Chapter 30 Beignets

Wren

Waking up with Mag after a frenzied night of exploring each other felt like a dream. After all we'd done, I could easily imagine how a woman might let Magnum do whatever he wanted in the morning if she were lucky enough to wake up with him. He was a master at creating pleasure in my body while also teasing and delaying release just long enough to drive me insane.

A gentle heat radiated through my muscles, and his strong touch lingered on my skin. He reached for me, and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered in a happy jig. We'd broken down so many barriers between us and built up new connections that filled my heart with joy.

He'd said it meant something, and I got that message. There was no way we could've done the things we did without trust, and dare I say it? Love. I'd let him see the most intimate parts of myself, and he'd treated me with respect in return. There was no rude pushing me away like the other women had mentioned. In fact, he was pulling me closer now.

"Sylvie asked us over for breakfast, but I can call her and say no." The gruff rumble in his voice was incredibly attractive.

"No. Let's go. I want to meet her husband and kids." I'd seen them on video calls, but the real thing was always better.

He patted my thigh and rubbed it with his hand. "Then we gotta get up. "

I groaned in protest and his fingertips dug into my skin as I pulled out of his grasp.

We both grinned like we'd won the lottery as we dressed and walked out of the hotel room. Mag was right. The streets of New Orleans were littered with the baubles from the previous night.

We'd left our bags at a Knight Security safe house last night before the parade, so we went back there first to shower and change. Luckily, no one noticed us, or they were giving us some privacy, and we slipped out. Mag held my hand, and we continued our Cheshire cat grinning marathon as we walked the short distance to Sylvie and Jameel's house. A cute little boy with an adorable afro answered our knock at the door. I recognized him from our video chats as Xavier. He saw Magnum and attacked. "Uncle Mag!"

Mag picked him up and swung him around to his great joy and squeal.

When his feet hit the ground, he turned and hugged my legs. "Hi, Auntie Wren."

It was so sweet I nearly broke into tears as I patted him on the back. "Nice to meet you, Xavier." No one had ever called me Auntie before, and it melted my heart.

We were greeted by Sylvie, who looked a lot more domestic this morning wearing jeans and a sweatshirt while holding a wooden spoon. "You're just in time for breakfast. You hung over?" she asked me.

"A little." I fibbed because I wasn't hung over from the sangria but from the night of intoxicating love Mag had made to me .

I met her husband Jameel and her daughters, Lanisha and Monet. Sylvie ushered us to sit at the kitchen table, and the kids helped her serve us grits with biscuits, sausage patties, and scrambled eggs.

As we ate, the children filled us in on their activities last night while Mom was at the parade. I felt comfortable and happy. I loved seeing how Mag interacted with his family. He kept quiet, but his eyes were soft the whole time as he listened to the kids chatter away. I was helping clear the table when the front doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Magnum's hand covered his gun at his hip as he strode calmly toward the front door. I watched from the entrance to the kitchen as he checked the security monitor and froze for a second before turning back to look at me. I couldn't read his face, but something was up. His hand lowered from his gun as he opened the door.

The sounds of the dishes clearing silenced when we saw the man standing there.

Gavin.

Gavin was standing on Sylvie's doorstep with an easygoing grin on his face, his muscles relaxed. "Hey, brother." He smacked Magnum on the bicep and walked past him.

Mag turned slowly and watched his brother enter the living room.

"Smells good, sis. Did you make beignets?" Gavin's neck craned to see into the kitchen. When his gaze passed over me, his eyes widened, and he headed straight toward me. "Hey, darlin'," he said with an animated Southern drawl I'd never really noticed before."What're you doing here?"

I quickly dropped the dishes in the sink and turned to greet him. My heart beat erratically in my chest. I'd been caught. We'd been caught breaking rules. What did I say? How was I supposed to act around Gavin now?

I'd spent my life following rules and then allowed myself one night of hedonism, and now I was paying for it almost instantly with Gavin facing me down in front of his family at breakfast the next morning.

My body was still tender from Mag's touch, and now Gavin was engulfing me in a giant bear hug. I kept my arms by my side as he squeezed my chest to his. He was so much smaller than Magnum but no less intimidating with his big personality and swagger.

"I have missed your face, beautiful." He gripped my upper arms and pressed his lips to my cheek. "Muah!" His dramatic tone totally shocked me. Could he not read the room at all? He'd just sauntered in like he owned the place and put his hands all over me, claiming me with a big kiss on my cheek.

When he stepped back, I immediately looked to Magnum for guidance. I felt lost and adrift like I'd been pulled over by the police for drunk driving after downing a whole bottle of vodka.

Magnum's face did not help at all. His brows were low, eyes sad, shoulders shrugged like he'd been struggling watching Gavin embrace me. That expression was pure pain. I might as well have been his foster mother promising to protect him while throwing him to the wolves. I'd wounded him .

God! What had I done? I just let Gavin hug and kiss me and didn't even try to stop him. In my stupid inactivity, I'd hurt Magnum. I needed to fix it, but Gavin commanded the room as he turned to hug Sylvie and her kids. As he shook hands with Jameel, I tried to catch Mag's gaze, but his eyes were firmly locked on his phone.

When his head came up, the hurt was gone and steely determination had replaced it. He pocketed his phone and then lasered in on Gavin, not sparing a glance for me.

Shoot. Now I was scared for Gavin. Mag's nostrils flared and his chest puffed out. Oh shit. He looked like a bull preparing to charge.

Gavin sat down at the table we were clearing as though he expected to be served.

Sylvie looked around at all of us, and her voice wavered as she tried to break the tension. "It's good to see you, Gav. We were wondering where you were."

"I've been around." He shrugged and reached for a napkin in a holder at the center of the table.

"I've been calling you," Sylvie said, her frustration starting to show in her voice. She leaned in like she was trying to get his attention, but he was still oblivious to the growing tension, or pretending to be anyway.

"Oh really? Didn't get the message. I'm here now." He spread the napkin and made a show of flattening it on his lap. Finally, he looked up at her. "How you doin'? Can I get some of those beignets?"

"I didn't make beignets." Sylvie frowned. "I didn't make them because I was at the parade last night with our family on the float that I worked on for six months. The float that you were not on."

Gavin blinked at her several times. "Well, bring me whatever's left over. I ain't picky."

Sylvie blew out a slow breath and headed back to the kitchen. "You kids go play. Mommy needs to have a talk with Uncle Gavin."

Jameel guided the kids outside and stood next to Mag as he closed the door. Mag silently watched his phone as Sylvie handed Gavin a plate of grits and sausage. "We were worried about you."

"You don't need to do that. I always land on my feet. Like a cat that way." Gavin dug into his food. "Come sit next to me, darlin'." He patted the chair next to him for me to sit, and I glared at Mag for direction, but he was still refusing to look at me as he intently stared at his phone.

"Uh, I'm just gonna finish these dishes." I turned back to the sink and started running water over the dirty dishes.

Gavin ate in silence for a few awkward minutes as Sylvie continued to ask him questions that he evaded answering.

Mag and Jameel said nothing, and the air grew thicker as time passed. It was so unlike Mag not to act quickly. He was always rushing in to save me, but right now he was letting Sylvie handle Gavin and keeping his distance from me.

Gavin put his fork down and looked Sylvie in the eye. "You look skinny, Syl. You eating enough?"

Sylvie leaned back in her chair and stammered to answer. Mag slipped his phone in his pocket and focused on Gavin .

I watched from the kitchen as he approached the table and stood behind Gavin's chair. "Let's go talk in the safe room."

Gavin twisted his head to look back at him. "Why?"

"Get up. Walk to the safe room now."

Oh shit. Oh no. Mag was like a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse, and I'd be terrified if he talked to me that way.

Gavin rose slowly, looking back and forth between Magnum and Jameel. He was wearing loose jeans and a dark green hoodie. His hair was a little longer and he had some scruff on his face, making him look more like a smaller version of Magnum than I'd ever realized.

Gavin walked down the hallway toward the back of the house like he knew exactly where this safe room was. Mag was directly behind him. I dried my hands and followed too.

"You stay here." Mag didn't look at me when he gave his command.

"I want to come. I have a right to know what's going on," I said to the back of his head.

Finally, he turned to me and lowered his voice. "It's not gonna be pretty."

"I want the good, the bad, the ugly. I want it all." It was true. I was tired of hiding from ugly things. I didn't want to be protected anymore. I wanted to be involved and help in making decisions on how to handle the mess we'd created.

Mag's lips pressed together, and he looked me up and down. The hardness in his eyes softened. "Fine."