Chapter Five
Elijah
“Is she asleep?” Jovian asks. She has turned her head to face me now, and she is sleeping peacefully.
“Yeah,” I say. “We fucked up, Jovi.”
“Yeah. We did.” He sighs. “The proof was right in front of us that she wasn’t like Jenny, but we still hurt her.”
“I might have implied I was going to try to fuck her,” Jovian says.
“Like… willingly?” I ask.
“Well, yeah. I didn’t threaten to rape her,” he says with a frown. “Is it bad that I still want to? It’s not even about sex per se. I just want to make her feel good in every possible way.”
“I understand,” I say. “I don’t care if it’s a massage or eating her pussy until she passes out. I just want her to feel better than what she has had to endure.”
“Hey, guys,” Ray says quietly from the doorway. “Is she asleep?”
“Yeah,” I say. I go to sit up, but I stop when she rolls her body to face me and snuggles against my chest.
“Stay. It’s okay. She trusts you,” Ray says.
“I don’t know about that, but she is comfortable,” I say.
“She wouldn’t be alone with you like this if she didn’t trust you,” Diane, Ari’s mom, says from the doorway.
“I think she has a pinched nerve,” I say.
“She has the exact same symptoms that Nolan had. Massaging the same spot in her neck that helped Nolan made her feel a lot better. It can cause migraine, dizziness, and nerve pain down her back and arms… I’m going to have Nolan get her in with his chiropractor so she can talk to them. ”
“Worth exploring. Her physical therapist made it seem like it was permanent,” Diane says.
“Because her doctor is apparently pushing narcotics,” Jovian says. “She said they were, but she was avoiding it.”
“Yeah. She refused meds as soon as she was able to make those decisions,” Ray says.
“Cops here?” I ask.
“Yeah. They’re processing her room. They will want to talk to her before they go,” Ray says. “Is she naked?”
“No. We helped her change into one of my shirts, so no one has to mess with her room. She was trying to do it alone, but we heard her crying in pain, so we helped,” Jovian says.
“Ah. Okay. Well, she has horrible nightmares, so be gentle when you wake her,” Ray says. “Connor is ordering pizza, since no one knows how long the chicken has been sitting out.”
“Okay,” I say.
“And, boys?”
“Hmm?” I ask.
“If you like her, tell her. Don’t beat around the bush. She is a blunt woman, and she likes that in return,” he says. “I saw it with Jenny, and I see it now. Accept sharing her, or everyone should leave her alone. If she picks one, so be it. It’s her choice.”
“Interesting take.” Jovian laughs.
“I want her to be happy, even if she is happy alone,” Ray says. “There is no telling that girl what to do, though. She will do the opposite.”
“We’ve got it,” I say. “Tell the others the same. Kip is practically in love already.”
“I will," he laughs.