We all fall into an exhausted heap, our bodies slick with sweat, and I notice Kenzo’s wound is leaking blood, but he disregards it and snuggles closer. I want to check on Garrett’s too, but he’s behind me, and if the hard way he’s holding me is any indication, it shows he has no inclination to move any time soon.
Morons.
Ryder is going to kill us.
But in my defense…how am I supposed to resist them? They have abs, for fuck’s sake. Those little dents of happiness are my weakness, and seriously, would any girl turn down orgasms from their powerful, tatted, muscly—wait, I forgot my train of thought.
Ah, fuck it.
“I fucking love naps.” Garrett huffs, making us all laugh.
“Naps are my new favourite thing,” Kenzo states. “I think I need some more healing.” He wiggles his eyebrows, making me smack his chest.
“Yeah, well, so does my pussy, so shut your mouth and let’s actually nap,” I order, and they both chuckle.
“So cute when she orders us around,” Garrett mumbles, pressing closer to my back. “Baby, you think you control us?”
“I don’t think, I know I do, now shut up and let me sleep,” I demand, closing my eyes, and like I thought they would, they stay quiet.
Yeah, I control these bastards, they just don’t realise it.
Chapter Sixty-Three
ROXY
After our little nap, I wake up before the other two and leave them to heal. I text Ryder, mentioning he might need the doctor to check up on them, and then I fall into an exhausted slumber in my own room. I must have slept the rest of the day and night away, because when I wake up, it’s sunny again, so it’s clearly morning.
I guess the last week has taken its toll, but I feel full of energy today, and when I stretch and hit something hard, I don’t even scream, I just flip over, grab the knife from under my pillow, and have it at his neck in no time.
Diesel barely opens one eye, but a smile curls his lips. “Morning to you too, Little Bird,” he murmurs, before grasping me and dragging me back to his chest.
“D!” I gush, snuggling closer. I missed the crazy bastard. He was gone all day yesterday, busy working he said.
“Told you I would be free today. You’ve been busy,” he mumbles, stroking down my back even as I hold the blade to his throat.
“What can I say, I get bored,” I tease, making him laugh before he groans.
“We better get up, it’s breakfast time, and I’m starving. If no one feeds me soon, I might eat you,” he warns darkly, then chuckles.
“Anytime, babe, any fucking time.” Sitting up, I slip from his chest with the knife still in hand and stroll naked to the shower. I hear his groan behind me.
“Not fair, Little Bird,” I hear him call as I laugh and shut the door.
After I’ve showered and dressed in a shirt, I head out to find them all at the table like normal. Honestly, I’ve missed these breakfast meets. It’s the only time we’re usually all together, and with Ryder going back to work and Diesel off and busy, it’s not been the same. I slip into my seat. Ryder pours me a coffee, and Kenzo fills my plate, his hand landing on my thigh under the table after, stroking it casually as I yank up my other leg and lay it on Ryder’s lap.
His hand drops to it and massages as he sips from his teacup. The sight of him doing that still drives me mad for some reason. Every day, I watch him drink from it like a goddamn ritual, like he has mesmerised me.
He catches me staring and winks, and his eyes seem…warmer today. Has he been melting more and more around us and I haven’t even noticed? Hell, he doesn’t even have his phone on him.
“Morning, love,” he murmurs, and leans over and kisses me ever so softly, tasting the coffee on my lips before he goes back to sipping his tea. “Okay, D, update.”
“Triad daddy is dead, rolled right through a window, whoops, and yesterday, I made sure there were no others hiding in the city.” He grins, flipping open his lighter and lighting a cigarette before snapping it closed. His feet come up and land on the table as he crosses his legs, still smoking.
“Garrett, how are you feeling?”
Garrett shrugs and finishes his mouthful before leaning back. “Fine, the doc redressed the wounds.” He winks at me then, making me giggle.
“Kenzo?” Ryder asks.
Kenzo leans into me, still stroking my thigh. “Healing and fine. You can thank Roxy here for our set back.”
“Uh-uh.” I shake my head. “It was all you fuckers. There I was, innocently napping—”
“With your ass pushing against my cock,” Kenzo interjects, but I ignore him.
“And you decided to have a quick sausage party.” I grab a sausage on my plate and gesture through my fingers with it to explain, making even Ryder snort.
That’s when I realise this is their version of a check in—sometimes about business, sometimes family. This is how they stay together, because they listen. It’s adorable really, but I don’t say that out loud, ’cause four men would hunt me and prove it wasn’t, in fact, adorable.
Dropping it, I look to the man in question. “Ryder?”
“Yes?” He sounds confused.
“No, I mean check in, how are you?” I snort.
He blinks, and that’s when I realise no one has ever asked him before. “Erm, fine, I have an open day today.” He wipes his mouth and puts his teacup down. “Which reminds me, we need to discuss something.”
My stomach sinks, and I look around to see all their faces darken. “Going to try and kill me?” I query casually. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past them if they thought they had to.
“Not today,” Diesel responds, toasting me with his cigarette.
“We need to talk, love,” Ryder repeats seriously, making me suck in a breath. Something is wrong, it has to be…but how does it involve me?
I haven’t beat anyone up today, so it’s not that.
RYDER
I sit her down on the sofa and crouch before her, holding her hand in mine. Kenzo and Diesel bracket either side of her, and Garrett stands behind her, protecting her back like always. “Love, we have been thinking.” I share a look with the others, who nod their encouragement. “Your father—”
She narrows her eyes at the reminder, and I smile sadly and cover her lips with my hand before she can start shouting, telling us she hates us again.
“Your father, Roxy, he needs to pay for what he did to you, both in the past and recently. We might have accepted the deal, but now that we-we—”
“Love you,” Kenzo inserts confidently.
“Yes, love you.” I nod. “It means we can’t let an insult like that stand to our girl. Now, I know you hate him and he’s responsible for heinous things in your past—trust me, love, I understand that—which is why I want to know if you want us to deal with it.” I release her lips, and she licks them, looking between us.
“You mean kill him? You would do that?”
“Baby, when are you going to realise there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for you?” Garrett snorts.
“I-I don’t know if I can face him, it’s been years,” she admits, and Diesel presses closer.