A Bulletproof New Year (The Holiday Collection Book 2)

by Jenna Galicki

  As they were admiring each other’s artwork, Felix flew into the tattoo booth frantically waving his arms. “Thank God I found you! Did you forget you have a show? I’ve been looking for you for fifteen minutes!”

  “Chill,” Derek told Felix. “We haven’t missed a show yet. We ain’t gonna start now.”

  The surge of energy that raced through Cameron’s body every time he watched Bulletproof perform always made him feel as if he were flying. His heart pounded in time to the heavy beat of Alan’s double bass drum. The guy played as if his life depended on it, and his biceps bulged as he assaulted his drum kit with so much strength that he broke a stick during the first song. He grabbed a new one and threw it high into the air, where it almost hit one of the overhead light cans. He caught it as it tumbled toward him and seamlessly continued with the song.

  Cameron’s eyes shifted to Jeremy, who was closest to the side stage where he stood with Travis, watching the show. Bulletproof’s bass player leaned back as he plucked grungy notes that thumped through the air. Stoic and lost in the sound of the music, he suddenly sprung to life and jumped onto a riser at the front of the stage and projected the low rumble of the bass guitar at the audience.

  Brandon let out his signature scream – a warrior’s call that shook the room and demanded all eyes on him. He had ditched the black T-shirt he’d worn earlier and went bare-chested underneath the black studded jacket and added a top hat to commemorate New Year’s Eve. A heavy silver chain and cross swung between his massive pecs, and the large skull rings that adorned his fingers picked up the stage lights as he held the mic to his lips. His hair fanned his shoulders and upper back like a blond cape and blew in all directions under the wind machine. Brandon Bullet was the rock god of rock gods.

  Cameron stood, mesmerized, for several songs as he watched Brandon strut across the stage while delivering powerful vocals that stood up to the hard, loud beat of the music, until Derek fell to his knees at the apron. The kilt sprawled around Derek’s legs as he delivered a series of quick twangy notes that soared from his fingertips. He whipped his long black hair back and forth, sending the fans into a chaotic frenzy. Derek shot to his feet and faced Brandon while he let loose with a killer guitar solo that had the entire room pounding their fists in the air.

  A noise made Cameron turn to his right. It was Travis, who had a huge smile on his face as he stared at Derek.

  “Look at my husband!” Travis boasted. “And that kilt.” He swooned. “Someone’s getting laid tonight! If I can wait that long.”

  Cameron chuckled as he remembered the storage closet and his quickie with Brandon earlier in the evening. “There’s plenty of storage closets near the restrooms.”

  Travis laughed and gave Cameron a high five. There was unexpected silence, and they both turned toward the stage.

  A screen behind the band lit up with a countdown starting from the number 60. Brandon was wiping his face with a towel, then he brought the mic to his lips. “Grab the person you love the most!” He shrugged. “Or the person standing next to you! It doesn’t matter! Just make sure you got someone to kiss because we’re ready to rock in the new year, Bulletproof style!” He extended his arm to Cameron. “Get out here!”

  Both Cameron and Travis ran on stage to their respective spouses, which incited a roar of screams from the fans in the audience. It was most likely due to Travis’ notoriety as a country music star, but Cameron liked to believe that some of it was for himself, as well.

  Alan stepped down from the drum riser and joined Jeremy, so the six of them were paired together at the front of the stage as Brandon began the countdown. “Ten! Nine!” The rest of the room joined in. “Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

  Firebombs went off along the front of the stage, pyrotechnics lit up the back of the stage, and Auld Lang Syne blared through the sound system, as Cameron shared a kiss with his husband that lit up his heart brighter than the fireworks on display. “Happy New Year, rock star.”

  “Happy New Year, Cam. This is going to be our best year ever.”

  “And next year is going to be better than this one. And the one after that will be better still. Every day we’re together is the best day of my life. I love you.”

  Those gorgeous baby blues watered and Brandon gulped. “I love you too.”

  They shared another long kiss until their friends bombarded them with wishes of Happy New Year. When they broke apart, the fireworks display was over, and hordes of balloons were falling from the ceiling as confetti rained down in a blizzard of silver and gold. They all shared big bear hugs with one another, and then the guys started calling Felix on stage.

  Bulletproof’s ever-present manager was rarely in the spotlight, and waved off the invitation, but the guys weren’t having it. As all four band members marched toward the side of the stage, Cameron exchanged a glance with Travis, who was watching with his arms crossed over his chest and a smile on his lips.

  “I hope they’re not going to throw him in the audience,” Travis said. “When I first met Derek, the guys threw me into the pool.”

  “Me too!” Cameron exclaimed, and they shared a laugh.

  The guys returned to the stage, carrying Felix by his arms and legs, as if he were sitting in a chair, except there was no chair. For a moment, Cameron really did think they were going to throw him into the audience. But, instead, they set him on his feet in the center of the stage, and they all besieged him with hugs.

  “Wait a minute,” Derek said. “Who did you kiss at midnight?”

  Felix shook his head. “I didn’t kiss anyone. I exchanged a handshake with the road crew.”

  “What?” Brandon leaned back, as if it were absurd. He and Derek looked at one another, and then they each grabbed hold of Felix and gave him a long, loud kiss on the cheek at the same time.

  While Cameron waited in the dressing room for Brandon to shower so they could rejoin the party, he called his mom in New York and wished her a Happy New Year. As soon as he ended the call and stuffed his phone in his pocket, it buzzed. Before he could answer it, Brandon’s phone started ringing on the credenza. Both phones would have to wait, because the door to the bathroom swung open, and a dripping wet, 6-foot 2-inch blond-haired rock god stepped into the dressing room, wearing nothing but a stark white towel around his waist. The unanswered phones quieted, and Cameron swooped in for a kiss that drenched him in water and heat.

  The damn phones started blowing up again, and Brandon growled with frustration. “You know they won’t stop until we answer.” He looked at the caller id. “I knew it was my mom.”

  Cameron looked at his phone screen. It was Brandon’s oldest sister, Ava. He put the phone to his ear, expecting a cheerful greeting wishing him a Happy New Year, even though it wasn’t yet midnight in California, but the bombshell he received almost knocked him off his feet. His eyes stayed glued on Brandon’s as they both received the same news. Lisa was just rushed to the hospital.

  Everything that happened in the first few minutes after that was a blur. Felix was suddenly there and took charge. He corralled everyone into a limo, collected the dogs from the hotel, then they were all on Bulletproof’s private jet on the way back to L.A.

  The flight was horrific – not because of turbulence – because everyone was on edge. Cameron’s stomach was a rolling mass of knots, and his heart was beating heavily. He was trying to keep it together, but everyone around him wore worried expressions. The guys were obviously afraid to add to the stress level, so they remained quiet, and the silence in the plane was maddening.

  Brandon was taking it the hardest. It wasn’t just the babies. It was the uncertainty of his youngest sister’s health that had him bouncing his knee so hard that the two-seater couch felt as if it were going to come unhinged.

  Cameron knew better than to tell Brandon not to worry, because there was genuine cause for concern. They didn’t have much information – only that Lisa started bleeding heavily and was on the way to the
ER. The babies’ due date was still seven weeks away. He’d read enough prenatal books to know the seriousness of the situation, and his mouth bowed downward at the complications that could be in store for his precious little girls.

  He knew that the babies were probably being delivered by emergency cesarean at this very moment, and his heart ached. He didn’t want them to experience one second of discomfort, especially during the first few moments, days, or weeks of their lives. He didn’t want them born without their daddies there to hold them. He didn’t want them staying at the hospital until they were strong enough to come home. He wanted them in their beautiful little nursery. “The nursery.” He didn’t realize he said it out loud until Brandon’s knee stilled.

  “Nothing’s ready.” Brandon’s eyes watered. “If Lisa’s in labor and the babies are born early, nothing’s ready. They’re supposed to come home to their own room, with the pink walls and frilly curtains and those little baby animal murals we picked out. I didn’t want them in the house while renovations were going on. I thought we had plenty of time.”

  The interior designer promised it would only take two weeks to turn the large spare bedroom into a magical kingdom fit for two little princesses, complete with a canopy shaped like a castle over their cribs. A crew was scheduled to start next week after the tour ended. They thought it was more than enough time, but they’d been mistaken.

  Dread filled Cameron’s heart and spread across his chest as he stared into his husband’s expressive blue eyes. He didn’t want to tell Brandon that if the babies were born now, they wouldn’t be coming home. They would be too small. They’d most likely be in neonatal intensive care for a few weeks. He blinked and touched the corner of his eye so Brandon wouldn’t see the tear forming.

  Felix thrust a short glass of whisky in each of their hands. He had his no-nonsense, adamant business face on. “We have another two hours in the air. Don’t spend it driving yourselves crazy. I know firsthand how quickly the mind gets away from you and imagines the worst possible scenarios. We need to keep a positive outlook. Your sister has the best doctors in the country. I will do everything within my power to make sure those babies and Lisa are taken care of. I promise you that.”

  They both stared at him, transfixed, because Felix had a reputation for moving mountains. If he stated something was going to be a certain way, it was almost guaranteed. And, right now, they needed to cling to that steadfast reassurance and certainty.

  “I’m trying,” Brandon replied, meekly. “But it’s hard. Those are my babies. And that’s my little sister.”

  Felix let out a deep sigh, leaned over and squeezed the ball of Brandon’s shoulder. “I know.” Then he poured himself a glass of whisky and sat in one of the captain’s chairs.

  Brandon’s foot started bouncing again, and his jaw ticked. He suddenly jumped up, faced the front of the plane, threw his hands in the air, and shouted, “CAN’T YOU FLY THIS FUCKING PLANE ANY FASTER?” The deep baritone of his voice boomed in the small, enclosed area like thunder, and everyone flinched. The two flight attendants recoiled in their seats, which were just outside the cockpit and in the direct line of fire of Brandon’s roaring voice.

  “It’s gonna be all right.” Cameron stood and placed a soothing hand on the small of Brandon’s back. “Come on. Sit back down with me.”

  Brandon collapsed onto the couch, leaned his head all the way back and covered his face with his hands. It made Cameron’s insides twist with pain to see how badly Brandon was handling this, but there wasn’t anything he could do, so he just sat next to his husband and pulled him into his embrace. Brandon clung to him and buried his face in Cameron’s shoulder. They didn’t speak because there wasn’t anything to say. His mind was running wild though, and he knew Brandon’s was as well.

  After a while, Brandon lifted his head, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. “What if something happens to them? I don’t know if I could handle that.”

  Cameron couldn’t let that thought enter his brain, and he shut it down right away. “They’re going to be fine. They have to be.”

  The second the elevator doors parted, Brandon grabbed Cam’s hand and sprinted down the hallway. His heart hammered in his throat as he raced to his sister’s room and flung the door open. The rest of his family was there, but the bed was empty, and his stomach plummeted to the floor. “Where is she? How are the babies?”

  His mom stepped forward. She had her fist pressed against her chest holding a balled-up tissue, while fresh tears glistened in her eyes. “She’s in surgery. The bleeding got worse. They’re delivering the babies right now.”

  “No! It’s too soon. They need a few more weeks.” Brandon thought he was prepared for an emergency C-section, but he wasn’t. Reality hit him hard, and he crumbled. He held his head in his hands and wept openly. Cam’s strong and supportive arms enveloped him, and he held onto his husband as tightly as he could. He heard the guys and Felix enter the room and his mom explaining that the babies were being delivered, but he felt as if they were a million miles away. He couldn’t stop imagining how tiny his baby girls were and worrying if they’d be OK or not, and it brought on a crippling pain in his chest.

  Brandon let Cam lead him to two chairs that were in the corner, away from everyone else. He had always been close with his family, and the guys were like brothers to him, but he just needed to be with Cam right now. As he covered his face with his hands, strong fingers massaged the back of his neck and soothed some of the tension, but it did nothing to diminish the tirade of worrisome thoughts, not just about the baby, but about his sister, as well. He slowly lowered his hands and lifted his head. “What if Lisa can’t have kids after this? It would be my fault. I didn’t realize it could be dangerous for her. This is so fucked up. I should have never asked her to do this.” He wouldn’t let himself think about something happening to his little sister or the babies. He wouldn’t. But the thought kept knocking at the depth of his subconscious, trying to get in. He squeezed his eyes shut and wiped a hand over his face. This whole thing was like a bad nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from.

  “It’s not your fault,” Cam reassured, hugging Brandon closer. “None of this is anyone’s fault.”

  “I know.” Brandon sighed heavily. “It feels like it’s my fault, though, because I was the one who asked her.”

  The doctor walked in, and they both ran to him. “How are the babies? And my sister?” Brandon asked.

  “The birth mom is fine. She needed a transfusion. Other than that, she had no complications. She should be coming back to the room shortly.”

  “And the babies?”

  The doctor took a deep breath. “Baby Girl A is 3.5 pounds and breathing on her own. Other than her low birthweight, she appears healthy.” He paused for what seemed like an hour while everyone held their breath. “Baby Girl B is having a little more difficulty.”

  A wave of lightheadedness hit Brandon, and he thought he was going to hit the floor, but his head cleared as he heard the doctor’s voice continue.

  “She’s having some respiratory issues, so she’s on a ventilator. Her birthweight was significantly less than her sister’s. She’s only 2.6 pounds, but she’s a ball of fire. We’re hopeful.”

  “Hopeful?” Brandon’s voice was frantic. “What the fuck does that mean?”

  Again, Cam’s hand on Brandon shoulder calmed him. It didn’t make him less concerned, just less explosive, even though Cam’s hand was shaking.

  “It means that she needs a little more attention and monitoring than her sister,” the doctor explained.

  “Can we see them?” Cam asked.

  “Of course. Right this way to the NICU.”

  Each step felt as if it took an hour. Brandon was holding onto Cam’s hand so tightly that he feared he may actually break a bone. Nurses wheeled carts of medication and orderlies walked through the hallways, oblivious to the knowledge that two baby girls just entered the world, one with significant medical problems. He froze, mid-s
tep, as he realized that his babies weren’t the only babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. There would be a host of other babies that could be gravely ill, maybe even clinging to life. He wasn’t prepared for that.

  “It’s OK,” Cam reassured. “They’re going to get through this.”

  Still in a stupor, Brandon nodded and started walking again. They turned a corner and entered a set of swinging double doors. There was a lounge area, where people were sitting, but he couldn’t make eye contact with any of them. He focused on the glass-windowed wall and the rows of tiny incubators behind it. Two of them housed his babies, and he practically sprinted through the next set of doors that led into the NICU.

  The doctor asked a nurse to bring Brandon and Cam to the Bullet twins. As they followed her, Brandon searched frantically for his girls. The moment he saw two babies wearing pink hats and snuggling together, he knew it was them, and he stopped dead in his tracks. His heart dropped to his feet and tears blurred his vision as his eyes rested on his little baby girls. They were so tiny that they shared one incubator without crowding one another.

  Love suddenly filled his body with overwhelming bliss. It started in the center of his chest and spread outward, like a fire fanned by the wind, until it consumed him. He ran to them, a quivering smile stretched across his lips. “They’re so beautiful.” They were both rosebud pink and absolutely perfect. It didn’t matter that one of those little babies was smaller and not as strong as her sister. She was equally perfect and unblemished.

  “I love them so much.” Cam squeezed Brandon’s hand and they turned to look at one another. As soon as they made eye contact, it was as if all the worry and concern left their bodies, and they only felt joy and relief. They wrapped their arms around one another in a powerful hug and clung to each other for several moments, before they leaned over the incubator that housed these precious tiny lives.