Page 22 of Acid

“Rhea,” I call her name. Her wide eyes snap to mine. “Can you thank me in like 10 minutes? I’m in the fucking shower,” I state sharply.

Her cheeks deepen. I’ve embarrassed her. “Oh yeah. Sorry. It’s just, it’s made me a bit emotional and overwhelmed. I didn’t want you thinking we weren’t grateful or rude, or that I didn’t thank you properly. It’s just that you’ve done so much for us, and I just needed to tell you that we can never thank you enough.” She lets out a slow breath, as if she was holding her breath until she got what she wanted to say out.

A moment of silence passes between us, with just our eyes connected. I look away, clearing my throat. “You’re welcome. I will be out in a minute,” I state, ending the conversation.

Her lips form a tight awkward smile. She nods. “Right, I will just wait for you out there. Sorry,” she apologises again before walking out the bathroom door, shutting it behind her.

I finish showering. The only good thing with her interrupting me is it snapped me out of those thoughts. I get out and wrap a towel around my waist. I walk into my bedroom and see Rhea bent over, her round ass in the air as she makes my bed.

She jumps when she hears me behind her and spins around, her hand on her chest. “Oh Jesus, you made me jump.” She laughs, trying to calm her breath. Her gaze roams over my wet body to the towel tied low on my hips. “I never realised you had so many tattoos,” she states, her eyes still wandering across my chest.

I nod and turn around to the chest of draws to grab my clothes. She gasps when she sees my back.

“Oh my god, Acid,” she whispers. I ignore her, already used to that reaction. Not that many people saw my back. I drop the towel to the floor, not bothered about her seeing my ass, especially after she’s just seen my painfully hard cock. I bend down and slide my fitted boxers up my legs, covering my bare behind. I turn around and pick up the towel, rubbing it over my blonde wet hair. Her eyes find mine and sadness, pain, and sympathy are pouring from them.

“It’s nothing. Happened a long time ago,” I assure her. I will never disclose my past to anyone, especially her. I don’t want that darkness touching her.

She opens her mouth as if she wants to ask more questions, but instead she quickly closes her mouth again. She shakes her head and plasters a small, forced smile on her face.

“Er, right. Um, I’m going to leave you to get ready. I probably should have been waiting in the bar for you, instead of in your room. You know me, not very bright.” She laughs embarrassedly as she stands. I walk to the door and open it for her, standing there with only a small space between us, forcing her to walk closely by me to leave. She keeps her gaze cast down as she walks past me. I try to hide my smile at her cute embarrassment.

“Rhea,” I call after her.

She stops, turning around to face me. “Yeah?” she asks.

I want to say to her that the vision of her in the shower is what made me rock hard, to get those cheeks to turn deliciously pink, but instead I take it easy on her. “The console is a gift. You don’t repay a gift. You accept it.” I don’t let her answer. I just close the door and continue to get dressed.

CHAPTER NINE

RHEA

“What’s got you all flustered?”Star asks as I walk back into the main bar seating area.

I sit down, stunned by the vision of what I’ve just seen burned into my memory. “Uh, I’ve just seen Acid naked,” I blurt out.

Star throws her head back laughing. “Girl, has it really been that long for you? I’ve seen most of these assholes naked. They don’t give a shit. I swear, if it wasn’t for Ghost growling at them to put some fucking clothes on, then there would be dicks for days,” she states.

Suddenly there’s a thump on the side of the sofa. Star looks over the back of it, smiling. “Who’s a clever boy! Where’s Daddy?” she coos. I look over and see Enzo sat in one of those baby walker things, although this one has shaped around him like a motorbike. He blows raspberries and screeches excitedly.

“Da-da!” he babbles.

“Yeah baby, where is he?” Star smiles.

He looks around until he spots him over the other side, then like his legs are possessed. He speeds across the room and slams into Ghost’s legs. Ghost grunts, stopping his conversation with the rest of the guys as he looks down to see Enzo, and that stonecold exterior vanishes in an instant as he bends down and picks him up in his big, tattooed arms. Enzo screeches and bounces in his arms, slapping his little chubby hands on Ghost’s chest. Ghost places a gentle kiss on his head and Enzo rests his little head on Ghost’s shoulder.

“Jesus, if that isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, I don’t know what is,” I state, looking at Star who is still watching Ghost and Enzo with such love and adoration pouring from her.

“Okay, I’m going to need some cheese, meat, and pickles now,” Belle sighs as she walks over and flops down on the opposite couch. She puts her feet up and rests her hand on her growing bump.

We turn our attention back to her. “How are you feeling?” I ask.

She huffs. “Like a fat ballooned whale, and now that the nausea seems to be easing, I have raging acid reflux. But I all want is a cheese and meat platter with pickles. Jars and jars of pickles.” She groans. “Which is great for acid reflux,” she adds sarcastically.

Somewhere, as if she had been summoned, we hear Queenie yell, “On it!” She then storms off into the kitchen.

“Can I adopt her?” Belle asks.

Beast walks over with a large glass of milk for Belle and places it down on the table. “Extra ice cold milk, darlin’,” he says before kissing her on the head. He places his ginormous hand on her bump, caressing it softly. “Just got to go and meet the Satan’s, so will be back in an hour or so,” he states.

---