"𝗔re you getting tired?"
Eden flung her hair over her shoulder, tipping her chin to get a view of her boyfriend walking into the party room, arms supported on his crutches. Blaine shut the door behind him and gave her a small smile, signifying that although he didn't want to admit it, he was.
She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, directing him to the couch by the fireplace. It wasn't lit, rather littered with old wood and melted ashes because of the summer heat, but the idea of them having a moment near one soothed her bones, and allowed for a syrupy ambiance.
"Here," she lowered him.
"Thanks," he puffed, handing her the crutches.
Eden leaned them against the side of the table within his reach and tucked a leg under her butt as she settled into the cushions beside him. Blaine reached across the back of the couch and interlocked his fingers through the soft curls of her blonde hair. He absentmindedly played with it while he stared straight, seeming to have a million thoughts racing through his head.
"What're you thinking about?" she asked.
"Everything and nothing at all."
"Franki?" she tested.
Blaine nodded shortly, still staring.
When the news broke to them that Franki had no chance of waking up from her coma and that a withdrawal of care was the best thing they could do for her, she immediately ran to Blaine. She had tried to comfort him with hugs and cuddles, but it hadn't been enough. And her words never made it further than her thoughts.
She had no idea how to comfort someone.
So, when they pulled the plug on the only girl friend she'd never had, she stuffed her tears in a box and locked them away. When they pulled her bed out of the room and escorted her down to the morgue, she gripped her boyfriend's hand and prayed that their contact was enough to keep him whole.
Blaine had told her the story of Ezra.
She'd lost Julian, but she couldn't imagine losing both siblings. She couldn't imagine losing the anchors to her life in the way that he had.
"Do you want to talk about her? About how you're feeling?"
Blaine didn't answer for a moment.
Then he turned his head and looked at her. The corners of his lips pushed up in a semi-forced smile, and that former sparkle that normally ignited in his deep black eyes appeared for a flash of a heartbeat. Blaine kissed her lips quickly, pulling away before she could even think to kiss back.
"No, my girl," he said softly, still playing with her hair, "I don't want to talk about Franki right now. I miss her and I'll grieve her, but I don't want every conversation to be about her. Distract me."
"Well, with what?" she toyed.
"How about with the fact that you're no longer stuttering?"
Eden blushed a dark shade of pink, not realizing he'd noticed her speaking habits. While the two of them were in the same facility, it was divided by gender. On top of that, they hardly saw each other because their injuries were so different. Eden was still learning to live with a bag on her stomach, and Blaine was learning to rework his partially atrophied muscles.
"I've been making good progress with my speech therapist," she whispered.
"Good? I think it's better than good."
Blaine nudged her cheek with his chin, and she giggled. Her hands touched the stubble starting to grow on his cheeks and reeled in the sting on her palms as she shoved. Blaine fought back with a fourth of his strength, letting her win even though she knew he could overpower her.
Between everyone she'd fought, Blaine had been the only person who'd beaten her.
Eden secretly loved it. She loved it even more when he pretended otherwise.
"S-stop you're gonna make me s-s-stutter again!" she mulled.
"I think it's cute," he sighed, "It reminds me of the beginning of us."
Blaine stopped teasing her and sat back on the couch, letting his head hang over the back. Her eyes highlighted his swallows and Adam's apple while she gently tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and remembered the nights they used to share.
It'd been so long since the two of them had had a chance to sit down and discuss things concerning them. Between rehab, physical and speech therapy, and the fact that his sister just passed away, their relationship status had been put on the furthest back-burner.
She didn't hate it. She knew how she felt.
But sometimes she wished that he'd just swoop her off her feet like he used to and pin her to the bed with his broad muscles. Sometimes, she wished they were ordinary teens, and sex was the only thing that really provoked a serious conversation.
"I miss them," she tucked his hair behind his ear, "I miss who we were before everything changed and things got so messed up. Before people died and the war became real."
"Me, too."
"I miss who I was before I relapsed."
The last sentence wasn't supposed to come out—in fact, Eden would've thought she'd just stated her strongest demon in her head if it weren't for the fact that Blaine turned his cheek and shot her a glance that obviously meant he disagreed—and that he'd heard it.
Eden sat back in the cushions, trying to make herself appear as small as she normally felt while he adjusted his position and leaned into her, not letting her escape. He cupped her cheeks with both hands and stared into her eyes with a gaze so devastatingly hot, she was instantly liquified.
"I love who you are before and after. And even though I hated what you were doing to your body, and the attitude you carried while on the pills, I still loved you. I don't think I will ever stop loving you."
"I don't want to be that girl anymore."
"You're not."
"Don't let me be that girl again."
Blaine pulled her in, his fingers diving into the roots of her hair. His mouth melted into hers, and she tasted that sweet, honey whiskey he'd been drinking a little earlier on his tongue. He was the fuse to her dynamite and every time he touched her, she fucking exploded.
Eden fell deeper into him, completely captivated. She pushed his arm to the side, opening up his chest for her exploration, and swung a leg over his pair. Blaine let out a huff of approval as she slowly lowered her pelvis onto his, sitting in a lap designed to match her own.
Blaine kept a hand on her cheek, but let one fall to her hips. He pulled her back and forth, asking without words for her to rock them. But just as she felt his erection beginning to grow underneath her lap, reality began to dawn.
She was being selfish with him.
This was his sister's funeral reception for crying out loud.
Eden pulled off, but didn't move from his lap. Her hair curtained around his jaw, encapsulating them in a perfectly blonde bubble. Her hands palmed his chest delicately.
"This is inappropriate. I'm sorry."
Blaine chuckled, "Franki would praise you for getting laid at her funeral."
Eden's cheeks heated again, "Shut up. She would not."
He shot her a knowing look, but she rolled her eyes and sat back on her heels, breaking them out of their heated shell. There were still things they had to talk about, despite how much she wanted to get lost in him. They had their entire lives to do that if this went well.
"I meant it," she admitted, "I don't want to be the girl that gets addicted to pills every time she gets injured. I don't want to be the type of person to choose them over you, or the type of partner that hides them like I did in Spain. That's not me."
"And I don't want to be someone who lets you walk this alone," he squeezed her hand, "This thing between us is real. You're my person, Eden Flores. If you want me, then you better make sure you're being honest with yourself. Once you say yes, there's no escaping."
"I want you," she smiled, "Now. Later. Always."
"God, I'm so glad you said that."
Eden let out a yelp as he clutched her hips and stood up, carrying her long enough to slam her down on her back, just as she'd dreamed of at the start of their conversation. Her eyes bugged out of her skull as she came down on top of her, one knee bent at her side, the other leg straight and supporting his entire body weight—without the crutches.
"You're holding yourself up on your own!" she squeaked.
"You're not the only one who made improvements, mi pequeña arma," (my little weapon).
Eden laughed as his hands hounded her hips, tickling her at a furious rate. She squirmed on the couch, kicking her hands and feet out like she was five years old again. For as long as she could remember, she had never felt this way—never felt so free and so childlike.
It felt good. So good—to be a normal seventeen-year-old.
The moment was cut short by the sound of the door opening and slamming into the wall. Blaine instantly hopped off her, groaning as he fell onto the couch. He'd moved too fast. Eden was on her feet in a flash, helping him up and grabbing his crutches.
She looked up to catch a glimpse of Rueben bustling in. He searched the corners of the room, opened the patio door, and gazed out at the beach, all in a rampage that had the room suddenly feeling freezing cold. His anger rolled off him in icicle-like waves, and Eden wondered if she had the gall to question his searching, or if she should leave him alone. It clearly had nothing to do with them.
But Rueben spoke before she could contemplate any further.
"Have either of you seen Rayne?"
Blaine looked at her, saw the no in her eyes, and faced Rueben, shaking his head.
"The last time we saw her was at the funeral."
"I thought she was riding home with you," Eden pointed out.
"She was supposed to," Rueben ran an exasperated hand through his hair, "But when it came time to leave, I couldn't find her anywhere. I figured she'd just gotten tired and hitched a ride with another member. She'd been sick and exhausted all week."
Eden felt a chill descend her spine.
The last time someone went missing, it ended destructively.
If the thoughts that were beginning to roll through her head like a poorly timed thunderstorm declared even a hint of the truth, she was going to lose it. They had finally gotten some semblance of peace. Their friend had just been buried, but evil rested for no one.
"You don't think—" Blaine began.
"I don't know what I think!" Rueben roared.
"I'm sure she's okay!" Eden butted in, "Maybe she went for a drive?—you said she might need a break from people, and the funeral had a lot of them. Plus, the house is filled."
"That wouldn't stop her from answering her damn phone."
Blaine stood up, ready to walk into whatever trap Eden knew the other side was beginning to plan—because Rueben was right, something wasn't right—but just as he began to voice his discrepancies, Kai burst through the door, followed by a sandy-hand Caycee.
"Rueben, there you are—" he breathed heavily.
"Have you seen Rayne?" Rueben interrupted.
"What?—no," Kai shook his head, "Last I saw her was at the funeral."
"FUCK!" Rueben cursed loud enough, Eden swore she saw the chandelier shake.
"What's going on?" Caycee questioned.
"Rayne's missing," Blaine filled her in, "If she didn't ride with you, which is obvious considering you're just as lost as the rest of us, then that means no one has seen her for hours."
"Shit."
"What did you need, Kai," Rueben closed and rubbed his eyes.
"Huh?"
"You came in here looking for me. What did you need?"
"I was going to ask if I could borrow your car. Mason took off with Maverick."
"With Maverick?" Eden stepped in, "Why are they together?"
"I might have tried manipulating Maverick into admitting something I'd really rather not dive into right now," he looked sympathetically in Eden's direction, "But Maverick used it against me and made Mason believe I was cheating on him—which I would certainly not do."
"But where are they going?" she pressed.
"The hospital. I kind of did him in because he'd made Mason upset. But I don't like the way Mason and I left things, and I need to go after him," Kai gestured to Caycee; she dropped two rings into his open palm, "I'm not going to let him run away again. I love him. He needs to know that."
Eden drew her head back, unable to wrap her mind around the things Kai was saying. She hadn't been away for that long, had she? She knew that Mason and Kai had recently gotten married, but she had no idea that her cousin was still pursuing one of them.
It made her insides feel necrotic and corroded.
And if that wasn't bad enough, there was more to the story that Kai clearly wasn't elaborating on pointedly because she was standing in the room. It made her feel as if the evil she once thought she'd witnessed in her cousin's eyes way back when was still around. It made her remember all those times he'd been overly persuasive with those around him, simply because he could.
She wasn't stupid.
Maverick was a master gas-lighter.
She just never thought he'd be one toward those they lived, breathed, and worked with.
"Here," Rueben pulled out his keys, "I'll go with you. Once I drop you off, I'm going to make my rounds at Franki's gravesite, just to make sure Rayne isn't wandering there."
"I'm coming, too," Caycee announced, "You'll need backup," she tilted her head at Kai, "He's not going to hear you out if it's just you. You know how Mason gets when he's upset. It blinds him. I'll be that median you need to make sure Maverick gets the hell out of your marriage."
"Can you two close up shop here?" Rueben asked, heading toward the door, "By the time we get back, I don't want any guests here. It's been too crazy of a day, and I don't want to deal with insulting questions as to why we weren't present at our member's funeral reception."
"You got it," Blaine nodded, starting to follow.
"Hey, Kai," Eden said just as he was beginning to leave.
He popped his head back in the doorway, "Yeah?"
"I know my cousin isn't that great of a person, but if he's done something wrong, please don't kill him for it. I know it's a hard ask, but he's all I've got."
"Eden ..."
"Please, Kai. I never ask you for anything."
Kai back-peddled and walked back into the room. He waited for everyone else to vacate before he grabbed her softly by the shoulders and fronted her. Then he unraveled everything he'd learned about Maverick since she'd been gone. Everything from the way Maverick treated Mason while they were together, to the most recent action being his indecency on the floor of their bedroom.
Eden held back her disgust as he talked.
By the time he was done, she was nodding her head.
But she wasn't satisfied.
"He's my family," she whispered.
"I know."
"If it were Kaedyn, wouldn't you ask for the same?"
Kai, the man who'd been cold throughout every meeting unless he was with Mason. Kai, who'd been emotionally distant and hard to please. Kai, who'd never made an effort to converse with her, or make amends with her boyfriend. Kai, the former backstabber.
Kai, the potential friend, wrapped his arms around her head and hugged her close. Close enough, she could feel his heart race against his chest.
He whispered, "For you, I'll try my best."
Eden sniffled, and that was enough for her.