🥺

"Alex! Alex!" I cried out, tripping down the stairs. My socks skidded along the cold floor as I raced into the kitchen where the boys usually sat, and sure enough, there they were, sipping on cans of cheap bear. My nose wrinkled as I judgingly gave a can a once-over, before my focus returned to my brother, who was jsut staring at me, amused.

"Alex!"

"Yeah!" He cut in, mocking my excitement before I say anything else.

"Has there been any deliveries recently?" He shrugged, taking a long drink. My eyes went to Kaidan, who motioned to a box on the windowsill.

"Is it for me?" I forced out, almost bouncing from excitment. He nodded his head. I squealed adn rushed over to it, double checking that it really was before trying to pull the tape off the sides.

"It arrived this morning whilst you were out, and I forgot to mention it before you went upstairs," I barely acknowledged him, frowing as I became quickly fustrated when I couldn't get the tape off. I passed the box over to Alex, who tore it off almost instantly before returning it to me.

"What's in it that's so important? I mean, you've barely even looked at Shades, when usually you would be all over him," The guys all laughed. I ignored my idiot brother and pulled out a smaller box, then opening that and pulling out a necklace. I gasped as the pendent glittered as the sun caught it before I bought it closer so I could see the detailing.

It was a beautiful pair of silver angel wings, with gems glittering in the center. Knowing my mother's expensive taste, only diamonds were acceptable, but the colour of them threw me off. There were twelve small pink gems embeded in the silver metal, but she always said that pink diamonds were too expensive for me...

"Wow, that's beautiful, Love! Who got you that?" The suspicion in my brother's tone went straight over my head as I showed him, cautiously putting the necklace in his outstretched hand.

"Pink diamond? Damn..." He bought it closer to him, turning it and watching the light bounce off. He flipped it over in his hands, searching for something.

"14K... is this rhodium?" Greyson's eyebrows shot up and Kaiden let out a low whistle.

"You're telling me that someone bought you pink diamonds and rhodium jewellry?" I shrugged, not really knowing what rhodium was. Was that expensive too?

"How do you know that just by looking at it?" He shrugged.

"Experience. Who bought you this, Love?" Alex asked again.

"Mom did, isn't it pretty?" All of them tensed and I could feel the emotion in the room switch almost instantly from relaxed, to cautious, and back to relaxed again as Alex chuckled and passed it back to me.

"Mother bought you that?" I nodded, flipping my hair over onto one side of my neck and putting it on carefully. It hung down about three inches below my collar bone and I could actually feel the weight of it resting on my chest. I grinned again, actually bouncing slightly this time.

"Isn't it so pretty?" He laughed again, the sound being forced, before taking another long drink.

Then another drink.

"She always did want the best, didn't she..." He took another drink, shook his can, then chucked it into the sink at the realistation that it was empty. Greyson reached behind him and held out another can and Alex nodded at him before flicking it open and taking a smaller sip.

"So have you guys been talking or something?" I nodded, taking the seat next Kaiden.

"Just texting though, for like, two days now?" He shared a look with Greyson, and this time, I caught on and refused to let it go.

"Why do you guys keep freaking out about it?" I leant forwards on my elbows, crossing my legs up on my seat. Kaiden knocked me gently.

"What, are we not allowed to be worried about you now?" He gave me an easy grin, but I only asked again.

"Alex? What's going on? And stop drinking!" I scolded when he tried to lift the can up again. He looked at me and saw that I wasn't joking, then lowered the can and coughed awkwardly. Greyson walked over and stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. He rested his chin on the top of my head and I could smell the cologne he was wearing.

"It's nothing, baby," He murmured. I scowled.

"Then why are you guys always talking about me?" I snapped before I could even think about it. The second that comment was out I knew I messed up as everyone was now looking at me, instantly suspicious. Greyson pulled away, taking a seat on the counter behind Alex.

"What did you hear?" Kaiden asked, that easy grin completely wiped off of his face now. I looked at the table. Might as well tell them, otherwise they were going to think even worse of me.

"I heard a few of your conversations when you were saying something about people messaging me." I looked up at Alex's disappointed look.

"I didn't hear much, I promise! Only that someone was gonna try and text me, that's all, I swear!" I cried, looking between Greyson and Alex. Greyson completely turned blank and unreadable, but I picked up that Alex wasn't certain about me anymore. I looked down again.

"I got scared cus you guys were saying it was gonna be dangerous. I didn't even know who it was about at first, just connected the dots later," Tears pricked at the back of my eyes. Now I was finally telling them what I knew, it seemed more underhand than it had in my mind. Alex took a deep sigh though and reached out across the table and patted my arm.

"Don't stress, Love. If you really don't know that much, you should be fine," I sniffed and looked at him.

"I promise that's all I know, but it's just kinda worrying that you're not telling me. It is about me after all, and it just feels like, condescending or something," Kaiden snorted and leant back, and I knew that he was over it. Alex seemed to relax now, but Greyson was still staring at me.

"Patronising, Love, not condescending." I nodded and Alex took his hand back, taking another drink.

"Look, we can tell you parts, but not all of it, 'kay?" I nodded again. He sighed.

"You're in a lot of danger right now, Love, and we have no idea what to do."