AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The safe house is an abandoned cabin that we renovated into our hideout. Anytime we have movie night, we usually crash there. Our parents have no idea it exists, and to ensure that they continue to be in the dark, we all turn our phones off when we leave our houses. Most of the time we sneak out, but on the off chance one of our parents are awake, we tell them we are going to another friend's house.
Dmitri comes to my room five minutes later with a black gym bag slung over his shoulder. His face screams that he’s feigning annoyance, but the gleam in his eye says how excited he is. “Alright, let’s go.”
Following him down to the garage, we make our way toward his blacked out Mercedes S-Class. I climb in, immediately taking over the music. Since we shut our phones off we rely on the regular radio, which is usually a bore, but now and then we find a few good songs to listen to on our way there.
“Cell phone off,” I remind Dmitri. He hands it over to me as he pulls out of the garage.
Looking out the window, I watch the scenery flash by as we make our way through the warehouse district. We own a good portion of these, and the rest belong to different families. The buildings whizz by as we make our way to the edge of town and closer to the countryside.
Dmitri reaches over, turning down the music, and I let out a sigh. He’s getting ready to do one of his big brother talks.
“Nat, why did you ask dad that at dinner?” He asks, his voice soft. “I really don’t want you involved with the torturing aspect of the business. I know you’re strong, but it’s a lot.”
“I get that, I do,” I reply with a nod, my voice strong. “But, D what if something happens to you? I’m not going to know the first thing about this stuff.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he says, reaching over and squeezing my hand gently. “If it will make you feel better, I will negotiate with dad to see how we can give you a little responsibility.”
“Thank you,” I smile. He returns the gesture, putting his hand back on the steering wheel.
Arriving at the abandoned parking lot, I smile as I see Declan leaning against his silver Jaguar F-Type Coupe. His black hair is disheveled, and he’s wearing a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. Since his father has started pulling him into the business recently, it’s rare to see him without a suit on. The light from the moon illuminates his indifferent expression. My smile falls as I notice he has another black eye forming. I glance over at Dmitri who clenches his jaw.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Dmitri grumbles as he puts the car in park.
Jumping out, I walk over to Declan and study his face. His blue eyes look sad, his mouth is pulled into a frown. “What happened?” I ask sadly.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to watch movies and forget about it,” he sighs, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and taking my bag from me.
Dmitri turns the flashlight on and walks ahead of us on the trail while Declan hangs back with me. He knows how much I hate the dark, so he makes sure I always have some sort of comfort as we make the half mile trek to the cabin.
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” I ask once more, keeping my voice low so Dmitri can’t hear.
“I’m sure, Nat. Thank you though,” he assures me softly.
We arrive at the safe house moments later. The vines that wrap around the old cabin give a familiar comfort. This is the one place the three of us can let our guards down and not be scrutinized by our fathers. Dmitri unlocks the door and the three of us file inside. Declan hands my bag to me. We take our bags to our respective rooms. The boys’ room is modern and sleek, with black walls and very minimal decorations. Mine on the other hand is a deep forest green with photos of the three of us from our many adventures. After tossing my bag on my bed, I walk to the kitchen to get the popcorn started. Just as it finishes, the guys come out of their room, grabbing their bowls.
Declan and I take our respective places on the large gray sectional, while Dmitri sits down on the beanbag beside the couch. Keeping my word, I throw the remote to Dmitri, and Declan groans. He hates it when Dmitri picks movies.
Flipping through the options, he decides on some new comedy. Declan puts his arm around me, and I snuggle into his embrace. As I inhale his cologne, the scent of white pepper, dark amber, and Kentucky oak instantly relaxes me.
“Declan, if you don’t get your arm back in your personal bubble, I’m going to rip it off.” Dmitri glares at him. Declan laughs as he uses his free hand to throw a handful of popcorn at him.
Smacking his hand, I glare at him. “And just who is going to clean that up?” I ask as they both exchange a mischievous look before throwing handfuls at me.
“Boys, stop it,” I scold. “Dmitri, you know that Declan and I are just friends.” When the words come out of my mouth, I can’t deny the frown that tries to come across my face.
“Uh huh.” He turns his attention back to the movie. “And I’m the president.”
“You’d make a terrible president.” Declan laughs.
I roll my eyes, looking over at Declan who is watching the exchange with a grin on his face.
“What are you grinning about?” I ask, throwing my own handful of popcorn at him.
He places a hand over his chest and feigns hurt. “Now who is going to clean that?” He asks, echoing my earlier question.
I fake a laugh. “Ha. You’re so funny, Declan.”
“I just like watching you two go at it.” He chuckles.
