Page 66 of Doubling Down

“And clubs have matching shirts!” Brandon added. He was bent over the pink cotton garment with a hot glue gun. The amount of glitter horrified Eric. Yep, he was calling in his backup.

He strolled out of the room as he dug his cell from his pocket. He dialed Dane and waited for his friend to answer.

“Lo?”

“Where the hell are you?” Eric demanded.

Dane chuckled. “Brandon sent me to the craft store.”

“The craft store?”

“Apparently he needs different colors of glitter.”

“Glitter?” Eric repeated. “Don’t you dare bring any more glitter into this house!”

“I’m already on my way with it.”

Eric sighed. Great, he was pretty sure that he would be finding glitter for the rest of his life around the house. “Just get here. Have you heard from Remi?”

“He’s neck-deep in paperwork dealing with closing your case. He doesn’t think that he’ll be able to make it,” Dane said.

“Jesse can’t make it either,” Eric informed him. “The casino is facing backlash with what Collins pulled. He’s dodging reporters and trying to get staff in order.”

“It sounds like it’ll just be the two of us,” Dane said. “When are Dom and Kale supposed to be there?”

“Any minute now,” Eric told him. He heard Annabelle call for him.

“I’m coming, baby girl!” Eric told her. “Alright, man, just hurry up and get here. I need help setting up the surprise in the back yard for the boys. I think the sandbox is going to be a hit.”

“I can’t believe that you’re hosting a little party.”

“We, you fucker—you’re helping me. And Annabelle, she’s in charge of juice boxes.”

“Maybe we’ll just put Maverick in charge of them,” Dane suggested. “Lock them in the room and tell him to guard.”

“Don’t give me ideas. I have to go. See you soon.” Eric hung up as Annabelle raced into the room. “Hey, pretty angel! Don’t you look beautiful.”

She spun in her princess dress. “Pretty!”

“Very pretty,” Eric agreed as he lifted her into his arms. He’d surprised her with the blue dress to wear for the day. Ezra had accused him of spoiling Annabelle and Eric didn’t have much of an argument. It was true. Now that Eric knew what having a real family felt like he never wanted to give up how happy be had become.

They’d decided that Annabelle was young enough that she wouldn’t find it weird for the boys to be playing with toys. As shegot older, they would have to be careful that she didn’t find out Ezra’s secret. Not until it was something she could understand.

He had found use for the finished basement that Eric hadn’t thought they would ever use. It would take a little construction, but the basement would make a perfect playroom. They could even lock it up so Annabelle wouldn’t stumble across the space.

Eric carried Annabelle back into the living room. Ezra and Brandon were still working on the shirts.

“Did you really need more glitter?” he asked his brother.

“You can never have too much glitter,” Brandon told him.

There needed to be rules. Boundaries. Eric didn’t have the experience, but he needed to learn fast. Eric already had a hard time telling Brandon no because of everything that he’d been through. Annabelle had him wrapped around her finger. And Eric wanted to give Ezra the world.

He was totally screwed.

In the best possible way.

No question there would be more therapy in his future. Brandon wasn’t the only one that still had issues to work out. Ezra’s family concerned Eric but also reminded him that sometimes blood relatives were worse than strangers. He’d protect Ezra and Annabelle just like he looked out for his brother.

Eric grinned when he heard Dane pull up in his truck. At least he wouldn’t be alone in this new journey. There was no way that Dane would have ever gone to the craft store for anyone other than Brandon.

His brother held his own power over Dane and their story was just getting started.