Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
RAVEN
S printing the distance between us, I crash down to my knees. Adjusting his head so I can see his face, it’s like the rug is ripped out from under me. The feeling like I’m free falling down a dark hole racks my body.
Shaking his shoulder, tears gather in my eyes. “No. Noah, wake up.” But no matter how much I jostle him, he doesn’t wake. “Noah!”
Rolling his body all the way over, I get a better look at his injuries.
The bruise on his cheek from last week has faded to a light green, but there’s fresh bruising.
A necklace of purple skin mottles his neck.
Blood leaks from the corner of his mouth and nose.
But the most concerning wound is the large bleeding gash across his forehead.
“NOAH!”
My body curls over his. My tears mix with his blood.
“Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead,” I repeat over and over. Sitting up, I find my shirt wet with blood. I scan his body and realize his shirt is damp. Lifting the cloth, I find a single large stab wound in his stomach.
Naturally, my gaze swings to the top of the stairs, curious to see if the cause of his fall is in plain view.
And it is.
Or rather, he is.
Rising from my huddle, my hands ball into fists. “What did you do?”
My voice is filled with promise—a promise of revenge.
Sleep coats my eyelids, making it difficult to open them. Maybe I can squeeze in a few more minutes before I need to take Noah to school. So I nestle further into the warmth under my cheek. My hand runs up and down my body pillow. It’s so nice and…hairy?
What the hell?
Rubbing my eyes, I finally blink into a conscious state of awareness. All too aware.
Maybe this is just a dream. A very erotic dream because if I’m right, I’m sandwiched between two very attractive half-naked men.
I’m lying on my side with my head resting on Knox’s chest. His very sexy chest. In my sleep, I’ve attached myself to his side like a damn monkey. Knox’s arm is buried under my pillow, and his other arm is tucked behind his head.
And then there’s Griffin. If I’m a monkey, then this man is a boa constrictor. His leg somehow slithered between mine and my legs, having a mind of their own, gripped his in a vice. I can feel Griffin’s breath on the back of my neck, telling me his face is nuzzled in my hair.
I’m surprised he hasn’t suffocated.
Griffin’s thick arms are wrapped around my torso with his hands resting on my stomach. My very bare stomach. Apparently, my shirt decided to shimmy up my body, but thankfully, stopped just under my boobs.
If this isn’t a predicament, I don’t know what it is.
The blackout curtains in my room are doing their job, completely blocking out the light, so I have no indication of what time it is. And my phone is nowhere in sight.
A mental groan resounds in my brain as I try to figure out how to get out of this odd game of Twister.
I hope they’re not light sleepers.
My hand slides on top of Griffin’s, lightly grasping and pulling apart his grip. I move his hand a few inches when he breaks my hold and secures his hands back together.
“Nope. Go back to sleep, Sunshine.”
I guess that answers that question.
“I need to take Noah to school,” I whisper, hoping not to wake Knox, but my attempt at politeness fails.
“School was canceled today. Besides, he’s still asleep.” I feel his words vibrate through his chest and against my cheek.
“How do you know that? Do you have my phone? I need to check my email to make sure.” I stretch my arm across his body, trying to reach my nightstand.
With his eyes still closed, he shakes his head. “I checked. It’s canceled.”
I frown. “How?”
“I unlocked your phone. It wasn’t hard. By the way, you need to turn off facial recognition.”
“What!” I exclaim.
Knox continues as if I’m not outraged. “You never know what someone might do with access to your phone.” His voice is too vexatious for my liking.
Propping myself up on my elbow, I jostle Knox and Griffin in the process. “What did you do?” I question with narrowed eyes.
Griffin sniggers behind me, while Knox smirks with his eyes still closed.
Tired of the mystery, I lunge for my nightstand, snatching my phone.
Griffin and Knox protest my swift movement, but I don’t pay them any mind.
With my legs sprawled across Griffin and my torso smothering Knox, I open my phone and search for anything amiss.
No bizarre texts sent, and my background hasn’t changed.
Did they…No. They wouldn’t. But maybe…
Tapping on my photo app, I find a handful of new pictures of the three of us, but I’m dead asleep.
“What!” I screech for the second time this morning.
I open each picture, ripping off the band aid. In one, Griffin is giving the camera a thumbs up and a goofy smile from behind my head. In another, they’re both faking sleep. And in another, my mouth is wide open with my cheek on Knox’s chest.
My body shakes from their laughter. I glower at each of them over my shoulder, but that only makes them laugh louder and harder.
Pretty soon, the noise is boisterous, and I feel the light of their humor flow through me, infecting my heart.
The suppression of my smile fails, and I flip, sitting up between them. I smack them both on the chest.
“You two are menaces to society!” My insult makes Griffin clutch his stomach from laughing so hard, while Knox buries his face in the pillow.
“Mom?”
Shit.
Turning around, I spot Noah in my doorway, dressed in his pajamas and rubbing his eyes. I jump out of bed and stand to the side, wincing. “Did we wake you up?”
I never wanted Noah to see something like this. Nothing happened and nothing was going to happen, but after our history, I want him to feel safe here at home.
Knox waves his hand, motioning Noah forward. When Noah finally realizes who’s here, he lights up. He dashes for my bed and jumps on it.
“Did you guys spend the night? On the next sleepover, can you sleep in my room?” Noah unleashes a barrage of questions and random statements.
Griffin gets his attention by tickling Noah’s stomach. “Are you hungry?”
Noah looks down at his stomach as if it holds the answer. “Yes,” he responds with a smile.
“How about we make some breakfast?”
I scoff. “Do you know how?”
Noah grimaces and positions his hand to block his words from my ears, but I still hear him. “Mom usually burns the food.”
Knox coughs to cover his chuckle, and I shoot him a glare. But he doesn’t seem the least bit remorseful as he sassily smirks.
Griffin slaps his hand on his bare chest and makes a pained expression. “Do I know how? Don’t insult me, little man.” Griffin’s ruse ends on a smile.
Noah laughs at Griffin’s jesting.
Griffin slaps his lap with both hands and climbs out of my bed. “I’ll tell ya what. How about we make a breakfast feast fit for kings and prove to your mom that I’m an amazing cook.”
“Yes!” Noah pumps a fist in the air and cheers.
Griffin leans forward, scooping Noah up in his arms, and they begin chanting together. “Fit for kings! Fit for kings!” Their new mantra follows them out of my room and down the stairs.
My hand covers my mouth as tears swim in my eyes.
This. This is what Noah needs. What I need.
Vetiver floods my senses as Knox encompasses me in his arms and rests his chin on the top of my head. I let myself lean into him. His warmth seeps into my bones, soothing all the places inside me that have been cold for so long.
Knox’s folded arms rest just under my breasts. I resist the urge to guide his hands to cup them. A pulse starts up in my core, dampening my panties.
I could find refuge in Knox. I could discover a pleasure that’s just ours.
But would this all be ripped away if they knew?
My feet carry me forward out of his embrace, and I excuse myself. “I need to get ready for the day.” His footsteps follow me through my bathroom and into my closet. I walk all the way inside, while Knox halts at the threshold.
I wanted to be alone for a moment. I need to think things through logically without the haze of their care clouding my brain. When they’re around, I want things I never thought I could have.
“Raven.”
The tugging in my chest begs me to turn around.
“Darlin’, look at me.” Knox’s voice is pleading.
I cave.
My feet shift me to face him. My eyes wander from his bare feet up his strong legs and chiseled abs. His gaze searches mine. Breath saws in and out of my lungs as I clench my thighs together. Knox bites his lip when he notices the tension in my body and extends his hand, offering himself to me.
Maybe they’ll leave. I can’t control their choices. But I can control what I do and what I feel.
And right now, I choose to feel this with him.