CHAPTER EIGHT

SEBASTIAN

I've never seen Lucy like this; it's like she's shrinking into the background right in front of us, more nervous and unconfident than she's ever been. Even in those early days when she was so afraid, she never seemed this crushed under the weight of expectations, and back then she wasn't sure she'd live to see another day. This is what parents can do to their children?

Maybe I was lucky to have never had that, because I hear more about parents failing their kids than I do about the happy homes, and maybe that's because there's no perfect home out there. Maybe we're all destined to suffer in some way as kids, so it builds the character we need for adulthood. What a crock of bullshit. Parents are supposed to nurture, protect, and love their children. Why did we all get screwed the way we did?

While the others sit awkwardly on the sofa and chairs dragged over from the dining area, I look at the photos on the wall. There are some of Lucy as a little girl, with big blue eyes and a wide happy smile, but two things strike me then. There are none of her as an adult, and she never smiled like that until she found her home with us. We shouldn't have let her come here, because it isn't a good place for her. I don't want her like she is right now, meek and nervous. I want the giggling, playful, strong Lucy we all love.

"Lucy and Stella's latest book is doing great, Mr and Mrs Greene. You must be so proud of your little girl," I say pointedly, turning to glare in their direction, ignoring the ragged gasp from our little Brit. Her parents exchange a look before her father replies.

"More of that filth she writes?" Fucker . I could show you some fucking filth. You think she writes filth? You should see what she gets up to with her three fucking boyfriends.

"Dad, it's not filth, it's spice. Smut. It's not-"

"It's the same damn thing. It's porn, and our daughter shouldn't be writing such things. Do you know what people would say?" He hisses at her, and I watch as her shoulders draw up and she tenses. Argue with him, Lucy. You started off so well. Tell him he's an asshole, and you can write what the fuck you want. I want to yell it at her, but that isn't the way to empower her right now. She needs to find it for herself. Mav clears his throat, glaring at her dad now.

"I think Lucy is an amazing writer, both of them are. They're on bestseller lists, Mr Greene, did you know that?"

" We're very proud of them," Gage says with plenty of emphasis on that ‘we' part. I'm proud of him, because this is exactly the kind of shit that can kick off the Gage Rage, and that's the last thing we need right now, because Lucy seems to prefer her parents alive and kicking.

"We are," I add, moving over to grab the seat beside Gage. "It's a hard business to make headway in, and these two amazing ladies are doing themselves proud. Doing all of us proud. I'm sure you agree, right?" I glare at her parents again, and they just look kinda shifty.

"Yeah, it's a real hard career, but it's important to her. It's not like she runs some lame dress shop, or something," Gage says sharply, and I have no idea what the fuck he's on about, but there's clearly a bug up his ass now.

"Um… anyway, how's everyone doing?" Lucy asks, sitting up a little straighter, like she can tell she's deflecting Gage now before he gets pissed. "I saw Tess had a baby," she says, glancing at us quickly. "Tess is my cousin."

"Tess married a good man, and they're starting a family together," her mother says, arching her eyebrows at her daughter. "It's really important to put aside all the silliness at some point and settle down."

Silliness? She's calling our fucking family silly? My fists are clenching, and now Gage is the one calming me with a hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly. When the fuck did we switch places like that?

"It's not silliness, mum. I'm happy, and I have a… I have um… family… there now."

Her mother leans forward, casting a wary look at all of us.

"Family? Family is here at home, while whatever this is… it's… are you in a cult or something?"

Gage starts roaring with laughter, and the rest of us just stare at him, because what the actual fuck? Does anyone else hear warning alarms in their head yet?

"A cult?! That's your fucking response? Is this because you think we're all fucking each other?" Jesus, Gage!

GAGE

These people are fucking insane, and that's coming from me, so you know how fucked up that really is. A cult? That's the best their minds could come up with? The silence that falls after my statement is what tells me that I fucked up, because as much as I want to tell these assholes that Lucy's mine, that she's all of ours, I know she really didn't want them to know this shit.

Mav curses and reaches back to smack my shoulder. "Can you cut that crap out? Take no notice of him, Mr and Mrs Greene. He has the worst sense of humor, coupled with appalling timing." Lucy adds an awkward giggle and Stella, who's been silent this whole time, clearly decides it's her turn to say something.

"Lucy isn't in a cult, I promise. She's just found a family back in the US with us, and we love her, and we're so proud of her. Isn't that what you want for your daughter? Love and support? Family? People to lean on when she needs them?"

Her mom purses her lips, pretty much ignoring Stella as she turns to Lucy again.

"Marriage, Lucy. It's what grownups do, and you're not getting any younger. Are you telling me that this… this young man… plans to marry you?" What the fuck is their deal?

Mav barks out a laugh and pulls Lucy tighter against him. "Fuck yeah, I'll marry her. She's mine, and I'm keeping her."

What the ACTUAL fuck? None of us have ever talked about fucking marriage. What if they do? What if he marries her, and then Sebastian marries Stella, and who's left out? Me . It's always me. I hadn't even considered the possibility that this might happen, but maybe I should have. What if they actually pair off and realize they don't need me at all? What do I really bring to the relationship with them all anyway? Sebastian reaches over, and squeezes my thigh, but Lucy's speaking again, and I really should listen, because if my world is about to fucking collapse around me, I should be aware of it happening.

"Marriage? Oh god, mum. That's all you care about! I love Mav, of course I do, and I love all my… all of the people I'm living with. We're a family, whether anyone gets married or not. Mav doesn't need to put a damn ring on it!"

"I'll put a fucking ring on it, Lucy, if that's the only damn thing that matters to these two, then I'll do it."

"I don't want to get married just to teach my parents a lesson!" Lucy yells at him, just as her parents start muttering about being called ‘these two'. Wow. This is going so well, and I don't think I'm the one who fucked it up. Not really. The bickering continues, and I suddenly lunge up out of the chair as panic and anger fill me once more. I can't lose them, because without them I'm nothing.

"Nobody's fucking getting married, you hear me?! They're all fucking mine and I'm keeping them!"

STELLA

I glance over to poor Lucy who has her face in her hands, and probably wants to die right now. While this dynamic works well for us, I can understand it's a hard pill to swallow for her parents, for any parents really. People tend to ridicule things they don't understand, and this is not something most people can even imagine. She was really trying to make it seem like we are all close friends, except Mav. However, the Gage Rage as we've coined it, entirely let the cat out of the bag. And by the looks on her parents' faces, things are about to get worse. Her mother appears shocked, but her father is pissed.

"Young lady," he starts, scolding her, and his annoyance is only multiplied by her face being in her hands, "You will look at me when I speak to you."

She pops her head up. "I'm sorry, sir."

What the hell? That's not Lucy at all. My best friend is not quiet and timid. In fact, if any of the guys talked to her like this, they'd see more attitude than they'd know what to do with. Of course, they'd fuck it out of her, but that's beside the point right now.

"You're with three men, Lucy?"

She nods her head almost apologetically. "Yes, dad."

He rises from his chair. "We did not raise you to be a whore."

All three guys are standing now, ready to attack, and her father looks at them. "It's time for you to leave. All of you."

Tears stream down Lucy's reddened cheeks. "Okay, let's go. I tried."

Her father glares at her in a way I've never seen a parent look at the child they claim to love, "You are not going anywhere. Clearly you need to spend some time at home with your family. "

The way he says family makes it obvious that he doesn't consider us to be her family or anything really. As far as he's concerned, we are insignificant garbage that led his daughter down the wrong path. Except it's the right one for her. She's happy. How can that not matter?

Maverick pulls Lucy so tight against him I'm surprised she can still breathe. "Mr Greene, I get that this is a shock, but Lucy isn't staying here. She's coming with us where she belongs."

He kisses Lucy on the head. "Baby, go get whatever you can't live without. Take Stella with you and then we are leaving. I know you wanted to see your parents, but we will not sit here and watch them abuse you."

We both stand, and I take Lucy's hand in mine, and as we walk away, her mother says under her breath, "Three men. Disgusting whore."

I squeeze her hand, trying to tell her to ignore them, as we walk upstairs to what I assume was once her childhood bedroom.

We walk into her room, and she shuts the door behind us. I take a quick glance at the room that doesn't look like it's changed through the years. There's an aged white twin bed in the corner of the room with a matching desk beside it. That's all the look I get, before seeing Lucy like I never have before. She collapses to the floor with a sound that's the most heartbreaking thing I've ever heard. Considering what we both went through in the beginning with the three guys, it says a lot that I've never seen her like this.

I rush over to her, and drop to the floor, pulling her into my arms, I rub her back in gentle circles. "Lucy, honey, it's going to be okay."

She sobs on my shoulder. "It's not. I'm going to have to choose. Stella. They may be bell-ends, but they are my mum and dad. How can I possibly make a choice other than them?"

Well shit. If she leaves us… I can't even finish that thought, because losing her would break us all. If Gage would've just kept his fucking trap shut, this wouldn't be happening right now.

"Give them some time, Lucy. Don't make any rash decisions. This is all a big shock and I'm sure they'll come around."

She pulls back and stares at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen on her. I'm not a fan of this Lucy. I kind of want to shake her out of it, but of course I won't.

"Are you happy, Lucy?"

She starts laughing sarcastically. "Do I look happy right now, Stella?"

I giggle, because it was stupid the way I phrased it. "No. Are you happy with us? Before we came to this house today?"

Lucy stares at me like I asked the most bizarre question possible. "Of course I am, Stel. Are you kidding? I didn't know this was possible."

"Then-"

I'm cut off as Maverick bursts through the door. He stops and stares at Lucy in my arms with a smirk on his delicious face. "Hey. Far be it from me to interrupt girl on girl action, but if you want your father to stay alive, you should get a move on. Volcano Gage is minutes away from erupting."