Yeah we’re all still pretty damn salty about that although I get it, I chuckle as he lets out a quiet groan next to me.
“You fuckers are never going to let that go are you?” He rumbles.
“Nope” I turn my head and grin at him, he dips his head and nips my lip before soothing the sting with his tongue and kissing me deeply.
When he pulls back I shoot a worried look towards Atlas, we haven’t been overtly affection towards each other in front of him yet. Not for any particular reason just because that’s not how we are.
“It’s about fucking time you two. I’m happy for you guys” Atlas says obliterating my fears in an instant. “I thought you guys were doing your plan with Ever though?” he ask, no judgement or anything just curiosity.
“We are, she likes it” Rafe smirks and Atlas’ eyes widen before he grins.
“She’s full of surprises” he chuckles.
“You have no idea man” I grin.
We spend the next half hour just catching up until Rafe decides he needs to start cooking.
“Already?” Jensen asks confused.
“Yeah man, it takes ages” Rafe chuckles as he gets up and stretches.
“Want some help?” I ask.
“Sure” he grins.
Everyone starts to get up to start decorating or helping us in the kitchen but we all pause and turn back to Atlas when Cash speaks up.
“Why did you leave? I get that you won’t tell us some things but anything?” he asks and it’s a question we’re all damn curious about.
“Alright, that’s fair. You know I was staying with my uncle?” He asks, surprising me that he’s actually going to give us some information.
We nod.
“Well he got called back and it would’ve been highly suspicious if he didn’t go and caused worse problems. I couldn’t go back with him and I definitely couldn’t stay so we had to work on something else and that’s where I am now. I’m not supposed to have any contact with anyone from before” he stays quiet as we absorb the vague information he’s just given us. “I know it's not a lot but it’s all I can give you” he shrugs and even I can see the fight in his eyes as battles with what to tell us.
“It’s alright, man” Trick says, seeing what I do. “I just wish you’d let us help” he finishes.
Atlas thinks for a second before he concedes and tilts his head, I’m hoping that means he will think about letting us in.
“Right, well I’ve got a fuck load of prep to do so Riot and Jensen I need you in the kitchen with me.”
“Good idea putting him in the kitchen he’s less like to break shit trying to hang decorations up” Atlas smirks.
“You wanna go?” Jensen grins savagely.
“I thought you’d never fucking ask” Atlas replies before launching himself at Jensen.
I roll my eyes, here we go. I settle in to watch as Jensen’s eyes light up with a dark glee. Although we all spar with him, no one can put up as good a fight as Atlas can and Jensen is practically giddy with excitement as he bounces out of the way of Atlas.
This is their norm. One of them insults the other, then they fight, never seriously and everyone gets to enjoy watching them beat the shit out of each other. Atlas finally tackles Jensen and crashes onto the coffee table, making the thing collapse from their combined weight and breaking it, that’s got to be like the tenth one. I think we might even have spares in one of the store rooms now.
“Alright assholes, if you’re going to fight go and do it in the ring in the gym and try not to damage each other too fucking badly. I have a feeling Ever will kick my ass” Trick orders and although they grumble they both get up and make their way to the gym.
“I get the feeling that they both need that” Cash mutters and I nod in agreement.
“Right where do you want me then?” I ask turning to Rafe and smirking.
“Now there’s a fucking question” he grins and winks at me. “Unfortunately I really do need to start cooking though.”
I chuckle and he tells me what he needs chopping and I give him a quick kiss on the way past. Hopefully Jensen will be back soon, I had no idea how much prep went in to cooking a Christmas dinner for eight people. Trick and Cash start to hang up strings of fairy lights and garlands. I have no idea how we managed to get all of this stuff in here and keep Ever from guessing what we were up to. She definitely knew something was going on though and I’m glad that she trusts us enough to just let us get on with it.
Eventually Jensen and Atlas come back in both looking a hell of a lot less tense than they were before.
“What about a tree?” Atlas asks, wiping sweat from his forehead as we all pause.
“I thought we could go and cut one down” I say. “I think there’s a chainsaw in the garage.”
“Why don’t we set all of the decorations up for it in the sitting room and then wait until they get back and all go and pick out a tree together, I bet she would love that” he suggests.
“That’s a really good idea.”
“We can put the presents underneath it and open them after dinner?” Jensen suggests.
“In that case I need to go down into town and get some presents for everyone” Atlas adds grabbing his jacket and striding towards the door.
“I’ll come with you” Trick adds, getting up too, “Ever and Luc took the truck to go and see his aunt.”
“That’s ok we can go down in mine” Atlas shrugs.
“See you later guys!” Jensen calls out.
With them gone it unfortunately leaves Jensen to set up the rest of the decorations as Cash goes to try and find another coffee table to replace the one him and Atlas broke, and rather than watch the disaster unfold I turn back to peeling the sweet potatoes and then filling a pan with water. Music comes on over the speakers and Rafe comes up behind me, I grin as he holds his hand out to me to dance. He is so damn sweet. We dance for a while before my gaze lands on a grinning Jensen. I raise my eyebrow in question.
“I’m glad you guys sorted your shit out and are finally together” he grins.
Having such supportive friends has made the world of difference.
“Have you thought about how it will work with Ever, seriously? I know she likes it but in terms of a relationship?” He asks curiously and me and Rafe share a smirk.
“She’s already said she’s thought about being between us naked. I honestly think it will only become an issue if we make it an issue” I say.
Jensen’s eyes widen slightly before he smirks.
“God, I love our girl” he says simply.
We stare at him in shock, Cash pausing in bringing the coffee table back in to stare too.
Jensen shrugs and continues, “I’ve known that I love her since I was eight years old and first started to understand it. To understand that there was different kinds of love. Don’t fucking try to pretend you don’t” he chuckles as he strolls back out of the kitchen leaving me and Rafe staring after him in shock.
“That was . . .” Cash mutters, walk into the kitchen as we watch him.
“Yeah . . .” I reply lost for words.
“It’s not really that surprising though” Rafe starts and we both turn to look at him. “Jensen’s always felt things the hardest and has always admitted shit quicker than the rest of us are willing to. That’s just who he is.”
“You have a point” Cash agrees, “it’s still shocking though.”
“Agreed, you better go help him before he injures himself and we end up in trouble with Ever for letting him on a ladder in the first place” I chuckle as we watch Jensen wobble on the top of the ladder trying to reach somewhere that is obviously too far out of his reach in the first place.
“Dude!” Rafe exclaims. “Ever will kill us if you get hurt being your usual clumsy ass self, get the fuck down here and set up the decorations for the tree instead!”
“Fine!” He grumbles reluctantly as he climbs back down the ladder then promptly trips over a box of decorations, landin
g on the floor in a heap and just staying there.
“You good?” I ask trying not to laugh.
I lose it when he just sticks his thumb up but stays down.
“I think that was probably a good call, guys” he says still on the floor before he pops back up, how he can be that agile and so fucking clumsy at the same time is a complete fucking mystery to me.
“It’s alright, dude, I’ll do the high stuff, you keep your feet on the ground” Cash chuckles as he goes to help and I go back to helping Rafe in the kitchen.
“That’s pretty much it for a while now” Rafe says, after ten more minutes of prep. “Thanks for the help” he grins.
“Anytime” I give him a quick peck on the lips and then turn and go into the sitting area and start to help Jensen and Cash. Rafe joining me.
“We haven’t really got much stuff to decorate a tree with have we?” I ask, “where did this stuff even come from anyway?”
“It was left over from the people who had the house before us” Cash says as he rummages in a box.
“I’ll text Trick, hopefully he can pick up some more decorations in town” Jensen says as he pulls out his phone. “He says he can pick some stuff up. They shouldn’t be too much longer but Atlas is taking ages to choose a gift for Ever” he grins.
“Well thank fuck for that, we really do have a piss poor choice” I chuckle. “Do you think Atlas is going to want in on the plan?”
“You’re joking right, of course he fucking is. He’s so far gone for her it’s hilarious” Cash chuckles giving up searching in the box and striding towards the kitchen. “Anyone want a beer?”
“It’s like two, we haven’t even had lunch” Jensen chuckles. “Sure” he adds making us all grin as we each nod our heads to Cash's question. “Ever seems pretty far gone on him too” he comments.
“It’s like with you guys though, I don’t feel particularly jealous about it” Rafe says sounding slightly confused.
I think we all are to be honest, it’s not exactly a normal situation we find ourselves in. Yet, I wouldn’t want it any other way and if it works for us then who the fuck cares if it’s not the norm?
“The only time I felt remotely close to jealous was hearing Ever this morning, fucking hell she makes hot as fuck sounds” Jensen chuckles and Cash the fucker just smirks and gets this faraway look in his eyes, clearly remembering this morning.
Rafe punches him on the arm and sets us all off.
The front door opens and Trick and Atlas walk in, Atlas carrying a ton of bags.
“Finally” Cash smirks.
“Fuck off, dickhead” Atlas grins flipping him the bird as he makes his way up the stairs with his bags, presumably to wrap them.
“He found everyone else’s in like half an hour” Trick chuckles, his grey eyes amused as he places three more bags on the now replaced coffee table. “We still had spares then?” He chuckles.
“Yeah but there’s only one left now” Cash grins shooting Jensen a look, he just smirks from where he’s lounging on the couch and takes a sip of beer.
“I’ll order another couple before we go. So, I got lights and decorations for the tree and some lights to hang from the rafters since I thought that would look good, but we are probably going to have to wait until Luc gets back to hang them. None of us are agile enough to get up there” he says and I grunt in agreement all of us leaning forward to see what he bought.
For such a big guy Luc is surprisingly light on his feet. If Ever was surprised about how easily he got over the counter at Trick’s when she had the cookies, I can’t wait to see her face when he’s balancing on the beams in the ceiling and stringing up lights as easily as if he were walking on the ground.
“The room looks good guys” Atlas compliments coming back downstairs.
I look around at what we’ve managed do from what we found left over in storage. The fireplace has a red and gold garland draped across it, with small lights wrapped around it too. Jensen found these giant lanterns that have Christmas patterns on and they sit on either side and he’s hung some baubles and lights on the giant stag head above the fireplace. It looks pretty damn funny to be honest. The fire itself is all ready to be lit later. We’ve strung some lights in the giant front window and found some mini fake trees that we’ve put on various surfaces, as well as these reindeer that Jensen found and put either side of the front door. I found a wreath buried in a separate box and in really good condition so I’ve put that up on the door. Once we have the Christmas tree and the lights in the rafters it will look awesome.
“If you’ve got enough lights, I want to wrap some around the porch” Cash says thoughtfully.
“Good idea, I probably did. I sort of went a bit over board. There’s more in the truck” Trick admits, scrubbing his hand on the back of his neck and making us laugh.
Before we can say anything all of our phones buzz and I pull it out opening up the chat that is just me and the guys. When I open the picture of Ever holding one of Luc’s aunts babies I can’t help but get a flash of what I hope will be our future. My chest warms and butterflies start to swarm in my stomach and that’s just from a damn picture, I glance around at the others to see the exact same soft look on their faces and some of my tension drains.
What we feel for Ever goes way beyond just a high school crush, Jensen was right.
“Luc’s freaking” I chuckle, as I glance down at the new message he’s sent.
“Can’t say I fucking blame him” Trick mutters still staring at the image.
We all grunt in agreement.
“We really need to talk to her about Rafe’s plan” Cash mutters.
Atlas’s head snaps up as he stares at us incredulously for a second.
“Hold the fuck up, you haven’t told her!?”
“We started to but she freaked and then got kidnapped” Jensen explains growling when he mentions that.
We all hate that we can’t deal with it properly and that even if he is behind bars he could still pose a threat to Ever.
“Fuck!” Atlas curse.
“Yeah, pretty much” Trick sighs heavily. “Not today, we have no idea how it’s going to go and if she will freak out again. Let’s enjoy our Christmas and then see what happens” he suggests.
“Agreed” we agree together.
“Are you in?” Trick asks Atlas seriously.
“If she’ll have me” he says quietly and we drop the subject, although my heart fills with happiness, all of us together. I just hope she wants to give it a try.
Chapter Twenty
Everleigh
When we pull up to the simple one story home that honestly looks like it’s straight out of a tv show with how perfect it is, I expect Luc to get out almost immediately but when I turn to face him his hands are gripping the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip and he stares straight ahead. I unclip my seatbelt and move closer to him, putting my hand on his face and gently turning him to face me, I raise my eyebrow in question.
“I’m nervous” he admits chuckling quietly.
“Of course you are, Luci” I smile, kissing him softly, “come on, I bet she can’t wait to see you and is probably just as nervous as you right now” I try to encourage and his eyes run over my face before he dips his lips to mine and kisses me softly again.
“Thank you, Firecracker” he smiles, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.
“Any time, come on” I grin and hop out of the truck, waiting for him by the front.
He reaches his hand out to me and I happily take it. It wouldn’t help him to admit that I’m feeling really freaking nervous right now too. This woman had a massive impact on his life and he cares about her so much. It’s really important to me that she likes me. I want to make a good impression.
The door opens before we get there and I take a moment to take in Elena, she’s a petit woman, probably around my height with beautiful dark blonde hair up in a messy bun and happy dark brown eyes. She’s dressed in jeans and a lose fitt
ing tee and if I didn’t already know I would have never guessed she just had twin babies. She looks awesome.
I take a step back as they greet each other. I don’t want to intrude on the moment.
“Sweet boy, look how much you’ve grown!” She grins as she holds her arms out and hugs Luc tightly.
“Are you ok, really?” he asks quietly and she takes a step back and smiles softly.
“I’m perfect” she smiles sincerely before turning to me. “You must be Ever?”
“Yes, it’s so nice to meet you” I smile and hoping I’m using my rusty manners right.
“It’s nice to meet you too. Luc has told me so much about you” she grins and shoots a look to a now slightly blushing Luc.
So freaking cute.
I chuckle at his expense and he smirks at me, grabbing my hand and twining our fingers together, making his aunts smile widen.
“Your nieces are napping but I’d really like you to meet Dom” she says as she leads us further into the house.
You can tell just from the emotion in her voice how much she cares about her husband and I’m so glad she has found someone after the shit she was put through. Luc’s fingers squeeze mine and I know he’s nervous. She leads us through a beautifully decorated home and towards the sitting room.
“Would you like anything to drink?” She smiles.
“A coffee would be amazing please?” Luc says as we take a seat.
“Could I have the same please?” I ask.
“Sure thing.”
Once she’s left I turn to Luc, “you ok?”
“Yeah, thanks for coming with me.”
“Anytime. I’m happy I could come with you.”
“Here, you go guys” elena says as she comes back in with our drinks, we each thank her and settle back down as we take a seat a large, well-built man walks into the sitting room his eyes instantly finding Elena. From the way his eyes light up when he see’s her it’s obvious that he’s head over heels in love with her and I can’t help the smile that overtakes my face, I really hope I have that some day. As soon as he enters Luc immediately stands up and studies him.
Secrets Worth Keeping (Finding my Home Book 2) Page 19