Bound In Secrets : A Death Kings Novel

**Jensen**

I called my parents to tell them we'd moved back to town. I was biting on a bullet casing the entire time I was talking to my father. I know this wasn't easy on our parents.

We can't exactly tell them we killed some high school boys, so it was getting trained to be professional killers or to go to prison for thirty years or longer.

My parents were told we got a once-in-a-lifetime classified job offer. We couldn't say what exactly it was we would do for them. Luckily, Sawyer and Nate didn't bother to correct the lie. They were the only ones who knew most of the truth. So, tonight is a family dinner that they have once a week on Friday nights. Dad demanded all four of us show up, no exceptions. I'm positive they missed the guys as much as they did me.

Carter, probably more so. He is the favorite of the group.

Carter was forever getting out of trouble as we were growing up, even though he was usually the one to suggest whatever would get us into trouble.

Lucky jerk. He still has a knack for that, too. The rest of us end up bleeding while he won't even have a scratch on him. Most of that is because he runs the IT part of our job.

We arrive at the house. I rode with Storm while JT rode with Carter. My dad drooled over Storm's '69 AMC and Carter's '70 Torino. My mom must be cooking since Dad is the one who met us outside. That or he hasn't started the grill yet. "I'm about to start the grill. Come on in boys, I've missed you." Dad gives us each a hug.

He has silver hair at his temples that weren't there before in his brown hair. He has more lines around his eyes and mouth.

On our way through the kitchen to the backyard, Mom gives all bear hugs, cooing about how happy she is that her babies are finally home where they belong.

I have a feeling we are going to receive the same treatment from JT's grandmother.

Storm's mother lives in Texas with her wife. Carter won't talk about his family. Which sucks because we are good friends with his twin sister Carley and her husbands.

We head out to the back patio. I'm shocked at how different the backyard looks. There is a whole playground. It's complete with sand, a swing set, a merry-go-round, a seesaw, a jungle gym, and a big pirate ship playhouse with glittering fairies painted on it.

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Just when I'm about to ask Dad about it, I hear giggling coming from the ship and a curly-headed blonde girl pops out on top of the playhouse. She is adorable and looks so familiar, yet different. Carmen peers out from behind it with a giant smile on her face, followed by a blonde guy with tattoos all down his arms. He scoops up the little girl, causing her to squeal.

Is this little girl my niece? Did Carmen have a kid with the guy?

"Help! Mommy! Germ got me!" she giggles.

Carmen wraps her arms around the man and girl. "I got you both now!" She laughs.

My heart clenches at the sight.

"Grumps!" the little girl shouts.

My dad chuckles. "Your mommy isn't coming to help you, Katie Pop. You tell your Uncle Germ and Aunt Cary to put you down." The little girl does as Dad says, which confuses me even more. "Do you want me to send Uncle Crew to put them in jail for mutiny?" Dad asks her, amused.

"Crew put the scallywags in the brig!" A large bald, black-bearded, tattooed guy climbs up onto the ship with a foam sword pointed at Carmen and the guy called Germ. A boy with reddish brown hair is on his shoulders. Did Carmen have these kids? When?

"Aye, aye, Captain Pop!" the boy shouts.

"To the brig with you vermin," the bald guy says, pointing at them with his sword. I'm shocked to see a big guy like him playing pirates with children.

Carmen and Germ put their arms up in surrender, smiling at the children as they do as they're told, climbing down to the bottom of the ship.

I'm confused because if Carmen is Aunt Cary, who are these children? I know my parents couldn't have another kid, let alone two.

I share a confused look with my brothers, who are frowning at the scene before them. I know they want to ask the same questions I do.

But before I can ask Dad, Sawyer comes out carrying a plate of steaks to Dad. "Grams said to deliver you your meat now that I'm off the phone."

Sawyer walks out wearing a navy skater dress with black leggings underneath and brown flat knee-high boots. Her rainbow hair is pulled up into a high ponytail. I feel my cock grow to life at the sight of her.

Dad thanks Sawyer, taking the tray from her. She then bends down into the small fridge, extracting a local brewery beer from it. She pops the top.

She looks at us staring at her. "Beer is in here. Help yourselves."

I watch her throat work as she tips the beer back to drink. My cock twitches and my mouth feels dry.

Sawyer must be even closer to my parents now.

She walks towards the pirate ship, my eyes following her. "Ahoy, Captain Pop! Where be Cary and Germ?"

"Ahoy, first mate Mommy! The crew put them in the brig for mutetany."

Sawyer arches her brow. "Mutiny, huh?"

"They tried to assassinate the captain, but I took care of it," the bald man says with a grin.

Sawyer hugs him. "Good job, crewman Crew."

That guy better not be her boyfriend.

She then sets her sights on the auburn boy standing beside the guy. "Crew did us, proud Mom!" Sawyer bends down to eye level with the little boy, pulling him in for a hug while laughing.

The children are calling Sawyer mommy and mom. Sawyer is a mother. Does that mean the bald guy is the father?

I fall heavily into the nearest patio chair. I notice the others have done the same around the round patio table.

"Did we just hear right? Those little children are Sawyer's?" I whisper to the guys, but not quietly enough since Dad hears.

"Yep. Those kiddos are Darius and Katie, our pride and joy. Katie is a miniature of when Sawyer was a little girl, minus the curls. I remember when you boys and Carmen first brought Sawyer home with you. She was between Darius's and Katie's ages. I think she was six?"

"How old are the kids, Dad?" I croak out. It's hard to talk with the lump in my throat.

"Dare just turned ten a week ago. Sawyer found out she was pregnant and didn't know who the father was. Nor does she care. She was miserable after you boys left until she found out about that life growing inside her. For a while there, we were afraid Sawyer would commit suicide, but Dare changed everything."

The guys and I share looks of anger, relief, and sadness.

"Sawyer finding out she was pregnant was heaven sent. She started working her butt off to make a life for that little boy. Then five years later, here came Katie," Dad says proudly. I grunt a response.

"Sawyer's an excellent mother, and your mom and I are so thrilled about being those kids' god-grandparents. Hopefully, soon your sister and her two husbands will settle down and give us more grandbabies to love," he says with far too much hope and faith. I snort.

No hope for me, I guess. Thanks, Dad.

"Wait, husbands?" Carter asks.

Dad grunts and then points to the bald man first. "Yep, Cruise and the other one sword-fighting Sawyer is Jeremy. Those three have been together for five years now. They were handfasted on a Sunday, which I guess is akin to being married." Dad is so accepting. Well, good for my little sister.

"So does Sawyer have anyone?" I ask Dad, needing to know the answer.

"No, just the kiddos. Carmen and her guys help Sawyer raise them. So do your mom and me," Dad replies.

My family is a tribe raising the next generation altogether. I'm so happy Sawyer wasn't alone all these years while we fought to get stronger to keep her safe.