Lucky's (Mis)Fortune: CHAPTER TWELVE

AIDEN WHITLOCK

I made a mistake.

I usually don't make those. I'm the most level-headed in the house and am not exactly led by emotions. I think things through. I'm always in control, I'm rational.

How did I let myself make such a grave mistake?

Why did I invite Jordan here, potentially putting him in harm's way? I could've done a lot to prevent this. I could have told him about the gangs, I could've introduced him to people close to me whom I trusted and who could protect him. Or I could've not asked him to come. I always get what I want, I know that, because that's how Eliott and Khael like things to be. I shouldn't have invited him here, introduced him to this world. He was already too far in the second he stepped into our home.

I have ruined his life, there was no getting out now.

Jordan sways for a few seconds as I try to lead him further away from the crowd before he falls into my arms, startling me. I look around with widened eyes, unknowing of what to do. I'm usually a quick thinker but with the turmoil going on inside my head, I couldn't think this through.

He's so light, I note, but that wasn't helpful.

I close my eyes for a sharp second, hoping that this would make me rational again.

I open them, looking around.

One, I needed to find Eliott and Khael. Thankfully, I could see them making their way over to me.

Two, we needed to take Jordan home, just like he asked before he collapsed.

Three, once he was safe and sound, we had a scorpion to kill.

"What happened?" Khael asks with an angry frown. "You can't just leave like that Aiden."

"I don't think that's our biggest concern right now," I retort, slightly annoyed. I understand that they care about me and that they don't want me to get into any sort of trouble. But there's an unconscious boy in my arms. They could be a little more sympathetic.

"What happen to him?" Eliott questions with furrowed eyebrows.

I sigh, glancing at the man before looking back at them. "A scorpion gave him a drink," I reply coldly.

Eliott scoffs, looking away. I can imagine him thinking about how ridiculous the boy was, about how stupid of a mistake he had made. But we all know that scorpions are devious and deceptive and much more aggressive than cobras when they want something. This wasn't Jordan's fault but I wasn't about to fight either of my lovers on it right now.

"Let's just go home. Please," I plead.

Remember how I said I always get what I want?

They instantly agreed but just as we were about to turn around and walk towards our car somebody had to stop us. Of course they did.

Scorpions. Of course. They wanted to finish the little scheme they had planned, whatever it was.

Khael steps up. "Can I help you?" His voice was emotionless and while I would usually find it sexy, there were things distracting me like how numb my arm was becoming from having Jordan lean on me.

The man at the front--Jasper, I think--one of the second in commands of their gang doesn't answer. He's smiling creepily at Jordan instead. I instinctively put an arm around him, pulling him closer as Eliott steps in front of us, hiding him from view.

"The boy. Must've been tired, huh?" His gaze turns to Khael and he smirks, his comrades besides him laughing among themselves. "What's he to you, huh, Sawyer? I mean I knew I'd seen a new one but I didn't know he was so... close to you. I thought we had a chance at snatching him up," he lets out a disappointed sigh. "Did you get a new toy or something? Wow, someone new joining your relationship?" I roll my eyes. The man looks between the three of us before his eyes settle on Khael again. "I guess we'll have to try again next time."

Khael was keeping his composure. I could see his jaw clench and his fists tightening but he simply watched them walk away. Clearly, he wasn't looking for a fight today.

Today.

Soon enough, they'll get what they deserve for harming one of ours.

Khael takes a long second to calm down before turning to us, wordlessly taking Jordan from me and carrying him to the car with heavy yet quick steps. It was bad if anyone knows that vulnerability was shown, we had to get out of here as soon as possible.

Eliott gets on the drivers seat and I sit beside him while the other sits in the back. He puts Jordan beside him and puts on his seatbelt. As the car starts, I see Jordan's head fall on Khael's shoulder making the older tense up. I hide my laugh and look away.

The car ride felt rather quick and it must've been Eliott's speeding because otherwise, my anxiety would have made this ride feel like forever.

I take Jordan this time, placing him on my back and walking inside of the house. "Where do I take him?" I ask.

It felt wrong to just discard him in his room. He was starting to feel hot and he was whimpering, he was clearly in pain. I couldn't just place him on his bed unattended for the rest of the night. Yes, I felt responsible and I will take care of him. The guys take too long to respond so I walk to our wing, deciding to take him to the room he had occupied on the first night here. I hear the other two follow me and once we arrive, Eliott opens the door for me.

I mutter a quick 'thank you' before walking inside and gently placing him down on the big bed. It was bigger and more comfortable than the one in his room, that made me feel a little better.

I take off his shoes as he lets out another pained whimper and I can't help but feel guilty.

"I can get Ms. Angela to take care of him, Aiden. You shouldn't be worrying about him," the owner of the house says in an authoritative voice.

I hadn't even thought about the possibility of this making them feel jealous. But I was touching a man that wasn't them, caring for him and while I didn't think much of it maybe they did. The way that Jordan had leaned on me, how I had put my arm around him... Yeah, maybe I was doing too much and I was starting to hear the jealousy in their tones but there was something they had to understand,

"This is my fault, Khael," I explain, taking the other shoe off before sighing and approaching them. "I'm the one who took him there without explaining anything and the one who left his side without thinking about the trouble he could get in." I look between the two of them, hoping to get some understanding from them. "I need to take care of him or let the guilt consume me."

Eliott sighs, running a hand through his hair before muttering, "We'll help you." He looks at me and gives me a small smile. "What do you need?"

"I think he's coming down with a fever so a bucket of water and a towel, an empty bucket in case he throws up. and water. Also, can you get some medicine from the medicine cabinet and maybe... help me put him in lighter clothes?"

Eliott leaves to fetch the things that I asked for while Khael looks for some clothes. He comes back with some sweatpants and a white tank top that probably belonged to him a year or two ago, it looked old.

First, I take off his shirt and Khael slides the other on. Then, Khael pulls off his jeans. We both make sure to look away as we pull the sweatpants up together. I hate the thought that Jordan will most likely not approve of this when he wakes up but I hope he understands that we were trying to help. Maybe this wasn't the best way... but it was all I could think of.

Eliott comes back and I run the wet rag through his body, hoping it will cool him off. I set the medicine on the nightstand beside him and put the empty bucket beside it. He shivers once in a while and his face still shows pain, sometimes confusion, like he was trying to fight something.

"Do you think he's having a nightmare?" I whisper to my lovers who were sitting on the couch in the room.

"Maybe," Khael answers after a while, approaching me.

I brush Jordan's dirty blonde hair out of his face, worried that it would bother him. My eyes stay on him too long because Khael talks after a long while of silence.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" He asks quietly, his eyes on him as well, observing every detail with such an intent gaze that made butterflies go through my stomach.

I nod, letting out a, "Yeah..." as my eyes return to the boy.

Eliott approaches us and sits on Jordan's other side. I think this is probably the first time that he was properly looking at Jordan, other times he would just brush him off. For a second, I think he's gonna say something but instead, he pulls Jordan's shirt down since it had been riding up, showing his stomach.

I think we look at him for long, too long for it to be normal.