Page 30

Zoriah

I am sitting at the kitchen island with my head in my arms. I slept well, oddly, but I am still so tired. I woke up wrapped in Huxley’s arms. We were practically clinging to each other, but he was sleeping so peacefully.

“Have you eaten?” Roman asks from the other side of the counter.

“Mmm,” I grunt, unmoving.

“Riah?”

“Mmmmm,” I grunt again, not wanting to move.

I gasp loudly and grab hold of the counter for stability when he grabs me by the hair and pulls my head back against his chest. “Zoriah… Have you eaten?” he asks again.

“No,” I say innocently. Roman grabs my chin and pulls my head back more.

“What would you like to eat?” Roman asks, kissing me gently.

“You?”

“Try again, Riah. What would you like to eat?” He asks with a smirk.

“Uhhh…. I don’t know, actually. I think I am honestly too nervous to eat. Can I get a pass until after?”

“In her defense…” Ben says. “You weren’t going to eat breakfast either.”

“Alright,” he says with a sigh before releasing me. “Drink some coffee at least.”

“Oh, I’ve had four cups. I don’t think you want me drinking anymore,” I laugh. Huxley walks into the kitchen and looks unsure of himself. “Hey!”

“Hey,” he says almost cautiously. I stand and go to him at the kitchen doorway, and he sighs.

“Don’t huff at me. What’s wrong?” I ask. Huxley grabs my face and kisses me, instantly relaxing.

“Better,” he says softly. “Just nervous.”

“About what specifically?”

“Uh… I just have an irrational fear that I’ll get locked in,” he admits.

“Well, you’ll be locked in with us,” I say with a grin when I see Lance and Vanessa walk into the house from behind Huxley. “And Lance. We can traumatize him again.”

“I am a professional man,” Lance declares.

“Liar,” Roman laughs. “Morning, Vanessa.”

“Morning,” she laughs.

“Sleep well, Lance?” I ask innocently, making Huxley chuckle.

“Bet it was a hard night for him,” Ben chimes in.

“Oh, the hardest,” I say.

“Has anyone ever told you that you are a brat, Zoriah?” Lance asks me.

“Yeah, but it’s not like you can do anything about it,” I say with a shrug before walking back to the island, pointing for Huxley to sit down.

“What are you doing?” Huxley asks me when I go to the cabinet.

“Getting you coffee,” I say.

“Why?”

“Because I can. Go sit, please,” I say.

Huxley grabs the granite to either side of me and presses his hips into me, pinning me against the counter. “I don’t need you to serve me, sweet girl,” he says, kissing my neck.

“I don’t need you to tell me how to care for my husband,” I say, pouring coffee into a cup and turning to him.

He has his eyes narrowed, and I smile brighter at him.

“You, Roman, and Ben are my husbands. You three would, and have, taken care of me when I needed it, so it’s only fair that I do the same. So… Take your coffee and go sit down.”

“Or what?” he asks.

“Or I’ll drink it, and it will be my fifth cup. Do you want to be responsible for that?” I ask sweetly, blinking innocently at him. When he doesn’t say anything, I bring the cup to my lips. Before I can take a sip, he takes the cup.

“Brat,” he grumbles and walks to sit at the island.

“Good boy,” I shriek as I run to hide behind Corbin when Huxley jumps up.

“Don’t you hide behind me,” Corbin laughs as he pulls me in front of him and pushes me toward Huxley.

“I love you, and I’m nervous,” I giggle when he grabs me by the throat and pulls me to his chest. “Also, I’m sore. Be nice to me.”

“No shit. I wonder why.” Lance mutters, making everyone turn and look at him.

“I thought you said…” I start to ask with a grin.

“Oh, look at the time,” Lance says, looking down at his watch. “We should go do this walk-through of the bunker.”

I look at Roman, and he laughs. “If you break him, Riah, I won’t save you.”

A wicked grin spreads across my face, and Lance frowns. “He’s too pure and submissive. Nothing to save me from,” I remark innocently as I walk to leave the kitchen. Lance turns like he is going to grab me but stops when Dad walks in.

“Morning, everyone,” Dad says cluelessly.

“Ha. Pussy,” I mock. Lance growls, and I hug Dad, stopping him again. “Morning, Dad.”

“Are you being nice?” Dad asks as he hugs me tightly.

“Me? Always,” I laugh. “Want some coffee?”

“Nope. I don’t drink coffee anymore,” he says.

“You know coffee won’t get you drunk… right?” I ask with a teasing tone.

“Yes, smartass. I know,” he laughs. “Everyone ready to go?”

“Yep,” Roman says from behind me.

“Let’s load up,” Vanessa says. Roman pulls me back into the kitchen as Dad, Corbin, and Vanessa go outside. I turn to face Roman, Ben, Huxley, and Lance but back up when they all start to close in on me.

“Don’t do it, Riah. I won’t stop him,” Roman warns. I ignore him completely, because what’s the worst that could happen?

I turn and try to run to the door to escape them, but right as I near the couch, Lance shoves me forward, so I fall over the arm of the couch.

“Wait, wait, wait!” I squeal when he yanks my skirt up and my panties down.

Ben grabs the back of my neck to pin me to the seat cushion with my legs unable to reach the floor.

My brain is slow to process what’s going on.

Lance starts smacking my ass hard, and I gasp and try to evade his hand.

Flames ignite across my ass, and the more I move, the harder he slaps my ass.

My nervous giggles turn to tearful whimpers, and he stops.

Lance grabs me by the hair and drags me up before spinning me to face him.

The once innocent and pure-looking detective is now a scarily dominant man towering over me, practically snarling as he looks down at me.

He's obviously a tall, handsome man who clearly works out.

He has a well-maintained, short beard with matching dark brown short hair.

His deep brown eyes cast a spell on my mind, and I feel that much smaller and weaker without effort on his part.

He grabs me by the chin, gripping my entire bottom jaw with his huge hand, and tips my head up to look at him as emotion swells inside of me.

“I will fuck that bratty attitude out of you, Zoriah. Don’t think for a second that you are immune to punishment just because it’s me and not them,” Lance scolds. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” I say tearfully.

“I’m sorry?”

“Yes, sir,” I whisper as tears roll down my cheeks. “I’m sorry... I don’t know why… I shouldn’t have…”

Lance wraps me in a hug, and I nearly disappear in his arms when I bury my face in his chest to stifle the emotion dumping out of me. “Shhh,” Lance says softly. “Breathe, Zoriah. You’re okay.”

When I pull back to wipe my face, he cups my cheeks with his hands and wipes away my tears with his thumbs. “I’m sorry, Lance.”

“It’s okay, Zoriah,” he says with a soft smile. “We all understand why you acted out with me. You are still searching for stability, and when you found out I saw everything last night, it piqued your interest. There is no denying how you are coping with everything.”

“I didn’t… I mean, I don’t… I…”

“Zoriah,” Roman says. Lance releases my face, and I choke on my tears when Roman takes me from Lance.

“I’m sorry, Rome. I didn’t mean to…”

“Listen to me, Riah… The only reason Lance wasn’t included in the list of people I trust with you is because you hadn’t been around him enough for me to see if it would be a situation that would benefit you,” Roman says.

“It is no secret that I don’t have an issue sharing you.

Your pleasure and safety are my priority, and I trust these men with you, sweetheart.

To put it bluntly, if you took an interest in any man that I deemed trustworthy, I would absolutely let him play with you.

At the end of the day, I am your main partner.

Everything ends and begins with me. Right? ”

“Yes,” I sniffle.

“All I want is for you to be happy. If happiness is getting fucked by the four of us on a regular basis, so be it. Ben and Huxley are committed to you. Lance has been very open with me over the last few days about how he feels about you, and I see it on your face every time you look at him. You have been testing his limit for a while now, seeing if he would push back as much as we do.”

“I feel bad,” I say quietly.

“Don’t,” he says. “If you are happy, then we are too and that is all that matters. Fuck what society thinks. What does Zoriah want?”

“To get violently train-fucked by you four,” I say bluntly.

“Then that is what will happen,” Roman says, kissing me.

I am standing at the door to the hatch, hugging Huxley.

His entire body is shaking, and silent cries escape him as he keeps his face buried in my neck.

I look over at Dad because he is the best at helping literally anyone with this type of thing.

Dad comes closer, and I pull away just in time for Dad to grab his face between his hands and force him to face him.

Huxley is desperately trying to stop crying, and it breaks my heart.

“Son, we are all with you. I know I wasn’t the best example of a father, but I know you know that I always loved you,” Dad says. “No one will leave your side. You are safe, Huxley.”

“Why did they have to hurt me?” he sniffles. “They were my parents… All I wanted was a family.”

“You have a family, Hux,” Corbin says. “You are my brother, and you always will be.”

“We are right here,” Dad says. “So, let’s do this. We will walk this bunker; see if you notice anything that could be helpful, and then leave. We will leave here, Huxley.”

“Okay,” he says, straightening his back and standing tall. “I can do this.”

“And Hux?” Dad says.

“Hmm?”

“You have emotions. We all do. Don’t hide them. You need to let yourself feel this,” Dad tells him, and Huxley nods.

“Come on, Hux,” I say softly, taking his hand. When we turn, Lance nods to the agent with him, and the man starts taking the bolts out of the door to the hatch. When he looks up, he smiles at Lance.