We only bought the basics to get by, assuming we’ll have to bail at the drop of a hat, but in case the police make a visit, we need to not look incredibly suspicious. I’ve no doubt there’s a missing person’s report out for me, so it’s just a matter of where or when they’re going to turn up asking questions. And seeing as Blake is going to wind up dead? I’d like to not be arrested before we can abandon ship, so we’re trying to cover all of our bases as best as we can.
“I still don’t like this,” Stryker complains, dragging one of the cheap mattresses down the hall to chuck in a bedroom. “Humans are such prudes. How am I supposed to keep my hands to myself when we’re out there, dangling you in front of people? You’re such pretty bait, and it’s unfair to expect me not to take a bite.”
He comes back for the last mattress, setting it up so that we have three separate bedrooms in the house. Mason and I work our way through the bags, starting to put everything away around the house.
Mason tosses a package of paper plates and plastic silverware in the kitchen, rolling his eyes at a pouting Stryker. “Because we’re going to gain way more attention over Risa claiming to have three boyfriends than we will over her sudden return. People’s priorities always favor the most scandalous gossip. It’s easier for everyone if we pretend she left her ex to run off with me, and you two are my brothers.”
Bane walks by on his way to the bathroom with a bag of supplies. “Human mates are husbands, not boyfriends, I thought?”
I bite back my smile, still nervous about this plan, but feeling better than before. The revelations, betrayal, and depression have been soothed by the promise of revenge, and that fire is helping cauterize my psychological wounds.
“Running off to elope works too. Get their focus on the wrong drama.”
Stryker approaches me with a sly grin, caging me between him and the wall. Tracing his fingers down my arm and over my wrist, he toys with my empty ring finger. “Now that we don’t need to worry about replacing it every time you shift, there’s no reason not to get you one. I’ll take care of that tomorrow while you three go see if you can get your job back.”
My heart skips a beat. “I’m not sure how Mindy will react to you three hovering during all of my shifts.”
He leans in to kiss me, fingertip skimming over the pulse in my wrist, his other hand resting on my hip. “Let us worry about that, and you just focus on scanning the crowd, alright?” With one more kiss, he gently smacks my hip before heading back to unpacking. “At least one of us needs to make some money until that insurance check deposits, after all.”
I snort. “You’re right; you three enjoy your beauty sleep while I do all of the heavy lifting to support us.”
Bane scowls. “I hate this, but it makes the most sense. If one of us tried to get a job, there'd be no discreet way to have the rest of you hovering around, and I can’t imagine wherever we’d get hired would benefit us in any way. The point is to draw out your parents without leaving you vulnerable, and if they had someone abduct you from the running trail, they knew your routine. The club would be the best bet to get them to show their faces, and the three of us can blend into the crowd.”
Carrying a bag of towels towards the bathroom, I pat Bane’s chest reassuringly as I pass by him. “I’m teasing. We all know you’re not broke, just cautious with budgeting, but humor me a little.” Setting the towels on the counter, I return to the others. “Honestly, it’s kind of nice having you three needmefor something, for a change.”
“Pssh,” Mason waves off, pulling out his phone to order pizza since we don’t have any groceries yet. “You woefully underestimate yourself. The fact that you haven’t realized we need you simply to be able to breathe, goes to show that we’re failing miserably at our jobs already. So if you could take point on everything while we get our shit together, that’d be great, thanks.” He starts rattling off our order without giving me a chance to reply, but by the time he hangs up the phone, I still haven’t figured out a decent retort.
I’m just... happy. Honest to God, happy, and I can’t recall the last time I ever even came close. My childhood sucked, and my adult life was arguably worse, until recently. I know they say you can’t fall in love this quickly, that it’s simply lust and the rest comes later. Even so, I can at least claim that I lovethis; being surrounded by people that try so hard, that put each other first without the others letting them lose themselves in the process.
I love it as much as it terrifies me. It’s one thing to dream alone in the dark, when you don’t actually know what you’re missing, but another completely to have experienced it. I can’t go back to existing the way I was before; it would destroy me. But being that codependent, letting my happiness hinge entirely on their existence in my life is a dangerous thing.
And I hate myself just a little before making my peace with it. Seeing the small smile Bane tries to hide as he looks at Mason with hope, obviously proud of how far he’s come, I cut myself some slack. You don’t have to love yourself before anyone else can. The people that matter are the ones that love you harder when you’re falling apart, trying to figure everything out.
“You’re right.” Three sets of eyes turn to me in confusion as I swallow, giving myself an extra second to let go of who I used to be, the version of myself that everyone fought so hard to control instead of fightingfor.“Some revenge is long overdue, so might as well embrace it and have some fun.”
Chapter 17
