You Again

Chapter 12

The smell of coffee woke me from my slumber. I groaned, reaching out but felt nothing. The space to me still held some warmth, telling me that Ryker didn't leave too long ago. I rolled onto my back, looking at the ceiling. My cheeks reddened at the memories of Ryker confessing his love for me. I giggled. I never knew that I could feel like this again. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest with so much happiness.

The door slammed open. I sat up suddenly, pulling out the gun that was tucked in between the mattress and the bed frame. I pointed the weapon at the person who barged into my room. Everything seemed to freeze. I watched as Rowan's green eyes widened comically. Neither one of us seemed to breathe.

"Sang?" Rowan asked. "Are you okay?"

His voice seemed so far away as my mind pulled me back into the past. Screams rang around me in the dark building. They were screams of terror and pain and shouting of encouragement and cruelty. I watched from the balcony that overlooked the ring below. In the middle of the room was a cage. Two people, barely old enough to be called adults, were facing each other. Blood ran down their sweaty skin. Their breathing was hard and labored. Onlookers pressed in each other, yelling for them to kill each other.

I felt sick to my stomach that I had to watch. I was not supposed to help. Not yet. I was there to infiltrate the gang. These people would kidnap children off the streets and force them to fight. I would rather kill them than join them, but I was assigned to find out how far up this ring went in the city, if any politicians or important people were supporting them. I watched with an impassive face as the older boy wrapped his arms around the younger and snapped his neck. I watched the body fall to the ground, wishing he would move but my wish was unanswered.

"Sang," a voice called out to me. "Sang, come back."

I snapped out of my mind with a gasp. My arm was still outstretched, the gun pointing at the empty doorway. To the right stood Cian, Rin, and Rowan who were standing away from me. From their body stance, I knew that they wanted to come towards me but were unsure if I'd allowed that. I gasped, my mind joining up with my body. I lowered my arm, dropping the gun. The weapon thumped onto the mattress. I drew my hands over my eyes to block their stares from my tears. I couldn't handle their sympathy and pity when I knew that I shouldn't have it.

Arms encompassed me and held me, holding my shivering body. I looked up to look into pained blue eyes. Black strands fell over his eyes that looked over me with fear and worry. Tears cascaded down my face. Unlike last night's tears which were full of happiness, these tears were filled with pain and helplessness. Ryker saw my emotions in my eyes and his droplets of water fell onto his cheeks. He wrapped me in his arms again, rocking me slightly.

Time passed and my tears dried. Ryker never let me go, and the others had joined us on the bed. I turned my head and opened my swollen eyes, right into Rowan's sad green eyes. I withdrew from Ryker and leaned into Rowan who hugged me tightly as if the hug would squeeze my dark memories from me. His cedar scented cologne comforted me. Another pair of arms wrapped from behind me. Rin's scent of orange blossom joined Rowan's. Then the smell of clovers and pineapple were added to theirs. I felt Cian's large hand on my shoulder and Ryker's hand over mine.

"I'm sorry, Rowan," I whispered into his shirt. "I didn't mean to."

"Shh, it's okay, babygirl," he cooed. "I shouldn't have barged in. The Underground Ring mission still haunts you, doesn't it?"

I nodded wordlessly. Rowan's chest rumbled as he spoke. "It's okay, Sang. I am still haunted by that mission. Whenever I smell the scent of blood, I am catapulted back to the ring."

Rin sighed, the breath caressing my hair. He spoke softly, struggling to get the words out. "We all have ghosts. That mission was cruel. To all of us. We all have our scars and we will work each day to live with our past."

I sniffled. "How do I get rid of them?"

"By not letting them overtake us. We overcome our grief and guilt. We did what we could to save as many as them." Cian spoke from behind Rowan. I looked up and saw my teammates gazing at me with pride and sorrow.

I looked at Ryker, the only one of us not affected directly from the mission last year. I was afraid that the truth that would make him realize that I was too broken. Ryker leaned forward, capturing my face with his hands. He placed his lips gently on mine, making tears come again to my eyes. He pulled back and looked into my eyes. "You are more beautiful and stronger that I thought. Your past has made you into what you are, and I love you, your past and all."

I blinked away my tears and swerved my eyes. Awkwardness settled in me when I realized that I was still wrapped in three other arms. Rowan was staring at Ryker that made me want to wince while Rin and Cian were exchanging happy looks. Ryker saw all of this and pulled away slowly, wanting me to know that he wasn't afraid of the others. "I'm going to call Uncle. I don't think that you are feeling well enough to work."

I thanked him with a soft smile. I watched as he walked out the room before looking at a frowning Rowan and smiling Rin and Cian. I frowned. "What's wrong, Rowan?"

He seemed to pout. "He loves you." I nodded, and he continued. "And you love him."

He didn't say it as a question but as a statement. He knew my feelings already but said it to clear the air. I gulped. "Are you mad?"

He crossed his arms. "Of course, I am mad. He didn't come to us for permission to love you."

I pinched his arm. He howled with fake pain and clutched his arm to his chest. He pouted, wavering his bottom lip to make me feel bad; however, I refused to feel bad for pinching him. "Why did you do that?" He cried out, ignoring the sniggering from a certain Irishman. He turned, smirking at the red-head. I knew he was going to say something that would rile up the man. "You think that's funny. He probably fluffed up her sheets already."

I was horrified. "Rowan!"

Cian stopped laughing. He looked confused. "He did what?"

Rowan opened his mouth to speak but a pale hand smacked over it before he could speak. Rin had a blush on his face but kept a stern look on his face. He directed that look towards the blonde man. "Have respect for your teammates. If Ryker and Sang are having s-" he cleared his throat, blushing harder. "If they are doing IT, you don't need to stick your nose in their business. If they are pregnant, that is another story."

Cian was stone. Comprehension of the topic of the conversation had him frozen. I leaned forward. "Cian? Cian, are you okay?"

He roared. His face turned red with anger. "I am going to kill him!"

I jumped on his back as he stood. My weight did nothing to stop him but the meaning that I had to jump on his back made him freeze. I choked out, "Ryker and I are not having sex!""

A sound had all of us turning towards the door. Ryker stood with his hand to knock on the doorframe but was frozen. I knew that he had to hear what I had just said. His face was redder than any blush I had ever seen. It was even brighter than mine. His lips opened in shock and he was stammering as he spoke. "I- I'm – I didn't me- I think that I am going to get some food ready." He turned around, all stiff, reminding me of a frozen anime boy.

Suddenly all three men chased after him. I fell back onto the bed as Cian ran after the others, yelling. "We better have a conversation. No one sleeps with Sang without our permission!"

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. I did not envy the conversation Ryker was going to get from the three overprotective men.