37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Cora

Predictably, Caleb was done first, and he smiled broadly as he set down his copy. “I accept all terms of this contract without reservation.”

Cora felt something ease inside of her. Caleb was only one of seven men sitting across the table from her, but it felt good to know someone else was on her side. She hadn’t really worried about her brothers accepting the contract. It was her dad that was going to be the biggest issue.

She honestly didn’t know how he was going to react to the contract the three of them had labored over for hours. So many family injustices were addressed in those three pages that Cora was surprised the paper didn’t weigh hundreds of pounds.

As she watched her father read, she was impressed the paper didn’t catch fire from the way he was glaring at it. His reading glasses were perched on the end of his nose, and his mouth was settled into a severe frown. When he got to the last page, the paper crumpled under his tightening grip until he realized what he was doing and set it on the table to finish reading.

By the time her father was done, the rest of the brothers had long since set their copies down. Everyone remained silent, waiting to see how the patriarch of the Walsh family would react.

Sitting back, Daniel took his glasses off and gently folded them up before tucking them in the front pocket of his shirt .

“It seems you think I don’t love you,” he said, breaking the silence.

Cora had been ready for the ploy, but it still hurt. She employed the tactic Annette had taught her. “If that was the case, why would I go to so much effort to bring you back into my life?”

It was obvious Daniel didn’t like his question being answered with another question. He kept his tone even, but his motion was violent as he pushed the paper across the table. “It’s obvious, isn't it? It says it right there, in black and white, I’m a shitty father.”

“It does?” Kimble asked, pretending to examine his copy. “I don’t remember using those words anywhere.”

“The words aren’t there, but I can read what you meant,” Daniel sneered. “I’m not allowed to say mean things even if I’m doing it in a,” he raised his hands to make air quotes, “a teasing way. That’s because I call Cora my second biggest disappointment, isn’t it? She knows I don’t mean it.”

Cora took a deep breath. It was time. Her next words would cause Daniel to either blow up or stay and hash this out.

To her surprise, Caleb spoke up before she could get a word out.

“I want the same contract as Cora.” Everyone looked at him in surprise as he stood up and walked around the table to sit next to Pike. “I’m done being called your greatest disappointment. I have a career I enjoy, a wife I love, and children I can’t imagine living without.”

“You know I don’t mean it like that,” Daniel blustered.

“Maybe,” Caleb responded. “The thing is, Dad, I love my kids so damn much. I want them to be happy and succeed in anything they find joyful. I’d never look at either of them and say the things you’ve repeated to me over and over again through the years. It would hurt me inside to do that to my children. How can you keep saying that to me? I’m with Cora. I’m not sure you love us.”

Daniel looked stunned. “I’m just giving you a hard time. You know I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

“No, I don’t know that,” Caleb bit out. “You didn’t even come to my graduation from law school! Everyone else was there except you. ”

With a determined frown, Tim stood up and sat next to Caleb. He didn’t meet Daniel’s eyes and spoke quietly but firmly. “I never wanted to be an electrician. I wanted to go to college and study history.”

“What were you going to do with a history degree? Teach?” Daniel scoffed.

Tim looked up, hurt clear on his face. “What’s wrong with teaching?”

Cora leaned forward to address Tim. “It’s not too late. I’ll help you pay for college. You can still be a teacher or historian or whatever the fuck you want. I promise.”

Caleb, Kimble, and Pike all echoed her sentiment. Their support helped Tim sit up a little straighter. “Thanks guys,” he said. “I’ll think about it.”

Cooper stood up and took the chair next to Kimble. “I still want to be an electrician, but I don’t want to be your slave anymore. I’m good, and you treat me like I’m still an apprentice who doesn’t know shit. I’m done with that, Dad. Consider this my resignation.”

It seemed Cora wasn’t the only one who felt mistreated by their father.

Daniel shook his head, incredulous at what was happening. “I raised you, clothed you, cared for you even after your mother died, and this is how you treat me?”

“There’s more to raising children than seeing to their physical needs,” Cora stated.

“Children need to be loved,” Caleb said with clear condemnation.

“We needed someone to build us up, not tear us down,” Cooper added. “I’m tired of being called a dipshit every time I make a mistake. You’re not perfect either, Dad. I’ve fixed plenty of things you’ve done wrong.”

Daniel made a disgusted sound and shoved away from the table. He stood so quickly his chair toppled over behind him.

“When did my boys turn into such pussies? I’d expect this emotional overanalyzing from Cora but not my boys. When you all come to your senses, you can call me.” He looked down at the brothers still seated at his end of the table. “Let’s go.”

Ted, Carson, and Trevor stood up, but they didn’t move to the door. Instead, they all silently shuffled over to Cora’s side of the table. A deep love for her siblings filled her at the same time she fought against the anger making her want to scream at her father. He was losing all of them due to his stubbornness.

He pointed a shaking finger at Cora. “This is all your fault. I knew you’d be trouble the moment you were born, and I was right!”

“I believe it’s time you leave now,” Kimble said. “I’ll have the terms emailed to you. If you ever want to interact with Cora again, you’ll have to sign the contract and abide by its rules.”

For the first time, Daniel raised his voice. “I’m in charge here! I’m the one who decides what’s what. It’s all of you that will have to come begging me.”

He turned to storm out, but Cora had one last thing to say. “Dad?”

When he looked at her, there was triumph on his face. He thought she was about to give in, but he was dead wrong.

“Yes?”

“If Mom was alive, what would she say about everything you’ve done since she died?”

The question hit Daniel like a blow. He staggered back, his expression going from triumph to disbelief. “I can’t believe you asked me something like that.”

“Think about it, Dad,” Cora urged. “I don’t remember her, but Aunt Maria always told me she was everything loving and kind. When she was alive, did she stay silent if you bullied us?”

Daniel’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. It struck Cora that he suddenly looked far older than his years. His shoulders were hunched a little, and he appeared worn and tired, as if he’d been so busy trying to control everything in his life that he’d aged himself prematurely. It struck her that he’d traumatized his children because his wife’s death had left him deeply wounded.

Cora’s next words came from a place of peace and acceptance as she realized Daniel was as fucked up as the rest of them.

“I think you lost your way, Dad. It’s up to you to find it again. We’ll be waiting.”

** *

Pike

Worried that Daniel would start hurling abuse at Cora, Pike was quick to stand up and forcefully guide the human out of the building. Waiting outside the front door were the wolves who’d escorted the Walsh men in.

“He’s ready to leave now,” Pike explained. “The rest of them will be staying for a while longer.”

The wolves nodded and took positions on either side of Daniel. “This way, sir.”

“I didn’t drive,” Daniel mumbled, staring straight ahead and looking shell shocked. “I rode with Cooper.”

“We’ll get you home,” one of the wolves said with a nod at Pike, then they guided him away.

Confident that Daniel was taken care of, Pike made his way back into the room to find Cora sitting on Kimble’s lap and laughing. In fact, all the siblings were laughing. It was the type of laugh you heard after living through something that should’ve been deadly. The relieved merriment of survivors.

“I didn’t think this would ever happen,” Tim said softly after the laughter had died down.

Pike made his way to Cora and put a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed back against him, some of the tension going out of her body. Grabbing the hand on her shoulder, she pulled it down and hugged his arm to her chest.

“You didn’t think anyone would ever stand up to Dad?” Caleb asked, giving Cora an admiring look. “Of course it would be Short Stop who did it.”

“That too,” Tim agreed, giving Cora a hopeful look. “I didn’t think I’d ever be free. Can I come work for you now?”

Cora shook her head. “No way.”

Tim’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“You’re going to college,” she stated firmly. “No more electrical work for you.”

His face flushed. “I can work for you until the semester starts. Oh shit, what am I going to do about a place to live? I was renting from Dad.”

“You’re going to move into my house,” Cora stated firmly. “I haven’t rented it out yet so you can stay there for as long as you need to. No rent. ”

“Careful, with that kind of sweet deal, he might get to college and decide to never finish!” Cooper teased.

Tim pretended to punch Cooper in the gut. “Says the guy who moved in with a guy after the first date because he got himself evicted.”

Cooper grabbed Tim around the waist and lifted him into the air. “You promised to never bring that up again after I covered you on the Stell Street job!”

The brothers started wrestling in earnest, and Pike debated about pulling them apart. Then Caleb nudged the two out of the way so the rest of them could keep talking. It seemed this was common with those two.

“I’m out of a job too,” Carson said with a hopeful look at Cora.

“Of course you’re going to come to work for me,” she said. “You and Cooper both. I only refused Tim because it’s not the life he wants.”

“I guess no more monthly BBQ,” Caleb commented. “Looks like this is the end of an era.”

“We could try going to a park or something,” Carson suggested. “Other big families do that. And a park means playgrounds for the kids. It could be even better. There’s a great one by my office.”

“Sure, I guess that could work,” Caleb said without an ounce of enthusiasm.

“If the old era is ending, then a new one must begin,” Kimble said. “There’s plenty of room here and a small playground. As long as my people are invited, we could host your monthly parties.”

“Yeah!” Cooper shouted from the floor as he and Tim wrestled. “Let's do that! Cora’s in charge of the family now!”

Cora jolted against him, her hold tightening around his arm. “Uh, no, I don’t think—”

“I second Cooper’s suggestion,” Trevor said, cutting Cora’s protest off. “I second the idea of Cora as head of the family. Everyone who agrees, say aye!”

There was a chorus of “ayes” from the assembled siblings.

Pike could feel both pleasure and apprehension coming from Cora. “All of you are so dumb,” she said, fighting a smile. “Didn’t we just rebel so no one was in charge of the family? ”

“We staged a revolution to oust the dictator. Now we want to elect a president,” Caleb quipped.

Cora hung her head with a sigh. “Is there any way I can say no?”

“None,” Caleb answered with a chuckle, then looked at Kimble. “Are you sure about this? We’re a rowdy bunch.”

“So I’ve witnessed,” Kimble answered. “But you haven’t seen my people when alcohol is abundant. I think you’ll find your wildness is well matched here.”

Carson tilted his head and stared at Kimble. “What happened to your super thick accent? The last time I saw you, it was all one-word sentences and grunts. Now you sound like Caleb, all slick as snot with those fancy words.”

“Hey,” Cora said, mock glaring at Carson.

“Let me handle this,” Caleb said, then spoke with a soft conciliatory tone. “Which word confused you, Carson? I can explain it, or maybe give you other words you already know. Alcohol is a term for drinks like beer. You know what beer is, right?”

Carson rolled his eyes. “You sound like you're talking to one of your kids.”

“Might as well be,” Caleb said, making Carson laugh.

“Whatever,” Carson said, returning his attention back to Kimble. “My question still stands, what happened with your accent? Were you testing us before by acting all dumb and shit?”

“Perhaps,” Kimble said with a little shrug.

“I bet he was trying to get us to say stuff in front of him so he could get intel,” Trevor suggested.

They argued amicably about Kimble’s accent with Cora adding in some outrageous conspiracy theories making them all laugh. As the friendly conversation went on, the food was eaten, coffee drank, and eventually everyone started to look at their phones.

It was clear to Pike no one wanted to leave the little bubble of family camaraderie they’d created. Tomorrow they’d have to face the reality of standing strong against an angry family patriarch.

Pike spoke up before he could consider the wisdom of his words. “Any of you can call me if you need some help, or someone to talk to. ”

All the brothers looked over at him with surprised expressions.

“That’s nice?” Caleb said, making it more of a question than a compliment.

Pike felt his face get hot with embarrassment, but he forged on. “Cora and Kimble both tend to work long hours and can be hard to get a hold of, but I have a lot of free time. All of you are family to me now so if you need some help, I’m here. It doesn’t matter whether it’s moving furniture or letting you spill your guts over a beer, I’ve got your back.”

The siblings blinked at him, and he felt Cora’s pleasure at his sincere offer. “You’re the sweetest bear ever,” she whispered.

Kimble pushed a feeling of warmth and support at him, clearly stating the vampire was proud of his courage to speak up.

It was Cooper who broke the silence. “Thanks, man. You can never have too many brothers.”

The others murmured their agreement, and Pike saw real acceptance in their eyes. They all talked a little longer before they walked the brothers back to their cars. The three of them stood there in silence and watched the cars’ lights disappear down the dark driveway.

“It really is the beginning of a new era,” Cora murmured. The three of them pressed close together, enjoying the feeling of love flowing through their bond.

Cora turned slightly so she could look up at him and Pike. Her eyes looked bright and luminous, and her lips were curved in a soft smile as she spoke. “I’m really glad I didn’t try hard to kill you, Kimble. Turns out you and Pike are the loves of my life.”

Kimble laughed and grabbed her around the waist to throw her over his shoulder. He slung his free arm around Pike’s shoulders and guided him into the house.

“Let’s reenact the kidnapping as it should've been!” he suggested. Pike felt a shot of lust come from both his mates, making him instantly and painfully hard in his pants.

“Can I be kidnapped too?” Pike teased.

“Of course, sloneczko .” Kimble tightened his arm around Pike’s shoulders and pretended to drag him through the wide-open front door. “Come with me, my flock! It’s time to ravish you both! ”

“Save me, Cora,” Pike called out, putting the back of his hand to his forehead. Cora’s peals of laughter echoed into the night until Kimble kicked the front door shut and proceeded to ravish them both repeatedly.