Secured Sevenfold

Joe’s POV
Matt’s hand was caressing mine as he used his other hand to put to my face once in a while, we weren’t speaking, just smiling at each other. I never thought it could be like this, this comfortable nothing. After our little talk in the office we had stayed like that for a while, until we had decided to head over to the kitchen and start on dinner together, but we ended up sitting at the large table, just staring goofily at each other.
I heard footsteps approaching the kitchen and I backed away from Matt quickly. It was risky being ‘together’ like this in common rooms of the house, but I’d come to the point where I could hardly stand to be around him, without him touching me… I was a stranger to myself, I was never the needy type.

Arin came walking in, and stopped in his tracks when he saw us there.
“I….uh… I just came to get something to drink” he looked embarrassed and moved over to the fridge, turning his back at us.
Matt looked at me and I motioned my head to Arin “Talk to him” I mouthed and he just looked at me, all uncomfortable “Go!”
“Arin?” Arin closed the fridge and turned around to Matt
“Yeah? I’m really sorry Matt, I can’t tell you how sorry I am”
The kid was groveling for Matt, I guess he had put Matt on a pedestal, maybe he had with all the guys, it was time for him to take his place, speak his mind, he was part of this team and I think they would accept his opinion if he would just speak up.
“Come, sit with us for a minute” Matt spoke up again and Arin dragged himself over to the table, I could see the dread in his face, waiting for whatever Matt was going to yell at him about.

“I think I might have been a little hard on you, kid”
Arin’s head snapped up and looked at him with big eyes “I don’t think so, I almost lost Jacky”
“I almost lost Joe” Matt replied, his voice kind “It happens, we do our best in keeping these women safe, and sometimes that doesn’t work out, sometimes you do everything you can and it still doesn’t work out. It wasn’t your fault, I shouldn’t have said what I have said earlier”
Arin shot me a look and I just shrugged, pulling my phone out, pretending to read my email.
“How did it make you feel when you noticed they took Jacky?”
“Like crap!” Arin blurted out, making Matt smile
“Yes, like crap, and then you went in to bodyguard mode. You evaluated the situation within a split second and you to the right action to save her. You did save her Arin. You even got hurt in the process. You should be proud of yourself. Danger can never be prevented, but it’s the solution that counts”
Matt put his hand and Arin’s arm briefly, encouraging him to take in what he had just said to him.
“I mean it Arin, you are an important asset to this company, I think it’s time to start behaving like one”

Did the man read my mind? I looked at him and caught his eye, and smiled. I never felt anything like this, I wanted to jump him and kiss him until we couldn’t breathe anymore, I couldn’t believe how proud I felt.

“T-thank you, I will try” I heard Arin stutter and I moved my attention back to him. He was a good kid and I was happy Matt remembered too.

Jacky’s POV
Tears were streaming down my face and I didn’t seem to be able to stop them, I was crying soundlessly and I didn’t know why.
Well, of course I knew why, those men had almost taken me away from everything I love, everyone I care about, what would they have done to me if they had really been able to take me. A shiver went down my spine. I didn’t want to think about this anymore, but I couldn’t seem to take my mind of it.
“Shhh, it’s okay, you are safe, I will never let you out of my sight ever again. I will always be there from now on”
Brian’s arms around me, his soft stroke on my back soothed me.
“Do you want to tell me what happened today?” His voice was soft and he pulled me to his chest. I was thankful for that, I didn’t know if I could face him, look him into his eyes.
“Arin told everything already. This guy pretended someone he was not and he asked me to come to another room with him to discuss some things and suddenly the mood changed and he was dragging me out”
Brian’s hand went through my hair and I felt the movement hitch for a moment
“Why would you go with him to another room?”
I sighed, I was still reluctant to tell him about my charity work, but I also couldn’t really think of a reason not to tell him, why didn’t I in the first place.

“I’m part of a charity organization. We give food and other help to people who need it, we started a sort of community centre a few years ago and are still expanding our… well, you can call it services.”
“Wow, so you are volunteering. Why did you hide that from me? That’s nothing to be ashamed of” Brian’s voice sounded confused.
“You were so convinced I was just this dumb, rich party girl and I never meant for this to be this serious, so I thought… I let you think that, makes everything a little easier”

Brian pushed me away a little and looked into my eyes.
“Why? You silly, silly girl… That was just plain stupid” He bend over to me and kissed me softly. His lips moved perfectly with mine and I let out a sigh, making him stop again.
“So you are volunteering? What are your tasks? Are you responsible for something particular?”
I blushed and he raised his brows
“I’m head of the board” I replied softly, Brian looked at me amazed and then started laughing. Not really the reaction I had hoped for and it kinda pissed me off and I started to move away from him.
But Brian wouldn’t let me and pulled me back.
“You are pretending to be a dumb party girl, but you run a charity organization? You are just as much business as your sister!” He smiled at me and I couldn’t help but smile back at him. Maybe he was right, but I was the cool business type, not the stuck up bitch, like my sister.

I straddled him and wrapped my arms around his body
“Take that back” I chuckled
Brian didn’t say anything, just let his lips crash down on mine, kissing me hard. I felt his tongue move over my lips and when I gave him opportunity, he let his tongue slip in, roaming my mouth. He let his kiss deepen more and more and his hand moved to the hem of my shirt. It wasn’t long before I felt his fingers on my bare skin, causing goosebumps all over. He fell back on the bed, taking me with him and his hands started moving up my shirt.

“GET DOWN ALL YOU ASSHOLES, WE ARE GOING TO COOK TOGETHER!”

Matt’s voice boomed through the house and made Brian and me break our making out.
“That fucking cockblocker” Brian sighed
“Better get down, before they come and get us” I replied giggling at the situation.
He looked agonized “You go, I will be there shortly, can’t walk”

Joe’s POV
I stood in the kitchen together with Matt and Arin, waiting for the others to arrive downstairs, so we could do a group cooking.
I have no idea, how Matt was thinking we could handle so many people in the kitchen, but I guess he was determined to make it work.

I saw Jacky walking towards us seeing Arin standing with his back to her and grinning, she looked at me and I saw her thinking for a second then held her finger up before her mouth, not wanting me to give her away, I nodded nearly invisible and saw Jacky smile, then she started running towards Arin, surprising him by jumping on his back, made him stumble and hit the fridge with a loud bang.
“Hold your horses, Jacky... We need the inventor.” Matt smiled at my sister and I had to admit, I was really happy that we were able to connect as a group here.

Next, Zack, Brian and Johnny came into the kitchen together. Brian tipping on Johnny’s shoulder and when he turned he disappeared behind the next corner making Johnny looking around confused then shoving Zack standing on the opposite “What?” He asked and Zack looked with lifted eyebrow shoving him back.
“What what?”
“Don’t fuck with me, Zack.”
“Never in my life would I fuck with you.” Zack smirked and then the three of them stood before us in the kitchen.
“So what happens now?” Brian asked and I saw his eyes briefly wandering over to my sister before returning to Matt.
“Well, now we will cook together... we team up in small groups, so we are not disturbing the others doing their thing.” Matt looked satisfied with his idea and I chuckled, I would love to just kiss him right now, but I knew I couldn’t.

We decided on the dishes we would be cooking and Matt as head chef, as he called himself, was building the small groups.
He decided that Arin, my sister, Brian and Johnny were starting to prepare the vegetables ad start the cooking process while Matt, myself and Zack would start on setting the table and then take over the cooking and finalize it.

He said he didn’t trust the four in making proper steaks and doesn’t want them ruining the meat.
I stood in the living room, wanting to grab the wine glasses from the shelf above and tiptoed, when I felt a hand covering mine, grabbing the glass “Let me help you.” I heard Matt’s deep voice whisper behind me and I had to suppress the shiver, knowing he was standing so close, that if I would lean back a little our bodies would touch.
“Yo, Matt? Which plates do we need?” Matt made a small step away from me turning to Zack and I sighed a little, such a shame that we couldn’t be open about what we’re doing here.
“The big ones... no not the deep... oh god in heaven... what’s wrong with you, not those.” Matt walked away and I grinned, how were these men able to live on their own for so long?
I grinned thinking they really needed us here in their little men’s world.

I walked back to the kitchen seeing my sister telling Arin how to chop the vegetables, but he was making a mess more than achieving anything, while I saw Brian standing back watching my sister with a small smile on his lips.
I knew something was going on here... and this was confirming it more and more...
“Whatcha looking at Haner?” Johnny said suddenly, surprising Brian who snapped out of his trance and I quickly walked between them, trying to distract the situation.
“Johnny, shouldn’t you be already preparing some cocktails? I heard nobody is driving anymore today, so why don’t you make us all some mean cocktails? Maybe you can even show me how to make them?” I asked to interrupt the tension and saw Brian exhale in relief.
“That’s a freaking perfect idea, Joe. Let me get the alcohol and show you… fuck yeah.” Johnny left the kitchen quickly and I saw my sister looking at me, mouthing ‘Thank you’.

Jacky’s POV
The dinner was set, the kitchen was looking like a mess but, that was a worry for a later time.
I had to admit this whole group cooking thing was so much fun, I just wished I could have spent more of this with Brian and not having to keep my distance from him.
Because keeping my distance and not touching him every now and then was really hard... I saw Brian struggling as well, and sometimes when no one was looking, he laid his hand on my back or stroked the hair from my cheek...
But the no one looking wasn’t easy, I know my sister caught us already, but she didn’t say anything, she was acting... normal today, and not her normal I mean normal normal and not like she normally did. I liked this Joe... why wasn’t she always there?

We sat at the table with everyone and we were nearly done with our dinner. Brian was sitting opposite of me and we weren’t able to keep any contact, but maybe we could come back to that later tonight, I grinned at the thought.
“Hey guys... I have a question.” I announced and saw all the heads snap towards me.
“How about we do a BBQ together? Arin told you guys are doing that often... why not in the next couple of days? I mean... I would love to-”
“Use the swimming pool.” My sister finished my sentence and I frowned at her.
Matt looked amused as well and chuckled lightly, then I thought I saw his hand reaching down under the table for Joe’s, but that couldn’t be true... was he trying to hold Joe’s hand?
I shook my head, this was just... no… must have seen it wrong.
“BBQ sounds like a good idea... Arin, check the calendar and the dates, when are we all available.” Matt announced and Arin was about to jump up but Brian held him down “Not right now, kid. Later”
“Oh okay... yeah right.” Arin grinned and I touched his hand making him look at me and shrugged.
This had been a perfect evening and I couldn’t believe that my sister and I were coming along this good the whole day... it hadn’t been like that... since... a very long time.

Notes

Goodmorning all of you!
Another chapter in the secret couple saga :D

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