Revolt (Legends and Love)

I’m nervous as hell. We are going to Astro’s family home and I’m utterly shitting myself. What if his family hates me? What if they judge me? What if someone recognizes me and we’re mobbed?

I’m more worried about what Astro’s family will think. It’s obvious he loves them very much, and I care about Astro. Will he introduce me as his girlfriend or as his job? Will they care? I’m overthinking, and I know it.

Peering down at my outfit, I frown once more. I felt the need to be comfortable after what happened, and Cil packed my bags so I didn’t have to go upstairs. He handed me the hoodie and legging combo, but now I worry what his family will think of that. I’ve never been this panicked before about meeting my boyfriend’s family, so why now?

Is it because this thing we have feels right? Because I decided I’m all in and I don’t want anything to ruin it?

Cillian covers my jumping thigh, smiling tenderly. “Don’t worry, okay? The police are there now, and everything will be okay. We alerted your manager and Jack, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“It’s not that,” I admit softly, eyeing Astro who’s whistling as he fills up the car with gas. Raff is inside paying, and Dal sits in the front.

He follows my gaze to Astro. “Don’t worry, his family is amazing. They took us in like we’re their own. They are so kind and welcoming, and they will love you. Trust me, from a guy who never really had a family, I love his.”

“It’s different for you guys. What if they hate me?” I whisper.

“Impossible,” Cil murmurs, kissing me softly. “It would be impossible not to love you, Reign Harrow.”

“But what if—”

He covers my mouth and meets my eyes with a grin. “I can see you panicking. I know you are anti everything, Reign, but I promise they will love you, and Astro is so excited for you to meet his family.”

“Isn’t this too fast?” I mumble.

“Baby, what did you think all in meant?” He smirks. “Astro is already planning your ring.” My eyes widen, and he chuckles. “Don’t worry, we’ll slow him down for a little while, but I’m not saying I won’t get you one.” He winks and I smack his shoulder, but I’m relaxed now.

“Thank you,” I tell him quietly. “For always . . . well, everything.”

“I’m yours, Reign Harrow, and you are mine. We are in this together. You never have to thank us.” Wrapping his arm around me, he tugs me into his side as the door opens, and I jump.

“Here, baby.” Raffiel places snacks and drinks near me on the seat and my eyes widen. He got all my favorite candy and drinks. He kisses me as he climbs in, not even noticing he did it or not expecting my shock, but it’s the little things like this that make me so sure I’m doing the right thing with these men. They think of me, even with something small like that, and it makes me smile wider as I grab a bag of chips.

Astro slides in and turns back to me, grinning. “Road trip time! I get to pick the first songs.” He hits something and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” comes on, making me laugh as he starts singing off-key as we pull onto the road.

I’m ready to head to Astro’s family home and escape what lies behind us.

Astro’s family home is . . . well, cute, to say the least. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this huge, white, blue window-framed house with a swing on a tree outside and rolling hills behind it. He told me he loves his family but he left when he was young. They were Marines, special forces, so I just didn’t expect such a normal home and for a moment, I panic.

I’m worried they will be able to see the dirt-poor street girl hidden underneath all the money and call me out for it, but Astro is so excited. He yanks me from the car, hurries up the stairs, and walks right in without knocking.

We stand in a foyer filled with shoes and family pictures. In front of us is the hall leading to what looks to be a kitchen, and to the right is a living room with the TV blaring a football game.

“I’m home!” Astro calls loudly. I try to tug my hand free, but he holds it tight, winking down at me.

The scent of something delicious reaches me as a heavyset woman pokes her head around the hallway and screams, running toward us before she tackles Astro. “My boy!” she yells, gripping his face and peppering it with kisses before smacking him. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“It’s a surprise, Ma,” he whines and kisses her cheek before stepping back. “The guys are here too. I thought we could stay for a few days. That’s okay, right?”

“Of course, you know you never have to ask! Who is this beauty?” She grins at me. Her bright eyes match Astro’s, and her hair, a faded gray-blonde, is pulled up in a bun on her head. She’s shorter than me and wearing an apron with boobs on it, and she’s just so fucking adorable.

“Mom, this is my girl,” Astro declares proudly, beaming at her. “Reign, this is my mom, Gloria.”

She turns to me and I stiffen, waiting for the questions and scrutiny, but she simply pulls me into a bear hug. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she gushes. “We have heard so much about you, Reign.”

“Um, you have?” I hedge. I can’t remember the last time a mother figure hugged me. Pulling back, she looks me over. “Of course! You look hungry. Come, let me get you something.”

The door opens behind me and she grins. “Boys!” They give her one-armed hugs as they pass her, bringing in our bags. Even Dal accepts a stiff hug, and she tugs at his clothes. “You’ve lost weight.”

“I’m fine, thank you,” he says, but I see him relax a little, and I know why she did it. Whatever happened in Dal’s past, it clearly involves his family and it messed him up, just like my own. She’s being the mother I don’t think he ever had to all of them, and when her eyes sweep to me, I realize that now includes me.

No questions, no complaints, no judgment—just a loving welcome.

I wonder what it must have felt like to grow up in such an environment. No wonder Astro turned out as amazing as he did.

“Your house is beautiful,” I blurt, trying to remember my manners.

“Thank you, Reign.” She loops her arm through mine and drags me to the kitchen, where she sits me at a wooden table. “Sit, I’ll grab you all something.”

“Oh, can I help?” I ask, starting to rise.

“Don’t be silly!” She hustles into the kitchen, humming to herself as Astro kisses my head.

“Don’t offer, it will offend her.” He chuckles as he throws himself into a chair next to me. “Where’s Dad?”

“Out tinkering,” Gloria grumbles, “in that stupid workshop.”

Raffiel and Cillian sit, and Dal hovers, but when Gloria turns her gaze to him, she points. “Sit now, boy.” He quickly follows suit, making me giggle.

As quickly as we sit, plates appear before us, overflowing with food, along with water bottles, and then she sits, grinning at us.

“Well, eat!”

Astro plates me some and hands it over.

“Thank you,” I tell him as I try to eat, not wanting to be rude but still feeling slightly sick from what I saw in my house. At the first bite of her food, though, I moan and dig in. I don’t stop until the plate is empty, and I blush with embarrassment.

“Now that’s my type of girl.” She winks and eyes Astro with a knowing look as he quickly makes me another plate. Just then, the back door opens, and a huge, gruff man who looks like an older version of Astro steps in.

“I’m starving. I smelled—Astro!”

Astro gets up, and his dad bear hugs him. “Hey, boys, how’s it going?” he calls and then looks at me. “You’re not one of these heathens.” He holds out his hand before wincing and wiping it when he sees there’s oil on it. “Sorry.”

I take it as I stand, uncaring about the oil. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Reign.”

“Reign?” His eyes widen and he grins at Astro. “Is that right? It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Glein. Let me wash up.”

I sit as he scrubs his hands before coming and sitting heavily.

“So, is everything okay?” Glein asks, getting straight to the point.

“Some sicko broke into Reign’s house, so we wanted to bring her somewhere safe for a few days where she can lie low,” Astro answers honestly, and I freeze, expecting Raff to be mad, but he just nods.

“Well then, welcome home, Reign,” Glein says. “Are you all okay? This sicko didn’t do anything?”

“No, sir, just, uh, left some things in my house, and I didn’t want to be there,” I reply.

“I don’t blame you,” Glein says. “But if my boys are on the case, they’ll catch him and keep you safe.”

“Nonna!” comes a yell, and we all look up to see a small head peeking around the stairs.

“Young man, it’s way past your bedtime,” Gloria scolds. “Off with you.”

“Astro!” The boy runs in, aiming a dimpled grin at him, and then he turns to Dal. “Dal!”

Surprising me, Dal picks the little boy up and swings him around. “Hey, Theo.”

I watch them with disbelief, and Cil leans in. “Astro’s nephew. His sister lives here. Her husband was an abusive asshole and we got her away from him. I bet she’s working right now. She’s studying to be a doctor.”

I look at the kid, wondering what he’s seen or been through, and something twinges in my heart when he turns to me with a smile. “I’m Theo.” He sticks his hand out, and I shake it softly.

“Reign.”

“Are you that singer my mom says Uncle Astro is obsessed with?”

I laugh as Astro coughs and blushes. “Shh, don’t ruin my rep, kid.”

“Off to bed with you,” Gloria says.

“But I can’t sleep. Will you sing to me?” He pouts up at her.

Oh, this kid is good.

“Now, Theo.” She props her hands on her hips. “We have talked about this.”

“Yeah, she sounds like a bag of cats being hit by a wall.” Glein laughs, and they all join in.

“Reign, you sing, so will you sing me to sleep?” Theo turns to me, so hopeful.

“Oh, um—”

“She’s a guest, Theo, and tired. Maybe another night,” Glein says, but I swallow, looking into those baby-blue eyes that remind me so much of my little brother, it almost makes me cry. Besides, singing always makes me feel better, and right now, I need some peace, and the guys probably need to talk to Astro’s parents.

“Sure.” I stand, offering my hand. “Show me to your room?”

“Oh, Reign, you don’t have to,” Astro’s mom protests, wringing her hands in worry.

“It’s okay, I promise.” I grin as Theo tugs me down the hall and upstairs as they laugh. Once in his room, he leaps into a bed made with dinosaur bedding and shuffles down, patting the chair next to it.

Grinning, I sit. “What do you want?”

“A story or….a song!” he yells and passes me a book.

I freeze, staring down at the title. “Peter Pan?” I whisper, throat tight.

“It’s my favorite. Do you like it?” he asks.

“I do.” Biting my lip, I stare down at the familiar cover. Mine was a little more worn and stolen from the local library, and when my dad destroyed it in anger one night, I had to get creative. “It was my little brother’s favorite.”

“Really?” He sits up.

“Really. When he couldn’t sleep, I would read and then sing it to him,” I reply, stroking the cover.

“Was he scared of the dark too?” he whispers trustingly, and I jerk my head up and smile softly.

“Yes and no. He was scared of what hid in the dark in our house.” He frowns, and I shuffle closer. “Your house is filled with good things, though. I can tell.”

“He liked it though, so it helped?”

I nod once more. “I would sing him to sleep so he could dream of adventures and good things and be anywhere but there. It’s why I became a singer actually, why I started to play—to give us an escape.”

“You love him.” He nods, peering up at me.

“I loved him very much.”

“Loved?” He frowns.

“He’s not with us anymore,” I admit, heart clenching.

“The dark got him?” he asks in fear.

“In a way,” I answer truthfully.

“The dark got my daddy too. I don’t like the dark. Mom always said it infected him and made him bad. When it was dark, we used to hide from him,” he says with tears in his eyes. “I don’t like the dark now. I want to protect Mom from it.”

“I’m sure you do, but there’s nothing to be scared of now. Astro and your family made sure of that, and I’m certain your mom would say the same. You’re safe, I promise.” I take his hand as he wipes his face.

“That’s what she says,” he replies. “Sing to me instead?”

“Of course.” Keeping one hand in his and the other on the book, I close my eyes and the lyrics that live in my heart and memories flow out, and when I finish, I realize I’m crying.

He leans up, wipes my face, and kisses my head. “You shouldn’t be scared of the dark anymore either.” He snuggles back into bed and closes his eyes.

“I’ll try,” I murmur and stand, carefully tucking him in before shutting the door behind me.

I press my back to it and breathe in slowly.

I feel pain in my heart, but also hope.