by SM Olivier
That was one of the reasons why David and Grandpa wanted me to finish out my senior year with a tutor, but it was such a catch- 22. A tiny part of me did want to stay home and just venture out in controlled settings, like dance. However, the other massive part of me felt like I was giving Tormentor, Coach, and Principal Boyd too much power if I chose to hide for the rest of my life.
“He assaulted you the moment he touched you,” Crew growled.
I shook my head. He had grabbed me, yes. There were minor bruises on my upper forearms, but it seemed senseless to press charges for the slight slap on the wrist he would receive. Plus, all I cared about was that Crew was immediately vindicated of any wrongdoing. There were enough witnesses that stated the man attacked me with no provocation, physically and verbally.
My panic attack had ebbed away after I realized the cops had been called. My worry for Crew had pushed away all my anxiety.
“What happened?” I heard Kyler growl moments before I heard car doors slamming in the parking lot.
I winced when I realized he wasn’t alone. As if it had been choreographed, Grandpa, David, Lochlann, Paxton, Zane, and Golden pulled up beside Kyler’s truck in two other vehicles.
I sighed. “It’s taken care of.”
“What happened?” David repeated as he glared at the gathering crowd.
This newfound protectiveness he had was still foreign to me. I never expected him to take an interest in me, let alone my safety. I believed his protectiveness manifested in his belief that I “rescued” Claire. He was protective of me… but slightly overbearing with Claire.
He wasn’t giving Claire the option of returning to school. She was going to stay home for the rest of the year. A therapist and tutor came to visit her daily. He wouldn’t even allow her to leave the house to visit friends or go shopping.
We were told Leah was given a tighter rein now, too. She was getting ready to get off punishment and return to school, but David still insisted on keeping her on lockdown. Not only because he felt she hadn’t redeemed herself yet, but also because he wasn’t risking the press cornering her or them.
“Just a delusional redneck,” I huffed. “It’s fine. Crew and the Shadows took care of them.”
“They accused Peyton of fabricating her abduction,” Sal said with a rare frown.
“They what?” Kyler asked, his jaw clenching before he began to stalk over towards the guys in question.
They were currently in the back of a squad car talking to two other officers.
“Ky, no,” I pleaded as I grabbed one of his biceps.
It was clear he had just gotten off of work. His black t-shirt was covered in sawdust and drywall debris. I could smell his unique scent, a mixture of his sweat and cologne. It was a major turn-on for me. I thought Lochlann’s buttoned-up GQ image was sexy AF, but there was something to be said about a man that worked with his hands, too.
He had completed my house last week. I hadn’t visited yet, but the guys told me it looked amazing. With the money he made on my house, he was currently flipping three other homes. He found three foreclosed homes on the outskirts of town that were reasonably close to each other, making it easy for him to work on all three projects at once.
“Mr. Fairchild,” Officer Pope said in warning.
Kyler’s jaw clenched. It was clear he was struggling with his logical side and his emotions. I stepped up in front of him and grasped his shoulders.
“Take me home, please. Let’s get on the road and have a great weekend,” I pleaded softly.
He sighed heavily before he looked down at me. He gently grasped my jaw before placing a kiss on my forehead.
“Let’s go,” he said reluctantly.
I smiled before leaning my head against his chest. I needed this weekend with my guys, the kids, Lucas, and Renee before school started on Monday.
●
“How bad is it?” I asked Paxton as I leaned on his shoulder.
I was thankful for the dark tinted windows as I observed a sleuth of vehicles pull into the diner’s parking lot. I recognized the news vans. Some of them boasted names of out-of-state news networks.
Grandpa and David were trying their best at attempting to keep them away, but they were relentless in their pursuit of “their” story. It baffled me that they wouldn’t or couldn’t see the picture.
Claire was on a tight lockdown and never ventured off of my Grandpa’s estate. The media were never going to “hear” their side of their stories anytime soon. Grandpa and David were determined to keep us sheltered for as long as possible.
Paxton made a noncommittal sound.
By the way, he was playing with his tongue-ring, I knew he didn’t like what he was seeing. The moment my bike was loaded up onto Kyler’s truck, Paxton had ushered me to the vehicle. He hadn’t even bothered jumping up front with Zane. Instead, he had pulled me into the back beside him.
He cradled me for some time before he pulled out his phone. He had a slight addiction to social media, and I had a feeling he was now seeing posts with me in them. My new notoriety was so bad that I had stopped logging into any of my social media accounts. The number of messages and comments on my page had been slightly overwhelming. I chose not to look at them for my mental health after my mistake of logging in for less than a minute a few days after my return.
I had a plethora of people happy with my return, but a handful of people had called me a liar, others had called me nastier names. I never understood the power keyboard warriors thought they had. Seriously, unless it affected their health and well-being, why did they insist on pushing their negative energy and words towards others? What did they accomplish by tearing others down?
I knew the guys were also feeling the effects of my kidnapping and return, but they had been carefully hiding it away from me. Except for Paxton, I believe the others had taken a social media hiatus as well. Not that Crew had any to begin with.
“How did the bike run?” Zane attempted to sound upbeat as he turned up the music slightly.
Crew, Kyler, and I had touched my bike the most in renovating it. However, Zane had spent a lot of time out in the barn with us as we did so. It was his idea to add the heated grips and seat, after he had researched modifications out there for my bike.
“Amazing.” For a brief second, a genuine smile spread across my lips at the memory. “I forgot how freeing riding could sometimes be.”
I had been slightly pissed and disappointed my ride back to the house had been canceled.
“It wasn’t too cold?” Zane asked, peering at me through the rearview mirror.
I smiled with a shake of my head. “No. Those heated grips and seat worked wonders.”
“Good.” He flashed a satisfied smile. “I was thinking about getting Crew and Kyler Bluetooth helmets for their bikes for Christmas. Would you be interested in one?”
I laughed and shook my head once more. “Nah, you guys just got me a helmet for my birthday. I’m going to get some use out of that one first. I’ll just use earbuds for now. Thanks, though.”
He looked slightly put out for a moment, and I hoped I hadn’t ruined a Christmas surprise he’d had in store for me. It didn’t even surprise me that my planner was already purchasing Christmas gifts this early. He had a lot of OCD tendencies, and planning was one of them.
“But an extra helmet wouldn’t be a bad idea,” I quickly amended.
He looked briefly relieved, and I had to cover my smile at the fact he had such an open and honest face.
“I should probably start my Christmas list.” I twisted my ring around my finger.
In the past, Christmas was a modest affair for me. I bought a small gift for my mom, Lucas, and Madison, with the money I saved from my summer jobs. Now, money was no longer an issue, but my list had increased exponentially.
Christmas was less than three months away, and I hadn’t even thought about Christmas yet.
“The competition we’re in about a month from now isn’t too far from a town k
nown for their Christmas Village,” Zane informed me. “Maybe one of the guys will drive my vehicle to our competition, and afterward we can head over to the village. I can book a room for us, and we can spend the night Saturday, go shopping on Sunday, and come home that night.”
My initial reaction was excitement, followed by dread. What happened if I was recognized again, so far from home? I didn’t know if I could handle another outing like today.
“If you’re not ready, I understand,” Zane said quietly, his excitement fading before my eyes.
I knew the guys wanted date days/nights with me, alone. However, recent events had put a considerable damper on much alone time. The most alone time I had with any of them was when we were sleeping.
All at once, I felt immense guilt and anger.
I felt guilty because I couldn’t give them a normal relationship. At least not yet. I was angry because it was something else Tormentor, Coach, and Principal Boyd had taken away from me.
I was an eighteen-year-old woman with five and a half− Golden was just a half to me right now− virile men. Not only had those monsters stolen time away from my guys, but they still affected my relationships. It wasn’t fair to them or me. My guys already got the raw end of the deal with dating a bent woman. They agreed to share me when I was slightly bent. Now I was further bent, and who knew when I’d turn back into even a shadow of my former self?
Paxton rubbed the inside of my arm, reminding me of his presence. I nearly jumped clear out of my skin, I had been so stuck in my head.
“You can disguise yourself as you did for your birthday,” Paxton casually suggested.
I was surprised he was coming up with a solution to my “problem.” He hadn’t liked it when we decided to do individual date nights the first time around. It just showed me that he was growing. I understood his past made him afraid to lose things, and he desperately held onto some things that were important to him, people included.
I hadn’t pried much into why he was placed in foster care to begin with, but I knew it wouldn’t be a pretty story. There had to be a reason he had slight abandonment issues and hoarded things.
As I looked into Paxton’s hazel eyes, I realized he was working on himself. I needed to as well.
“That sounds like a plan.” I smiled as I leaned in closer to him, thankful he was putting his typical jealousies aside to help me find solutions for my issues.
“Really?” Zane asked, hopefully.
I chuckled. “Really. I still have my blond wig.”
“I’ll find you a brunette wig,” Paxton teased. “I think you can pull off a darker color.”
“I’m so pale,” I protested.
“It may work,” Zane teased as he looked back at me once more. His eyes were dancing with mischief.
“Fine.” I laughed. “Find me a wig. Maybe I can become a master of disguise until all the hype dies down. I really want to get out more,” I admitted on a quieter note.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” Zane quoted.
A smile lurked around my lips as I recognized the quote from Lao- Tzu. It was also reminiscent of my earlier thoughts. If I continued to walk backward or stay “stagnant,” my road to recovery would be even longer.
My life had to move forward continually. I had to stop allowing my experience to cripple me physically, emotionally, and mentally.
“It’ll be an easier journey if I’m pretending to be someone else,” I joked wryly.
“Your new wig will be here on Wednesday,” Paxton crowed.
Zane and I began to laugh as Paxton shoved his phone in my face showing me his order details. It looked like Peyton Delaney would be hiding in a brown wig as she found herself once more.
3
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Weekend Getaway
“Is this the bag you’re taking?” Zane asked as he strolled into the room.
I nodded. It didn’t take me long to pack for our two-night, two-day trip. Lochlann had come up with the idea to go to his father’s shop so he could check in on it and get my bike painted. Paxton had jumped in on the planning and insisted that we all go. It had been some time since he had seen his father’s employees, and he thought I would like to see it firsthand.
It was a two-hour drive, but they decided to make a weekend of it. Zane and Crew had a rare Friday night off from football, and Kyler was in a good place with his projects. He chose to give his guys the weekend off so they could enjoy a full weekend with their families as well.
“I just have to grab my jacket,” I told him. “And I want to pack my shoes in a different bag. I can take them.” I protested when he scooped down and grabbed my bag.
Zane shook his head and smiled. “I know you can, but I want to help.”
He must have seen the rebellious look in my expression because he smiled at me gently. “You can carry your other bag up.”
I knew it was useless to argue with him. “Fine,” I muttered.
Zane grinned and turned to leave. He suddenly stopped in my doorway before turning around and coming back to me.
He placed his lips over mine and kissed me sensuously. I moaned and leaned into him, weaving my fingers through his thick, dark hair. I loved the feel of his tongue entangling with mine, and I braced one of my hands against his chest, admiring the firmness of his pecs. I moved closer to him, so now our hips were flush, and I could feel his arousal.
He pulled away when I rubbed against him. “I’m going to load your bag,” he said huskily before kissing my nose and leaving.
I barely refrained from growling. “Thanks,” I muttered in displeasure.
These men were driving me crazy! Before I was taken, I was just getting to know some of them on an intimate level. After a week of my return, I realized my libido had returned, and I was eager to continue our explorations and lose myself in them once more. Unfortunately, they must have had some family meeting− one I hadn’t been invited to− and had decided not to have sex with me. There was a lot of heavy petting and making out, but they all stopped it before it got too far, and it was driving me crazy.
Well, with most of them. Like I said. I was still iffy with Golden. I allowed him to keep me company in bed at night, and I would cuddle with him, but there was still a part of me that was leery of his devotion and affection. I found myself wondering if he was still talking to Madison or if it was her that texted him frequently.
When she tried to talk to me before she left the Isaacs’ household, I firmly told her I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet. I let her know I knew she had kissed Golden, and I was hurt and upset that she would do that to me. When she tried to explain herself, I had shut her down and reminded her that I was going through enough and wasn’t ready or willing to listen to any of her excuses.
She had cried, leaving the house, but had explained to me that she was going to remain in town. She liked our school, she said, that it offered a lot more opportunities for her in cheerleading now that Ms. Houser was the full-time coach, since Selena was still out on administrative leave.
But I still wasn’t ready to talk to her yet. I understood she and Golden had taken comfort in each other in my absence. I could even comprehend the fact she had been drawn to Golden. All my guys had a magnetic quality about them, but she shouldn’t have ever acted on them.
“Pey, Pey, Pey,” I could hear Clay screaming my name as his voice drew closer. Paxton was carrying him as they came into the room.
I had only been separated from Clay for a short period of time, and in my absence, the little stinker had decided to learn how to walk, and his speech had improved immensely. It made me so happy, yet sad that I had missed it.
The moment his light hazel eyes locked in on me, he was squirming out of Paxton’s grasp. Paxton laughed before setting him down. Clay wasted no time toddling over to me at a fast clip. He wasn’t running yet, but I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before he was. He launched himself into my legs, and I laughed before scooping him up.
&
nbsp; Paxton had just picked him up from daycare. As for Maisie, Lochlann had picked her up from Mr. Jenkins’ house. Luckily, the older man was willing to watch her for a little while during the diner altercation.
“Clay,” I crooned lovingly before nuzzling his little neck.
In the short time I had been with the guys, the kids had come to mean so much to me. I loved spending time with them, and I knew they cared for me as well. Several days after my return, I would not only wake up with one or two of the guys in my bed but Maisie as well.
My absence had greatly affected her. She had just lost her adopted mother, father, and siblings a few short months ago, so when I had disappeared, she had been nearly inconsolable. She thought I was never going to return. She had to start seeing her therapist once more because she was unwilling to communicate with the guys.
She found ways to cope with my absence, but when I had returned and the guys picked up the kids, Maisie spent the first week or so following my every move. There had been several times I found her quietly playing on my bedroom floor as I napped. She had behaved as if I would disappear at any given moment, so she wanted to prevent it from happening again.
It wasn’t until the beginning of this week that she seemed to let up slightly. As endearing as it was, I had started to feel even more claustrophobic for a while there. Between the guys, the Shadows, and the children, I felt like I couldn’t even use the bathroom without someone wanting to follow me.
I think they were all starting to understand that I loved their company, and I appreciated their desire to help me in any way, but there was a fine line between smothering me and supporting me. It was definitely something we had to navigate through together. I was just pleased that they all seemed receptive to listening to me when I finally voiced my struggles.
Clay braced my face with his chubby hands before placing a wet sloppy kiss on my cheeks. “Kiss. Kiss,” he said, rocking excitedly.
I giggled at his excitement. I couldn’t deny that his presence was healing me. His innocence, joy, natural sunny disposition, and the way he embraced the simple things in life put many things in perspective for me. We had nearly lost him that one time, but thankfully, we came to his aid in time. There were no lasting damages to his brain, and I was so thankful he was still with us today.