Chapter 12 #3
“Would you trust him with a gun?” I asked dryly, leaning between the seats. “No offense, Luke, but even you can admit you’re unstable when you’re pushed to the edge.”
“Hunter and Marco are weird with her, right?” Tyler asked, changing the subject before Lukas could respond.
“It’s a sad world we live in when we think it’s strange when someone’s nice,” Jensen scoffed.
“They’re up to something, surely,” I agreed, but Lukas sighed.
“I don’t think Skeet would have let her go there, let alone by herself today, if they were up to something. He has some kind of trust with them or there’s no way.”
He wasn’t wrong. Skeeter wouldn’t allow Rory near Hunter if he was a danger to her.
“She fought off a bunch of Soldiers today. Our girl’s not exactly a damsel in distress,” Tyler grinned, bouncing in his seat a little.
“You need to start laying off the booze and pills, man. Skeet’s right, we all need to learn to shoot. You can’t when you’re fucked up all the time,” Jensen replied firmly, and Lukas scoffed.
“Ty can’t carry. He’s fucked up more days than he is sober. Even if he’s sober on training days, what happens when he gets high on another day and pulls his gun out?”
“Why would I pull a gun out?” Tyler grumbled, earning a flat look in return.
“Why do you do anything? Your pilled up, coked out brain thinks dumb shit is always a good idea.”
“I can see this is turning into an argument, so I think we cool it,” I sighed, not particularly wanting someone to start swinging in the small space.
“Rory would tell us if the Soldiers touched her today, right? She trusts us enough?” Tyler asked quietly, not looking certain. “We left her at my place alone. She—”
“Don’t do that. If you try to stick to her like glue, she’ll only resent you and start sneaking out,” Jensen warned as we drove into Ashburn Valley, turning towards Skeeter’s house.
“I think she’d tell us if they assaulted her,” Lukas said firmly, the McLaren taillights lighting up his face as we slowed to turn into the driveway.
“I hope so,” I mumbled, waiting for Rory to park before we parked behind her and climbed out.
Skeeter’s eyes were sharp and alert as he scanned the area around us, getting Rory to unlock the door so he could keep watch. Once inside, he did a sweep of the house before announcing it was safe for us to hang out in the living room.
“Are we in some kind of lockdown now?” I asked as I sat on the couch, intending on tugging Rory onto my lap, but Skeeter snagged her wrist to stop me.
“Aurora, go wash the crime scene off you. We might have gotten away with it, it seems Ty’s house is pretty soundproof, but that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear.
Anyone could call in to report gang members leaving the property.
I’ve had Diesel wipe the outside security cameras just in case the cops sniff around and get a warrant for them.
Assume they could show up at any time, gang wars make them nervous.
Also go about your day as if they’re watching you, so be careful what you say and do in public. ”
Rory unzipped Skeeter’s jacket that covered her frame, shrugging it off and handing it to him. “Don’t kill each other while I’m gone.”
“I’ll try not to,” he chuckled, giving me a dirty look as she took my hand and pulled me to my feet.
“C’mon, keep me company,” she stated, and there was no way I was going to argue with her.
I glanced at the guys, and they looked relieved that she wasn’t going to be alone, so I followed her to Skeeter’s bedroom for her to grab some fresh clothes, then we headed into the bathroom.
“I’m sorry,” she said with a sigh as she waited for the water to heat, placing her gun on the counter and starting to strip her clothes.
“What for?” I frowned, unsure if she wanted me to get in with her, or just hang out here while she showered.
When I didn’t move, she reached for my shirt and pulled it over my head, sliding her arms around my waist and pressing her cheek to my chest.
“It’s just been so hard to spend time with you. The guys as well, to be honest. With all this crew drama—”
“Hey,” I murmured, sliding a hand into her hair to gently pull her head back to look up at me. “None of that is your fault. I’d rather you be with Skeet than us some days because he can keep you safer than us. Where’d you go yesterday? I know you wanted space, but I hate it when you’re alone.”
“I went to the movie theater. That way I could be alone but wasn’t exactly unprotected. It’s easy to hide in a dark room,” she shrugged, looking away from me as she pulled back.
I hated the feeling inside me that said she was keeping secrets, but I knew she wasn’t lying about her location.
I felt bad for testing her, but I’d already known where she’d been, I’d tracked her phone.
Leaving her alone had been difficult, but I was trying my hardest to gain her trust, which meant respecting her need for space.
Newhaven was pretty safe, but with the Soldiers putting a target on her back, I wasn’t sure anywhere was safe right now.
She stepped into the shower and I kicked my jeans and boxers off to join her, backing her against the wall and taking her face in my hands.
“I know I’m not Skeet, but I will always do everything in my power to keep you safe. I love you.”
Her face softened and she slid her hands around my waist, moving them up my back to pull me closer.
“I don’t want you to be Skeet. I love you for you, Caden.”
“Being Skeet would keep you safe.”
“That may be so, but Caden pays my bills. Right, money bags?” she teased, making me huff out a laugh. Any other girl would be with me for my money, but not Rory. I was pretty sure if I gave her a pile of cash, she’d set it on fire and call me an asshole.
“If it’s mine, it’s yours,” I promised, motioning for her to turn around. “As much as I love staring at your tits, turn so I can wash your hair.”
“I’m quite capable of doing it myself.”
“Very aware that you’re a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need me, but I want to,” I murmured, taking her waist and moving her where I wanted her.
Within seconds of my fingers massaging her scalp as I shampooed her, her shoulders dropped and her entire body relaxed. She claimed to not need anyone, but she did.
She needed someone to pamper her at the end of each day because she couldn’t be a badass and then come home and wash her own hair. That would be unacceptable.
“Who would have thought the rich boy who has staff to tie his shoes would be lowering himself to my very own personal hair washer?” she mumbled with amusement as I started rinsing the bubbles from her hair.
“That’s how you know it’s true love, right?” I joked, peeking over my shoulder as the door creaked open. I expected Skeeter, but it was Lukas.
He silently stripped off and stepped in, maneuvering himself in front of Rory to hold her. I continued washing her hair, making sure to condition it before starting to lather the body wash all over her to wash away any blood that was still stuck to her skin.
Lukas had freaked the fuck out earlier when Skeeter had called to tell us the Soldiers had gone after Rory not long after we’d left, so I couldn’t fault the guy for wanting to be near her.
He’d almost had a panic attack.
“Is Ty mad about his house?” she asked softly, making Lukas snort.
“They could have blown it up and he wouldn’t have given a shit. He was only worried about you, babe.” His fingers lifted to toy with the heart necklace around her neck that he’d bought her for her birthday, one of her hands lifting to his chest.
“I’m okay, promise. No one went after you guys, right?”
“No. Do you think they will?” he asked with a frown.
“I think Skeet’s right and it’s possible. These guys really don’t seem to give a shit about who they hurt,” she sighed, standing on tiptoe to give him a kiss.
She went to move back but he kept her close to keep kissing her, and once I’d finished rinsing her, I pressed against her back and sandwiched her between us.
This wasn’t sexual, it was purely a sense of comfort that I was pretty sure we all needed.
“Hey. I know you three aren’t used to it, but water’s limited and expensive here,” Skeeter said dryly as he walked in to eye us. “Feel free to snuggle naked on the free couch or something.”
“Sorry,” I said over my shoulder as I moved back to make sure the three of us were properly rinsed before switching the water off, stepping out and taking a towel as he offered it to me.
“I’m all for my house being where we hang out, I prefer being here than your houses, other than when I get a fancy breakfast, but if we’re going to start crashing here to shower or eat—”
“We’ll pitch in,” I promised, wincing slightly. “We should have offered earlier.”
“Next round of beer is on you,” he grinned, handing two more towels over. “We have to split our sleeping buddies tonight. Six people won’t fit in my bed, so three will have to sleep in the spare bedroom.”
“Or we drag the mattresses out to the living room?” I suggested, his eyes narrowing.
“Or you sleep in the spare room.”
“Even if I order us a bunch of takeout?”
“Even then. I’m not budging. It’s time you learned the word no,” he scoffed, and Rory sighed.
“We can still get food delivered, right? I’m starving.”
“I’ve got it,” I smiled, running the towel over myself to dry off while the others did the same.
I was seriously looking forward to bed, I was exhausted.