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“None of us are letting you go. You’re stuck with this bunch of messed up, broken guys now,” Kailan told me.
“You’re not messed up or broken. You’re just a little fractured like me, but hopefully together we can start to smooth all the cracks we each have, one at a time,” I told them. “Maybe together we can find a way to be whole enough.”
“I think we already are,” Aleks replied, and I realized he was right. Ever since we came together we were all a little bit better than we had been. My nightmares were fewer, Nick had stopped drinking, Harris smiled more, and Kailan and Aleks had both cut down on their handling techniques of hitting the gym and the computer. We had a long way to go and so much healing to do, but knowing I had them at my side made it all seem far less intimidating, and I hoped I did the same for each of them.
***
I woke up late the next morning, which had shocked the hell out of me. It was incredibly rare that I slept late, but I had obviously needed the rest that night.
The guys were already up and gone when I sat up and looked around for them. They were all early risers, even Aleks who hated getting up in the morning. I knew they were all probably already working.
Feeling lazy and knowing my family were likely worrying about me after what had happened in the middle of the night, I hurried through a shower and pulled on some of my old clothes from the closet. They were all way too big for me now, but I managed to find a pair of jeans I could keep up and pulled a baggy sweatshirt over them. I dragged a brush through my freshly washed hair, but that was all I could be bothered to do.
When I got into the kitchen Nick was sat at the counter with Zack on his knee, the both of them building with wooden blocks I recognized as once being mine.
“Hey,” I greeted. “Sorry I overslept.”
Nick looked up and smiled warmly at me. His stubble was short again and he was in fresh clothes. He looked much better than he had the night before.
“We wanted you to sleep in, baby. You’ve had a rough few days. You needed the rest,” he told me as he got to his feet with Zack in his arms and came right to me. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he wrapped one arm around me and pulled me in close for a brief kiss.
“Better,” I replied as I wrapped my arm around him and leaned in to kiss Zack on his chubby cheek. “What trouble have you been up to, little guy?”
Zack squealed, then grabbed my hair to try and pull himself closer to me. I quickly took him from Nick to spare myself the hair pulling and Zack instantly wrapped his arms around my neck and hugged me. It was so sweet and made my morning before it even started.
“Sit down. I’ll get you some coffee,” Nick offered as he affectionately ruffled his sons hair. “Think you can handle some breakfast?”
“Maybe. I am a little hungry,” I agreed. I sat at the counter and placed Zack on my knee so he could continue playing with the blocks.
“I’ll make some eggs,” Nick said, knowing they were what I tended to handle best in the morning.
“Where is everyone?” I asked as I looked around the strangely quiet house.
“Kyle went with your mom and dad to get groceries. Aleks went to the security offices with Kade to check out their software and see if he could get any leads from the attack here the other day. I’m not sure where Livy and Cole went. Kailan is in the gym, obviously, with his new gym buddy – Matt – and Harris went to take a shower and get changed. Kade took him to a store this morning to get us all some clothes and essentials. He picked some up for you too. We weren’t sure if your old clothes would fit,” he explained.
“They don’t,” I sighed as I pulled at my way too lose jeans. “I guess I’ve lost more weight than I realized.”
“We can get you what you need. We’ll look online later, but for now the stuff Harris bought you is on the table,” he nodded behind me to the dining table where there were two huge bags from a department store I knew well.
“Whatever is in those bags will be plenty,” I assured him.
“We’ll see.”
“I don’t know how many clothes you guys think I need,” I laughed. “When I was on my own I had like three sets of clothes and I survived just fine.”
“We don’t want you to survive now though, babe. We want to make sure you always have everything you could possibly need and want.”
“Well, maybe we should wait until we’re not on the run to restock my closet this time,” I suggested dryly.
“Maybe you’re right on that point,” he agreed with a smile. “It won’t be for long, Evie. It’ll all be over soon,” he added.
“I hope so.” Zack handed me a block and I added it to the tower he was having a ton of fun building, then knocking down, again and again. “Is Zack safe here, Nick?” I asked, worried. “I mean, Livy and the guys sent their kids to stay elsewhere to keep them safe. Is Zack safe?”
“Yes. He’s safer here with us than he would be anywhere else, just like you are. We’ll protect you both, no matter what. I will never let anything happen to Zack or to you,” he promised. He plated the eggs he had made for me as I watched him affectionately, then he handed the plate over. “Now, eat and stop worrying. We’ve got this. You just have to trust us.”
“I do,” I told him easily. I pulled my plate closer, then burst out laughing when Zack stuck his hand in and grabbed a huge handful of eggs, shoving them into his mouth as fast as he could.
“Hey, you little thief!” I cried through my laughter.
