The Nash Brothers (Completed)

12. Making Plans.

After the fallout from seeing Silas, Dad had talked me into dropping the class until He had left or been dealt with. 
The pain was clear on his face at knowing, but being unable to prove what had happened to me.  I had no evidence, I could not prove what had happened to me and Silas would know that, it was my word against his.  I also knew which side my Mother would take... and it wasn't mine, not unless there was something in it for her.

Jazz and Virginia had stayed with me while Dad went to talk to Beau, Maverick and Trent.  He had asked if I minded them knowing the truth about what happened, in light of the current situation, and in case we needed their help.  I had nodded, knowing that Beau already knew most of it and if Dad didn't tell them, then Beau might. 

Today Beau had helped me without knowing anything and I had felt safe with him despite everything in our history. He had been there for me when I needed him.
Virginia had sat with me while I had shared my story with Jazz, who had shed tears as I explained the basics of what had been done to me. When I had said the professor was now guest lecturing one of my classes, she had jumped up looking fit to kill someone.

"I'm going to murder him, and your mom, who the hell does that to a child! They deserve to pay for what they did" she mutters pacing back and forth.
Virginia squeezes my hand as I watch Jazz, eyes wide.
"It because we all care about you" she tells me reading my face and I blush.  I was not used to people caring and didn't know how to react.

"We will all protect you" Trent says from the doorway coming forward to look down at me, his concerned gaze running over me. "Are you okay?" He asks carefully and I nod, my eyes flicking between him and his brothers who are all watching me.
"Sit down boys" Dad says as he comes in and I ease into a sitting position to free up some room on the sofa. Watching in amazement as Beau claims the chair to my left while Trent sits the other end of the sofa and Mav perches on the arm, next to me. Putting all three of them within touching distance.  Jazz taking the other chair as Virginia and Dad stand by the door hand in hand.

I can see Dad looking at the way the boys have surrounded me and his lips curl up a little "Good, Anni are you feeling a bit stronger, what can you tell us about Silas?"
"Hey, no, it's too soon" Mav objects standing up against John's question.
I shake my head, my hand coming up to touch his arm "Mav, it's okay" I say quietly. "I can do this" his gaze holds mine, searchingly before sitting back down.

"I don't really know much about him, Mother was a friend of his, I think they are about the same age, he's not married and they ran in the same academic circles.  He was very well known and everyone seemed to think he was something special.  I know he was head of his department and had a whole load of freelance stuff he did, sat on various committees. He used his connections to get his own way" I stopped and thought some more.
"He's been on some sort of world tour lecturing after he had a paper published, this is the first time I've seen him in 18 months" I shivered at the next bit "He would send Mother postcards from whichever country he was in, always sending his... love to me" I finished in a whisper.

"How did you know what he wrote?" Dad asked his voice tight.
I bowed my head, picking at the blanket of my lap
"She would show me, she would read them out to me, almost proud of his interest in me" I realised as the words came out.  She was, my mother liked the fact someone like that coveted something of hers.

Beau reached into my lap and took my hand. I looked up at him and was struck by the gentle smile he sent my way. "He won't get near you again, we will take the bastard down and then get you free of your mother" he promised and I nodded silently.

"Will you take some time off school" Virginia asked but I shook my head, I wasn't going to let him chase me out.  I had to trust everyone could keep me safe from him, or I would never go out again.
My gaze flicks between our parents. "Dad, I have to go, he can't win, I'll drop his class but I won't leave school." I tell him, conscious of Beau's thumb stroking back and forth over my pulse point.

"Then the boys stay at your side, or Jazz, but someone in this room must be with you when you are on campus" he offers and I nod but I can help but worry I am causing more problems.
"There is a couple of her classes we aren't in, we could look at changing" Beau said into the silence.
"How do you know that?" I ask quietly, slightly freaked out that he knows my schedule.
Jazz leans forwards and clears her threat, "I gave him your schedule, I knew I couldn't be in all classes with me or my friends so I asked him to keep an eye on you" she admits.
I scowl at her before saying. "Thank you"
"Huh. You're not mad?" She asks shocked and I shake my head.
"No, you did it for the right reason and if Beau hadn't been there, I hate to think what Silas would have tried" I admit and the fact I felt safe with them around, especially now I knew that Silas could be lurking around campus.

"So we are going to carry on as if nothing happened at college. Do you want me to drop the class as well?" Beau questioned our parents.
"No, you can keep an eye on him in class, just monitor through do not engage him" Dad warned him.
"Please be careful, he knows who you are, and he'll target you, he can destroy your grades, just to get back at me" I add worried.

"What about the classes we can't cover?" Mav repeats to the room.
"I can change if I need to, it will be easier for me to change, I don't want to affect your courses and anyway, I've got enough credits to finish most of my courses, I could take a look, maybe a new challenge would take my mind off him" I suggest and blush at the amazed looks around the room.
"If you nearly done, Why do you stay in classes then?" Trent asks confused.
"Because I like to learn and until now it was my escape from mothers flat, I made sure I had enough classes to fill my week and most evenings" I explain.

"What about friends, going out, doing fun stuff?" Mav spluttered out and I felt my face flushing.
"My friends were nerds like me, most were scholarship students, and I couldn't go out with them anyway, I wasn't old enough" I explained looking around at their reactions. "What?" I ask.

Jazz grinned "You are so cute" she said shaking her head at me, and Virginia laughs at my confused expression.
"Okay, we can talk about your school life balance later, now lets work out the timetable issues, if you want to join one of the boys or Jasmines classes, then we will see what we can do, if not then we can meet you on campus, at the coffee shop or library, so you are not alone." She says smiling at me and her sons.

"Is that okay with you Anni?" Dad asked me.

"I feel bad about putting you all out like this, but thank you, Yes, If you are sure" I say looking at the Boys and Jazz.

"Good, then we have a plan" Mav said smiling back at me.