TAEHYUNG PEEKED INTO THE bedroom to see Jennie still sleeping soundly in the bed.
He smiled. She looked like a sated kitten, curled up with her arms around his pillow. It was amazing that in such a short time he couldn’t imagine life without her.
He knew via his own upbringing that such a situation could work and work well for all parties involved, but seeing it, experiencing it firsthand was more validating.
And speaking of, he needed to phone his parents. They’d be interested to know about Jennie, and he nor Jungkook and Jimin had talked to them in over a month.
He quietly withdrew from the bedroom and walked down the hall to the living room.
Jungkook looked up from the computer. “She still sleeping?”
He nodded. “I think we wore her slap out.”
Jungkook smiled and him marveled at how settled and content his brother looked. “You seen Jimin? I thought we’d call Mom and let her know about Jennie.”
Concern flared in Jungkook’s eyes. “He went out to the barn. I think he’s in a lot of pain today, though he wouldn’t say so. Got pissed off at me when I asked.”
Taehyung swore. Jimin had been doing so much better lately. Much of the darkness in his eyes had faded, and he knew Jennie had everything to do with it, but Jimin had improved physically as well since his return from military.
He was a far cry from the battered shell of a man Taehyung and Jungkook collected from the Army Hospital a year ago, but his leg still bothered him on occasion.
He turned and strode from the living room toward the back door. Not bothering with his coat, he crossed the short distance from the cabin to the barn. He slipped inside and saw Jimin sitting on a hay bale in the back. As he drew closer, he could see his face drawn in pain. Sweat beaded his brow, and he was pale.
Jimin was bent over massaging the area above his knee. When Taehyung was a few feet away, Jimin looked up and saw him. He dropped his hands and stood up. He cried out as his leg buckled. Taehyung reached over and yanked his brother up against him to prevent him from falling.
“I’m fine,” Jimin gritted out.
“No, you’re not fine, damn it. Stop trying to hide from the rest of us, for God’s sake.”
“Just leave it, Tae. I can deal with this on my own.”
“You could,” Taehyung agreed. “But don’t be stupid. Jungkook and I are here to help. And now Jennie.”
“I don’t want her to know,” Jimin said fiercely.
Taehyung blinked in surprise. “Here, sit down,” he said, shoving Jimin back down onto the hay. “Now what the fuck is your problem?”
Jimin rubbed absently at his leg.
“Is there anything I can do? Do you want a pill?”
Jimin shook his head. “I don’t want any fucking pills. It’s just a bad morning. I don’t know why the fuck it hurts. It just does.”
“Maybe we should take you back to the doctor, let him check you out again.”
“There’s nothing he can do.”
Taehyung sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Damn it, Jim, don’t be so fucking difficult. I wish you’d talk to me. I still don’t have a goddamn clue what the hell happened over there.”
Pain lashed across Jimin’s face before his eyes turned cold and stony. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’ll get over it.”
Taehyung knew the subject was officially closed. Jimin could be a brick wall when he put his mind to it. He’d like nothing better than to kick his little brother’s ass, but it wouldn’t do a damn bit of good. Jimin wouldn’t budge. Not until he was ready.
“I was going to call Mom and Dad. Thought you might want to talk to them.”
Jimin waved his hand. “You go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”
He started to argue, but Jimin stopped him.
“Just go. Please.”
It was the please that did it. Jimin rarely said please, and pain edged his voice. Taehyung knew he didn’t want to be weak in front of his brothers. Anger choked him. Anger at whatever the hell had destroyed so much in his brother.
Taehyung turned around and walked out of the barn.
Jennie burrowed deeper under the covers, not wanting to leave her warm nest. She was tired, deliciously exhausted, and she had about as much motivation to get up and move as she did a trip to the dentist.
She closed her eyes and relived the ecstasy she’d experienced as the three men had made love to her. Alone they were a force to be reckoned with, but together they were positively mind-blowing.
She missed them already. That feeling drove her out of the bed as she went in search of them. She pulled on one of Taehyung’s discarded shirts and let it fall to her knees.
She walked barefooted down the hall, hoping to find one of them in the living room so she could indulge in a good snuggle session.
She found Jungkook on the couch. He smiled at her and patted the spot beside him. She immediately curled herself around him, loving the warmth that emanated from his body.
“Want a blanket?” he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.
She shook her head. “You’re fine.” She burrowed further into his arms until his heat had soaked into her body. “Where is everybody?”
“Jimin’s out in the barn and Taehyung’s on the phone in the kitchen.”
“Who’s he talking to?”
“Our parents.”
She stiffened. Until now she hadn’t given their parents a single thought. They’d existed as a non-entity. She remembered Taehyung mentioning them once when he explained that his mother, like her, participated in a relationship with three men.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“Your parents…do they know about me?”
He smiled down at her. “They do now.”
She couldn’t control the look of dismay, and she knew Jungkook saw it.
He arched an eyebrow. “You look less than thrilled.”
“Do they know everything?”
He continued to stare at her. “I’m sure Taehyung has filled them in on the situation.”
She groaned. “Not the image I want to present to your parents.”
“Oh hush. They’ll love you. They’ll be thrilled we found you.”
Taehyung walked in holding the phone to his ear. “All right, Dad. I’ll give you to Jungkook, and I’ll talk to you later.”
He handed the phone to Jungkook, and Jennie moved away. She felt awkward being talked about. She headed to the kitchen to escape the conversation. As she poured a glass of juice from the fridge, Jimin stepped in the back door.
She smiled shyly at him. “Good morning.”
Pain glittered brightly in his eyes, and he limped as he walked.
“Jimin, what’s wrong?” she exclaimed. She set her juice down and rushed over to him.
As soon as she touched him, he stiffened. “I’m fine.”
She backed off, hurt at his demeanor.
He closed his eyes and put out a placating hand. “I’m sorry. I’m fine, really.”
She curled her hand back around her juice and maintained her distance. She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.
Jimin stared at her for a long moment then limped into the living room. His rebuff stung, but more than that, she wondered what had happened.
She sipped at her juice and sighed. Living with three unique personalities could get exhausting. If she were more secure in the relationship maybe she wouldn’t be on eggshells all the time, but she was still learning all three of them.
Jungkook was so open, and Jimin was his complete opposite. Reserved, shut off from the rest of the world. And Taehyung, well, she was still trying to figure him out, too.
“Don’t take it personally,” Taehyung said.
She looked up to see him standing in the doorway Jimin had left through.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Taehyung opened the fridge and took out a beer. He popped the cap and took a long swig. “It’s his leg. He got a leg full of shrapnel over in military. Did a lot of damage. He’s getting better, but it still gives him a lot of pain from time to time.”
“And he won’t talk about it to anyone?” she asked.
Taehyung shook his head. “I wish to hell he would.”
Jennie set her glass down and ran her finger around the rim. “Your parents. They’re like us, aren’t they?”
He nodded.
“So they won’t think anything bad about me.”
She tried not to make it a question, but somehow it came out inquiring anyway.
Taehyung smiled. “Relax, baby. They’ll love you.”
Jungkook ambled into the kitchen. Taehyung looked up from his beer. “You done with Mom and Dad?”
“Yeah, Jimin’s talking to Mom now. I expect he’s getting an earful. She’s pretty worried about him.”
Taehyung looked over at Jennie again. “You probably ought to get packed up today. We’ll head out early in the morning.”
She smiled. “Not much to pack.”
“We’ll remedy that in Seoul,” Jungkook said. “We’ll take you shopping for whatever you need.”
She grinned mischievously. “Even underwear?”
“Especially underwear,” Jungkook replied.
“If I had my way, you wouldn’t wear underwear,” Taehyung murmured close to her ear.
Jimin walked into the kitchen, his features drawn. He slid the phone across the bar then turned and limped out.
Jennie followed his progress, her heart aching at the pain in his expression. What would it take to get beyond the barriers he’d erected?
She wasn’t sure what had awakened her, but her eyes fluttered open and searched the darkness for what had disturbed her sleep.
Jennie strained her ears for the source of the noise she’d heard. A low moan filtered down the hall then an inarticulate cry. She sat up and glanced frantically around. Taehyung and Jungkook were sound asleep in bed next to her, but Jimin was gone.
As carefully as she could so as not to wake the guys up, she eased from the bed. The house was chilly, and she shrugged on Taehyung’s flannel shirt for warmth.
She padded down the hall toward the noise, ending up at Jimin’s door. She pushed it open and peered inside.
Jimin was on the bed in a tangle of sheets. The comforter was twisted and lay discarded on the floor.
He moaned again and stirred restlessly, his head shaking from side to side.
“No,” he said in a thick voice. “God, no. Stop for God’s sake, she can’t take any more.”
Jennie moved closer, shocked to see Jimin’s face bathed in tears. Her chest constricted painfully. She sat down on the bed next to him and put her hand on his forehead.
“Jimin, it’s okay. It’s me, Jennie. Wake up.”
He let out a torturous cry, the sound hitting her directly in the heart. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, pulling him against her. She held him, rocking back and forth, running her hands through his tangled hair.
In response, he curled his arms around her, squeezing her tightly against him.