Chapter Six #2
Despite my past I do trust them though and I need to let someone in.
I'm so tired of struggling with everything on my own.
I've already started by telling them a small amount of what my mother has put me through over the years.
There is no point backing out now. It's time to take a leap of faith and pray to anyone that will listen that they catch me.
"I woke up feeling a lot better but I suddenly felt this tugging, it's hard to explain," I say exasperated, they all nod encouragingly so I continue, "I don't know how but I just knew that one of you needed me.
" Their eyebrows all meet their hairlines but I continue before they can say anything else, "I followed the tugging and it brought me down here and to Kai. I just knew I could help him."
"Well that's . . . unusual.” Hunter says rubbing the back of his neck.
"No shit." I reply, causing them to chuckle.
Everyone is lost in thought and I feel my eyes growing heavy before I drift into a light sleep. I can't have been asleep for long when I hear Levi speaking.
"Maybe it's not though? I need to go through the archives and see if I can find anything similar and anything about the electricity you felt Kai." Levi explains giving me a small shred of hope that maybe this isn't as unusual as I thought.
"You could always ask Mr. S; he might be able to help?" Kai suggests.
"I don't want him to know before he has to. I know he's like family but at the end of the day he is still our superior." Levi replies.
I have a feeling that they aren't supposed to be talking about this in front me. I don't think they realise I'm awake even though I'm not trying to hide it.
Who is Mr. S? Does he mean a superior, like a boss?
"We can't forget the job either." Jax mentions.
Well that answers the boss question then I guess.
"We still haven't figured out who's behind it and how to get close enough."
Maverick adds.
"What do you guys do?" I ask quietly.
All heads snap towards me, their eyes widening as they realise, I'm awake.
I really look at them. Before, I had been to be blindsided by their handsome looks but now that I'm paying attention, I can see that my earlier thoughts were right, they aren't my age.
They are older. Too old for high school.
Kai opens his mouth, but I hold up a hand cutting him off.
"You're not high school students. You definitely aren't eighteen.
" I state simply, scanning them all quickly, no average eighteen-year-old has a body like any of them.
"You are all well trained in first aid, more than a simple course.
Kai can fight extremely well from what I saw, he wasn't simply punching and kicking.
He was throwing uppercuts with precision, using flying back kicks as if it were normal and he was using his elbows to perform hits that would've knocked an opponent out.
Moves that a highly trained mix martial arts fighter would know.
" I pause thoughtfully staring at the ground trying to piece more together.
Not aware of their shocked faces and dropped jaws.
"I should know. There are security cameras in the living room.
That leads me to believe that there are, more than likely, more in each room.
You work together like a military team, but I don't think you are in the military, at least not anymore. "
Suddenly realising how long I've been talking and what I could've potentially revealed about myself, I look up.
"How do you know there's a security camera in the living room?" Jax asks a hint of, I think, pride in his bright blue eyes.
I sigh heavily.
"I could see it in the vent." I state before continuing, "I have a feeling it's not the only one in the room. I didn't have long enough to scope out the entire room before I was pulled down here."
"Why did you feel the need to scope out the room? Do you not trust us?" Kai asks, hurt evident in his voice.
"No, that's not it at all. It's a habit. I do it in every room or place I go into. I take note of the exits, security measures and the people. I catalogue everything."
"Very interesting." Levi glances at me his eyes calculating.
"How the fuck did you know the names of the fighting moves Kai was doing and what the fuck did you mean you should know?" Hunter asks impatiently.
I glare at him.
"You know what? I have been nothing but honest with you. How about you start telling me the truth, how old are you Hunter?" I shoot back at him.
It's starting to frustrate me now. They've asked me multiple personal questions and I've answered every single mother fucking one honestly and they've given me nothing.
I refuse to tell him about that part of my life if he's not going to be honest with me.
"She's right," Maverick says calmly, "we've invaded her privacy with our questions, and she's answered every single one. It's only fair that we be honest with her."
I smile at him in appreciation, silently thanking him for understanding.
"Ok I agree," Levi says turning to me, "we can tell you some things. However, we can't tell you everything. It's not because we don't trust you. We aren't permitted to."
I nod my head in understating.
"That's fair enough. So, how old are you?" I reply with a small smile.
I understand the need to keep things private and I will respect that so long as they show me the same respect.
"Me, Kai and Levi are twenty-three." Maverick tells me immediately and I grin.
"I'm twenty-two.” Hunter says gruffly.
"And I'm the baby of the family," Jax sighs dramatically, “I'm twenty-one."
I giggle at his theatrics.
"Jax man, you aren't the baby anymore. Sage is younger than you!" Kai grins at a now hyper Jax.
My heart beats faster at his words, he included me. Butterflies start swarming in my stomach.
Family? I think I like that.
"That's true!" he says excitedly until his face falls, he turns to me his eyes wide and grabs both of my hands. The others begin chuckling at his theatrics and I soon join in. "It is true isn't it, Little Star? You are younger than me, right?"
As soon as we all realise the reason behind his actions the chuckles turn into full belly laughs, mine included. I don't think I've laughed this much for years, if ever.
My laughter is brought to an abrupt halt when pain shoots through my side. I had forgotten about my ribs. The painkillers that Maverick gave me must be wearing off.
I suck in a sharp breath wrapping my arm around my middle and wincing. The guys all stop immediately and glance at me in concern.
"Come on Titch, it's time for more pain meds.
I want you to eat first this time. You don't eat enough as it is, and I don't want the meds to give you stomach pain because you haven't eaten anything.
It didn't matter so much earlier, I was too worried about you being in pain and one dose will be okay. I’m not giving you another dose without you eating something though so don't argue. " Maverick states firmly.
I stare at him for a minute trying to figure out why on earth he thinks I would turn down a meal and then it clicks. I look around at the others and see they all think the same.
"Fucking hell. You guys think I don't eat on purpose?" I shouldn't find this amusing, but my sense of humour is warped.
They all nod.
I sober up quickly realising they are genuinely worried about me and don't know that if I had the means I could and would mostly likely out eat them all.
"I couldn't afford groceries this week, I had to buy my mom’s booze with what little money I had.
It's a hell of a lot easier to go without food for a couple of days with only small amounts here and there than it is to deal with my mother. "
"You haven't . . . And she? . . . For booze? . . . Fuck!" Hunter is so angry he's not even making sense.
I walk over to him feeling confident and lighter than I think I ever have been. I love that he cares about me. I know he's about to blow so I distract him. I stand up on my tip toes placing my hands on his chest. He lowers his head for me, and I gently kiss him on the cheek.
Electricity once again ignites.
"I see what you mean about the electricity.” He grunts at Kai and Kai just grins back at him.
Grabbing Hunters hand, I pull him towards the door. The others trailing behind me chuckling and muttering about how I "handled" Hunter. I turn around and stick my tongue out at them causing Kai and Jax to snort in laughter.
"Wait! You never told me how old you are?" Jax rushes up to my other side and takes the hand not already entwined with Hunter’s. He turns giant puppy dog eyes towards me.
"Not going to work on me Jax." I chuckle. "I'll tell you anyways though, I'm eighteen."
He whoops and high fives Kai behind him before we all make our way up the staircase in search of food. I look towards the front door as we enter the hallway and see that it's already dark.
"Fucking hell, my mother!" I say panicked "I need to get home.”