Page 71 of Shattered Trinket
A glance in the mirror reveals my eyes looking puffy and bloodshot, my cheeks blotchy and discolored, and my curls in a state of disarray. But hidden beneath it all, a spark of anticipation shines in my eyes.
I believed everything was ruined, convinced they had changed their minds after Ridge’s attack on Jeremiah. Convincing this group of men to accept Jeremiah seemed like an impossible task, especially when violence was the first thing that crossed their minds upon learning his identity. However, when Ridge came and found me in my nest, all of my fears melted away as he lovingly stroked me and whispered his apologies into my ear. When he asked all of us to come stay with them, a renewed sense of hope washed over me.
Hope that this can work.
Hope that they can all be mine, and I can be all of theirs.
Hope that we can be a family.
I try to fix myself up as best as I can before coming out of the bathroom, only to find all five men in my bedroom, their expressions filled with uncertainty. Ridge and Jeremiah keep trading glances, filling the air with tension that can be felt by everyone around them. But neither have thrown anymore punches, so that’s something. Right?
Zeke groans and throws his head back as he looks at them both with a frown and roll of his eyes.
“I canae breathe in here wi’ ye two makin’ everything so damn tense! Kiss an’ make up so my wee omega doesnae start cryin’ again.”
As he approaches me, a mischievous grin spreads across his face, accompanied by a wink that instantly brings a smile to my lips. When he finally reaches me, he wraps his arms around me tightly, lifting me off the ground and ensnaring me completely in his embrace. I sigh when he presses his nose against the crook of my neck, and I wrap my arms around his neck as I lay my head on his shoulder in contentment.
As his sugary sweet cinnamon roll scent envelops me, I find myself relaxing even more in his hold. Without thinking, I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist, craving thecloseness. His hands cup my bottom for support, and my cheeks blaze at his touch, even though there’s nothing sexual about the way he’s holding me.
“All good now, Ducky?” he asks me, his voice muffled and tickling my skin.
“Ducky?” I ask with a slight giggle, and he huffs, clearing his throat.
“Well, ye dinnae like bein’ called small, so I decided tae call ye somethin’ else. Ye’re just as cute as a baby duckling, so…” he mutters, trailing off, and I notice his ears turning red and a flush running down his throat.
I smile, nuzzling my nose in the crook of his neck until he relaxes and takes a breath. It’s sweet, and I appreciate him thinking of something so sweet. Although, as much as I’ve fussed about it, I can’t say I hate Manny calling me ‘little mermaid’ or Ridge calling me Smalls. Honestly, I just kind of love that they all have a nickname for me.
“Ready tae go back down?” Zeke asks, rubbing his cheek against my head.
I nod, but my grip tightens, and a small chuckle escapes him. I can feel us moving, so I tilt my head up just enough to notice that he’s headed for my bedroom door. With a sigh, I nestle my cheek against his shoulder once more, the sound of the other’s footsteps reverberating behind us as we make our way down the stairs. When we finally reach the backdoor, Zeke’s hold on me remains unyielding, and he steps outside, keeping me securely wrapped in his embrace.
When I peek out, I can’t help but feel everyone’s gaze weighing on me, prompting me to hastily bury my face in Zeke’s neck. The sound of footsteps approach, and I tense up until I smell Mama’s familiar soothing scent, and I peek an eye out at her. She smiles at me, her eyes shimmering in the sunlight, prompting me to relax in Zeke’s arms.
“All good?” she asks me, glancing back and forth at Zeke and I with an amused smile.
“All good,” I murmur and she nods happily, glancing behind us with a sharp glare.
I glance over Zeke’s shoulder to see who she’s looking at, and when I see Ridge with hunched shoulders and a frown marring his features, I can’t help but feel this intense need to soothe and comfort him. I make a sound in the back of my throat, reaching for him, and he looks at me in surprise, freezing in place until Jeremiah huffs and shoves him in the back towards me with a roll of his eyes. I give him an admonishing look before turning my attention back to Ridge.
When he pulls me from Zeke’s arms into his, I immediately curl myself into him, letting instinct guide me. My scent is subtle as it wraps around us both, meant to soothe and calm more than to entice, something I wasn’t even aware I could do.
“Yousoothingme, Smalls?” Ridge asks quietly in my ear, his voice strained and holding a hint of surprise in it.
I bury my face in his throat, feeling him shiver as my breaths fan out against the side of his neck and unable to hold back the smile that pulls at my lips.
“Yeah, I guess I am.”
He presses a kiss to my cheek with a chuckle, and my heart warms. It’s fit to burst right now, and I’m not sure how to really handle these feelings that this lot of alphas seem to bring out in me. I can’t say I don’t like it, though.
“Aww, you guys are so cute!” I hear hollered out, and when I lift my head, I see Ripley standing not far away with the biggest grin.
“Shut up, you little shit,” Ridge grumbles back at her as he moves to sit in one of the many chairs around the patio, which only seems to make her grin widen.
When he sits down, I go to get up, but he holds me in place until I relax back against him with a contented sigh. The rest of the guys take up seats around us, Jeremiah moving his chair closer to where Ridge and I are, which makes me giggle. He looks at me with a raised brow and a smirk.
“Something to say, Dove?”
“Nope,” I quip, miming zipping my lips.