Inked Babies (Inked Brotherhood 6)

“Believe what?”

“That it’s all in his mind?”

I freeze, Asher’s words of doubt from two nights ago echoing in my mind. “I guess? I mean, the guys checked what he told them. The name, the house, the car… things didn’t seem to check out, girl.”

“I know that. But how could his mind make up such a terrible story? Is it normal? Why would it?”

Sighing, I rub her back. “I don’t know. Honestly, I have no clue about such things. I was hoping the therapist would have an idea.”

“She gave him pills to sleep… and to calm him down. They make him sluggish and drowsy.” She sighs. “It hurts to see him like this.”

“I know.” God, I know. I can feel her pain, his pain, like a blade lodged between my ribs.

No wonder Ash keeps rubbing at his chest. Can’t imagine how he feels.

The doorbell rings, and I hear the girls’ happy voices ring out as they usher Erin inside. Not sure I want to move just yet, though.

Emmanuel makes a small gurgling sound, and Dakota pulls away from me to stroke his cheek. “Shush,” she whispers. “We’ll be okay.”

I wonder if she believes it.

***

Erin looks stunning in her cream gown. Her skin tone is paler than Megan’s, but the cream works for her, and she looks more radiant than ever.

I haul both her and Megan to me. “Kay, take a photo of us!” Dakota peeks into the room, the baby asleep in her arms, and I lift a hand to beckon to her. “Dakota, come over here!”

She shakes her head, and I let it go, managing a genuine smile as Kayla takes the pic.

“You guys…” Kayla winks. “I have a feeling this is gonna be great.”

“The weddings?” I ask, glancing at the door when the bell rings again.

“Everything,” she says.

“Read that in the cards?” I ask as I head over to see who’s ringing.

That’s Kayla’s hobby, or gift, depending who you ask. Reading the future in the cards, or coffee, or our palms, although she isn’t so into it anymore, not since she got together with Ocean.

Says she doesn’t need to predict the future, not if she can discover it together with him, one day at a time. Seems to work for them just fine.

“Tess?” I open the door and let her inside. She looks kinda frazzled, her blond hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, her lipstick smeared as if she wiped her hand over her mouth at some point. “What’s up? We weren’t expecting you today.”

“Heya. I know I said I wasn’t coming over, but…” Her eyes are red-rimmed, I realize, her mascara smudged.

I take a step toward her. “Tess?”

“I had a fight. With Dylan.”

I open my arms, and she all but runs into them—then pulls back with a horrified gasp. “Oh God, the baby, did I crush you?”

“Don’t worry so much about that, girl.”

I steer her toward the sofa, seat her down and look up to find three sets of wide eyes on me.

“Baby?” Dakota breathes. “You’re pregnant, Audrey?”

Heat seeps into my face. “Yeah. I thought the guys told you after Asher spilled the beans to them.”