Page 28 of The Lost Ones

"We don't want to scare you off, Beautiful Girl." Kai tells me linking his hand with mine.

"You mean too much to me, to all of us.” Hunter says sincerely.

My throat closes up with emotion.

"We care about you a lot, Little Star. Even if you are a minx." Jax adds, eyes shining in amusement.

I grin around at them, unshed tears in my eyes.

"I care about all of you too." Then to lighten the mood, and since my new found confidence is apparently staying, I add with a wink, "I'll try to keep my hands to myself, I make no promises though."

I walk off towards my class giggling when I hear Hunter call me a devil woman, nothing but warmth and amusement in his tone.

Chapter Nine

Jax catches up to me quickly, swinging his arm over my shoulder and causing butterflies to take flight in my stomach.

"Do you want to come over to ours tonight so we can tell you our theory on what's happening with all of us?" Before I can answer he continues, "although if you ask me it's spot on. Levi insists on calling it a theory until we have absolute proof though.” He rolls his eyes jokingly.

My body tenses slightly and I hope he doesn't notice it. I'm so curious to learn what's happening with us but I have to go to the club tonight so I can get money for mom’s booze.

By this point we've entered the classroom and I get settled in my seat as I think of a way to answer him without making him suspicious. I know the guys wouldn't want me to go to the club. I also know that my amazing guys would offer to give me the money themselves and I refuse to be a charity case.Besides, the reason why I don't go often is not because I don't like it, it's because I like it a bit too much and it scares me. I like that I can block everything else out whilst I'm there.

"I can't tonight. Can I come over tomorrow instead?"

He looks at me curiously but just as he's about to reply the teacher enters and he simply nods.

I breathe a sigh of relief.

Now all I have to do is hope that they don't ask questions. The rest of the morning passes in a blur. I'd like to say that I was listening intently to the teachers but the truth of it is I'm not even sure which lessons I had this morning.Even though I've made the decision to wait until tomorrow, my need to know why I feel like I do about the guys and why I feel the sparks, even though I've never felt them before, is causing me to have conflicting feelings.

I have to go tonight though; I need the money.

The rest of the day passes fairly quickly, the guys all give me curious glances but obviously decide to leave it alone as none of them questioned me.I say my goodbyes to them outside of school giving each of them a kiss on the cheek and I have to force myself away from Kai. It wasextremely hard to walk away from him and I can't wait to find out what is really going on with us.

It's pretty obvious it's not normal.

I walk home after refusing a lift from my guys. My newest Imprint Tattoo burns with each step I take away from them and I can't help but wonder, yet again, if they have something to do with it.I've never been that fortunate though so I don't know why my luck would change now.I arrive home and rush up to my room without incident.

Thank fuck.

I grab a pair of tight workout shorts, black sports bra, black tank and a black hoody.

Sense a theme?

I pack a loose, knee length pair of black shorts with a blood red stripe down the side into my duffel bag along with a spare change of clothes and my wraps.As I'm changing, I check my ribs, I'm surprised to see that there's only slightly yellowish bruising and hardly any pain.

They have healed incredibly quickly and I don't know how. Maybe that's something the guys will know about? I'll have to ask them tomorrow.Regardless of how it's happened I'm grateful I have my full movement back. Especially since I'm going to need it tonight.

I change quickly and grab the measly amount of change I have left, which is thankfully just enough for the bus ride into town.I grab my duffle bag and make my way to my door, just as I reach to open it I hear my mother start screaming from downstairs.

"Sage, you useless little slut!" she screams before, predictably, there's a loud crash. "Where the fuck is my vodka?"

I don't stick around to hear anymore, if I stay, she's going to hurt me and then I won't be able to make the money to get her precious alcohol.I walk as softly as possible to my window and pull it up, taking a steadying breath I jump across to the tree and make my way down ignoring the screaming coming from the house.

The bus ride into town is short and smelly. By the time I arrive the sun is beginning to set.I jog to the club to help me warm up and take a deep breath before opening the door to the large squat, single story building.

The main gym area is silent, which isn't surprising since it's after hours.Two large men approach me, dressed in black, carrying concealed guns that you'd never know were there. After spending so much time with my ex I can spot concealed weapons a mile off.