25. Indy

Chapter 25

Indy

“It’s a nice house,” Breaker murmurs, looking at the big white house surrounded by trees and a pond. It is beautiful, and it’s kind of off to itself, so the quiet is nice. My man is so nervous, and I hate it. He’s not the type to be nervous. This just isn’t natural. We’re sitting in the driveway of Breaker’s parents. Skylar and Torin just went into the house. She suggested we wait out front so they’d have time to prepare everyone. I could understand the need, but I wish we had just gone in with her and gotten it over with.

“It is nice. Does anything look familiar?”

“Not really,” he says, sounding frustrated. I think a part of him thought he’d come back to Kentucky and his memory would just click into place. It’s clear that hasn’t happened. “Maybe it will after you meet your parents.”

“Maybe,” he says, but he doesn’t sound convinced.

“I like the house,” I begin, wanting to change the subject before he gets too upset. “I’d rather own one of those big log homes that has ceiling to floor windows and huge glass patio doors that lead to an enormous deck.”

“Wow, really? If that’s the kind of house you’ve wanted, then how did you end up buying a ranch with an old farmhouse?”

“That had more to do with the price, location, and availability than personal taste,” I explain.

“I’ll keep that in mind if we ever decide to move or add on,” he says, making me smile.

“You need to quit worrying, Breaker. It doesn’t matter what happens. We can deal with it. You just need to remember that you’re not alone. It’s us against the world, sweetheart,” I promise him.

“Yeah, Bwaker! It’s all of us. That means me too!”

“Hey! I thought you were asleep.”

“I was Mommy, I’m awake now. Geez.”

Breaker and I laugh as he reaches back, unbuckling her booster seat, and carefully lifts her up front with us. “Everything includes you, kiddo. You and your mommy are my family now.”

I watch as my daughter hugs Breaker around the neck, looking so tiny and vulnerable. I don’t worry, though. No one will ever hold her as carefully as Breaker. No matter what, she will always be safe with him.

“I love you, Bwaker,” she says, burying her face into the side of his neck. I feel his body quiver beside me. He’s holding Tinny. His eyes are closed, but when he opens them, all I see is how bright they are with unshed tears.

“I love you, too, Tinny. I’ll always love you.”

Wiping away a few of my own tears, I wonder if it is legal to be this happy. “I think we should just go on inside. I don’t know what Skylar has planned, but personally, I don’t think anything she has to say will put them at ease. This is going to be hard no matter what. We might as well just go get everything started.”

“I’m with you. Let’s go. If they’re jerks, we’ll get back to the farm and watch Frozen.”

“Or How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Tinny chimes in.

All too soon, we are out of the truck and at the door. Breaker knocks, but no one answers. He looks at me and I just shrug. “Jesus,” he mutters. He finally just opens the door, and we walk inside. We’re in a small foyer with a closet to our right that I assume is for coats and things. The walls are white with black trim. It looks into this huge living area with white-tiled floors and black leather couches. Everything is ultra-modern. It’s pretty—at little cold for my taste, but I can see the appeal. There are family pictures all over the walls in big chunky black wood frames. All the photos are in monotone too. I can see some of Breaker, though.

I guess we’re in the right place. The room in front of us is also full of people. Besides Skylar and Joker, there are four other people. I assume the older couple are Breaker’s parents. He described his father already after seeing a picture of him that Devil had, so he doesn’t surprise me. His mother is very beautiful. I can tell Skylar looks just like her. The other girl has a red tint to her hair, but she’s tall and looks like a runway model. She’s also pregnant. This must be Breaker’s other sister, Thea.

“Skylar, just tell us what’s going on,” his father growls, rubbing the back of his neck. It makes me smile because I’ve seen Breaker do the very same thing. “You went out of your way to call this damn family meeting. Because of you, we had to postpone heading down to North Carolina to search for your brother. You better have a damn good reason.”

Breaker clears his throat, trying to get everyone’s attention. He grabs my hand and holds onto it so tight that it is on the verge of being painful. I don’t say a word, however. I know he has to feel on edge right now in a way he never has before.

“What the fuck?”

This comes from the man standing beside the girl that I assume is Thea. I wince as Tinny says, “Mommy, that man said a bad word!”

“Does this whole damn family forget to watch their mouths when there are kids around?”

Tinny looks at me and scrunches up her nose. “Mommy, Bwaker said a bad word, too,” she whispers.

I start giggling, unable to stop it, and Breaker looks at me and rolls his eyes. “I’m sorry, Tinny.”

“It’s okay, Bwaker,” she says, patting his shoulder. She’s still in his arms, her head even with his as we look out at his family.

“Matthew? Is that really you?” the older woman whispers. My throat clogs with emotion as I take in the way she trembles, then slowly walks toward Breaker.

“Mom, Mattie can’t really remember anyone or anything yet. He hit his head when his bike crashed,” Skylar explains, tears running down her face, too. Suddenly I’m ashamed that I didn’t demand to go to Kentucky from day one with Breaker and meet his family. Then, again, if I had, maybe he and I would never have fallen in love.

“Matthew. I thought I’d never see you again,” the woman breathes out. Her words sound as if they are being cut from her heart. It’s almost painful to hear. She reaches up and touches his face gently—reverently. I think she’s afraid he might disappear. “I never thought I’d see you again,” she repeats as the tears steadily increase and she falls against him. Breaker awkwardly takes the woman in his arms. I hastily get Tinny out of his arms to allow him more freedom. He holds his mother and gives her a few minutes to get herself together. “You really don’t remember anything?” she asks, eventually.

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll get you seen by the best doctors. I have my son back and that’s all that matters. You’re back, thank you God,” she exclaims. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

She hugs him again as his father moves from behind his mom. I see Breaker straighten, looking at his father, studying him. “Fuck, son, I thought I lost you.”

“Dad,” he says, and I might be mistaken, but I hear emotion in that one word.

Bull turns his head to study Breaker. I think he hears the same emotion that I do. “Yeah,” he says.

“I remember your face and your voice. I think … I think I remember you.”

Bull wraps his big, beefy arms around Breaker. Bull is this enormous man with lines on his face and a body that I’m sure has stories to tell. He looks like a brick house. I’m pretty sure he’s the only man on the planet that could make Breaker look small. So, when he cries and squeezes Breaker into his body, I’m shocked. “Missed you so fucking much, Matthew.”

“Mattie?”

Our attention turns to Thea. Bull pulls back to give her room to see her brother, but I notice he keeps a hand on Breaker. I think he’s afraid he might disappear, too.

“Hello,” Breaker answers.

“Do you remember me?” she asks, sounding hopeful.

“I’m afraid not. I can’t really remember anything. But Dad’s face and voice are definitely familiar.”

“It shouldn’t surprise me you’d remember Dad over all of us. He’s always been your hero.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” his mom agrees.

Skylar walks around to me and Tinny. “They’re not wrong. When I was small, I remember Mattie would wear clothes that were identical to Dad’s. It was hilarious. He also would only look at red heads because that was the color of my mom’s hair and he said that he and Dad had the same taste.”

“It appears the new Mattie has a taste for blondes,” the guy beside Thea answers. I frown at him. I’m not sure why, but his response irritates me.

“Don’t mind Dom. He’s recently had his head pulled out of his ass and his brain hasn’t quite acclimated to the change yet,” Skylar stage whispers.

“Baby—” her man Tor grumbles, but she just grins at him.

“What?” she replies with a shrug.

“Matthew, do you have someone you need to introduce us to?” his mother prompts and Breaker smiles, turning to take me and Tinny back in his arms.

“This is Indy and Tinley. They saved my life and stole my heart,” he says.

“I don’t steal, Bwaker. Mommy says that’s not a nice thing to do,” Tinny responds, making us laugh.

“You’re right, kiddo. I was just joking.”

“How about we all go into the living room and talk some more?” his mother suggests, linking her arm in mine, practically pulling me with her. Now it’s my turn to panic, but when I look at Breaker for help, he just winks at me and goes back to talking to Thea, Skylar, and his dad.

I guess I’m on my own. I don’t feel alone though. I kind of feel like I’m supposed to be here and as I watch his mom take Tinny into her arms and ask her if she likes cookies, there’s a weight lifted off me.

It’s all going to be alright. They’ll accept me and Tinny. They’re good people, and just maybe my daughter will finally get a taste of what a real family is. I’ve always wanted that for her and apparently, Breaker is going to keep working miracles in my life and provide that, too.