Page 73 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
Julian stumbled to his feet. “Right.”
“Got you, Peanut.” Jeremy grabbed him by the waist. Someday, they would have to explain where the nickname originated.
Barrett tugged on Phoenix. “We’re going to bed.”
“I never sleep,” Phoenix pointed out.
His oldest brother shook his head a little bit too dramatically. “You did yesterday in the limo. Besides, we’re going to Alatheia’s room.”
Phoenix didn’t say more, so we snuck into my room. I closed the door then considered the space—the bed might be king sized, but it would never fit all of us. I snagged extra pillows and blankets from the closet, and I hardly dropped them to the floor than Julian faceplanted on top of them. I shook my head at him in amusement. He beat someone up for saying they wanted to have sex with me yet ended up drunk as a skunk. I read his shoes so wrong the first day. He wasn’t a snooty rich kid at all. I could say he was angst filled. Jeremy might be the faster brother to get angry, but he was actually calmer when he got upset.
I covered Julian then took off his shoes. He didn’t seem to mind being on the floor but grabbed my arm when I would’ve left him. “You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
I smiled, thinking he was awfully sweet inebriated. I couldn’t hold a candle to most of the girls at the bonfire, but I liked being called pretty. “That’s sweet. Thank you.”
Barrett sank to the floor, and I covered him up, too. “He’s right. You are, even if you don’t believe us. That’s fine.” His head hit the pillow, and his eyes closed almost instantly.
Suddenly, I found myself glad I invited them to my room, since I would’ve worried about them all night if I hadn’t.
Phoenix crawled into my bed and scooted to one side, Jeremy to the other. The latter was already out cold, one shoe off, one still on, but Phoenix’s eyes glittered, staring at the ceiling. I took off their granny’s pearls, stored them in their velvet lined box, then ducked into the bathroom to change into my pajamas. I fully expected him to be out cold when I came back out. I brushed my teeth, slipped into my tank top and boxer shorts then braided my hair. I didn’t want to wake up in the same clothes, and I frowned, thinking of the sand the guys probably dragged into my bed and blankets. I wondered if I could find where to wash the sheets and blankets in the morning.
Before I leave.
If I am leaving.
Phoenix was still awake when I climbed between him and Jeremy. He rolled to look at me as I crawled up the middle of the bed. “There you are. That outfit you wore tonight was so not you. I mean, I get why you wore it. I would dress up for the firing squad of my family if I thought it would help. But I like you better like this.”
I shook my head, amused at him. “It was your granny’s idea.”
“Her battle clothes, or so she described them once when I was a kid. She had to get ready to do battle.” He sighed. “She must have wanted you to be prepared to face anything.”
A thought dawned on me. “Hold on.” Not wanting to wake Jeremy, I carefully got out of bed and locked the door to the back as well as the door of the room. With them both locked, I could take a deep breath.
It was so much nicer to be able to lock the world out, even if it seemed like half the world decided to sleep in my room.
Satisfied with my security, I climbed back into bed.
“No one can get in to hurt you with all of us here.” He touched the end of my hair, running the tips of the strands through his fingertips. I remembered my aunt touching my hair,and couldn’t help but notice the vast difference between his gentle touch and her menacing one.
I blew out a breath, snagging a pillow and laying my head on it. “The state the four of you are in? I think anyone could walk right past you, if they wanted, and you’d have no idea.”
“I would know,” Jeremy said, then rolled over onto his side to press his nose against my temple like he had done outside. Apparently he was awake. “No one will get to you, but lock any doors you want, always.”
“I thought you were asleep.” I closed my eyes—not to sleep just to revel in the moment. I never would have expected it, but I absolutely loved cuddling with them in bed. The feeling of their warmth sandwiched me in safety, and I wondered if I really wanted to leave them.
He sighed, a small sound. “Dozing, but keep talking. I like the sound of your voice.”
“Please ask your dad to find out what happened with my family.” I had to know, and I had a feeling they could find answers.
He kissed my temple. “Will do. Whatever you want. I’ll always do or get you whatever you want.”
“What do you need to know about your family?” Phoenix asked, scooting a bit closer to me. “I can find almost anything on the Internet. I’m really good at it.”
I lifted my lids and took his hand, entwining our fingers. “My aunt said my mom overdosed, and I want to know the truth. If I’m honest, I don’t know anything about them other than what the family tells me and they are … they are not to be trusted.”
“She overdosed?” He sounded so sad that I turned toward him to look at him in the near darkness. “That’s awful.”
I wiped away a tear that escaped my own eye, surprised. “I thought she was sick. That’s how I remember it, anyway, but I was so young. I might not have known. It could’ve been drugs.”
