Page 82 of Forged By Shadows
“Me too,” I wince. Exhaling sharply, Wyatt nods and leaves. I sit for a whole three minutes more before deciding the spiral of my thoughts isn’t something I can allow to continue.
I need a distraction, and I find it at the kitchen island, a fork in hand and an entire cake on the board in front of him. Fucking animal. Pushing the cake aside, I push myself up onto the countertop, shimmying over so my legs hang either side of Garrett’s arms.
“Distract me.” His smile is wicked, the strain of yesterday nowhere to be found in his hazel eyes.
“Anytime, Peach.”
Huxley’s thigh traps me in place as his body radiates an unnatural level of heat. The sunlight is shining beneath black-out curtains to announce the start of a new crisp and winter-filled day, despite the fact I’ve not had much sleep. My body is exhausted from the back-to-back ballet rehearsals I’ve been putting in, but with the showcase looming, my mind won’t rest. Behind my closed eyes, I either repeat the choreography or slip into a mini dream of falling off stage and breaking an ankle.
Using all of my strength to shift the dead weight of his thigh, I shift up to sit on the bed, looking down at his strong jaw line. A sly smile pulls at his lips. Evidently, this asshole has been awake for a while and has kept me trapped on purpose. Shoving at his chest, he gasps dramatically and holds a hand over his faded bullet scar. What a faker.
“I thought you said you weren’t going to hold your injury over me,” I tut. Huxley’s eyes open to reveal a brief glint of mischief in their brown depths.
“That was for sex. Snuggling is fair game.”
“Well aren’t you lucky you get both.” I comb my fingers through his hair before stroking the stubble lining his jaw. It takes his appearance from surfer boy to blond demi-god and I’m into it. His gaze flicks to my lips, a longing in his eyes I’m eager to fill. Leaning over his broad frame, I hold Huxley’s face in my hand and place my lips on his. He instantly responds with a quick kiss that leaves me chasing for more.
“Luckiest man in the world,” he grins. A groan sounds from behind me.
“Get a room,” Dax mutters into the covers. He is rather cranky in the mornings. My mouth opens to respond when Garrett strolls past the bed, his toothbrush in hand.
“This is their room,” he points between Huxley and I. Technically, it’s just Huxley’s but after the neon party, it quickly became apparent none of us wanted to sleep alone. Hence, the two single beds now pushed against Huxley’s four-poster. There’s enough mattress space for each of the four men and I’m left hunting for a gap to squeeze into. It’s heaven.
Axel exits the bathroom, freshly showered with a towel fastened around his hips. “What do you feel like doing today?” he asks no one in particular. I groan and fall back into the pillow.
“Anything but think about tomorrow night. I need a mental break from Miss Nightingale riding my ass.”
“Now there’s a mental image I needed,” Garrett laughs to himself, disappearing into the recently-vacated bathroom with his toothbrush. I can’t muster much of a smile. My legs have begun to tingle, nerves creeping from the tips of my toes to the heavy ball in my chest.
The showcase. The damn showcase that seemed months away and is now almost here. It’s not the dance per se; I know the steps, I’ve got the timing down. It’s the audience. It’s putting myself in the spotlight, faced with a room of strangers. The only people I’m not worried about watching me bare my soul on stage are those in this room. They’ll be my focus, as they have been in each rehearsal. Despite the reporters giving up and leaving weeks ago, I’ve had a personal entourage to every class, lunch and library study session. The real fun is left for behind closed doors.
Beneath the covers, fingers appear on my feet. Sliding upwards, they skate over my calves and thighs, skimming past the area I tilt for him to touch. A heavy mass crawls up the mattress next, and his shaven head settles onto my stomach. I smile then, absentmindedly stroking Axel’s scalp and neck. His weight is a calming presence, stilling the jitters inside. Huxley settles back into my side, Dax’s jaw finds the curve of my shoulder. My guys. We all connect on a level of broken that just makes sense for us to try to fix each other. But who said we need fixing? Maybe we can just be.
Although, nothing that is happening in this bed right now is acceptable to Garrett.
“Get out of bed, you lazy fuckers!” he yells, whipping the covers aside. Shoving Axel aside, Garrett has the subtlety of a rhinoceros in grabbing my ankles and roughly yanking me down the bed. Dax and Huxley are up within seconds, diving on Garrett.
“Dude,” Huxley gets him in a headlock. “Those legs are precious!”
“What use would a fractured ankle be right now?!” Dax grabs Garrett’s knees and squeezes them until he buckles. Axel joins and I sit up to watch a tickling match ensue on the floor.
“Bunch of children,” I roll my eyes and attempt to leave. I’m not sure who snatches my waist and tugs me down, but all hands fall to my ribs. I’m screaming, writhing in laughter and kicking out. They don’t relent until I’m begging for a pause.
“There’s no pauses in life sweetheart,” Axel grins over me. His groin is firmly pressed between my legs. Heat consumes me. He leans down to place a kiss on my lips, just as fleeting as Huxley’s. These men are going to be the death of me. My lids linger closed a moment too long and when I open them, four sets of eyes are fixed on my flushed cheeks.
“I will never tire of watching my brothers fawn over my girl,” Garrett smirks. My brow raises.
“That’s very presumptuous of you,” I laugh, shifting aside. My hand slips into Garrett’s jacket pocket while he’s frowning at my face.
“What is?”
“Assuming I’m your girl.” Pushing upright, I walk back towards the bathroom. “I mean, I’m not even your phone background.” Removing my hand from behind my back, I shake Garrett’s phone at him. In fact, his background is a bunny in a spacesuit costume. Cute, weird and completely in character. Stupidly, Garrett doesn’t have a passcode lock. “Hmmm, I wonder how many porn subscriptions you have.”
“Give it back!” he screams, scrambling to his feet. I shriek, diving into the bathroom and locking the door closed behind me. I’m quick to lock the opposite door too, securing myself inside. My grin couldn’t be wider. Let Garrett sweat for a while. I chuckle, tossing his phone onto the counter.
After taking a heated shower and brushing my teeth, I pull on a pair of turquoise leggings and off-the-shoulder sweater. One more day, I think to myself. One more day and I can slob out for the entire Christmas break, eating far too much and watching festive movies. That’s as far as my forward planning has gone, considering I don’t know what else to do or where I would go.
Typically, I would be freaking out, feeling like I don’t have a home. A base to revert back to. But I don’t. There’s an odd sense of freedom festering inside. It doesn't matter where I end up; the Shadowed Souls will be there for me. Even Wyatt, who hasn’t so much as scowled at me in weeks. He’s not talking to me either, but on occasion, we can be in the same room without the tension forcing one of us out.
