It wasn’t that she was a bad mother, she just wasn’t very maternal, especially after my father walked out and she had to take on two jobs just to support us in the crappy one-bedroom apartment that was all we could afford. There wasn’t a whole lot left over for me when she dropped exhausted on the couch at the end of the day. She died a few years after I enlisted, leaving me without any family until the one me and my brothers built.
Avery and Chloe have only added to that family in my eyes but judging by the looks East and Zack had been sending her sleeping form against me, a conversation was in order. So I do my best form of communicating once I hear her door close and growl out, “Mine.”
East’s eyebrows pop up and then a challenge fills his eyes as he snaps back, “Mine!”
We both turn our gazes to Zack who throws up his hands. “I wish!”
When we keep him pinned with our stares, he rolls his eyes.
“What? You think I’d ever have a chance with her like this?” He points at his leg where his prosthetic is hidden by his pant leg.
I growl out a sound of dismissal and East scoffs, “Fuck off. That wouldn’t mean shit to her. Stop being a martyr. If you want to lay claim, fucking do it. Cards on the table time.”
Zack shoots a look my way and when I give him a sharp nod, he sighs.
“So, how’s this supposed to work then? We all try and charm her, date her when she’s ready? Are we really going to make her pick who she likes best?” He huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s not going to turn out well at all.” He scrubs at the scruff on his chin. “This is a bad idea. First off, she’s barely stopped flinching whenever we move too fast near her. Second, are the two of us that don’t get picked going to be just fine on the sidelines watching the girl we want locked down and loved? Cause that won’t cause resentment…at all.” He says sarcastically. “It’ll end up being a Yoko Ono thing if it develops into something with a future and I for one don’t want to break up this band. I mean, I know that eventually we might find partners and move to our own homes but…”
The frown deepens on my face the more he talks, pointing out things I hadn’t considered. I want her and I want Chloe but I don’t want to lose my brothers, my home with them. I see the conflict on East’s face and before I even know what I’m saying it comes out.
“Doesn’t have to choose.”
Two sets of eyes spear me with looks like I’ve lost my mind so I cross my arms over my chest and sent out the challenge.
“She doesn’t have to choose. She can have us all.”
East’s expression morphs from disbelief to amusement to finally consideration but Zack starts laughing.
“Man, I know you’re part animal but really? People don’t just form packs and share mates! That’s fucking crazy!”
“Is it?” East breaks in rubbing his jaw while studying me. “It would be the perfect solution for us. None of us want to separate into different houses or lives. We all work different hours so one of us would always be around for them, never leaving them neglected. And if I was ever going to share a woman with anyone, it would be with you two, so…”
I rumble my agreement as Zack’s wide gaze darts back and forth between us. He throws his hands up again and shakes his head when he sees that we’re seriously considering this.
“Fine, let’s say that could actually work with…someone. But do you think Avery’s that someone? Come on, guys! She’s been through so much. She’s…fragile. If you go to her with this, who's to say she wouldn’t go along fearing that she’ll lose her place here if she doesn’t? You can’t put this on her when she’s still this damaged. Never mind that her fucker of an ex is still out there somewhere just waiting to find her. Fuck!”
I grunt to acknowledge his words. Fuck, he’s right. I would never want Avery to feel pressured into something out of fear or even obligation to us for taking her in so I rumble out a sigh.
“Put a pin in it for now. I’m tired of worrying about that dick. Need a name!”
“I have a name and an address.”
East drops it like a fucking bomb between us causing both Zack and I to surge forward in our seats, eager to finally have a direction to focus our anger on.
“She fucking told you?” Zack asks incredulously.
East shakes his head, drains the last of his wine, and stares at the empty glass with a frown.
“No, she didn’t.” His eyes lift to meet ours and I see the banked rage in them. “Do you know she had never had wine before yesterday? Never had any type of alcohol. She married him right at eighteen. She never had any kind of life after that. Never did any of the stupid shit a person’s supposed to do to figure out how to be an adult. Just wham, wife and then mother locked in a fucking cage.”
His fingers turn so white around the stem of the glass I expect it to break at any moment and slice his hand. “Last night, after I helped her make the pies, I was taking out the empty bottle to the recycling and her car caught my eye. It’s been sitting there in the garage since I brought her here and it got me thinking that we should dump it somewhere far away. Eliminate that thread in case he’s reported it stolen. And then I walked over to it, opened the passenger door, popped the glove box and there it was. Name and address on the registration slip.” He breathes out and gently sets the glass down on the coffee table. “She’s from Augusta, Maine. That’s where we find him and end this.”
Zack pushes to his feet with a steely look in his eyes. “Send me the name and address and I’ll start digging. As for the rest, leave it be for now. She’s not ready.”
He turns away and goes to the kitchen and pulls what’s left of the pies out of the fridge. I turn my eyes back to East and he gives me a small nod.
“Yeah, pin it for now.”
Avery
