shivering with it. They’re finally almost here, and after nearly a year of not seeing them, I know I’m going to cry like a baby. I glance again at the screen above my head and see their flight has arrived, which means they’ll be out very soon. My heart starts to pound.
The last few days have been a whirlwind of emotion. I’ve had nightmares almost every night, but Shadow has always been there to wake and soothe me. Macy has been sleeping just fine, and she hasn’t so much as hinted about going home. Shadow said we could, but I think we both weren’t quite ready to be out of each other’s sight just yet. Not to mention, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Rose, Sage, Izzy, and Syn. Those ladies are a hoot, and I love them to pieces.
Also, Rose dotes on Macy, and Macy adores her. In fact, when Rose needed to lie down to rest yesterday, Macy insisted on tucking her in and leaving her bear so that he could make her feel better faster. Rose’s eyes had been wet, and mine too, when Rose thanked her, and then Macy climbed up in the bed with her and the two of them settled in for a nap.
Which left Shadow and me some time to ourselves. Two guesses on what we got up to before we had a nap of our own.
Macy insisted on Rose coming today, which is exactly why I snuck Rose and Sage out of the clubhouse, while Izzy distracted everyone else so they wouldn’t notice. Shadow was busy, so I just sent him a message to say we were leaving to get my family and I’d see him later.
He’s been blowing up my phone ever since. Not that I answered, other than to tell him I’m fine and that Rose and Sage are both happily waiting with me. The horror face emoji he sent me back was hilarious. He still believes they’re going to drag me to jail with them, but I think he’s exaggerating. They’re a lot of fun, but neither of them is up to full speed, and we’re only picking up my parents and sister. He worries too much.
“Are they here yet?” Macy demands impatiently, looking up at me with a scowl on her face. “Why are they taking forever?”
“Their plane just landed, so now they have to get their things before they come out to meet us,” I explain patiently. Though I understand her impatience because I’m feeling it myself.
“Uggggghhhhh,” Macy groans dramatically. “Grandpa so owes me some presents for making me wait so long.”
“That’s right, honey,” Rose tells her with a wink. “Men should never keep a woman waiting.” Macy nods her agreement.
Sage snickers. “Tell that to King. He’s always late and it drives me nuts. I swear he does it on purpose.”
“He probably does,” I grin. “With the way you two argue and make-up, we both know where that leads.”
“You do fight a lot,” Macy agrees. “Grandma says men don’t have big brains, or they like to think with the wrong ones, and they say stupid stuff because they can’t think before they speak. I don’t know where the other brain is, but maybe they should squish them together.”
Rose and Sage roar with laughter, while I just shake my head. That definitely sounds like something my mother would say. “I think your Grandma and I are going to get along just fine,” Rose declares.
“Shadow says that Grandma and Aunt Peyton are going to join the coven and he won’t be able to afford to send me to college,” Macy announces, looking up at me in confusion.
“Shadow’s being silly,” I tell her, but my lips pull up into a grin.
Macy doesn’t look like she believes me. “Shadow better like Grandma and Auntie because if not, I’m walking away from this whole thing. You don’t get between a little girl and her Grandma and Auntie. There are rules about that, you know.”
“That’s exactly right,” Sage says proudly. “We girls stick together.”
“If Mom and Shadow get married does that mean you’ll be my aunt?” Macy asks Sage curiously.
I freeze, my eyes widening at her question. Uh oh. Sage grins at me. “In a way,” she tells Macy.
“And that would make you my other Grandma right?” Macy asks Rose.
Rose glances at me, but she must read the surprise on my face because she says, “Not exactly, honey, but if you want to think of me as one, I’ll be very happy.”
Macy nods her acceptance of that. “Okay.” She glances at me and I smile gently at her. She has accepted the club so easily, and she’s made a new friend with Archer, Viper’s son. Archer is very patient with her. He’s been at the clubhouse since yesterday, the two of them thick as thieves running around the clubhouse and playing on the play set the club has set up out back. The play set is a big factor in Macy not caring if we go home, I think.
“There they are!” Macy suddenly screeches. I look over and beam as I see my mother and sister riding down the escalator towards us, waving their arms frantically. Their faces are stretched wide with big smiles. A few steps behind them is my father, with both suitcases, looking both happy to be here and slightly haggard.
Macy runs forward and throws herself at my mom, who scoops her up and hugs her tight before kissing her all over her little face. Macy laughs happily, and I feel tears fill my eyes as Peyton takes her and does the same while Mom comes running over to me to hug me close.
“Hi, Mom,” I say into her neck.
“Oh my baby,” she coos, rocking me gently as she hugs me tight. “I missed you so much.” She pulls away and takes me in. Thankfully I’ve been able to hide the bruises and lingering swelling on my face under layers and layers of make-up so she doesn’t notice it. “You’re still as beautiful as ever.”
“Don’t mind me, I’m just the lackey,” my father says sarcastically as he finally reaches us and sets the bags down.
I laugh and hug him tight. “Hi, Dad,” I say when I pull back.
“Sis,” Peyton says with a grin when I go in to hug her. She’s still holding Macy, who giggles when I tickle her sides when I pull away.
“This is Aunt Sage and Nana Rose,” Macy declares proudly, pointing at Sage and Rose, who both jerk at her words, staring at her in surprise. My mouth drops open in shock, but no surprise, my sister and mother take it all in stride.
“Every little girl needs a couple of grandmothers,” Mom agrees easily, smiling warmly at Rose. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rose so speechless, or the way she looks at my daughter with such happiness in her eyes. “Nice to meet you, Nana Rose. I’m Grandma Audrey Holt.”
“Nice to meet you,” Rose says with equal warmth, and the two women embrace, being careful of Rose’s arm still in the sling. I see Rose wince slightly when she pulls away, but we all agreed not to mention anything that’s happened in the past few days so she quickly hides it. She looks at my father and gives him an equally warm smile. “And nice to meet you too, handsome,” she drawls at him.
Dad steps forward to shake her hand and gives a charming smile. “Pleasure is all mine. I’m Bill Holt.”
Rose turns to Peyton who gives her a quick hug. “And I’m Peyton. I hope you’re ready for us,” Peyton says with a grin. “We’ve brought the party with us.”
Rose laughs, delighted. “Oh, yes I am. Tell me, have you told Shadow about this?” she asks conspiratorially, eyes bright with mirth.
Peyton arches a brow. “No, I haven’t,” she answers slowly.
“Oh this is going to be good,” Sage drawls, rubbing her hands together delightedly. “Are you a bit crazy?”
“I can be,” Peyton answers with a grin, obviously having clued in that being so is a good thing.
“Thank God,” Sage says, reaching out to shake her hand. “I have so many plans.”
Peyton laughs. “I think we’re going to be great friends,” she predicts, setting Macy on her feet. Not that it lasts long because Macy makes a bee line for her grandfather, who quickly scoops her up and hugs her tight.
“Let’s get going,” I suggest. “We’re having a get-together at the clubhouse today. Are you guys up for that?” I ask. “I know you’re probably tired but—”
“Is there beer?” my father interrupts.
“Yes,” I say with a smile.
“Then I don’t care where you take us as long as I can have a drink and meet this man of yours. We have some things to get out of the way before we can join forces.”
“Dad,” I warn as we head towards the exit, my mother and sister pulling their suitcases behind them as Dad carries Macy.
“It’s a man thing, honey, you don’t need to worry about it,” Dad dismisses.
We just about reach the exit when there’s a loud commotion behind us. We turn and see security running towards us. Only, when their eyes connect with us, they scream, “Freeze! Don’t move.”
We all freeze, shocked and confused. “We need you all to come with us,” one of the agents barks as he nears us.
“All of us?” I ask in shock. “What? Why?”
“Let’s go,” another agent says, more of them surrounding us. Next thing I know, all of us, including Rose and Sage, are herded into a back area. I grab Macy from my father and hold her close. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but Macy is clearly unhappy, given the confused look on her face morphing into a scowl.
When we’re all in the holding area, we’re ordered up against the wall and frisked. Even Macy. “Don’t touch my daughter,” I snap furiously at the agent.
“Be quiet or I’ll arrest you,” the agent snaps at me, his dark eyes hard.
“Are you kidding me?” I hiss. “We are here to pick up my family for a visit. You have no right to detain us.”
“You’re in the company of known criminals, so you should mind your fucking tongue,” he snarls back. I stare at him. He looks over at my parents, and barks, “Both of you get over there. Jacobs, you deal with these ones.”
“I want to know what the hell is going on,” Rose says, vibrating with anger.
The agent sneers at her cut, infuriating me more. “All you need to know is that your friends are carrying dangerous materials in their suitcases. If you’re quiet and cooperate, maybe you won’t go to jail today.”
“This is bullshit,” Sage snaps, equally angry.
“Shut the hell up,” the agent orders.
“You really need to stop swearing,” Macy points out sassily. The agent points his angry glare at her, but she just stares back at him. “Grandma says that swearing means that you don’t have a very big ‘cabulary. Maybe you should work on that.”
Rose and Sage laugh, while I pull Macy back against me and give the furious agent a touch-her-and-find-out-what-happens glare. He stalks over to my sister, obviously having had enough of us. Peyton gives him a cool look, lets him frisk her, and then waits without a word when he steps back.
We all watch the agents pick up their suitcases and toss them on the large metal tables in the middle of the room. Peyton gets an anticipatory smile on her face when the ass who frisked her opens her suitcase.
“What are we being detained for?” Mom demands furiously.
“Carrying illegal substances in your bag,” the agent tells her briskly.
“That’s ridiculous,” my father scowls. “We’re not junkies.”
“Care to explain these?” the agent demands, pulling a set of handcuffs from the bag.
Rose and Sage burst out laughing, while I just sigh. “A whole lot of fun,” my father says blandly. “Your wife never cuffs you up, huh? That why you’re being such a dickhead?”
The agent ignores him. Then he pulls out a small flogger. “Feels really nice when you’re in those cuffs,” my mother tells him sweetly. “Might even help you sort out why you have your head so far up your ass.” Rose and Sage are bent over laughing even more, and I just hang my head. Macy is staring at everything in confusion, but I’ll worry about that later. Right now is not the time for sex-ed.
Out comes some clothes, and then finally he pulls out a ball gag. I groan and cover my eyes, and because I just can’t right now. This entire thing is like an out of body experience.
“Wife can make too much noise when we really get going,” my father says casually, looking the stunned agent right in the eyes. “You’re probably one of the big silent ones aren’t you? Ohh, I understand. You can’t make your wife get loud enough to need one. You need a few pointers? I can give you some.”
“Shut up,” the agent grits out, quickly stuffing everything back in as he checks the lining and the pockets. When he finds nothing, he nods at the other agent. “It must be in that one,” he tells him.
Peyton steps forward, and from the look on her face, I know this isn’t going to get any better. The agent opens the bag. On top is just clothes and toiletries, but when he moves those out of the way, his eyes widen. He pulls out the largest dildo I have ever seen. I quickly slap my hand over Macy’s eyes and turn her around. “Hey!” she protests. “I want to see.”
“No,” I snap at her.
Peyton slowly grins at the stunned agent. “You’ve never seen one this big, Agent?” she purrs. “Then again, I doubt you’re anywhere close. Want a picture for later? You know, something to use as a reference when you’re home alone?”
Rose and Sage are laughing so hard their faces are bright red. “Damn girl,” Rose gasps out. “I want to know where you got that.”
“I dare you to buy that for Bullet,” Sage gasps out, wiping tears away from her eyes. Rose grins wickedly.
The agent isn’t done though. Next he pulls out a couple smaller vibrators. “You never know what you’re going to be in the mood for,” Peyton says carelessly. “Want pictures of those too?”
When he gets to the bottom, he pulls out a large, black butt plug. “Damn, girl,” Sage laughs.
Peyton grins slowly. “What can I say, I like them big,” she says easily. The agent looks like he’s not sure whether to be intrigued or horrified. “Did you need me to tell you what that’s for, Agent? Or, if you’re a visual learner, I can demonstrate,” Peyton asks sweetly.
“No, thank you,” he answers uncomfortably, rushing to put everything back in the bag, but when he gets to the dildo, he shudders before he quickly flings it inside.
“See, we have nothing,” Dad says angrily. “You did all this over a bogus scan.”
“We have to make sure,” the agent in charge says stiffly. “We apologize for the inconvenience.”
“Inconvenience?” my mother yells. “Do you have any idea what this did to us? The emotional toll this has taken? Especially on my five-year-old granddaughter? You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“Bunch of assholes, the lot of you,” my father agrees loudly.
“You both need to calm down,” the agent warns, hand going to his gun in reflex.
“Bunch of idiots, all of them,” my sister agrees, glaring. “You should have made sure you had the right people before you went and embarrassed us.”
“They’re not the brightest around here,” Rose agrees, also glaring at them.
The agent’s face is getting redder and redder by the minute, and none of them give up. “All of you need to shut the hell up or I’m arresting you for badgering,” the agent warns.
Nope, that’s not enough of a deterrent. Which is exactly how, only a few minutes later, I’m reaching for my phone to call Shadow as the agents haul my parents, my sister, Rose, and Sage off to a cell.
Looks like I’m going to need that bail money he’s always talking about.