Chapter 50
La Petite Mort
Luke
I stop beside Nico. “Do you need anything?”
“Help shift my leg?” He holds his hands down to the brace.
I lift his leg slightly and help adjust his pillow.
“Thanks, man.” Nico leans back against the pillows. His attention shifts to Harper as a door closes upstairs. Jack dips his head to kiss her softly, gently.
I’m not sure how to act now. It seemed like the easiest way to explain our feelings, but I forced everyone else’s hand. Do I believe we all feel deeply for Harper and that it’s love? Yes.
Do I think everyone was ready to admit it to her and her mother? Maybe not.
She draws away from Jack and turns to look at me. Her brown eyes shine with such happiness. I don’t know what this week will bring. I don’t know how we’ll keep her safe. But we’ll find a way.
She walks over to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her head against my pounding heart. I pull her in tight against me. If she left me, it would break me.
She’s a part of me, and I’ve told her before but never like this. I can’t let her go.
“You’ve definitely gotten better at hugs,” she murmurs.
“You give me lots of practice.” I kiss her temple as I pull away. “What do you want to watch, princess?”
She steps back, and Caden draws her back against him, hugging her shoulders as she brings her hands up to his arms. Her head rests against his chest.
“Don’t you like zombie shit?” Caden asks. I refrain from rolling my eyes. He’s the one who wanted to watch that zombie show with her.
She tips her head back to glare at him. “It’s not shit. It’s about how society can devolve so easily.”
“And how people eat people.” Eli draws her against him and hugs her close. “We should probably stick to regular horror, like a rom-com.”
When she laughs, my insides untwist. We’re all here. We’re all safe. For now.
This might be our last chance to just hang out before the outside world starts coming for us.
“I have the perfect breakup film.” Harper pulls away from Eli and picks up the remote. She leans over Nico and gives him a kiss before sitting down with Jack again.
The TV comes on and she scrolls through the menu while we figure out where to sit. Caden sits down by her legs, leaving the chairs for Eli and me. Asshole.
Her fingers tangle in Caden’s hair as she focuses on the menu and chooses the movie Midsommar. She clicks play, and before she can get up, Eli stands.
“I’ve got the lights.” He shuts off the lights, while Caden reaches forward and snags a pizza slice from the box.
“We need like ten more of these,” Caden says with his mouth full.
“On it.” Jack’s phone lights up the space as Eli takes his seat.
“We could make popcorn,” Harper suggests.
“I’ve got it.” I go into the kitchen and grab the microwave bowl and popcorn kernels. When she did this that afternoon I spent here, I paid attention. I put it in the microwave and wait.
I hardly hear her bare feet before her arms wrap around my waist from behind. Rubbing her hands, I pay attention to the microwave.
“You should go watch the movie, princess.”
“I’ve seen it.” She’s pressed against me.
The constant need I have for her rises. This girl will let me do anything to her, but part of me just wants to hold her and watch her fall apart in my arms.
“What’s going to happen next week?” she murmurs so low I almost don’t hear her.
I turn and lift her onto the counter. Parting her legs, I step between them and cradle her jaw in my hand. “We’re going to take down Zach.”
My words are soft but her mouth opens and shuts. We don’t know if or where someone might have left a listening device. Sure, Mr. Wick gave us one, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t plant another. It’s what we did in Sidney’s room.
“What if he wins?” Her eyes are wide and haunted.
“He can’t.” I press my forehead against hers. “I won’t let him.”
I can’t let him. He wants to destroy Harper to take us down. That can’t happen.
“Luke?”
When I open my eyes, hers burn with something I’ve seen from her time and time again but couldn’t identify.
“I love you,” she whispers. “I’m not just saying that because you said it first.”
Smirking, I press my lips to hers before stopping the microwave. “You just wanted to claim a first of ours, princess.”
She smiles. “I guess I did. Our last first.”
I tuck her hair behind her ear. “No, it’s not the last. We have a whole lifetime of firsts to get through together.”
Her smile could light up the whole room. I capture it, needing to taste her happiness, needing to taste her. Her lips move beneath mine. She threads her fingers into my hair and my cock grows harder. She’s mine, but I still need to be respectful of where we are.
I pull back. “Let’s go watch the movie.”
She groans but nods. Her mother is upstairs. Of all the adults in our lives, that woman has taken everything we’ve done to her daughter and still trusts her daughter’s decisions. She’s been kind to us when she could have slammed the door in our face and probably should have.
I help Harper down to her feet and capture her mouth again. She opens beneath me, holding nothing back, and I want every piece of her. There are so many firsts we can share as we go to college and enter the workforce.
We’ll do it all together. Her needy little whimper doesn’t escape me, but I still draw away and get the popcorn. With a sigh, she takes my hand, and we walk back to the living room. She touches Eli’s arm as she passes and gives him a smile.
When I set the popcorn on the table, Caden grabs a handful. Harper takes the ice pack from Nico’s knee and puts it back in the freezer. He gives her a sleepy smile. The pain meds must be kicking in.
I take my seat. When she returns, she curls up next to Jack and touches Caden’s hair again. Her attention goes to the screen, and I just breathe this in. This is how I always want to be. Just my guys and Harper together.
I love the games we play, but this right here... This is what family means. I’m beginning to understand more that this is what love is.
Harper
I don’t want this to end, so when the credits roll, I put on a show and snuggle against Jack. He’s asleep and so is Nico. I don’t mind as long as they’re here.
Pausing this moment and staying in it forever should be an option. But tonight will end. The guys will go home, and tomorrow we’ll go to Eli’s and probably work on stuff that, as my mother says, shouldn’t be our responsibility.
Eli stretches and he turns to capture my gaze. He loves me. It’s so surreal.
They care about me, but love? They can feel it, but to label it that... My heart is close to bursting. Was it just to placate my mom? To make her feel better that they claimed me?
The stairs creak, and I turn to see Mom coming down the stairs. Smiling at me, she walks to the couch.
She places the back of her hand on Nico’s forehead. “Did they give him pain meds at the hospital?”
I nod.
“Fresh ice pack?” She glances at his brace.
“A little while ago.” Eli blows out a breath.
“Good.” She takes in the empty boxes on the island. I haven’t gotten the energy to clean up yet.
“We’ll clean up before we leave.” Caden stretches and turns to look at my mom.
I don’t want them to leave, but we definitely don’t have space for all of them at my house. Not unless we want to slumber party it in the living room. I smile because that would be another first.
“I’m surprised to find any of you asleep.” She smiles as Jack snores softly.
“He’s been working a lot.” I rest my head against his chest. “He has help, but he doesn’t want to give out too much.”
Mom nods. “It’s late. You should probably wrap up before you all fall asleep in the living room.”
I sigh. She’s right, but I don’t want them to go. Falling asleep together seems natural.
Luke grabs the remote and turns off the TV. Mom flicks on the kitchen lights as she gets herself a water. Jack wakes up and stretches beneath me.
“What’d I miss?” He smirks, but it’s sloppy from sleep.
“The whole movie.” Caden stands and then helps me up. “It’s time to head home.”
“You staying at my place?” Jack’s attention is on Caden as he stands beside me, putting me between them almost like second nature.
“Yeah, my parents are there for Ava.” Caden brushes my hair behind my shoulder, and a little shiver ripples through me. His eyes darken and I want to lose myself in him.
“Lock up after they leave, Harper.”
My cheeks heat. I forgot she was down here.
“I will,” I call after my mom as she climbs the steps. Her door closes and Caden captures my mouth, lifting me against him so he doesn’t have to bend down as much. I wrap myself around him, glorying in the taste and feel of him.
He leans his forehead against mine as we just breathe each other in. “I love you, little nympho. I’ll make sure everything is all right.”
Sighing, I drop my legs. “I believe you, War.”
He searches my eyes. A moment of vulnerability flashes in them.
I press up on my toes and brush my lips against his. “I love you.”
He captures me against him and takes my lips with his. It’s still a battle, but one that leaves both of us victors. He draws away.
“Tomorrow,” he whispers like a promise.
He presses his forehead to mine and my body softens. It’s going to take a while for me to fall asleep without them. Especially since they’re all winding me up.
Caden steps away and helps Nico to his feet. Jack captures the back of my neck and draws me in against him.
“No one will ever love you as much as we do, sweetheart.” There’s a world of love in his eyes and it’s all focused on me.
When I press up, he lowers to meet my kiss. I can’t begin to imagine any other life than one with these guys now. He lingers for a second as we explore each other. When he pulls away, I take a moment to savor his kiss before opening my eyes.
“I’ll figure this out, Harper.” He cups my cheek and I lean into his touch.
“We’ll figure it out. We’re in this together.”
His heart pounds beneath my hands on his chest.
When Jack nods and walks to the door, Caden brushes his hand over my hip as he passes me. Awareness trickles through me, and I really don’t want any of them to go.