Secrets Worth Keeping (Finding my Home #2)- Nikita Parmenter Page 0,72

subtly signing.

“Well done, Baby. If you’d asked a direct question he would’ve shut down” he compliments.

I grin and get matching grins from most of the others, all of them having picked up on what I did. To be honest Atlas probably knows too but it makes it easier for him so I can’t see why he would mind.

“I’m guessing the guys told you I like music?” he smirks and the guys chuckle, “fuckers,” he says with no heat. “In that case you’ll know that I’m pretty good on the guitar. What they won’t have told you because they don’t know, is that also play the piano, violin and the bass guitar.”

“That’s really amazing!” I say in awe, “I hope you’ll play for me sometime” I ask and chuckle as the guys look at him shocked.

He just smirks and takes a sip of beer not committing to anything.

I vow that I will get him playing Christmas songs for me before this trip is over.

“Man, you just set her a challenge” Trick chuckles next to me.

“I vote he folds” Riot grins and the guys all agree, Atty just smirks.

I feel a lot better about the present that I got him now, at least I sort of do.

He carries on telling me random little facts about himself and I can tell that some of the things are surprising to the guys like the fact that he can speak, Russian fluently, they already know he can speak Italian fluently and I can’t help but think it was probably nice for Cash to have someone else he could talk to in Italian.

“I didn’t know you spoke Russian, dude?” Jensen asks, sounding suitably impressed.

“It was a requirement in my family, the business depends on good communication with the Russians” he sneers and then seems to realise what he’s said.

From his reaction I’m guessing he’s told us more than he thinks he should’ve and it just adds another shroud of mystery that I am desperate to solve. The guys share a look, including me for once and we drop it, changing the subject.

They all start reminiscing and I watch them as I lean against Cash my hand reaching down and intertwining with Trick’s hand as Rafe grabs my feet and just holds them, whilst he talks. All the gentle touches are making me feel sleepy, that and the alcohol. I finished my beer a while a go and I haven’t accepted another one, not wanting to have a hangover for our first official day at the cabin, I wonder when the guys want to give out presents? I kind of wish we had a tree, even though Christmas is officially over. Being here with the guys, knowing that I am completely safe, that we are all safe, it makes me see myself a lot further in the future than I have ever allowed myself before and in my sleepy, alcohol induced haze I let myself indulge in the fantasy of a future where this is our home, all of us together, Atlas included because it’s my fantasy and why the fuck not. Where we all have jobs doing what we love and then come home to here and just be together maybe even a couple of little ones.

Just happy.

Just us.

The impossibility of the dream sends a pang of yearning through me so strong that I surprise myself when I shed a loan tear. I reign my emotions in and push the dream back. I jump slightly as lips kiss my cheek right where the tear is, I open my eyes, not realising I closed them in the first place and tilt my head up to look at Cash. The rest of the guys are still laughing over some story and haven’t noticed. They also don’t hear Cash’s next words.

“Are you ok, Il mio Cuore?” he asks quietly. His gaze intent on mine.

“Yeah” I say softly, not that convincingly. That daydream hit me hard.

“Really?” he strokes his fingers along my cheek and my eyes close as I release a sigh.

“I’ll tell you one day, it’s nothing bad. My mind just wondered in a direction that shocked me” I explain quietly and he nods, dipping his lips to mine and kissing me tenderly, worry still clouding his eyes.

I’m not willing to explain why I shed a tear right now though and I know he won’t push. I tune back in to what’s going on and lean on Cash more. My bed is starting to call to me.

“Any trouble with