AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t c-call them ‘boy toys’ Trent,” I sighed, stalling as I tried to come to a decision. I knew I needed to do it – make myself leave the house and face the real world again, but it was just so terrifying. I knew by hiding away and cowering I was allowing them – whoever they were – to beat me, and I hated that, but my fear was a very real and very crippling thing and I just wasn’t sure I had the strength to overcome it.
“I know you’re scared Blake, but you need to do this. You need to prove to yourself that you can overcome this. After everything you’ve faced, you cannot let this be the thing that stops you from living your life,” Trent told me plainly.
“Trent, back off, son. It’s perfectly understandable that she needs some time,” Dad cut in, but Trent’s words had struck a chord with me.
“It’s okay Dad,” I spoke up. “He’s right. I need to do this. I c-can do this. I’ve f-faced worse.” I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince, my dad or myself, but the sentiment was true. I had faced far worse than my own overzealous fears. If I wasn’t going to curl into a ball and give up, then it was time to stand strong and move forward. It was a trip to a shop, for heaven’s sake. How hard could it really be? “When do you want to go?”
***
“Remember to breathe,” Grey prompted from where I was clutching his arm. “You’re doing great.”
“Oh yeah. Great,” I scoffed. We were walking through the second homeware shop Trent had needed to venture to, and I was shaking like a bloody leaf. There was a fine sheen of sweat across my entire body and the only reason I wasn’t running off to throw my guts up was because I hadn’t actually eaten anything that morning. I was doing great at having a complete mental breakdown!
Luca was right beside me, and Grey was at my other side propping me up. Dell, one of the extra security guys Luca had brought in, was trailing a little behind us, and Lewis, the other guy, was waiting near the door of the shop, monitoring who came in and out while also keeping an eye on the car we had all arrived in. It was a lot of security and very likely overkill for the situation, yet I still just didn’t feel safe. I worried another attempt would be made at any moment, and what terrified me most was that attempt hurting someone else around me. I would never recover if Grey or Trent were hurt by the maniac who was out for me.
“Blake? Come look over here with me,” Trent called from where he was charging on ahead as though he had not a care in the world. It was amazing the way he could do that – act as though there wasn’t an entire security team behind him, in case of the next attack from some violent maniac. As far as anyone could tell, all Trent was worried about in that moment was ensuring he selected the right pieces to be put into my room. I envied him that, since I knew it was all an act. He was as worried as I was. I knew that from the way he had grilled the security team before we left, ensuring every eventuality was prepared for. He was just fantastic at hiding it. I needed that ability.
“Blake?” Trent appeared around a corner, looking for me impatiently. When his eyes locked with mine he raised his eyebrows. “Over here. Come on. We don’t have all day,” he urged.
“Who knew all it would take is a few home stores to turn your brother into a mini dictator?” Grey joked as he leaned in to place a kiss on my temple. “Better hurry before he throws a hissy fit.”
I was nervous as I released the vise-like grip, which I’d had on Grey since the moment we left the twins house, to go to Trent, but I needn’t have worried, since he followed right behind me, so close I could still smell his spicy aftershave.
“Look!” Trent loudly said, the minute I rounded a corner and saw him perusing a display of bookshelves. “These are the ones that I bought before, but I think these taller ones would be better. You already had so many books and, knowing you, you’re going to end up buying more.” He was pointing out bookshelves that were twice the height if the ones I had previously, and he wasn’t wrong about my love of books. Of all of the things Trent had continuously bought me since I arrived there, books were the things I had happily excepted with no argument. I loved them too much to ever turn them away, be it the classics which Trent had bought me several large sets of, or ridiculous themed romance novels Trent had thought it funny to buy, but which I had actually devoured and loved.
“I know it’s stupid but I…I really just want the ones I had before…the ones you bought me,” I admitted. While what Trent was saying made perfect sense, I just couldn’t stand the thought of walking back into my room and finding anything different in there. I needed it to be the same. I needed the sense of security that came with being in that safe space Dad and Trent had created for me.
“Not stupid, tiny. If that’s what you want then that’s what you get,” Trent told me with a smile, then he turned to the shop assistant who was following us around with a tablet, and told her what we wanted to buy, namely the short, impractical, but familiar book shelves.
“You doing okay?” Grey asked as he appeared beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist. Trent was already storming ahead to the next section of the shop with the poor shop worker trying to keep up with him.
“Yeah,” I sighed as I happily sank into Grey. “I am.” And much to my relief, it was the truth. The longer we spent in the shop, the more my anxiety seemed to settle. Even the constant shaking had eased off and I felt calmer. Trent had been right in forcing me to go. It had been what I needed to confront the fears that had been wrapping their claws around me all week since the fire.
“I’m so proud of you right now, baby. You are so fucking strong,” he said as he gave me a squeeze with the arm around me.
“I think we’re all pr-pretty strong to brave coming shopping w-with Trent,” I joked.
Grey laughed as he ushered me after my brother, his arm wrapped tightly around me making me feel safer than the three hired guards who were also in the vicinity.
By the time we caught up with Trent he was at the tills paying for the items, many of which were extra to what we had actually come to buy. Grey led me over towards the exit and we waited just inside, security surrounding us almost completely.
Grey pulled his phone from the pocket of the snug dark wash jeans he was wearing and held it so we could both see the message from Declan.
DECLAN- What time are you guys back? Tell Blake I have plans for her tonight.
“What plans?” I asked as I looked up to him.
“No idea,” he shrugged as he sent a reply informing Dec we’d be home in a couple of hours. Just as he was about to relock his screen the phone started to ring in his hand. I glanced down and just caught sight of the name on the screen before Grey tried to hide it from me. Leah. Who was Leah? That sounded like a girl’s name.
“Sorry. I need to take this. Stay with Luca,” Grey told me, then he hurried out of the shop before I could even ask him about the call.
“All set. On to the next store, short stack!” Trent declared animatedly as he ran up beside me and swept me up, lifting me off of my feet.
“Trent!” I cried as a laugh bubbled out of me.
“That’s the sound I was looking for,” he told me as he refused to put me down and instead ran out to the car park with me kicking my legs out in front of him and laughing hard.
We passed Grey who was standing just outside talking on his phone and looking annoyed. I tried not to allow my thoughts to jump to suspicions. I trusted him – trusted all of them, but there had just been something about the way he had hidden the screen from me when he saw who was ringing him. I hadn’t liked it.
