Chapter 13 ~ #4
Mase finally manages to get Alec in a strong hold, breathing heavily. Alec taps out, having barely broken a sweat despite the movement. Clearly Mase and Jace had to work a lot harder than Alec as they were attacking.
My gaze moves across to Dominic and Maverick. They’re a lot more evenly matched with Dom only having a few centimetres on Maverick who stands at around six foot three.
They’d be talking quietly, watching Alec, Mason and Jace. Once they see that their friends are done, they turn back to face each other.
Dom and Mav touch knuckles with huge grins before breaking apart. Maverick attacks instantly, doing some crazy looking jujitsu or something like that while Dom defends himself, moving from side to side.
I see Dominic grin as he ducks Mav’s dunch and pops back up, clipping him on the jaw.
“Dom!” Jace warns but Mav recovers quickly. He sweeps his leg while Dom’s distracted. They wrestle for a bit, Dom’s size coming in handy as he pins Mav to the ground. I don’t see what happens but he yanks one hand back.
“You dickhead!” Dom scowls, rubbing the top of his hand. My eyes flick across to Luc who has a puzzled look on his face.
“The fucker bit me!” Dominic yells out.
Luc and I look at each other before bursting out in laughter. The others quickly join in as Mav rolls up and off the ground. Dom moves to smack the back of Maverick's head.
"Nuh-uh-ah. Luc says train like the real thing," Mav taunts. He runs up the verandah steps when Dominic goes after him again.
"I never said embrace your inner three year old," Luc tells him loudly.
"Tomato-tomato." Mav waves it off.
Alec walks over to where Dominic’s standing and picks up his hand. He scrutinises it for a moment before he seems to realise what he’s doing and drops his hand quickly.
Guilt shines unopposed on Dom’s face when Alec releases his hand like it burnt him. Alec masks the pain on his face instantly. The others pretend they didn’t see it.
They pair up again—the twins together while Dom, Alec and Jace join up.
“I wish they would just kiss and make up,” Luc murmurs in my ear and I nod silently.
“Come on,” Luc says, apparently sick of watching and not being able to do it. “We’ll start cooking.”
I get up and follow Luc, rolling my eyes at Mase who’s grinning suggestively at me. I think they’ve all lost their minds.
I pull myself up onto the bench while Luc rummages around in the freezer, getting out a few bags of steak. He puts them in the sink to defrost.
I take the opportunity to admire his tanned, defined arm muscles when they flex as he reaches up into the cupboard.
My gaze moves across his shoulders to his back.
There's old faded scars everywhere across his taut skin. The cigarette burns I recognise instantly. There's huge upwards raised lines that look a lot newer.
How dare anyone put their hands on him!
I cool my anger when he starts to turn. He hands me some painkillers, seeming unaware of the anger I'm trying to hide as he fills me a glass of water.
I didn't even realise how sore I was feeling.
"Thanks, Luci," I tell him and he smiles softly.
We talk for a while as the guys continue outside. I ask him about what training he's had. I was afraid it might make him close off but his eyes light up, especially when I ask him if he could teach me a few things.
The screen door opens and the guys come into the kitchen sounding like a herd of wild animals.
Jace puts his arms around me and I squirm. "You're all sweaty!" They don't release me so eventually I have to accept it.
He takes his sweaty, heavy arms off me to steal my water.
Jace's grey eyes sparkle in the light as the afternoon sun beams through the window. His dark hair is messy, dampened from the exercise.
The thin chain I've noticed around his neck is gone. It's not like the guy I remember to wear a necklace and he's not religious. I'll have to ask him about it later.
Without his shirt, I can see Dec's tattoo on his arm well. I faintly remember J telling me he wanted to get a tattoo, years ago. I don't imagine this is what he thought his first would be.
My best friend notices I'm staring, his gaze follows mine down to his arm.
I smile faintly, no pain in my heart to see Dec's name this time.
Luc engages Jace in a conversation, drawing his attention from me. J leans against the bench, crossing his arms and nods at whatever Luc is saying.
My eyes are drawn away from Dec's tattoo back to J. His navy Levi's are dangerously low on his hips giving me a peek at his deep v. My gaze travels up to his rows of well defined–
"You're staring.” Alec breaks me out of it with his quiet comment. I turn around to see him grinning on the other side of the bench.
I lean back so I can whisper, "No, I'm not."
"Why are you whispering then?" He raises one eyebrow, a smirk growing across his face.
My face starts to go red. I drop my gaze, embarrassed at being caught out. By Alec of all people.
"It's okay, Sunshine," he tells me. I can see the honesty in his face, his eyes are soft and reassuring. It doesn't feel like this is wrong, but I know I shouldn't be feeling this.
"What's okay?" I jump when Jace speaks.
"Nunya," I tell him.
"Huh?" Jace scrunches up his nose.
"None of your business," I stress and he scowls.
Mase suddenly appears, sliding along the bench to me. "What are you doing, Angel? We can't start cooking until you're dressed appropriately. This just won't do." He shakes his head, looking at me in disappointment.
"What?" I look at him like he’s lost his mind. Jace moves to smack him.
Mase's eyes widen, starting to backpedal. "In your pyjamas! We can't start cooking until you're in your pyjamas! You said we can’t cook until we’re all in our pyjamas!" He says quickly to save himself from Jace.
Luc snickers as Jace lowers his hand, making Mase visibly relax.
"Ok, caveman." I pat Jace's chest before sliding off the counter. "I can defend my honour next time."
As I'm exiting the kitchen, Mase asks, "You weren't actually gonna hit me, where you?"
"Brother, I'd do anything for her. You know you'd do the same." Jace returns. The guys voice their agreements then the noise fades as I head down the hall.
Ducking into my room, I rummage through the drawers only to remember leaving my pyjamas in the bathroom this morning.
The shower was running when I was walking past so I won't get them.
I find a pair of loose shorts and a discarded shirt on top of my drawers that definitely isn't mine. I rub my fingers over the soft material.
It's definitely one of the guys judging by the size of it. Maybe it's Luci's. Or Mase's. It would make sense that they accidentally left it in here. Neither of them wear shirts to bed though.
I shrug and grab it. If they’re going to leave it laying around…
I shut the door to the second bathroom, not bothering to lock it because no one comes in when I’m in here anyway.
Remembering that promise I made to myself when I first got here, I fill the bathtub.
Every time I’m in here more stuff appears. There’s lavender scented bubble bath and bath bombs in one of the corners of the bath. I smile softly at it as the bath fills and I add some of the bubble making stuff.
I used the other bathroom this morning but it seems that someone wants me to use this one.
Once it’s full, the water has a slightly purple tinge to it and the whole bathroom smells of lavender. I sink into the water and sigh, happily. I pull my hair up into a messy bun and lean my head back.