Brain’s POV

It feels so good to have Kaylyn back in my arms and I just cant let go of her. I’m not sure if it’s because I think she is going to disappear or if I am just addicted to her all over again. Hell, our lips have barely been apart since we left the airport twenty minutes ago. I just cant get enough of her floral smell, that strawberry lip gloss, her soft skin, her oh-so kissable lips, and lets not forget that adorable bump that is my daughter. Even here in the back of the cab, one hand is on Madelyn and the other is on Kaylyn’s cheek, kissing her softly for each day we missed apart. I have been stupid to think that she wouldn’t want this again. Every kiss reassures me and drags me away from my fear of losing her. I just have to have her.

“Okay, can you guys please just stop for a minute?” Tempest sighs to our right. Oops, I guess I forgot that Tempe was with us. But she can’t blame me right? “Brian you’re hogging my best friend!”

I pull away and plant my forehead to Kaylyn’s looking into those beautiful eyes that always haunt my thoughts. God, she’s beautiful. I hope Madelyn has her eyes. She was practically sitting on my lap and she gave me one last peck on the lips before she slid off over towards Tempest. A frown pulls over my lips as she turns her head away from me to face Tempest.

“Oh, don’t pout, you’re a grown man,” Tempest giggles and I roll my eyes, pulling out my pack of cigarettes. I don’t care that there is a sign that reads Thank you for not smoking because it doesn’t say No Smoking. I roll down the window and light up, taking in that sweet nicotine flavor. This is the best motherfucking feeling in the world right here: Nicotine, fresh air, and my girls back with me. A small smile falls over my face just as Kay leans her back into me. I wrap my arm around her and play with her hair as she talks, not really paying attention to what they are saying.

“So, Jimmy and I are still talking about getting married soon…” What the hell did she just say? My eyes shoot over toward the blonde, my brow knitting together. Jimmy hasn’t mentioned anything about this! I didn’t even know they were engaged. When the hell did that happen? Why am I the last one to know? I see Kaylyn frantically nodding her head in agreement and a frown comes over my face. Kay knows too? I though I was Jimmy’s fucking best friend! So why does everyone know about this except for me?

“I’m so excited for you, Tempe,” I watch as Kaylyn pulls her best friend into a hug over top of her round belly. “Can I help you pick out a dress?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I cant hold in my frustration anymore.

Tempest pinches her eyes shut and bites down on her lower lip, acting like she said something she wasn’t allowed to say. Oh, so I wasn’t supposed to find out about this yet, but Kay can know? That’s not fucking fair! “I-I’m sorry, Bri….” She starts, giving me an apologetic look. “I was supposed to let Jimmy tell you…he was going to tonight…we just didn’t want to throw this on you with everything else.”

I run my hands over my face as I try to let all this register. So they were afraid to tell me with everything that was going on between Kay and I? Why would that have stopped me from being happy for them? He’s my fucking best friend! “We’ll, congratulations I guess.” I say and pull a smile over my face because I know that Jimmy is truly happy with his crazy blonde. “You guys are two both crazy enough to make this work,” I chuckled, not even being able to fathom their dysfunctional household after seeing the state of Jimmy’s bunk. I mean, shit is always thrown everywhere—clothes, movies, CD’s, random doodles, bedding, food, you name it, it’s falling out.

“Thanks Brian,” Tempest crawls around Kaylyn and pulls me into a hug. I gently pat her back, knowing that she would always be a member of the family in some way or another. I mean, I’m not stupid. I could see the way Jimbo looked at her and could barely stand to have her out of his sight. “I promise I wont let you down and we will make sure that all you guys come to the wedding with plenty of booze! Oh…just act surprised when Jimmy tells you, pllleeaaassse?”

“No one else knows do they?” I shoot my eyes to the front seat to see Ashley shaking her head at me. Good, I’d be fucking pissed if Vengeance knew before I did or even short shit for that matter.

“Don’t worry, he hasn’t told any of the guys yet. That is if he is still sober right now, if not, you know how he gets,” Tempest giggles just as we pull up to the venue by the bus. You’d have to be blind not to see the huge line of fans before we went through the gates. It was definitely going to be one hell of a show, specially now that I have Kay back my side. I couldn’t wait for her to watch me play tonight because we specifically programed Dear God just for her.

“He better not, or its on you!” I say playfully pointing my finger at her as I wrap my arms around Kaylyn. I lay a kiss on her cheek before helping her out of the car. “Welcome home, love,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around her once she’s standing on her feet.

“You’re my home,” she says softly as she turns in my arms, her fingers running down my face. “I’m never leaving you again because honestly those were the worse few weeks of my life. I’m sorry I didn’t let you come to me, I-I just needed to know that you were my rock.”

I nod softly as I cup her face, pulling her lips to mine in a deep kiss. My tongue gently graces Kaylyn’s bottom lip, allowing me access. My heart sores as electricity shot through my body the minute her lips touch mine. All the pain from the past few weeks instantly washes away, feeling her every emotion while I kiss me in the most sensual way possible. The butterflies were exploding in my stomach and my closed eyes rolled back into my head, my arms press her body gently to mine as I feel ever inch of her and my daughter. I felt like I’m floating to cloud nine in an out-of-body experience as my body trembling with her every touch.

When we finally pull apart for air, I press my forehead down to Kay’s looking into those beautiful brown eyes. I cant bare the thought of her not being with me again and I’m afraid to let her out of my sight. Those had honestly been the hardest weeks of my life while I waited for her, trying not to fall off the band wagon or let Synyster Gates take over—no matter how tempting it sounded. “Please don’t leave me again…” I whisper, a small smile on my lips.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” Kay’s laughter is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. “Ooh…put your hand here,” she moves my hand as she winces slightly. “Miss Madelyn is going to be a soccer star because she is a kicker.” Suddenly underneath my hand, I feel the first kick. My eyes shoot open wide as I look down at her, excited and surprised all at the same time. “See what I mean?” Kay giggles, as it happens again.

“Is that…”

“Yes, that’s Maddy. She’s kicking really hard today. I think she missed her daddy.”

My heart swells at those words and I feel proud. Can you believe that? Synyster Gates excited about having a kid? If you would have asked me last year if I would be ready for this, I would have told you hell no, but now, with Kay? Absolutely. I knew I wanted kids but I never thought of it as a reality with Aubrey, but here I am, about to be the proudest father on the face of the earth in a few short months.

“Our little ass kicker is finally kicking ass?” Kaylyn and I both turn to see Matt and Zacky leaning on the side of the bus. I smile and jerk my head for them to come over. “Can I feel?” Matt says quietly before I move my hand.

“Welcome back, Riz. Hasn’t been the same without you,” Zacky chuckles, pulling Kay in for a one armed hug as Matt’s eyes light up. He must have feel the kicking too. It’s really an odd experience but exciting all the same. “But believe it or not, we’ve managed to stay out of trouble. Though, only just. If you hadn’t come back, Gates here would have jumped off the deep end.”

“Shut the fuck up, Baker,” I chuckle, giving him a shove away. “Don’t you have to go style your hair for the show?”

“Oh, no sweetie, that’s you,” Kaylyn pipes up, patting my chest. “You’re the one who spends hours on your hair before the show so don’t even pull that card on Zacky. We all know it has to be fucking perfect!” she teases and poke her side.

“I’ll give you perfect!” I say, tickling her sides as she squirms away.

“Please don’t, you’re gonna make me pee!” she wines just as Jimmy comes flying off the bus with Tempest.

“ITS READY!” he screams, causing Kaylyn and I to look at each other with confused expressions. What the hell is he talking about?

“What’s ready?” I ask with a raised brow.

I watch as Matt and Zacky exchange glances and look between Kay and I. What? Have we grown three heads? Did we cancel the show?

“You’ll just have to go see,” Matt’s dimpled smirk is not something that I want to trust so easily right now. What the hell are these guys playing at?

“Unless you’re chicken shit!” My eyes narrow at Johnny as I grab Kaylyn’s hand. There is no way I’m going to let Johnny call me chicken shit.

“You’re the shit here, dumbass,” I laugh. “You cant spell bass without ass!”

“Good one, why not find something more original.” I swear I’ll kill that little pecker one of these days.

I roll my eyes as I walk up the steps to the dimly lit bus. There on the small table is a candle lit dinner for two with all the fancy table settings. Where did we get all this stuff? When the hell did they have time to put this together? I look down at the table to see a little envelop with both mine and Kaylyn’s names on it.

“Wow…” Kay says, looking around. “Jimmy did this? The same guy who refuses to do his own laundry?” She wasn’t lying either. Last month we had to bribe Jason Berry to trick Jimmy into going to the laundry matt because he was out of clean clothes. Hell, Tempest couldn’t even get him to go. I think he thinks that some kind of ninjas live in the machines. I don’t know, that’s something to take up with him!

“Not just Jimmy…all of us,” Matt says as we both turn around to see the gang behind us with smiles on their faces. “We thought you guys could use some alone time after everything so enjoy your meal and we’ll see you in about two hours to get ready for the show.”

“Where the hell are you guys going?” I ask, my brow furred.

“Don’t you worry, Gates. We’ve got plans!” Oh, they better not be running off to get Jimmy married without telling me. They wouldn’t do that, would they? Nah, he hasn’t told me yet.

“Leave me some desert!” Jimmy yells as Tempest yanks him off the bus with her. “Don’t leave me hanging here guys! I just want some of that chocolate cake!!”

“I’ll give you some desert if you’re good!” I hear Tempest say and Jimmy yell. “Hubba Hubba!”

“Those two,” Kay laughs as I help her down into a seat. “This is really too much, they didn’t have to do all of this.”

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” I scoff, both of our eyes landing on the envelop. Kaylyn looks back up at me as a mischievous smirk pulls over her lips.

“What do you think it is?”

“Beats me,” I shrug opening the bottle of wine and sparkling water for Kay. “Knowing those guys, it could be anything. A bomb….an “I owe you” slip…tickets….a picture…anything. Why don’t you open it and find out?”

Notes

What's in the envelop?

Where did the other guys go?

Do you think Brian should man up and propose to Kaylyn? Or has that idea not even crossed his mind?

When will Jimmy tell the guys about his plans to marry Tempest?