For All Of My Life

It's a long flight back, most of it spent watching TV and drinking wine. At least this time I had Nash to share it with, so I couldn't drink the whole thing.

When we finally land, I hardly expect for my family to be at the airport. They aren't. I wonder if my uncle even told my brothers or mother I'm coming back. I also wonder if Momma's disappointed in me, or worse, ashamed.

While my three non-friends wheel their suitcases to the car, all I have is a backpack. Mayhem and Charge are in their normal positions, or the ones they have now. Mayhem is always in front, and usually Charge is if we're hunting something or someone. Otherwise he's behind me and my girls are at my side. Lynx would circle us, on the watch for anything in all directions.

It takes a half hour to arrive at home sweet home.

The boys and Aideen gape at the giant beauty. I've always loved my house, even if it doesn't have great memories.

It's white with a driveway made from rocks coming from two sides of the property. In the middle is a strip of driveway running horizontally to connect the two sides of the driveway, but also grass and perfectly trimmed bushes and a huge willow tree. To the sides of it is more grass and little circle lights under the bushes.

There's an archway coming out from the front middle of the house where a car can park, fat pillars holding it up. On top of it is a railing for a balcony. I know that a dining area is up there, along with a couch and board games.
Gates with guards cage the house, and German Shepherds roam the grounds. My dogs help, but they mostly stick with me or my brothers and mother. There's a bunch of windows, making it open but most not easily accessed from outside. I would know.

You can't see it from in front of the gates, obviously, but the backyard stretches for a few miles, smaller than some of our houses in other states, since it is New York. We're close to the city, but my parents wanted a giant house with enough room for everyone to have their own space and the only one they could agree on was this one. They bought it when they found out Momma was pregnant with Enzo.

So we have to drive for a bit to actually reach New York City.

My dogs know they're home, sprinting up to the gates with their long legs. I admire their beauty and joy.

"Your family is waiting," Alex tells me, and I sigh.

"Terrific," I mutter. "Come on." The three non-friends follow at my heels, and I see their glances at the large guns the guards hold, ready to shoot at any time.

"Sorry about them. They're not as scary as they look." At once, all of their gazes fix on me. "Yes, I said it. Go back to shooting animals or whatever the hell you do."

Some roll their eyes, some make comments under their breath. I grin sharply.

"You guys wanna meet family dearest?" I stumble a bit, dizzy. I raided the cabinet with wine in it and drank it in the bathroom. They get restocked every so often, but some old ones stay. I had one that I remembered from years and years ago. One my father has been waiting for for a long time.

It brought me joy to take something away from him.

But now I was slightly drunk. Nash catches my arm before I can fall, but I pull away so fast I nearly hit myself in the face.

"I knew you drank more," Nash whispers to me, and I punch his arm harder than I would sober. He yelps and rubs his arm, then laughs at me.

The guards check Alex's ID and fingerprint, even though they'd seen him a million times. The gate rumbles as it pulls open, and we enter. The cars drive off in a rush. They couldn't even drive us in.

The nerve.

I laugh for no reason, and Mayhem's ears perk up from where he's rolling in the grass.

"You're not supposed to do that, silly," I tell him, smiling. I'm sure part of my brain is cringing.

"Sweet drunk, are we?" Nash hooks his arm around my waist when I trip again, almost falling flat on my face. "I don't see you smile often. It's pretty."

At least I'm sober enough to grab his wrist, twist myself away, and punch him in the gut. "Don't touch me," I say, my voice heated.

Nash looks up at me, his eyebrows creased in pain. I give him a one-shouldered shrug.

He smiles, which startles me enough that I whirl around and keep walking. I whistle, and my doberman's come running.

Not just the two, but Huarya, Heidi, and Lynx too. They come racing from the backyard, legs springing them forward.

They jump on me, not realizing how much they weigh combined, and lick everywhere they can get their tongues. I giggle—please, God, make me stop—and hug their necks. After a moment I command them to form. They move efficiently, stepping into roles I'm sure they missed.

"Three more?" Anders questions, and I nod. He eyes them nervously, but at least he's not totally ignoring me.

"I didn't introduce them to you. This is Mayhem," I point to him, and his eyes trail the three. "Charge. You've obviously met them both." Charge stands with his head held high. "This is Heidi." Her coat is completely brown, save for a small black spot above her eye, "Huayra." She's white with bright blue eyes, but you can't deny she's a doberman through and through. "And Lynx." He's a bluish color with some tan spots in there randomly.