“Come here” I say, as soon as he’s within reaching distance i tug him towards me and kiss him.
“Clever bastard” Atlas mutters and Jensen smirks against my lips.
“Jensen my boyfriend” I say quietly as I pull back making the feral heat flare to life in his gaze, “you’re right, that sounds so much better out loud.”
He grins, kisses the end of my noes and the grabs my hand as we carry on the hike.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The last leg of the hike is entirely up hill and I am no where near fit enough to be able to hold a conversation and walk up this damn hill at the same time. Fortunately none of the guys seem to be able to talk either so at least there’s that.
Finally we reach the top and it takes some serious self-control on my part, not to collapse into a gasping heap on the snow covered floor, the only thing stopping me is the stunning view. From here I can see for miles over snow covered trees and down over a raging waterfall and into a deep pool below.
I’m interrupted in my focus on the view when Jensen finally joins the rest of us and actually does collapse in a heap on the floor, breathing like he just ran a damn marathon, which is hilarious because not only does he never seem to break a sweat when he fights but he’s also a footballer.
I chuckle as I raise my eyebrow at him.
He gives me the middle finger and throws his arm over his eyes as a cheeky grin crosses his lips briefly before he starts breathing heavily again.
“This is my life now, I have climbed this mountain and now I shall die upon it” he says dramatically and I burst out laughing.
“Dude aren’t you a footballer?” I wheeze out between laughter.
“Jensen only ever does the absolute minimum amount of exercise in training” Trick comments and Jensen once again sticks his middle finger up making me laugh again.
Atlas chuckles as he comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me, resting his stubbled chin on the top of my head. I melt back into him as much as possible with my giant coat on. I’m happy to soak up as much of Atlas as possible before we have to leave later.
“Here you go Baby” Rafe says as he hands me a mug. I honestly hadn’t even noticed he was carrying a backpack. “Hot chocolate” he adds as an explanation.
“Thank you, Big guy” I grin taking a sip as he hands some out to the others.
“Did anyone bring their phone, I forgot mine?” I ask.
“Yeah I did, but you won’t get signal out here” Cash replies.
“I want to take some pictures, other than Rylie you guys are all I talk to anyway” I laugh.
He hands me over his phone and I spend ages taking pictures of the guys messing about and I even manage to get selfies of me and each of the guys. I want those ones printed.
It’s not long before an epic snow ball fight breaks out and I have never been more glad not to be a girly girl as I take a dive, rolling across the snow in order miss the one aimed at me by Luc. As soon as I have my feet under me again I launch a snowball back hitting him in the centre of his chest. I grin as Trick calls out good shot to me and quickly take cover behind a tree as Luc recovers from my attack and starts to return fire.
“Don’t worry, Ever, my girlfriend” Jensen yells and I roll my eyes.
“Seriously?” I call chuckling, “you can’t just call me that from now on!”
“Why not, it’s true” he shouts back, “stop arguing with me woman, I’m trying to be a hero” he yells making me laugh.
I watch, peeking around the tree as Jensen gathers a giant snowball in his hands, ducking behind a giant boulder as Luc starts to focus his attack on him. Jensen winks as he brings the ball to his mouth and mimes biting the pin out of a grenade.
“Fire in the hole!” He yells as he chucks it in Luc’s direction.
I fall about laughing as Luc tries to move out of the way only to move in the wrong direction and for it to land on his face.
“Fuck sake!” he grumbles. “How do you do that?” he grouses and Jensen smile proudly.
“Just protecting my girlfriend” he practically gloats.
“Dude, she’s my girlfriend too!” Luc chuckles sounding slightly exasperated.
“Semantics” Jensen replies waving his hand dismissively and making the rest of us laugh as Luc rolls his eyes.
“Fuck, that’s cold” he says as he shakes his head as a shiver works through his body.
“Let’s head back before Luc gets ill” I suggest. “I’ll make soup and rolls for lunch?”
“Sounds really good, Sunshine” Riot agrees as he steps up beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulder as we start the trek down the steep hill.
“Want some help?” Rafe asks from behind me.
“Always” I reply, looking over my shoulder to smile at him and in the process missing my footing and nearly taking both myself and Riot down. The only thing that saves us is Riot’s strength.
“Fucking hell that was close” Trick curses from behind me.
“Ok note to self don’t look behind yourself when walking down a super steep hill and nearly take one of your boyfriends down with you” I mutter and Riot chuckles quietly the others too focused on their own decent to hear me.
“I like it when you call us your boyfriends” he says.
“Me too” I admit, “I’d kiss you now but I think that might be a death wish” I add and Atlas is close enough behind us now that both him and Riot burst out laughing.
“It’s alright, Sunshine. You can owe me” he smirks and shake my head a smile on my lips.
We finally make it back to the cabin and literally just before I step through the front door, a snowball hits the back of my head and icy snow starts to drip down the back of my neck.
“Luc!” I screech as I run through the door and quickly start to strip off to get the snow off me.
He bursts out laughing, the other hyena’s joining in.
“I hope you realise this means war, Luci” I threaten grinning savagely as soon as I’ve pulled all my layers off so I’m stood in just the navy blue, lace bra that Rafe picked out for me this morning, he gulps once before grinning.
“Looking forward to it Firecracker” he says.
I become aware of the heated stares on me and smirk.
“I’m going to get changed, I’m freaking freezing now” I mock glare as I stick my tongue out at Luc.
“I’ll start the soup” Rafe chuckles as the guys all disperse.
I rush up the stairs and grab a towel to dry off my back before fishing a black tank top and red, loose, long sleeved top out of bag, pulling them on before I add Riot’s hoody over the top. Which gives me an idea, I’m going to have to try and see if I can pinch one of Atlas’s hoody’s before we go. I am woman enough to admit that I will be wearing it as often as possible until I see him again. I’m, not even slightly embarrassed.
The conversation up by the waterfall about our phones reminds me that I haven’t actually checked mine for a while. I grab it off my bedside table where it’s been on charge this entire time and boot it up as I walk down the stairs. I frown when it finally boots up and I have multiple missed calls from an unknown number as well as some from Jenny and some messages.
Before I can click on any messages to see what they’re about my phone starts to buzz in my hand and Jenny’s name flashes up on the screen, I answer as I step into the sitting area and the guys turn to me.
“Hey, Ever Sweet Girl” she greets me her voice sounding equal parts mad and worried, “did you get my messages?”
“No my phones been upstairs. I haven’t checked it for a while” I say a sick churning feeling in my stomach.
“Ok, I have some news. Put me on speaker?” she asks.
“Sure” I frown and the guys all look at me concerned. I press a couple of buttons and hold my phone away from my ear as Trick pulls me down onto the couch next to him, Rafe coming from the kitchen to join us.
“You’re on speaker mom, what’s up?” Trick says.
<
br /> “I’ve had a call from the police station,” she starts and we all tense sharing a look, “apparently they’ve been trying to get hold of you but couldn’t so rang me instead, since I’m your legal guardian. Sweet girl, someone higher up has managed to pull some strings and Jeremy is being moved to a minimum security facility and his sentence has been reduced by a lot.”
A violent and deadly cloud descends on the room as I freeze.
“Is that the fucker who tried to kidnap her?” Atlas growls, somehow still managing to stay quiet.
“Yes” Trick replies, shortly his voice cold.
“Are you ok, Everleigh?” Jenny asks.
I honestly can’t find the words to reply right now. My mind spinning with possibilities. At the forefront just behind the panic that he could come for me again as soon as he gets out, is the worry about how someone like Jeremy is connected enough that someone could pull those sorts of strings for him.
“We’ve got her mom. We’ll be back later tonight” Trick answers before hanging up, I almost smirk at the shit he’ll get later for doing that.
“How the fuck did that cunt manage to pull that off!?” Riot practically explodes as soon as the phones disconnected.
“Who the fuck knows but it is fucking concerning considering, the men who worked with Ever’s dad are still out there. There’s no fucking way the fed’s got them all” Trick muse’s his voice cold but his hand warm as he gently rubs it up and down my back.
My mind’s going a mile a minute and I pick up my phone to see if the cops left a message. My texts blink at me and I go onto them distractedly before I zero in on one from a number I don’t know. Thinking it might have something to do with the police I click on it, hoping that they’ve left me a bit more information.
Unknown: See you soon, Ever-Rose.
My breath halts in my chest as my panic rises and my phone clatters to the floor. All the guys attention snaps to me but I’m in full panic mode and can’t get enough air into my lungs to reply. Suddenly Luc crashes to his knees in front of me, making me flinch. His eyes fill with understanding and he starts barking out orders as he ever so slowly reaches his hands out and places them on my cheeks.
“Atlas calm the fuck down, she’s having a panic attack and you will make it worse!” He calls his eyes not leaving mine and grounding me, “someone check her fucking phone something triggered this. It’s not just because he’s being moved to a minimum security prison” he finishes and then turns to me as I grip his hands against my face. “Ok Firecracker, deep breaths. With me ok. In,” I take a shallow breath, “that’s it beautiful, out. Well done keep going.”
In the back ground I can hear the angry exclaims of the guys and things breaking but I’m aware enough that I know these are my guys and I’m safe, so instead of making my panic attack worse it actually helps to calm me.
It takes a couple of tries but I’m finally breathing normally again, although my whole body is shaking, like I went outside in my underwear.
“Better?” he asks and I nod.
“What the fuck happened to the room?” I ask incredulously as I finally focus on the utter carnage around me.
“Atlas freaked out” Cash says.
Before I can make a comment on that, that was more than just a freak out. Luc is pushed out of the way and Atlas appears in front of me, his hands on my face as he frantically studies my features once he’s satisfied I’m ok and no longer in mid panic a truly fierce look crosses his features and I thank my lucky stars that he’s on my side. The guys, obviously having seen the change come over Atlas fall silent.
“I swear to you, Everleigh, that he will not come anywhere near you again” he vows with utter conviction.
“But…” I start and he stops.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes” I answer immediately.
“Then trust me, he will never even lay eyes on you again, Princess” he promises grimly.
The guys share a knowing and dark look. I get the feeling that I’m missing something hidden in Atlas’s promise but I can’t find it in me to give a shit. His promise settles the raging panic inside me, like balm to an open wound. I take a deep easy breath and nod firmly at him.
“I trust you” I smile.
It’s not a lie, I know in my very soul that he will keep his promise and that he would do anything to protect me.
His eyes lighten from cold, icy chips holding dark promise to warm pools as he crashes his lips against mine. I kiss him with all the emotion and feelings I have for him. Hoping it shows how much he means to me and how true my words, were.
When we separate he pulls me in for a quick hug before I’m grabbed by a very nearly panicking Jensen. I bite his neck as he pulls me in and he growls kissing me harshly before I’m pulled away and into Trick’s arms.
They all kiss me as if they’re about to lose me and by the time I’ve kissed everyone, not only am I breathless and turned on, my lips swollen but I can honestly say that I have never felt so loved.
My earlier panic has pretty much completely disappeared and although I’m slightly worried about how Atlas is going to handle the situation it’s only because I don’t want him in danger.
Maybe that makes me a bad person but when it comes to Jeremy or people like him I don’t have a whole lot of mercy.
“You ok?” Atty asks sounding worried.
“Like I said, I trust you. I have no reason to be worried he’ll get to me again" I say and fire lights in his eyes at my obvious conviction, I spot Jensen smirk out of the corner of my eye as one of them chuckles, “just promise that you won’t be in danger” I add, for my own peace of mind.
He chuckles quietly as a dark grin crosses his face and is reflected on the guys faces.
“Oh Princess, I’m not going to be the one in danger. I can handle shit like this in my sleep” his eyes flash, with memories and darkness.
I nod feeling protected and of course turned on, we’ve already established that violent but respectful men turn me into a puddle of need. I lean forward and place my hands on his face this time, my fingers trailing over his scar as he lets out a sigh of contentment.
“I will never get used to how easily she can touch him” Jensen mutters behind me and I smile proudly.
“Don’t let it go to your head” Atlas jokes his mouth kicking up into a smirk.
“Too late” I reply grinning before my expression turns serious. “Promise me you will always come back to me, Atty” I ask.
“I promise I will fight my damned hardest to always make it back to you, Everleigh” he vows.
I lean forward and kiss him gently. It doesn’t escape my notice that he didn’t promise what I asked. If that’s as good as he feels he can promise though, I’ll take it. So long as he’s always fighting, I’ll fucking take it.
“Soups done” Rafe calls from the kitchen, “that’s if anyone’s still hungry after that?”
“Me. I am fucking starving” I reply hopping up and rushing into the kitchen.
“I forgot how hungry you get after a panic attack” Riot chuckles from behind me.
“Oh yeah it takes a hell of a lot out of me” I reply. “Sorry I didn’t get to help you make it” I say to Rafe as I take a seat.
“Don’t worry about it. You know by now that I love cooking. It was nearly done before all that anyway” he smiles as everyone starts to dig in.
“Dude, I am really going to miss you’re cooking” Trick says, then adds his eyes going wide, “don’t tell mom.”
We all laugh, the tension easing even more. Lunch is deliberately light-hearted although I catch several intense looks shared between Trick and Atlas. I’d put money on them having it out at some point. After lunch we all help tidy up and leave the kitchen spotless.
“What about the leftover food, should we take it back with us?” I ask.
“I’ll drop it down to the local foodbank before I go back, they always need more at this time of year” Atlas says making my heart clench.
“Good idea, Atty. Those food banks saved my ass a few times” I add.
“Mine too” he replies and we share a look filled with past pain and understanding.
“We can pack it into these boxes so it’s easier for you to carry” Rafe says.
The mood is slowly changing again as we start to properly prepare to go and leave Atlas behind. None of us want to. It feels almost wrong and the thought of going back to school and pretending that I haven’t met one of the most amazing people I ever have and fallen for him, seems like an impossible task.
Atlas’s lips on my forehead, bring me out of my thoughts and I smile sadly up at him.
“It will all work out, Princess” he tries to reassure me and I nod.
“I guess I should go and pack. By pack I mean throw everything haphazardly into my suitcase” I chuckle, sounding slightly unhinged but thankful he doesn’t call me out on it.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Upstairs I do exactly what I told Atlas I’d do and randomly shove things into my case as I desperately try to push my thoughts away. I’m going to have to deal with it soon enough anyway. Once I dump my bag and stuff by the door under the stairs that leads to the garage, I go in search of Atty.
“Atty!”
“Yeah, Princess?” he calls back.
“Can I have one of your hoody’s?”
“Don’t do it dude, you’ll never get it back!” Riot yells amusement in his voice and I chuckle.
“He’s not wrong” I yell back no idea where anyone is.
Atlas walks into view from around the corner in the kitchen and I can’t help but stare as he reaches his arms behind and starts pulling the black hoody he’s wearing over his head, exposing a swarth of tanned, tattooed and seriously toned stomach that in all honesty makes me want to lick him.
“Enjoy the view, Princess?” Atlas asks smugly as he holds the hoody out to me and my eyes immediately snap up to his.
“I’ve seen better” I smirk and his eyes flash with amusement as he growls playfully and reaches for me, pulling me in close and tickling the crap out of me. My giggles are suddenly cut off when he kisses me deeply, I grab hold of his t-shirt in a bid to pull him as close as possible. He smiles softly and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear.
Secrets Worth Keeping (Finding my Home Book 2) Page 32