“So what are you guys doing today?” I asked as they all dived in.
“It’s my last day of leave, so we thought we’d all do something together, maybe lunch and a movie?” Kade asked.
“If you’re feeling up to that?” Kyle added. My initial thought was panic. I was ok at home. I felt safe, and therefore able to relax, but outside the house I knew I would be nervous and jumpy.
“I….I don’t know.” I stuttered nervously.
“We’ll all be with you, Livy. We won’t let anyone near you.” Cole reassured me, as he gave my shaking hand a squeeze.
“We don’t have to go anywhere if you’re not ready, baby. No pressure.” Kyle added gently.
I looked away from all of their intense eyes, and down to the counter as I considered just how much I realistically thought I could handle. I knew I should get out, face my life head on and take back control, It wasn’t like I could hide away forever, but I was scared, really scared. I took a deep breath and gave myself a quick mental pep talk to pull myself together. I had told them all, just a couple of days before, that I didn’t want to be a victim anymore, and now I had to prove it.
“I can do lunch.” I said firmly. “I don’t think the movies are really the best idea, with the dark and loud noise, but we can try lunch out. Is that ok?” I asked nervously.
“Of course it is. Whatever you want.” Kade agreed, and the others all nodded.
“Great. Let’s just hope I don't go into meltdown then.” It was supposed to be a joke, but the guys all just looked worried.
“You’ll be fine, Cariña. We’ve got you.” Matt said confidently. I just hoped he was right. I really wanted to find a way to pull myself together for the guys. I had dragged them through way too much already. We needed some peace and stability.
***
Dinner, later that day, turned out to be far less terrifying than I expected. The guys took me to the little italian restaurant we had been to a few weeks before, and I was pleased when we walked in and found it pretty quiet. I was also relieved to find an older man waiting on tables, and no sign of Kelly, the waitress who had called the press on me the last time I was there.
The guys had surrounded me at the table, tucking me away from anyone who may have bumped me in any way, and that had allowed me to relax a lot. I had even eaten over half of the amazing carbonara I ordered, pleasing them all no end. We had just laughed a lot, stuffed ourselves silly and had fun. It had been the relaxing couple of hours we had all desperately needed.
By the time we left and headed back to Kade’s brand new Escalade, I was happy and at ease with them all around me, knowing for sure I was safe with them.
“That was the best fucking thing I’ve eaten in weeks!” Cole declared, as he lifted me into the back seat, before I even began to attempt the climb. Matt climbed into the other side and sat beside me, as he agreed with Kyle.
“Yeah. The food in that hospital was worse than Keira’s.”
“Easy man!” Kyle laughed. “I’m not sure it was that bad!”
“You guys are so mean! Her cooking really isn’t that bad.” I defended as they all just laughed. I knew Keira would be devastated if she heard them talk about her cooking. I agreed, she wasn’t a great cook, but she tried really hard, and I had never seen her serve up anything anywhere near as inedible as they all claimed.
“Sorry Babe, but it is. It’s Godawful!” Cole chuckled as he jumped in on my other side and buckled up.
“She tries really hard when she cooks for us all. You have to be nicer.” I countered, pouting a little for effect.
“We know, Love. We’d never let her know how much we all hate her food. Doesn’t mean we’re gonna eat it though.” Kade turned in the driver’s seat and winked at me as he finished speaking, making me blush as usual, stopping any further argument as I tried to focus on hiding my blushing.
Kade started the car and headed off in the opposite direction I expected him to.
“Erm...where are we going?” I asked nervously, hoping it wasn’t the movies. I wasn’t ready to face that yet. Too many people and too much noise.
“You’ll see.” Kyle smiled, as he glanced at me from the front.
I wanted to push them, but I didn’t. Wherever they were taking me, I knew it wouldn’t be more than I could handle. I knew they wouldn’t put me through anything I wasn’t ready to face. That morning Matt had assured me they had me, and I fully trusted that they did.
Tired from the exertion of venturing out, I decided to close my eyes and rest a little. I laid my head on Cole’s shoulder, and just allowed myself as long as the mystery journey would be to snooze against his toasty warm body.
CHAPTER 2
It can only have been a few minutes later, when I jumped awake, startled by the stopping of the car.
“Steady, Babygirl. You’re ok.” Cole whispered as he stopped me from bolting all the way upright, with the arm he had wrapped around me.
“Sorry.” I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart, and stretched my arms out before me, working out the kinks, as I looked around. We were parked up on the side of a quiet road and the guys were all turned and watching
