Page 14 of Stay with Me

“Wait, why are you here? Forgive me, I love my two little stink bugs, but what the heck are they still doing here? Don’t do this to me,” I whine and throw myself down on the kitchen island with the bottles of wine still clenched in my hands.

“I’m so sorry,” Saga says.

“Knight is sick, so we had to cancel,” Bishop says as he chuckles at me.

“No, no, no,” I whimper. “I need my sister and wine. Why does that man hate me so much?”

“That’s BS. I think my brother has a thing for you. Maybe you should go check on him, so I don’t have to bring back whatever he has to the boys.”

“What?” I lift my head and frown at him. “What are you talking about?”

“I see the way you two look at each other, and he’s always asking questions about you while trying to act like he’s not asking questions about you,” Bishop says with humor in his voice.

“That’s not what I meant. Why can’t Lord or Prince check on him?”

“When we canceled the weekend, Lord took a modeling gig in New York. Prince is off somewhere parasailing or something. He was going to meet up with us. That leaves me. Mom and Dad are on a cruise.”

I should mind my business. I should take my wine and go home to get drunk by myself. Sunny did say that I could join her and Jamel in Malibu for the weekend.

Okay, I’m not that desperate. I’m not going to watch my best friend and her man suck face for three days. I stomp my feet like a toddler, while still thrown across the countertop.

“I have an idea. You go spend the weekend with your brother. We can drop the babies at mom and dad’s and still have our weekend,” I say hopefully.

The moment Bishop walks up behind Saga and places his hand on her belly, I know I’m royally screwed. These two are like bunnies. I swear, she’ll be pregnant again soon. The way he looks at my sister is plain sinful.

“Mom and dad took off when I told them I didn’t need them,” Saga says, she then looks up at Bishop. “We were going to tire the boys out and spend the night in.”

“You’re a traitor. I had the week from hell. You were supposed to have my back.”

“Now, you can have our backs. Can you go check on Knight? He doesn’t sound good. I have a key to his place. Just pop in for me and make sure he’s all right,” Bishop says with a plea in his voice and eyes.

“I … that’s not such a great idea.”

“Come on, Rem. He sounds like shit. I need to make sure he’s okay, but I can’t chance getting the boys sick.”

“Please,” Saga adds.

“I’m being set up,” I mutter.

“Never,” Saga says with a sly smile.

“Whatever.” I huff. “Get me the key.”

Bishop beams at me. “You’re the best.”

* * *

Knight

I feel like death warmed over. My throat is sore and my head is throbbing. My body aches everywhere. Shit, I don’t know what I did to deserve this.

I’m lying on my stomach in bed with my hand hanging over the edge. I promised myself I’d get up to go to the bathroom thirty minutes ago. I’m just too weak to do it.

I told Bishop I didn’t need any help, but that’s bullshit. I haven’t eaten today, and my sheets are soaked and wet from sweat. I groan when my front door opens.

“Fuck me,” I mutter.

If I need to lift a gun toward an intruder today, I’m a goner. The sound of the alarm being disarmed causes me to relax. Bishop never listens. My big brother has looked out for me all my life.

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