Chapter 11
When I wake the next morning, my body feels like it is overheating, and there is something heavy wrapped around my waist. I hear a noise in the background and look around for the source but realize I cannot move. When I look down, I see an arm around my waist. I guess that is the heavy thing on top of me. I follow it to find out who it belongs to and see Phoenix wrapped around me. I try to turn over, but realize someone is also on my other side, trapping me in the bed turned furnace. I am really starting to sweat with all the body heat surrounding me. Peering over my shoulder, I find Knox sleeping soundly. I am the center of the hottest man sandwich ever, which makes me smile until I realize how badly I have to pee and cool down. No matter how good-looking these men are, it doesn’t change the fact that they are about to cook me to death.
Lifting Phoenix’s dead weight of an arm, allows me a little room to move but not a lot. Who knew an arm could be so damn heavy. Now, I need to somehow shimmy down the bed as quietly as possible. Knox must feel me moving because he wraps his arm around me and hauls me tighter against him as I start to wiggle free. With a sigh, I lift his arm and move it out of the way. I finally manage to escape the meat sandwich and go in search of the bathroom. I hope it’s the door over on the side of the room. Cracking it open, I sigh in relief when I notice the sink and the toilet. Finally relieving myself, I wash my hands and return to the bedroom. What time is it? I have to work today.
I find my phone plugged in on the nightstand and see it’s six in the morning. Smiling, I realize that I still have some time. I start crawling over Phoenix, so I can get more cuddles in. I missed waking up next to them after I left. Once back in the center of the pile, I grin from ear to ear. This is the happiest I’ve been in a while.
Knox must have felt me get back into bed because he wraps his arm around my waist and brings me closer to his body. I feel how hard he is, and I am not just talking about his chest. His erection digs into my ass, and I shudder in delight. I am sore from last night, but I wouldn’t say no if he were to wake up and initiate something. I frown when I notice Aidan didn’t sleep in the bed with us, but I completely understand why.
I start to stir because I hear music playing. I know the song, but in my morning-induced fog, I can’t place the name. Rolling over, I smack Knox in the chest for him to turn off whatever is playing. He groans in his sleep, so I slap him again, and he finally listens and turns off his phone. It was his fucking alarm. He rolls back toward me and opens his eyes, smiling when he sees me staring at him. When he looks at me like I am his world, I can’t help but grab his face and kiss him. I don’t even care about morning breath right now. I love the feel of his soft, pillowy lips against mine. He pulls me on top of him, and we kiss for a few minutes until I rest my hands on his hard chest and pull away. We both groan in protest, but I know if we continue, our clothes will come off, and I won’t make it to work.
I hop off of Knox, my face flushed. When I woke up at six, I had stolen a t-shirt from one of the guys, so it went down to my knees. I assume it is Knox’s because it smells like him. After asking Knox if I can use his shower, so I don’t have to worry about that when I get home to change, I head to the bathroom. I start the water, then feel calloused hands resting on my hips, a rigid body up against my back, and something hard digging in my ass. I look down at the hand and immediately know it is Phoenix because there are no tattoos on his hands. Knox and I must have woken him up. I feel bad, but him holding me right now is definitely worth it.
“Good morning, handsome. How did you sleep?” I ask as I lean back against his chest.
“Well, I had my Princess cuddled up next to me all night, so I slept great,” Phoenix says, kissing my head.
“As much as I love you holding me, I need to shower and leave for work. I have bills to pay,” I say as I push away from him, then take my shirt off and step into the shower. I hear a groan as soon as I step inside and chuckle. Standing under the fantastic water pressure, I sigh as the water soothes my aching muscles from last night.
After about a minute, I hear the door open and feel a warm body step up behind me. I assume it is Phoenix since he was just here, but when I turn around, I’m shocked to find Knox. I smile and shamelessly ogle him, placing my hands on his abs and feeling the tight muscles beneath my fingers. My God, this man is fine as fuck. I want to lick him from head to toe and treat him like my personal ice cream cone. I reach for his nipple rings, getting more curious the longer my hands stay on him. He growls when I grab the piercing and tug slightly on it, making me smirk. The sounds he makes could turn any girl into a withering mess. I let go and turned back around to finish my shower. Knox grabs the shampoo, lathers my hair, and massages my scalp.
“If you keep doing shit like this, I am never going to leave,” I say with a moan.
“Music to my ears, baby girl, but first, we need to talk, so you know what you’re getting into,” Knox replies.
“Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good. I don’t like when you get all serious on me,” I reply, my body tensing.
“Nothing bad, baby, but it is about our lives, and we want you to be fully prepared. We want you to decide to be with us after having all the facts and still choosing to stay. I know we grew up together, but we just want you prepared since many things have changed since you left,” he says as he wraps his arms around my waist.
We exit the shower, and he wraps me up in the most heavenly warm and fluffy towel. The soft fibers feel fabulous against my skin; I need to get these for my apartment. Would it be awkward to ask where they got these? Also, who the fuck has towel warmers?
Thinking about the conversation the guys want to have with me has my anxiety picking up a little. The last time there was a serious conversation involved, I left town. I hope it’s not like that again. I may need to call out of work since my mind is working in overdrive, debating all the different possibilities of how this conversation could go. I don’t think my job would appreciate me being a hot mess while trying to take phone calls and deal with miserable old people. My mind is reeling right now with all the possibilities. Is one of them engaged to someone? Am I a homewrecker? Oh my God, I am, aren’t I? How could I mess this up? I completely forgot to ask them before we got tangled up. I lose all focus when I am around them! Fuck me.
Sighing heavily, I dry off, then get dressed in Knox’s clothes again because I have no idea where mine are and follow the smell of bacon downstairs and into the kitchen. Smiling, I skip to meet the men, almost forgetting about the talk we need to have. When I turn the corner, I see Knox and Phoenix sitting at the table in the dining room. Their heads are together, and it looks like they’re in a deep discussion, but they stop talking when they notice me. They look at me like they lost their puppy but quickly mask their features and put on fake smiles that don’t reach their eyes. Looks like this conversation is going to suck. Fuck me. I knew things were going a little too well. Based on their expressions, I will not be going into work today, so I excuse myself and step into another room to make the call.
Hanging up, I walk into the dining room, go to the chair I had sat in last night, and take a seat. Aidan comes in with a platter of waffles, bacon, and eggs. I salivate at the sight and can’t wait to dig into the food. I want to eat, but my stomach is in knots. His food is always so good, though, and I am a glutton for punishment, I guess. A million scenarios are already running through my head, all grossly worse than the last, and mostly sexual. Thank you smut books for giving me a very vivid imagination.
Piling my plate full of the feast in front of me, I thank Aidan for making breakfast and inform them that I took the day off of work, so we can have the conversation that will most likely change things. I knew having them back in my life was going to fuck me over, I just didn’t think it would happen right after they literally fucked me. But I guess I always find emotionally unavailable dick heads; it makes sense that I would let them back in just to hurt me again. My brain has ignored all the warning signs they’ve given off. Hell, I ran away for a reason. I guess I should have stayed gone, then I wouldn’t be imagining all of the terrible things they are about to tell me.
Once we finish breakfast, we all make our way over to the living room. I take a seat in the chair because I don’t want any of them to comfort me while telling me that they’re engaged to be married or something equally awful. I’m calling it self-preservation, but it’s probably more because their hands on me would distract me, and then I won’t listen to anything coming out of their mouths.
“Let”s just get straight to the point. Tell me whatever awful shit you’ve done. Rip off the Band-Aid,” I say, putting my hands on my lap.
“We have always been honest with you, and having you back in our lives has been amazing. But you know we work as a group. Together, we decided to disclose information that could make you walk away again. Now, we all want to be with you, Meadow. You do not need to worry about that. Our hearts have been yours since we were ten years old,” Phoenix says.
“Okay, I want to be with you three as well or else I wouldn”t be here, but you’re making me a little nervous right now, so can you just please spit it out,” I reply.
“So, remember you asked how we got hurt, and I told you it was a gunshot wound? Well, we got into a minor fight with a rival gang at the port. I assume you saw the news… Well that was us. The Wolverines have grown since you left, and I am set to take over, which means if you choose to stay with us, your life will be at risk. I don’t want you to walk away, but we feel you need to know what you are getting yourself into. It is not just dealing with my father anymore; we are dealing with Russians and other gangs who are looking to take us out. Now, I know you can take care of yourself. We taught you how, but you should still know everything. I don’t want to lie to you,” Knox says.
“Are you kidding me right now? You’re the ones who caused the issues at the port? And you bet your ass I can take care of myself. I knew you guys weren’t all rainbows and sunshine, but the Mafia, are you kidding me? I have known you guys to do some stupid shit, but I never expected this,” I reply. I honestly wasn’t expecting him to say any of this. I am fucking pissed; they’re putting my life in danger. What the actual fuck? The Mafia and taking over. I knew he was training to take over, but I didn’t think it would be so soon.
“We want to be completely honest with you. I know it is a shock, but we would never hurt you. Another thing is I am a dom. A dominant. I need a submissive. Aidan likes tying people up, and Phoenix is rough and likes anal play. You need to be aware of everything. We aren’t the meek little boys you left behind; we found ourselves when you left. We know who we are now, and that will never change. Now if you stay, we will protect you with our lives. We have been searching for the perfect girl to be our fourth, and we want you to be that fourth. If you accept, there will be rules, and we can discuss that later. I don’t want to scare you. We want you aware of everything,” Knox explains.
What the fuck? Can I be in a relationship with them now that I know everything? Also, what did he mean about his dad? I need time to think things through. I have been known to make rash decisions, but this won’t be one of them. “I want to be with all of you, but I need to think this over first. This is my life that we are talking about. The sex stuff we can discuss, but it’s everything else that worries me,” I tell them honestly.
“We completely understand, Princess. Is there anything we can do to help you make sense of things?” Phoenix asks me.
“Not right now, but I want to go home and think things through. I can’t concentrate when you are all so close. I always lose my train of thought with you three around. I promise to keep in touch, but I need some time,” I say. I get up, walk over to my purse, and grab my stuff to go out. I won’t be one of those girls who goes along with what a man says, or in my case, men. Not anymore. I have been there and will never do it again. I am glad I’m not working today, though. I need to binge-read and eat my feelings in chocolate. I nod my head goodbye and promise to keep in touch, then walk to my car and make my way back home. It feels like another lifetime since I have been to my apartment, but it’s been less than twenty-four hours. Amazing how much can change in twenty-four hours.
Back at my place, I walk inside and notice that Skylar has company over, so I walk to my room as quietly as possible. I have no desire to disturb whatever is happening on the couch; no, thank you. I have already seen too much before, and I don’t plan on being a witness to all that again. Ugh! I forgot my fucking chocolate. God damn it. Well, I am not going back out there now. Sighing, I head for my bed and grab my Kindle off the nightstand. I need to get lost in Macy and her men. I am almost done with the book, and it is so fucking good. Grabbing the covers, I crawl underneath them, forgetting that I am still wearing Knox’s clothing, and his comforting scent surrounds me. He smells like cedar and a little bit like leather; this smell may be my new addiction. Getting lost in my fantasy world again will allow me a moment of peace from the real one.
I roll over, trying to find my phone. I pat the bed and find it lying beside me. I must have fallen asleep. I look at the time and notice it is two in the afternoon; I guess I was tired. Scrolling through my notifications, I try to wake myself up and see a few messages from Phoenix and some from Knox. I wasn’t purposely trying to ignore them, but they seem to have taken it that way. Sighing, I reply that I fell asleep and will text them later. I need time, and constantly texting me isn’t giving me the space I need. I like them, but can I be a part of their world? Am I still cut out for it? Aidan has barely spoken to me, so I have no idea how he feels. I get that I hurt them by leaving, but they’re the ones who caused it. Rolling over, I sit on the edge of my bed, rub my eyes to get rid of the gunk, and stretch my arms and back.
Peeking my head out the door, I listen for any noises coming from the living room. Not hearing anything, I head to the kitchen to make a sandwich; I hope we have some deli meat. I’m starving. Looking in the fridge, I see the little package. Doing a happy dance, I grab the necessities for a sandwich. Once done, I head over to the couch Skylar is sitting on, but there is no man in sight. I nod at her and plop my ass on the cushion beside her, forgetting what I witnessed when I walked in. She gives me a weird look but doesn’t say anything. I keep quiet and watch whatever she has on, which looks like some reality show. It’s not my cup of tea, but at this point, I don’t care.
“I hate to break the awkward silence, but why are you home and not at work?” Skylar asks.
“Well, I had a great time with the guys last night, but this morning, they decided to drop a bomb on me. I didn’t want to work with everything running through my head, so I called out. Now, I am just trying to figure out if what they told me is worth it all,” I say and lay my head on her shoulder. The one good thing about Sky is she is always there for me when I need her.
“Can I ask what the huge bomb was?”
“I don’t know how much I can say, but let’s just say that their line of work is dangerous, and I don’t know if I want to get caught up in all that again. It would endanger you, and I don’t want that,” I say.
“Don’t worry about me. Let me ask you this, do they make you happy?”
“Happier than I have been in a long time, babe; it’s easy, it always has been, but that is the problem. I don’t want to get caught up in them again and risk them breaking my heart a second time. I can’t, I barely survived it the first time,” I say as tears roll down my face. My eyes are getting puffy, and I start to hiccup. I don’t cry often, but today deserves a meltdown.
“It’s okay, babe, let it all out. You haven’t been this happy in all the years I have known you. This relationship with them, I think you will regret it if you don’t give them another shot. Everyone is older now; maybe they have changed, and you have. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. I just want you to be happy, and besides, how much danger can they get me into?” Sky says.
Her words make me cry even harder. Could I walk away before giving them a shot? Wiping my eyes with my shirt, I take a deep breath to try and calm myself. I am a big girl; I have read Mafia romance and can handle this. Hell, if I can handle three dicks at the same time, then I can be their Mafia girlfriend. I won’t be the girl who just stays home, though, fuck that. If I do this, then I am all in.
“I have to go. I will be at the café tonight. I love you, and I will text you,” I say to Sky as I stand up and head to my room to get dressed. I know what I need to do, and it doesn’t involve crying on Sky’s shoulder any longer. If they want me in their lives, then so be it, but they are in for a shock when they realize the timid girl who left isn’t the same one who returned. I am a different person now, and I will rule the Wolverines beside them. I will not back down. They are my family, and I will die for them.