Home Study - Rated R

Ch 12

Not edited.

Cori woke up to a bed that was empty apart from herself. If it wasn't for the aches she still felt over her body then she'd think that she was dreaming. Slowly getting off the bed she shook her head slowly at how weak she felt. When was the last time she ate?

God only knows what would have happened if they hadn't come home in time. It was so damn difficult to believe they'd said what they did. Surely she was mistaken?

Was she? Did they really say the things they did?

Taking tentaive steps towards the bathroom she realised that although her joints ached, her skin no longer felt as burnt and stingy as it did though she had to wonder just why she could smell salad? On her?

Jax was sitting at the kitchen table as Russell was throwing a meal together. He looked at the man who was his lover and couldn't help but grin. This man belonged to him and if they didn't scare her off then they would both belong to Cori as well.

His grin faltered. They'd almost ruined everything by being too forward. Russell was the type of man who knew what he wanted and went out to get it. There was no in betweens and that wasn't going to work in this situation.

The look on Cori's face had gone from stunned to shock to disbelief and Russells powerful nature almost succeeded in her pushing them away. What they were proposing wasn't considered normal in the general population. Would she be able to get past that?

He wanted her. God he wanted her but they'd have to take things slowly if they wanted to have her accept they wanted her forever. She was a delicate young woman, maybe not in mind but definitely in her heart. She was the sort of woman who loved completely and damned if he didn't want that for them. She was a gem, a jewel. She was perfect.

"Why the long face?" Russell had stopped chopping vegetables and was watching him closely.

"Thinking about Cori."

Russell nodded.

"I have as well. I nearly blew it Jax. Hell I might still have."

"Maybe. Until we talk to her we won't know. You just have to remember you're fifteen years older than her Pops. She's young and out for adventure. You've seen a lot more than she has, being heavy handed won't help."

Russell sighed and rubbed across his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I know. I just feel protective of her and shít she scared me yesterday. Christ Jax... how would we have explained it to her father if something happened to her?"

"Oh come on Russell... what happened yesterday was all her own fault for going to sleep."

"True... but I sure as fúck don't want to go through shít like that again."

"Neither do I" Jax sighed and shuddered at how close things had been. Maybe they should have taken her to the hospital but at the time all they could think of was fixing her.

They both looked towards the bedroom when they heard the toilet flush.

"She's awake." Russell said in an obvious voice.

"I'll go." Jax said as he got up from the table to leave the kitchen.

"Bring her in here if she's up to it."

Jax nodded with a smile as he went out of sight.

Russell leant his hands on the kitchen counter and dropped his head.

Shít. Maybe he was getting too old for this... too old for her maybe? Fifteen years was alot but other couples had differences much greater and they had successful relationships... monogamous but still... surely they could get past that? Maybe pretending that she and Jax were a couple would help? It's not like anyone knew that he and Jax were lovers so maybe they could pull that scenario off? Would he be happy with that though? His need to touch her may be a problem though maybe not if he was just putting a friendly arm around her?