by Scott, S. L.
Taking me in, he cups my face and then kisses over my bandage carefully. “Are you okay? Do you have a concussion? Is anything broken?”
Another form fills the doorway. Laird doesn’t say anything. He just watches us from afar, giving us this time together.
“I’m fine,” I tell Tulsa. “A little groggy, but I’ll be okay. They said nothing is broken and there’s no concussion.”
“What the fuck happened?”
“I, uh, wasn’t watching where I was going.”
As if he feels Laird behind him, he turns. Though I don’t sense any anger exchanged, they’re not at peace. Tulsa tells him, “I’m not going to apologize for marrying her.”
Although I move into Tulsa’s warm embrace again, finding my home in his arms, I hear my brother say, “It’s hard to let her go. She’s always been my baby sister.”
Poking my head back up, I smile. “By three minutes.”
“Still,” he replies, and when I twist in Tulsa’s arms, I can see his own smile. “All I want is the best for you.”
“Tulsa is the best for me.”
Laird’s gaze flicks back to Tulsa. We turn to face him, but Tulsa’s hand remains on my lower back and then slides around my waist. His hold is light and careful but making a statement. “I don’t just care about her. I love Nikki more than anything.”
Though I’ve teared up, I haven’t cried since I got here, not from the pain or the fact that a psychopath was here. But Tulsa’s words, love, devotion, and declaration bring tears to my eyes.
Everything about Laird’s demeanor softens—his guilt loses its edge, his frown angles up just enough to notice, and his fists loosen until his hands hang at his sides. “I liked you when I met you,” he says to Tulsa, “but if you hurt my sister, I’ll hurt you.”
Tulsa smiles. “That sounds fair.”
“I’m a Crow now.”
That catches them both off guard, but while Tulsa laughs, Laird stares in shock. He finally seems to pull his thoughts together and exhales loudly. “I’m going to need a minute to process that,” he says, “so let’s go slowly since this is all new to me.” My heart load lightens when he smiles. “Can I be there when you tell Mom and Dad?”
Rolling my eyes, I say, “You’re evil, and I’m dragging you down with me. Will you have my back?”
“That’s his job now.” Turning to Tulsa, he adds, “She can be a handful.”
Tulsa chuckles. “Two handfuls, if you’re asking me, but I’m happy to hold on for the ride.”
Laird closes the gap and wraps his arms around me as soon as Tulsa steps back. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, but squeeze a little lighter,” I stammer out through a harsh breath.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for causing this too. I was too angry. I just want what’s best for you. You deserve that, and I only caused you pain. You were hit because of me. I’m sorry, Nik.”
“Like I said, there’s nothing to apologize for. It was an accident. You didn’t cause it.”
“But if I’d stayed—”
“You’re not to blame, and I won’t let you carry it.”
“I should have listened to you.”
This makes me smile. “Yes, you should have, but I understand why you’re protective of me. But I’ve grown up, Laird. I’m okay now.”
“I’ll try to see you for the woman you’ve become. I may slip up, but just consider it unsolicited advice.”
“Deal.” I hug him again. This time he holds me a lot more gently. “Thank you for being the best brother a girl could ever have.” When I step back, I rub my side. “And I’ll be fine. I swear.”
Turning to Tulsa, he says, “She needs a bodyguard full time. At least until this psycho is caught.”
“I’ve already texted Tommy.”
“Good.” Laird crosses his arms over his chest. “Do your brothers know you two got married?”
“They do,” Tulsa replies. “They found out in Austin.”
“I bet Jet said some wise shit about accepting Nikki into the family, didn’t he?”
“Something like that.”
Laird pokes Tulsa in the shoulder and chuckles. “He’s a better man than I am.”
I say, “You’re a good man, Laird. Someone’s going to be very lucky to land you one day.”
He shrugs and then laughs. “Maybe. I can be a pain in the ass just like you.”
My brother holds his hand out to Tulsa. “I’m not welcoming you to our family. My dad can do that. But I will say I think she could have done worse.”
Chuckling again, Tulsa shakes his hand. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Then Tulsa brings him in for a man hug that’s full of backslapping and ego. I roll my eyes at their ridiculousness and laugh at the sight.
With the temperature of the room cooling from what I thought might’ve turned into a heated battle, Tulsa comes back to my side and kisses me on the temple. When he looks at Laird, he asks, “Now that you’re my brother-in-law, how about I buy you a Crow tattoo?”
Laird punches him in the arm and laughs. “Fuck off with that nonsense.”
And so the brotherly-in-law antics begin . . .
37
Tulsa
Breaking the news to Laird went much easier than I expected, and definitely better than most thought it would. My brothers, Dex, and Tommy will be happy to hear we didn’t end up in a fight.
I’m glad we’re leaving the hospital all in one piece. I think Nikki will feel safer resting at the hotel as well. When we round the corner, Nikki grabs Laird’s wrist. “Ignore him.”
I don’t know what’s happening or why Laird is suddenly angry, but he’s definitely not ignoring the guy sitting in the waiting area. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he shouts. “Motherfucker—”
Nikki pops out of the wheelchair the nurse forced us to use and grabs him before he attacks the guy.
I recognize the man from earlier. He sat across from me with a smug ass smile I was tempted to wipe off his face with my fist, but then he left. He stands but doesn’t make a move.
The security guard near the door does, though. “This is a hospital,” he says with a warning while reaching for his radio.
While he calls for backup, I come around to get Nikki out of the way and ask, “Who is that?”
Laird glances at Nikki, the exchanged look shares a secret between them. She says, “He knows what he did to me.”
I try to piece the words together, so they make sense while keeping an eye on the man in question, the one who’s angered Laird enough for Nikki to intervene.
The man is older than we are, maybe late twenties, early thirties. “Mi amor. My Nicola is vicious.” When he speaks, his Spanish accent is thick, one that won’t disappear after a few years in the States.
I took enough Spanish in school to throw out a few phrases when charming the ladies. Mi amor was one they all loved, so when he calls Nikki Nicola and his love, my heart beats go into overdrive, pounding in my chest as I look him over.
He’s overconfident. So. Fucking. Arrogant. Standing there like he owns the place, or worse, like he owns Nikki. The pieces fall into place. “This is your ex? The one who carved his name on your body?”
His amused expression sours. “It was art. She owed me nothing less after I gave her everything.”
The breath that Nikki inhales is followed by her body turning to me. “Tulsa? Don’t—”
The tips of her fingers graze the hem of my shirt just as I take off. I land on top of him, sending him to the floor. “I will fucking end you for what you did.” I get two solid hits in before he gets one square across my face.
I’m dragged off by the guard but continue to kick him until I’m shoved against the far wall, causing the automatic doors to open and close. The guard pulls a gun and aims it at me when I push to get up. He yells, “Stay down.”
Laird’s arm is swinging, his fists landing solidly, the sound echoing against the sterile tile floor. He’s dragged backward by anoth
er guard and thrown next to me.
A nurse runs to help the fucker, and Nikki stands there in shock. When her eyes find mine, she rushes over and kneels in front of me. “Step back,” the guard demands. Another nurse comes to Nikki’s side. Nikki continues to call our names while her tears fall to the floor.
My lip is swelling, but I feel nothing. My hands will be sore, but I’ll push through the set. Hitting him was worth the risk. Nikki is worth the risk. “It’s okay. Listen to them.”
“You’re bleeding.” Through her tears, she asks, “Are you okay?”
I know the punch he got on me did some damage. I wipe the bottom of my nose across my hand. Fuck. Blood covers my skin, but for her sake, I say, “I’m gonna be fine, darlin’.”
“Help him,” Nikki calls over her shoulder. “Please.”
A nurse rushes over and hands me a cloth. “Tilt your head forward just a bit and put slight pressure like this.” She demonstrates with her fingers on her nose. “Hold it for ten minutes. That should stop the bleeding.”
“No point,” the guard says. “The police are here. They’ll be cuffing him.”
The nurse sighs in irritation. “I hope they’ll take the time to hear both sides of the story.”
The guard steps back and says, “On your stomachs, hands behind your backs.”
“Get the phone over there on the floor, Nikki,” Laird says. “Call Shane.”
“I will.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“Tulsa?” she asks as the cops run inside.
Lying face down on the cold linoleum, I ask, “Will you call my brothers?”
“Yes.” She holds Laird’s phone to her chest as if it’s the most precious thing she’s ever held. I turn to see the other guy, her ex, still wallowing on the floor, bleeding and swearing.
As I’m lifted to my feet, a cop holds me by the chain between the cuffs. “Careful, I have to play drums later.”
“Doubtful, son.” Shit.
Another cop is behind Laird, holding him by the handcuffs. But that cop says, “Holy hell, you guys are in that band.”
“Different bands,” Laird and I say at the same time.
“Yeah, you’re a Crow Brother. Whoa. This is blowing my mind. I have tickets to your show.” He does a double take when he sees Nikki. “You’re Nikki Faris.”
I see the moment the idea enters her pretty head. The tears dry up, and a small smile appears. “I am. Have you ever had VIP tickets before?”
* * *
“It was a good try,” Laird says. “She doesn’t know that once the cuffs are on, the calls have already been made, and they have to bring us in.”
“Yeah. I don’t mind her not knowing the ins and outs of getting arrested.” Sitting in the drunk tank next to Nikki’s brother is not where I thought we’d bond, but here we are. “She looked sexy as hell trying to spring us, though.”
Laird scowls. “No. We’re not going to do that. I’m still her brother, and I do not want to hear about my sister being sexy. Nope.” He turns his back to me, and I laugh.
“I forgot my audience.”
He ignores me.
A petite officer unlocks the cell door. I catch her eyeing us with a smile. “Faris. Crow. You’re free to go.”
Laird pops up so fast he’s already walking out before I get up from the bench.
We’re given our stuff in sealed bags just as the door opens to the station lobby where Nikki and Tommy wait for us. I walk into her arms, but Laird walks into another woman’s arms. That’s the moment I realize I’m about to meet Nikki’s parents for the first time . . . while being released from jail.
“Those are your parents?” I whisper into her ear.
“They are.”
Shit.
Tommy pats my arm, and says, “We might need to keep you under lock and key.”
“You’re probably right.” I shake his hand. “Thanks for getting us out.”
“I didn’t. You’ll need to ask your wife about how she got that fucker to drop the charges.”
Avoiding that topic altogether, she says, “Mom. Dad. I want you to meet my new husband.”
“And forever husband,” I slip in.
“Yes,” she says with a little laugh. “And only husband. Deidra and Joe Faris, this is Tulsa Crow.”
Nikki does look a lot like her mother, but so uniquely herself too. I remember her telling me how people shoved Nikki into the darkness of her mother’s shadow. But I don’t see them as one. Maybe I’m too close, but when I look at Nikki, I see her soul, her good deeds, her love for me, and her bravery. I see all of her, and she sees me.
Her mother says, “I take it congratulations are in order?”
“They are, ma’am.”
As soon as I speak, her smile shines, and she drops her shoulders. The stiffness she was holding disappears. “Nikki said you were charming.”
People often confuse charm and manners. My mom taught us the difference. Charm is how you act to make people see you a certain way but is forgotten as soon as you leave. Manners are the respect you give to show others how you see them and are remembered long after you’re gone.
I don’t mind being called charming. It’s something I thrive on, winning over pretty girls all over Texas. But standing here next to Nikki, she’s not just pretty, and she’s not just a girl, though I think a lot of people, including her family, still treat her like one.
She’s a woman and my wife, and I’ll do whatever I can to deserve to stand beside her as a partner, her biggest supporter, and her husband. Holding my hand out, I say, “It’s very nice to meet you. Both Nikki and Laird have told me a lot about you.”
She takes my hand between both of hers. “I’m sure you’re aware that until we arrived, we hadn’t heard much about you. We did hear that your band is incredible.” She glances at her husband and laughs. “Many times.”
Joe extends his hand. “We suspected a crush was forming, but we had no idea it would turn into more. Joe Faris.”
“Tulsa Crow, sir. Nice to meet you.”
“You didn’t knock up my daughter, did you?” His grip tightens, and even though it’s a power play, I pull back, not wanting to injure my hand more than it is already.
Nikki gasps. “Daddy. No!”
“Joe.” Deidre elbows him. “She told you she wasn’t pregnant.”
When his smile returns, he says, “Just making sure. So, tell me. You got a few good licks in, right?”
“I did.”
He taps my arm, grinning and then leans in, keeping his voice low, so the others can’t hear him. “I had no idea what he’d done to my girl. I’m glad you nailed the fucker.”
I like this guy.
Tommy says, “Now that the family has met, shall we get back to the hotel and out of this police station?”
* * *
We’re almost to the hotel when Nikki says, “I’m sorry I brought him into our world.”
“You didn’t. He stalked you.”
“When I first saw him, I became that frightened girl again who’d lost all her confidence. I hated who I was when I was with him. He had me convinced for a time I needed him. I didn’t. I never did.” She leans her head back and smiles, wearing smug better than he ever did. “It feels good to be free. Finally, I win.”
“You win the grand prize, baby.”
Blue skies are all I see in her happy eyes. “You’re talking about you, aren’t you?”
“Sure am.”
“The best grand prize there is. Better than any crown I ever won.” She covertly slides her hand between my legs and then slowly slides it back up.
Fuck. That feels good, and damn, I’m already getting hard. Her parents are in the seat in front of us, and her brother is behind us sitting with Tommy. My horny rebel. Clearing my throat and returning her hand to her own lap, I ask, “How’d you get the charges dropped?”
“I told the truth. If he presses charges, I’d tell the police what he did to me.
”
“You threatened him?” Fuck, yes, that’s my wife. Then concern sets in. “No threats followed?”
“Of course, they did, but he’s not dealing with the same little girl he once knew. He’s dealing with the vicious barracuda he created.”
“What do you mean?”
“I used my wits. I’m not just a former beauty queen. I’m not just a rock star. I have a degree in psychology and a brain to match it. So, I used his weakness against him. His mother. She always loved me. She also controls his finances. If he gets arrested, and she finds out, she’ll cut him off. I mentioned how I’d often thought of calling to tell her why I left him, and that if he pressed charges, that was going to be my first call. He may not be afraid of me, but he’s terrified of her.”
“Wow. What a fucker.”
“Yeah.” She rests her head against my shoulder, holds my hand, and says, “I love you.”
That I’m able to hold her after the night we’ve had is a miracle. I tighten my arms around her, and whisper in her ear, “I love you, my queen.”
The vehicle stops, and while the driver runs around to open the door for us to get out, she tilts her head back to see me. “You never call me a beauty queen. You only ever call me your queen. Why is that?” Because you will own me forever, and I’ll forever be on my knees to please and honor you.
“Because my love for you has never been about your looks.” As her parents step out of the SUV, I lean over and steal a kiss. “But for the record, I find you so fucking gorgeous.”
Her smile is as big as the sun. “You’re not too shabby yourself, hot stuff.”
And I tap her nose in response. “Boop.”
38
Tulsa
We enter the VIP lobby of the hotel to a round of slow claps and laughter. Yeah, maybe our friends could show us some sympathy, but where’s the fun in that. Giving us a hard time is a lot more entertaining. For them.
