Page 36 of Quiet Confessions: Part Two

“I had a nightmare,” I whisper. I used to run across the yard to his house so many times when I had a nightmare or question, it became second nature.

I’m no longer ten years old, though. I’m a grown woman, and I want to feel safe again.

“Pay,” Cal sighs. “I suck at sharing.”

“Oh… okay,” I tell him, trying to sound as if it doesn’t bother me. My heart tells me it’s a big deal. Cal and Rooke are mine, and I’m a greedy bitch.

Starting to turn away, I decide to sleep on the couch. I don’t want to have to tell Ki that I was turned away, and I’m unsure if I’ll be able to fall back asleep. My dreams are fucked right now.

“Wait,” Cal barks, grabbing me around the waist. “You came here, I’m not going to turn you away. Do we need to wake you for your concussion?”

“She’s fine, I think,” Ki calls from his room.

“Then come in and find a spot on the bed,” Cal says, his head jerking toward the bedroom. “I’m selfish, possessive, and a dick. I’m trying this new thing where I’m more understanding. If you need Rooke, then that’s what you need.”

“I… Wow,” I tell him. I’m in shock. Cal always does whatever the fuck he wants. I’m surprised.

“Damn, I’m going to need a tattoo on my dick that warns all other men and women off since I’m being so amazing. Pay’s dick!” he snorts.

“There better be room for my name too,” Rooke says sleepily. “Come get in bed, baby girl. Cal is done fucking with you.”

“Yeah, I’m mostly done.” He grins and pulls me into the room. “Look, I’m trying. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing, but life is too damn short. I’m going to mess up.”

“We love your psychotic tendencies, baby,” Rooke mumbles from the bed, making me giggle.

“He says that now. We’ll see what he says when I follow the location on his phone everywhere. I’m going to LoJack his ass,” Cal mutters.

I don’t think I was meant to hear that, so I press my lips together to hide my smile. Rooke pulls me into his arms, and Cal sighs.

“Door open or closed?” he asks, waiting for us to answer.

“Open,” we respond quickly, and Cal stares for a moment before nodding.

I’m not ready to be enclosed again, plus Nate may want to join our cuddle pile.

Climbing into the bed, he spoons Rooke and kisses his neck. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. I’ll take it for now. I can feel a storm brewing in my gut, and I know that I’m going to have to do something with all of this black energy puttering around inside of me.

That’s tomorrow’s problem. Tonight, I’m burying my head in the sand.

Chapter Twelve

“Listen, I get it, and I love you all, but I’m not ready to talk about it. Right now, I’d really like to go to the club and just whip some people,” I grumble, and Cal looks at me like I just kicked his puppy.

“This can’t be safe, Pay,” he complains. “Can someone please back me up on this?”

Glaring at Ki and Nate, I almost dare them to tell me no. Rooke simply ignores the drama unfolding.

“Turn on your location and share it with us. Be careful. Shina cared about your well-being, and she made that abundantly clear when she let us take over her office and opened her resources to us,” Ki rumbles. “Be smart. Don’t take chances. Take my car.”

I don’t like to be dictated to, but since he’s making perfect sense, I nod. I have my duffel bag to change into my work outfit for tonight and raise my hand to catch his keys.

“What do you mean Shina helped?” I ask. I’m still fuzzy on all of the details that went into extracting Rooke and I from Letty and Earl’s home.

“Mr. Gray, which I’m sure isn’t his name,” Nate says drolly. “He called Shina to tell her that he’d seen you and to call someone who may be looking for you. She called me, and it gave us another piece to the puzzle. If this will help you, go to work. Just be careful.”

Ki nods, blowing out a breath. “I need to check on a couple of things, but I think you’re fine to go to work. Cal needs to get some things done too, don’t you?” Ki snorts.

“Yeah, I need to do some errands,” Cal says, looking as if he’d rather do anything else. “I’ll let you know if the asshole has anything interesting to say. Pay, I’ll walk you out if you’re leaving.”

---