AFFLICTION- LRH

No Shoes, No Shirt, Problems.

Maeves POV:

We were relocated to Marcos Island, my fathers private beach house in Florida, a full week ago.

It was hardly used, but with the gang getting bigger and bigger throughout the years, my father and grandfather decided it was time to buy some homes across the United States. He always said it was for safety reasons, and I never understood it until recent events.

Marcos island was my dad's favorite location he had bought. I remember when I was younger, my dad would disappear for weeks at a time, always coming here to clear his head.

He always said to me, "Sometimes you just need a break. Somewhere beautiful, and alone. Just to get everything figured out."

My mother said we were the only ones who knew where he went when he needed to get away, and never to tell anyone.

The less people who knew, the better.

This was the first time I had ever been to it, though. And the house was absolutely beautiful.

It was painted white, with baby blue accents and shutters. The windows were almost to the roof, and the deck was made from pure dark oak. The house sat right on the beach, only a few steps away from the crystal clear waters.

Being here has given me just a small moment of peace within my chaotic life. Hell, I was never at peace even before I was abducted.

It's a little awkward, though, if I was to be honest with myself. With Kouvr here, Luke and I have to pretend to be a couple once more, which means we have to share a room again. Luckily, we stayed in the room that was meant for my father, and it was large, with a couch next to the window. Luke and I would trade places every night, bed to couch bed to couch.

It was honestly not that bad.

Sitting out on the large balcony that connected to the main living area, I inhale my cigarette that sat between my lips, holding in the smoke for just a moment, before releasing the chemical back into the salty air. The wind was blowing like crazy, and my unwashed hair definitely was getting continuously tangled as each breeze came by.

"Jesus." I sigh, wiping the hair away from my face with my hand that wasn't holding the cigarette, my head turning at the exact time Kouvr walked through the sliding glass door, her permanent smile plastered across her face.

I watch as she makes her way over to the seat next to me, my eyes wandering over her face that was beginning to clear up a bit. The bruises had faded into such faint colors, and the knicks across her skin have officially scabbed over, leaving just small healing cuts across her tanned skin.

It made me happy though, seeing her smiling once again. A week ago, it was entirely vacant, and I was so scared it would never return to normal.

"Hey girl." She says cheekily, reaching over the small table that sat between our chairs and grabbing my cigarette box that Ashton had provided for me, "do you mind?"

"Of course not." I smile, "what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours."

"Don't tell Calum." She smirks, picking out a single cigarette before reaching to the table once more for the lighter, placing the stick between her lips and saying, "I haven't smoked in years, but I recently picked the habit back up."

I frown, inhaling my own nicotine, "I get it. I didn't ever think about smoking until my brother died. It's been about eight years now."

"Oh god, you would've been what....fourteen?"

Nodding, I release the smoke, "unfortunately. I wish I could stop. It's only ever when I'm stressed, or extremely relaxed. I don't chain smoke it, but when I feel some type of emotion that isn't just normal, it's my go to."