by Heather Long
“It does.” The answer from Liam sent a jolt through Rome that I felt more than saw, but it was Jasper I kept my attention on. The corners of his mouth turned down, his eyes narrowed, and for the briefest of seconds, I swore there’d been hurt present.
“Well, that’s just fucking gravy,” Jasper said, sneer firmly in place. “You still don’t get to decide this. She’s under our protection. That means she belongs in Vandals territory. With Vandals.”
There was so much he was saying without words. It was like every answer I needed vibrated silent and unspoken in between the syllables of that possessive and rather insulting description. The slate gray of his eyes held an icy kind of heat as his gaze collided with mine.
“It’s time to go,” he said, not releasing my gaze. “I can’t protect you here.”
“Maybe she doesn’t need your protection,” Liam snarked, and that pulled Jasper’s attention away, freeing me to breathe. Even as the two men muttered at each other, I turned his request over in my head. Despite the growl in his voice and the expression he wore, Jasper had been asking.
Maybe that was how he asked.
Tilting my head back, I stared up at the ceiling. We’d come here because someone had come looking for me at the body shop. I swallowed, then said, “Maybe the Vandals would be safer if I wasn’t there.”
That shut Jasper and Liam up. Both bloodied men stared at me like I’d sprouted a second head. Rome turned his head to glance back at me.
I threw my hands up. At least Rome didn’t look at me like I was an idiot. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know,” I told them, aware that they each had pieces of the puzzle. “Or maybe you already know and I’m trying to protect you for nothing. But it’s worth saying that Rome’s already had to kill for me twice, and I don’t know if the threat will be greater or worse. Especially after this last one.”
Liam gave me a slow nod, and I could have sworn there was just the barest suggestion of approval in his eyes. But Jasper sliced a hand through the air. “If they come for you, then they’re coming here to die.” Well at least he wasn’t splitting hairs on that. “I told you, we will keep you safe. Maybe I’ve…demanded that you let us protect you, but, Emersyn, Swan…you’re safe with us. I need you to come back with me, now. We have Freddie home…”
I straightened and tapped Rome’s shoulder, and he shifted so I could hop off the counter. “Freddie’s all right?”
“He’s doing well enough,” Jasper answered. “Doc cleared him to leave the clinic, and he’s got the drugs out of his system. But it always takes him time to adjust.”
“I’m glad. I was worried about him.” I frowned, then glanced at Rome. “I want to go see him.”
“Then we go back.” Rome nodded. “I’ll get our clothes.” He walked toward the doorway and both Jasper and Liam went stock-still and stared at him, then me.
“Your clothes?” Liam repeated, with the barest hint of a teasing smile.
“She had blood on hers, and we needed to shower. Don’t be an ass.” At the curt words, Liam raised his hands.
“I was just checking. Besides, she looks good in your stuff.” Liam gave me a slow smile, one where the blood oozing from his split lip really killed any charm he might have possessed. Then again, the last time someone hit him that I knew of, it had been me socking him in the nose.
Rome shoved his brother with a less than friendly push, and Liam laughed as the two vanished around the corner, leaving me alone with Jasper.
Folding my arms, I studied him. “Do you want to clean those up?” I nodded to his bruises.
He shook his head. “I’ve had worse, and I needed that.”
Surprise rippled through me.
“Did the guy at the shop do that to your cheek?”
I raised a hand to my face. I’d almost forgotten about the bruise, but the moment he mentioned it, the faint swelling over my cheekbone throbbed. “He caught me with a backhand, but I was getting away. Him yanking my hair hurt worse.” I shrugged. “But Rome got him.”
“Good.” Jasper took a step forward, then raised his bruised hand. “May I?”
More curious than anything, I nodded. He brushed his fingers gently against my jaw, then tilted my head so he could study it. I swore his eyes chilled a little more.
“Any other injuries?”
“Not really. I mean, the counter hurt when I bounced against it. But I feel fine.” I grinned at him. The redness on my arm had already begun to fade, and the little cut on my neck didn’t bother me at all. “You don’t need to make a list of injuries for this guy. He’s already dead.”
Jasper met my smile with a faint one of his own. “His partner isn’t.”
Oh.
My amusement faded.
“Liam and Kestrel caught him,” Jasper murmured, still touching my chin. The lightness of his fingers made for a barely there sensation. It was kind of weird. We hadn’t really seen each other, much less been alone, since the night he kissed me and walked out so pissed off.
Considering I’d just made out with Rome and I’d had sex with Vaughn, now might not be the time to address it. My romantic life had gotten far more complicated in a very short time span, considering the absolute dregs it had been before.
“What’s a matter?” At the coaxing note, I almost wanted to tell him, but I just shook my head.
“I’m tired.” Not a lie. “I was sleeping, you see, and these two jerks decided to wake us up by beating each other up.”
“Fair,” he said, that almost smile back as his hand fell away from my face. “Next time, we’ll try to be quieter about it.”
Next time.
“I have your things, Starling,” Rome said. “Do you want to change into them or just wear that back? You can, if you want. I also brought you thicker socks and another jacket.”
Liam had also returned, cleaned up and in fresh clothes. No shirt though. He wore just gray sweatpants as he brushed up against me to get past. There was no mistaking it was intentional, because Jasper glared at him and then caught my hand and tugged me away from him.
“I’m fine like this,” I said, because I really didn’t need Jasper starting another fight. Not when I already owed Liam for his silence. “You’re coming with us?” The last I directed at Rome, and Jasper made a face.
Oh, did Jasper not want him coming?
“Of course,” Jasper said, sliding me in front of him and giving me a little nudge toward Rome and the living room. “If he wants.” The living room was in shambles.
“We can’t leave it like this,” I said abruptly and felt more than saw all three of them stare at me. “This is a wreck. And you guys broke that frame.” It was one of the beautiful paintings from the wall. Sidestepping carefully to avoid the glass, I retrieved the painting.
“It’s fine, Hellspawn,” Liam drawled. “I’d rather you take the junkyard dog back to his pen. I can clean this up tomorrow.” Rome took the frame from me and set it down. “Besides, you two had a long enough day as it is.”
Not rising to the bait, Jasper nodded to Rome, who passed him a coat, and then Jasper held it up for me. That was it, the guys were just letting this go? They beat each other bloody, wreck the living room, and that was that?
I would never understand men.
Ever.
“Thank you for letting us use your bike,” I told Liam. “And you have a very nice place.”
“It’s always open to you, Hellspawn. Just make sure you leave the junkyard dog at home.”
Jasper glared over his shoulder at Liam but gave me a gentle push toward the door. Rome said nothing, but then, I guessed the twins didn’t need to say much. Liam followed us to the door, and I caught him watching us as the elevator arrived.
He winked at me and then closed the door.
The return to the clubhouse, as they all called it, seemed to take forever as Jasper navigated his way through the quiet streets. Rome sat in the backseat. I’d offered to go back there, but both he and Jasper had pointed at the
passenger seat.
Curls of fog hung in the air, and the traffic around the center of town dwindled as we made our way past affluent nightclubs and dancing spots. More than one looked to be busy with lines out front, but then we were in the business district and fewer people occupied the sidewalks.
The absolute silence was both a blessing and a curse, but I had no idea what to say to fill the emptiness. As it was, I was fighting off yawns by the time we pulled into the warehouse. My jaw cracked with the force of them. I barely even got my seatbelt undone before Vaughn had my door open, and he reached in to tug me out.
“Dove,” he said with an almost relieved sigh. “You are a sight for sore eyes.”
“Hey,” I managed before he lifted me clean off the ground and kissed me. The warmth of him invaded every sense. The warehouse and the chill faded away, even as the hum of danger lurked there. I’d missed him, and there was relief tangling up in the knot of feelings these guys were dragging out of me. For a few brief seconds, I stopped worrying about anything and sank into the contact as my whole body went soft and slick. The ache Rome had sparked earlier roared back to life.
Then reality crashed in, as Jasper’s voice cut through the haze. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Fight or Flight
Vaughn
The group home had a whole different set of rules from the fostering I had been doing. They kept trying to place me, and I kept getting sent back. It had all kind of rolled off me at this point. Most people thought I was a lot older than I was, ’cause I was big. Lots seemed to expect me to do or know more. Then they decided I was slow or stupid because I wasn’t who they thought I was.
Most of the time, I let it roll off me. Other times, I got into fights. I wasn’t looking for a fight, but I’d gotten pretty good at it. Better to not start anything. I’d promised Mom the last time I saw her to not start fights. Just finish them. I kept telling myself that. I already owed her one apology, but that kid deserved a pop in the mouth for calling her the B word.
Mom was not a bitch.
“Boys,” Ms. Stephanie called as she opened the door to my ‘new’ room. It was a little crowded. There were three bunk beds in there, for six beds total. The other kids in the room paused mid laugh to swing their gazes to the door. It was early. Ms. Stephanie had let me have one last breakfast with Mom before she had to go. I didn’t know how she’d arranged it, but I was grateful. “This is Vaughn Westbrook. He’s new to Channing House, and he’s going to be your bunkmate.”
That earned me even more suspicious looks from two of them, while a third barely glanced at us before he went back to whatever he was drawing. A kid who looked just like him leaned against the table next to where he worked, and the last stood nearest the door, his dark eyes locked on mine thoughtfully.
“He’s huge,” the kid said without an ounce of aggression, sounding more puzzled than anything.
“Milo,” Ms. Stephanie scolded. “Manners.”
“Ma’am, he’s bigger than we are. Shouldn’t he be with the older boys?” At least he asked and didn’t assume. That was something.
“I’m nine,” I informed the other kid, and he blinked.
“Bullshit,” one of the others said as he pushed his way forward to stand next to Milo.
“Jasper,” Ms. Stephanie said with a sigh, and Jasper actually shot her a sheepish look.
“Sorry, Ms. Stephanie. I know. Manners. But I’m nine. How can he be nine too?”
I shrugged. “I’m just big. Still nine.”
“I’m Milo,” Milo introduced himself. “This is Jasper.” He indicated the kid next to him that Ms. Stephanie already identified. “That’s Kellan. The kid drawing, that’s Rome and his brother, Liam.”
Kellan gave me a little smile and a shrug. Liam eyed me, but then transferred his attention to Ms. Stephanie. Rome didn’t even look up. That was cool.
“Thank you, Milo,” Ms. Stephanie said with a warm smile before she glanced at me. “Vaughn’s not entirely new to the system, but this is his first time in a group home long-term.” She rested a hand on my arm. “I trust you will look after him for me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Milo agreed. Jasper’s lip curled, but the moment Milo elbowed him, his expression smoothed. Jasper didn’t want me here. That was fine. If he left me alone, I’d leave him alone.
“Which one of the beds is open?” Ms. Stephanie asked. I’d guess it was the only one not made, which was the bottom bunk closest to the door.
Milo scratched the back of his neck. “I’d say this one, but Jasper will probably want to be closest to the door, and Liam and Rome have the one by the window. So if Kellan doesn’t mind bunking with Jasper here at the door, Vaughn can take the bottom bunk over here with me up top. Unless you need the top?” The last was a question, but to be honest, he looked skeptical.
“Bottom is fine.” I didn’t really care where I slept. Jasper didn’t argue, but he did head over to the bunk and start ripping stuff off it. Milo shook his head.
“Don’t mind him. He doesn’t like change.”
Ms. Stephanie looked at me again. “I’ll be back to pick you up next Friday, if you want. I know it won’t be enough, but I can take you to see her weekly.”
Relief swarmed through me. I’d been afraid to ask. Mom had been straight with me that this last weekend might be our last time together. As much as I hated it, there wasn’t much I could do about it.
“I would,” I said. “If it’s not any trouble.”
“Of course it’s not any trouble.” Then she glanced back at the room. “Anything you boys need to tell me?”
“Nope.”
“No, ma’am.”
“All good.”
“Nothing.”
Milo said nothing, he just shook his head, and I didn’t believe any of them. From the look on Ms. Stephanie’s face, she didn’t either, but she let it go. While she lingered a few more minutes and helped me make up my bed, she finally left with the promise to see me at the end of the week. Friday seemed a long way away.
The other guys weren’t saying much, but they were watching me. Liam and Kellan more than Jasper, but I caught him staring when I wasn’t looking up. Milo was sprawled on his bed in the bunk above mine, flipping through some magazine. After I stored away the few items I’d been able to pack, I dug a book out of my backpack and settled down to read.
“When Jenkins is here, don’t push any rules. He’s a pasty guy with a bald spot,” Kellan said. “He’s usually only here on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But if someone gets sick, he shows up on the weekends.”
“Don’t let him catch you alone either,” Liam said. “Though I think you might scare him.” He actually sounded gleeful about that.
“Don’t risk it,” Jasper said abruptly. “Even if you’re huge. The guy’s trash.”
“He won’t,” Milo said from above. “We stick together in here.”
And that seemed to decide that.
Except Jasper eyed me.
“What?” I asked, because the longer he stared, the harder it was to focus on my book.
“Why is Ms. Stephanie coming to get you on Friday?”
“Dude,” Kellan said, sliding a piece of gum into his mouth. “None of your beeswax.” But he still looked at me as if waiting for me to answer.
Liam had picked up a ball and was tossing it into the air and catching it, and his brother was still busily scribbling away. The sounds of his pencil scratching and Liam’s ball hitting were the only sounds in the room.
I shrugged. “My mom’s in hospice. So Ms. Stephanie is taking me to see her.”
“She’s in the hospital?” Jasper asked, frowning. “So you’re just staying here until she goes home?”
I looked down at my book. I promised Mom I wouldn’t cry, and right now, my eyes burned. Better not to cry in front of these guys, anyway. “No. Hospice means she isn’t going to go home again.”
The room went silent.
Though no one asked, I continued,
“She’s got cancer. She’s not getting better. And she’s too sick to take care of me. So I’m here.”
“Is she going to die?” Rome asked into the silence and Liam grunted as he bumped his brother, but I met the other boy’s eyes and nodded.
“Yeah. They did everything they could. But as long as she’s in hospice, Ms. Stephanie promised to take me to see her.”
The room went quiet again.
“Do you like to draw?” Rome asked, and Liam frowned.
“Some,” I said. I lifted my arm where I’d doodled all over it in pen. It looked like the inside of a robot arm. It was mostly hidden under my shirt, ’cause people seemed to not like it that I drew on myself so much.
“You can use my pencils and draw with me if you want.”
Kellan swung his head to look at Rome and so did Jasper. Above me, Milo chuckled. “See? He’s gonna fit right in.”
Chapter 15
Emersyn
The flush of heat spreading through my system collided with a chill rippling over my scalp and down my spine at the nascent threat in Jasper’s tone. Vaughn lifted his head but he made no move to put me down, and I had one arm around his neck as I clung to him with a lot more need than even I’d realized I possessed.
“Kissing her hello,” he said in that panty-melting voice that made me glad I didn’t have any on. As it was, I wanted to lock my thighs against his hips, and I needed to control that very visceral, physical demand. “I’ve missed her the last few days.” Then he focused those topaz-colored eyes on me. “I have missed you, Dove, and I got you a couple of surprises.”
The driver’s side door slammed.
“Hawk,” Kestrel called. “Take a breath.”
It hadn’t even been an hour since Jasper and Liam had beaten the shit out of each other.
“Boo-Boo!” Freddie called. “Thank fuck. Good company is here again. Put her down, Vaughn. I need my hug. Especially if we’re dolling those out.”