Chapter Eight
As soon asI return to my room I get into the bed and pull the covers up around me. “Dim lights,” I say, my voice wobbling. I’ve just revealed my heart to them, and they said nothing. A sob escapes my throat as I lay in the dark. I hear low voices next door and wonder what they are talking about. A horrible cloud of doubt settles over me, they are probably trying to find ways to let me down gently. Perhaps I’d said too much too soon. Curling onto my side, I close my eyes and try to ignore the ache in my heart. Sleep doesn’t come, so I remain like that, wide-eyed in the dark, for what feels likehours.
Some time later, the door to my room eases open and I see Bryce step inside. Max follows, shutting the door behind him. There is barely any light, but I can just about make them out as they climb onto the bed, my eyes having got used to the dark since I’ve been awake solong.
“What are you doing?” I whisper quietly, afraid this is all a dream and I am about to wakeup.
Bryce gently curves his body around my own, clutching me to his chest. “We want you to know that you will always remain safe within our arms,darling.”
I smile in the dark at that, feeling instantly happy at his words. He understood me, they both did. On the other side Max scoots close to me, presses a light kiss against my forehead, then he settles himself down, takes my hand in his and pulls it against hischest.
“Hey, Icy. I hope you don’t mind us coming in here to warm youup?”
“Of course not. What took you so long?” Iwhisper.
“Stupidity mostly,” Bryce chuckles, the sound reverberating through my back, he’s soclose.
I am sandwiched between them. It feels wonderful, except for one thing. Hudson isn’t withthem.
“Hudson?”
“He’s sleeping off the alcohol. This isn’t a rejection from him. He wants to be sober when he speaks with you next. For now, we’ll have to do,” Bryce says, pressing a light kiss into the curve of myneck.
“Hey, I care about you all equally,” I say in mockdefence.
“We know you do,” Bryce says, pulling me closer against his back, nuzzling his lips against the crook of myneck.
Max presses his lips against my knuckles. “We want you to know that this is just the beginning, Icy. The first night of the rest of our lives. We’re not going anywhere. So long as you’ll haveus.”
“Okay,” I whisper. My heartsoars.
The feeling of being encased between them both makes me feel safe, loved. Both are aroused, I can feel the hardness of their cocks pressing against me, but they make no move to try and initiate sex. This is their way of showing me how they care, how they understand what I need from them most of all. That I need to feel safe. I can’t deny that I am turned on, that every inch of my skin pressed against theirs is fizzing with sensation, but my exhaustion overrules that desire. Lying here in their arms isenough.
Before long I can hear the soft, even breaths of Max and Bryce sleeping, and I find my thoughts wandering to Hudson as I too drift off tosleep.
* * *
I awakethe next morning to loud music being played. It startles me out of my sleep and I jerk awake. A sharp pain stabs me in the side. “Fuck a duck,” Isay.
“Fuck a duck?” Max laughs softly. He is still pressed close to me, his face not far from myown.
“Just a funny saying I picked up.” I grin, then stop when my lip startsstinging.
Max lifts his fingers to my face, his warm brown eyes taking mein.
“That arsehole who did this to you, he deserves to be beaten to a pulp. No one is ever going to touch youagain.”
“Hey,” I say, pressing my hand against his chest. “I don’t wantanyof you getting into trouble on my behalf. Promise me you won’t do anythingstupid.”
Max frowns, a muscle feathering in his jaw. “We won’t, of course we won’t, but every time I think about what could have happened if Bryce hadn’t turned up when he did, I find myself wanting to commit murder. When Bryce told us the full story last night I was fucking furious. I still am. If Hudson hadn’t been so drunk there is no doubt in my mind he would have hunted the man down and killed him, no matter what Brycesaid.”
“Is that what you were talking about? When you didn’t say anything after…” I stop. I know I am being ridiculous, that them both being here with me now should be enough for me not to feelinsecure.
“What,Louisa?”
“None of you said anything… After I explained why I left the way I did, why I am the way I am, you didn’t say anything. I thought you didn’tcare.”
Max’s palm presses against my cheek. “No, no that wasn’t it at all. I’m sorry we made you feel that way. Why do you think we came in here? We wanted you to feel safe. Wewantedto be with you. Hud too. Like Bryce said last night, he wanted to be sober. He feltashamed.”