“The cops just left,” Grant says, turning sideways to slip through the door beside Will.
There are some shuffling noises before Will announces, “I’m going to go help the other two in the other room.”
Tilting my chin up, I lock eyes with Mav as he says, “Kid gets weird around affection.”
Grant moves close enough to run a hand down my back as he asks the question playing on the tip of my tongue, “What are they going to do about him? Frank left him here, and he’s not old enough to stay by himself surely. He’s like what, sixteen?”
“Fifteen,” Mav answers with an exhausted sigh. “Frank would never take him. Will is not his nephew by blood, and they’ve never gotten along, anyway. He’s nothing but trouble.”
“So is Teagan, but we still love him,” I say lightly, trying to make him smile.
I succeed, but only for a moment before his lips turn down again, “I told the detective that he’d be staying with us for now, so they wouldn’t take him to jail or call child services to take him. I’m sorry I didn’t ask anyone before making that decision.”
Grant doesn’t hesitate, “He’s family.”
Leaving me to add, “We always take care of each other. No matter what, right?”
He nods as his shoulders slump, “It’ll only be until someone finds out, anyway. Once they do, he’ll never be allowed to stay with us. Even if it is only for a few weeks while mom recuperates.” No doubt, he’s referring back to my doubts around adopting.
Clasping the back of his neck in my hand, I reach up on my toes to press a kiss against his lips, “Never say never.”
It’s well past midnight when we finally get the mess cleaned up and start heading home. To Will’s dismay, Mav made him pack a few bags to bring home with us. An argument ensued where Will thought he was going to be allowed to stay there alone. It wasn’t until Mav gave him an ultimatum that he finally broke down and packed his stuff. I guess we were preferred over going into the system or back home with his dad.
The ride back home is even tenser than earlier. I couldn't imagine putting myself in his shoes. Technically, I kind of was, but not the same situation. I was still young and naive about a lot of things in the real world. Will is old enough to understand how adult stuff works. At least, some of it that is.
When Lucas pulls us to a stop in the garage, I hop out and grab a laundry basket on my way up to my old room. It's the only one on the second floor that has its own en suite, and I figured he might appreciate having his own bathroom. Mav's old house is huge, and Will likely had his own over there anyway, meaning he may not appreciate it as much as he should. But, I'll still do what I can to make him comfortable here for as long as he decides to stay.
Filling up the basket with the little bit of left-over clothes from the drawers and closet, I heft it out into the hallway about the same time the guys are coming up the stairs. I can hear them talking quietly to Will, telling him where everything is and a couple of house rules.
"I finished cleaning everything out of the corner room, so he can have that one if he wants his own bathroom," I smile. Will's eyes lift from the floor to find mine. They speak a thousand words that his voice won't. It feels like a punch to the gut, and I try my best to keep pity from my expression. There's no telling what he's been through over at that other house. Even the richest of people have their issues. They're just better at hiding it from society most of the time.
Will murmurs a quiet thanks before Mav directs him down the hall to my old room. The rest of us head up to the third floor.
"Here let me get that for you, sweets," Teagan says, taking the laundry basket from my hands.
I follow them up the stairs. Grant, in front of me, is favoring his bad leg, and it has me worried that he's been overdoing himself here lately. When the first place he goes to is the foot of the bed to sit, I know that I'm right.
Dropping to my knees in front of him, his eyes droop half mast, no doubt thinking he's about to get lucky. It isn't until my hands close around his bad knee and start massaging that his eyes close fully. He lays back on the bed and lets out a soft sigh.
"Why didn't you tell us it was hurting?" I ask quietly.
Before he can answer, Teagan crawls into bed half naked, "The therapist said to make sure you weren't putting unnecessary stress on it."
"It's fine," Grant argues, but fights a losing battle as I hit one of the bad spots, and he ends up drawing out the last word into two syllables.
"I'm just sore," he tries again.
Lucas saunters out of the closet in nothing but his boxer-briefs like Teagan. He comes up behind me and goes to his knees, making my hands falter on Grant's skin. His thighs squeeze tight with mine between them. When his hands fall to the bed, they brush against the outsides of Grant's knees causing him to lift his head in curiosity.
"Or maybe," Lucas' lips graze my ear, "he just needs some of your good lovin' to make him feel better."
Grant groans as his head falls back to the bed, but it's Teagan that agrees, "I think Luc might be right, sweets. I think we all need some lovin' tonight."
A gasp slips from my mouth as Lucas moves his attention down the side of my neck. "What about Will?" I ask in a throaty whisper.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. He's going to be down there with Mav for a while probably. They've got a long-time coming conversation to have," Grant assures me.
It's all I need. His legs jump in surprise when I reach out to run both hands up his thighs. I enjoy the sight in front of me as Lucas's body heat soaks into my back, and he sets me on fire. Clutching the top hem of Grant's jeans, I tug on them until he scoots his ass closer to the edge of the bed. There's a sound from Teagan's direction, and I look up to find him watching us already palming himself. It's one of the sexiest feelings ever, to be surrounded by the scent and feel of Grant and Lucas, while Teagan not only watches but gets off by it.