Shackled (The Lord Series) by Carlos
368. Olivia - Malta I

Tyson and Rueben push two big suitcases inside the master bedroom while I explore the rest of the suite. Mose and Jasper are bringing in the rest of our luggage while Ansel has already jumped into the shower. The flight had many turbulences, which made him sick, and he had a small accident in the airplane. Our next vacation won't involve airplanes. First, I check the two bathrooms.

There's a jacuzzi in the main bathroom. I haven't used one before. My parents had a big one, but they never let me near it because they thought I would drown. What a pathetic excuse. I don't lack common sense, and I know how to swim. From the bathroom, I go to the other room, which is smaller than the one we will be sleeping in. I didn't understand why they got a suite when we could have gotten a big room-it's not like we will use the entire space until I see the view. It's absolutely breathtaking.

When I was dating Tyson, we talked about all the places we would eventually visit. Malta was a must because I have wanted to come here since I was a little girl. Grandpa Jon's family is originally from Victoria, the capital of Gozo Island. His stories about how his ancestors fought against invaders and were ultimately taken into captivity, from where they would later escape and make their way to the US, awoke my desire to read. Grandpa Jon.

It's been a while since I last thought about him or Grandma Khloe. I wonder if they are still alive. It's been so long since I last saw them. I tried to contact them, but their phone numbers were disconnected. After Jasper and Tyson started teaching me how to drive, one evening, I went to their home. It looked like no one had been living there for years.

I'm more than sure that my parents or Jason told them that I am some whore and spend my days doing drugs and fucking any man that crosses my path. It's been like this since I was a child. My parents would always make up lies about me. My maternal grandparents never believed a word, but my father's parents did.

Someone wraps his arms around me from behind. Tyson. His palms cover my stomach as if he wants to protect the baby from any harm. Warmth spreads all over my body.

Before leaving Veross City, the guys took me to an obstetrician. The baby is healthy, so are my new tubes, and there's no trace of the crystal that was put inside me when I was still in the clinic. I wonder if my body somehow absorbed it when I accepted my darkness.

I lean my head on his shoulder. "You remembered that I wanted to see Malta," I say.

Tyson kisses my neck. "To be honest, I forgot until I saw your room in Jason's apartment. You wrote *A magna maxima* on the mirror frame. It took me a few days to figure out why it sounded familiar."

I smile bitterly at the memory of when I wrote that. It was a few days Jason took me to his apartment, and his friends started abusing me daily. Thinking of the places I wanted to visit made things more...bearable. Writing the motto of the city of Victoria made me feel closer to my grandparents.

I turn around and put my arms around Tyson's neck. "I'm so happy you all brought me here."

The worry in his eyes slowly vanishes. His head dips, our lips meet in a gentle kiss. "After everything we put you through, it's only right that we take care of you."

"It must have cost a fortune," I start to feel guilty.

Tyson kisses my forehead. "My last book is doing very well so there's no need to worry money. And, my agent said that someone is interesting in making a movie from one of my stories. I haven't said a word about it because I am yet to talk to the director and see if we come to an agreement."

My eyes go wide. "That is excellent news."

"It's all thanks to you," Tyson says.

I run the tip of my finger across his chest. "I have been thinking..."

Jasper enters the room. Tyson is too distracted by me to notice. Plus, his back is to the door.

"About?" he murmurs.

I wanted to talk about the baby, but another idea comes to my mind. Jasper and Tyson haven't passed the first base. They might need a little push in the right direction.

"The jacuzzi." Tyson's eyes light up. "You, me, and Jasper. Or," my voice barely a whisper, "only you and Jasper."

Tyson turns flustered. Behind him, Jasper swallows hard. He likes my ideas. "Being with a man, it's all new to me. Rueben smashes my head with a baseball bat, and next thing I want to ride..." Oh, he wants to ride Jasper's dick? I want to see that. He shakes his head. "This is so wrong."

Jasper's face drops. Tyson can be so clueless at times.

I till my head to the side. "Why?"

"Because I was never into men."

I pinch my thumb and forefinger together. "Not even a little bit? Maybe not men, but only Jasper."

"Jasper is hot. Anyone would be attracted to him."

A smile spreads across Jasper's face.

I wiggle my eyebrows. "See? You liked Jasper before Rueben smacked some senses into you. Did you flex your muscles in front of him, or was it the other way around?"

Tyson blinks. "How in the world did you come up with this conclusion?"

He isn't denying it. Jasper notices it too, as he folds his arms across his chest, showing off his hard muscles.

I place my hands on his pectorals. "Maybe because I saw you moving around bales of hay?" "Yeah?"

I nod. "You should have seen how Jasper was looking at you. Like you're edible."

"Am I?"