Jasmine is standing in the doorway of the kitchen, and knowing that she’s left my room makes me work faster on Mia’s and my lunch, but before I can turn back to the ham and cheese sandwiches, Jasmine steps aside and Mia is standing there with her.
She’s changed out of my baggy sweats into a pair of form-fitting leggings that hug her from the knee down. The top half of her legs are still covered with one of my t-shirts, and it makes me grin that she’s still in some of my clothes.
“Ham and cheese okay?” I ask, rather than making it known how excited I am that she’s out of the room.
We tried this yesterday, and it ended with her taking off. I vow not to let that happen again today.
She nods, smiling at me before letting her eyes wander around to all the guys in the kitchen. They part, giving her room as Jasmine leads her to the furthest table in the corner. Mia sits with her back to the wall, facing all the guys, and without a word, the men move around, each helping her in any way they can.
Jinx grabs a canned soda from the fridge and places it in front of her on the table, all the while keeping as much distance as possible.
Rocker grabs several different kinds of chips and two different flavors of dips, and he also places them on her table. He also whispers an apology for walking into the kitchen yesterday without a shirt on, then pledges never to do that again.
Grinch, weirdly named such because he loves listening to Christmas music year-round, grabs glasses for her and Jasmine both and fills them with ice.
“Can you get me a glass of ice?” I teasingly ask Grinch.
“Get it yourself, you lazy fucker,” he responds.
Mia freezes, but when Jasmine leans closer to her ear and whispers something, she slowly begins to relax.
“They’re barbarians,” Jasmine mutters as I hand Mia the plate with her sandwich on it. “But they’re mostly housebroken.”
A small smile plays on my girl’s lips as she takes the plate.
“I’m completely housebroken,” I tell her before stepping away to finish my sandwich.
“Lies,” Tug says as he walks in the room.
He’s mindful of Mia’s space, but it doesn’t stop him from swiftly crossing the room and planting his lips on Jasmine’s mouth.
Mia watches them as they kiss and whisper to each other, but she doesn’t seem adversely affected by it. When Max enters next and does the exact same thing, her cute little nose scrunches up at the sight of her brother kissing someone. I chuckle, topping my massive sandwich with the second piece of bread before joining them at the table.
Tug and Max are the opposite of Mia and Jasmine, so I sit on Mia’s left side.
“Did you want extra pickles this time?” I whisper in her ear.
“This is perfect,” she answers, her fingers toying with the corner of her bread. She’s yet to take a bite.
“We can eat in the bedroom if you’re more comfortable there,” I offer.
“I’m okay.” Her lips pull up in a quick smile, but it’s gone in a blink.
I know she can feel Max’s eyes on her. Hell, I feel like they’re boring a hole in both of us right now, but neither of us acknowledges him.
She’s dealing with his resurrection on top of her abduction, and I don’t think she knows how to process the two events individually much less at the same time.
“French onion or cheese?”
“What?” Mia turns in my direction. Her cheeks are flushed, and her breathing has grown more rapid.
“Dip for your chips?” I point at the spread in front of her, but I don’t think the distraction is going to work.
“No, thank you,” she mutters, keeping her eyes down on her sandwich.
“I think we have bean dip in the fridge.” Pressing my hands to the table to stand, I’m stopped by Mia’s hand on my arm.
When I look down, her eyes are begging me not to leave.
“I’ll get it,” Jasmine offers, and it only takes a handful of seconds before she’s back, scooping some of the dip out of the container and placing it on Mia’s plate.
Mia whispers a thank you, but I don’t think she’s going to eat a thing. There’s too much going on, too many people pulling her attention away from her meal. I’m seconds away from asking her again if she wants to leave, but she finally picks up her sandwich and takes a bite.
She moans into her food. I’ve learned that ham and cheese is her favorite, and I’ll keep making it for her until she tells me she’s sick of it. In the hospital, I was worried she’d waste away to nothing. It’s why I started hand feeding her soup when they brought it to the room.
Eventually, the other guys finish their lunches and begin to filter out of the room. As each one leaves, she grows calmer. Her muscles relax, and the steel rod forming her spine begins to soften a little.
Max shows no sign of leaving. Nor does Jasmine or Tug.
Before long, we’re the only five people left in the kitchen dining area, and even though Max, Tug, and Jasmine carry on an unassuming conversation, they don’t attempt to force Mia into their chat.
But it only lasts so long.
“I’m Kingston,” Tug says as he offers his hand across the table.
Mia looks at it before darting her eyes first to mine and then to her brother. Neither one of us urges her to take his hand. I don’t know about Max, but I don’t want her to feel obligated to touch anyone she doesn’t want to.
With a weak smile and slow movements, Mia shakes his hand, but she pulls it back quickly.
“I’m…” My friend and fellow Cerberus teammate looks between the man at his side and the woman across from him, and the love in his eyes for both is as clear as day. “I’m theirs.”
“I remember you, idiot,” Mia chuckles.
My body freezes. I haven’t heard her laugh at all, but even her chuckles are few and far between since we met.
“Just trying to break the ice. You can cut the tension with a fucking knife in here.” Tug gives her a smile that I have no doubt has stopped a lot of women in their tracks. Men, too, now that I’m thinking about it. “I’m really glad you’re safe, Pia.”
Max’s eyes go wide, and I think he’s about ready to throw down with his lover, but Mia chuckles again. Twice in less than five minutes? Is the world coming to an end?
“Really?” she playfully snaps at Tug. “I’m not twelve anymore. I think we’re all old enough to have a conversation without resorting to childhood nicknames.”
“Pia?” Jasmine asks as she lifts a chip to her mouth.
“Mia Pia,” my girl mumbles. “They were so mean to me as a kid.”
“Mean?” Max says with a grin. “You’re the one that couldn’t take a hint. You followed us everywhere.”
Mia glares at her brother, but I can tell by the sparkle in her eyes I’ve never seen before that she’s not angry with him.
“I followed you around because I was bored, and because maybe I had a crush on Kingston.” Her cheeks grow redder with the confession.
“Well,” Max chuckles, “apparently, so did I.”
We all laugh at that, and the smile doesn’t leave my face as I watch them all interact.
She hasn’t been this light or talkative. It’s amazing, but I also can’t help but wonder how long it will last. I think she’s happy, but I can’t judge the genuineness in her smile either.