Chapter 9
Scarlett
The tension in the living room was thick enough to cut with a knife as I paced near the window, my fingers twisting together while the others discussed Jenny’s situation as if I wasn’t even there. Their voices faded into background noise as I stared out into the darkness, seeing only Jenny’s terrified eyes in that photo. My heart ached with every beat, knowing she was out there somewhere, scared and alone.
“We need to be strategic about this,” Reeves said, his voice grating on my already frayed nerves.
I turned to see his hand resting just a touch too long on April’s shoulder as she sat rigidly in her chair, her discomfort obvious in the tight line of her shoulders. Something protective and angry flared in my chest at his presumption.
He continued, “Rushing into—”
“Strategic?” I walked toward them, the word bitter on my tongue. “While we sit here being strategic, Jenny is out there somewhere, scared and alone!” My voice cracked on her name, the weight of my failure to protect her crushing my chest.
“Scarlett,” Graham’s voice was gentle but firm, the way he always spoke when trying to calm me. “We all want to find her. But we need to be careful—”
“I’m going to the hospital tomorrow.” The words fell like stones in the quiet room. “Jenny’s brothers are still there, and her parents.” My voice broke as I thought of their pain, their fear. “They deserve to know someone is doing something.”
Reeves objected, still standing too close to April for it to be casual. His not-so-veiled advances set my teeth on edge. April’s sharp intake of breath stopped him, and I caught Rory’s gaze glaring at their proximity from across the room—something flickered in his eyes before he turned away, leaving April looking lost and small in her chair. My heart ached for my friend, seeing her caught between so many complicated emotions.
“Cheri,” Drake began, but I cut him off with a sharp gesture.
“Don’t. Just… don’t.” My voice trembled with suppressed tears. “I can’t sit here anymore listening to everyone talk about procedures and protocols while Jenny—” I broke off, wrapping my arms around myself and spinning away from them as tears choked my words. The weight of Jenny’s absence pressed against my chest like a physical thing.
Graham stood, his presence steady and grounding as always. “You need rest. We all do.” I heard the silent communication passing between him and the others, felt their concern like a tangible thing. “Come on. Let me get you upstairs.”
Drake caught my arm gently as I passed, his touch achingly tender. “We’ll handle things down here, Bella.” The nickname, usually so comforting, now felt like another reminder of all I stood to lose.
“Got some security feeds to check anyway,” Brody added, already pulling up something on Drake’s laptop. “Won’t take long, but I need to do it while everyone’s still here. Drake, are we recording all of these from the gym? What about the home feed?”
Before turning to leave, I noticed Brody’s jaw tightening almost imperceptibly as he positioned himself between April and Reeves while pretending to study the screen. Christian and Stewart were engaged in an animated but whispered conversation, both glancing at April who looked so alone at that moment it ripped at my heart.
The climb upstairs felt endless, Graham’s hand at the small of my back the only thing keeping me moving forward. In my suite, the silence embraced us like a blanket, but it couldn’t quiet the screaming in my head.
“You need to relax,” Graham said softly, steering me toward the master bath. “Let me run you a bath.”
The sound of running water filled the space as steam began to rise. Graham added my favorite lavender oil, the familiar scent drawing me in and soothing my raw nerves. He turned to leave, but I caught his hand.
“Stay?” The word was barely a whisper, but it carried all my need for comfort, for connection.
His eyes softened as he looked at me. “Always.”
The water enveloped me like silk, the lavender scent rising with the steam to wrap around my senses. Graham’s presence behind me was solid and real, his crisp dress shirt rolled up to his elbows as his hands worked the tension from my shoulders. I leaned back against the edge of the tub, letting myself be touched, be cared for. His fingers traced the familiar path of my scars, not with pity but with reverence, each touch a reminder that I was loved, all of me.
“I can’t lose her too,” I whispered into the quiet, my voice catching. “After Maddy…”
“Look at me,” Graham’s voice was soft but firm. When I didn’t move, his hand gently cupped my chin, turning my face toward his. “You are not alone in this. Not anymore.”
Something in his eyes, in the tenderness of his touch, broke through my carefully constructed walls. I turned in the water, droplets cascading down my skin as I rose to my knees, the cool air hardening my nipples. Graham’s breath caught as I reached for his shirt buttons.
“Scarlett…” My name was half warning, half prayer on his lips.
“Please,” I whispered, needing to feel, to forget, to lose myself in him. “I need…”
His shirt joined my clothes on the floor, and then he was in the water with me, pulling me into his lap. Steam swirled around us as my fingers traced the planes of his chest, his hands spanning my waist with familiar possessiveness. The first brush of our lips was gentle, seeking, but quickly deepened into something more urgent as I pressed closer, taking him inside me with a gasp that echoed off the tile walls.
Water lapped at the edges of the tub as we moved together, my soft panting filling the quiet room. Graham’s hands traced reverent patterns on my skin, each touch erasing a little more of the fear and guilt that had been suffocating me. His lips found that sensitive spot beneath my ear that made me arch against him, a quiet moan escaping my lips as his kisses trailed down my neck to capture my breast.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured against my skin, one hand tangling in my hair pulling my head back as the other pulled me closer, pressing himself deeper. “Always got you.”
I lost myself in his touch, in the familiar rhythm we created together. Steam curled around us like a veil as pleasure built between us, our bodies remembering this dance. When release finally came, it was like waves breaking against shore - powerful yet gentle, washing away everything but this moment, this connection. I lay against his chest, aftershocks still rippling through me, while he held me like I was his everything.
Later, wrapped in fluffy towels and each other, we lay tangled together on my bed. Graham’s fingers traced idle patterns on my shoulder as I drifted, not quite asleep but no longer fully awake.
“Stay?” I murmured again.
His kiss brushed my temple. “Always.”
Moments later, I heard the familiar sound of Brody’s voice as he and Drake entered the suite. I rolled to greet them, my towel falling away and exposing my skin to the cool air. Drake’s sharp intake of breath sent a shiver through me as he ran his hand up my leg. Brody knelt beside the bed, kissing my forehead with such tenderness it made my chest ache.
“Bella,” he said softly, the nickname carrying all his love and concern.
I’d been so tense all day, and this moment of softness gripped me like a warm blanket. My hand reached for his stubbled face and he leaned in, kissing me softly, our lips barely touching.
“Come to bed,” I whispered, my own breathiness and need surprising even me.
There was something magical about their touch. Hands caressing my body all at once, lips trailing kisses along one shoulder while others found more intimate places. Warm breath against sensitive skin sent shudders through my body before contact was even made.
I lay with eyes closed, holding onto a lock of Graham’s hair, let loose from its ever-restrained ponytail and intertwined in my fingers. My other hand traced the flexing muscles of Brody’s chest while my men caressed and touched me. Drake’s mouth worked magic between my thighs until I could stand it no longer, crying out in ecstasy.
Once the waves of pleasure passed and my men settled in around me, my eyes fluttered open to see Brody’s handsome face close to mine. He kissed my nose and smiled. I rolled over onto him, still wanting, still needing. Graham rose from the bed saying we’d be needing something to drink and wrapped my fluffy pink robe around himself.
He leaned in beside the bed, grasping my chin and kissing me deeply, his tongue seeking mine as I moved with Brody. The sensation of his kiss sent shockwaves through my body while Brody’s grip on my hips deepened and he thrust upward. Drake joined us, his mouth finding my breast as his hand slid between my legs. The combination of sensations overwhelmed me.
With a rush, I peaked at the same time as Brody, my entire body going stiff with pleasure, but before I could even catch my breath Drake rolled me to my back and positioned himself above me. My breath shuddered with anticipation as he entered me in one smooth motion, pausing to look into my eyes before moving upright and setting a slow, rhythmic pace. Brody moved to caress my body as Drake’s movements quickened.
I lay completely satiated when Graham returned with wine, some crackers and cheeses, still sporting my pink bathrobe like it was couture. The sight made me giggle as I sat up, gently brushing a hand across Drake’s chest and kissing Brody’s cheek.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve all of you,” I said softly, the words carrying my heart.
Each of them kissed me, reassuring me of what I meant to them as we settled in for our makeshift blanket picnic.
“Can I ask you guys…” I hesitated, thinking of April’s obvious discomfort earlier. “Did anyone else notice the creepy proximity of Reeves to April? You think he is trying to find a way into their relationship?”
“I did,” Brody said with a growl. “I didn’t like the way he was so… so… I don’t know. Blatant?”
“I saw it but only Rory seemed to be troubled by it,” Graham said, taking a sip of his wine. “How would that even work? I’m sorry, but you two are part of our small family. We established this. I don’t know how I’d feel about another person.” He held his glass up, nodding.
“How about you, Scarlett?” Drake asked. “What would you think? Is this something where the players are interchangeable per se?”
“What?” I struggled to even consider it, feeling suddenly protective of what we’d built together. “It isn’t like a game.” A flare of anger surprised me, though I wasn’t sure exactly why.
“I think I’d be jealous,” Brody admitted. “I don’t exactly know how or when it happened, but it has always been understood between us that it is just us.”
“Oh, I agree,” Graham said, his head bobbing.
“Well, what about if it was say…” Drake paused, looking at Brody. “What if it was Sensei, for example? We all know he cares for her. How would we feel about that?”
I tipped my head to the side, eyeing Drake to see if there was some reason for the suggestion.
“What?” he said, shrugging. “I think we are exploring what this relationship is and discussing how we feel.”
None of them said anything more on the topic, and I made a mental note to talk to April in the morning about this. We finished our snack and settled into the warmth and security of the oversized bed. As they drifted off to sleep around me, their breathing evening out and their hands resting protectively against my skin, my mind kept circling back to Jenny. Her scared eyes in that photo haunted me, making sleep feel like a betrayal of her trust.
I’m coming, Jenny, I promised silently into the darkness. Just hold on a little longer.