Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
SIMON
Groaning, my fingers flitted over soft skin, and I sighed at the brief touch.
Rubbing my knuckle against my eye, I blinked away the remaining sleep as my other hand brushed over Liam’s face.
Still tucked into dreams, I smiled softly at the stubble on his jaw and the pure innocence coating his expression.
He was sleeping for once, and he didn’t seem to be in pain.
I continued my exploration of his contours as a whiff of something delicious hit my nose—cinnamon—and I knew Oren was making his famous cinnamon rolls.
Mouth already watering, the quiet murmuring from the kitchen caught my attention as Oren giggled. Rolling my eyes, a soft grin changed my expression as I knew Thorne was in there with him. He was the only person capable of making Oren act like a beaming child.
If Thorne was down here, though, where was—
Flicking my attention to the opposite couch, Matt had taken Oren’s place, curling up next to Lev, legs entangled with his. Matt’s mouth was parted slightly, sandy blonde hair all kinds of fucked up.
Lev wasn’t any tidier, his auburn curls sticking at odd angles, but there was no mistaking that the corners of his mouth were turned upward. His eyes were also closed, basking in the comfort of this house. Most of us hadn’t had a decent night in a long ass time.
Yeah, Matt, you’re done for with this man.
Oren’s voice broke through my thoughts, and there was definitely a hint of mischief in his tone. “Baby, I’m making breakfast.”
“I don’t care,” Thorne grumbled, his words slightly muffled. “I want attention.”
“Yeah?” A slight pause before a clatter rang in the kitchen, followed by Oren’s laughter. “I did not… did not mean to get flour on your face.”
A lengthened exhale followed before Oren gasped. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get batter all over yours.”
“That… that one was on purpose. It’s all sticky,” he whined, but that playful nature didn’t dampen.
A shriek followed, and Thorne laughed. “Mmm. Tastes good though. Kind of like another sticky substance I’m fond of.”
Oh, I’m going to barf.
“Mhm, one I like to coat your pretty little—”
Yawning loudly, I coughed for emphasis, and the statement thankfully wasn’t finished. Brushing hair from Liam’s forehead, I craned my head to look behind the couch to see Oren. His face was clean, but his cheeks were coated in a light dusting of red.
“Simon,” he whispered, gesturing to the sleeping figures. “I didn’t know you were awake.”
A different grumble, followed by a rasped voice, spoke. “Yeah… I’m unfortunately awake too. Substance talk was enough to do it.” Matt groaned, but he didn’t move from snuggling Lev.
Thorne chuckled. “I would apologize, but blatantly, I’m not sorry. You’re in our home, so you get to hear all of our sexy talk.”
“I’m not complaining. You could sexy talk me all day,” Matt mused, slightly muffled from pressing his face against Lev’s head.
“Oh, God, rabbits. You all are literally rabbits,” I said, even though technically Liam and I could be considered the same. We did like to fuck…
My thoughts delved into an area I didn’t want to think about.
Would… Would he ever feel safe enough to do that again with me?
I wouldn’t care if he never could for the rest of his life, because I loved him no matter what, but would that guilt eat at him?
Would he feel pressured to do it because he thought I would leave if he didn’t give me that?
Groaning beside me, Liam stirred, nuzzling his face against me as he slowly started coming to. “Mmm…”
“Good morning.” Shifting my fingers lower, I trailed them along his arm. “You sleep alright?”
He nodded, his voice raspy from lack of use. “Yeah. How long was I out?”
Thorne and Matt were talking quietly, their muffled conversation not my priority as I focused on Liam. “A little over fifteen hours. We spent the night.”
“Fifteen hours?” he breathed. “God, I didn’t realize I was that tired…”
“You haven’t slept in a long time. You needed it.”
“Yes. You needed the sleep, and now that you’re rested, you can come eat cinnamon rolls.” Oren plopped his elbows onto the couch, leaning over it to stare at both of us. Grinning, he poked my side first, then Liam’s. “I made them especially for you. Oh, and omelets.”
Liam laughed, nodding his head. “Okay, okay. Coming.”
As if his utterance served as Levander’s sign, another muffled groan sounded as he stirred beside Matt. “Did someone say cinnamon rolls?”
Matt chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You would have a sweet tooth.”
He grumbled something inaudible before rolling into Matt’s arms and tucking his face into his chest. Before either of them could prepare, Oren climbed over the couch and flopped on top of them, a grunt escaping Matt.
“Cinnamon rolls. I said get up for cinnamon rolls,” Oren said, poking them with his fingers. “Sleepover breakfast!”
“Orennn…” Huffing, the smile was prevalent in Lev’s voice. “Get off.”
“Fuck, Oren… Thorne, come get your crazed fiancé!” Matt shoved at him playfully, but Oren burrowed further.
Footsteps sounded, and Thorne rounded the corner, slipping a single arm underneath Oren and lifting him with ease. “Come on, you menace.”
Arms and legs dangling in the air, he huffed, but he didn’t try to escape from his grasp. “Unfair.”
Shaking my head, I placed my hand on Liam’s shoulder. “Need any help getting to the kitchen?”
“I can get up,” he groaned, attempting to shift.
“Careful!” I exclaimed, watching him intently. I wanted him to do this on his own, but I also didn’t want him to overexert himself. “Slow, okay?”
While the rest of the group headed into the kitchen, I waited with Liam, not leaving unless he was coming with me.
Grunting, he pushed himself upright. He sighed heavily, dropping his head against my shoulder. “Okay, I’m good. I just need my crutches.”
Shifting from the couch, I grabbed the pair leaning against the nearby wall and extended them to Liam. He took them, tucking them beneath his armpits before scooting to the end of the cushion. Pushing himself up in one move, he stabilized himself before glancing over his shoulder at me.
“Coming?”
“Yes, sunshine.”
Grinning, I followed him into the chaos that waited for us. Lev and Matt were sitting at the table, devouring cinnamon rolls and their omelets, while Oren stood in the kitchen like a mother, watching their every reaction. I shook my head as I pulled out a chair for Liam.
Once seated, I headed over to the broody blonde and poked his cheek. “Will you stop freaking out about your food? It’s delicious.” Making a plate for Liam, I continued. “If I didn’t know any better, I think your passion for cooking is—”
“What if it is?” Oren flicked his gaze to me, his interjection stealing my full attention. “What if… if I wanted to do that instead of art?”
“Then pursue it. Does Thorne know?”
“Yes and no. I’ve mentioned it to him, but I haven’t decided anything.”
“What haven’t you decided?” Thorne asked, stepping up behind Oren, his mouth stuffed with the cinnamon roll he held in hand.
“Not… Not going to art school anymore and switching to cooking—”
“Oh, fuck, yes,” Matt answered, smacking his lips with each bite. Words muffled by his bites, he dipped his head in an exaggerated nod.
A soft smile graced Thorne’s features. “You want to switch to culinary school?”
“Yeah… I mean, I love art, and it’ll always be special to me, but…
but I like watching you all enjoy what I make.
I like new recipes and being in the kitchen.
I like… like seeing you all sit at the table, because when I cook, you all come over.
Food brings people together, and with the next steps of our mission, I think I’ve realized where my heart really lies with what I want to do for my career. ”
“Tell me how much it is and apply, dove.”
“Y-You… you sure? But you already spent so much on art school. I’ve been saving up from odd projects here and there for it.”
“I don’t care about the cost,” Thorne hummed. “If you’re happy, that’s all I care about.”
Lips curling upward, Oren lifted onto his tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you, my sunflower.”
The nickname caught Thorne off guard, and he stopped in his tracks. Blinking, his brows pulled together. “What did you just say?”
“Sunflower.” Oren pressed the tips of his fingers together. “They attract doves as it’s their favorite food. You call me dove, and you’re the person I’ll attract—”
Thorne wrapped his hand around the back of Oren’s head, threading his fingers through his hair before their lips crashed together.
Pulling him closer, their connection lasted for a handful of seconds before Thorne reluctantly pulled away.
A single tear rolled down his cheek as he rested his forehead against Oren’s.
“I fucking love it.”
Oren brushed the saltiness from his face. “And I love you, because you’ve always climbed toward the sun, even during periods of darkness. You’re my home, my comfort, and the place I feel safest. Thorne, you’re everything I’ve ever needed.”
“As you are everything I’ve ever needed. You are the wings that carried me from my own personal hell. You’re the vibrancy that painted my dull life in splashes of color I’d never seen before. You’re my eternity, my purpose, and my always. Forever.”
“Forever,” Oren repeated, and a sniffle tore my attention from the pair as Liam wiped away his tears of happiness.
Crossing the distance, I set the plate in front of him and kissed him once. “You’re adorable, and I love you so much.”
Liam opened his mouth, but a throat clearing had all of us pausing as Matt drummed his fingers on the table.
“I… hate to interrupt everyone’s moments, but while we’re here, I think we should discuss more about your past, Oren.
I know we’ve all spent time relaxing, but the outside problems aren’t going to disappear, and this feels like the first time that we have the upper hand. ”
Silence fell, but I was shocked when Oren was the first to speak. “You’re right, Matt. There’s a lot of information I can provide, and I’ll tell you anything if it helps.” Twisting to Thorne, he nodded. “Especially if it keeps you safe.”
Lev leaned back, folding his arms over his chest. “We need anything we can get with the connections we’ve made.”
“I guess we can just start at the beginning.” Exhaling, Oren stepped back until he was touching Thorne, his spine resting against Thorne’s chest.
Hands trembling, he bit his lip once, and I knew it couldn’t be easy for him.
None of us knew his past except for Thorne, and if it’d been hard for Liam, it would be for him, too.
Grabbing Liam’s hand, I ran my thumb over his knuckles, unsure if anything Oren brought up would remind him of the darkness we’d rescued him from.
Oren messed with his fingers, avoiding eye contact as he spoke.
“I was six the first time Dad brought me to Stefan’s with Mom.
At the time, I didn’t know what it was, and I thought I got to play while Mom did work…
things. There were always so many kids, but I was instantly drawn to this little girl.
She was three, and I felt like a big protector to her.
Her name was Yeseniya, and I had no idea she was my half-sister, that my father had been unfaithful to my mother for many years prior.
“We often played in the catacombs of the compound, but the colored rooms were always off-limits. I didn’t know why until…
until one day I didn’t get to play with her and instead…
Instead, I was played with by… by my father and Stefan.
Mom was forced to watch to teach her where her place was, because she defied Dad.
And after that I barely saw Yeseniya, because I was too busy being tossed around until the age of thirteen when… when mom got sick.”
“Oren…” I breathed, tears welling at his confession, but he simply shook his head.
“I-I can do this…” Inhaling on a shuddered breath, he reached for Thorne’s hand, who grabbed it without hesitation.
“Things shifted as Dad spent more time at the compound, leaving Mom and me alone, but I snooped. I learned through his files that Yeseniya was my sister, and he’d cheated on Mom with Sasika Evania, the mastermind behind all the human trafficking hubs, but that’s not all.
She controls banks, cartels, weaponry, you fucking name it, she’s got her hand in it.
“When I found out, I begged Dad to take me back and said it was because I missed Stefan. I sacrificed… sacrificed myself to him to tell Yeseniya she was my sister and to try to get her out. It didn’t work, obviously, as my dad found out, and that was the last time I talked to her in person.
We’ve always communicated via letters or texts if able, but it’s been hard recently.
With Dad’s knowledge that I loved Yeseniya, he used her against me constantly.
It was his hand against my back that made me not tell anyone about what I’d gone through.
“It was him who held a knife to my throat; otherwise, my sister would have been killed. The only reason he didn’t shove me into that fucking military compound earlier was that I took care of Mom when he didn’t want to.
But as soon as she died, I knew I had to run.
So I did. I fucking ran and ran, but he found me, plopping me back under his control.
While I’m so… so grateful because it brought me Thorne and all of you, he used me during my time. ”
“Used you?” Matt asked, his timbre wavering slightly.
Oren glanced at the ceiling and blinked rapidly. “Our mission… wasn’t the only one. I helped him transport not only weapons, but kids to those compounds—”
Crutches clattered, and Liam pushed himself from where he sat. “I’m sorry… I-I… I can’t…”
I stood, chair knocking back against the wall. “Give us a bit, Oren.”
Wrapping my arm underneath Liam’s shoulders, I helped him hobble out from the kitchen to the patio door. This had been too much, and he needed the reprieve. Even if he tried to say it, he wasn’t broken in my eyes, and I would prove that to him—prove he was safe.