21. Chapter 21 - Layrin
Chapter 21
I t was official. My mind was blown apart.
My mind, my body, and my soul. Every little bit of me had been broken down by these men, and I was having a hard time being mad about it.
Breathing heavily, lying against the crisp, chilly concrete, I was still stunned about what I just did. I’d be the first to admit that I didn’t have a ton of experience with sex, having pretty much stuck with the basics until bad shit started to happen to those that were with me. What I’d done with Rion, Ravi, and Roux wasn’t only way out of my comfort zone, but messy, filthy, and public.
They’d opened up a new world to me, and I was finding I enjoyed it. I liked the controlled devotion from Rion, I got excited by Ravi’s take charge sweetness, and I secretly craved the demanding, rough play with Roux. It was all different and exciting.
Most of my life, I’d been either the black cloud that was feared and detested or the stuck-up, straight-laced orphan that cared more about surviving life than living it. It was one of the things that I’d loved and found frustrating about Vivian. She was the life of the party, enjoying everything, but she also got burned a lot. Heartbreak, betrayal, and abandonment were her constant companions. While we connected on the last one, I was determined not to feel the first two.
Now, I realized what I was missing, and I had the Ambros triplets to thank for that. Sometimes I focused too much on people’s faults, on being skeptical and keeping my distance, but that was hurting my growth as a human being.
In fact, I knew I couldn't do this with others because I hadn’t trusted anyone, not since they left my world. It was like I knew no one else would have my back like them, be there for me like they would. It was the whole reason I allowed them to touch me like this, to let them take control of my mind and body, because I trusted that they would keep me safe.
Soft kisses went up my naked spine, and I shivered. His hand cupped my face and turned me toward him, his bright green-blue eyes shining in the dark. “No matter where you go, where you hide, we will always find you. You're ours now, and we won't let you slip through our fingers again. Do you hear me?”
Roux was usually the pissed off or grumpy one, so seeing him be sincere yet firm cracked open my heart with a crowbar. His words sounded crazy. I mean, any normal woman would tell me he was psycho and to run away as fast as I could, but something about the Ambros brothers called to me, made those dark thoughts silent, made me believe.
Choosing to be more adventurous, I wiggled my ass against him, and he retaliated by biting my shoulder. I cried out, but he kissed me deep and hard, swallowing those cries like he owned them and refused to let any of them go without his approval.
He finally pulled out, and I let out a little whine at him leaving. I enjoyed his cock filling me. In fact, I enjoyed Ravi’s too. It made me think about what fully being with Rion would be like. How would it feel to have both of them? All of them?
Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. I needed to do some research.
“What is going on in that mind of yours?” His gruff voice jarred me out of my fantasy, and I smiled at him, pulling my shirt and bra down and back in place.
“Nothing crazy.” Looking around, I caught the glint of a bicycle handle and laughed. “I’m more surprised that we didn't get caught.”
He chuckled, then the zip of his pants echoed. I bent over to pull up my leggings, groaning when I stopped and looked at the mess between my legs. “I really need to start carrying wipes with me.”
Roux stepped closer, rubbing his hand over my leggings, causing them to get even more wet, and I started to have a hard time thinking about anything but the feel of his palm along my clit, rubbing in just the right way. I bit my lip to keep my noises from spilling out when he moved even closer, his voice vibrating along my skin. “I like knowing that my cum is dripping from you, marking you as mine.”
“Wait, we can’t, not again! We're going to get caught.” He crowded me, brow lifted, and laughed. I knew it was a weak excuse, and my breathless voice had no real seriousness to it. It didn't help that my gaze flicked down to his pants. I was so down, and he knew it.
The click of the stairwell door sounded, and we both looked up. A whole group of students was climbing the stairway. His arms went around me to shield me from anyone's view, and I rolled my lips into my mouth. See? Even the angry one could be subtly sweet.
When they passed, he grabbed my bag off the floor and handed it to me, going back to his normal grumpy attitude. “We need to tell Rion and Ravi what happened. Let's go.”
“Wait!” I reached out, grabbing his arm, and he stopped short. He was looking down at my hand like it offended him, but I knew differently now. I wouldn’t let his expressions hurt me. “I have to go to school today.”
He rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, and exhaled like I was trying his patience. “Someone tried to hurt you. You need to take this seriously.”
His words caught in my brain, and I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes on him. “What do you mean? It could’ve just been an accident. Accidents do happen.”
He turned away, going up the steps. “Don’t be ridiculous. Let's go.”
My tongue ran against my teeth, and a healthy dose of stubbornness settled in. I might have deep feelings for him and his brothers, might trust them, but I also knew I wasn’t on equal ground with them. The only way I could get there was to have a college education. To make something of myself. They might not take school seriously, but I had to. It was the only way.
“No.” This time, I climbed the stairs, stomping my feet past him when he paused. I got to the door, turning to see his face pinched in confusion. “I’m going to my classes today. If you need me, you can text me.” I left it like that then stormed out, leaving him in the stairwell, my head held high.
“Soooo… What's going on?” Cin asked. When I didn't show up to Art History, she texted and called me in a panic. I told her that I got a headache and was heading back to the dorm.
Right when I opened the door to my room, my phone exploded with several beeps, showing text after text after text from each of the guys. At first, it was sweet since Rion and Ravi were expressing their concern, but as soon as Roux chimed in, they ganged up on me, telling me what I needed to do and who I was allowed to hang out with. After that, I’d had enough. I sent them one text that said I needed twenty-four hours to think on my own. If they couldn't give me that, then I would need to reevaluate our involvement. Ravi sent a gif of someone zipping their lips, and I knew I would have a small reprieve. He would make sure of it.
I had put out one fire, but when Cin came back to the dorm late that afternoon, I needed to put out another. She carried a briefcase full of tubes and swabs, demanding to test whether I had been drugged.
When I asked her how she got it, she just shrugged and said it was a family thing. I indulged her for a bit, letting her swab my mouth and fingers, but after the fifth negative response, my stomach rumbled, which was why we were currently at some diner down the street from school, where I was eating my weight in salty potato goodness.
“Nothing. Nothing is going on,” I said with a mouth full of food. Although her eyes were wide and her mouth pinched, she nodded, sipping on her drink expectedly. I palmed the table. “It's just those damn bo— I mean, Ambros is just getting on my nerves.” I cringed inwardly, hoping she didn't catch my little slip.
Her eyes lit up. “Ooohhhh, do we get to bash him now? I have so much stuff loaded in the bash Ambros gun.”
Rolling my eyes at her, I shook my head. “No. That's not what I meant.” She sat back in a huff, crossing her arms. With a pout, she mumbled about never having any fun. “It's just about what happened with Elio.”
She turned toward me, finally listening instead of grumbling. “What do you mean?”
I threw the fries in my hand back onto the plate, feeling my stomach screaming at me to stop. “It's just he’s overreacting, telling me how I need to be more careful. Being all obsessive and overbearing about my safety.” Pointing my finger at her, I balked. “You know, not everything is a conspiracy.”
She looked away, tongue in her cheek. “Eeehhhhh.”
Having enough of this shit, I threw my hands up. “Now, you agree with him?! What the hell, Cin?!”
Snapping back at me, she exclaimed, “Yeah, I know! I hate it too. You don't know how it truly hurts the depths of my soul to agree with that douch—” I glared at her, and she quickly changed her wording. “Guy, but I do. I agree with my mortal enemy, and the even crazier part is it's over my friend!”
Her words made me smile, and I settled down in my seat, picking at my food. “So you agree with him?”
She shrugged. “Like, yeah, I do, but I also understand your point of view. I wouldn't like anyone, let alone Ambros, telling me what to do.” She reached over, snagging my hand in hers in earnest. “But I am worried about you. Elio said that shelf was no joke and that it happened out of nowhere.”
I really didn't like her face being so serious, so I threw a fry at her. She jerked back, eyes wide and mouth open. “Don’t worry so much, okay? I have a sixth sense about these things.”
She picked up the fry and threw it back at me, but I dodged it, wiggling my eyebrows. Both of us laughed until our sides hurt.
“In all seriousness, just keep a lookout. I mean, Elio and I got your back.” She huffed out a breath before she groaned. “And I hate saying this, but it seems like Ambros has your back too, but just be careful.” She bit her lip as she looked down, and I felt this urge to console her.
“Okay. If another weird thing happens, I’ll tell you all and make some changes, okay?”
Cin nodded, her smile getting wider by the second like she’d won something, and maybe she had. She was a pushy little thing.
After we finished our food, we went back to our dorm. When the elevator doors opened, loud music thrummed against the walls, the whole hallway packed with people. They were hanging out and dancing, cups in their hands. Cin growled in frustration as she shoved people out of the way.
When I came here, I knew I wasn’t planning on going to a lot of parties. Me being a twenty-one-year-old freshman was already bad enough. I needed to focus on school and catch up if I could, with this first semester as my tester to see how it worked as a full-time student, then bump up my schedule to take on more. Cin, on the other hand, was a true freshman, and on top of that, she was naturally likable and fun. I thought she would be all over something like this, but seeing her shove and growl at people opened my eyes.
The only time she had ever been social was over at the Alpha Sigma Xi house. Everyone already knew her even though it was a fraternity she wasn't a part of. If my memory served correctly, it seemed like Luca, Elio and Cin were in charge that night. She had even mentioned taking care of a fight. Why would a bunch of male upperclassmen let a freshman girl boss them around, no matter who she was related to?
Once we got to our door at the end of the hallway, where the bodies were sparse and the music not as loud, I asked, “Did you want to see what this is all about?”
She spat out, “I don't hang out with fillers .” For some reason, it was like those words flipped a switch inside her. Her eyes widened, looking around from side to side before she glanced back at me with a wince. She whirled back around, opened the door as fast as she could, and bolted inside.
I palmed the door before it closed. “What do you mean by that?”
She had already grabbed her night clothes and was heading to the bathroom. “It was just a slip of the tongue. I didn't mean it.” Her smile wavered, and I still didn't understand. I reached out, trying to stop her, but she dipped, crouched, and twirled away from me like she had been practicing evasive maneuvers her whole life.
Both of us stopped, and my hand slowly dropped as we stared at where she’d stood just seconds ago. What the hell? How was she so fast? Her movements were so smooth and controlled, and for a second, she’d reminded me of the triplets.
She quickly excused herself, leaving me standing in the middle of the room with more questions than answers as she closed the bathroom door.
What did she mean by fillers? Did this have something to do with her being part of a legacy family?
I knew she was a genius hacker, the youngest of the Ricci family. Luca had seemed to distrust me up until the library incident, and then there was Elio. While eccentric, he also showed me that he could be serious even though he never took our class seriously. He was always messing with me, missing classes, but when the professor posted a class update on grades, Elio was somehow in the top ten percent, which made no sense.
Something always seemed off about them, but I chalked it up to them being raised as rich kids. Then again, the whole campus was full of rich kids and the super smart, so why wouldn't she want to make other friends, or at the very least connections in the same world… unless they weren’t part of the same world?
The boys warned me about them, the Riccis, like they were a boogie man while the triplets were my white knights. What they had been doing to my body flashed before my eyes, and I bit my lip. Definitely not white knight status… more like an even bigger, darker monster, but one that wanted me.
My phone dinged.
Ravi: Okay. I feel like we have been thoroughly punished. It has been 4ever! I can’t stand this.
The corners of my lips tipped up as I chuckled. As much as they drove me crazy, I had to admit it was nice to have someone who cared about me so much.
Rin: It's only been a few hours.
Ravi: Lies! I don't believe it!
Rion: That's because you just switched time zones on your phone
I giggled, trying to keep my giddiness from spilling out.
Rin: Ravi! That doesn't count!
Ravi: Snitches get stitches, Rion!
Rion: I could ruin your life with just two clicks… or setting your closet on fire. I’m not afraid.
Text bubbles appeared, but in the meantime, the silent one entered the chat.
Roux: So are you done pouting?
Glaring at the phone, I took a long inhale through my nose, about to rain down hellfire, when I remembered what I’d promised Cin. That put cold water on my rage.
Rion: Was your outing with Cinzia helpful?
I clutched my phone in my hand when his next text came in. I should’ve known better.
Rion: You may not have wanted to talk, but I wasn’t about to let you go out in the world unprotected.
As fast as my fingers could type, I replied.
Rin: And what could you possibly have done behind a monitor?
Rion: Roux and Ravi were my boots on the ground.
Roux: You could’ve prevented this if you just followed what I said.
Being so close to throwing my phone across the room just to make myself feel better, another chime came in.
Ravi: STOP
Ravi: Please, stop making this worse!
Ravi: I have typed several messages already, but you guys keep ruining it!
Ravi: Rin, do you have any plans for the rest of the night or tomorrow?
I took a deep breath, reminding myself that they weren’t all lunatics. Well, I thought Ravi was too, but at least he was trying to hear my side.
Rin: I can meet Ravi for coffee tomorrow.
Rin: You others can watch on a stupid screen.
I knew that last part was just to be an ass, but it made me feel better.
Ravi: I think that's wise.
Rion: I will be watching.
Roux: Fine.
Ravi: Does 8am in front of the Bean Machine work?
I nodded before I realized that they weren’t in front of me.
Rin: Yes. That works.
Throwing my phone on my bed, I reminded myself that I felt deeply for these guys. This was all just coming from a place of concern and fear. My phone beeped, and I snatched it up.
Ravi: Nite, my love.
Rion: Good night, Rin.
Roux: Go to sleep.
Clenching my teeth, I laughed. I swore he did that shit just to piss me off, and it fucking worked. I calmed down, letting everything go as I thought about all the time I had spent with them. I had to admit, they were amazing. Glancing down at the screen, I sighed.
Rin: Good night, guys. I missed you.
Ravi: That was evil, Rin. Now, I’m going to sit here debating going to your dorm and kidnapping you.
Rion: Second
Roux’s text bubble was up for a good thirty seconds before his message came in, and it made me smile so wide it hurt.
Roux: Third
I told them they couldn’t because of Cin, but I would see them tomorrow. They seemed mildly okay with that.
When Cin came out, asking me why I was smiling, I told her I had to convince Ambros not to show up because he was worried. She laughed, saying he was ridiculous because I was with her, which meant I was safe. It wasn’t until a minute later, when she thought I had looked away, that her fists clenched and her face scrunched up in a silent snarl. Even from the corner of my eyes, I could see the venomous anger in hers. This had to be more than a simple family rivalry, but what was it?
When I finally looked back up, I laughed and nodded, pretending I hadn’t noticed anything was off, but I kept that a little tidbit in my brain to examine later. She climbed into bed, apologizing again for being rude, and when I waved her off, she gave me a small knowing smile, laid down, and said good night.
With the lights off and the subtle pounding of the party going on down the hallway, my mind couldn’t shut off. Who the fuck are the people that I’ve surrounded myself with?
When I woke up, Cin was already gone. She left a message saying she had an appointment with a professor, but did she really? I hated that I was questioning everything and everyone. My bones got weak from just thinking about living my life like this again.
Glancing at my phone, I saw that it was a little over thirty minutes from when I was to meet up with Ravi. Flutters flourished in my stomach at the thought of seeing him, and I realized I didn't know how to act now.
Before, when we were just friends, there were boundaries not to be crossed, but now I had no idea. Were we friends with benefits? Star-crossed lovers? College buddies? Boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend, and girlfriend? Was there even a word for that kind of relationship?
I didn't want to be the first one to bring it up. Not only was that embarrassing, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?
Shoving all of that to the side, I got ready. A pair of skinny jeans with an off-the-shoulder crop top with a distressed set of kissing lips across the front. Putting my hair up in a messy bun and slipping on the new black Vans Ravi had purchased behind my back, I was ready for the day.
Since I didn't have class, I picked up the new olive green crossbody and put my wallet, keys, and phone in it.
It was a beautiful day to be out, sunny with clouds and a light breeze that filled my lungs with natural fall smells. Making my way to the coffee shop, I went in and looked around. When I didn't see Ravi, I got in line to order.
The line went quickly since the cashier seemed to know what he was doing, moving people along in a professional and efficient manner. When I stepped up, he blinked a few times before his smile got wider. “Welcome to the Bean Machine. Have you been here before?”
I shook my head, and he licked his lips as his eyes went up and down. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to take very good care of you. Do you know what you want?”
“Sugar. Lots of sugar with my coffee.” He laughed at my answer, but I just shrugged. It was the truest answer I could give.
“Okay. I got it. How about the white chocolate mocha? It's got all the sugar and the caffeine kick you need to wake up.”
Eyes going soft, I almost purred, “That sounds perfect.”
He pressed a few keys and I paid for it, moving down the pick-up line while checking my message from Ravi. He hadn’t responded to my question of whether he wanted anything.
“Layrin? White chocolate mocha?”
I pushed my way forward to where the cashier was standing, holding my drink with a smile on his face. Weird.
“That's me.” I grabbed it, about to turn away, but the cup wouldn't move. I looked down and saw his hand still on it.
“I was wondering if I could get your number. You’re gorge—” The next thing out of his mouth was a cry full of pain.
“What the fuck are you thinking of doing, coffee boy?” Ravi’s voice was low, darkness spilling from his mouth and his eyes pouring out pure venom. His hand was circled around the barista’s wrist, squeezing it in a death grip.
He leaned forward, getting in his scrunched up, agony-filled face. “Filth like you will never touch the sun. Don’t covet what isn’t yours.” His faint acidic tone was low enough to only be heard by the three of us, its malice causing chills to run down my spine. Ravi’s thumb pressed down, and a crack sounded before he let the barista go. The barista clutched at his hand, tears in his eyes.
Like a switch was flicked, Ravi turned to me with a smile and handed me the cup. “I think this is yours, my love.” His arm gently went around my shoulders as he turned me away, and we walked out. “I think it's best if I take you and the sugar bomb outside with me.”
All eyes were on him, filled with fear. It was a weird feeling to see everyone so afraid of my sweet and funny Ravi. My eyes flicked to his face. Gone were the shadows and menacing presence. Only a smile and a pep to his step remained. He opened the door, winking at me before he led me out.
I guessed everyone had something they hid, but for some strange reason, I wasn't scared of him. Wasn't truly scared of any of them now that they were starting to show me this commanding, fearsome side. It was more of a curiosity. While I did trust them not to hurt me, I wanted to be let inside, to join the exclusive club that the triplets and Cin seemed to be a part of, where there were no mysteries or secrets left to reveal.
“Take me to the house.” The words spilled out before I thought about them, but I wanted to talk to all of them, be with all of them.
Ravi paused, turning to me with a parted mouth and wide eyes, but he quickly covered his surprise with a smile that could rival the sun's power. “You got it. Let me go get the car.” He pulled out his keys and bowed to me. “Your chariot will be here momentarily, my lady.”
Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help the intoxicating thrill that shot through me. They all did this to me in one way or another by making me feel cherished, special… loved .
Staring into my cup, I basked in the feelings I had never truly felt before. I was so preoccupied, I didn't pay attention to my surroundings. I didn't hear the screeching of tires or the gasps of the people behind me. I didn't notice, until the last second when I looked up, expecting Ravi, that a revved-up black sedan was barreling its way straight for me.