AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We already have a bag packed and ready to go for you,” Nolan joins the conversation.
“You all think this is a good idea?” I ask as I look at each of them.
They all nod or say yes. I bite my lip and look down at my feet. “What about us?” I swallow nervously. “Will we be together when I get back? Are you going to date while I’m gone?”
“We will not date while you are gone,” Nolan answers quickly.
“And we can evaluate our relationship when you get back,” Sawyer says, shooting Grant and Nolan looks when they scoff.
“We don’t want you to worry about anything but getting better while you are down in treatment. It’s in New Mexico, you’ll have the desert and peace.” Lake leans forward to hold my eyes. “We want you to go and throw yourself into healing. Regardless of how you feel about relationships when you come out, we will be here for you. Our friendship is permanent, nothing will ever sever it again.”
“Okay,” I nod, “I’ll go.” I hate the thought of us not being together, but I think I understand their reasoning. I came back to them with such trauma and then added even more to it. I know they want me to choose them with a healthy mindset behind it, not fear or pressure.
We spend the night worshipping each other’s bodies. They each make sure I know exactly how they feel about me with every touch, with every kiss, and every thrust. I fall asleep with all four of them touching me in some way.
The next morning, we board their private jet and fly down to the treatment center. It caters exclusively to the ultra-wealthy, so there’s a landing strip on the property. From the brochures I read on the way down, they do addiction treatment, psychological disorder treatment, and PTSD. I’ll have my own suite of rooms but limited access to the outside world. There’s daily yoga classes and mediation. A full-scale gym and lap pool. It looks and reads almost like a resort, just with intensive therapy.
Nolan is the last to say goodbye. He holds me tight and whispers in my ear, “I love you, Livvy. I’ll be the one who picks you up.” He, unlike the other three, gives me a deep, slow, sensual kiss that makes my toes curl inside my shoes.
“I love you, too.”
“Ms. Greyson? Time to go get settled.” My counselor says from behind me.
I smile at the sound of my maiden name. We changed it back first thing after the annulment. I wanted no ties to Tripp. I give the guys one last look over my shoulder as I follow her into the lobby.
29
OLIVIA
90 DAYS LATER
“Ready to get out of here?”Jacinda, my counselor, asks.
“Yes.” I smile at her as I zip my suitcase up. “And no.”
I blink back unexpected tears as a wave of fear washes over me.
She leans her head against the door jam and gives me a gentle smile. “That’s a common reaction to that question. It’s scary to leave the comfort of this warm bubble.”
“It really is.” I chuckle to myself as I look around the room one last time. “I was so uneasy at first, and now it feels like home.”
“Again, a common reaction.” She walks into the room and helps me with my bag. “I think you’ll be just fine. We’ve sent referrals out for you, and you have a strong support network.” She glances at her watch, “Speaking of, what time will they be here?”
I opened up to her early on about the type of romantic situation I had going on, and to my surprise and relief, she was all for it. It helped me be able to trust her early on and completely open up. There were parts of my marriage that I still haven’t shared with the guys, and I’m not sure I will, but laying it all out on the table for her was more helpful than I ever imagined.
“It’s just going to be Nolan, and he should be here now.”
“Let’s get going, then.” She grabs the handle of my suitcase while I grab my duffel bag and camera.
Early on they pushed me to find a hobby. I tried painting for a few days but no. I tried gardening and again, no. Then I picked up a camera and started snapping photos. It clicked with me, no pun intended.
At the front door, Jacinda stops and turns to me. “From a professional standpoint, I hope I never see you again.”
I laugh and hug her.
“But from a personal and highly unprofessional one, I slipped my cell number in your suitcase. Call or text me when you get settled back in,” she whispers in my ear as she squeezes me.
My lips stretch into a huge smile when I walk out into the warm spring sun and see Nolan waiting at the end of the sidewalk. He sees me and gives me a similarly large smile. He stays rooted to the spot he’s in. A pair of black jeans and a gray t-shirt compliment his lean physique and edgy tattoos.
