Heartless (Random Updates)

Chapter 14

"Feel better?" Luke asked, seeing Jennifer enter the living room nervously, catching the group's attention. She was gripping the bottom of the white tee shirt and one leg was behind the other, clearly not sure what to do.

"Yes, thank you," she nodded as she looked at her fuzzy socks.

"Come here and I'll braid your hair," Gabe said tossing the magazine down on the table. She walked over to him and he dropped a pillow on the floor. "Sit and get comfortable while I detangle your hair."

"I already did, Sir," she said kneeling down.

"Gabe," he corrected.

"Gabe," she repeated.

He started running the comb through the bottom of her hair, planning on working his way up to the top. "Next time I tell you I'll braid your hair, do not detangle it, I like working on hair. I comb everyone's and that includes yours. When you're done with your shower or bath, come to me so I can comb your hair and take care of it, understood?"

"Yes, Gabe."

He smiled, "Good girl." The group watched as she started to relax under his touch. By the time he was done French braiding her hair in two parts she was sleeping against his right knee. "Cute," he smirked.

"Tomorrow is going to be hard on her," Kota whispered. "With everything that has happened, her mind has to be in turmoil."

"She was crying in the damn shower and bath," Gabe whispered. "Her eyes were red when she answered the phone, and she has mastered silently crying while I was washing her hair. I don't think she thought I could fucking tell but I could."

"Can't say I'm shocked," Axel whispered. "How would you feel if you were told for possibly years that you must be one way and that you can't have children and then you find out they had tampered with your body without consent to fit their version of the truth, which is really a bunch of lies. She is going to go through a lot as we show her the truth about her parents and their deception. We need to be prepared for all sorts of triggers and breakdowns."

"And we will help through all of them," Owen nodded. "We vowed for sickness and health, for better or for worse, through the dark times and the good, for all eternity and we will abide by our vows."

"Agreed," the group whispered.

"Let's go to bed," Axel whispered, "I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be draining on all of us."

Luke carefully picked up Jennifer without waking her and carried her to her room. After he and Gabe tucked her in, everyone went to bed.

Jennifer woke in the morning to her alarm and sat up confused. She didn't remember going to bed but obviously she did. Shrugging it off, she began stretching for her yoga workout. Once she was done, she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth then gathered her bag so she wouldn't be late to her classes. As she rushed down the stairs, her phone pinged. Glancing at it, she saw it was a notice from her father. She stumbled but hands quickly caught her.

"Careful," North grumbled while glaring.

"S...s...sorry," She stuttered as her phone pinged again.

North huffed and took the phone from her. "Who is distracting you from walking properly? You could have seriously injured yourself. Go eat breakfast."

"Yes Sir," she mumbled as she gripped the railing and finished walking down the stairs.

North glanced down at her phone and rolled his eyes as he read the texts. He muttered under his breath and went back into the office, "Blackbourne."

"Mr. Taylor," Owen said looking up over his computer.

"He almost caused her to fall down the stairs," he grumbled as he held out the phone.

"Excuse me?" Owen asked confused.

"She was racing down the stairs and her phone went off. She stumbled when she saw the message. She could have fallen down the stairs because of him if I hadn't caught her in time," he glared as he sat down in the chair across from the desk.

Owen looked down at the phone and frowned when he saw the messages from her father reminding her that she was to come to the company immediately after her classes, he will order her lunch, and they will be having a lengthy discussion afterwards.

"This will not be happening at all," Owen said tossing the phone back down on his desk. "Mr. Taylor, arrange a lunch reservation for us an hour and half after her classes. I will let the others know."

"Yes Sir," North said standing so he could pull his phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number then left the room.