Trial By Fire - Bouncing Back, Book 1

Twenty-Nine

As his car pulled up to the address Thomas texted him, Declan saw Kennedy talking to a few of the women from Memphis’s family. Thomas had struggled on his meagre teaching income to make ends meet while saving his mafia pay for his son's college expenses.

None of them, including Callum, had known about their problems. It wasn't until Kennedy ratted him out to the others that they finally understood Thomas a little better. The real reason he was so eager to take on any little job he could find was because of his financial crisis. Knowing that Kenni put a stop to it had them all breathing easier.

"Declan!" Kennedy's squeal of delight grabbed his attention. He barely had time to shut the car door before she launched herself into his embrace. Her arms wrapped around his neck before she moved on to her sister and the kids.

"Jesus, Ken, it's only been a few hours," he muttered. “You shouldn’t be jumping around like that, either. You could hurt the baby.”

She moved, letting Thomas through. Grasping the auburn-haired man in a hug, Thomas led them to the back yard garden area. "Kenni was getting antsy when you were a few minutes late."

"That's my little sister for you," Temperance said. She watched as her kids stopped next to a group of children playing with sidewalk chalk.

"Mommy, can we play, too," Hans asked.

"Sure," his mother answered, "Can you keep an eye on Melody for me?"

“I will!” Beaming, Hans grabbed his sister by the hand and went to where the kids were drawing on the driveway. One of the boys handed him a huge piece of blue chalk and gestured to the picture he was drawing.

Leaving the kids to play alone, Temperance followed her husband and their friend into the back yard. Glancing around, she looked down at herself and sighed heavily. "I feel underdressed."

"You’re beautiful the way you are, honey," Declan whispered, his hand coming to rest on her hip.

Memphis jogged over to them. His sparkling eyes and relaxed demeanour said he was happy with everything so far. "Welcome to the family, Diablo. Temperance, is there anything you need before I go back in? Anything special you want cooked?"

"Watch it, brat, I can still take you," Declan joked. Laughing, Memphis hugged both of them.

"Oh, no, sweetheart. I’m not picky," Temperance replied. "Is there a chair where I can sit down? Holden needs to nurse."

Grinning, he led her over to an empty table. "You guys can have this table. It’s right in the shade, so it’ll keep the harsh sun off him for the most part."

Wasting no time, she opened her shirt and started nursing her three-month-old son. "After today, you're going to be my little brother. How are you feeling about everything?"

"I’m okay. I mean, I got the girl of my dreams, heading to college in the fall, and I’m going to be a daddy. By the way, did you know about the inheritance?"

Tem shook her head, "I didn't have a clue until after I got the call from the bank manager asking me to provide proof of age and Kennedy’s graduation certification. I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure, so I kept it mum. About a week after I supplied the documents, I got an envelope with two bank cards and was told to follow the enclosed instructions."

"Wow," Memphis replied. He looked down at the infant in her arms, "I have a question."

She laughed, knowing that he was curious about parenting. "Having kids is learning a balance between screw it and hell no. It’s really no different from watching Nix’s siblings for the most part."

Leaving her alone, he walked back over to where Kennedy was waiting and sighed. She looked antsy and tired at the same time. Two things that didn’t fit well with her attitude and personality. He could tell she was getting overwhelmed with people. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her shoulder. "Your sister and the kids are fine."

"Your father and Declan are in the wine cellar with the other men of the family. They seem to be holding their own," she replied. "Dante pulled me aside a few minutes ago to tell me he wanted to officiate our union before your great-grandma got to him.”

"Nice," Memphis said, kissing her head. "He’s one of the only relatives that went to take his vows a while ago. He’s done most of the family marriages, too, so it’s no surprise he wanted to do ours.”

His eyes narrowed on a woman wearing a red tube dress that fit like a second skin. Her almond skin shimmered in the afternoon sun as she laughed obnoxiously. Her hair was done up in small box braids that were pulled back from her face with a headband. Swallowing tightly, he knew he had to fill his bride in on who the woman was. “You know I love you, right?"

Just the way that he said it let her know that there was some kind of confession coming. She braced for the worst, as was her norm. "Yes, I’m aware. Now, what’s on your mind?"

"That girl in the red dress was someone I had the biggest crush on before I found you. She knew I had a crush on her, but she’s, well… she’s petty. Shallow. I would spend summers here before I met you guys, and I would follow her around everywhere. That’s over now, but I felt I needed to explain before anyone else does," Memphis advised.

“Babe, listen, if she starts, we tag team her into submission,” Kennedy whispered hotly.

Memphis shivered, but it wasn’t in fear. He was excited by her brassiness. It turned him on in the best ways possible. “So, consummation will be fun, don’t you think?”

“Hm, may-be,” she murmured, reaching up to trace the line of his jaw. His teeth nipped her nose gently before he kissed her. She moaned, shivering in anticipation. “Dieu, tu me rends si humide.”

Sucking in his breath, Memphis glanced around before adjusting his pants. “Do you have any idea what saying that does to me?”

“Hold on for a while longer, Cowboy. We gotta get married first,” she giggled.

His hand sank into her hair, pulling it gently as he forced her head back. She hissed, her body responding eagerly to him as he captured her lips. His tongue swiped the inside of her mouth, making her groan with need. She shivered with the intensity of desire ripping through her as he pulled back with a grin, “There, now we’re even.”

“You tease,” she chuckled softly.

"Aunt Kenni!" Melody burst into the yard hand-in-hand with another little girl. She ran over, only letting go of the other child to wrap her arms around her aunt.

"Oh, no," Temperance breathed from her seat. She called out to her sister, "Kenni, your wedding dress is full of chalk dust! Melody, Mommy and Daddy talked about this, remember?"

Making a gesture of success, Kennedy picked up her niece and rubbed their noses together. The child giggled shrilly, as her aunt showered her with kisses. "I hate this one anyway. You beautiful doll, I can always count on you!"

"Auntie, put me down," Melody gasped. Once back on her feet, she pointed to the other girl who was nervously tapping the tip of her tiny blue sandals against the ground. "She has the same name as me."

Turning her attention to the other child, Kennedy noticed the way that the girl's hair was bunched around her face in a wild array of tight ringlets. Her darkly tanned skin was coated in the same brightly coloured dust that now covered the front of Kennedy’s white dress. "Well, hello. Aren't you a precious little cherub? Mel, honey, it’s not nice to point like that, okay?”

When she had demonstrated how her niece should gesture to someone, she looked over the girls one more time. “I hope the boys out front aren't giving you any trouble."

Shyly shaking her head, the other little girl toed the ground, "My big brother is with us. He’s playing with Hans."

"I'll kick them good and hard if they do, just like my auntie taught me. Girls can be strong, smart, and brave, you know," Melody commented. "Boys are stupid."

"I'm not stupid," Memphis, pretending to be offended, grabbed the tiny girl and threw her into the air.

"Again! Again!" She squealed as he caught her.

Setting her on her feet, he said, "I see you’ve met Melody Jane. M.J., why don't you go show her the ducks?"

"D'accord, cousine Memphis." Taking her new friend by the hand, M.J. tugged her toward another part of the yard.

Kennedy grinned down at her once pure white dress. "I should go find the boys to finish ruining this thing for me. I already look like a rainbow."

"If you hate the dress so much, why did you buy it?" Her man asked. “It makes no sense to me.”

"Your dad liked it," she replied with a shrug.

Memphis scowled, "Just because my father liked it, doesn't mean you have to wear something you don't want to. He’s going to be a little put out that you did this, but what the hell."

Smiling, she nodded as she leaned her head on his chest. "I have nothing else I can wear as a dress. All I brought was my usual jeans, leggings, and tank tops."

"I'll think of something," he whispered in her ear.