Chapter 18 ~
Rory ~
A hand clamps down over my mouth. My eyes fly open as I struggle, disorientated by the lack of light. A huge fucking body stands over me, cloaked in darkness.
I fight but they're holding me still, the hand covering my mouth muffles my screams.
“Hellfire.” They growl. The deep masculine voice is quiet in the room.
The voice is familiar enough that I stop fighting. That nickname…
The hand on my mouth disappears. I blink multiple times and squint in the dark.
“Drake?” I hiss, bleary eyed.
Drake motions that I need to be quiet, his eyes moving to the bodies peacefully sleeping around me.
Luc, since he’s with me, is sleeping silently on my left, his arm around my waist. I’m surprised he didn’t wake up with the movement.
Mase is dead to the night with his head buried in the crook of my neck, exhaling softly.
Jace and Maverick are spooning on the other side of Mase, most likely both thinking the other is me.
Luc, Mase and I had fun giggling over that earlier.
I swapped beds with Luc so now we’re a size up and the guys sleep with me most of the time.
Slowly moving limbs, I carefully extract myself out of the guy's holds. I hold my breath when Luc shifts, exhaling when he just rolls over.
Drake grabs my hand and plucks me out of the bed in one silent, stealthy movement.
Thankfully, the guys don’t wake up as Drake and I slip out of my room.
He storms down the hall and I hurry after him. I snag a stray hoodie off the couch and pull it over me.
I wince at the sharp pain when I raise my hands above my head. The bruising of my ribs is finally gone as well as the constant pain but occasionally I push my luck and it starts up.
Drake stops in the kitchen, turning back to face me. “What—“ he starts but I lift my finger to my mouth, telling him to be quiet.
I keep walking past him and unlock the wooden door. I tilt my head, motioning him to follow me. He silently steps out, shutting the door after me.
My hands burrow into the stolen hoodie’s pockets, the cold air not seeming to lift.
My birthday night was the start of winter and it’s only gotten colder in the last few weeks.
The guys haven’t brought up their proposal again.
Regardless, the affection hasn’t left—only growing as we spend more time together.
The kisses and blatant shows of affection only heightened the sexual tension between us.
It’s fucking painful not to say ‘screw this’ and jump into bed or a relationship with one of them. Or all of them.
But then I remember the reasons why I haven’t said yes. I’ve had this conversation with myself several times over the course of the weeks since my birthday.
I walk to the far end of the porch, Drake trailing behind me. He casually leans against one of the wooden posts.
I can’t help but stare in disbelief. I rub a hand over my face—just to check I’m actually awake. That he’s actually here.
Clearly going for the ‘hiding in the darkness’ vibe, Drake’s donning a black hoodie, dark jeans and black bike boots, covering his fit-muscled form.
He pushes the hood back, revealing his sharp jawline and striking blue eyes. They’re piercing in the darkness, bright against his olive skin. The dark circles under them reveal his exhaustion.
Anger starts to stir in me when he stays silent.
“Hel—“
Crack!
Drake lifts a hand to his face, rotating his jaw.
I scowl at him as I flex my hand by my side.
“I deserve that,” he admits.
I lift my foot, my eyes going below his waist and Drake backs up.
“Okay, maybe not that!” I don’t point out that his voice went a little high pitched.
“You left!” I hiss, wary of the guys who are hopefully still sleeping.
“I know,” Drake says solemnly.
“You didn’t tell me anything! The only reason I didn’t think you were dead is because Lindsey told me you were alive.” My anger evaporates, leaving hurt simmering behind.
“Fuck, Hel. I’m sorry. I was going to get in contact with you but things got complicated and I couldn’t risk it.” Drake steps up to me. “Look, I shouldn’t be here. I just had to warn y—”
His head snaps to the side. He grabs my arm, yanking me behind him as he pulls a gun from the waistband on his jeans.
Luc steps out of the shadows, his fingers itching to the trigger of his own handgun. There’s a downright lethal expression on his stone cold face as he keeps the gun trained on Drake.
Drake’s hand—not pointing his gun at Luc—stops me from stepping out from behind him.
“Shit! Drake, put the gun down.” I smack his shoulder.
Drake doesn’t even flinch. “Not a chance.”
I feel a hand slowly fist the back of my hoodie. I turn my head just as Dominic yanks me back from Drake. I stumble into him and his hands steady me.
Drake swerves around when he feels me being ripped away. He starts for Dom and I but suddenly goes still.
I rip myself out of Dominic’s hold when I see the gun pressed against the back of Drake’s head.
“Alright, enough!” I get between them, pushing Luc a step back. It’s fucking hard work, straining my ribs. “Everybody calm the fuck down. Put the guns down.” With me between him and Drake, Luc lowers his gun.
“Everyone.” I scowl.
The twins, Alec and Jace walk out from the darkness. Maverick and Mason are more reluctant to put down their weapons.
I give Drake the once over. “You good?”
He gives me a sharp nod.
“Is he okay? Are you okay?” Luc says incredulously. “How the hell do you know Drake King?”
I snort and give Drake the side eye. “Your last name’s actually King? I thought Giovanni was just bullshitting.”
“Changes between places,” he says, his eyes not shifting from Luc.
“What are you doing here?” Luc snaps. I realise their hostility isn’t from this one encounter.
“You two know each other?”
Drake and Luc just glare at each other, neither answering my question. I roll my eyes.
I lift my hand to my ribs, a steady ache settling into them with all the movement.
“Are you okay, Ro?” Jace walks between Luc and Drake, cutting off their staring contest. J cups my face, making me meet his grey irises.
“It’s just a little sore, it’s fine.” I brush off his concern.
“What did that asshole do now?” Drake breaks us up.
I sigh. “It doesn’t matter. It’s fine.”
Drake raises one eyebrow, calling me on my bullshit like always. I give him a withering look.
“How do you know Rory?” Luc interrupts.
“I spent a year at Cattle Creek with Hellfire.” Drake tucks his gun back into the waistband of his jeans. The guys look confused by the nickname.
“I saw some assholes drug Drake’s food at lunch—it’s a newbie thing they do,” I explain, my eyes flicking up to Drake. “I knew who he was but the shit they put in…I’ve seen what it does to people.”
“Remind me not to eat at school again,” Dominic mumbles.
“I was just about to start eating when some random girl sat on my lap and started kissing me.” I wince when Maverick growls at Drake’s words.
Thanks, dude. “Before I could do anything, she broke it off and whispered in my ear that the food was drugged.” Drake leaves out some minor details, seeing the guy’s faces grow dark.
“For appearances sake, I said something about seeing him after class or something loud enough for people to hear and not be tipped off.” I silently beg Drake not to say anything but apparently I’m not that lucky.
“Mmm, I’m not sure it went down exactly like that, Hel.” Drake says with a twinkle in his eye as he remembers exactly what I am definitely not telling the guys.
I slap his shoulder and he feigns hurt, grabbing his shoulder.
When we look up, nearly all my guys are scowling at Drake—other than Alec who’s watching him with a calculating, yet neutral, expression.
“Can we take this inside, please?” I ask the guys. “It’s freezing.”
Luc’s eyes finally soften, gradually losing the cold, unnerving glint in them.
Fuck, they must be half frozen. I’m wearing a jumper but the rest of them look like they rolled straight out of bed, all in pyjama pants or sweatpants—no shirts.
Drake hangs back, waiting for the guys to go through the door first. Luc inches closer to me.
“You first.” Luc holds the door open for Drake. He glances at me, clearing wary of having Luc behind him but strides in.
Luc glares at the back of Drake’s head, not moving from the doorway.
I brush his hand with mine and he snaps out of it.
Luc sighs at the nervous, wary expression I must be portraying and places his palm on my back, leading me in.
Alec’s fiddling with the kettle, Dom blearily activates the coffee machine, and the others are carefully watching Drake from the corner of their eyes.
Drake’s leaning against the bench, fiddling with something in his pocket–probably his knife. I notice that he’s intentionally far from the guys, continually shifting to keep them all in his eyesight.
“Tea, Sunshine?” Alec breaks me out of my study of the room.
“Yeah. Please.” I add, yawning. “What’s the time?”
Alec pulls his phone from his pocket. “Five.”
Shit, no wonder I’m tired. Mase and I stayed up working on our artist statements. Apparently Alec was only in Art so someone was with Mason so he switched to Biology with Luc. It’s late to be switching subjects but he’s definitely smart enough to catch up.
“Do you want anything?” I ask Drake. He shakes his head.
I note the blackness under his eyes and turn to Dom. “Can you make him a coffee, please? Black, one sugar.”
“Only if I get to add poison.” Dominic crosses his arms. I narrow my eyes on him and he rolls his. “Fine.” He moves on to making Drake’s coffee, handing Luc his.
The silence is awkward and uncomfortable as everyone struggles to stay awake.
Dom and Alec finish up with our drinks, my hands curling around the warm cup.
Dom places Drake’s coffee on the bench beside where he’s standing.
“Thank you,” Drake tells Dom who just grunts in response. Whatever Luc’s deal is with Drake, the guys have clearly heard all about it.
I break the silence. “How did you know I was outside?” I turn to the guys.