One of Them

25

I had barely gotten the door open before the guys were barging their way past me. "Well, just come in then..."

Wolf was the first into the apartment, his face scanning the room like some kind of...well...wolf. Next it was my towering boxer. Gage stormed in after him, although instead of being angry like Wolf was the big cinnamon roll came right to me scooping me into a bear hug against his large chest. Gage's heady scent filled my senses reminding me of the summers Axton and I would go camping back home...

Gage's arms were wide and his warmth made me relax into him. He pulled way from me, enough to look down at me and I watched as his eyes scanned me intently. He looked at me relieved yet I could tell he was concerned as well. He had a right to be since I left so abruptly tonight. 

Gage's body still held me tight to him but I felt as he walked us back into the apartment leaving space for the third man to slip in past us. The new arrival was small in comparison to both Wolf and Gage; he had short red hair styled in a buzzcut and deep blue eyes. His face was pretty but not striking the way Wolf's and Gage's were; his had more of a boyish charm to it. I assumed this new man was the hacker Wolf had been so eager to bring along.

We all stood in silence for a second before Gage's grip on me tightened, I looked towards him and could practically read the emotion showing on his face. He was confused, that was clear. Him and Wolf were confused I'm sure but now wasn't the time for answers. Not yet. Not with Travis still out in the city somewhere.

My thoughts returned back to the room of men as Wolf spoke. "Sky, are you alright?" I knew he meant was I okay from earlier but I wasn't sure how to respond. I thought I had been getting better but now Travis was back and my panic attacks were happening more often again. I didn't know how to answer his question. Gage's warm hands cupped my face, turning me to look at him. I feel as his thumbs brush along my cheeks gently, my eyes move to meet his. "Angel, can you tell us what is going on? We're all worried about you..." I swallow, shaking my head. "I can't answer much. There's," I think about my next words for a moment, then take a breath before continuing. "I'm in hiding, I suppose..." Gage's head tilts, waiting for me to continue but I can't. I can't tell him any specifics without endangering everything that Ax and I are working towards.

Wolf was the one to speak up this time. "We have a lock on Travis' location." My head immediately snapped to the tall man. His eyes were hard as he stood staring at me and I could feel he was annoyed. His gaze made me wince and I had to look down to keep the gnawing feeling from getting to me. They deserved more answers, I know that, but I'm not going to go against my brother's wishes just because they have been helping me. I barely know these men and although I appreciate their help, my brother comes first for me. Before I can reply, I see Axton step out from around the corner.

I felt Gage's arms tense under me, he pulls me so that I'm now tucked up against his chest and I can feel his heartbeat increase; I think it had less to do with me standing against him and more to do with the fact Axton was standing barely dressed in my apartment. I realized that Gage knew I had a brother but didn't know that Axton was him. Wolf's body turned to see what set Gage on edge and I took note of the way my brother and Wolf glared at each other. 

Shaking off Gage's arms, he reluctantly let me out of his grasp and I moved to go stand by Axton. Glaring at him as I approached he looked to me, raising an eyebrow like he had no idea why I was upset with him. "Jesus Ax, do I need to spell it out for you? Put a fucking shirt on, you're giving the wrong impression." He rolled his eyes but left to walk back down the hall. After a minute I heard the door close and then turned to look over our little group again. Gage looks pissed, Wolf looks irritated, and the new guy just looks bored being here.

I looked to Wolf before speaking. "Can we trust your friend?" Wolf looks down at me, seeming to read what I was asking on my face. "All of my men have sworn loyalty to me. Sam won't speak of anything you say outside this room. Isn't that right, Sam?" I look past Wolf's body at the redhead behind him, his eyes grew wide at Wolf's threatening tone and he immediately met my gaze with his wide stare. His head bobbed frantically. "Of course, ma'am. I'd never snitch about nothin' private. I'm a hacker, not an informant." A deep southern drawl laced his words and I nodded after he finished. I trusted Wolf to keep my secrets safe. Both him and Gage have done nothing but prove they are trustworthy enough, even though I won't be able to tell them everything.

I motion for the guys to follow me to the living room and we all sit down. Looking over between Gage and Wolf, I take a breath and then let the truth out. Well, as much of the truth as I can tell them for now. "I can't tell you everything. There is a lot that lead to this but I'll do my best to give a summary of what I can. So, Axton is my half brother. Wolf already knew about that. But our childhood was...not a good one. We fled when I was seventeen, Ax had an escape plan already set up for us. He'd been planning it for a while and one night it got really bad at the house, so he found me and we left. He had already moved out at that point; found a decent job in New York and was doing good but he came back for me. We got here and decided it would be better for him to be the one to work, less chance of being found. As for Travis... Travis was my boyfriend back home. Actually, more like he was an arranged marriage I guess?" I see the guys visibly tense, their face holding more questions than I could give them. "A lot of my life was controlled and planned out for me. Travis was presented to me as a partner without my feelings being involved, and because I had always been in that kind of environment I didn't fight the arrangement. That is not until I started catching him cheating on me. I knew that wasn't what I wanted and I didn't want to settle for someone like that just because I was told that's who I would be with. Travis didn't take the break up well, neither did my parents. That's why Travis being here is so bad; if he knows where I am then so does my dad...." my hands are fumbling with each other and I can't seem to stay still. I'd been stressed about this for days and finally having someone to talk with helped but also made everything so real.

"So, if you've really found out where Travis is staying we need to act now. Theres a chance dad is already on his way." Axton's voice comes from where he's leaning by the hallway, having finally put on some normal clothes now that I'd said something. He was right though, and the fact that dad could be so close again sent a terrifying chill up my spine.