Chapter 29 Jade
Dinner is delicious, as it always is when Rick cooks. I swear he could make cereal feel like a five-star meal. Everything had mostly gone back to normal, or as normal as it is with us.
Zander spent his first ten minutes pouting that he’d missed out on hot shower sex when he saw mine and Trent’s wet hair.
I wasn’t going to correct him, though. Somehow, our soft kisses and Trent's gentle hands washing me felt more intimate than if we had. Poor Trent couldn’t take it and ended up snapping at him after about ten minutes of his whining, which only made Zander pout more.
Thankfully, food fixes everything, and the second dinner was served; he was as good as new.
Happily eating more food than should be possible for someone his size.
Kratos asked me no less than three times how I liked the food, though, which was strange.
He usually likes to check in, but something about the glares from Rick and K’s cheeky smile made me feel like I was missing something.
By the time I finish my plate, I’m stuffed and feeling like I might explode if I so much as smell more food.
Rick’s cooking was one of many things I’d missed while I was on my unplanned vacation with Leo and Dom.
I don’t mind takeout, but something about a meal made for you really hits the spot.
Jake’s the only one missing, and I make a mental note to talk to Kratos about that later.
His work is important, but right now, we need all hands on deck for the next few weeks.
Not to mention, I think he deserves a better spot.
He’s proven he’s here to stay at this point.
He could have easily walked after his father was out of the picture, but he didn’t.
That says a lot for someone they all thought was nothing more than a spoiled rich kid after his own power.
More than that, though, I find myself wishing he was here just to be here.
You would think with so many of us, there would be no way to miss someone else, but his absence is noticeable to me, and I even catch the guys talking about him easier now.
Making a note of things they need to discuss once he’s back.
Dinner is a time when everyone should be here.
We all clear our plates, working together to load the dishwasher and just clean up in general as the guys joke and talk, and I take a second to breathe it in.
Standing here with all of them feels like some kind of dream, more than I could have ever hoped for.
Rick catches my eye across the counter with a smile before he leans over and grabs my hand.
With a wink, he pulls away, and I take a moment to realize he’s left something in my closed fist.
Looking down, I feel my eyes widen as I open my fingers to see what it could be.
Chocolate.
Four little chocolates, the caramel-filled ones that Hazel showed me at one of our study sessions. They quickly became one of my favorite little treats, though I don’t remember telling the guys. He must have seen us with them, or maybe he found my overflowing trash can full of wrappers.
Full or not, I can't resist popping it into my mouth. Exploding for this would be worth it.
It melts in my mouth; the caramel blends perfectly with the chocolate. My eyes fall closed, and I can’t help the hum of pleasure that leaves my lips as my mouth fills with flavor.
How had I gone my whole life without this?
I stuff the rest in my sweater pocket for later, resisting the urge to eat them all right now. When I peel my eyes open, I find the guys standing around frozen, looking at me with a mixture of wide eyes and desire.
Apparently, a girl can’t even enjoy chocolate without sending the wrong message.
It’d be embarrassing if it weren’t so damn funny.
A kitchen full of high-ranking gang members and high-society men stopped in their tracks by little ol' me and a good piece of chocolate. I jump down off the counter I’d been perched on, landing softly on my feet before blowing them all a kiss and heading out.
Nobody tries to stop me.
“What the fuck did you give her?” Zander cries the second I make it into the living room, and I shake my head, stopping to listen.
“None of your damn business,” Rick says, but I can hear the smile in his words.
“Easy for you to say, man. You get to spend the night with her, and you have her moaning before you're even in the bed. Not cool, share your secrets!” Zander whines, making the others chuckle at his dramatics. Still, Rick says nothing.
“Trent! You can help me! Teach me to bake! Doll loves sweet shit!” he pleads, moving onto an easier target.
“No way. We tried that when we were younger. You just fucking eat it all!” Trent says, sounding more comfortable than I’ve heard him sound before with them.
“We were like five, man. Let it go.”
“I’m pretty sure we were like fifteen,” Spencer argues.
Zander’s gasp of horror fills the room, and I almost burst out laughing.
“Whose side are you on?” Zander demands, his voice a few octaves higher than usual in mock horror.
“The one who’s right,” Spencer replies as if it’s the most obvious answer, and with him, it is. Spencer’s all about facts, after all, no matter who ends up in the wrong for it.
“You're both ridiculous,” Rick says, followed by the sounds of feet and a grunt that I can only imagine is Zan and Spencer fighting.
I roll my eyes at them and their stupid, childish arguments, but even as I head up the stairs, I can’t wipe the smile off my face. My hand brushes the chocolates from Rick, and my cheeks ache, but I can’t help it.
This is what I’ve always dreamed of. People I care about who care about me, too.
People I would not only die for but live for, people who made living worthwhile.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
The guys’ house has more than enough room for all of us, but the top floor splits in a way that scatters rooms all over the place.
The wing to the right has Rick, Spencer, and Zander’s room, along with Rick's office at the end of the hall and two spare rooms. One of which is now mine, even if it’s destroyed.
Kratos took over the other spare room, meaning we’ve filled them all.
The other seven rooms up here are all on the left wing, and while they aren’t far, they feel kind of cut off.
When I reach the top of the stairs, I turn to the left and start popping my head into the rooms, realizing I have no idea where the others decided to stay.
The first two rooms are empty, the same basic setup my room had before I made it my own.
It’s not until the third one that I find one that’s different.
It doesn’t take me long to figure out whose room it is.
Trent’s badge and gun sit on his nightstand next to the lamp, his work boots at the end of his bed.
A book on the nightstand catches my eye, but I don’t go in far enough to see what it is.
My intention isn’t to snoop. I don’t feel the need to with them.
I just wanted to know where to find them, should I need to.
Closing his door again, I make my way to the next room.
The second I open the door, I know Hazel’s been here.
She isn’t staying here right now, but her cotton candy sweet scent fills the room all the same.
Sadness twists my stomach, thinking about how she must feel with me gone.
Trent said she’s been okay, but I’m pretty sure he was just trying to spare my feelings.
Hazel is as stubborn as he is. I can’t imagine she just accepted that I’ve vanished, but as much as it saddens me to think about her worrying for me, I know it would be worse if she knew.
Nobody is supposed to know I’m back. It will make it easier for Dom and Leo to convince Ivan that I gave Randall the slip and possibly went to Elio. Which is a huge part of our plan. We need him to think Leo is still on his side and that Dom is with him, too.
More importantly, it’s dangerous for her to know.
She’s already too involved, something we learned the hard way when Randall tried to use her to get to me at the gala.
I’ve already put too many people I care about in danger, but at least with the guys, they stand a chance.
Hazel is good, not at all made for this life, and after what happened with Charlotte, I don’t want a repeat.
I’m supposed to protect them, and I will, even if it hurts me in the meantime.
I can deal with it if it keeps them safe.
I move to leave, not needing to look around to know it’s her room, but a picture catches my eye before I can.
My feet move of their own accord; surely my eyes are playing tricks on me.
I reach out and grab the picture frame that sits beside her bed, needing a closer look.
The little rainbow frame has the words best friends in fancy black metal on it, and inside of the glass, staring back at me, is a picture of Hazel and me at the library.
I remember this day. We’d been studying with everyone, but my brain was fried after about an hour.
Hazel always brought snacks for all of us, and we ended up throwing them across the table to see who could catch the most. Nobody else noticed until Hazel missed, and hers bounced off her glasses and smacked Trent’s nose.
We’d laughed so hard I was sure they would kick us out.
The memory brings a smile to my face even as my eyes well up.
I didn’t know this picture existed, but given the angle of the shot, I’d assume Trent took it.
I’d have to ask him for a copy later. Zander was big on taking pictures, saying he needed to ‘document our lives,’ but I’ve never seen any of them.
Never even thought to ask. I’d have to change that.
“She misses you.”