Page 117 of Shattered Silence Duet

So instead, I let them finish washing my hair, then help me wash my face. They towel dry me and leave me to change into a new set of clothes, a shorts and t-shirt pink pajama set with cutelittle bunnies on them. I‘m not sure who picked them out for me, but they are adorable.

Once I’m dressed, they sit me on the bed and together they dry and brush my hair. I love the way they are taking care of me, even if they did put their clothes back on to do it.

“Alright, how about a movie marathon? We thought you might like to watch the Harry Potter movies?” Max asks.

“What’s that?” I rasp out, taking a drink to soothe my throat.

“You’ve never heard of it? It’s a famous book series that was made into a bunch of movies. It’s about a boy who thinks he’s a normal human and turns out to have magic, so he goes to a school for magical people. You’ll love it!”

As they get me situated back in bed, the other five guys enter my room, making me smile. Something about each of them helps to lift my spirit. And being around all seven of them soothes me in a way I’ve never felt before.

Everyone takes up seats around me as Ben and Tucker hand out bowls of popcorn to everyone.

Max was right, these movies are amazing. But watching these characters attend their classes reminds me of mine. I’m not sure what’s going on with it now. I’m twenty-one, and I really don’t want to go back there. I wasn’t learning anything in the actual classes, anyway. Is there another way to get my diploma?

Would the guys be disappointed in me for not wanting to go back to school? I glance around as everyone watches the movie, trying to gather the nerve to speak up.

When I finally manage to speak, it’s barely a whisper over the sound of the tv. “I don’t want to go back there.” Max pauses the movie as all eyes turn to me.

“What did you say?” Jasper asks, as I bite my lip nervously.

“I—” I start coughing and a straw is placed against my lips. I drink greedily until my throat is soothed, then try again. “I don’t want to go back.”

“Back where?” Ben asks.

“To school.”

“Then you don’t have to go back,” Dom says, tossing a piece of popcorn into his mouth like it’s the easiest answer in the world.

My eyebrows rise and my mouth opens, but nothing comes out. That wasn’t what I was expecting. I close my mouth, wet my lips, then try again. “Really? You wouldn’t be… disappointed in me?”

He moves from where he’s perched against the headboard between Max and Atlas to sit in front of me, taking my hand. “Kitten, I could never be disappointed in you, especially not for something like that. You’re twenty-one; you don’t belong there, anyway. And if you want your GED, we can help you do that from home if that’s what you want.”

“Really?” I ask excitedly.

“Of course,” Ben responds. “I already have the info for you, and with your photographic memory, I can just give you the books to read. Then you take a test at the end and voilà—high school graduate!”

Wow, they make it all sound so easy. I glance at the guys, and when my eyes connect with Max’s, I frown.

“But you—” I cough again and take another drink, then reach for my phone, deciding my voice can’t take much more right now. So instead I use the text to speech app to read aloud my question.“But you guys still have to finish the year there.”I look at Max as it speaks for me. His eyes dart to his brothers over my shoulder, then he grins at me.

“Don’t worry about us, Sweetheart. We have some things going on there, but maybe when that’s done, we can finish early too.”

I look at him in confusion, then type.“What things?”

“Don’t worry about it. Now, c’mon, let’s get back to the movie,” he says with a smile, pressing play on the remote. He’s keeping something from me, but if he doesn’t want to tell me about it, I’m not going to force him. It’s not like I had been honest with them until forced into it, I can’t expect anything different from them.

Later that night, not long after I’m left alone, my door slowly creaks open. I turn, expecting to see Dom, but it’s Atlas who walks in.

“Atlas?” I ask in surprise.

“Yeah,” he whispers, closing the door and moving to stand at the side of my bed. He’s wearing tight boxers, which show off a very impressive package, and a black tank top similar to the one Dom was wearing last night. I forgot how big he is. With his bare arms and shoulders on display it’s hard to focus on anything else.

He frowns down at me. “Having trouble sleeping?” I lick my lips and nod, suddenly afraid to speak and spook him.

He lifts the edge of the blanket and I scoot backwards as he climbs in beside me, lying down on his back. He takes a deep breath before he turns his head to look at me. “You tell me if I hurt you or do anything you don’t like, okay?”

I nod.