Chapter 33: Riley

I’m leaning against the counter, arms crossed, watching Nate and Danny exchange glances as we all stand around the kitchen. Sofia’s upstairs getting ready. The plan is to take her out somewhere—get her out of the house, somewhere she can breathe a little, away from the heaviness that seems to linger here. It’s been a hell of a week, and I can tell we all need a change of scenery, her most of all.

I look over at Nate and Danny. “So, how’d it go with the doctor?” I ask, breaking the silence.

Danny lets out a breath, running a hand over his face. “It was tough, man. Seeing her like that—bruises all over, shades of blue and purple on her ribs, her sides, her wrists. I know we’ve all seen worse, but it just hit different this time. I couldn’t stick around. Had to step out before I did something stupid.”

Nate nods in agreement, his expression unreadable. “Yeah, it was bad. The doc said she’s lucky, though. Bruises are healing fine, no broken bones. She just needs time.” He pauses, then adds quietly, “She needs us too.”

There’s a somber silence as we all take that in. It’s strange, this feeling we’ve all got for her. I can see it in the way they look at her, the way we’re all a little more careful, a little more protective. She’s gotten under our skin, and I don’t think any of us saw it coming.

“So what’s with her parents?” Danny asks, leaning back against the counter. “We’re not gonna let them pull her back into that hellhole, right?”

I shake my head. “Hell no. Not if I have anything to say about it.” The others murmur in agreement, and I feel the tension start to lift. No matter what, we’re all in this together.

We talk a little more about what we’ll do if they try anything, trading ideas and plans. But eventually, the conversation drifts to Leo, and I notice he’s been unusually quiet.

“Hey, Leo,” Nate says, eyebrow raised. “You’ve been pretty quiet, man. What’s up?”

Leo shrugs, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Nothing. Just… thinking.”

Danny smirks, crossing his arms. “Right. Thinking about how you managed to calm Sofia down so fast, I bet.”

I catch the glint in Danny’s eye, and it doesn’t take long for the pieces to click into place. “Wait a second.” I narrow my eyes, looking at Leo. “You bastard. You kissed her, didn’t you?”

A slow, guilty grin spreads across Leo’s face. “Yeah, I did.”

There’s a collective intake of breath, followed by an eruption of voices. “How was it?” I ask, not even bothering to hide my curiosity.

Leo’s grin widens, and he leans against the counter, looking like he’s remembering every detail. “It was perfect,” he says, almost reverently. “She was soft, warm. Her lips tasted like mint, and her hair smelled like vanilla. She was so light on my lap… I could’ve held her forever.”

He looks a bit flushed, and I realize he’s got his hands strategically placed in front of him, probably trying to hide something. I can’t help but laugh, and it feels good, the tension melting away as the others join in.

Danny, though, is already moving towards the stairs, looking determined. “If you’ve had your turn, I’m next,” he calls over his shoulder, already halfway to the door.

“Oh, hell no!” I shout, sprinting after him. I can hear Nate and Leo laughing behind us, but I’m not about to let Danny get there first. Not after hearing what Leo just said. I reach the door first, pushing past him, and take the stairs two at a time, ignoring their protests as I go. I’ve been waiting for this moment, and there’s no way I’m letting anyone else get in my way.

When I reach her door, I pause, taking a deep breath to steady myself before I knock. After a moment, Sofia opens it, smiling up at me. She’s changed into a simple black dress that hugs her curves and stops just above her knees, paired with delicate sandals that show off her legs. Her hair falls in loose waves over her shoulders, and there’s a softness in her eyes that makes my heart race.

“Hey,” I say, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. “How are you feeling?”

She shrugs, looking a bit self-conscious. “Better, I think. Thank you for… everything.”

I nod, taking the brush from her hand and guiding her to sit on my lap as I start brushing her hair. She relaxes, leaning into me, and I can feel the tension melt away as I run the brush through those silky blonde locks. Her scent surrounds me—something floral, mixed with the lingering trace of vanilla—and it takes everything I have not to lose myself in the moment.

“Thank you,” she whispers when I’m done, trying to get up. But I hold her down, my hands resting on her waist as I look into her eyes.

“Stay,” I murmur, my voice barely more than a whisper. “I like having you here.”

She blushes, but doesn’t pull away. And in that moment, I can’t resist any longer. I tilt her chin up, capturing her lips in a kiss that’s slow, tender, but filled with a desperation I can’t hide. She kisses me back, her fingers tangling in my hair, and I feel like I’m drowning, lost in the warmth of her, the softness of her lips, the way she feels in my arms.

But then she pulls back, her eyes filling with tears. “Riley, I… I need to tell you something.”

I pull back, my heart sinking. “What is it?”

She bites her lip, looking down. “I kissed Leo earlier. I didn’t mean to… I didn’t want to—”

I press a finger to her lips, silencing her. “Hey, it’s okay. I know.” I brush a tear from her cheek, my heart breaking at the sight of her so torn up. “It doesn’t change anything.”

She looks up at me, her eyes wide with surprise. “You’re not mad?”

I shake my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. “No. I understand. The guys feel the same way I do, you know.”

Her mouth falls open, and she stares at me, shock written all over her face. “They… what?”

“We all care about you, Sofia. A lot. And if you feel the same way… well, it’s okay. We’ll figure it out.”

Before I can say anything else, the door opens and the other guys walk in, having heard at least some of our conversation. They stand around us in a loose circle, each of them meeting her gaze in turn.

“You’re not crazy,” Nate says, a gentle smile on his face. “If you care about all of us, that’s okay. We don’t mind sharing.”

Leo steps forward, his hand brushing over hers. “I meant every word I said earlier. I want you here. With us.”

Danny grins, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall. “Guess that makes it official, then. We’re all in this together.”

Sofia looks around, her cheeks flushed, her eyes shining with a mix of surprise and relief. “You… you’re all okay with this?”

“More than okay,” I say, squeezing her hand. “As long as it’s us, no one else. You’re ours, Sofia. If you want to be.”

She nods, a shy smile breaking through, and I can see the happiness in her eyes, the way her shoulders relax as she takes us all in.

Danny claps his hands, breaking the moment. “Alright, enough with the mushy stuff. Are we ready to get some food?”

Sofia laughs, and it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.