Fractured

Chapter 23

I'm not sure how long I spent looking at properties, but before I knew it the guys were back, and they brought food. Knowing my throat was likely still sore from the assault I suffered, they brought me a variety of soft foods. There was a variety of soups, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and steamed vegetables. My mouth was watering with each new scent that filled the room as Corey pulled the food out of the carry bags they came in. It helped that the bags told me the food came from Bob's Diner and I happened to be a big fan of Uncle's cooking.

We ate in comfortable silence, taking the time to enjoy each others company without unnecessary words or the need to be someplace else. Once I had eaten my fill of the potatoes, eggs, and soup, I offered the vegetables to the guys before deciding to start a conversation. While the silence wasn't uncomfortable, I missed hearing their voices. Today had been the longest amount of time I had spent apart from my guys since we had met and I missed them.

"So Marc, how did your appointment go?" I rasped out.

"It helped. I worked through a few things and don't feel like a pressure cooker ready to explode anymore, though James' face also helped as an outlet. Lily said to tell you hello, that it has been too long since you visited her and her guys and that you need to take better care of yourself. She also said to let her know if you want an appointment booked and she will make the time for you."

Lily had been my psychologist since I first moved in with Phil. He and Mrs. Rose wanted to make sure that I had all of the emotional support I could, not just from them, but from a professional who could help me work through the feeling of the things I had experienced as a child. I knew that she only worked with Academy members, but I had no idea that any of the Toma team were clients.

"Thanks". I could feel my throat starting to get scratchy again so popped a piece of ice into my mouth to hopefully numb the feeling a bit longer.

"Andy," Corey started and I flinched.

I had completely forgotten to ask them if they had spoken to Phil since they had been back and Corey's use of my name reminded me they needed to be brought up to speed on the plan. I had to work out how I was going to tell them that I knew James wasn't the brains of the operation and that someone else put him up to come after me. That would be the easy part though. There was no way they wouldn't want to know who I thought it was that put him up to it and I wasn't ready to tell them the truth on that one. I wanted information on Doyle first.

Brandon's eyebrows furrowed. "Why the flinch at your name?"

Crap. Well, I guess there is no time like the present to tell them. "Phil was supposed to catch you before you made it in. I will give you the cliff notes version and he can fill in the details. James isn't smart enough to have pulled off any of this stuff on his own. I am positive someone else is behind it and Phil agreed. He has people on it, but we won't know more for a while. Long story short, there is a plan in place that will result in the permanent retiring of my name, Alexandria Roberts. Phil is having the new documents drawn up. I will officially become Mackenzie Rose."

The room exploded at my admission of Phil agreeing that all of this wasn't orchestrated by James and angry shouts asking why I didn't tell them and who I could possibly trust more than Corey to look into it. I sat in silence, not bothering to compete with the volume they managed to produce until they finally quieted and asked why I wasn't answering.

I told them they would need to speak to Phil for the details, as I had originally stated, and that the reason they weren't directly involved in any of the planning was that I needed them. It took me a couple of goes to actually get the words out, but when I told them that even the thought of being alone terrified me right now instantly diffused their tension. They relaxed further when I said I wanted to be around them and that my selfishness was the reason they weren't included in the decision.