Gifted Connections 1

“Yes,” Jemmy said, gently squeezing her shoulder. “But we get to come home on the weekends, and there are so many other children there with you.”

Ella looked close to crying as she looked over at me.

“I’m sure we can work something out,” Will said in a reassuring voice. “Maybe you can stay with me, and I will drop you off at school and pick you up every day until you’re ready to move into the dorms.”

I looked over at Will in surprise as Ella smiled. “Yes, please, Pops. I don’t think I want to live there yet. Will you come visit me?” She looked expectantly at me.

I smiled gently at her. “You know I will when I can, but if you’re on campus it will make it easier for me to see you.”

They had already shown me maps of the school. It was spread out over several acres of land. I would be separated from her, but her school and dorm weren’t too far from the high school and my dorm. Will’s house was roughly five miles away from the school, and on most weekends Jax and Jemmy went ‘home.’ Drake and Noah lived there permanently, opting out of staying in the college dorms. They did the college dorm experience the first year, and their studies had suffered, so they moved back into Knights Tower (the name of Will’s house). Jace, Troy, and Remy tried to come home on weekends too, but it wasn’t guaranteed.

Ella nodded, seeming to be torn. “I want to stay with Pops for a little while.”

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “If it’s okay with him, then I understand.”

I was beyond full when we left the restaurant. Jace gave me a little nod before turning to shake his father’s hand and embrace Jemmy and Ella. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but I also understand he was respecting my space until I could process and get used to all the changes in my life.

We got into a vehicle that had a driver waiting for us, while Jace took the little red BMW. I assumed it was one of his vehicles. I noticed that all our bags had already been transferred to the rear of the SUV.

I felt nervous and excited all at once. I was ready for this new chapter in my life, but I really didn’t know if I had the courage and ability to become the woman they expected me to be. I had enough pressure starting a new school in the middle of the school year. Then, I had to learn how to tap into and control my gift. Not to mention, I had to forge new relationships with guys that I had just met and determine whether I had it in me to complete our connections.

Could I be selfish enough to not try and potentially make them lose their gifts as well? I could care less about my gift, but these guys had theirs for years. They had used them to help others.

I spent the ride to the airport deep in thought.

I wasn’t surprised to see that we pulled up to a private airfield and that we were going to board a private jet. I was instantly rebuffed in helping to load our bags onto the airplane. I was still uncomfortable with this privileged life that they seemed to lead.

When we got aboard Ella immediately found a reclining seat next to me. A flight attendant must have seen the fatigue in her small frame because she came over with a pillow and blankets for us.

It was only seven o’clock at night, but we had a long day. I wasn’t surprised that she was sound asleep before we even took off. I tried to fight sleep, knowing the ride was forty minutes long, but I couldn’t, so I leaned back in my recliner and held Ella’s hand as I too found slumber.

“Wakey, wakey,” a masculine voice crooned in my ear. A voice I was very familiar with.

I looked up, startled to see Jax’s face hovering above me; a goofy grin stretched across his face. Noah wasn’t too far behind him with Ella cradled in his muscular arms.

“Time to go home,” Noah smiled, effortlessly carrying Ella out of the jet and to the waiting vehicles.

I followed them and climbed in beside Ella as Jax slid into the driver’s seat, and Noah the passenger seat. Jemmy and Will climbed into the other vehicle.

“You guys have a lot of vehicles. Do you share them all?” I asked as I tucked a blanket around Ella’s sleeping form.

Jax and Noah looked at each other with smirks. “Yes and no. We all have our own vehicles, but we also have company vehicles at our disposal.”

I nodded. “Whose is this one?”

“Company’s,” they both answered in unison.

The drive to the house wasn’t that long. “Sooo, I think you should know that Rose is currently at the house,” Noah said slowly.

I looked at him and blinked. I guess he thought I should be upset, or inquisitive, but I really didn’t have a stake on the guys. Yes, they were my connected, but I really didn’t expect them to drop the females they may have in their lives just because I suddenly entered their lives. Less than a week ago, four of the six of them didn’t even know I

existed. Jax had a mental connection with me for years, but not even he could have predicted that we would finally meet.

I sighed. “He loves her. I don’t plan to come between them. I meant what I said earlier,” I looked at him earnestly. “I don’t expect you guys to dump Stacey and Tamara on my account either. What happens if we don’t like each other? What happens if you guys destroy a possible chance of true happiness?”

They exchanged another unspoken look. I think Jemmy was right when she said that these guys were closer than brothers, closer than friends. It wasn’t the first time I felt like they were communicating with each other without words.

“Can you guys talk to each other mentally? Like we can, Jax?” I asked accusingly.