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“You’re no fun,” I heard Jemmy murmur before resuming her seat on Remy’s lap, this time, with her feet in Troy’s. Both men didn’t even look up as they continued flipping through papers in front of them, and absently embraced her and rubbed her feet.
“Yes please,” I murmured.
&n
bsp; Two strong arms engulfed me from behind, and I was unceremoniously carried to the couch. I stiffened until I realized it was Jax that had picked me up. I was slightly flustered when I realized he was shirtless and only wearing a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. The waistband of his boxers drawing attention to the deep-v of his abdomen.
“Good morning, honey,” he whispered in my ear. “How did you sleep?”
“Really, Wonder Boy,” I muttered, still flustered by his attention. I never had a boyfriend in the true sense of the word. I held boys hands before. I even had a few kisses, but I never dated anyone where I felt comfortable embracing, cuddling, or making out with them. “Must you manhandle me?”
“I’m an affectionate guy, you better get used to it,” he mocked growled. “Plus, you scared me last night!” he said with a mock pout.
I rolled my eyes and tried to leave his lap, but realized my resistance was futile. He wasn’t going to let me up yet.
“Seriously, Jax,” Mr. Jace said as he handed me a cup of coffee. “What happened to us agreeing to allow her to ease into all these new situations?”
Jax gave his brother an impish smile and said, “You handle things the way you want to handle things, and I’ll handle things my way.”
“Jax,” Mr. Bell said with warning in his voice.
Jax looked somewhat chastised as he threw Mr. Jace a mutinous expression and reluctantly placed me on the couch. Although, I realized he wouldn’t let me move far as he threw an arm around my shoulders and pulled me in close. I found myself sandwiched between Noah and Jax.
I cleared my throat as Mr. Bell and Mr. Jace took seats on the ottoman across from me, Noah, and Jax. “So, what happened last night and where’s Ella?”
“You used too much power and Horatio mentally attacked you. He’s very powerful, and until you learn how to control your powers and build your barriers, you’re vulnerable. We took Ella to school this morning, and we will pick her up today. We figured you needed the extra rest, plus we have a lot to discuss about your future.” Mr. Bell explained.
“We were hoping that you would accept a place at Knight’s. The school was created for people like us. It’s not a typical school. You will be required to do physical training five days a week as well as Gift training. You’ll also continue your school workload, but you aren’t required to carry the same class load as you do now. Some of those classes look great in normal college requirements but aren’t necessary unless that’s a career path you choose to pursue,” Mr. Jace said. When I went to open my mouth, he quickly continued. “Ella can come as well. The school has all forms of education. We have a daycare on campus as well as preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, and college. We made sure to create an environment the gifted can feel comfortable attending.”
His proposal left me with so many questions. Were there so many people out there gifted that they had created a school for them? Since leaving the institute, I have never met anyone gifted until recently. “My stepmother would never allow it,” I said quietly as I examined my hands. The idea of leaving my life for a new one was exciting, especially since my sister could come with me, but I felt my initial excitement leave me.
Mr. Jace took my hand reassuringly. “We’ve been working on that. You already planted the seed the other day in her head. Although, I don’t think you intentionally did it. We already had our lawyers fax over the paperwork, and we have an appointment with our judge this afternoon. We can have a car pick up your stepmom and by this afternoon you and your sister will be given care temporarily to my father. When you turn eighteen, you will be given guardianship of Ella.”
I was speechless as so many feelings warred within. I didn’t know what to think or say. Could it be that easy? Could I leave this world behind so easily?
“Breakfast is ready,” Drake called.
I was glad for the time to consider this all.
We had all filed into the dining room and started to eat the delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and toast. Everyone seemed to realize I needed more time as I quietly ate. I could see them all cast worried and questioning glances every now and then, but they seemed determined to give me the time and space I needed.
I learned a lot just sitting there listening. It appeared Jemmy and Jax were seniors in high school like me. Drake and Noah were in their junior and senior year of college, respectively, but also worked for Knight’s as well. Remy owned a chain of restaurants throughout the US, and Troy was the head of a private security firm that worked mainly with famous and political clients. On the side, they all worked for the college in ‘recruitment.’ Apparently, they were paid handsomely to go scout and retrieve new gifted students. It explained why they all dressed expensively and traveled in expensive vehicles.
Mr. Bell created the school and was a member of the board. They had a lot of gifted students attending the school; their parents were well off and were donors that helped fund the recruitment and scholarship program. I learned that sometimes gifted parents could give birth to a nongifted child. I also learned that sometimes non-gifted parents could give birth to a gifted child. Which seemed to be the case for Remy, Drake, Jemmy, Noah, and Troy; they had even been temporary wards of Mr. Bell (who insisted I call him Will) at one point in their lives.
It made me soften towards him. Maybe his earlier blunders with the institute had taught him some compassion for the orphans. They all seemed to look at him as a father figure and still treated his home in New York as their home away from home. Some of them had living parents, but they couldn’t admit that their children had gifts. In fact, that’s why they had been sent away to the school to begin with.
They were reminiscing about some of their past escapades as teenagers when I finally spoke up. “When is our appointment with the judge?”
Will gave me a smile. “Four o’clock.”
“Can we go by my…place beforehand to pick up some stuff for me and Ella?” I asked.
“That’s not necessary,” Will said. “We plan to leave by tomorrow evening, so that will give you plenty of time to go shopping with Jemmy.”
“There are some things we would want that’s irreplaceable,” I stated. “Plus, I really don’t need to go shopping. I have plenty of clothes for us.”
“Your clothes won’t work at our new school. We wear uniforms, but you need some play clothes and that baggy crap you have won’t work,” Jemmy said without malice.
