Page 82 of Returning to Everton

“Did your dad tell you if it has any side effects?” Declan questions. “I know Rowen is really worried about it having lasting ramifications considering she was dosed with it over three thousand times. No one should ever be spelled that often. I don’t know what the fuck he was thinking. Or better yet, what the asshole who helped him was thinking. They should know better than to repeatedly spell someone,” he snarls.

I’ve never heard such anger from Declan before, it makes me flinch even in my half-asleep state. Kayden feels my sudden movement, and squeezes his arm around me tighter while his other hand runs through my hair.

“Shhhh, Lovely, it’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you,” he whispers in my ear. My heart rate slows and I snuggle deeper into his chest.

“Okay, no more. We’ll talk about it more when we get home. Don’t upset her anymore tonight,” Hudson commands.

Everyone must agree because they stop talking and I fall back to sleep. I’m woken a while later by Violet asking what’s for dinner. I slowly sit up and look around. I feel like I’m coming out of a daze. What did I miss?

“How ‘bout we order some pizza?” Declan offers.

“Yes! I love pizza,” Violet exclaims.

“Can we get it from Cheese Louise? They put so much cheese on all of their pizza! It’s sooo good,” Logan informs us, dragging out the word so for extra emphasis, and we all laugh at his insistence that the more cheese the better, which I can’t really argue with.

“Of course. Where else would we get pizza?” Declan says to Logan, who just shrugs his shoulders. “Alright, what’s everyone want on their pizza? I’ll order.”

Once everyone has told Declan their orders, he calls it in. “It’ll be here in forty-five minutes. Why don’t you kids go play and someone will let you know when it’s here,” he suggests.

The kids don’t have to be told twice, and they take off towards the playhouse. I chuckle, “They sure do like that playhouse, Nate.” I smile at the man in question. “Wonder what I have to do to get my own playhouse,” I remark suggestively.

“Just say the word love. I’m all for a playroom,” he winks at me. I look up at Declan. Did he tell them about our experience in the playhouse?

He scratches his beard and looks away from me. When I clear my throat, he looks back over at me and sighs, “I had to, Rowe. They were about ready to skin me alive after I kissed you that weekend. I had to explain myself when we got home.”

I look around and by the looks on the guys’ faces, I can tell he’s telling the truth. I groan, “Fine, but now that we’re all on the same page, can we please keep some things private?”

“Of course, Sugar,” Hudson assures me.

“Thank you. Now... about this playhouse Nate...” Nate snaps his head up and stares at me with wide eyes.

“Yeah? You really want me to make you one?” he asks me excitedly.

I bite my bottom lip. “I mean it would be helpful if we ever want to take our relationship to the next level,” I start.

“Oh, trust me, we all want to take our relationship to the next level, Rowen,” Nate speaks for everyone.

I roll my eyes as I continue where I left off. “Anyway, it would be helpful because I would feel more comfortable if I knew a kid wouldn’t accidentally walk in on us or decide to snoop in our room, and see something they shouldn’t,” I explain.

“That’s a good idea, Rowen. We can make the room so no one but the six of us could even enter it,” Declan suggests.

“Yes! That’s a must. But where are we going to have this room?” I say more to myself, but Ayden answers me anyway.

“What about our old clubhouse? It’s already there, and we can just make it better instead of starting from scratch.”

“That’s a good idea Ayden, but I don’t want to have to go for a walk through the woods whenever the mood strikes,” I argue.

“Oh, sweet girl. You’ve been gone too long. You have no idea the things we can do with our magic now,” Kayden chimes in.

I look up at him in question. “What do you mean? Did you learn more magic while I was gone?” I pout even though it’s not their fault, they couldn’t just stop living because I was stupid and got myself spelled.

He brushes some hair out of my face. “We’ll gladly teach you everything we know Rowe. We know you missed out on a lot when you left. Let us help you like you let us help Violet,” he pleads.

I sigh and smile at him. “Okay, Kayden. But no one better laugh at me, and no treating me like I’m a kid,” I assert then look around at the other guys, so they know I’m talking about them too.

“We wouldn’t do that Rowe,” Nate huffs at me.

“Good, you better not,” I huff right back. “Now, tell me what you know that I don’t. What did you mean, I don’t have to walk through the woods whenever I want some alone time with one of you,” I demand.

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