"Geez. Streak topless across a beach once and you suddenly get labeled indecent." I rolled my eyes and squeezed her hand back.
"Actually," Reese argued with a grin. "I think it was you laughing and screaming 'Look at my titties' that cinched the whole indecent label for you."
When Aspen and Caroline exchanged scandalized glances, I sighed. "In my defense, I was really drunk at the time."
"Oh." They seemed to understand that, which made me wonder what both of them had done in drunken episodes.
I sank back on my pillow as Aspen slowly peeled down my yoga pants to reveal my stomach. Caroline inched in closer, biting her lip. Reese leaned in to look too. I closed my eyes, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.
Aspen's surprised "Oh!" had my lashes flying open.
"Oh, God. What?"
She smiled up at me with complete reassurance. "I didn't realize your staples were already out."
I nodded. "They took them out last week."
"I guess I haven't updated Mason recently with all of Eva's medical issues," Reese added. "He was just a little behind on the times when he said they were still there."
"Well, it seems to be healing . . . okay. I mean, I'm not a doctor-doctor, but nothing's broken open and there's no blood or redness or puffiness. Just some greenish looking bruises that look a few weeks old."
That would be where Alec had punched me.
Aspen bit her lip. "Want me to poke on it to see if there's any extra tenderness?" Her fingers were slowly inching toward my abdomen, but she was cringing as if she'd rather have her wisdom teeth removed.
I smiled. "I'll do it." After reaching down, I prodded my bikini line. Aside from the usual, I felt okay. I pulled my pants back up to where they usually rested. "I think I'm good."
When I went to sit up, all three girls reached out to keep me down.
"Maybe you should just rest for a while," Reese suggested.
I opened my mouth to tell them I was fine, but a commotion outside the door caught our attention.
I'd barely sat up and slid my feet to the floor by the time Aspen, Caroline, and Reese had thrown open the door and rushed from my room. Pick was shouting something, Ten was shouting back, and both Mason and Noel were shouting for them to calm down. I huffed out a breath and rolled my eyes.
Boys.
"Pick," I scolded before I'd even reached the doorway. I found Mason holding him back by the arms while Noel was setting his hand against Ten's chest to keep him away. Ten had a very distinct red mark on his cheek.
"What?" Pick said, shrugging off Mason so he could come to me. "He's still breathing."
I sighed. "You seriously just couldn't help yourself, could you?"
"If someone hurts you, I'm going to hurt them back. That's all there is to it."
The sincerity and emotion in his eyes made me gulp with longing.
If only.
I shook my head. "Well, I'm fine, so you can leave him alone. And just where is my baby while all you guys feel the need to brawl?"
"Right here," Quinn spoke up. He stepped from the corner where he'd been shielding the bundle in his arms from all the testosterone surging through the room. He looked extra huge with a preemie in his arms, but he carried her with the upmost care as he brought her to me and handed her over.
"She's been asleep the whole time." His voice was hushed as if he were afraid to wake her, even after the yelling match that had ensued between the other guys.
I smiled up at him. "Thank you, Quinn."
"It was my pleasure." He blushed and stepped back, sending a worried glance Pick's way, as if afraid he'd get into trouble for standing too close to me.
Pick ignored him as he set his hand lightly on my back and steered me back into my room. "Let's get you two ladies settled into bed."
I tried to tell him I was fine, but he wouldn't hear anything of it. The frustrated man wasn't satisfied until he had me reclining on my mattress with Skylar cradled to my chest. And even then, he sat on the edge of the bed next to me, looking forlorn as he watched us.
When he drew in a deep breath as he slowly reached out and ran his hand lightly over Skylar's dark hair, my heart broke for him, even though I had no idea why he was so sad.
"Hey." I set my hand on his thigh. "What's wrong?"
He grabbed my fingers and squeezed. "Nothing. I . . . " He shook his head and blew out another breath. "I really need to get going. Tris still isn't answering her phone. I can't believe she'd have Julian out this long. She's not . . . " He shook his head again. "It's just not like her."
I nodded as if I understood, even though I understood nothing. "Why didn't you ever tell me about you and her?" I blurted out.
He hesitated and refused to meet my gaze. "What do you mean?"
"You don't have a real marriage."
He lifted his face and cringed, looking apologetic. "Trust me, it's real. I have a license signed by a judge to prove it."
"But it's not real, real. You don't love her. You don't have sex with her. You've never had sex with her. And Julian's not yours."