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“Yes it is. This is officially your home now, Blake,” he confirmed with a huge smile. I pulled the US passport from the envelope and opened it up to the page that held my details, just to be sure it really was true.
“Thank you so much for arranging this for me, Dad,” I sighed. It was such a relief to know I wouldn’t be thrown out of the country at any point.
“It was my pleasure. I’d do anything to keep you here with me, sweetheart. I can’t lose you now that I’ve found you.”
“I promise I’m n-not going anywhere,” I assured him as I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist. Dad hugged me back tightly and once again the feeling that was becoming more and more familiar to me, rushed over me. That feeling was one of being loved and cherished.
“Are you okay?” Dad asked as he pulled back from our hug and looked me over. “Trent said you were a little down earlier?”
“I’m fine. Just getting a b-bit bored rattling around here all day,” I admitted.
“Why don’t you come to the office with me tomorrow after your physio? I know you have no plans to come and work there, but it would still be fun to show you around. We can go out to lunch together and I can show you our flagship store in the city,” he suggested and I knew I was instantly smiling.
“I’d love that,” I agreed. “Are you sure you c-can wait until I have finished physio though? You normally h-head out really early?”
“I think I have earned myself a late start for one day. Plus it will be worth it if I get to bring my daughter with me and show her off.”
“Okay then. It’s a date,” I agreed again, excited to have a day with my Dad and to see where he worked every day.
“Perfect. I’ll be here waiting for you after your session with Declan.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” I told him with a happy smile.
“Me too, sweetheart. Go and get back to whatever you were doing. I just wanted to give you your passport because I know you’ve been worrying about it.”
“I have. Thank you, Dad.” I turned to go back to my room, but stopped. “I made food if you’re hungry. You just need to reheat the lasagne in the microwave and there are two different salads in the fridge to go with it.”
“You’re an angel, Blake. Thank you. I’m half-starved so that sounds amazing,” he sighed. I nodded then turned and went back to my room before I flooded the place.
As I laid relaxing in the huge clawfoot bath tub, filled with steaming water and bubbles that covered me all the way up to my chin, I marvelled at how easy such a thing was for me now. When I had first arrived at my Dad’s house I hadn’t even tried using the bath because I knew what a trial it would be for me to get sat low enough to be in it, and getting back out didn’t even bear thinking about. I simply didn’t have freedom of movement or muscle strength to manage either.
Now it wasn’t a concern. My physio sessions with Declan, my adjusted medications, and the amazing food, Dad and Trent always made sure I had available, had made me stronger and healthier. My mobility had improved in leaps and bounds. The only time I had any issues was when I was completely exhausted and I got a bit sluggish and unbalanced, but that didn’t happen often. Stairs were no longer an issue for me, nor was writing or dressing myself. I could tie my laces and button my shirts. My headaches sometimes gave me rough days and my speech wasn’t perfect, but I knew, on the whole, considering all of the obstacles I was overcoming, I had been lucky.
I was beginning to feel like I had managed to claw back a few scraps of who I had once been, and the rest I was completely rebuilding from scratch, this time hopefully even better than before. I may not ever again be the Blake I had been before those three monsters took me, but that was okay, because that Blake was far from whole. Maybe the Blake I was becoming now, could be an even better version of myself than the one I had cobbled together after my broken childhood. At least this Blake wasn’t alone. I had family and I had four guys who I was falling in love with. I had possibilities for an exciting future which was just waiting for me to map it out.
“Baby? You in there?” Grey called through the bathroom door which I had left slightly ajar. I hadn’t expected him to arrive home while I still lay in the bath. I must have taken longer than I thought.
“Yeah. You c-can come in if you want. I’m covered,” I replied as I double checked the bubbles still covered me completely.
“You trying to seduce me, Blake? Laid there looking all alluring and sexy,” he asked as he strode in. He had changed out of his uniform into shorts and a t-shirt, both of which fit him perfectly and showed the outline of his spectacular body. He looked better than the night before, the only sign of his beating the bruise marring the side of his face and his split lip.
“Is it working?” I asked shyly.
“Yeah baby girl. It’s definitely working. I can’t do anything but imagine what’s under all of those bubbles.”
“Maybe you should t-take a peek,” I teased, getting a little braver and at the same time wondering what had come over me. I didn’t think I had ever flirted in my life and now I was doing it while laid completely naked.
“While I would like nothing more, your Dad is in the room right next door and I do not want him that close the first time I get my hands on your luscious body.”
“Bloody Dad, spoiling all my fun,” I pouted playfully.
“You look so fucking cute with that lip out,” Grey smiled as he knelt on the floor beside the bath and leaned in to kiss me. It was just a chaste peck at first, but instantly turned more heated as he came back for seconds. I wanted to grab him and make it deeper and longer, but I knew his lip had to be hurting him, so I backed off.
“How are you f-feeling today? You look better,” I told him.
“All good. It’s just bruising. Nothing some pain pills couldn’t put right.”
“And how are you f-feeling about everything else?” I pushed.
