Freedom

by KC Kean

  “I feel queasy,” she groans as Aiden jumps on the bed on her other side, jostling us both.

  “Well, that’s what you get for going crazy with alcohol consumption. Have you taken anything for it?”

  “Juliana gave me some green shake thing, which seems to have worked a little, but I still haven’t eaten anything yet.”

  “You’ll probably want something else with a little ginger in it too before you try and eat,” Aiden responds, swiping her hair from her face as I wrap my arms around Jessica’s waist.

  Her hair smells like strawberries, and it’s addicting.

  “Have I said Merry Christmas yet?” I murmur into her neck as I trail kisses over her skin.

  “Hmm, I’m not sure, but you can say it again for good measure if you want,” she sasses back, and I grin. I’ve fucking missed this side of her. The I-don’t-give-a-fuck vibe she rocks when she isn’t worried someone is judging her.

  “Merry Christmas, petal.”

  “Merry Christmas, Maverick,” she responds instantly, squeezing my hand that rests on her stomach.

  “Don’t start your cuddles without me,” West says as he enters the room, shutting the door behind him with a turn of the lock.

  Jessica props herself up on her elbows to see him over my shoulder, and I know the moment her eyes notice the gifts I know he went to get.

  “What are those?” She asks quietly, excitement dancing in her eyes as her body shakes with jitters.

  “If I get a Christmas kiss, I just might tell you.”

  Any concern West might have been feeling is completely gone as she slips out of my arms, between Aiden and me, and launches herself at him.

  I can’t say I’m not jealous as her lips touch his, but I’m glad they’re figuring it all out. If this fucker keeps any more secrets, I’ll kill him myself, and he knows it.

  Rising on the bed, I sit with my legs over the side, watching as Jessica continues to cut her gaze to the huge bouquet of flowers West insisted we had to pick up on the way over.

  The whole thing is made up of probably ten dozen roses, all red or white.

  “Unity, huh?” Jessica murmurs, stroking her fingers over the petals, and I have no idea what she’s talking about.

  “Yeah,” West responds, glancing down at his feet nervously.

  A moment passes, a wrinkle forming on Jessica’s forehead as if she’s having an internal battle with herself.

  “Can I see it?” She asks, and after searching her gaze for what feels like years, he slowly lifts his sweater over his head to reveal his bare chest.

  Tentatively, her fingers stroke over the rose tattoo on his chest. I don’t know how he knew she meant that. Ever so slowly, she leans in, placing the smallest of kisses to the leaves that surround the deep red petals as a thin intricate stem runs down between his rib cage. I’m surprised to see the smile on her face as she steps back.

  It blows my mind how no words are spoken between them, but I can feel their connection deepen.

  “Can I give you my gift now?” Aiden asks, bouncing on the bed.

  She smiles shyly, nodding in agreement, and it reminds me how innocent she is. Even though she has been through so much, her heart is pure.

  Grabbing the wrapped present leaning against the wall, he quickly hands it to Jessica, who quickly tears into it like a pro. Her jaw drops as her eyes scan across the pictures.

  I don’t know where this creep got most of them from, but he managed to put together a photo collage of Jessica, including West, Luna, the Aces, me, and of course, himself.

  “I love it so much, thank you, Aid,” she whispers, her smile continuing to grow. “Do you want to see the presents I got you?” She asks, and I frown.

  “You don’t want to open my gift?” I ask, and she instantly whips her head around to face me. It almost looks like there is surprise in her eyes that I would even get her anything, but I push past the hurt as I stand from the bed.

  I hope what Luna told me was true. Otherwise, I’ll look stupid now.

  Wrapping my hand around hers, I pull her to the walk-in closet.

  “Have you unpacked?” I ask, and she glances at me in confusion.

  “Uh, no. Everything is still in my suitcase.”

  “Good, so you’ll not be confused about any of this then.”

  Pushing open the door, the pounding in my ears calms as I see everything I hoped for. The whole damn walk-in closet is filled with clothes, and my eyes definitely spy quite a few sexy lingerie sets that’ll look perfect on her.

  “Wha-What is all this?”

  “This, I believe, is everything you touched when you went shopping with Luna and Juliana two days ago.”

  Her eyes are wide as she finally pulls her gaze from the racks of clothes and meets my gaze.

  “How? Why?”

  Releasing her, I place my hand on her back and pull her in close. “When you touched anything, one of the security guards would add it to the pile, and with a great deal of help from Luna.”

  Her eyes glance around the space again, making sure it’s all real.

  “Maverick, this is all too much, I—”

  “No. No, we’re not doing that,” I murmur, bending my knees to bring myself level with her. “I wanted to buy you things, and some part of you wanted everything here.”

  “But…”

  “No buts, just say, thank you, Maverick.”

  “Thank you, Maverick.”

  I watch as she steps forward, her fingers skimming the material of a deep purple dress.

  “Maverick, this dress is Givenchy,” she whispers in awe, and I’m sure she can tell by my smile that I don’t really have a clue what that’s supposed to mean, but I love to see her light up like this. Her blue eyes are so bright, excitement vibrating off her as she wraps her arms around my neck.

  Placing a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth, I steer us out of the room before she loses her agreeable response. I know when to quit while I’m ahead.

  West and Aiden sit side-by-side on the bed, smiling as she comes into view. Slipping from my hold, she pulls three gift bags from the corner of the room and hands them out to us.

  “Open the biggest gift, then the softest, and finish with the smallest,” she instructs, clasping her hands in front of her and twirling her fingers nervously.

  I stand beside her, dropping the bag to the floor as I dig out the first present as she said.

  “Oh my gosh, beautiful, this is amazing,” Aiden murmurs, having opened it already.

  Ripping into the wrapping paper, I clutch the frame as the scraps fall to the floor, my eyes reading the words printed. It’s the lyrics to ‘Us’ by James Bay. I’ve heard it a time or two but reading the words correctly, knowing Jessica is the one directing them at me, makes my heart sing.

  I’m speechless as I swallow past the lump in my throat and reach into the bag to pull out the soft gift. I hear the other two laughing along with Jessica, but I’m too overwhelmed. Finding the t-shirt under all the wrapping paper, I manage a smile as I read what it says:

  I AM THE ‘M’ IN THE WAM SANDWICH

  I can only assume the others correlate with their initials too.

  “Thank you,” I finally manage to breathe out, and she gives me the sweetest smile, nodding for me to get the last gift.

  Silence surrounds me as I open it, glancing at the other two staring in complete shock at their hands, and it has me completely confused. A small box sits inside, and when I lift the lid, there is a wooden keychain shaped into a MMA glove, with a petal inside it. When I flip it over, my heart stops as I see the words carved into the wood.

  I flip it again, making sure my eyes are really seeing what is in front of me. My heart is pounding rapidly in my chest as I try to remember to breathe.

  ‘I LOVE YOU.’

  I… I can’t.

  Jess

  I think I’m going to be sick.

  The meaning of the keychain was a great idea at the time. But the guys weren’t actuall
y with me, and I didn’t feel like I would pass out with the pressure of them knowing how I feel.

  The MMA glove with the petal is for Maverick. A keychain in the shape of a sambuca bottle represents Aiden, and I gave West a keychain shaped like a sun because I’m his sunshine.

  I’m watching for all of their reactions, seeing Aiden and West’s eyes light up at the sentiment, but my main focus is Maverick right now. I saw the surprise in his eyes as he read over the lyrics of the song I’d been listening to, on repeat, since that day in his office.

  I feel like he doesn’t know how to handle the emotions and sentimental value my gifts offer, and I really don’t want him to think I expect him to say it back. I don’t expect any of them to express their feelings, and that’s completely okay. I just know I had to communicate how I feel. With my mother still hovering over my head, and my close brush with death, I’m trying not to shut everyone out and embrace my feelings.

  “Jess,” Aiden murmurs, rising from the bed and wrapping his arms tightly around my waist as his eyes search mine.

  “I love you, beautiful, so much. I just didn’t want to say it too soon and push you away. But, the way I feel for you, it’s indescribable and truly unconditional.”

  I choke on any form of response, clinging to him as tightly as I can as my heart thunders in my ears and my palms sweat.

  “You’re not sharing, nobhead,” West grumbles, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

  He doesn’t say a word until Aiden relents, and I turn to face him.

  “I love you, Jessica Watson.”

  Any lingering protective armor I kept around my heart completely obliterates at their words as tears prick my eyes. Fuck sake, of course, I end up crying.

  “I love you,” I say out loud to all of them as West twirls a lock of my hair.

  West and Aiden are lost in stealing touches around my waist, my neck, and inching up my rib cage, but I can feel the tension coming from Maverick. If I continue to let that brew inside of him, it’ll tear him apart.

  Squeezing both Aiden and West’s hands, I step out from between them and stop right in front of Maverick, who has his eyes squeezed shut as he stands with his chin against his chest.

  His chest is rising rapidly with each breath he takes. Standing on my tiptoes, I place my hands on his shoulders to keep my balance.

  “Maverick, stop fighting with yourself. I can feel the war in your mind from here. I didn’t give you this with an expectation for you to say it back.”

  I feel him tremble slightly beneath my touch, and I know I need to get his eyes open, make him see me. Otherwise, he won’t hear my words if he’s locked in his mind.

  “Maverick, look at me.” I only say it once, softly, but with enough firmness for him to know, I mean it. It feels like years before he finally does, and the second his green eyes meet mine, hopefully seeing the sincerity in my gaze, his shoulders relax ever so slightly.

  “I mean it, Maverick. I’ve been through a lot in such a short space of time. My life has never really been easy, especially when it comes down to emotions. I truly mean it when I say, I do not expect you to repeat those words. I just needed you to know how I feel about you.”

  Finally feeling his fingers at my waist, I know he’s listening. “Jessica, I… I just—”

  “It’s okay, Maverick. You don’t need to explain.”

  My heart hurts for him. The storm I always see in his eyes is thicker than usual, and I can feel the pain taking over him.

  The tremble in his shoulders subsides as he rests his forehead against my shoulder.

  “I need you, Jess,” he breathes out, leaving goosebumps all over my neck as his breath caresses me.

  “I need you too,” I respond. I need all of them as I never have before. I want to feel close to West, Aiden, and Maverick. I want to get lost in them, and I want to find myself with them.

  The others must hear us because, in the next moment, I feel more hands caress my arms and waist.

  “Take me, please.”

  Jess

  Ever so slowly, Maverick’s lips trail up my neck, nipping at my jaw as he crushes his lips to mine. Clawing at his t-shirt, I try to pull him in closer, needing everything he has to offer.

  I feel someone press up behind me, and I know it’s Aiden when he murmurs sweet words in my ear.

  “We missed you, beautiful. Let us make you feel good.”

  I can only hum in response as West pulls the neck of my sweater to the side and grazes his teeth against my skin. Fuck, it’s hot in here, and I definitely don’t feel so sick anymore.

  Feeling all of their lips on me at the same time sets me on fire. My nipples pebble, rubbing against the fabric of my sweater as I squeeze my thighs together, desperate for friction.

  Maverick consumes my mouth, biting down on my bottom lip, and I can’t stop the moan from escaping. Fuck.

  “What about everyone out there?” I mumble, slightly aware that there are many people not so far away, but not caring enough to stop right now.

  “Screw them,” Aiden grunts, pressing his cock into my ass, making another moan slip past my lips.

  “Let’s lay you down, sunshine,” West murmurs, his fingers running underneath my sweater as he touches just under my breasts, and I can barely stutter a response.

  Aiden and Maverick release me enough for West to wrap his hands around my waist, pulling me against him, so we’re chest to chest. My hands instantly fall on his shoulders as I stare up into his brown eyes, completely intoxicated by him.

  The sultry grin that plays on his lips as he lays me down in the middle of the bed makes me even more desperate for them.

  Placing a kiss to the corner of my lips, he leans up off the bed and stares down at me with the others. This level of attention would usually make me nervous, but under their appreciative gaze, I feel worthy of their desire coursing through us all.

  I watch as Aiden sheds his clothes, standing in only his boxers as he climbs on the bed behind me. Placing his legs on either side of me, he pulls me up to sit in between them. His lips capture mine as he pulls my messy bun to the side, turning my head with it and stealing my breath away.

  “Look how beautiful she is,” Aiden mutters against my lips, and I hear Maverick and West hum in agreement.

  With his lips still devouring mine, he pulls my sweater off my arms and barely takes his lips from mine as he lifts it over my head. My skin prickles under the cooler air, but the hand stroking up my stomach offers the perfect distraction.

  Through hooded eyes, I watch as West leans over the bed, drawing patterns on my skin, circling my nipples. Aiden kisses down the back of my neck, cupping my breast, encouraging West to lean in and brush his tongue on my tight nipples.

  West lost his t-shirt, and I don’t know when he undressed, but I’m not complaining. My eyes drift to Maverick, who remains watching from the end of the bed, his eyes devouring every inch of my body.

  “How about we take these pants off, sunshine. Let me get a peek of your sweet pussy,” West says huskily, his lips still against my skin, and I burn under his touch.

  Sliding my pants down, West’s lips remain on my body as he lowers himself. His breath blows against my sensitive clit as he discards my lounge pants and places himself perfectly between my legs.

  “Look how pretty and pink you are,” West murmurs, his tongue sneaking out to swipe against my clit, and I moan at the contact. “I need to taste you properly,” he adds, circling his tongue around my entrance, and my thighs attempt to wrap around his head, but with a firm hand, he holds them open.

  Fuck.

  My head falls back on Aiden’s shoulder as West teases me with his fingers slowly thrusting inside of me.

  “More, please more.”

  “I love it when you beg, sunshine.” It’s the only response I get before he starts to fuck me with his tongue.

  My hips rise instinctively off the bed, but the hold he has on me means I don’t go far. Aiden’s hands squeeze my breast
s at the same time, his thumb and forefinger pulling tight on my nipples, almost to the point of pain, and it only adds to the ecstasy building inside of me.

  My eyes search for Maverick, and I sag in relief as he slowly pulls his t-shirt at the back of his neck, revealing his body to me as he leans in to bite my nipple. His fingers instantly find my clit, offering me the friction I’m desperate for, and it turns me on even more, feeling his fingers so close to West’s tongue.

  Lacing my fingers in West’s hair, I grind up against his lips, and Maverick pinches my clit, and just like that, my back stiffens as I cry out in pleasure, my orgasm ripping through my body. Wave after wave washes over me as they all continue to touch me, dragging out every feeling I have.

  West pulls away, and I feel Maverick slowly thrust his fingers inside of me, coating them in my orgasm, and I almost die as he holds his hand out for Aiden to taste me.

  I watch as Aiden wraps his lips around Maverick’s fingers, sucking slowly as his tongue laps at my juices. I stare, awe-struck, as his cock pulses at my back, and he moans deep and throaty with his lips still firmly around his fingers.

  “Fuck, beautiful, you taste divine,” Aiden murmurs, releasing Maverick’s fingers and bringing his lips to mine, letting me taste myself, and my body screams for more.

  “I need all of you, somehow. Together,” I whisper, and Maverick grins down at me, his earlier stresses seemingly forgotten, or at least distracted.

  “Lay down on the bed, Aiden,” Maverick orders, and Aiden slips out of his boxers, his cock jutting in my direction, before he lays down on the bed beside me. “Do you trust me?” Maverick asks, glancing at me, and I instantly nod in agreement.

  “Of course.”

  His hand wraps around the back of my neck, lifting me towards him to crush his lips to mine. “Good. Climb on top of Aiden, petal.”

  Rising to my knees, I move to the side so Aiden can lay in the center of the bed, and the heat and need in his eyes as he stares up at me encourages me to drag my pussy against his length, making him toss his head back with pleasure.

  “West, you’re going to fuck our girl’s mouth,” Maverick instructs, and I catch West squeezing himself out of the corner of my eye.