by KL Donn
“The night before my appointment, the nightmares got so intense that nothing could break me out of them. Not the guys, not waking up. I was stuck and about to burst, so I finally told him about that. It was small, but it was personal. Something I wish I’d done sooner. But it helped, and he put a few things into perspective. I’d like to think that if we hadn’t had that conversation, I wouldn’t have been as open to them as I was.” She smiled at her men after revealing that last part.
Talking to her parents helped ease some of her pain. She’d always been able to talk to them about anything. While she wasn’t ready to tell them about what happened to her, she was glad to be able to share this small part of herself with them. It was almost like a dam had burst and she wanted them to know everything she’d felt and done in Italy. The good things anyway.
“I made a friend there too,” she told them shyly. “She helped me in the market when I had my meltdown. We stayed in the moment, ya know? Never really talked about the past. I think it made it easier for both of us, in a way, to form that bond with no baggage or hang-ups.”
“What’s her name? Does she live there?” her momma asked.
“Deedee, she’s so quirky with crazy hair colors to match her mismatched eyes.” She smiled thinking of her friend. “She’s from Ireland actually, and I think she was heading back there a couple days ago. I’m hoping she calls soon, though; she’d gotten some bad news before she left.” Thinking about it had her worried about the way they’d left things.
Creed and Linc seemed to know that Dominic guy, but she wasn’t so sure. He seemed too refined, too clean cut, with an air of danger he was trying to mask. Looking over at Linc, she knew he would understand her concern. His nod confirmed he’d look into it for her.
“I have your room just the way you left it before your— well before.” The guilt on her momma’s face was heartbreaking.
“It’s ok, Momma,” she soothed.
“We actually have a house ready and waiting for us not far from here,” Creed announced, drawing everyone’s attention. Her parents looked upset but she felt relief. Knowing she wouldn’t have to tiptoe around everyone, and they wouldn’t be walking on eggshells around her trying not to say or do the wrong thing for fear of upsetting her.
“Now wait just a minute, young man. This is our baby and this is her home. This is where she belongs,” her momma said indignantly.
“Yes ma’am, I understand. But y’all need to consider what she needs. This isn’t about any of us. She is still figuring out who she is and where she fits into this world again. Trust us when we say, space is what she’s going to need,” Creed told them gently yet forcefully.
Kennedy was still speechless that they’d anticipated what she would need upon arriving home. But upsetting her parents because she couldn’t stay in a house that carried so many happy memories that would haunt and suffocate her wasn’t an option.
“She needs her family,” Andrew argued.
It was the hospital all over again. They argued about her like she wasn’t even in the room, and her voice was stuck somewhere in her throat.
“We’ve done this dance before and look where that got you last time,” Linc growled in frustration.
Lights danced before her eyes at the reminder.
“She’s stronger now; we can all see that,” Jackson butted in.
“Look, the decision has been made. When I told you outside that we were taking care of her, I meant that. There is no question of where she’s going unless she specifically says otherwise,” Creed bit back.
Dizziness was starting to swallow her.
“Then let’s let her decide, hmm,” her momma told them.
Were they driving through a tunnel? Everything sounded hollow. Her ears were ringing and her mouth was dry like she’d swallowed a pound of salt. Darkness was starting to creep into the edges of her eyes. “Creed,” she whispered. “Air.”
He went into immediate action, picking her up and rushing her outside. Sitting her on the hood of the SUV, she could feel the warm breeze penetrate her lungs and she could breathe again. “Are you ok, Sunshine?” Creed asked her looking her over for signs of distress.
Shaking her head, she wasn’t sure how to answer because she was unsure why she’d freaked out. Looking up when she heard the screen door slam shut, she saw her parents trying to get past Linc as he refused to move. Creed’s hands on her cheeks drew her attention back to him. “Eyes on me, Sunshine, only me.”
Nodding, she closed her eyes and concentrated on regulating her breaths. “I think it was a panic attack,” she finally whispered, meeting his gaze with her own.
“I’m sorry, Kennedy.” His apology confused her.
“Why?”
“We overwhelmed you. Arguing like you were a piece of meat to fight over. Tell me, Sunshine, what do you want to do?
“Leave,” her answer was immediate and shocking, but she was overwhelmed. She needed time to think about what she was going to do.
Turning to look behind him he called, “Linc, let’s go.” Looking back at her asking, “You wanna say goodbye?” as he helped her off the hood.
“Yes.” Walking over to her parents, Linc reached up and grazed her cheek with his knuckles as he passed her walking towards Creed.
“I can’t breathe here. So much has changed and being here where I grew up with so much happiness… It’s suffocating. I’m sorry.” Squeezing her momma’s hand reassuringly, she gave a small smile and walked back to the open door waiting for her. With a last look at her parent’s sad faces, she gave a small wave before climbing in.
·٠•● ●•٠·
Linc was pissed. Kennedy’s parents seemed to bring it out in him. They wanted to smother her, turn back time and get the old her back. For a while, he thought for sure they’d worked out their own issues about what happened to her. They were being supportive about what she was telling them. Not pushing for more than she was ready to give. But then they had to go and fuck it all up again by insisting she stay at home.
He tried to understand. To put himself in their shoes if it was his own child going through what she did. But he still couldn’t picture himself forcing them to stay home when it wasn’t what they needed. He liked to hope that he’d listen to what they wanted even if they didn’t say the words.
The drive to the small acreage they’d planned on renting but then decided to buy was only three miles from her parents, so they were there in no time at all. They had known she would want to be close to them in the future, so land with lots of wide open spaces was something they figured she’d enjoy.
On the plane back to Texas, she’d told them she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life anymore but an art studio was something she was thinking about. To become a teacher or even just donate her drawings, which she planned on turning into paintings, to charity auctions. Over the next couple of months they planned on building her a studio in the small barn just a few hundred yards from the house.
Maybe they were moving too quickly for what most people would, but she was worth it and so much more. Making her happy was their only plans for now. They eventually wanted to open a PI business, something where they could stay as close to home as possible and not be bored. They might have retired from the spy game, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t put their well-honed skills to good use.
As they pulled into the driveway of their new home Linc heard a small gasp from the front, bringing a smile to his lips. That sound told him more than words ever could. She loved it.
“It’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed.
“You think so?” he asked her.
“Those pillars are stunning. The hand-crafting that went into it alone must have taken months.” She sounded amazed.
“Would you like to go inside?” Creed asked her.
Nodding her head, she jumped out and ran to the front door, admiring the porch as she went. Marvelling at the pillars at the top of the steps. Watching her enjoy something so simple gave him an im
They both stood back, leaning against the hood of the SUV watching as she took in the outside of the house. He never would have guessed her to be an architectural lover. “You think she likes it?” He joked with Creed.
“Ya, I’d say it’s a hit.” His brother smirked.
“Think we can convince her to move in permanently?” Linc wondered aloud.
“We can sure as fuck try.”
With that they walked up to her. Circling his arms around her waist as Creed unlocked the door he asked her, “So, you like it, huh?”
“I can hardly wait to see inside. The craftsmanship is absolutely stunning. I wonder if the owner did it?”
“I can assure you that we most certainly did not,” he laughed.
“Well, I’d love to find— wait, did you say we? This your home?” She looked between them.
“About a month before we came to Italy we thought about renting it, but quickly made an offer. Creed got hard over the workmanship too.” He ducked when Creed went to swat him upside the head.
“I love it! But don’t you go away for work a lot? Who would take care of it when you’re gone?” she asked as they walked inside.
He’d been thunderstruck by the marble staircase in the middle of the foyer too. Her mouth was flapping like a fish out of water as she drooled over it.
“Well, Sunshine, we were kind of hoping you would…” Creed trailed off.
Shooting a look at his brother for saying something when they hadn’t decided on how to broach the subject yet, Creed just shrugged it off. Looking back at Kennedy’s surprised face, he waited for her reaction to his offer.
“You mean, you want me to house sit?” He could hear the hopefulness in her voice. She needed the words.
“No, Sunshine, we’re saying we want you here. Permanently.” Letting that settle in he moved on to the kitchen hoping she’d follow.
·٠•● ●•٠·
“Wait just a damn minute!” Kennedy yelled at them as they walked into another room.
The house was stunning. If she’d been able to describe her dream house, this would have been it. The sheer creativity and love that had gone into every swirl and dip in the banisters and pillars on the porch left her breathless. It was just gorgeous. The marble staircase centered in the middle of the foyer was perfection.
She couldn’t wait to see the rest of the house and surrounding buildings. But first, the off-handed invite to live with them.
“Creedence!” She yelled again, following them into what she now knew was the kitchen. “Linc—Holy shit,” she whispered in awe. It was a chef’s wet dream. Stainless steel appliances everywhere, white marble counter tops. Peeking back out to the foyer, yup, same white as the stairs.
Heavy oak cupboards adorned the upper half of the entire room. There was a pantry in the corner between the fridge and stove. It matched the color of the cupboards, only it had glass paneling throughout.
She was so focused on taking it all in that she forgot what she was giving them trouble for and nearly missed the Viking stove. Six burners, natural gas, and the most stunning piece in the entire room. She’d always dreamed of having one. She might not be the best cook in the world, but she loved doing it. Having access to that was almost enough to say yes to their crazy idea.
“There’s something else we’d like to show you, Sunshine,” Linc told her softly, breaking her out of her lust for the stove.
“What?” She wondered.
Creed opened a drawer and pulled out a cloth that had been there and told her, “Close your eyes.” When she did he placed it over her eyes, tying it in the back and whispered, “It’s a surprise.”
They each grabbed one of her hands, leading her out of what she assumed was a patio door from the sounds of it. The smell of pine hit her nose making her wonder if there were trees close by. As they walked down a few stairs, she nearly tripped. Thankfully, they were paying attention and she did no more than collide with one of them.
“Hang on, Sunshine,” Creed said from her left. Feeling a back to her front and arms grabbing the back of her knees, he told her, “Hop up and hang on.” Climbing on his back, she loved the way he held her thighs so tightly. She lay her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the way his back muscles felt moving against her body. It was oddly erotic. With every step her core would rub against his lower back, slowly arousing her.
After a minute of walking he finally started to slow down, letting her slide down his back.
She waited for their surprise with anticipation. Hands on her shoulders had her jumping just as she heard a scratching sound. “Okay Sunshine, look,” Linc whispered, removing the cloth from her eyes.
At her new-found sight, she saw a small red barn like you’d see in one of those western shows. She didn’t understand at first until Linc pushed her to walk forward and he started explaining.
“We thought this would make an awesome art studio for you. Whether you used it to teach others or just for yourself, it would give you the open space you like and the privacy you want.”
The tears were instantaneous. No one in her life had ever done something so thoughtful for her. She was amazed and humbled by their selflessness and caring for what she wanted. These men understood her far better than anyone in her entire life. With simple words and thoughtful gestures, they showed her time and again how much she meant to them.
“It’s yours whether you live with us or not, Sunshine. We want you to have something just for you. Something you can count on,” Creed explained when he saw her tears. Little did they know it was all joy. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy in her entire life.
“Why?” She was still baffled by the way they treated her. Sometimes she felt unworthy of so much devotion. But this? This was the most amazing gift anyone could have ever given her. It felt like they knew her better than she knew herself, and that scared her.
“You don’t get it, do you? You’re truly stunned by how much you mean to us,” Creed stated. She didn’t have anything to say because it was true. “Sunshine, we knew you were meant to be ours the minute we laid eyes on you. It sounds corny as fuck, but it’s fact. Our world aligned with finding you in that cabin.”
“It wasn’t ideal the way we came together or what you’d been through, but no matter how many times we tried, we couldn’t shake you from our minds. There is nothing we wouldn’t do for you, Kennedy. We’ve been in this world too long not to know a sure thing when we’ve found her. And baby? You’re our sure thing.” The fact that Linc could finish Creed’s thoughts and tell her the same thing in a different way had her finally believing she was worthy of them.
“It’s all so much, though. An entire building just for me? Who does that?”
“Us,” they replied together.
She couldn’t help but laugh at them. She’d gotten to know them fairly well over the last few weeks, and she had a feeling such huge gestures weren’t the norm for them. Which meant she was doubly blessed to have them in her life.
She’d been so broken when they’d found her. Only going through the motions of life, but not fully participating. She finally felt like she could start living again.
Eighteen
“If I were a man, this stove would give me a boner.” She marveled at how amazing the stove was again. Now, she was finally going to be able to cook on it. Hearing coughing behind her, she turned to see Linc struggling to breathe after choking on his drink and Creed doubled over trying not to laugh. “What?” she asked.
“Boner,” Creed said like it was the funniest thing in the world. She still didn’t fully understand until she turned back around and what she said hit her.
Gasping, she whipped back around to face them. “I said that out loud?” Horrified, she wanted to run away.
“Yeah, Sunshine, you did. And I fucking loved it. Linc may never recover again, though,” he said shooting his brother a worried glance before slapping him so hard his back bowed. But he finally stopped choking.
“Give a guy a warning before you mention stove and boner in the same sentence, will ya?” He gasped, still out of breath.
Blushing profusely, she turned back to what she was doing.
Falling in love with an appliance.
“Did you guys have someone stock up before we came?” she asked walking to the fridge. Pulling it open, her question was answered since they were too busy laughing at her still. “Never mind,” she mumbled, shooting them a glare.
Grabbing the ingredients to make a quick vegetable stir-fry, she continued to ignore them as they started talking sports.
Cooking had always been a way she relaxed when she was stressed, happily noting she fell back into it quickly. She had the food prepped and ready to cook in no time at all. By that time the guys had already left the room and sounds of a sports game came from somewhere; she presumed they were in a living room.
Humming silly tunes in her head she joyfully cooked them the savory meal, thinking over all she’d done and overcome in the past few months. A lot of it just in the time since the guys arrived. Granted, the fact that they didn’t know her earlier helped immensely, and she was able to relax around them without fear. Her trust for them had been embedded in her already from the rescue and the way they treated her. They fought hard to bring her back from the edge. While a lot of it might still be in fractured pieces, she remembered the important things.
Their soothing voices.
Creed singing to her.
Linc fighting for her sanity.
Every wonderful thing they’d done for her since their first meeting was ingrained in her heart. Something she’d never lose faith in. With them, she knew she was safe from anything.
·٠•● ●•٠·
After they’d eaten the delicious meal Kennedy cooked for them, she immediately started yawning. “Sunshine, Linc’ll clean up. I’ll show you the master bedroom and help you run a warm bath,” he told her, hoping she’d take the opportunity to relax.
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