Chapter 9 #2
Just where he belongs.
He kisses Robyn and then me.
Then I notice Eden, who is standing silently in the shadows of the doorway.
My brow furrows.
Why isn’t he coming in?
“I need my best PA,” I say, casually. “It’s almost time for breakfast and then work. We can’t be late.”
That gets Eden moving.
He marches to sit on the edge of the bed, clutching the Guide to his chest.
He still doesn’t talk.
I stare at him in shock, however, because he has never looked as similar to his twin.
His normally slicked back hair is falling disheveled over his tired face. His eyes are red-rimmed. He is wearing matching t-shirt and joggers.
He looks fucking haunted.
The only difference is that Eden is staring so hard at the velvet bedding to avoid meeting any of our eyes that he could burn a hole in it.
“Are you okay?” Robyn asks.
Shay hesitates, glancing at his brother, before he replies, “Our parents have names. We didn’t even know what they were before.
They were just the Man and the Woman. I haven’t worked out how I feel about that.
I kind of wish I didn’t know they were real people: Nicole and Craig.
Do they sound like the type of people who could…
? But they make it sound like they didn’t hurt us. ”
“They’re twisting shit.”
“I know.” Shay sounds painfully vulnerable. “I mean, of course I know but…what if they didn’t realize they were selling us to bad people? What if they do regret it? Love us?”
Eden slams his palm so hard down onto the bed that it shakes.
The rest of us jump.
I lift my brow at Eden.
I have never seen him look so murderous. He is shaking.
“Dee and I had a disagreement.” Shay swallows. “He doesn’t want anything to do with the Webbs. I respect that but…”
“Why don’t you let him speak for himself?” Robyn says.
Shay’s eyes widen. “I’m sorry, love. I wasn’t… It’s just he can’t… He kind of shuts down at times of high stress. It hasn’t happened for a long time.”
Eden can’t speak.
Eden turns away, crossing his arms. The tips of his ears are red with embarrassment.
“That’s fine,” I reply, calmly. “Neither of you need to discuss this if you don’t want to. Eden, you can email any of us or write what you want to say in the Guide.”
I’m guessing that’s how Eden has been communicating with Shay.
Eden’s hold on the Guide tightens.
He gives a short nod but turns back to face the rest of us. He scoots closer to Robyn on the bed.
I attempt to redirect attention by grabbing Shay gently by the scruff of the neck. “Were you a good boy and smothered yourself in arnica cream like I ordered?” I lean in and sniff dramatically. Then I sneeze at the menthol scent. “Maybe too much, cucciolo.”
Eden’s lips twitch.
“That’s because my brother is as mean as you when it comes to tending to injuries. He’d make a scary nurse.”
“Nurse Ratched.” Robyn catches Eden’s eye.
His lips twitch again.
Finally, he uncrosses his arms.
Shay fidgets with his hands. “I just don’t know why our…why they…would come forward now? What if they really want to get to know us?”
Eden’s lips peel back into a snarl, before his gaze meets Robyn’s, begging desperately for backup.
I let go of Shay’s neck. Robyn grasps Shay’s hand, pulling him closer.
“Money.” Robyn’s expression becomes hard.
“Investigative journalism is one of the most important things we have for our freedom. It’s our voice.
It’s essential for democracy, holding every asshole accountable — no matter who they are.
This article is pretending to be that but instead, is merely celebrity gossip with a dark twist. Nobody needs to know about your past. It’s simply your abuse repackaged as click-bait.
The problem is that you’ve been skyrocketed into the spotlight this season.
The press were bound to dig into your past.”
“Is that what happened?” Shay demands. “My parents finally want contact with us because of how well I’m doing?”
Hell, it fucking kills me how my sunny pet can be so optimistic despite everything that he can even turn this around.
Sometimes, however, his positive outlook could put him in danger.
It may be the death of him.
Possibly, by his brother’s hand if looks could kill.
Robyn and I exchange a glance.
How brutally honest will she be?
Not as honest as she needs to be, especially as this could be Wilder using his press contacts to fuck with us again.
I’ll save her from being the bad guy. I’m better at playing that role with Shay.
Careful of Shay’s shoulder and hip, I manhandle him onto my knee, straddling me.
He lets out an oomph of surprise, before he relaxes. He rests his hands against my chest. He searches out my expression.
I wrap my arm around his waist, pulling him more firmly against me.
“What you think, say, or do about this is your choice. But I am having Garcia investigate both the journalist and the Webbs to check if they are truly related to you. My guess? Your success is how the Webbs heard about you, or maybe someone like Wilder deliberately searched for them. But either way, do you believe that they’re truly sorry?
Also, if they are, is that enough? I’ve seen this happen before with celebrities.
Suddenly parents who have abandoned them come out of the shadows wanting back in their life.
Maybe they just want the fee from the tabloid. Maybe they want money from you.”
Shay’s face scrunches up like he’s going to cry, but he holds it together.
Possibly, he’s all cried out.
Yet I can tell that he’s fucking devastated.
He lays his bruised cheek against mine; the menthol scent is stronger. “I just hoped…”
Suddenly, I hear Robyn’s gasp.
I look away from Shay and realize that Eden is now standing.
He is holding up a match.
I nudge Shay. “Do you mind telling your brother that this is not a burn the world down moment? I’m hungry and want to eat the scones that he baked yesterday.”
Eden scowls.
Shay scrambles around on my knee in shock. “Dee, I know that our parents are top of the Burn List. But we’re at least eating breakfast first.”
Eden rolls his eyes, before shaking the Guide.
A printed version of the article, along with the photograph of the Webbs, falls out into his hand.
When realization dawns, I smile. “That’s a great idea. Grab the metal trash can. We’ll have a ritual burning ceremony. Cucciolo, are you okay with that?”
Shay looks more hesitant but he nods. “Dee needs this.”
“And what do you need?”
Shay hesitates longer, resting one hand on my chest. He plays with the buttons on my shirt. I force myself not to bat him away, as he comes close to twisting off the button.
Finally, Shay answers, “I need to feel safe enough to share our birthday with you. I need to trust that you’ll truly always be our family.”
I freeze. “Why wouldn’t you?”
Eden grabs the trash can from the edge of the room, before dropping it with a clang at the foot of the bed.
Robyn struggles out of the blankets, crawling to join Eden. She smiles at him encouragingly.
She seems to be turning into a Firestarter herself.
I’m not sure if Eden is a good or bad influence on her.
“Because we never even knew when our birthday was,” Shay replies, “until the Prince family adopted us. We didn’t understand what birthdays meant. So, they’re special but also challenging for us. And…” He glances at me underneath his eyelashes, “…our birthday is next week.”
“What?” Robyn squeals, outraged. “Why didn’t you tell us? We are making this the best birthday of your life and that takes planning.”
“Says the woman with birthdayphobia, who tried to hide her own birthday,” Shay points out.
“We are going to make it the best birthday of your life.” I capture Shay’s soft lips, surprising him.
“If you need to feel safe — fucking owned — to share that with us, then I’ll make sure that it happens.
You’re stuck with us. This is your home.
If you can’t fully trust it yet, I’ll keep proving it to you.
But thank you for telling us about your birthday.
I will protect your faith in me like I do your heart. ”
Shay kisses me then, happy and spontaneous.
My lips curl into a smile.
I love to see Shay’s spirits lifted.
I glance over his shoulder and am equally pleased that Eden’s eyes lighten, when he strikes the match and the flame sparks to life.
Robyn kneels next to Eden, as if in a holy rite, supporting him.
Eden doesn’t look away from Shay, as he sets the flame to a corner of that shocking article.
The flames curl around the photograph of his parents.
Yet Eden keeps his gaze fixed on his twin.
I almost shout out, as Eden keeps holding onto the paper, while the white-hot flames flare higher and higher, closer to his fingers.
At the last moment, he drops the blackened embers into the bin.
His shoulders relax. His forehead smooths.
Robyn holds out her hand to Eden, and he takes it. Robyn pulls him down onto the bed.
“Better?” She pushes Eden’s hair back from his face.
He answers by bending his head for her to more easily slick his hair into place.
Then he snatches up the Guide and shoves it across the bed toward me.
“Do you want me to show him what you wrote last night, bro?” Shay checks.
Eden nods.
Shay reaches for the book, flipping it open and passing it to me.
The page is smudged with tears, but I can still make out in Eden’s handwriting:
I won’t be controlled, powerless, or owned again. It would kill me a second time, and I don’t know if I would be re-born.
My throat becomes tight.
I glance between these three incredible people in my life.
How do I meet the needs of one twin who is terrified of being owned, the other who needs the security of being owned, while between them is the woman who must be shown that she is seen and adored after a loveless marriage.
I won’t let the discovery of the Webbs shake the Princes’ belief in our present relationship or the safety of this house.
We’re not kids anymore, powerless and afraid.
We’re in control. We’re adults. And we’ve chosen each other.
“You proved with Heine and Blythe that you’re not powerless,” I reply, firmly.
Eden sits straighter. His cheeks glow with pride.
“No one will ever own you. You showed that you could escape from fucking anything through your own smarts and strength. You’re the one who has been helping me clean and redecorate the playroom to help me regain my own sense of control there.
We haven’t had a scene together to truly claim that space.
Eden, you can help me run a scene there like I’ve been training you.
My sweet pets, however, I think both of you need a reminder that you’re mine.
And that my subs are safe, protected, and fucking owned. ”
Robyn and Shay’s looks of shock are comical enough that I almost laugh.
I struggle to hold onto my cold expression, however, tightening my hold on Shay, which I know he loves by his desperate gasp and the hardening of his cock against my stomach.
Eden instantly becomes more commanding, when I remind him of his dom role, which is exactly what he needs. He snatches Robyn around the waist and hoists her into the air.
He drops her onto his shoulder, and she yelps. Her t-shirt falls over her head exposing her gorgeous curves and bare ass.
So fucking tempting and spankable.
Eden is a good student because he immediately lands a firm spank on the canvas of her ass, leaving a beautiful pink handprint.
It’s like he can read my mind.
Shay does complain about Dom hive mind.
With a fondness that I can’t hide, I tug sharply on Shay’s hair.
“Darlin’,” Shay moans, already rocking against me.
“Hmm?” I swat his hip. “Objections?”
“Only that we’re still wearing clothes.”
Brat.
“You won’t be for long.” I card my fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp just hard enough to make him groan with pleasure. “But first, we’re eating breakfast. You’re showering. Then Robyn and you will meet your brother and me downstairs in the playroom in an hour…naked. Trust me?”
Shay’s eyes soften. “More than I thought I could trust anyone.”