Forced Proximity (Bluebell House Duet Book 1)
Forced Proximity: Chapter 25

The sun was high in the sky by the time Haze’s powerful bike slid to a halt in front of Bluebell House. At this stage, I’d half worked myself into a tizzy deciding what I’d say to him. Having my arms wrapped around his powerful frame for the hour plus it took to make it back to the school was an interesting experience.

He smelled good.

He felt good.

But the tension in his muscles was a constant reminder that he hated to be touched and I was forcing it on him. As he turned off the bike and dropped the kickstand, I opened my mouth to apologize once more, but he was gone.

Like, if we’d been in a cartoon, all that would be left behind was the dusty outline of his giant frame and me with my jaw exaggeratedly hanging down to my belly button.

Fuck.

Swinging my leg off the bike, I took a second to let my wobbly legs adjust, breathing deeply as I tried to mentally work through everything that had happened since I stupidly decided to follow Connor into the night. What a fucking shit show.

Though, truth be told, it had almost been worth it to build a tiny bridge with Connor. I would never say that we were friends, but maybe we weren’t quite enemies anymore either.

Sure, he was a raging psychopath who murdered people without thought, but as I’d reasoned earlier, as long as that murderous rage wasn’t directed my way, it was almost a relief to know he existed under the same roof as me. Connor could take out any asshole who broke in.

With a sigh, I started to work the strap of the helmet to get it off when rough hands wrapped around mine, halting me in my tracks. My head jerked up to replace Ethan’s concerned face peering in through my clear visor.

“Lilith,” he breathed, and there was no hiding the fine lines framing his tired face. “Fuck, sweetheart. I’ve been worried out of my mind about you.”

In two hurried movements, he had the strap free, and then the helmet was gently removed before his hands cupped my face as he kissed me soundly.

Out here. In the fucking open where anyone could see. And after I’d vomited.

I gasped against his lips, about to protest, but his tongue dove between my parted mouth and I was lost. It wasn’t until Brodie’s soft laughter startled us both from the kiss that he pulled away, and I sucked in air embarrassingly loud.

“My turn,” Brodie said, and despite his laughter from before, his expression was uncharacteristically somber as he took me in. I had no idea what I looked like but no doubt I was a disaster, my hair everywhere, and covered in dirt from being shoved into a trunk.

Brodie didn’t appear to care as he moved Ethan out of the way, who to my surprise didn’t protest, and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me full-bodily off the ground. His kiss was gentler but no less demanding, as he too slid his tongue against mine, devouring my lips as he continued to hold my weight like it was nothing.

By the time I was back on my own feet, the two guys pressed in on either side of me, and I felt dizzy and breathless. “Maybe I should get kidnapped more often.”

The joke fell absolutely flat as they narrowed their eyes on me, but thankfully they didn’t move away. I still wore Connor’s hoodie, but the events of the last twelve plus hours had taken its toll, leaving me chilled to the bone. Made only better by how close they were.

“Connor gave us sparse details,” Brodie said, taking my hand to lace his fingers with mine, sending a wave of butterflies through my stomach. “But we want to hear from you, Evie babe. Tell us everything.”

“Yes, Evelyn!” This was a snap from behind me, and I turned to replace Andrew on the steps of Bluebell House, his face creased and thunderous as he crossed his arms and glared down at me. “Time to explain why you would act so stupidly and irrationally when we’re doing everything in our goddamn power to keep you⁠—”

He abruptly cut himself off, and the low-level headache that had been hovering at the back of my head since I was kidnapped, roared to life at his harsh tones. “Keep me from what?” I snapped back, pushing between Ethan and Brodie, my hand pulling free as I gave into my need to rage at this demanding asshole. “What have you ever done for me, Andrew Knightsbridge? Tell me? I’m not your goddamn responsibility, and if I want to sneak out at midnight and follow Connor to his creepy gang meetings, then I will sneak out and go to them!”

I was well aware that my argument and rebuttal were weak at best, but fuck this guy. I’d had a really bad night, and the absolute last thing I needed was Andrew jumping in and acting like my dad, reprimanding me for my stupid actions.

He wasn’t my father. I didn’t even have a real one of those these days.

“Everyone in this house is my responsibility,” Andrew replied stiffly, staring down at me like I was an annoying puppy who’d peed in his shoes. “And from now on, there are rules—rules you will follow.”

“Or what?” I shot back. “Going to spank me? You wouldn’t have the balls.”

His eyes darkened, but strangely, he didn’t appear angrier at my rebuttal. Frustrated, I stormed up the steps, annoyed that I had to push past him to make it inside. I was almost through the door when his hand shot out to wrap around my arm. Of course, he managed to land on the elbow I’d slammed on the edge of the car, and my gasp of pain had him releasing me just as quickly.

His gaze turned weirdly frantic as he ran his gaze over my torso and down my legs. “Connor said you were uninjured. What’s wrong? Do you need a doctor?”

Shaking my head with a huff, I forced the part of me, which had warmed at his obvious concern, down under my annoyance. Rules. He’d said he had rules for me.

Not a chance, Dad.

I continued into the house, and this time no one stopped me. In my room, I took advantage of that heavy old lock and twisted it closed, leaning back against the door.

My body hummed, as if adrenaline scorched through me, even though I’d done nothing more than kiss two guys and fight with a third. Oh, and get kidnapped with a fourth and ride on a motorbike with a fifth.

Honestly, it was almost starting to feel normal living in a house with these five larger-than-life men, all of whom drove me crazy in different ways.

I felt sort of bad that I’d stormed away from Ethan and Brodie, who’d given me the greeting I hoped for after being kidnapped, but it was better for me to take a nap and clear my head before I had to relay the story. Possibly by that time Connor would be back too, and if he’d already filled them in, then it would save me going into details.

Not reliving and avoiding trauma was a specialty of mine, according to Dr. Graystone anyway.

Eh, look at me go with my own internal therapy. Barely even needed professional help these days. If all the fucked up in my life continued, pretty soon the trauma would just merge as one, and eventually I’d be remade in the strongest version of myself.

Or completely shattered. Time would tell.

In the midst of my musing, I fell into a restless sleep. I had no idea how long I slept, but when I woke, it was dark outside again and the house was strangely quiet. Rolling over I grabbed my phone to see it was nine p.m. My stomach and bladder both chose that moment to rage at me, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten or used the restroom for far too long. Not to mention I also still hadn’t brushed my teeth or showered, and at this stage, I was too gross to keep existing in my own filth.

I’d made my point with Andrew by giving him exactly what he wanted and locking myself safely in the room. Whatever. He’d never had a chance to tell me the new rules, and that had been my main reason for the rapid and fury-filled exit.

It took a concerted effort to turn the lock on the door, and when it clicked over, the noise echoed loudly. I pulled it open and stepped out, gasping as I ground to a halt, locked in a pair of bright blue eyes.

Brodie was slouched against the wall, his face drawn as he stared up at me. He got to his feet quickly, and I found myself hurrying closer to him. “What are you doing out here?”

He flinched, his forehead bunching. “You locked your door.” His voice was soft, and there was an emotion brimming under the neutral tone that I couldn’t quite get a read on.

“Sorry,” I found myself saying, even though the last thing I wanted to do was apologize for taking what I needed. “I routinely run from trauma, and the last twenty-four hours were a lot. Andrew pushed me over the edge.”

Brodie stepped closer to me, and with his features all shadowy, he was less superhero and more villain. I wasn’t sure which version of him I liked better. Maybe both. “You were having a nightmare, Eve. I’ve been sitting outside your door for hours listening to you cry and scream, and I couldn’t get in to help you. You’re lucky I didn’t break the door down. It was only Haze telling me that could make it worse that held me back.”

I swallowed roughly. “Haze was here too?”

Brodie nodded, rougher than his usual smooth movements. “Yep, he kept me company for a while. He just went to make you some food because you haven’t eaten or drank anything according to Connor.”

I straightened and grabbed Brodie’s forearm. “Connor’s back? Is he okay?”

My question took Brodie by surprise, if his widening eyes were any indication, but he didn’t push me for a reason. “He’s not back yet, but he called in.”

It bothered me that he was out there in the middle of a gang war. Or maybe it bothered me that he was out there without me. In my mind, I’d still saved his life, and I wondered if anyone else would have his back in the same way. Surely his dad wouldn’t let anything happen to his heir? Or was Ethan the heir?

No doubt that family was far more complicated than I could understand from my brief interactions, but I knew I’d feel better once Connor was back home.

My new trauma-bonded bestie.

I almost snorted at the thought, and that was when I knew it was time to eat before I passed out from delirium. “I’m sorry that I screamed the house down,” I told Brodie, feeling my shoulders sag at the realization that I was getting worse not better. “I was doing so much better with the nightmares when I first started school”—minus first day panic attacks—“but anything with guns triggers me right back to my past. I won’t lock my door again at night or maybe we can get you a key cut.”

Pressing up on my tiptoes, I kissed him right on the lips. “Thank you for sitting out here waiting for me. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Brodie Keller, but I’m fucking grateful.”

The blue of his eyes darkened until they were almost violet in their intensity. “I’m the one who is grateful. You’re the first real thing to walk into my life since these four assholes found me at youth camp. Don’t think I’m ever letting you go now.” He pressed his lips to mine once more and then pulled away. Finally, his smile reappeared, and it warmed me all the way to my frozen core. “Now that you’re back out here with us, I feel it’s my duty to tell you that you smell kinda ripe, Evie babe.” He slapped my ass gently and nudged me toward the bathroom. “Why don’t you shower and get changed, and I’ll make sure Haze has the food ready to go for all of us. I can’t skip meals when I need to bulk up for my next role.”

I pretended to sniff my armpits, which did in fact smell quite ripe, with the resulting gag not faked at all. “Yep, definitely in need of a shower.”

Brodie laughed as I ducked back to my room to grab a change of clothes, all the while wondering if I could sneakily keep Connor’s comfy hoodie.

Just for a little while longer.