Ares pulls me to his side. His voice is much more formal when he says, “I’m glad to see you are feeling better, Wyatt.” It’s clear he’s telling them goodbye. Wyatt opens his mouth, but then rolls his lips in and gives a small nod of his head.
Ares turns us and heads for the door. “Laura.” I look over my shoulder to see Wyatt. He’s still standing with my mom, but his eyes are trained on me. “I… I… thank you again. Could we… talk again?” His voice is small, unsure.
I feel Ares’s arm tighten on my shoulder. “Sure.” My smile is practiced; it’s the same one I mastered working as a waitress. Wyatt’s lips turn down in a frown. I don’t think he bought it as easily as most do.
“I would really like that,” he assures me. I give him a small wave and let Ares lead me from the room.
Chapter 24
Ares guides me down the hallway, farther into the house. At a loss for words, I walk beside him while my mind rehashes everything my mom said or didn’t say over the last twenty minutes.
“Sorry I intruded,” Ares murmurs when we reach a familiar door.
“You didn’t,” I assure him. “I was plotting my escape.”
Ares opens the door that leads to the small sun porch I sat in weeks ago with Rosa. I glance around, noting the changes.
“Want to sit for a few?” Ares inquires.
“Sure.” Lowering myself onto the small loveseat, I pat the brightly colored teal cushion. “This is new.”
“Is it? You’ve been here before?” Ares takes the spot beside me and yanks down the bottom of his vest. His movements tell me he’s only pretending to be calm.
“Yeah, this is where I ran the night you told me you were going out to see Leon’s family.” I look out into the yard. It’s different than I imagined, more manicured. It would be nice to see something wild and unruly, but that wouldn’t really fit with the rest of the house or the grounds. “What was it like growing up here?” I peer at Ares.
He clasps his hand over the arm of the sofa, his eyes narrowing a bit in thought. “It was good. Lonely, until Dante came along, but I didn’t realize it until he was here, if that makes sense.”
“I actually get that. I never realized how lonely I was until Dante and the guys started talking to me at school.” I let out a small chuckle. “There were so many misunderstandings when we first met.” Looking back, it feels like years ago instead of the mere months it’s been.
Ares runs his hand over my shoulder after lifting his arm to the back of the couch. “They sure didn’t make things easy on themselves.”
“It wasn’t just them.” I give his side a little jab. He was involved in several misunderstandings between us all. Ares’s face is a mask of innocence, but he doesn’t argue.
After several long moments, Ares asks, “Do you want to talk about it?” I know he’s talking about what just happened with my mom and Wyatt, not the beginning of our relationship.
I heave out a sigh. “Is there really a point?” I let my eyes bounce around the yard, following a few birds as they dip in and out of the trees.
“There is if it will make you feel better,” he encourages.
“That’s just it. I don’t think it will.”
“We could try,” Ares suggests. “I know there’s a shit ton of stuff I want to say to her, ask her, but that would probably lead to a fight. Which I don’t mind, but I know you will.” Ares wraps his palm around the back of my neck.
“I mean, I have questions, but she’s just going to say she did it to protect me. That she thought what she was doing was best for us.” I shrug. “That’s all she ever says. So, what’s the point?”
“What about all the other stuff? Not just why she kept the Infinity knowledge from you?”
I pick at the seam of my jeans. That part makes me uncomfortable. “Maybe I don’t want to know the answer, because maybe it was me.” I had grabbed on to the excuse that something Leon had done to her had influenced her behavior toward me, but I now know that’s not true. Leon’s power just wasn’t that strong without re-exposure. “Whatever her reasons, it’s not like I can change it. Maybe it’s best not to overthink it. She already told me that being around me reminded her of what she lost.”
“How she treated you has nothing to do with you!” Ares brings his face close to mine and gives me a firm scowl. “And it doesn’t mean she should just get off the hook for being a shitty parent,” Ares growls.
“I don’t know if it’s really letting her off the hook, Ares. Wyatt appeared to have some questions of his own, and… it seems like she feels guilty.” I pluck a frayed part of my jeans, the small imperfection there by design, not because they’re old and ratty like I used to wear.
“I still think she’s getting off too easily. I can’t make sense of half her choices.” He still sounds pissed.
I reach over, drop my hand on his thigh, and curl into his side. A small contented sigh leaves my lips. “At least I’m here now; she might have never come back to Canton—”
Ares makes a shushing sound before I finish, wrapping his arm around me tighter. I feel his lips on the top of my head. “Thank fuck for that,” he mutters.
We spend several minutes in silence enveloped in the comfort of each other’s arms. “We should probably go find the guys,” I tell Ares, but nestle my head against his chest.
“We will,” he agrees, but neither one of us makes a move to get up.
Ares and I walk hand in hand into the kitchen. Milo and Ollie are sitting at the island with an open laptop between the two of them.
Dante is lounging on one of the sofas as a comedy plays on the TV with the volume down low. His eyes are trained in my direction before I even pass the threshold. He bounds up, studying me as he walks over, and drops his forehead on mine. Taking in a deep inhale, he grabs both of my wrists, not caring his brother is still holding one of my hands. “Let’s go home,” Dante says, telling me exactly what I want to hear.
Ares releases my hand. “Let me go tell Mamma,” he says, leaving me alone with the other guys. Ollie and Milo give us a few seconds of privacy, staying on the other side of the kitchen.
“You okay?” Dante’s eyes bounce around my face when he pulls back far enough to see me.
“I am,” I confirm. I still have a long way to go before my relationship with my mom is repaired, but I’m hopeful that we can fix it, especially now that she has Wyatt back in her life.
Milo comes over next. “How did it go?”
I take a step back from Dante so I can look at all three of them now standing near me. “Wyatt looks a lot better,” I hedge.
“Yeah, I noticed a difference right away. Being with your mom has really helped with his recovery.” Milo pushes his hand into the pocket of his joggers, tugging the waist down so I catch a glimpse of his flat tummy.
Averting my eyes so I don’t ogle him, I peer up at Ollie. “What were you guys up to?” I hope the change of topic will go unnoticed.
“Not much, just checking out some stuff for the house.” Ollie gives a slight shrug. “How were things with your mom?”
Inwardly, I roll my eyes. So much for hoping they’d drop it. “Okay, I guess. She seems to be doing better physically, too. I’m sure it has to do with her being back with Wyatt,” I answer vaguely.
Ollie narrows his eyes on me, and I know he wants to press for more, but I don’t really feel like talking about it right now.
“So, school tomorrow?” I rock back on my heels a little and trade glances with the three of them.
That comment elicits a moan of disapproval from Ollie. “If you have your pretty little heart set on it, I guess we have to go.”
“It’s not that bad.” Milo drops his arm over Ollie’s shoulder. “We only have a few months left before graduation, and we have winter break coming up. Maybe we could try to go skiing again,” he adds with a hopeful note in his voice.
“Skiing.” Ollie wrinkles up his nose. “We should go someplace warm, someplace we could lie on the beach all day.
”
Dante stays quiet during the exchange, his arm sliding around my back and his fingers grabbing my hip possessively. The idea of traveling doesn’t really sound that appealing to me. I feel like I’ve been living out of a suitcase my entire life.
“We could stay home.” I bite the corner of my lip. “Put up a Christmas tree, decorate the house.” I give a small shrug.
“I like that idea,” Dante murmurs, his deep voice finally adding to the conversation.
“What idea is that?” Ares walks toward our group with Rosa, William, and Mal all entering the kitchen behind him.
“Staying home for the school holiday,” Dante tells him.
Ares’s head tilts to the side. “Were we planning on going someplace?” His eyes find mine.
“Not really, just talking about it, but they’re right. Staying home will be perfect,” Milo answers before I can.
Rosa rubs her hands together, and she has a gleam in her eyes. “We don’t have much time to plan.”
Ares actually rolls his eyes, but his back is to his mom, so she doesn’t see. “Don’t plan some huge party in our honor.” He turns on his heel to face her. Rosa’s brows fall in disappointment. “You know we hate those things.” He softens his words.
“I know,” Rosa sighs. “Maybe just something small for Christmas Eve?” She looks at him hopefully.
“Of course, we’ll be here,” Ollie replies, giving Ares the side-eye.
“Just not all day,” Dante adds.
Rosa waves her hand dismissively. “I know, I know,” she promises, her eyes already going unfocused as she starts making plans in her head.
“You guys heading out?” Mal asks, leaning on the kitchen island.
“Yeah, we have school tomorrow.” Ollie doesn’t hide his contempt. William lets out a low chuckle.
“We’ll probably be back in a day or two.” Ares looks to me for confirmation. I nod, agreeing.
“That’s good, I know Amanda and Wyatt would like that.” Rosa opens her arms and wiggles her fingers, indicating she wants a hug. Milo is closest, so he makes his way over first. The rest of us each take our turn in her arms, when I move to release her, she holds on a little longer than usual, and gives me an extra squeeze.
Ollie snags my fingers in his as we make our way out to the car. “I get back,” he calls like it’s the premium seat choice.
“You driving?” Dante offers the key on his open palm to Ares. Milo is already around the car and opening the other rear door.
“I suppose,” Ares affirms before pocketing the key.
I slide into the middle seat while Ollie gets settled beside me. “Do you guys want to do some shopping?” He leans forward so his head is between the two front seats.
“For what?” Dante sounds suspicious.
“Whatever, we could pick out the furniture for the living room. We’re not changing much in there, right?” Ollie looks around for confirmation.
“It would be nice not to sit in lawn chairs,” Milo pipes up. I wiggle in my seat a little. This actually sounds like it might be fun, plus, it will help me keep my mind off the last few hours.
“Come on, Laura wants to. Don’t you, Muenster?” Ollie pleads with me, his puppy dog eyes on full display.
“It sounds fun,” I reply with a smile.
Dante groans from the front seat. “You don’t know what you just signed us up for.” He slouches.
“I’ve been shopping with him before,” I mutter a little defensively.
Dante turns his head so he can see me in the backseat, and he gives me a lazy wink. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” His facial expression tells me that he’s just giving Ollie a hard time.
“Just for that, I’m not going to find what we want at the first store.” Ollie crosses his arms over his chest, his brows raised in a challenge.
“He’s just teasing you.” I pull Ollie’s arm down and fold my fingers over his. He purses his lips and glares at the back of Dante’s head.
“Where to?” Ares asks, when we reach the end of the driveway.
Ollie perks up then, all his attitude disappearing as he leans forward again. “Let’s check out that place over by the mall.”
“Wait—that new shop?” Milo questions. “Isn’t that store super stuffy?”
Ollie waves his hand dismissively at Milo. “I just want to see what they have.” Dante lets out another exaggerated groan from the front seat. I hide my grin behind my palm—at least I’m not trying on dresses this time.
There’s a woman in a fitted suit coat and matching skirt standing near the entrance. Her face is already plastered with a wide smile. “Hi, I’m Michelle. Are you looking for anything in particular today?” She roams her eyes over our large group, her smile never faltering.
Ollie gets pushed to the front. Dante and Ares stand on either side of me like hired bodyguards, or reluctant shoppers. Milo ends up somewhere between Ollie and us.
“We’re looking for something for our living room, nothing too formal.”
The saleswoman nods her head. “You guys are all roommates,” she concludes, as if she’d been wondering how we all fit together. “Let me show you some stuff I think you’ll like.”
She turns and begins walking deeper into the store. I follow along after the guys, running my hand over a few pieces of furniture. I haven’t seen anything that looks comfy yet.
“How much space do you have? Is it just the five of you in the house, four?” She looks at Ares, then at me. I think she thinks one of us doesn’t belong.
“Five,” Dante says, not missing a beat.
The woman’s brows dip, but she recovers quickly. Slowing her steps, she waves her arm out to the right. “We have a few things you might like over here, some sectionals and such.”
Milo walks up to Ollie’s side as they peer around the store. The woman’s eyes linger on their backs, before she glances at Dante, Ares, and me. While she’s watching us, Ares wraps his palm around the back of my neck. It’s not domineering, but it does speak to some part of me. My body softens, so my posture isn’t nearly as rigid. Her eyes dart away, but she looks back again almost immediately.
Dante, seemingly oblivious to her attention, wraps his fingers around mine. “Do you see anything you like?”
The saleswoman’s eyes go round, and she turns away from us. “I’ll give you a few minutes. Let me know if you need anything.” Her plastic smile is back, but I already noticed her response to us, and she doesn’t even know the half of it. This is the kind of thing we’ll be dealing with for the rest of our lives.
Ollie slings his arm over Milo’s shoulder. “Okay, we’ll walk around a bit.”
“I think we freaked her out,” I mutter once she’s out of earshot.
“She’s too nosy for her own good,” Ares replies, unconcerned.
“Does it ever bother you?” I walk between the two brothers, not concerned enough about what anyone would think to move away from them, but I do cast a quick glance around to see if anyone is watching us.
“Honestly, I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks,” Ares responds, scanning his eyes over all the furniture.
I feel Dante shrug against me. “The only thing that bothers me is most people will only judge you. They’ll look right past all of us ‘cause we’re guys, but not with you.” What they’ll think about me goes unsaid, but we all know what he means, and sadly, it’s the truth.
Ollie stops a few paces ahead of us and runs his palm over an overstuffed sectional. The fabric is a peacock green that almost looks like a short-napped velvet. I love it immediately. It’s so different from anything else here.
“That’s kind of bold, don’t you think?” Milo looks around.
“That’s why I like it. What do you guys think?” Ollie turns so he can see us. I step away from Ares and Dante so I can feel the fabric. It’s just as soft as it looks. I don’t hide my smile as I make my way around so I can sit down.
“The color would actually work with the darker fl
oors.” Dante folds his arms over his chest.
I sink into a corner; the cushions are so deep it hits the backs of my calves. “Well, Laura looks like she likes it.” I can hear the smile in Milo’s voice as he comes over and sits next to me, with his arms widened on the back of the sofa. “It’s really comfortable,” he concedes.
“And it’s big enough for all of us, we could always add a couple chairs too, we have enough room.” Ollie goes up on his toes and looks around, already focused on the next task.
Ares settles himself on my other side and leans back a little. “You like this one?” he asks me.
“I do, it’s fun. I love the color.” I brush my hand over the velvety fabric again, watching as the color shifts a little under my palm.
“Let’s see if they have any chairs that we like.” Ollie shuffles off before any of us have a chance to follow. “Hey, Michelle.” He waves down the salesgirl. “Where can I find chairs?”
“That was surprisingly fast,” Dante mutters, watching Ollie’s back.
“What, the salesgirl?” I scoot forward so I can stand.
“No, how fast Ollie found something he liked.” Dante reaches for my hand and pulls me up.
Milo groans. “Don’t say that. Now it’s going to take him forever to find the rest.”
Chapter 25
Dante pulls the car into a spot not too far from the school. It feels strange being back here. I’ve only been away a couple weeks, but so much has changed. The engine shuts off, leaving us in the resounding silence.
I hear a weighty sigh, but I’m not sure whom it came from. I’m too focused on the brick box in front of me. “This is weirder than I thought it would be,” Milo mumbles.
“It kinda is,” I agree easily. None of us seem to be in a hurry to get out of the car. We get a few looks as the kids pass by us, a few even point at the vehicle. I knew the guys’ absence would be noticed, but I didn’t really think about how much.
Infinity Chronicles Book Four: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Series Page 22