Everlasting Bonds - COMPLETE

Chapter 14

                                                                                     POV: Colt

 My back hit the mattress with a soft thud and I turned my head to watch Taylor disappear out of my room and into the bathroom in the hallway.

It had been a long day.

A really fucking long day.

I hadn't slept well the night before, worried that Lark hadn't texted any of. Logically I knew she had been fine without me the last nine years so she was perfectly capable of making it back to her apartment in one piece. Getting that through my thick skull was a different story.

Then work had been a nightmare. Aidan wasn't the only athlete I had as a client, and sometimes I wish that weren't the case. Aid had a good head on his shoulders. He worked hard and didn't ask for much even though he deserved the world. I couldn't say the same about some of the other kids I represented.

Dante Mead was an up and coming basketball star who, while talented, refused to see that he was never going to get more than a rookie contract from the Brooklyn Nets. The kid reminded me of myself when I was younger, so when he approached me to represent him, I didn't think too much about it. It took me the whole day and numerous phone calls to get the kid to sign the best deal that he was going to get from any team in the NBA.

When Taylor had texted and asked to meet up for dinner, I didn't want to say yes at first. It was her next text when she offered up a very special... dessert, that convinced me to have that dinner.

When we got back to the apartment none of the guys had been home so I took advantage of the fact that no one would be around to hear us. I was usually a rough lover. The pent up frustration I felt from the events of the day only made me slam into Taylor harder. Judging by the sounds she was making, I don't think she minded.

Taylor and I weren't an epic love story or anything. I don't even think we were in love with each other. We got along well enough and the sex was good.

Glancing at the clock, I felt my eyebrows raise when I saw that it was almost 8:00 pm. We had been in my room for almost two hours. I heard my door open up and looked over to see Taylor coming back in. She had an odd look on her face, but her expression quickly changed when she saw me looking at her.

"That was amazing. I guess I should wear that dress more often." Taylor's joke fell flat and I gave her a pity chuckle to save the moment. I didn't have the heart to tell her that my performance didn't really have anything to do with her.

"Are you staying tonight?", I asked. I honestly hoped she said no. I wasn't really in the cuddling mood.

"No, I have an early morning so I'd rather just head back to my place. Would you mind grabbing me a glass of water thought while I get dressed? I feel like I just ran a marathon." She gave me a pleading look while collecting her discarded clothes.

"Yeah, I'll be right back.", I said as I went to grab a pair of pants. Taylor looked over just as I was about to pull them on, and quickly snatched them from my hands.

"Uh uh, no pants Colt. I'm leaving soon and I would like to enjoy the view for as long as possible." Taylor looked at me with a wry smile. As weird as I thought her request was, I didn't really care. I at least had boxers on and if the guys were home it wouldn't be anything they hadn't seen before.

I shrugged my shoulders and made my way towards the door.

I headed down the hallway, rubbing my hands over my face as I came down the stairs. My foot was hitting the last step when I heard voices in the kitchen. It sounded like the guys were laughing about something and it put a smile on my face.

We had gone through a lot in the past few years. Both together and apart. Hearing them have these moments of happiness gave me hope for the future. I was just about to ask them what was so funny when I turned the corner and ran straight into Lark.

All the laughter stopped, as everyone quickly looked over to us.

Lark had gripped my waist with both hands to stop herself from falling over, and I had instinctively grabbed her shoulder and neck. I only had a pair of boxers on, and it certainly highlighted the closeness of our bodies. I quickly disentangled from her and walked over to the cupboard to grab a glass.

"Thirsty, Colt?", Luka asked. I didn't have to look at him to know he had a shit-eating grin on his face.

Although this water was for Taylor, and not me, I still went along with it.

"I'm absolutely parched, Luka. Thanks for asking." I filled up the glass and turned around, feeling the weight of all the guys' stares. Lark wasn't looking at me though. Her eyes were cast down as she played absentmindedly with her fingers.

"I've never heard Taylor make so much noise. What the hell did you do shove your cock up her nose?" Greyson's joke had all the guys busting out laughing. The fact that I was almost naked only accentuating the fact that I had just been having sex. Normally I would have laughed along with them but seeing Lark flinch at the mention of my . . . activities didn't put me in a laughing mood. She still wasn't looking at me. I had a feeling it was deliberate.

"How long have you guys been here? I didn't see you when we, um, got back." I took a sip of the water, trying not to think too much into Lark's reaction.

Before they could answer, Taylor, strolled into the kitchen. A lazy grin stretched across her face as she closed the distance between us.

"I was wondering what took you so long to come back with my water. Now I see, the boys were keeping you". You could almost hear the purr in her voice. Taylor was a pretty sexual person normally, but it felt like she was laying it on extra-thick tonight. "I had no idea you guys were here, or I wouldn't have fed Colt to the wolves dressed like this." Her laugh sounded forced and I felt her hand clasp tightly around my upper arm.

I noticed Aidan looking at her with slight contempt and wondered what that was about. Luka and Greyson didn't hide the fact that they disliked Taylor and Liz. Aidan and I usually were on a team against them in that regard, so I didn't understand his change in demeanor.

"Oh, you're back. You must be a very good classmate for Luka and Greyson to be spending so much time outside of class with you." Taylor's comment was directed at Lark. The double meaning in her words was thinly veiled.

Lark didn't answer her and instead just gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She was still avoiding my gaze, even though could likely feel how badly I wanted her to look at me.

"Well, I best be going. Colt, want to walk me out?" Taylor grabbed my hand in hers as she practically dragged me out of the kitchen with her and into the entrance hall.