TWENTY-SEVEN
H onestly, how do you go on with your life when you find out your parents died? How do you move on when you can no longer share the one thing you wanted to with them because they're gone?
Closing my eyes briefly, I reopen them and pull myself out of bed. Harley's coming today, and I have to put on a brave face for him. Sliding my bra straps up my arms, I clip it together in the back before tossing my favourite crop top over my head.
"Cinderella, are you sure you want to do this today?" Damon whispers from behind me.
I nod silently. I can't hold off seeing my brother; he's family. Swallowing my anxiety, I button my jeans and make my way down the stairs, leaving Damon to get ready on his own.
"Hey, Aussie, how are you doing?" Sam asks.
I shrug him off and make my way to the door, opening it for Harley to step inside. "Hey sissy." He half smiles, wrapping his big arms around my tiny frame. He looks like the shell of the brother I knew in high school.
Sam eyes my brother suspiciously before he heads upstairs into his room. Damon had demanded the boys make themselves invisible while Harley was here. Smiling, I walk to the sofa and settle on one side while Harley sits across from me.
Hearing footsteps, I turn my head, seeing Damon, and a smile spreads across my lips.
I watch Harley's muscles tense as he watches Damon. His jaw hardens and his eyes grow dark. Damon sits beside me and wraps one arm around my waist before he gives the same look to Harley. This seems off. The entire encounter seems off. I’ll make sure I ask Damon about it later.
Jesus, they're like dogs. Coughing under my breath, I shatter the tension and shoot them both a glare. "I didn't invite you here to be my protective older brother," I reminded him.
Harley straightens his shoulders and eyes Damon again, pulling his lip back in a slight snarl before his eyes meet mine. Damon tears his gaze away and relaxes his tense shoulders as he rubs circles on my back. "Where is the funeral being held? I can't fly because of classes," I announce.
Harley eyes cloud before he eyes Damon, then me. "You won’t need to fly since it will be in New York. And I mean, your professors will understand why you're leaving," he replies softly. Sure, they would, but I've been scarce for a week already.
I sigh softly and rest my head against Damon's shoulder. "Will you come with me?" I whisper to him. I know he has duties, but now more than ever, I need him. His lips press to my forehead before he nods with a smile, pulling me closer to him.
Harley's eyes go cold again as he watches Damon with hatred. "You're not good for her," he barks.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
Damon's eyes zero in on Harley and he snarls, "Maybe you don't know what's good for your sister if you're barking orders."
Jesus .
Harley rises to his feet and watches us. "I don't trust you. And for good reason. She's my baby sister, and I vowed I wouldn't let anyone hurt her again."
Damon's eyes harden. "I would never fucking hurt her! Never do anything she didn't want me to."
Here we go…
The fuck is going on? "Enough! You can't tell me who to love or who to be with. These are my decisions, so the two of you shut up," I yell, fury lacing my eyes. Harley opens his mouth to say something, but I quickly shoot him a glare, silencing him.
Damon growls then buries his face in my neck, ignoring his surroundings. "As we were saying," I growl harshly, "I will fly to New York in a week, and that is the only stipulation, you will wait for me to arrive before you make any decisions or start the funeral," I reply softly. Harley nods slowly and gives me a soft smile.
Good. Sighing, I get to my feet. "Play nice. I need to get some food for myself." Both boys nod as I retreat to the kitchen.
Grabbing a muffin from the stash on the counter, I bite into it before making my way back to the sofa. "So how long are you in town for?" I ask, eying my brother.
Harley looks at me for a moment too long before he speaks. "Well, I was going to fly back when you came to New York. I didn't realise he was coming." He ends the sentence with a glare at Damon.
"Enough! It's my decision who I bring with me. You can go home; I'm fine." I'm over this conversation, and clearly these two can't be in the same room right now.
Harley watches me and frowns. "Are you sure? I mean, I can stay," he mumbles. I nod slowly and lean into Damon.
I rip chunks of my muffin off and shove them into my mouth. "It's fine, honest. I think Georgina needs you right now. Not me," I say softly.
Hartley nods softly before he stands. "I'll head to Gramz and stay there for the night, then head back home tomorrow," he replies with a half-smile.
I nod, shoving a fake smile on my lips as I watch him head to the door. "I'll see both of you in a week, I guess," he replies as he shuts the door behind him.
"I hate that guy," Damon growls.
My eyes slide toward him and I raise a brow. "Care to explain?" I snap. My nice demeanour is slipping away bit by bit the longer I try to act nice.
He shakes his head before biting the piece off my muffin with a grin. "Later, we have ears on us," he replies, glancing at the stairs.
"Okay, boys! We know you were listening; you can come downstairs now!" I yell.
The three of them come trailing down the stairs with grins on their lips. "Damn, Damon. He really doesn't like you." Ace smirks.
I shove more muffin into my mouth, chewing slowly. Damon rolls his eyes at his friend as the three of them settle in the lounges around us. "I don't like him much, either," Damien announces. My eyes drift to him, but he shakes his head in a hard no.
Which means they won’t tell me shit in front of Ace. "Do you even like anyone?" Sam laughs, playing it off. I grin at Damien with a smirk.
"I like you guys and Nate—" he stops and rolls his eyes. I glance at both Damien and Sam, still wanting my answers, but I know they won’t tell me.
"Point taken." Ace smirks.
My lips pull into a genuine grin. "How about we watch a movie? We're all free today and I'm bored." Sam groans. I nod in approval, grabbing the remote from Sam.
"I don't want to watch your horsy movies or your mystery girly shows," Ace grumbles. Pouting, I hand Damon the remote and flop on his lap, shoving the last piece of muffin between my lips.
They never want to watch my shows. "What about horror movies?" Damon raises his brow at everyone.
Pouting, I sigh out my approval, pulling the throw blanket over my body. Out of the three of them, Sam's my favourite, only because he can make anyone laugh over a stupid joke I don't understand.
Even though he's just as dangerous as the two Saint brothers, I still find myself laughing at him. Ace is just a general mystery because I know nothing about him.
As my mind mentions Sam's name, he lifts my legs and settles himself in the lounge with me and Damon, and I stretch my legs across his lap like I did in the car.
Clicking on Insidious Chapter Two , we all settle down, with the lights flicked off as we gaze at the TV. I have a love/hate relationship with horror movies. Smiling, I nuzzle my gaze into Damon as the first scary scene hits the screen.
A scream ripples from my lips as my entire body jerks with fright. Burying my face in Damon's chest, I shudder. I hear ripples of laughter around the room at my fright.
Assholes . I lift my head and shoot Ace a glare, then an idea comes to my brain, and I press pause on the movie.
"Ace," I say softly. His head tilts, and he watches me carefully before he stares back at the TV. "What is between you and Bailey?" His entire face goes white at the mention of her name and a smile pulls at my lips. I knew it!
But that's not what comes out of his mouth. "We're just friends. She has a boyfriend, and I don't have an interest in dating during the hockey season anyway," he replies.
That never occurred to me when I asked the question. Bailey has a boyfriend on the hockey team. I slam my lips closed and shoot him a smile before pressing play on the movie again. I'm practically in Damon's lap when the credits hit the screen.
God ! Why did he pick that movie? He knows I love and hate the insidious movies. Shoving a smile on my face, I crawl off Damon's lap and saunter into the kitchen. Chocolate is a friendly thing most of the time when I'm on my—
My lips slam closed when I register what's happening right now. I'm late. I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant . If I'm not, then it's fine because I've been late before. Plus, hanging out with Bailey and Scarlet, my period always comes when they have theirs and they aren't due for two days.
Shoving the thought away, I shove a piece of chocolate into my mouth and smile. I'm worrying for no reason. I'm not late, I have two days. Rolling my eyes at myself, I grab the packet of chocolate and wander back over to the boys.
"What now?" I ask, looking at Sam.
"Train?" he utters.
Ew . Damon's muscles tense, a glare appearing on his features as watches Sam. "I was kidding." Sam laughs.
My features relax before I turn to Ace and Damien. Their mouths are hanging open and they're staring at me. Why are they—
They're staring at the amount of food I'm eating, aren't they? "Thought you don't like chocolate?" Ace asks.
"Well, I don't, but I'm craving it because my period is due in two days." Ace's face squished up in disgust. I giggle softly until my eyes land on Sam, whose facial expression shows nothing but interest.
And I regret the words I said when he grins. "I don't mind blood on my dick," he announces. Oh god . Really, Sam? Ace bursts into fits of laughter, along with Damien, until they try to catch their breath.
"Shut the fuck up, Delgado." Damon rolls his eyes.
Sam shoots me a teasing smile before he turns on one of my favourites. Pretty Little Liars. "We kind of owe you, since horror movies scare you," Ace replies.
Damien nods slowly and Sam shoots me a smile. Awe, I love my hockey boys. I grin and tug Sam back on the couch.
Switching sides, I lay my head across his lap and shove my arse in Damon's direction, which I'm sure he enjoys. "Awe, why didn't you do that for little old me?" Sam winks at me.
I roll my eyes but okay it off. "You can dream, Sammy." I smirk.
"Oh, I do." He grins.
Lord .
"Jesus, Sam!" Ace replies. Damien chuckles under his breath softly as the first episode of season five plays across the screen.
I wouldn't change my decisions for the world. These boys mean so much to me and they’re good friends. If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely choose to tutor Damon in creative writing. I couldn't live without these assholes.
Even if the majority of them are killers.