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“Th-the dog. I…I c-can’t…I…” I was stuttering, my words pressed out between gasping breaths as my mind forced me back to the time I had been bitten by the neighbour’s dog, when we lived in a tiny council house, somewhere outside of London. I’d been around seven at the time, playing happily outside the front door. The dog had gotten loose when they opened the door next door and run straight for me. I still had a scar on my side where it’s teeth had gone right through the t-shirt I was wearing. My mum had blamed me of course, saying I shouldn’t have been out there in the first place. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I had stupidly thought I’d be safer there than in the house with my mum, and the three drugged up blokes she’d brought home with her.
“Blake? Baby girl. Look at me,” Grey’s voice pulled me back from my fear, and my eyes snapped up, meeting his and then instantly looking down to his side for the wolf he’d had with him.
“It’s okay. It’s just me. Luca has Rye,” he told me as he rubbed his hands up and down my arms over and over.
“Rye?” I repeated, confused.
“My dog. I know he looks scary, but he’s a real softy. He wouldn’t hurt you,” Grey explained. I realised I had known he had a dog. The guys had mentioned it a few times. I just never expected it to look like the huge wolf dog who had maimed me when I was little.
“I’m not…I don’t like dogs. I was bitten…when I w-was little,” I told him as I mindlessly rubbed the side with the scars to prove it.
“It’s okay. Luca has him down the street,” Grey assured me, as he pointed behind him. I looked too and saw Luca back near the pharmacy, crouched down and rubbing the dog’s pointy ears. The dog was loving every moment, his fluffy tail wagging.
“S-sorry,” I told Grey, feeling badly for my reaction.
“It’s okay. How are you? I’m so fucking happy to see you,” he told me as he looked me over, his hands still clasping my arms.
“B-better. I’ve been to see Lisa and sh-she changed my meds. Trent…he’s in the pharmacy,” I babbled.
“She thinks that will help?”
“Yeah. The other’s…they have a bad reaction with my…erm…the one’s I got f-from the hospital,” I tried to explain, but the word I needed would not come.
“Your antibiotics, or the pain meds?” Grey asked.
“Those! Anti-biotics!” I declared animatedly.
“Fucking useless doctors. They knew what other meds you were taking when they prescribed those pills. I made sure they had a list. They should have told us if there was going to be an issue,” he growled.
“It’s fine,” I shrugged. “It’s sorted out now.” I tried to placate him, not liking Grey angry. I was used to him being the calm one – he and Tom.
“Sorry. I know you spoke with Dec. He told me you wanted us to stay away today, but I couldn’t stop myself when I saw you. I’ve just been to walk Rye on the beach,” he explained.
“It’s okay. I’m happy to s-see you,” I admitted. I looked him up and down properly for the first time, and then almost slapped myself for not noticing earlier that he was dressed in nothing but his black swim shorts, sliders, and a hooded jacket with the zip undone. His glorious abs were on display and it was all I could do to not reach out and touch them, wondering how the small smattering of hair that led down to the waistband of his shorts would feel under my touch.
Bad Blake!I scolded myself as I forced my eyes back upwards. This was what I had been trying to tell Lisa. Whenever the guys were near I had serious impulse control issues and that was making the relationship move faster than I felt ready for. I wasn’t even positive that I wanted a relationship, but when I was with any of them, I lost all doubt as my need to touch and kiss overwhelmed me.Bloody dysfunctional brain!
“I…we were getting pizza. I’m h-hungry,” I announced way too loudly as I pointed toMario’sand fought to get a grip.
“Oh, okay. You should go then. Not often you’re hungry,” he chuckled.
“I…I’d like to talk to you…to all of y-you. There’s s-some things that I n-need to…” I stuttered nervously. “Do you think you could…maybe tomorrow some time?”
“Of course, baby. I’ll talk to the guys and see when they’re working. We’ll figure something out,” He assured me as he lifted his right hand from my arm and cupped my cheek softly. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but I gotta know. Are you calling an end to us? To our relationship?” His eyes seemed to darken as his face went tense.
“No,” I told him with conviction. “I w-want this…us. I just…I need to talk with you all. There’s some stuff that I…we need to discuss.”
“Thank fuck,” he gasped as his smile returned. “Whatever you need to tell us, Blake. It will be fine as long as you’re not pushing us away.”
“No. Th-that’s not going to happen,” I assured him. I may be overwhelmed with the way things stood between us, but it didn’t take away how much they all meant to me and how desperately I wanted them. That wasn’t going to change. I just needed to slow it down so it didn’t all feel so scary and uncertain.
“That’s all I needed to hear,” he told me as he leant in and placed the softest kiss on the end of my nose, making me smile. “I’ll leave you to get your pizza, and text later to let you know what time we can meet up tomorrow. Your place, or would the conversation be better at the twins, just the five of us?”
“The twins,” I replied. I didn’t want my dad and Trent to hear me asking the guys to stop me from reacting to my dirty impulses. That was unnecessary.
“Okay. See you then,” he gave me one last swoon worthy smile, then turned and jogged down the street towards Luca and his wolf.
I turned, not wanting to drool over Grey’s arse, or freak out again at the sight of the dog. I was glad I had seen Grey. It had settled something inside of me and I felt even calmer as I walked intoMario’s, to order pizza.
