House of Payne: Styx

by Stacy Gail

  “I’d love that,” she said immediately, so thrilled at the prospect of long-term plans with him that her fatigue vanished in a blink. Not that he was promising anything solid for the future; she knew that. But it still meant something to her that he wanted to include her in the events of his daily life. Coupled with his earlier statement that they were long past the pretend relationship phase—and today certainly proved that—she was cautiously ready to believe she and Styx were becoming more than just a temporary blip of convenience.

  As crazy as it seemed, she was on the verge of letting herself believe this thing that had grown between them might actually be real.

  Before she could figure out if she was more elated or freaked out by that thought, the door swung open to show a beaming Maeve. “Hi, you two! You’re right on time, so come on in and make yourselves at home.”

  Sydney had been fairly certain she was going to like Maeve when they first met, and after five minutes of walking through the door, she was sure of it. The pretty brunette was the perfect bubbly foil to Trey’s down-to-earth, slightly sardonic personality, and she seemed eager to make friends with her just as much as Sydney wanted to connect with her. She seemed to know what she was doing in the kitchen as well, if the savory scents wafting through the small house was any indication. With Sydney happily pitching in while the brothers got in the way as they tried to serve everyone drinks, they at last settled around a table tucked into one corner of a shared-space living room.

  “Dude, you’ve got to move to a bigger place,” Styx announced when the back of his dining chair hit the wall. “It was tight in here even before Maeve moved in. Now with two grown adults living here, I can’t see how there’s enough room for you guys to even friggin’ breathe.”

  “Why the hell do you think we’re looking at new places?” Looking harassed, Trey made sure both Sydney and Maeve had healthy helpings of the lasagna Maeve had spent the afternoon making, according to a proud Trey. “You can’t get into the fridge if the dishwasher’s open, and now with two adults and only one bathroom, we’re adding new and unusual meanings to the term togetherness.”

  “Look on the bright side—you haven’t killed each other yet.” Sydney gave Maeve a quick wink as she helped herself to the heavenly scented garlic bread covered in toasty parmesan cheese, then made sure Styx had some as well. “It must be love.”

  “I still can’t believe how much my life has changed since I met Trey.” Seated across from her, Maeve picked up her fork but didn’t eat. She all but glowed with a bright, nervy happiness, so much so that it seemed impossible for her to sit still. “It’s been a crazy kind of whirlwind, you have no idea. Just a few months ago I was battling with my hopeless slob of a roommate over whose turn it was to do the dishes, and thinking I’d die alone with nothing but eighteen cats and a few of my former students dropping in to say I was their favorite third-grade teacher. Then Trey pulled me over for a broken taillight, and just like that,” she snapped her fingers, “everything changed.”

  “Best ticket I never actually wrote.” Trey leaned to the side to give her a quick but obviously love-filled kiss. “Maybe it wasn’t the most ethical thing I’ve ever done, promising not to give this gorgeous woman a ticket if she’d agree to go out with me, but I have no regrets. Besides, a couple days later I fixed her car’s taillight and made sure everything else was in tip-top shape, so no harm, no foul.”

  “Wow,” Sydney said softly. Styx might be on the fence when it came to Maeve and Trey’s relationship, but Sydney had no doubt. Just one look at them told her how unified they were. “That’s such an awesome story. Your children are going to love hearing about how you two first met.”

  “Yes, well.” Maeve delicately cleared her throat and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin before shooting Trey a nervous glance. When he nodded and hooked an oddly comforting hand around her neck, she cleared her throat again. “That’s another reason why Trey and I are now determined to find a new place. Um, the thing is—”

  “Holy shit, you’re pregnant.” Styx stared first at her, then Trey. “That’s it, isn’t it? Maeve’s pregnant?”

  “Yeah.” Trey’s response shot out of him, the sound one of pure aggression while his eyes narrowed in a crystal-clear warning for his brother to watch his damn step. “Found out about it yesterday. In case you didn’t know, this is the part where you say congratulations.”

  Danger, danger, Sydney thought while everyone went still around the table. Even the house seemed to hold its breath, and that was something she couldn’t stand. All too many times in her life she’d lost celebratory moments to the stupidity and selfishness of family tension, and she wasn’t about to let that happen now.

  “This is amazing news, you guys, you must be thrilled.” Sydney kept her expression serene while her comment hit the silence like a giant belly-flop. “A baby on the way, plus moving. Wow, talk about a full plate. Where are you looking to settle down, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  “Anyplace that we can afford.” Maeve shot her a grateful glance, and a shaky smile curved her lips. “The biggest hiccup right now is that it has to be a neighborhood that Trey approves of. He’s got this crime map that makes my blood run cold every time he shows it to me.”

  “I’m not my dad, babe,” Trey said, his aggressive stare-down with his brother dissolving when it was clear the nerves in his fiancée’s voice registered. Again he leaned over to give her temple a kiss and a quick smile. “I’m not going to buy some goddamn crack house and spend the next thirty fucking years making it into a home for you and our kid. It’s got to be turn-key ready. Unfortunately, on the salaries of a cop and a teacher, that kind of place is probably going to be harder to find than the Holy Grail.”

  “I’ll look into the price range in my apartment building.” Styx dug into his lasagna with gusto and seemingly missed the surprised glance his brother shot him while Maeve’s jaw flat-out unhinged. “You’ve seen how secure it is, with Marty as our doorman and two levels of locked doors. I’m friends with the manager—I do his ink, so he might be able to swing some kind of deal for you, though no promises on that front. Location would be perfect too, since you both work in the Old Town area, and God knows I’d love to drop in and see my little niece or nephew whenever the mood hits. Unless you guys are dead set on a house? That might cut down on a lot of possibilities since you’re just starting out in your new life together, but if you broaden your—”

  “Excuse me.” With a sniff and a wobble in her voice, Maeve shot out of her chair and disappeared into the kitchen.

  “I’ll go and help her with the, uh… with what’s in the kitchen,” Sydney said brightly while the brothers stared after Maeve with identical expressions of baffled alarm. “This won’t take long, I’m sure. Eat.”

  Sydney found Maeve at the sink with her face buried in a checkered kitchen towel, and she had to smile at how the other woman was doing her best to muffle her crying.

  “I love how these older houses have closed-off kitchens,” Sydney said, and smiled when the other woman nearly jumped out of her skin. “Modern-day open floorplans are great, but where the hell can you get any privacy when you want to cry your eyes out after your soon-to-be brother-in-law acts like a decent human being?”

  “Oh, Sydney.” To Sydney's surprise, the other woman launched into her arms. “Thank you so much.”

  “What?” Baffled, Sydney returned the hug before backing away to search Maeve’s expression. “Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything.”

  “You must have.” Carefully wiping at the undersides of her eyes with the towel she still held, Maeve tried to calm her breathing. “I barely recognize that man sitting out there in Styx’s chair. You must have done something, said something, to make him soften his anti-Maeve stance.”

  “Honestly, I didn't. Styx must have realized you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to his brother all on his own.”

  “You think?” With a watery laugh, Maeve twisted the towel in her hands.
“Heaven knows Trey is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I never imagined I'd be the type to fall head over heels in love at first sight the way I did, but that’s exactly what happened. It’s just so out of character for me.”

  “Out of character?” Smiling, Sydney shook her head. “I don’t see how falling in love could ever be out of character for anyone, especially a woman who looks at Trey like he’s the answer to every problem she’s ever had.”

  “I just mean that I’m a planner. Do you know what my hobby is?” she asked on a self-deprecating laugh. “My favorite thing to do is work on my daily planner—complete with stickers and little widgets and lots of colorful markers. It’s more like a scrapbook than a planner, really. I just love having it worked out in advance what I’m going to be doing tomorrow, and next week, and next month. It makes me feel like I’m in control. Falling for a bold-talking cop was never in my plans. I never saw Trey coming until he was right smack in the middle of my life and refusing to budge. Now he’s the only thing I can see.”

  “These Hardwick men do have a way about them, don't they?” Sydney nodded in full understanding, amazed at how identical the brothers really seemed to be, at least on that score. “When they decide they're going to do something, they don't mess around.”

  “That's why I believe you must have done or said something to make Styx realize I’m not the worst thing that ever happened to his brother,” Maeve went on, tossing the towel onto the counter to grab up both of Sydney's hands. “Until you came along, that man could hardly stand to be in the same room with me. When I heard Styx was bringing someone to Sunday dinner, I had hoped that he'd have someone else to focus on so he wouldn’t hate on me so much.”

  “Oh, honey.” For a moment, Sydney considered going back into the dining room just for the pleasure of smacking Styx in the head. “I do recall thinking you were inordinately happy to see me there.”

  “I was, you have no idea. But I never expected you to turn Styx around so completely. He's a changed man because of you.”

  Sydney squeezed her fingers. “I swear I didn't do anything.”

  “Maybe just being in Styx’s life has given him a better perspective on what it is to fall in love,” Maeve suggested, shrugging. “Maybe he didn't understand how powerful a force it can be when you find that one person you're meant to be with. Because whether you know it or not, something huge has changed in Styx. He's different. And the only thing I can think of that changed him, for the better, is you.”

  “Harder.” Sydney’s knees sank into the mattress, her cheek pressed against the sheets. “Styx… God, Styx, harder. I want to come.”

  “You got one more in you, baby.” With his cock buried deep inside her, Styx wrapped an arm around her waist, leaned back, and suddenly she was on top of him, sitting on his thighs and his hands closing over her breasts in primitive, covetous possession. “Come for me one more time. Give it to me now.”

  “Yes. Yes.” The new position and gravity hit her in a new and incredible way. The pleasure deepened, and blindly she chased after it by pumping her hips, her thigh muscles straining as she rode his cock that seemed to be built just for her. Breath coming hard, she reached back behind her to grip his hips for leverage and to help her increase her pumping speed, while one of his hands slid down her torso to her cleft and went deep, sliding without mercy against her clit.

  Boom.

  A jagged cry escaped her as his masterful touch pushed her over the edge into blissful mindlessness. She bucked furiously as if in agony, helpless in the throes of the sweetest ecstasy that went on and on. Her head fell back against his shoulder even as his muscles tensed, his thrusts into her growing rougher while his sharp breaths turned into teeth-baring growls. Then he was there in the heart of pleasure with her, his climax so powerful it shook her body as he pounded into her. When it finally played itself out, he collapsed onto his side, bringing her down with him while he gently slid out of her.

  “Baby.” They lay on their sides spoon-fashion, his arms still around her, and they tightened until her back was pressed against the warm wall of his chest. “God, baby. Every time, I see a new patch of heaven when I fuck you. Every damn time. It’s like you’re some kind of never-ending miracle for me.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” She was fairly certain he had some extra-special mojo himself, because until she’d met Styx, she’d never known she could be such a nymphomaniac. “I think you’ve made me addicted to you.”

  “Hell, yeah, I have.” Laughter lurked in his tone as he pulled on her shoulder until she lay on her back. Once he had her where he wanted her, he slung a long leg over both of hers and looked down at her as he propped his head up on his hand. “And there’s isn’t going to be any twelve-step program for you, either. You’re going to stay hooked on your daily hot injections from me from now on, so get used to it. Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll have your next dose ready to go.”

  Oh my God. “Considering how much I’ve enjoyed your injections today, I’m in serious danger of overdosing.”

  He made a sound of what could have been sympathy. “I guess I’d better let you sleep, now that I think about it. I want you on your toes tomorrow.”

  She knew exactly what he meant. “Are you going to be okay with me going to work tomorrow?”

  “I fucking hate the idea of you going to work tomorrow. But if you’re dead set on going, I can’t keep you chained up in here. I asked. Trey said it was against the law.”

  She burst out laughing and rolled into his body to hug him. “I appreciate the sentiment.”

  “Appreciate it if I actually allow you to go to work in the morning.”

  Wisely, she decided to let the whole allow facet of his comment to slide. “You were great tonight with Maeve and Trey,” she said instead, giving him a squeeze. “I was so proud of how supportive you were. Having a baby has got to be a scary thing, so watching you bring the positivity in like a boss was great to see, especially when I know you’re not sold on Maeve being with Trey.”

  “Maeve’s awesome,” he said, surprising the daylights out of her. “The person I didn’t think was ready for a long-term relationship was Trey, not Maeve.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Syd, no one knows Trey better than me. I’m not just his brother, I’m his twin. Throughout our lives, I’ve known every thought that’s ever gone through that guy’s head like it was my own, and I’m sure it’s been the same for him. So when he announced out of the blue that he’d found the woman of his dreams the day after meeting her, then moved her in with him less than a month later, then announced they were getting married a day after that, I thought he’d lost his damn mind. He’d never been serious about anyone before, much less talked about fucking marriage. Until he met Maeve, he was like any other guy on the planet—checking out hotties and talking his way into their pants.”

  “That is…remarkably accurate,” she said on a resigned sigh, and he caught her hand up to bring it to his lips.

  “Men are dogs, Syd, and they’re always going to be dogs, until they meet that one special woman who brings them to heel. I’m a man, so I know what the hell I’m talking about.”

  “God help you, or Trey now that I think about it, if you two ever have daughters.”

  “If Trey has a daughter, I’ll help him polish the shotguns. And if and when I have a daughter, I know he’ll do the same for me. That’s something about us,” he added, and it almost seemed as though he was trying to warn her about something. “My brother and I might go through rough patches every now and again, but Trey and I are always going to be in each other’s lives, Syd. I know Trey’s told Maeve pretty much the same thing—that he and I are tight, and we’re always going to be that way. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

  “No.” She shook her head, wondering if she looked as baffled as she felt. “Why would it be? Trey kicks ass, even if he does sometimes freak me out by mentioning how easily I could be splattered across a restaurant.”
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  “Don’t remind me about shit like that. I won’t be able to let you go tomorrow when it’s time for you to go out into the world without me there to protect you.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said so bracingly she almost believed it herself.

  Almost.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “So, you gonna behave yourself and not get into any trouble today?”

  “Yes, Daddy.” Seated in the passenger seat beside him, Sydney gave him a smile that made the sun look dim in comparison. “That’s the only time I’m ever going to call you that, by the way. Hope you enjoyed it.”

  “Might’ve given me a tingle or two.” Taking a hand off the ‘Vette’s steering wheel, Styx hooked it around her nape and gave it a gentle squeeze. The weather had finally started to act like it understood it was now autumn, so Sydney had dressed accordingly in dark jeans, boots, and a wine-colored jacket over a blouse with a V-neck that had him so distracted it was a wonder he hadn’t crashed the car. “You warm enough, babe?”

  “I’m good, thanks, sweetheart.”

  Sweetheart. Damn, that sounded good. “I’ll have my phone on me every second of the day. Call me if you need me for anything, you understand?”

  “I understand.”

  “Payne’s letting me leave work early so I can pick you up at five, so remember—stay inside until you get a text from me letting you know I’m right outside.”

  “Okay.”

  “Trey’s going to be patrolling the area as well, along with a couple of our cousins. Basically he said they’re going to be circling Market Place like fucking sharks. But if you need immediate help, don’t hesitate, understand? Just pull the nearest fire alarm and they’ll come running. I’ll be right behind them.”

  “Styx.” When she placed her hand on his thigh, it was a wonder it didn’t burn through the material of his cargo pants. “We’ve been over this. I’ll be fine.”