Home (Finding My Home Book 1)

by Nikita Parmenter

The back-door flings open as we get there, and I dive in, my teeth chattering and shivers wracking my body. Luc scrambles in after me shaking out his rust red hair and flinging water everywhere, he chuckles as the other guys complain. Everyone is already here except for Trick, who I can see rushing through the onslaught of rain, he jumps into the driving seat before turning the heat up. He glances into the back, presumably to check that everyone is here. When his eyes land on me he frowns.

  “Where’s your jumper?” he asks.

  I try to answer but my teeth are chattering too hard.

  “She used it to clean the blood off my face” Jensen answers for me throwing his arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer to him, as he rubs his hand up and down my back trying to warm me up a bit.

  “Come on let’s get home, you can get some dry clothes then and warm up” Trick says starting the truck and pulling out into the flow of traffic trying to exit the school.

  I nod gratefully before tucking myself in closer to Jensen, trying to steal as much of his heat as possible.

  “Do you guys want to come and stay at mine tonight?” Cash asks, “I’m sure Rob and Jenny need a break from having us all at Trick’s, and my house is bigger anyway, plus mom just got the indoor pool serviced.” Cash grins.

  Cash’s parents are successful lawyers, or at least they were when we were kids. They must still be doing ok if Cash has an indoor pool now though. I’m looking forward to seeing them again. Despite the seriousness of their jobs, they were always joking around and pulling pranks on us, they were great fun.

  The guys all voice their agreement and Cash turns around in the passenger seat to look at me.

  “You up for that Dragonfly?”

  “Yeah sounds like fun, I don’t have a suit though” I reply my teeth thankfully having stopped chattering since I’m surrounded by their heat.

  “Don’t worry about it, mom keeps spares. I’m sure there’s something that will fit you” his eyes heat as he obviously starts to imagine me in a swimsuit, I lean forward and smack his arm.

  “Quit it” I scold playfully.

  He grins entirely unrepentant, as low chuckles fill the car and Jensen pulls me back into the warmth of his arms. It seems like I’m already breaking the rules I set myself at lunch. I can’t seem to keep that distance between me and them. Maybe Rylie will have some advice tomorrow.

  We arrive back to Trick’s in no time, and Trick sends a text to his parents letting them know where we are going to be for the night. Technically apart from me, Luc and Jensen, the rest of the guys are all eighteen. Apart from Rafe whose parents decided to keep him back a year and start him in school with the rest of us, hoping that it would help him with his speech difficulties to have us all there with him, which means he’s nineteen. So, although they don’t really need to ask permission, I like the fact that Trick still showed his parents the respect they deserved and asked.

  Once we get back to Trick’s house, we each spend the next ten minutes either changing clothes or gathering our stuff ready to take to Cash’s. I can’t believe how much stuff the guys brought with them to stay here. They obviously plan on staying here for a while. The thought that they wanted to stay because of me, cracks some of the walls built around my heart. It’s a good job that their parents understand the situation, and Trick’s parents don’t mind them doubling up in the spare bedrooms and crashing here.

  I rush up the stairs starting to shiver again now I’m away from the heat of the guys and us all being squished together in the truck. I know they want to leave quickly but I don’t want to get dressed in the lovely new clothes that Jenny bought me this morning, still wet from the downpour outside. I dump my school supplies out of my bag and onto my bed, then turn towards the closet where I left the shopping bags in my rush to get to school on time this morning. Rummaging through them, I pull out a black pair of skinny jeans, grey Henley and dark burgundy hoody. As I’m searching through the bags, I come across a lovely set of burgundy pyjamas, the top is a burgundy tank, which is ridiculously soft and matches perfectly with the loose jersey cotton shorts in a soft dark grey colour. Another rummage in the bag, reveals some fluffy burgundy and grey striped socks to match.

  I love them.

  I stare at the pyjama set indecisively.

  On the one hand, I’m going to be staying somewhere I haven’t been for years and although I feel safe here at Trick’s house, I am still sleeping in my clothes even though I’ve had time to get used to sleeping here now. On the other hand, these are really beautiful and so soft, it would be a waste to not wear them. Besides, I’ll be with the guys.

  I know they’ve been here with me, but this feels different somehow. I’m trusting them enough to go with them in first place and that’s a big deal for me. Maybe it’s time to be brave. I know that they would never hurt me, I’m safer with them than I have been for years. Making my decision, I quickly chuck the pyjamas into my bag, along with clean underwear and a spare set of clothes for tomorrow. Zipping it up quickly before I change my mind. I start to pick it up to take it to the bathroom with me like I usually would but take a deep breath and drop it back down on the bed.

  Be brave Everleigh, baby steps.

  Leaving my bag on the bed, I grab the set of clothes I chose before I had the pyjama debate with myself and some clean underwear, then rush out my bedroom door and towards the bathroom at the other end of the hall, just past the stairs. When I get to the top of them, I yell down.

  “I’m just going to take a quick shower before we go” I shout down the stairs before I continue towards the bathroom.

  “No problem, Dragonfly. There’s no rush” Riot yells back.

  I smile gratefully even though he can’t see me, as I step into the bathroom shutting and locking the door behind me. Taking a deep breath and forcing myself to relax, I step away from the door and turn on the shower. I strip quickly, whilst the water heats up and even leave my knives on the bathroom counter instead of taking them in the shower with me, like I would normally do. I rush through the shower washing away the gritty rain and I’m in and out in less than ten minutes, but I’m fucking proud of me. I didn’t block the door or take my knives in with me. That’s a pretty big step.

  Once I’m dressed in fresh clean clothes, I grab my bag from my room and hop down the stairs, landing with a thump at the bottom. Graceful, thy name is Ever.

  “Ready!” I call out to the guys.

  The guys all come around the corner, each of them holding their bags apart from Cash. We all trek out of the front door and then make a mad dash for the truck, the rain still coming down in sheets. Trick holds his coat over the top of me as we run, and we all end up piling into the car haphazardly in our rush. I start giggling at the absurdity of it when I end up sat on Luc sideways my right shoulder against his chest and one of my legs trapped between the seat and Jensen’s back, my other leg draped over his lap, as Rafe ends up half on top of us both. It’s not long until everyone’s joined in laughing as they get a good look at the position the four of us have found ourselves in.

  “Alright you lot, sort it out” Trick orders from the driving seat, still chuckling, him and Cash the only two people who got in the car like a normal person.

  Luc end’s up getting into the very back of the car since, although he’s massive, with only him sat back there, he can stretch out over the next seat. Riot then opens the door and gets in that side, having avoided the mad dash completely, and Jensen being the smallest of all of them, but not by much, squeezes his way over the front seat so he can sit between Cash and Trick on the front bench seat. It’s a tight squeeze and whilst he’s struggling to get over, I can’t help but smack his ass.

  “Did you just smack his ass?” Trick asks amused, from the driving seat.

  “Yes, she did” Jensen growls as he shoots me look filled with heat as soon as he manages to get his ass on the seat, smacking Trick in the face and kneeing Cash as he does it.

  “Fucking hell asshole watch it!” Cash groans g
rasping his side. “Why did you get in the back anyway, you normally sit up front when we’re all together.”

  He mumbles something incoherent and Trick smirks.

  “What was that?” Riot says, from next to me.

  “I said, it was raining and in the rush I just automatically followed Ever.” He grumbles.

  “Aww, that’s fucking cute!” I say it automatically, like you do when you see puppies and just can’t seem to help yourself.

  The guys think it’s absolutely hilarious and burst out laughing as Trick finally pulls out of the drive.

  “Fucking dicks, the lot of you” Jensen grumbles sinking further in his seat.

  I lean forward, unclipping my seatbelt and run my hands through his hair, there’s no headrest in the middle and I use it to my advantage. As soon as he feels my hands start running through his hair, he sits up a bit. I grab a handful of hair and tug his head to the side, he groans quietly as I pull and I smirk as the truck falls silent. I lean further forward, aware that Rafe, Riot and Luc now have a great view of my ass and put my lips to Jensen’s ear, he shudders as my lips make contact. I can feel eyes on us and grin when Trick’s eyes keep glancing our way too, although he’s trying to keep them on the road.

  “I didn’t say that was a bad thing Jensen” I say huskily, nipping his ear.

  He doesn’t even try to keep his moan quiet this time.

  “Fucking hell Ever” Riot growls, from behind me, just as I feel a smack on my ass.

  I’m still close enough to Jensen’s ear that he hears the quiet moan I can’t quite keep in; he instantly turns his head and smirks when he meets my desire filled gaze. He looks like the cat who got the cream, when he realises that it turns me on if you smack my ass.

  I smirk at him then kiss him on the cheek before sitting back down in my seat and shooting a look at Riot for smacking my ass.

  “It wasn’t me” he smirks, holding his hands up although his heated gaze stays locked on me.

  I slowly turn in my seat to see Rafe smirking at me and completely unrepentant.

  “Fair’s fair Ever, you smacked Jensen’s” He signs.

  “By that logic that means I get to smack yours now?” I smirk as the guys laugh and his eyes widen slightly before flaring with heat.

  I chuckle as he wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me towards him, his hand deliberately brushing against Riot. I turn my head and watch with fascination as heat flares in Riot’s eyes, good god these two need to admit how they feel. Riot grins and places his hand on my thigh, I join our fingers together as he leans closer so Rafe’s arm ends up leaning on him too. My eyes dart up and I catch Trick looking back at us and smirking as he looks between Rafe and Riot, he sees me watching and shoots me a wink that makes me giggle.

  Oh, the guys definitely know how Rafe and Riot feel about each other, even if they won’t admit it yet.

  It only takes us fifteen minutes to get to Cash’s, but I have a feeling Trick ended up driving slower during my whole thing with Jensen. Once we arrive, I take a second, as the guys get out of the car and start towards the house, to reacquaint myself with Cash’s home.

  Cash still lives in the large Georgian manor that he did when we were kids, hidden up a long driveway and behind a set of massive gates it’s pretty damn private up here. The house is set into a large pasture which Cash’s mum has mainly planted with wildflowers, although they won’t be up until spring. I’m assuming she still has them, she loved them when we were kids. I think there’s pictures of us all as toddlers running through it in diapers somewhere.

  I’m not kidding, our mom’s thought it was cute.

  The outside of the imposing manor, is painted a soft grey colour and instead of looking clinical or museum like, you can feel the warmth and love radiating from the place. Shaking off my small trip down memory lane, I grab my bag from between my feet and rush towards the open door of the house. Of course, it starts raining heavily again as soon as I step foot out of the car, but when the guys got out it was barely drizzling. Nice to know some things haven’t changed when it comes to my luck.

  The inside of the house is exactly how I remembered it, dark gleaming wood floors throughout, broken up with soft colourful rugs every now and then. The walls are painted a soft cream and there are photos everywhere. I can hear the guys raiding the kitchen, but I take a moment to take everything in as memories assault me.

  The good kind for a change.

  In the middle of the large entryway is a set of wide stairs that lead up to the second floor. To the left of them is a hallway, that if I remember correctly leads to the office, library and cinema room. I made the guys watch many a Disney movie in there when we were younger, they pretended to hate it but really, they loved watching them as much as I did.

  On the right of the stairs, directly next to me is a massive lounge with huge u-shaped sofa with cushions and throws scattered everywhere and a massive TV. A set of photographs above the fireplace catch my attention, I dump my bag with the others by the front door and then step further into the room. I feel emotion clog my throat and my eyes start to tear up as I realise what the photo is of.

  The guys and I must’ve been around six when this was taken. We’d decided that making mud pies was an excellent idea and had ended up in a massive mud fight. In the photo each of us is covered from head to toe in mud, with giant grins on our faces and arms thrown around each other. That memory was one of the ones that kept me sane over the last few years. As I stand there trying to get my emotions under control so I can face the guys, arms wrap around my waist from behind, pulling me back and securing me against a strong chest, from the feel of it and the colour his long sleeved Henley, I’d guess that it’s Trick who is holding me right now.

  I’m feeling so raw right now that his offer of comfort just makes the tears overflow as they start to make wet tracks down my face. I don’t know why out of everything that’s happened since I’ve come back, this is thing that finally makes me cry. Although I think it might be because I realise now that they didn’t forget me or erase me as soon as I left. It’s finally truly sunk in that I’m home, I’m with my guys. I don’t ever have to live in that disgusting trailer or do the horrible things I had to do, ever again.

  My hands rise up to hold Trick’s arms to me tightly. I’m probably hurting him, my grip is that tight, but I can’t seem to let go. His arms tighten around me reflexively.

  “Are you ok, Dragonfly?” he says softly.

  The concern and care in his soft voice sends my previously locked down emotions, careening out of control and causes the dam that’s held back the majority of my tears to break open. I slap my hand over my mouth as a gut wrenching sob breaks free. Trick tenses for a second before gently spinning me around in his arms. His eyes widen, as he takes in the tears flowing rapidly down my cheeks and dripping off my chin. I take a gasping breath, which turns into another sob as he gently cups my cheeks in his giant hands and starts gently wiping my tears away with his thumbs.

  “Hey now, Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” He asks concerned, his eyes darkening with worry when all his words do is cause me to cry harder.

  I know I need to say something to him, to reassure him but now the flood gates have opened, I can’t get them to close. I try anyway.

  “I-i-m… f-f-fine… home… S-s-safe” I manage to sob out stiltedly.

  Trick’s eyes light with understanding before he gathers me in his arms, sitting us both on the floor. He tucks me into his lap, so my legs hang over one of his as he brings my head to his chest and wraps his arms tightly around me.

  “Oh Sweetheart. You’re safe, you’re home and you’re never going fucking anywhere without us again. None of us would survive it Everleigh, you hear me?” Trick says with such conviction that I hold onto to his statement for dear life.

  I never have to leave them again. I nod. He tightens his arms around me, turning his head and placing a soft kiss on my forehead as he rocks me back and forth. He whispers swee
t words to me until I eventually calm down.

  Once I can finally take a full breath and my sobs have stopped, my tears no longer flowing, I reach up and wipe my face with my sleeve before peeking up at Trick, who’s already looking at me with such a strong emotion that I can’t label it.

  When I open my mouth, he interrupts me.

  “Er nope, don’t even try to apologise for that. There is nothing to apologise for, I’ll hold you together whenever you feel like you’re going to crumble to pieces Everleigh, I fucking swear it to you.” He vows making sure I know he’s being sincere before he carries on. “We will always fucking come for you Ever” he growls vehemently, before gently placing a kiss on the tip of my nose and standing up with me still in his arms.

  He glances down at me as I stare at him speechless, my heart bursting in my chest and chuckles lightly seeing I’m lost for words.

  “Are you ready to go see the rest of them? I think Rafe made hot cocoa” he grins down at me and I nod in response.

  He obviously doesn’t expect a response to what he said, which is good because I feel that anything I could say back, would pale in comparison and not express how much his words truly mean to me. Trick is a lot better with words than I am. I’m going to remember his sweetly spoken promise forever.

  “I haven’t had hot chocolate in forever” I grin happily, wiping my face and lean in to kiss him lightly on the cheek in thanks. Then wriggle out of his arms and race to the kitchen, emotional stuffy makes me itchy. I’ll work on it; I promise myself wincing.

  When I arrive each of the guys sends me a searching look, checking to see if I’m ok, although Jensen looks a bit twitchy and I can’t work out why. When they’ve finished their inspections of me, they all carrying on doing what they were before I came in. I realise that one of them probably came in whilst I was having my meltdown to see what was taking me and Trick so long. I was so out of it; I wouldn’t have noticed. I appreciate them not bombarding me with questions about why I was sobbing like a baby, this is awkward enough for me as it is. I’m not that great when it comes to expressing my emotions, go figure.