8 Seconds

Chapter 21 - Allison

4:30AM -- Wide awake. Can't sleep. Thankful, scared. Worried. Hopeful. There were so many things I was feeling. It was a week after the ordeal went down with Shanes lawyer, Damien and everything was out of the bag. Everything. His and my relationship, along with everyone else's. One goes down, they all do.

    We all do.

    Domino effect.

    It was the day of thanksgiving, and I was up early, getting the turkey ready for devouring later. Washing my hands, I started the coffee pot, a yawn pressing its way up my throat. Turning on the lights, I looked around the emptiness of the kitchen. One too many memories being swam through my mind. It was interesting and yet bittersweet to know that I first walked in this very kitchen with my nose up high, shoulders back. No care in the word but focused on the job at task.

    Helping Shane from his wheel chair to sit at the table with everyone when he had arrived. I snorted at thinking of how stern and hard headed he was. Wanting to do everything himself, and realizing he was unable to do so.

    Men. Ugh.

    Making dinner and impressing everyone at the table. Shane of course was impressed I made everything from scratch, but was skeptical of me the first few weeks I was here. I had to admit, Shane was for sure a hard shell to crack. But once it was, Shane was a different person. He was a softie; in more moments than one.

    I had to admit I was upset I was no longer his caregiver. It did break my heart I was unable to complete this residency, but there will be more in the future. After discussing Shane's brother, and what was said between the men, Damien saw it fit to open an investigation.

    What also didn't make sense to me was the fact my job insisted on the fact that if I were to somehow mess up my residency, my license would be revoked. Damien had a twitch in his lips when it was brought up by Shane. Damien made a note of it and said it would be looked into.

"With all due respect it is possible for sexual misconduct to happen within the vicinity of workplaces. It does happen all the time." Mumbling Damein added, "A lot more than you think."

Liam gagged and shuddered, muttering "fucking gross."

"Gee, thanks for the comfort." Shsne rolled his eyes.

"Do you want me to lie to you or give it to you straight?" Damien clipped, eyeing Shane over my contract. "I know what you want to hear and I am sorry its not like thst here. Legally if I did lie to you I would be lying under oath-"

"Which happens a lot more than you think." Shane mimicked, earring a snort from Austin. It was Damien's turn to roll his eyes.

"For fucks sake, Marshall work with me here." Damien huffed. "I have my firm, my very pregnant wife and now you are breathing down my neck --literally -- now hop off."

Raising his hand in surrender, Shane licked a smirk on his lips leaning over Damien's shoulder.

"Does it say anything about it in her contract with me?" Shane had run his hand through his hair at least five times as Damien scanned the documents James was given.

"Should you be looking at those? That's her personal inventory." Liam gruffed, narrowing his eyes at Shane.

Lifting his chin slightly, the smirk still lying across his mouth like a dirty secret was held behind them.

"Liam man, I have seen her personal inventory and it is the most beautiful thing you ever would have guessed of existing." Casting a glance at me, the smirk spread to a grin he added, "And I don't have any regrets about the passionate consensual sex we've created." Then winked.