Haven moved into the farm, although we rarely saw her as she spent most of her time outside somewhere … None of us really knew where she went. Ream was frustrated and I suspected hurt because Haven refused to let him in. Maybe in time she would. I hoped she would. I knew she cared about him, I’d seen her face in the car, although that look had never crossed her face again.
They’d both sacrificed for one another. Ream gave up his innocence in order to protect hers, only to have it broken by her rapist. Then Haven gave herself to Alexa and Olaf in exchange for Ream’s safety.
But that wasn’t enough for Alexa.
I didn’t know how Haven was treated, if she was abused or forced to prostitute herself like Ream had been, but she’d been a prisoner. A prisoner for twelve years and that was something many couldn’t come back from.
Deck had taken Haven aside and talked to her. I figured he was getting as much of the story as he could so he could keep us out of the police investigation on the house. I suspected Deck had something to do with the quick closure of the inquiry too. They would’ve found out how the fire started, yet it was deemed accidental.
What I couldn’t figure was Haven’s ability with a gun and that she was no longer a drug addict. Ream asked her outright, but that got him nowhere because Haven simply walked away.
I looked at Logan, Crisis, and Ream, who were talking quietly together, the lake behind them, the sun beaming down on their naked chests. Ream’s hair was wet from swimming, and I felt the familiar warmth of love as I ran my gaze over him.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Emily asked.
“How sexy we are?” She snorted. “Or how much they love us and can’t live without us.”
“I think they’re conspiring to get us sloshed tonight for drunk sex,” Emily said.
Ream glanced over at me and winked. My heart skipped a beat, and I smiled. “Drunk sex is loud and the walls are paper thin in this place. I’m thinking lake sex at midnight. You can have it here.” The cliff was a perfect spot, but Ream and I had it last night under the stars. Tonight I wanted lake sex, right after I kicked his ass at Monopoly. We went and bought a new board right after we all went go-karting. But this time I made sure he was never alone with the attendants.
Crisis kicked all our asses and surprisingly Kite came next. Guess he was better at live racing than gaming. Logan tied with Ream, although I think Ream did beat him by a fraction of a second. Emily and I … well, we both decided to take it easy on the men. Kicking their butts in front of everyone, it was more fun watching them hack it out.
But Ream knew I threw the race.
He’d tossed me onto his shoulder and smacked my butt as we walked ahead of everyone back to the car. “You lost on purpose, baby.”
He set me down against the car and leaned in. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “So then you owe me.”
He raised his brows. “How so?”
I smiled.
“I don’t recall making any wager.” He nipped my neck.
I tilted my head to the side to give him better access then moaned as his tongue swirled over the sensitive place he nipped. “For saving you any embarrassment at losing to your girlfriend—”
“Fiancée,” he growled then bit my neck—hard.
“Oww.” I shoved back on his chest, but he was immoveable. “Okay, fiancée.” We didn’t have a date yet, and there was no rush. I’d been adamant at not even discussing it until after Logan and Emily’s wedding in February. They wanted a winter wedding with a horse drawn sleigh to which Clifford was delegated. I think the damn horse was proud of being given a job.
“What do I owe you then, beautiful?”
He made his payment last night up on the cliff under the stars. Thin walls or not, I was certain they all heard me scream his name down at the cottage.
“Oh no.” Emily grabbed my arm, jerking me from my thoughts.
“What?”
“Run.”
“What?”
“Run!”
I glanced up and saw Ream and Logan running toward us. My eyes widened and Emily and I both bolted down the path. But neither of us were quick enough as we were hitched up by our men and carried kicking and laughing and screaming back up the hill.
“On three,” Ream said.
“One,” Logan counted.
Emily squealed. “Logan. Put me down. Don’t you dare.”
“Ream. No.” I kicked and squirmed in his arms. His reaction was a chuckle.
“Fuck it. Go,” Ream said.
Ream ran with me in his arms, Logan and Emily beside us as the boys jumped off the edge of the cliff and we plunged into the cool water at the same time.
I came up sputtering, Ream’s arms still locked around me, and Logan and Emily were busy kissing then sinking beneath the surface of the water.
I heard a strange yelp from above and looked up just as Crisis flew over the edge of the cliff with Haven in his arms.
Holy shit.
“Fuck,” Ream said, his arms tightening around me.
When they surfaced, Crisis was laughing his ass off and Haven clung to him for dear life. Shit, it was obvious she couldn’t swim. Her eyes were wide and she was staring at Crisis like he was a lunatic. Well, maybe he was a little.
Ream was all revved up and ready to kick his ass, but I wrapped my legs around his hips and kissed him before he could start something with Crisis.
“Haven, babe. We are so doing that again.” I looked up just as I caught the tiny quirk at the corner of her mouth. Crisis kept her locked to his side while he helped her to the edge of the lake, and before she could take off and hide like she always did, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him.