14. Mina
Chapter fourteen
“ W hat if she says they aren’t ready to come out?” I ask Gideon and Ben nervously.
“Mina, I’m sure they are, and if not, then you’ll just have to spend a little more time in bed while we all wait on you. Is that the worst thing in the world?” Ben asks as he squeezes my hand.
“Maybe you’ll be healed enough to start doing some course work for your GED,” Gideon suggests as he moves to my other side, shoving his hands in his pocket.
I’ve been living with the guys for two weeks now, and today, I’ve returned to the hospital to get my stitches removed. All seven of the guys wanted to come with me, but I convinced them that only two of them could come into the room. Atlas and Dom are waiting in the entrance like a couple of security guards, and the other three are outside in the SUV. I knew there wouldn’t be room for all of them in here and I wanted this done quickly.
I had asked to book this appointment with a female doctor, and when she enters the room and gives me a warm smile, I start to relax a little.
“Hi, Mina Stevens?” she asks, looking at my chart. Luckily, Ben was able to get an ID for me, so I’m able to use my real name again .
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m Doctor Young. I’m going to take a look at your stitches and see if we can remove those for you today. Does that sound good?”
I nod, and she directs me to the table. Ben helps me up and moves to my side, and Gideon stands beside him. She gives them an amused glance.
“Are they your bodyguards?”
“Something like that,” I mumble, making her smile as I remove my shirt. I’m wearing one of the modest sports bras that the guys bought me, making sure they didn’t touch any of the wounds on my torso, making me feel covered and comfortable. But having Gideon and Ben see so much of my exposed scars makes me internally cringe. I’ve seen what I look like, and the scarring isn’t pleasant.
“Hmm, yes, these are looking very good. I can take out all the stitches today.”
I smile and glance at the guys. Ben's smile is big as he squeezes my hand, while Gideon just gives me a tight-lipped smile. He’s been doing that a lot lately and I don’t know what to make of it.
Shortly after I moved in, he stopped holding my hand, and stopped kissing me on the cheek or head. He still spends time with me in the evening, as do all of them, but I can’t help but feel like he’s taken a step back from me. I felt closer to him when he was my guidance counselor and not my… friend? Housemate? I wasn’t even sure what to call these guys half the time.
Dom and Atlas have been taking turns sneaking into my room every night after everyone has gone to bed. Atlas hasn’t kissed me again, but he always holds me through the night. Dom was the same way, he was soft and tender with me, kissing my head or neck, but never taking it any further. I tried to ask him a couple times about his comment that first night, but he keeps gently brushing off my questions and telling me to go to sleep. I feel a deep need to do whatever he asks of me, so when he tells me to go to sleep, I do.
The twins are still very flirty with me, but there was no more truth or dare. They did help to bathe me every few days, but they seemed to be able to do so without kissing me again, something I was frustrated by. I could see the want in their eyes, and I wasn’t sure what had changed. I felt like I was biding my time with them all, waiting for one of them to crack. Or, more likely, hoping one of them would.
The problem, as usual, is that I still want all seven of them, even Gideon, despite the distance he is putting between us. I know I’m just being greedy, wanting him to be as close to me as the others, but I can’t help myself. Why does he have to be so attractive, anyway?
As Dr. Young starts to remove my stitches, I study both men. Gideon is wearing a light blue dress shirt, with a navy vest and tie, and navy dress pants. Ben is wearing a white and blue checkered dress shirt that shows a hint of his chest hair out of the top, and he’s rolled up the sleeves to show off his forearms. He might not be huge like Atlas, but his arms still do it for me. He’s wearing dark blue jeans to give him a more business casual look.
As appealing as their bodies are, it’s their faces that I enjoy looking at the most. Gideon, as always, has his wavy brown hair styled perfectly, while Ben’s straight hair is sticking out in random places. It gives the impression that he just got out of bed but somehow also looked styled that way. Ben has beautiful brown eyes, accentuated by his glasses, while Gideon’s are more of a hazel.
The process of taking out the stitches doesn’t hurt too much, it’s just uncomfortable pulling and pinching on my skin. When she’s finally done, I look nervously at Ben and Gideon .
“Umm, would you guys mind giving me a couple of minutes alone with the doctor?”
They look a bit surprised but nod and say they’ll wait in the hall.
Once the door shuts, Doctor Young turns to me. “What can I help you with, Mina?”
“I know it might not be necessary, but I was hoping to talk to you about birth control.”
“Did your previous doctor talk to you about the damage to your uterus?” she asks carefully.
I nod. “Yes, he said it had been nicked, and they weren’t sure if I’d be able to have children.”
“That’s right. Everything looks okay, but you won’t know until you try. It sounds like you aren’t ready for that just yet?”
“No, definitely not.”
“I can understand that. You’ve been through a lot. Speaking of which, are you seeing a psychiatrist?” she asks as she starts pulling things from her drawers.
“No, I… I don’t think I can talk about it with a stranger yet.”
“That’s okay. I’m going to give you a card from someone I recommend. When you’re ready, they’ll be there.” She hands me a business card, and I put in my pocket. “Now, as for contraceptives, do you know your options?”
“Yes, I did some research, I was hoping I could get the implant, the one that goes in my arm,” I say pointing at it. “I can do that right now for you. When did you start your last period?”
“About four days ago.”
“Okay this is good timing then, it will work straight away for you. ”
I felt nervous about getting birth control, and didn’t want the guys to know. They might think that I see our relationship as something bigger than it is. The truth was, I had no idea what we were to each other. Most of them were very touchy feely with me, and a few had crossed over that line of friendship. But they hadn’t so much as had a conversation with me about it, to tell why they didn’t want anything more. I had a feeling it’s because there are seven of them and one of me.
Regardless, getting this implant feels like the first thing I’m doing that’s in my control. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have kids, and frankly, I’m not even sure if I want them. I’ve never considered being a parent before. And right now, that’s the last thing on my mind.
I want to experience life and see what's out there. Hopefully with the company of seven very specific men.
When we get home, I change into a new set of matching underwear and bra that I found in my dresser last week. Then I head into my bathroom to get a good look at where the stitches had been. My wounds are completely sealed shut now, no risk of reopening, according to the doctor, which is a good thing. I also have full use of my arms again, although I am supposed to take it easy and not carry anything heavy for a while.
I’m so excited to finally be off of bed rest and be able to move around the house. I’m so bored of being stuck up here all day for the past two weeks. Don’t get me wrong, the guys have taken amazing care of me the whole time, but they’re starting to drive me nuts. There are certain questions they keep evading, like what Dom does for a living, how exactly they all ended up together, or why they chose this town to live in when none of them grew up here. They keep telling me they’ll explain when I’m feeling better.
I care deeply for all seven of them. It’s something I’ve started to realize over these past two weeks as they visit and chat with me. I’ve learned about their interests and gotten to know each of them on a deeper level. The more I find out about them, the more I like them. I thought I’d start to develop deeper feelings for one of them over the others, but it hasn’t happened like that. No, my big, stupid heart wants all of them. Even Gideon, who hasn’t been spending any alone time with me.
“Kitten, what are you doing down here?” Dom asks as I step into the kitchen. He has to stop calling me that, it does things to me. My core pulses every time he says it.
“I’m healed. I can walk down the stairs on my own now,” I tell him, trying to sound strong, but I can hear the fear in my own voice. I’m afraid he will make me stay in my room. Or worse, now I’m healed, would he make me leave?
He turns towards me. “Show me your hand.”
I give him my hand first, and he inspects it like he does every day. My finger is slightly limited in its movement, but considering it was completely severed, it’s functioning really well. The scar is pretty big though, and I don’t think it will ever disappear completely.
“Alright, and your stomach.”
I lift up my shirt a bit to show him my abdomen. I’m wearing a loose pink T-shirt and a short purple skirt that’s soft on my fingers. He trails his finger over the mark, making me shiver, then uses one finger to slowly push down the top edge of my skirt to get a better look, making my breath hitch.
When his finger moves so low that the top of my pink lacy panties shows, I swallow my breath and glance up at him. They bought me all these pretty things, and I’m suddenly very happy I changed. They make me feel more confident and it feels good to feel pretty for once. This particular pair of panties is a thong, so it kinda feels like I’m naked under the skirt. By the look in Dom’s eyes, he might know that. Maybe he even chose this pair.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, his finger unmoving.
“Fine. Good,” I whisper, afraid of him moving closer but also afraid of him moving away.
“You know, Kitten, we see how patient you’ve been with us since you got home. I know you don’t fully understand what’s going on here and you’ve been a good girl to wait for us. We needed you to heal. Your safety is the most important thing. You understand?”
“Not really.” His words make my core tighten. Praise from him is like a ray of sunshine on my face for the first time in weeks.
He smiles. “Come.” He holds his hand out and I take it as he leads me over to the couch. He has me sit beside him, and we turn to face each other. He holds my hand in his and runs his thumb over it, back and forth.
“I want to ask you something, okay?” I nod.
“You were unexpected. Never before have I felt the instant connection I had with you when you walked into our house. Every moment I’ve spent with you since, those feelings have grown. You’re smart, sweet, kind, and beautiful, and I can’t help myself from falling in love with you. ”
I inhale sharply at his confession, mirroring my own thoughts. He loves me?
“I feel like ‘love’ is too small a word for the bond we share, but I want—no, I need—to make you mine, ours. Will you let me call you my girlfriend?”
I gasp. I did not expect that. I just came to the conclusion that they didn’t want anything, and now this. What about the others? I can’t forget them, and I can’t choose Dom over them.
“What do you mean by ‘ours’?” I ask carefully.
He smiles at my question.
“Well, Kitten, let’s just say that if you wanted to pursue something with my brothers too, I would be okay with that. As long as it’s only them, and no others. That goes for us too, we wouldn’t date any other women, just you.”
Could he really be asking for my exact dream right now?
“But I’m not asking for my brothers, I’m asking for me. Mina, Kitten. Please say you’ll be mine.”
I stare at him with my jaw hanging open like an idiot. I’m not sure this can be actually happening right now, I must be dreaming, right? But as I stare into his pale blue eyes and see the hope there, only one word comes to mind.
“Yes.”
Suddenly, I’m pushed backward on the couch with Dom looming over me, crashing his mouth to mine. His tongue forces its way in, showing his confidence, and it’s sexy as hell. He dominates my mouth and makes me groan. I wrap my arms and legs around him to pull him closer .
He tastes like cinnamon, and it’s intoxicating. I battle his tongue with my own as our lips seek each other. My hips start moving on their own, slowly grinding into him. A huge bulge presses against my thigh, and I can’t stop my body from moving to rub that part of him against my core. Thanks to my skirt hiking up on its own, the only thing between us is his jeans and my panties.
He growls into my mouth when my core finally makes solid contact with him. His hand grips my hip, helping to move my body against him. I whimper as a strong pressure rises inside me.
“Fuck, baby. You taste so good.” Dom pulls back from my mouth and starts kissing down my neck. I throw my head back as the hand on my hip slides down my leg, then back up under my skirt. His thumb plays with the side of my panties, and I start grinding against him faster.
“Dom,” I cry.
“Baby, I can barely control myself around you. That’s it, grind your tight little body against me. Use me to seek your pleasure,” he says, pulling my hip harder against him.
“Dom!”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I need—need…”
“Say it,” he growls.
“More. You. I want you.”
He growls in my ear, then sucks on my earlobe. “Kitten, you aren’t ready for that yet.”
“Says who?”
He keeps grinding himself into me but pulls back to look me in the eyes. “Are you a virgin, Kitten?”
I lick my lips and nod as I speak. “I think so. ”
A flash of pain crosses his face as he stops his movement.
“No, please don’t stop,” I beg, reaching for him.
“Someone has touched you there, without your permission.” He doesn’t ask, but I nod anyway. I look of anger crosses his features and he clenches his jaw.
“I need to know, so I know what might trigger you. Will you tell me what they touched you with, that makes you unsure if you’re a virgin?”
“Fingers,” I whisper, trying not to flashback to those horrible memories.
“Did you bleed?” he asks through clenched teeth, clearly trying to hold it together.
I shake my head in response, afraid to speak.
“Okay, then you’re still a virgin. But even if you had bled, it wouldn’t matter. You know that? Whatever you tell me about your past won’t make me love you any less.”
“I love you too, Dominic.” Saying his full name feels right for this moment, and by the satisfied look on his face, I’d say I did the right thing. He presses his lips to mine and kisses me fiercely, helping me to grind myself against him again.
After a few minutes, he pulls back as we both pant heavily. His eyes roam my face as he asks, “you have to tell me if you need me to stop, promise me?”
“I promise,” I whisper as I grind against his jeans, wishing they were gone.
A scary smile crosses his face, sending shivers down my spine.
“If you want me, I’m going to have to prepare you first so I don’t hurt you. You’ll have to do as I say. Can you do that for me?” he asks, his fingers trailing the edge of my panties, getting very close to my core .
“Yes,” I gasp desperately.
He pushes his fingers into my panties and along my core, gathering the liquid there.
“Oh my, what a wet girl you are for me.” He uses his wet fingers to rub my clit, and I cry out in pleasure. “Yes, that’s it, Kitten. I want to hear that sexy voice of yours.” He rubs faster.
“Dom!” I cry as the pressure gets tighter and tighter.
“Don’t hold it back, just let it out. Have you ever had an orgasm before?” I shake my head, and he grins.
“Mmm, good girl. I’m gonna be the first to give you one. Right now. Come for me, Kitten,” he commands as he sticks his fingers inside me while his thumb aggressively rubs my clit. I expect it to feel violating and bring flashbacks, but it doesn’t. It feels nothing like what I’ve experienced before. Within seconds, it sends me over a cliff I didn’t see as I scream out in pleasure. My whole body shakes as lightning shoots through me. I throw my head back as the convulsing continues and gasp when I notice Atlas leaning one hand against the wall and the other holding his obvious erection through his pants.
“You gonna keep standing there touching yourself, or are you going to come join us?” Dom asks. My breath quickens as Atlas strolls closer to me. Dom hasn’t moved his fingers away, but instead he very slowly keeps pumping them inside of me and gently strokes my clit. I squirm under him as Atlas moves to my side and kneels on the floor, taking both my hands in his.
“Malishka. The moment I met you, I had this strong urge to protect you. Not just that, but I felt deep in my gut that you belong with me, with us. All I wanted to do was wrap you up tight and keep you with me all the time. Your body and your soul radiate kindness and beauty. I love you, Malishka, and I want you to be mine, too. Say yes, let me, us, worship you and your body. Show you how you really deserve to be treated by those who love you.”
That’s the most I’d ever heard him speak, and it had my eyes welling with tears. I had no idea they felt like this.