Own the Wind (Chaos #1)(51)
Shy and I had talked about it, and we’d decided that the best course of action was for us to get used to being an us before we sprung it on anybody.
This was easy considering the guys were used to Shy spending time with me, and he’d begun to hang at his apartment in the final throes of his relationship with Rosalie, so they were also used to him not being at the Compound.
Somehow, they missed the fact that we’d had a month apart but I suspected this was because the brothers didn’t really stick their noses into each other’s business unless it was invited.
Shy did share around the Club he’d broken it off with Rosalie, but that was as much as either of us shared.
Of course, we had to modify our behavior when we were at the Compound together. Though sometimes, I had to admit, we exchanged looks, he would touch my behind, I’d run the tips of my fingers along the back of his hand, but still, we kept up the charade.
As for my part, when I shared with Dad and Tyra that I wasn’t going to Cape Cod, they took it in stride, though they both looked happy that they weren’t losing me. I suspected they took it in stride because they suspected I was still trying to sort myself out in some ways after losing Jason, so, naturally, I would make decisions then go back on them willy-nilly. I didn’t want them to think this, seeing as it wasn’t true, but I had to go with it until it was time to tell them what was true.
With all that, it must be said, it didn’t take a lot of effort to get used to being part of an us with Shy. We slid into it naturally, likely because we were used to each other, we’d grown tight, the only changes were lots of sex, sleeping in the same bed and more cuddling and all of those were adjustments that came easy.
So, truth be told, at least on my part and Shy gave no indication he didn’t agree, I was used to us being an us about two days after that happened.
But we still kept it under wraps and didn’t even discuss the next step.
For me, this was because I was holding on to my happy. I woke up happy, I happily passed out on Shy after a variety of orgasms and all I had was happy in between. I’d even interviewed for my old job two days ago, got the call three hours after the interview that I was back so there was just all around happy.
Therefore, possibly injecting antagonism and aggravation into my life didn’t fill me with glee, so I was avoiding it.
I didn’t feel guilt about this, because I knew when I explained it to Tyra, she would get me. This was because she always got me. And if Tyra got me, she could explain it to Dad as well as Rush in a way they would get me. Also, Big Petey adored me, so even if he was angry at first, he’d come around.
Therefore, when the door opened and it was Natalie, that meant the worst possible scenario was about to play out.
I knew this instantly when she entered, her head swung to the kitchen, her eyes got huge, her mouth fell open, red suffused her face, and she yelled, “I saw his bike outside so I f**kin’ knew it!”
Not good.
“Nat—” I started but got no further because she slammed the door and stomped in.
“Same as with Jason, one minute I got my girl, the next minute she’s unavailable, but this time it’s worse. You’re hooked up with the dawg to beat all dawgs and hiding it from me!” she shrieked the last. “Tabby! What did I tell you about him? How could you be so stupid?”
That thunderclap coming from Shy I’d felt during our conversation nearly two months before slapped the room, but Natalie apparently didn’t feel it.
As for me, Shy took his STD test the day after his brother got home. He paid extra for a rush, it came in clean, so at that present moment, regardless of the uncomfortable situation confronting me, Natalie saying words I didn’t like all that much that needed to be addressed, the heavy air and the fury emanating from my man, I had on a nightie, no panties, and Shy sliding out of me.
Priorities.
I moved around Shy, got in between them, happy there was also a bar in between them and ordered, “Don’t you move, either of you, and neither of you speak. I gotta do something. I’ll be back in less than a minute and, I swear to God, you two lay into each other before I get back, it will not make me happy.”
Natalie, being Natalie, took one look at me, guessed the situation, and didn’t have any problems throwing it out there.
“Shit, seriously? Did I walk in on the aftermath of you gettin’ banged by a biker? Let me guess, you did it,” she leaned in, “dawgie style.”
Her meaning was clear and Shy actually growled low in his throat and I felt him begin to move. I put up a hand and planted it in his chest, keeping my glare pinned on Natalie.
“I love you, you know I do. But one more word, Nat, I’ll confiscate my key, kick your ass out, and you’ll never see me again. Are you feeling me?” I asked softly.
Her eyes bore into me, her jaw clenched, then she jerked up her chin.
I twisted my neck and looked up at Shy. “Darlin’, please? For me?”
That muscle ticked in his jaw, his eyes were locked on Natalie, but he also jerked up his chin.
I heaved a sigh of relief and dashed to the bathroom. I cleaned up in record time, snatched a pair of panties out of my drawer, yanked them up, and tripped on our clothes that were strewn all over the floor on my way out.
They were mostly Shy’s clothes, since his entire limited wardrobe was lying there considering his brother had been in Denver for two weeks before going back down to Fort Carson and he’d crashed at Shy’s pad, so Shy had crashed at mine and hadn’t quit crashing there even after Lan left.