Banded Together (Rebel Walking #2.5) (4 page)

"We loved
these so much, we'll take them all."
 
I watch the girls turn to mush when Talon talks to them.
 
He has that effect on most girls, and there
are times I still can't believe he's all mine.
 

Chapter Four

Ivy

I take my time getting
ready.
 
The whole time, all I can think
about is
Taron
and his insane idea for us to get
married.
 
Our lives are going great right
now.
 
I really can’t ask for anything more
because he's been perfect for me the whole time we've been together.
 
It just took me allowing him into my life for
him to prove he wants to make it work.

That's all great
for now, but there
will
be a day that
he'll regret tying himself down.
 
I want
him to understand that he isn't tied down and can leave whenever he wants.
 
In absolutely
no way
do I want him to blame me for bringing this baby into his
life.

I answer my phone
when I see Aiden calling.
 
Taron
finally came to accept Aiden sometime during the
trial.
 
He realized that Aiden and I are
strictly friends and eventually the two of them started getting along very
well.
 
It's definitely funny to see a
cowboy hang with a group of rock stars, but it happens all the time now.

"Aiden!
 
How's it going?"

"Just
checking on my favorite pregnant friend."

"I'm your
only
pregnant friend, but I'm doing
good
."

"You'd still
be my favorite.
 
You
sleeping
any better lately?"

"Not
really."
 
Without Aiden, my story
would have ended so differently.
 
He literally
saved me from a terrible disaster.
 
The
situation was bad enough when it happened, but would have been so much worse if
he hadn't shown up when he did.
 
We created
a strong bond that night.
 
I know,
without a doubt, that it needed to be
him
that saved me instead of
Taron
.
 
Had
Taron
shown up
that night, all our lives would’ve been forever changed, and not in a good
way.
Aiden has been here for me since then.

"You need me
to sleep on the floor next to you so you can get some rest?"
 
His laughter through the phone forces my
first smile since my fight with
Taron
.

"Yeah, that
would probably help.
 
Taron
won't have a problem with that at all."
 

"I'd do
it.
 
I can kick his ass if I need
to."

"Nah.
 
I'm just up a lot with the baby.
 
The nightmares are getting a little
better."

"I'm glad
that fucker is gone forever.
 
You know he
won't be bothering you again."
 

"I know.
 
It'll get easier."

"You
about ready to be a momma?"

"Yeah.
 
It'll be soon.
 
I feel like I could bust right now, I'm so
freaking huge."

"It's all
baby in that basketball belly of yours."

"
Taron
proposed to me today."
 
The fact that those words just popped out of
my mouth surprises both of us.

"How did you
answer?"

"I told him
no."

"Still
pushing him away,
are
ya
?
 
Ivy, you're going to have to give that man
your
whole
heart one of these
days."
 
His words bother me but I
know he means well.

"He
has
my whole heart."

"No he
doesn't.
 
If he did, you wouldn't
hesitate to say yes."
 
I choose not
to argue with him; he’s usually right when it comes to how I feel about
Taron
.
 
We've always
been honest with each other and he’s always been able to see how I feel and
what I’m up to.

"I just can't
trap him, Aiden."
 
His laughter
fills the phone.

"That boy’s
so whipped he can't see straight.
 
Don't
worry about trapping him, that’s already been done."

I listen to Aiden
continue to tell me why I need to rethink the marriage proposal.
 
His words make sense, but I still can't shake
the memories of my mother being devastated when my father left us.
 
She reminded me often that
I
was the reason he left.
 
The stress of a baby made him leave her all
alone to 'raise' me.
 
I'll never be like
my mother.
 
She taught me how
not
to be as a mother and I thank God
everyday that
Ev's
mom took me in and showed me what
it’s like to have a
real
family.
 

"You know
Taron
is
not
like
your father and you
aren't
your
mother, right?"
 
Damn if Aiden
doesn't see through my shit every time.

"Yeah, I
know."

"If you know,
then you know what you need to do.
 
It'll
feel right one day and when it does,
Taron
will be
there, or I'll have to whip his ass."
 
Aiden always manages to make me feel better.
 

"I'll let
you."
 
Our conversation ends and I
decide it's time to have some fun with
Ev
.
 
I need some girl time with her and I need to
make sure she knows how excited I am for her.
 
I shoot her a quick text.

Ivy:
 
What
ya
doin
?

Eaven
:
 
Shopping with Talon.

Ivy:
 
Want to meet up soon?

Eaven
:
 
Sure!
 
Where?

Ivy:
 
You need a dress!

Eaven
:
 
Lol
.
 
Yes I do!

Ivy:
 
When can you meet?

Eaven
:
 
I'll pick you up in a few.

Ivy:
 
Sounds good.

The next thirty
minutes drag by and I try to distract my thoughts by focusing on wedding
picture ideas.
 
Eaven
will make a gorgeous bride and I'm so thrilled to be able to capture her big
day for her.

We’ve always
talked about how we would manage being the photographer at each other's weddings
and still be a bridesmaid.
 
It'll be a
different experience, but neither of us would have it any other way.
 

I can't wait to
see her because I know she will be so happy to make it official with
Talon.
 
They really are meant to be
together.
 
The way he takes care of her
and the way they fucking look at each other is almost sickening.
 
Everyone around them can feel their chemistry
and I knew from day one that those two would end up together.

My thoughts are
interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
 
I move as quickly as my pregnant self can to open the door and find my
best friend in life looking happy as ever.
 
The reason for her happiness is standing right behind her.

"You guys
look obscenely happy today."
 
The
blush on
Ev's
face tells me to push for more details.

"So, tell me
you didn't just get it on in our driveway."

"Nah.
 
We couldn't wait that long.
 
We took care of it in the dressing
room."
 
I laugh loudly because this
is so unlike my friend, but I'm so proud of her.
 
Ev
has come a long
way in the self respect department and Talon is completely responsible for the
monster he's creating.
 
I love her new
confidence and sometimes need her to remind me of my own.
 
It's funny how people change over time and
how we still need each other.
 
I can't
imagine my life without her.

"You did
not!"
 

"Oh yeah we
did!"
 
Talon is very proud and
Ev
won't look at me.
 
That's all the verification I need.

"I'm fucking
jealous.
 
I
haven't even had sex in a dressing room yet.
 
I need to step up my game.
 
Guess I should wait ‘til baby girl is born
first."

"How are you
feeling?"
 
Ev
finally speaks.
 
I probably shouldn't
enjoy teasing people this much, but I do.

"Great
actually, other than not sleeping the best."

"I can't wait
to meet her!
 
Are you going to tell me her
name yet?"
 
Taron
and I have decided to keep the baby's name to ourselves until she’s born.
 
His choice to name her Heaven melted my heart;
I’m so proud to name my daughter after
Eaven
.
 
I know she'll be excited when we announce the
name.

"Not until
she's here.
 
I promise that you two will
be the first to hear her name."

"Three
weeks!
 
I know you're so ready to meet
her yourself.
 
Is the nursery
ready?"

"No, we
haven't been able to finish it with everything going on.
 
I need to get it all together soon."

"Well, I'm
sure after the baby shower you won’t need anything!"
 
My shower back home is planned for the
Saturday after
Ev's
wedding.
 
I feel like a terrible mom because I'm not
prepared for her yet.
 
The trial took
everything out of me.
 
I'm hoping now that
it's over I'll be able to get everything ready to meet my baby girl.

"Yeah, I know
the grandmas have gone crazy with the shopping.
 
I'm sure they'll load us up on all the required baby stuff."

"You
know
they will!"

"You girls
want to take me by Luke's so you can do your chick shit?"

"Really,
Talon?"
 
Ev
smacks his shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Hey, I have
things to work on and I know you have plans to spend money today."
 
He returns the gesture by smacking her on the
ass.

"This shit
has got to stop.
 
You don't get to make
me feel like I'm off my game.
 
You two
are ridiculous."
 
I continue my rant
through the living room as I grab my purse and phone.
 

"What, Miss
Ivy?
 
Is my brother not keeping you on
your game?"

"He's not
here right now, so no, he's not keeping up with me."

"Damn,
Ivy.
 
You usually grab
Taron
by his dick and lead him around, why not now?"

"Never mind that
I said anything.
 
I'm just out of
control.
 
I'll be glad when these
hormones are in check."

We drop Talon off
at Luke’s house and I notice
Taron’s
truck isn’t
here.
 
It reminds me that I was going to
text him when I left.

Ivy:
 
Going out with
Ev

Taron
:
 
Have fun.

Ivy:
 
K. When will you be home?

Taron
:
 
It'll be late.

I'm not going to
lie, I don't like his vagueness.
 
I'm
trying so hard to just let it go but it's eating at me very quickly.
 
He said he was going to Luke's.
 
The thought that he'd be anywhere else never
crossed my mind.
 
I type the next message
and silently pray for him to answer correctly.
 

Ivy:
 
Where are you?

My stomach
tightens as I wait for his response.

Taron
:
 
Working through details with Luke.
 
See you tonight.

My heart
sinks.
 
Again he's vague.
 
Red flags begin to flash in my mind and I'm
trying with everything I have to calm myself down.
 

Ev
pulls in to the dress shop parking lot just as a sharp
pain causes me to grab my stomach.
 
It's
tightening again.
 
This has happened
before so I know if I eat and drink something it'll calm down.