A Bond Never Broken

Chapter 16

In the weeks that followed, everything was the same as always. Our routine was pretty strict and repeated everyday except for when Bo had baseball practice. That's when he would stay at school and I would go pick him up afterwards at five thirty. We'd then arrive back home about the same time Caroline would get home from work. Yes, Caroline is finally trusting me with the boys. She canceled our nanny services and traded for the daddy service.

I was still constantly wracking my brain trying to figure out when to ask Caroline to come to the ACMs with me. I'm praying that she says yes. With her rather hectic work schedule, it'll be sort of a hassel to get time off without her boss blowing up in her face. I just wish she'd quit. I can very easily provide for her and the boys. That wouldn't bother me a bit and wouldn't even make a difference in my wallet. But, then again, she was an independent woman. She didn't like having someone else do everything for her or having to depend on anyone else for money. She liked to earn and accomplish things herself- which I definitely understand and respect, but it was putting so much stress and responsibility on her shoulders. She'd go to work from seven until five thirty, then come home and make dinner. She never allowed me too assist her let alone take over. She always insisted she would do it. Then she'd get the boys ready for bed with help from myself before finally crawling into bed at ten. I'm sure the nightly foot rubs were heavenly to her. It was just way too much for her.

I crawled into bed and turned on the bed side lamp. I sat up and grabbed my laptop. I scrolled through my feed on Twitter before finally landing on a post from People magazine. "Luke Bryan isn't a hot bachelor anymore?" Were the words written in italics under a picture of Caroline and I walking out of Etch a couple weeks ago arm in arm. I wasn't mad. I knew headlines would show up sooner or later. I clicked on the link as a new window popped up. In big, bold print were the words "Luke Bryan Seen With New Woman" the subheading read "Is he not a bachelor anymore?" I read through the article, nodding my head at things that were true and some things they had gotten close to correct. I stopped at the middle of the page. I read the first sentence before almost slamming my laptop shut. "The woman Luke [Bryan] wad seen with last Saturday seems to have two children of her own." I glanced towards the bathroom and made sure the shower was still running. Caroline didn't need to know what I was reading.

LUKE BRYAN SEEN WITH NEW WOMAN
Is he not a bachelor anymore?

"The woman Luke [Bryan] was seen with last Saturday seems to have two children of her own. She looks like a gorgeous woman who has men crawling over her with anticipation to lead her to the nearest bedroom. The two children could have entirely different parents. Is Luke [Bryan] the next man to be led in that direction too?"

I clenched my fist and took a deep breath.

"Honey, are you alright? You look beyond pissed." Caroline said, walking to her closet in just a towel.

"I'm alright," I replied, closing the lid of my laptop, trying to calm down.

"What were you reading?" She asked as she dropped her towel.

I watched her and answered. "Just an article on People. Nothing major."

She put on one of my Georgia Bulldog t-shirts and a pair of panties before putting her wet hair into a ponytail. She crawled under the sheets and turned towards me, propping her head up with one hand.

"Luke," she looked me in the eyes. "I know you well enough to know that you're lying to me."

She grabbed my laptop and placed it on her lap. "Caroline," I whined.

"No," she shook her head, opening my laptop. "I'm going to see what had you fuming."

Caroline typed in my password before skimming over the article that was still on the screen. I should have exited the website before closing the top in such a haste. I watched her expression change multiple times before she finally closed the lap top. I had no clue what she thought about that article.

Caroline placed her hand atop of mine and used her thumb to massage in circular patterns before meeting my eyes with a soft, serious attitude.
"Luke, you do realize that none of that is true."

I sighed, "Yes, of course I know none of it's true but-"

She held up a finger. "No buts, Luke. All that truly matters is that we know what is truth and what are lies. Bo and Tate are our children. They're your blood. Will we have to explain that to the press in the future, yes. But will we fret and hassle about it now? No, we will not."
She kissed my cheek and patted my arm. She pushed a strand if her hair behind her ear.
"Troubles may come but they pass just as quickly as they came if you go about them correctly."

"Caroline, the rumors, the endeavor it'll take to get rid of them. I'll loose my fans..." I rubbed the bridge of my nose, feeling quite overwhelmed. I couldn't loose my fans, but I couldn't loose Caroline either.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Let them be rumors. If some fans disown you and don't support you anymore, pity on them."

I smiled weakly, still feeling unsettled about the whole situation but loving that Caroline could talk me through it and calm the edgy nerves. "You know, you're really good at this."

Caroline fixated her confused expression on me once again. "Good at what?"

I gestured towards the computer that was still lying in her lap. "That, me, the boys, us. You can somehow manage to stay calm in chaotic situations and calm me down as well. You love me like no other and make me feel special. Heck, how you deal with Bo and Tate and now Til, mysterious Caroline, absolutely a mystery to me."

She blushed. "Luke... no, I'm not that great. You're exasperating a lot." She said.

"I'm not, trust me, sweet heart. You're an amazing girlfriend, mother, and friend. Not to mention chef, nurse, counselor, and maid. You're absolutely amazing." I leaned in and kissed her. Her soft pink lips kissed back, forming a smile into the embrace.

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Unknown POV
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I finished stuffing things into my suitcase, packing everything I'd need. I looked up at the sound of boots clicking against the wood floor.

"You sure you've got everything you'll need to carry through with this?" He asked.

"Yes, sir, everything is packed and this will all go down as planned, precisely the way we had talked about it." I said.

He nodded his head. "Good, because remember, if this doesn't work out, any little fuck ups, and you're going to be out five hundred grand. Got it?" He growled.

I nodded my head vigorously. "Yes, sir."

He smiled. "I also want some pictures. I've always wanted to go to Arlington. Preferably take some pictures of the Cowboy Stadium." He began to walk out the door. He hollered from down the hall. "They can hang in my man cave downstairs with the rest of my collection of random items."

His collection. A deadly collection would be a better description. Guns of all kinds; knives with the most intricate blades I've ever seen; eery, chilling-to-the-bone pictures of victims; and more brutal things I don't dare mention.

I stand in the middle of this pretty much empty room; only occupied by a bed, dresser, and shades; wondering how the hell I got myself into this. Oh, that's right, or I'd be killed too. Be killed or do the unthinkable, brutal, unimaginable I guess.

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Author's Note
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I'm sorry for the short chapter! I've been busy lately so this is a filler chapter. I promise to post a longer one soon!

*Was it right for Luke to be so mad?

*Was Caroline good at calming Luke's nerves?

*Who is the Unknown POV and who's his "master"? What's the plan?