She burrows into me, laying her head on my chest. I rest my chin on her head.
I hear myself eventually reply. "You're not the only one whose parent has threatened your family."
Rory doesn't respond. Her hand reaches up, her fingers brushing my cheek, a sad smile on her lips before her hand drops back into her lap.
I'm stunned by the simple movement that makes me feel like everything's going to be okay. As long as I have her in my arms.
And that's where we stay. Until the sun peaks over the hill—warming us a little, and the guys join us.
Chapter 16 ~
Alec ~
The guy's laugh uproariously as Rory tells us the story of Jace's sixteenth birthday party.
"So," Rory has to stop to control her laughter before continuing, tears streaming down her face. "So, he walks past the kitchen in his hungover state—not realising during some point in the night Dec's donned him a skimpy, bright red, matching lace number and has now proceeded to flash Devon, Helen and me his goods thinking his parents won't be home for a few hours."
We're all in tears with laughter at this point while Jace's scowling, his hands covering his bright red face.
"What did you do?" Maverick manages to get out between laughs.
"What could I say?" Jace throws his hands up. "I owned my shit and dealt with it."
"The hell you did!" Rory jumps in.
Jace groans realising Rory's more than willing to throw her best friend under the bus.
"He told his parents they were mine and that I'd dared him." Rory crosses her arms from her position on Mason's lap at the head of the table.
"Ro!" Jace whines while Rory just grins.
"I've been holding that story in for four years," Rory tells him, shrugging unapologetically.
"You were fourteen when that happened?" I jump in after quickly doing the math.
Her eyes filled with mirth move to mine.
"Yeah," she nods, "his parents didn't look at me the same for weeks."
"You went along with it?" Dominic questions, grinning.
Rory rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I covered for my brother and his best friend because they weren't supposed to throw a party in the first place and I definitely wasn't supposed to be there, let alone drinking. I wasn't going to face those consequences—Devon and Helen thought I was an angel."
Jace blanches. "You weren't drinking."
"Sure I wasn't." Rory reaches out and pats Jace's chest before nestling back into Mase's hold.
The horror enriched into Jace's face is enough to make us all burst out in laughter again while Rory smothers her grin by taking a sip of the orange juice and champagne concoction Mason made. It’s her third glass and is clearly drinking just enough to make her a little loose lipped. Good for us—bad for J.
All of the guys except Jace and I have their own glass. I guess after this morning, Jace doesn't trust himself. I don't drink so declining was easy for me.
Breakfast was a gloriously cheerful affair. We came out to find Luc and Rory asleep on the daybed, curled up in each other's arms. This morning took a lot out of them. Out of all of us.
Maverick picks up a sliver of honey dew and brings it to Rory's lips. She chews slowly, the rest of us watching when her tongue flicks out, catching a drop of the sweet fruit about to drip from the corner of her mouth.
Heated glances fly across the table at Rory’s obliviously innocent move that has everyone shifting in their chairs.
A familiar stifled, quiet groan has me looking across at Dominic on my left. The lust in his eyes is replaced with guilt when Dom catches my pained look. I shift my gaze, desperately trying to fix enough resolve to hold together a neutral expression.
