Chapter 10 ~ #3
"It's really good," I tell him quietly, still anxious about having this conversation.
Alec puts the black paper cover back on his book.
"If," I hesitate but continue at Alec's reassuring smile. "If you told the guys, then why are you covering it?" I gesture to his book.
"Because I didn't tell them where I got the idea or that I read them. They probably just assumed I researched it," Alec tells me, leaning closer like he's telling me a secret. "And so I can read at school," he murmurs, grinning.
I laugh softly. "That's not a bad idea."
We go back to reading. Well, Alec reads. I mostly think.
That is not what I expected him say. At all.
The fact that he reads it too…that was a shock. I figured he understood what we were talking about at dinner but I didn't think he'd say anything.
"Have you ever thought about it?" Alec breaks me out of my thoughts.
I look at him confused but his smile clues me in.
"Oh." My eyes widen. "Umm, I guess. I mean, I'm reading it so you sort of have to imagine yourself in that position." Alec nods and I bite my lip before continuing. "I have but I don't think it will actually happen."
Alec's reassuring smile dims so I hurry to add. "And I've never dated anyone so it would be pretty awkward to find the right guys and ask them if they'd be a part of a harem." I joke.
Alec chuckles, mirth swimming in his eyes. "Yeah, it probably would be."
The door to the verandah opens and we both freeze.
"Angel? Alec?" Mase calls out.
We share looks before I yell out quickly, "We're out here!"
I give Alec the 'don't you dare say anything' look and he nods, understanding swimming in those electrifying hazel irises. Mason and Jace come over.
"What are you guys doing?" Jace sits beside me, kissing my temple.
"Reading," Alec and I say quickly at the same time.
"Okay." Mason chuckles. "We're gonna start dinner so we're taking votes. Steak or tacos?”
“Tacos," Alec says and I agree with him.
I stand up and Jace instantly tugs me into his side. I look at him quizzingly and he explains, "I haven't had my best friend for three years. I'm taking any chance I get."
There's an underlying fear and pain in his eyes. He's still blaming himself.
Fuck.
I was mad at first but I wasn't the only one who lost Dec that day. Jace and I both lost twice because we lost Dec but also each other.
I pull him aside, letting Alec and Mase past into the kitchen.
I stand up on my tippy toes and put my hands on his cheeks.
"J, I'm right here," I tell him.
He leans into my hands but doesn't say anything. His grey eyes storm with unresolved emotion. Pain, anger, guilt.
When did I stop being able to read him?
"I don't blame you, J. I didn't know why you left that day but I do now. We both lost Dec but we're here now." I drop my hands and hug him tightly. His arms instantly encircle me, dropping his head and taking a shuddering breath.
"I don't want you to blame yourself, J," I tell him. "We've come too far for that. Is that why you've been a little distant today? You think I'm mad at you?"
Jace eventually nods, continuing to hug me tight. I sigh and pull back, keeping my arms around him but making him meet my eyes.
"Jason Hamilton," I say sternly. "I am not okay with you doing this to yourself.
I'm not mad at you. I was,” I admit, “before I got all the facts and for the last three years but I'm not now.
I just want us to be happy," I murmur quietly when the others join Alec and Mase in the kitchen.
They shoot us curious glances that I ignore.
"Okay, Ro," Jace finally says, tension relaxing in his body.
"Okay?" I confirm and he nods.
"Good." I grab his hand tightly and pull him towards the others. He chuckles behind me, his voice making my stomach flip flop.
An idea pops in my head.
"Everybody needs to have a shower," I say excitedly.
Mase leans into Maverick. "Do we really smell that bad?" He whispers loudly.
"No," I roll my eyes. "Jace's mum never let us help cook dinner until we were in our pyjamas. We're gonna have a pyjama cooking night," I tell them, bouncing on my toes and regretting the movement instantly.
Jace's arms curl around me to keep me from moving. “I think that was just a hoax to get us to shower, Angel,” J whispers, adopting Mase’s nickname for me.
His lips press against the inside of my neck, his face burying there as he exhales. It distracts me momentarily.
"Okay! You heard the lady!" Luc shoos the twins out of the kitchen since he's already in his pyjamas. Fuuuck. Why is he never wearing a shirt?!
He didn't tell me anything about the scars on his body but I recognise a few of them as my own. I never get a good look at them. He’s always moving about or doing something but he doesn't seem bothered by people seeing them.
It's really good.
Jace reluctantly releases me from his hold so I can shower. I’m glad we got that out of the way because I don’t want the pain and hurt of him thinking I was mad at him still to fester and grow inside him.
We meet back in the kitchen once we’re showered.
"Mum's recipe." Jace hands me a piece of paper. I smile at Helen’s handwriting and give it back to him.
"She taught me how to make it. I remember everything." I smile at the amazed look on his face.
"It took me three years of begging to get that! She only gave it to me because we were moving here and she couldn't cook for us!" Jace whines and I grin in response.
"Get over it, J." Dominic comes up behind me, playing with my hair.
The movement makes my shirt slip off one shoulder. He leans down and kisses my bare shoulder. I glance up, smiling softly at him, his dark chocolatey eyes dancing with mine.
Jace is smiling happily and Alec's giving me a look that I finally understand now.
Hope.
His lips curl up in that secretive smile when he sees me watching him.
"Maverick!" I squeal when Mav scoops me up into his arms and I scramble to hold onto something, clutching his shirt tightly. He chuckles deeply before setting me in the centre of the bench.
"Tell us what to do, baby." Maverick stands between my legs. I meet his ice blue eyes and smile at the warmth in them.
We work together making the taco mix, Helen’s own recipe. Maverick doesn't let me help—only instruct—from my place on the kitchen island.
Jace makes me something called a baileys which is really yummy. I think I'm addicted.
The twins are making a salad, at Alec's request, while the taco mince is cooking in the frying pan Jace and Luc are sitting on the bench with me and Alec is cutting up tomatoes.
Luc puts his arm around me and I lean into his warmth as a cool breeze travels in through the open kitchen window. Winter is definitely coming.
Dominic turns around, giving me a view of his back. In a large gothic style block writing is a tattoo that has my eyes watering.
I jump down off the table, despite Maverick's objections and reach up to touch the bold letters between Dom's shoulder blades that read my brother's name.
Dominic tenses. My fingers trace over the letters, brushing away the tears that pool in my eyes, keeping me from seeing.
Dom slowly turns around after giving me a chance to stare at it.
"When did you get that?" I whispers, my voice breaking.
Dominic curls some of my stray hair behind my ear. "His birthday. Last year," he says roughly.
I see he has a few other tattoos on his arms and chest but I don't focus on them.
"We all have it, in different places." Alec breaks us out of our silence.
The twins turn and lift their shirts to show me the writing just above the waistline of their sweatpants on their backs.
“We didn’t tell our parents because of our age. We’ve kept them hidden,” J tells me.
Jace's is on his arm, up the side in a similar font to Dom's. Alec and Luc's are on the inside of their wrists in a swirly cursive font. I notice another symbol on Luc's other wrist but I don't ask about it.
"I love it," I finally say, wiping away the tears that have continued falling.
Dominic gently lifts me into his arms and my legs go around his waist to keep from falling. This turns into a massive group hug.
I lay my head on Dom's chest. When the guys break away, I notice them slying wiping away the odd tear. I hide my smile. When I've controlled my tears, I sit up, meeting Dom's eyes.
"It's beautiful, Dom," I murmur. The guys turn away, getting beers out of the fridge.
He stares at me for a moment. His hands balled in fists like he's holding something back.
One of his hands reaches up to cup my cheek. Before I can comprehend what’s happening, his lips brush over mine. They linger for a few seconds before they're gone leaving a ghost of the feeling remaining.
My mouth pops open. Dom just kissed me.
He searches my eyes before he smiles softly, a boyish grin on his face. He gently lowers me into the bench and turns back to what he was doing before I saw his tattoo.
I lift a shaky hand to my lips feeling the sensation of his pressed against mine over and over.
I look over and realise Mason's staring at me. He saw us, I can see it in his face. There's no hints of jealously in his expression when he winks and tips his beer to me.
Everyone goes on with what they're doing as I silently freak out.
What the hell just happened?