Page 72 of Ruthless Rebel

“Yes, I know,” she nods eagerly, giving me her full attention, and I know it’s now or never.

“Well, if it’s okay with you, they want me to be a part of their relationship too.” I try to keep my explanation as simple as possiblegiven her young age, but when her excitement quickly fades, I start to panic.

“Oh, I already know that,” she sighs, sounding disappointed with the news.

“You already know what? What do you mean?” I push, searching for an answer, as she rolls onto her side and stares up at me.

“I heard Jacey asking River why they are so obsessed with you, and Mommy said it’s because you’re their missing piece,” she rushes out through a yawn, surprising me slightly, before she adds, “And I’ve seen the way you watch them.”

Her statement throws me a little, and I can’t help but ask, “How do I watch them?”

She shrugs, yawning once more, as she mutters, “You look at them the way River looks at Mommy, and Grandpa looks at Grandma. Like they are your favorite.”

I can’t help but smile. She’s so young and innocent, and I spend so much time protecting her, that I sometimes forget how perceptive kids can be. They are so small that you forget they can still see everything.

“You’re my favorite,” I whisper, leaning down to kiss her head, as sleep starts to claim her. “But they are a close second,” I add quietly, admitting that to myself for the first time ever, and it’s like a cage I didn’t realize I was trapped in, breaks open at my words.

I’ve spent far too long living in the shadow of my last name and letting the darkness consume me, but my daughter is a beacon of light continuously guiding me, and it’s with her blessing that I slowly retreat from her room and head back downstairs.

Once there I find all the mess of the gingerbread houses now gone, food and drinks cleared away, and Elle, Marcus, Arthur, Helen, and Lily all trying to coordinate the mass of gifts that Logan and Zack are bringing up from the basement. Lincoln is on the sofa looking uncomfortable, and I’m sure it’s because he isn’t helping, and I head his way ready to help him out.

“Are you feeling better?” I ask loudly, and he looks up at me with a slight frown.

“What’s wrong?” Elle asks instantly from where she is kneeled beside the tree organizing the wrapped gifts, yet before Lincoln can respond I quickly cut in.

“He got food poisoning the other day from some takeout we had, and he’s still not feeling a hundred percent,” I lie, ensuring it gives a reason for him to be appearing weak.

“Oh no, Sweetheart, are you okay? Is there anything I can do,” Helen rushes out, filled with nothing but motherly concern.

“He’s fine, mom, Ash and I made sure he rested up and had plenty of fluids, don’t worry,” Logan replies, and I see her eyebrows rise in question, but he doesn’t elaborate any further.

I know both of them are probably not sure if and what I want to tell people, but honestly after everything, I just want to rip off the band aid. So with that in mind, I move toward Logan, and brush my hand across his shoulder.

“Can I help with anything?” I ask, and his eyes search mine with questions of his own, as he shakes his head softly with a shy smile.

“No, these were the last of them,” he gestures to the gifts he just discarded on the floor, and I nod, before moving away to take a seat next to Lincoln.

There is a silence lingering in the air, as Logan moves to sit on the other side of him, and all of us focus on the huge pile of gifts. It isn’t until the back door opens, and Jace slips in with more gifts in his hand, that all our eyes shift, and when he walks into the quiet room, he looks between us all before noticing the three of us sitting side by side.

His eyes flick across us, taking in ourclose proximity, before he rolls his eyes and grunts, “Told you they fucked.” Then he drops the gifts to the floor, moving towards Lincoln and holding out a fist for him to bump. “Welcome to the orgy club, brother, it’s about time,” he adds with a smirk, and Logan curses, as Linc has no choice but to bump his fist.

“Jace, come on man, my parents are right there,” Logan whines, blushing slightly, even though I have no doubt they have been witness to worse than this over the years.

“Let’s not forget about me,” Lily groans, looking uncomfortable, and unease runs through me, until Lincoln curls his pinky around mine.

I look down to where he has entwined them as Jace snorts a laugh, “Let’s not get started on you, Viper,” he snaps back, silencing her completely, as her eyes snap to Zack’s, who only frowns. “Anyway, I just came to drop some more gifts, and now I’m going to give my girl one,” he winks, moving back toward the door. “I’ll see you all in the morning,” he adds, throwing up a peace sign, as Elle shakes her head.

“See you in the morning, Pretty Boy,” she calls after him, until he disappears, and then she moves her focus over to us. “We’ve pretty much got this covered, if you guys want to head upstairs,” she says carefully, giving us an out, which I am about to refuse, but then Logan is jumping back to his feet.

“Yes we do,” he huffs, turning towards us both, leaving us no choice but to rise to our feet with him.

Lincoln moves a little slow, and I can tell it’s taking everything he has not to grunt in pain as he goes, and once we exit the room, my arm instantly snags around his waist, taking some of his weight. He smiles at me gratefully, which is how I know he really must be in pain, and Logan flanks his other side as we make our way upstairs.

It still feels a little weird for us all to be in a room alone together, given how fast everything has happened these last couple of weeks, yet it still somehow feels right. I help Lincoln over to his bed, as Logan closes the door behind us and plasters himself to it.

“Well, that was fun,” he purrs sarcastically, with a shake of his head. “I’m sure they all think we are going to be fucking one another up here now,” he smirks, and Lincoln grunts as I drop him to his mattress.

“I mean, I’m in a lot of pain, but I bet a threesome would make me feel better,” he grits, eyes dancing like the devil, and Logan laughs.

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