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“We aren’t the enemy here, Mrs R. We love Rhys. We will do anything for her. Anything to protect her. And I’m sorry the news didn’t come directly from Rhys. She had some stuff to work through. It was hard enough for her to call the police and tell them.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just worry so much. Are you sure she’s safe? Can you at least tell me where she is?” There’s a pleading in her voice that I can’t ignore.
“We are at my house. We’ve been cleaning up the old staff quarters for my dad, and we had dinner with my parents earlier. Now we are just trying to keep Rhys calm. The guys are trying to teach her snooker.”
“Please tell me that’s not a code word for a sex game? And please tell me you are all using protection?”
“Gee, Mrs R. Do you think all we do is have sex?”
“I know teenagers, Mr Bossier! Isn’t that why you boys are hanging around Rhys?”
My brows shoot to my hairline at her question, which I find fucking insulting.
“You may think you knowteenagers,but you don’t knowus. For the record, there hasn’t been any sex tonight. I told you before, we love her. It may seem like a weird arrangement to you, but it’s what we need. She needs us, and we need her. And I’m not talking about in a sex way. It’s more than that. So much more. If you could only see how much she’s changed.”
Mrs Rogan sighs. “It’s hard for me to comprehend the dynamics of the group relationship you all have. I’m trying.”
“I guess it’s hard for Rhys to talk about. She’s still learning how to navigate feelings, but she’s more to each of us than just another girl. Like, did you know that even though her and Simon are the same, clowning around all the time, she’s brought a more serious side out in him? He’s started opening up and talking about things he’s never really spoken about before. His fun personality is just a mask to hide his pain. Rhys understands that because she does the same thing.” I glance over at the girl in question to see her bent over the pool table, squeezing one eye shut, poking her tongue out in concentration as she lines up the ball. “Rhys and Garrett both come from hard childhoods. They understand each other on a level most can’t. He can be such a moody bastard and hotheaded, but Rhys seems to mellow him. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile this much, even though he’s got his own crap going on. He’s been determined to show Rhys that there’s more to a relationship than just sex. She understands that now, mostly because of him.” I grin as Rhys hits the ball and jumps up and down like she won the game, even though all she did was hit the ball. “And Marcus has been able to move past my betrayal and accept Rhys the way she is, sharing her with us because he loves her so deeply that he just wants her to be happy. He’s so protective of her. He won’t stand by and let anyone treat her badly,evenhis best mates.”
“And you, Mr Bossier?” Mrs R asks. “What do you two have together? Sex parties? Secrets about your former PE teacher?”
Shit, she has me there.
“You’re right. We do havethosesecrets, but only to protect both Rhys and Ty. That’s not all we have, though. I’m in awe of Rhys. She embraces who she is. Even now, while threats are made against her, she holds her head high, owning who she is. She might struggle with how she is sometimes, especially when people try to drag her down, but she gets right up, head held high, and she stares them down. I admire how she stands up for what she believes in and doesn’t give in to the pressure of social standards. Her individuality draws me to her.” I run my hand through my hair, knowing I’m about to get really fucking honest with my school principal and the mother of the girl I love. “I never thought I’d be able to love anyone. I thought I’d be one of those guys who is still a bachelor when he’s fifty. But she proved me wrong, Mrs R. Rhys has shown me that I can love and be loved and still get what I want. She’s everything to me.”
“And it’s just the five of you?” Her voice is quieter this time, and I’m almost positive I hear resolve in her tone.
“Well, four of us, plus Ty. The other guys haven’t met him yet, and they don’t know who he is.”
“But no one else? She’s happy with just you boys?” She asks, and I scoff.
“Men. We are men, Mrs R.”
She laughs a little. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re only seventeen.”
“It’s just a number. It doesn’t define us. Just because the law says we are children doesn’t mean we are.”
Mrs Rogan sighs again. “I guess you have a point.”
“Can I ask you something, Mrs R?”
“I guess.”
“How much do you know about Rhys’ past?”
“Well, I read the reports before we chose her to join our family. She has told me some things. I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know.”
“Reports don’t explain things from her point of view, though, so I’m going to do you a solid, Mrs R. There’s a podcast called Breaking the Silence. Listen to the latest episode, and then ask Charlotte to show you the TikToks. I think you will learn more about Rhys.”
“Uh… ok.” She mumbles curiously. “Do you think there’s any chance she will come home tonight? I know it’s already after nine, but if she wants to come home, I can come and pick her up any time.”
I look back up at Rhys, mellow as hell from the Mary Jane in her blood. I wonder if she’d like to go home and see her parents? I know she loves them. She’s just scared, not sure who she can trust right now.
“If she comes home, are you going to take her only connection to us away?”
“No. That’s a mistake I won’t be making again.” Mrs R grumbles, and I nod, even though she can’t see me.
“And she’s not a prisoner? She can come and go as she pleases within reason?”
