Page 41 of Power Play
We've dubbed tonight Operation Night Moves.
Lacey unlocks the door to her apartment and holds the door open as we pass. Stacked in neat boxes is everything Lacey owns. She's only been here for a few months, so it's not much. Something about seeing all of her worldly possessions tucked neatly into four boxes and two trash bags makes me sad.
I know love isn't in things and possessions, but Lacey has three millionaire boyfriends. If there's anything that can make her life even remotely better, or easier, I want to buy it for her. She should be spoiled.
Scott and I share a look, and I can tell he's thinking the same thing.
This is going to be a lot easier than we thought.
Lacey hasn't stopped yawning on the car ride over and up the elevator and as she stands in her empty apartment and yawns again, I rest my hand on her shoulder.
"Go back down to the car, baby. We'll get all this."
"I can take something. I'm pregnant, not crippled."
I shake my head. "You're also dead on your feet from a long day of work. Go on. We've got this."
She looks at Scott and Jonesy, who is already carrying two boxes with a trash bag on top.
She nods and peeks her head out into the hallway to make sure it's clear before heading back down to the SUV.
Maybe doing this at three AM was a bad idea. We should have done it while Tracey was at work. But after getting back from our trip to Colorado, we didn't want to wait another day.
How Tracey knew Lacey was with Coach is beyond me. Coach even said she threatened to sneak into me and Garrett's bed, too. I mean, I've seen the looks they give each other when they think no one is looking. Or how quickly they look away from each other.
She tried that shit with me in high school. She should know better.
I hate that Lacey will still have to see her at work. I want to wrap her in a protective bubble and never let anything bad happen to her ever again.
Or our babies.
A slow, satisfied smile spreads across my face.
I love that fate forced Lacey to have a family. She never would have on her own. She'd have constantly been afraid Tracey would come in and take whatever was hers. And how could I blame her? It's been her reality for most of her life. Her knee-jerk reaction is to not trust anything good in her life.
But now she's got us, a beautiful home, and babies who will love her unconditionally.
The drive back to Coach's house is an easy one. Jonesy and Coach chat easily about the next game we have and about reviewing game tapes in the morning. We have a rare day off after our travel last night, but reviewing tape does sound good.
The mood shifts, though, from casual to tense as we get into the house and set Lacey's stuff down in the room that, we've decided would be hers.
Coach's house has six bedrooms, three on each end, so we each get a place to call 'ours'. But the look in Coach's eye is indecent, as he looks a tired Lacey up and down. I'm about to step in and say she needs to sleep, but I don't know how this works. Do I get a say in their relationship? Even if it's to protect her? Will she sleep in bed with any of us? Or will she sleep alone? Will we have group sex? Or one-on-one sex? Is sex even on the table?
She clearly had sex with each of us, but those were one-night-stands with clearly defined boundaries. This feels messy.
"Lacey, sleep with Ben tonight. We'll have a family meeting in the morning to iron out details." Scott looks at me and Jonesy as he says it, letting me know he read my mind.
Without a fight, Lacey simply nods and shuffles towards my room. I get the feeling Scott already understands more about how this will work than I do. He knows I want to protect her, even if it's from her other boyfriends’ lust. He knows she's more comfortable with me and will be able to sleep better.
Safe in my bedroom, she strips down to her undies and holds her hand out expectantly. Her little belly is starting to show. At this point it just looks like she ate too much Chipotle, but I smile, suddenly slammed back into a familiar routine. I strip my shirt off and hand it to her so she can wear it to bed, like she likes.
Back in high school, I would leave my worn shirts with her to sleep in. She loved the smell of my cologne and deodorant. Said it made herfeel safe. I was the only safe person in her life. Someone she learned to trust.
Under the comforter, I pull her back to my front, rubbing my entire body against hers like a cat, enjoying the feel of her body against mine.
Before long, her breathing evens out in sleep. And I follow quickly behind her.
Chapter twenty-two
