All I was met with from my little speech was four neutral expressions I couldn’t get a read on. That frustrated me more than anything they could’ve said. Then Xav stepped forward and broke into a grin.
“Angel, we’re not upset with you. Quinn was just saying he sees how you needed this, so how can any of us be angry?”
I looked at them in turn, finding them all nodding, including Rory. And then I promptly burst into tears, unable to help them slipping down my face as I broke out into a sob. My tears blurred my vision so I wasn’t sure which one of them vaulted over the sofa and took me into his arms until I inhaled him.
“Shh, Ash,” Eric murmured, stroking my hair.
“I’m… I’m… I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for, beautiful. Nothing at all.”
I let him comfort me as I sobbed into his t-shirt, clutching him tightly as if my life depended on it.
“I… I… I told him we were all together,” I sobbed. “And… and he didn’t look at me with disgust. He… he accepts it… and… and I called him Dad.”
Eric rocked me from side to side a little as he stroked my back.
“You did?”
“It felt right.”
“I’m sure you made him very happy.”
He kissed the top of my head before he laid his cheek on it.
“I… I think so.”
I broke out into further sobs.
“You’re okay, beautiful. I’ve got you. We’re all right here.”
It took me a long time to calm down and stop crying. My emotions had well and truly overwhelmed me today. Too many things had happened, leaving me feeling completely raw and vulnerable.
Eric pulled away and his hands fanned across my cheeks, wiping away the remnants of my tears with his thumbs. His beautiful verdant eyes were so full of adoration, it almost had me sobbing all over again.
“I think maybe you need some sleep, yeah? Things will seem better in the morning.”
I nodded. He leant down and kissed me gently, soothing me with each swipe of his mouth against mine.
“Thank you,” I whispered against his lips.
He pulled away and smiled before stepping back. He was replaced by Xav, who hugged me and gave me a deep kiss goodnight.
“Love you, angel,” he whispered in my ear. “You’re going to be okay.”
“I love you too, tesoro.”
He smiled when he pulled away, ruffling my hair a little, then he grabbed Eric’s hand and dragged him from the room. I had a feeling I knew how the two of them would be spending their time this evening and the thought of it made me smile a little.
Quinn came around the sofa and cupped my face.
“Little girl, let me take you to bed.”
I was about to agree when another voice from behind us piped up.
“It’s my night with Ash.”
I blinked and looked up at Quinn whose eyebrow shot up. Then we both looked at Rory. His ears had gone a little red.
“I mean if Ash wants to spend it with me.”
My heart did a summersault in my chest. The thought of spending a whole night with Rory making me nervous and excited at the same time despite everything I’d been through this evening.
“Are you sure about that?” Quinn asked. “She needs the right care and attention after what she’s been through today.”
“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of Ash’s needs.”
I could see the scepticism in Quinn’s eyes, but Rory looked determined. Reaching up, I put a hand on Quinn’s arm.
“It’s okay. I want to go with him.”
He looked down at me.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” he told me, lowering his voice. “Not tonight.”
“I’ll be fine, Quinn. Please trust me.”
He was silent for a long moment, his eyes assessing me.
“Okay, but if you need me, you know where I am.”
I nodded and he leant down and kissed me.
“I love you, don’t forget that.”
I patted his arm and smiled.
“I love you too.”
Then he walked out, leaving me alone with Rory. He stood there for a long moment watching me. Then he moved, plucking some tissues from the box on the coffee table before coming around to me and tipping my face up towards him. He proceeded to wipe my face and made me blow my nose. He chucked away the sodden mess before taking my hand and leading me from the room.
“Are you sure about this, Ror?” I asked when we were walking up the stairs.
“Am I sure I want you in my bed tonight? Yes… I’m very sure.”
I swallowed hard. He sounded so determined like this was a step he was going to take whether he was ready to or not.
“How did you know it was your night? I never said we had a schedule… at least I meant to, but I hadn’t got around to it.”
“Xav mentioned it earlier. About how you wanted to give us equal amounts of your time.”
I had spoken to Xav about that when we’d been in bed together a couple of nights ago. It seemed right that I didn’t play favourites. Of course, it didn’t have to be a fixed thing. We could make it as fluid as we needed what with the occasions where three of us slept together.
“Oh.”
He opened his bedroom door and pulled me inside, shutting it firmly behind us. I stood there, staring at the closed door with no small amount of nervous anticipation running through my veins. Rory moved away and turned on one of the bedside lamps before he walked over and closed the curtains. When he turned back to me, there was a deadly gleam in his hazel eyes which had me swallowing again. He looked like a predator in the low light. A predator who was about to stalk and take down his prey. That prey being me.
“Tell me now if you don’t want this, little star. Say the safe word and I’ll let you curl up in my bed
