Working in Concert

Chapter 8

              I'm startled awake a short time later when the SUV comes to a stop. Blinking my eyes to clear the sleepy haze, I look up to find that we're in front of a large set of gates. Silas is punching in a code at a small security box and soon the gates are swinging open to allow us to pass through.

"Rise and shine, Cupcake! We're home!"

"You were out like a light! We're not that fucking boring, are we Trouble?" Gabriel reaches forward and tugs lightly on a strand of my hair.

My cheeks turn pink at the thought that I fell asleep in the car with some of my idols. I just hope I didn't drool, and I reach up subtly to feel my chin, thankful to find it dry. "No, not boring at all, I promise. It really must have been the medicine. I usually have a hard time falling asleep."

On the other side of the gate, I get my first view of a mansion of a house. It's at least three stories with a modern contemporary feel with its straight lines and large windows. Concrete and stone make up most of the façade. The landscaping is minimal, grassy with a few emperor palm trees placed strategically. The property is big for Los Angeles, probably a double or triple sized lot, with a tall concrete wall creating privacy from the street.

We pull up a short driveway and then down a ramp to a series of garage doors that lead to the lower levels of the house. A push of the button on the driver's side sun visor has the left door rumbling open and we pull inside.

"Who lives here?" I ask as we get out of the vehicle. I lift my arms above my head and stretch, letting out a yawn.

There's a metallic clatter from the far garage bay that makes me jump, and then a bang as North pops up from leaning over an engine and hits his head on the hood. With a hand rubbing the back of his head, he looks over at us with a scowl on his face.

"What's she doing here?" He crosses his arms over his chest, drawing my attention to his biceps even as I flinch at his tone.

Gabriel comes over and snatches my hand, leading me toward a door inset in the wall near where North stands in front of a large black Jeep. "She's our fucking guest and you will play nice, North. For fuck's sake! Quit being such a dick!"

He grunts in response, leaning over to pick up a socket wrench from the floor before turning back to the engine as we pass by. He obviously hates me and doesn't want me here, which makes my heart ache. I feel bad that I'm invading his house, his personal space.

"I'm sorry, North," I say, my chin tucked down so my hair acts as a curtain between us. I think he looks up at me, but I'm too much of a coward to check for sure and I definitely don't want to see that glare again.

It's a moot point regardless, because soon the door is closed behind us and we're standing in a mud room filled with storage lockers. There's a label on each of them with the names of all the guys I'd met today.

"To answer your question from before, Aggele Mou, all of us live here. Nine in all. It's why we need a house this large."

Silas and Luke follow behind Gabriel and me as we walk through an archway and into a gourmet chef's kitchen. There's a mix of stainless steel and marble countertops over white cabinetry, with industrial grade appliances, a wine cooler, and two farmhouse style metal sinks. I can imagine cooking in here for hours.

"This is my favorite place in the whole house, Cupcake," Luke says as he comes up to take my other hand, swinging it back and forth playfully.

"I can see why. This is incredible. I haven't been able to cook in ages with living in the hotel, and I didn't realize how much I miss it until now."