13
LINDEN
“Oh. I see,” my sister hinted. “Now I know why.”
“Can you give me a minute?” I didn’t even bother looking at Willa as I was already marching toward Estelle in an intense fevered stare throwing at me.
The people I called my family, brothers, and best friends seemed to understand the awkward situation I was in. They left as I had just walked in carrying a deadly weapon, except Quinn.
“Can we talk?” My voice came out a whisper, but she heard me though.
“About?” She arched a brow. If I saw in her eyes was right, she was pissed off.
“I’ll be in the backyard,” Quinn mentioned before he left us.
Yeah, about what exactly? About how I lied to accomplish my mission? “Us.” Way to go, Gabriel Rembrandt.
“Wait. There’s an us?” Her sarcasm almost made me cringe and spared me a sharp glance. “I thought you were pretty much clear that there was no us. Excuse me.”
“And I thought you didn’t want a relationship.”
“Yes. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” When she began to walk back, I quickly grabbed her hand, and something caught my fingers. When I looked down, we both had the same expression. I didn’t know why, but somehow we both gasped, surprised, but I was more shocked to see the humongous rock on her finger.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I snapped and didn’t try to hide the pain and sadness in my eyes. That was the first long sentence that came out of my mouth and wasn’t even pleasant.
“Do I look like a woman who would beg for your attention?”
“Is everything okay here?” I froze at the voice behind me. “Sweetheart, you made it.”
“Mr. Braddson,” she called Moses, and her voice had no hint of guilt or regret. She was elated to wear the ring of that asshole.
“Just call me Moses, Estelle.”
“I don’t think so.” She chuckled as she left me for a handshake with Moses.
“Are you okay, Gabe?” Moses asked, but it sounded like torture to me, taunting me for the biggest mistake I’d made in my life.
I cleared my throat to strengthen my voice before I answered, “Yeah.” Why wouldn’t I be?
“Let’s go to the backyard,” he announced. “I take you met my son and his wife and the guys.” That was it, they left, and I was just standing there alone, gargling my own bane.
The backyard was practically a golf course. That was how huge it was, and so many happy memories happened here. My best friend got married here, and their pregnancy announcement. We celebrated holidays, birthdays, and special occasions.
London and Striker were beyond thrilled when they found out they were pregnant, and I was ecstatic for both of them. Now I wasn’t aware that gender reveal was a big deal, but yeah, who would I deny their happiness?
Food, refreshments, and champagne are served. I chose to sit with Kye and Willa at the same table while Estelle was with Moses and Tate. On the other hand, her bodyguard was with Reed, Briggs, and Callan, Striker’s new driver.
“You don’t think I will let you go without asking you about Estelle, right, brother?” Willa started.
“We briefly met last week in Italy.” My words came out filled with bitterness.
“So you were in Italy, huh?” Kye inquired.
“Yeah. Marettimo.” I briefly looked at him, my way of saying to shut up.
“What do you mean by briefly?”
“That’s exactly what it means, Willa,” I just snapped at my sister. Great.
“Hey.” She reached for my hand, and I almost missed Estelle looking at me.
“Oh, boy,” Kye reacted.
“What is it blond-y?” Willa asked.
“I think I should shave my head and keep it bald like Sax. Why is it everyone making my hair a big deal?”
Before we could reply to Kye’s little outburst, London and Striker stood up and went to the front, where there was a colorful decoration of balloons and flowers. It was actually pretty.
London and Striker were too clingy sometimes. It made me cringe, but I got that. They were made for each other, and they almost ended up in divorce because of her father.
When they made a short speech about how grateful they were, I stole a glance at Estelle. She smiled delightedly at the couple, her hands clasped under her chin. She always stupefied me in many ways.
“You really like her, aren’t you?” Kye said.
“She’s engaged,” I just blurted out. Just fucking great. Could this night get any worse?
Kye and Willa shared the same reaction as they exchanged looks.
“To the dick?”
“Who’s the dick?” Willa asked Kye.
Before he could answer, the massive bottle of wine Striker and London were holding popped. The cock flew, revealing somewhat blue glitters, then followed by fireworks.
Everyone yelped and gushed. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what they were having.
“It’s a boy!”
We rose from our seats to applaud and congratulate them. When everybody was done hugging them, I went to hug my best friend and London.
“I get to teach him the first archery lesson. I couldn’t be happier, sweetheart.” I opened my arms. London came to squeeze me into a tight hug even if she looked like she just swallowed a ball.
“Thank you, Linden. You will be my son’s godfather.”
I stared at her. “Really?”
She was about to cry when she burst into laughing. “You gave me shelter when I was lost. Who else deserves to be that man?”
“Does Cade know this?”
“Yeah. We blurted the same name when we thought about who would be our son’s godfather.”
“And it was me?” Delighted, I pointed at myself. I was still finding it hard to believe.
“No, asshole.”
I laughed out loud before I pulled them both into my arms. “I’m going to explode if I got to be happier than what I am feeling right now.”
“You should at least entertain our special guest,” Striker said.
“I tried. I think she might figure out my purpose on that island.”
“What did I miss?” London asked.
“I’ll fill you in, baby.”
“Of course, sweetheart. I want him to have playmates.”
Striker shook his head in amusement.
“TMI, sweetheart.” I rolled my eyes. All of a sudden, I felt the air change.
“So, it’s a baby boy. You both would be great parents,” Estelle said. Her smile was contagious.
“Thank you, Estelle. And thank you for being here. These guys sometimes drove me crazy, in a good way. It’s always great to have another girl to talk about girl stuff.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“Next Saturday at our home, if you’re free, we do tacos Saturday.”
“Oh, no.” She waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not gonna intrude—”
“No, no, no. You’re literally a part of our small circle of craziness.” London laughed. “If you enjoy tacos, you should try Linden’s omelet. Man, you would have a mini-orgasm.”
“Baby,” Striker warned his wife.
“I’m just telling the truth, Cade.” She looked at her husband, her eyes twinkling.
I watched Estelle blush. Did she just blush? She might as well remember something.
“Oh?” London’s eyes suddenly grew big. As soon as she noticed the big rock on Estelle’s finger, I began backing out. Striker was too quick to catch me on my arm and gave me no choice but to bear the awkward moment.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he whispered, just enough not to be heard by these women.
“Who’s the lucky guy? I don’t know you’re engaged.”
“I’m the luckiest, actually. He’s a great guy.” While she was smiling, I clenched my jaw in anger as Striker wouldn’t let me go.
“Willa,” London called my sister.
“Just let me go, man,” I said through gritted teeth. I wondered if he knew something I didn’t. But, of course, Moses never kept a secret from his son. Why would I even be so surprised?
“Not a chance.” The Striker was calm beside me. “Don’t embarrass me, asshole.”
“Hey, preggy. Is he kicking yet?”
“Oh yeah. I could already see him as a soccer player.”
“Football, Vanderford.”
“We’re in America, Cade.”
“Cute, aren’t they? That’s how they call each other,” my sister told Estelle.
Estelle’s lips barely curved into a smile. Wait a minute? Did she think what I think it is? Holy shit.
“Linden?” Sax called out.
“What?” Willa and I answered in unison.
“Not you, old man. Willa, I need your opinion on something.”
What the fuck? I saw how Estelle’s face lit up as if she had just put two and two together. Why was it that everyone who didn’t know me and Willa thought we were not siblings? Or she didn’t just think Willa and I were married. That was just gross.
“Sure. Tell me your rate,” Willa joked.
“Are you kidding me? You’re charging me now?”
My sister shrugged, making Kye laugh. “Nothing is free in this world anymore, Ryder. That’s how it works.”
“Shit.” I wanted to punch myself.
“Just give me a minute, Ryder. Sorry. London, you called me.”
“Oh, yeah. I’d like you to meet Estelle Bladwyn.”
“Of course, I know who she is.” She faced Estelle. “I love the new lipgloss. I actually have it in my bag. It’s not sticky, and it adds volume to the lips. And the smell doesn’t give me a migraine. I’m a little bit sensitive with a strong smell. And the color. I read in a magazine that you are hands-on with choosing the color yourself?”
“Yeah, I do blend colors myself. All the shades, I can say that I’m proud of because it’s part of my individuality. Even if it represents women, gender equality, colors, and races, it always has a—”
“A part yourself,” my sister added.
“Yes, my identity.” Her face lit up as she agreed with my sister.
“Signature. Your trademark. I have all that in my designs,” London said.
“Exactly.”
“That makes you girls unbeatable because of your uniqueness, eccentricity, and authenticity.”
“Well, look at you.” Striker smirked at me.
“Thank you, Willa.”
“Of course. My brother’s friends always have my support.” Willa picked up something from her bag, offering Estelle her calling card. “If you are looking for an art curator or wanna visit my gallery.”
“You’re shameless, aren’t you?”
“She’s a knockout, and I like her. Sorry, big brother.” She just winked at me, making the couple laugh.
Estelle giggled as she checked out the card. “Thanks, Willa. I will definitely check your gallery and tell some friends too.”
“You won’t regret it.” Willa raised brows at me. “That’s how you make money, Gabriel Rembrandt. Oh, yeah, that’s not your case anymore, right? Well, one of us should make an effort to make a living.”
I shook my head in amusement. That was why I loved her.
“Gabriel Rembrandt, huh?”
“Yeah, that’s his ridiculous name.”
“Better than Willa Violet.”
“Very mature. It’s because I was so violet when I was born,” she explained directly to Estelle. The next thing I knew, they were sitting next to each other, laughing as my sister probably told her the most embarrassing story of my family.
“She just figured out Willa is your sister, brother.” Striker stood next to me as we watched the two women chat.
“She’s still engaged.”
“She didn’t name the guy, did she? The non-existence fiance? She’s probably faking it to make you jealous.”
“It’s Klayton fucking Weston.”
“The guy with a small dick?” London joined us.
I stared at London to Striker. “What the shit did you two know about my trip to Italy?”
