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A clap of thunder had her sitting up in fright, her heart pounding in her chest. Rain beat heavily against the roof of the house. Glancing out the window, lightning lit up the sky and she whimpered. Moving blindly, fear guiding her movements, she grabbed Tubby and ran for the bedroom door. Racing down the corridor, she found herself in front of Clay’s bedroom door before she even realized what she was doing.
Another boom of thunder sounded, making her cry out. Trembling, she turned and raced into the closest bedroom. Trace’s bedroom. Pausing, she shook the fear free. What the hell was she doing? Just as she stepped out of the room there was a long, low rumble of thunder and she spun, racing to the bed.
“What? Who?” Trace mumbled sleepily. She threw herself against him. “Lila, honey? What’s wrong? What’s the matter? What’s happened?”
Thunder struck, lighting lit up the sky, rain slashed against the window and she huddled against him, trying to bury herself under him.
“Oh, honey, that’s one hell of a storm, isn’t it? Hush now. Damn, you’re shaking like a leaf. It’s okay, little bit. They’re just God’s farts remember?”
Yeah, if she hadn’t believed that when she was seven then she totally wasn’t buying it now. Rain pelted down, fast and heavy as Trace rocked her, running his hand up and down her back. Lila found herself relaxing slightly. Thunder boomed again, making her shudder, but she stayed where she was, safely ensconced in Trace’s arms.
“Lila!” She heard Gavin yell. “Where are you?”
“She’s in here!” Trace hollered back, causing her to giggle. Leaning over, he flicked the switch on the bedside lamp. Soft light filled the room, helping her fight her fear.
“What’s so funny, little bit?” Trace teased, tickling her.
“You guys. Just as well we don’t have neighbors; they’d be able to hear all of you over the thunder.”
Colin and Gavin barreled through the door then, dressed only in boxer shorts. Muscles and tanned skin filled her vision, almost making her forget about the storm raging outside.
Almost.
Another clap of thunder had her burying her face against Clay. Gavin and Colin climbed in on either side of them as Trace pulled her to lie on top of him.
“You okay, baby girl?” Gavin asked with concern. Tears filled her eyes and she buried her face against Trace’s chest as she nodded, not wanting them to see. She remembered so many storms that she’d spent alone, huddled in the closet of her apartment with Tubby, wishing she wasn’t alone.
“Lila?” Colin questioned. “Honey, talk to us. Would
you rather we went to Clay’s room?”
“No, no, I’m okay,” she said hastily. “Here is good. Unless I’m too heavy?” She looked up at Trace in concern.
He snorted and gently pushed her head back against his chest. “Don’t be silly. Now, relax. The storm is dying off, we’re here, and we’re not going to let anything happen to you. I promise. Just relax, Lila. Relax.”
With the heat of their bodies infusing hers, Lila found her eyes drifting shut. She yawned and snuggled down, letting sleep pull her in.
Gavin ran his hand over Lila’s back, unable to stop touching her. As soon as he’d heard the storm, he’d gone looking for her, knowing she’d need him.
“At least she came here and didn’t go straight for a closet,” Colin commented from the other side of Trace.
“It’s where I looked first,” Gavin admitted.
Lila had only been living with them for about a month when they’d had their first thunderstorm. She’d been tucked up in bed at the time, while the rest of them were downstairs, watching television.
As soon as the storm had hit, Clay had glanced outside with a frown before telling them he was going to check on Lila. Gavin hadn’t paid much attention until Clay had come downstairs, his face worried, unable to find the little girl.
They’d turned the house upside down looking for her, until Gavin had found her huddled in a closet, clasping Tubby close, her face wet with tears. It had taken a while to find her because she wasn’t in her closet. She was in Clay’s.
It was where she’d felt safest. Not this time, though, this time she’d fallen asleep in their arms.
“Do you think she often hid in a closet as a child?” Colin asked quietly.
Gavin stilled. He didn’t want to think about that, about the terror and fear she’d faced as a child before she’d come to them.
“Thank God she didn’t hide in a closet that night we found her,” Trace said.
Gavin nodded, knowing what he meant. A sweet trick of fate had led them to her that night and if she hadn’t been there, if they had never met her… God, he didn’t want to even think about it.
