A/N

A special shout out today to WG's beta, Fran for being so great with my disorganisation. You guys only have this chapter on time because of her ❤️

I've meddled with this so any mistakes are mine!

Kate and Pearly - you guys are the best.

Sour Squad - love you.

To everyone else reading this - I adore every single one of you.

Chapter Ten: Empty

Bella

xXx

The shrill sound of my phone cuts through the silence in my room, and I lift my head from my knees, still sniffling. Everyone left about an hour ago, and it's taken most of that time to stop crying. Charlie wouldn't do this to me; he wouldn't, he couldn't.

I wipe at my eyes, accepting the call as soon as I see the name on the screen.

"Hey gorgeous," My mom's best friend's deep voice rings out.

"Uncle Phil," I greet quietly, my voice hoarse from crying.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"N-not great. You?" I ask him.

He sighs wearily, "I'm...yeah. I wasn't sure I'd get you; thought there was some service?"

I frown, "I didn't want to go. Did he not invite you?"

"No," Phil mutters. "But she'd have fucking hated that anyway."

"I know," I say quietly. "That's why I'm not going."

"Let me take you out to lunch if you're just at home, sweetheart; you shouldn't be alone."

Fresh tears trail down my cheeks. "I won't be allowed. Charlie's not happy I didn't go; I bet he's told Demetri I can't leave. Phil...he said he's gonna sell the shop."

There's silence on the other line for a moment, then Phil sighs. "He can't. She signed it over to me."

I sit up so fast, and I feel dizzy. "What? Why didn't you tell me? Holy shit. You don't have to let me use it, Phil if you'd rather use it or...I mean, it's yours."

"She didn't give it to me, for me; she just wanted it safe. Renee didn't want him to be able to take it away if he was...angry."

My eyebrows furrow, "Why…why would he take it from her?"

"I think it was just a precaution," Phil says nonchalantly. "She loved that place; you know she did."

"I know," I say softly. "So, it's safe…."

Phil sighs, "It's safe, hon. You sure you don't want me to come to get you? Get you out of the house for a bit? I know your dad won't like it but fuck him."

I smile weakly. "I think I just want to chill here. I've been working on a new design."

"Oh yeah?" Phil's voice perks up, "For you?"

"No, but I do have one for me I want you to do," I laugh. "I haven't drawn this one for anyone per se; it's just … an idea."

"Send me your sketches," Phil says kindly, "I always love seeing your stuff; your vision is just like your mom's, that beautiful way of adding dimension, with colors blending and twisting together."

My heart pangs. You can hear how much he misses her in his voice. "Let's get dinner this week, Uncle P," I say softly.

"I'd love that, sweetheart. I'm gonna go and drink a fuckton and remember your beautiful mom. Try and get some sleep and be good; love you lots, angel."

"Love you, Uncle P." The phone beeps, and I sigh, getting to my feet and groaning at how stiff my body is.

I stretch and glance around at all the paper strewn across the floor. I drew with charcoal all night long, some of the drawings are tattoos, but I mostly sketched my mom, her laughing, her smiling. Happy images of her to drown out the others that press behind my eyes, sharp and splintering.

I pick up one of the pieces of paper, feeling a hollow ache in my chest, my eyes burning. The likeness is almost uncanny—the long slope of her nose, her high cheekbones, the almond shape of her big eyes. My mom was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. She was such a free spirit, wild and untameable. When she walked into a room, it brightened instantly, her sweet laugh spawned fresh peals of laughter from everyone else, and her big smile caught the corners of your mouth and lifted them without you even realizing. She made you feel warm, happy, content, her bronze skin glowing almost ethereally as she danced around, long skirts and flowing tops of bright blues and red and orange, catching in the sunshine, making her thick brown hair glow.

If I close my eyes, I can almost hear the jangle of her gold bracelets, smell her perfume, soft floral notes mixed with sage, and the smokiness of incense.

Fresh tears run down my cheeks, and I wipe at my eyes, curling up on my bed and hugging a pillow as I scroll through messages from my friends. I've only replied to Cilian and Rose today; I can address the others later. I check the time and then Facetime Rose.

My phone beeps instantly with the connecting message, and then Rose's face appears on my screen.

"There she is!" she greets, her blue eyes sparkling in the sun she's standing in. She's only been in Barbados three days, and she's already got a deep tan, her skin glowing.

"I've been so worried about you," Rose says, squinting into the camera. "How did your dad take it, babe?"

I sigh. Now that I know he can't sell the shop, I feel a lot better about the argument this morning, but the fact he even wanted to, hurts.

"Like I expected," I mutter. "Worse, actually."

Rose gives me a sad look. "I'm sorry, B, do you want to talk about it? Or talk about your mom? Or...do you want me to tell you about the really hot pool guy standing like ten meters away right now."

I smile at her. "Tell me about the pool boy, of course. And flip that camera, bitch." I laugh, and Rose does too.

"I wish you were here," I say quietly.

"The second my flight lands tomorrow, I'm coming over." Rose declares, "I will beat at your door until SJ is forced to let me enter."

I laugh again, louder this time, and Rose grins at me before flipping the camera. I see palm trees and a large peanut-shaped pool with crystal blue water. It's surrounded by sunbeds, and directly across from her, there's a man in red shorts and blue aviators, his abs glistening in the sun.

"Good lord," I murmur, "and he's wet too. Please, please give him your number and take a roll in a beach hut."

Rose snorts and says, "Maybe I will," but we both know she won't.

We talk for a while, but then my eyes start to feel heavy, and she tells me to go to sleep. I hang up the phone and close my eyes, hugging my pillow tightly.

xXx

When I wake up, it's dark, and I lift my phone from where it's digging into my hip, squinting at the bright screen. It's past nine, so SJ will have gone home, and it'll be just Demetri and me. I yawn and sit up in my bed, scrolling through a few messages before opening Instagram.

I smile at the picture I see of Jasper. He's on a couch, looking away from the camera, so you can only see his profile. I bite my lip as I stare at the photo; he looks fucking hot, the way he's posed showing off his long fingers and his pouty lips. The caption says Cilian took the picture, and I wonder if they're together. It's got so many fucking likes, over 40,000, but everyone knows who Jasper's parents are, so his Instagram is really popular.

I comment on the picture and then open up my direct messages, telling him he looks cute and making fun of him for his fan club. He replies straight away.

Haha. Apparently. They're only interested because of my parents, though. How are you feeling, babe? Cil told me what today is...hope that's okay. Thinking of you beautiful.

I'm okay, I guess. Had a big fight with my dad earlier...are you and Cil together?

Yeah, babe. He's grumpy that you're messaging me instead of him.

I smile to myself.

looool. I text him back ages ago…what are you two up to?

Just chilling...Cil's asking if you want us to come over? We could watch a movie or something. Give you a cuddle.

I bite my lip as I read his message and then tell him yes. Demetri will be fucked up by now, I'll just have to put the cameras in the garage on a loop, which is a lot easier than trying to sneak them through the front door. There's a blind spot in the far right of the garage doorway from the outside, which means they'll be unseen by the outdoor cameras. It's a trick my mom taught me. She hated being watched.

I sigh wearily, placing my hand against my chest, the warmth of my palm doing nothing to soothe the chill there. People always say it gets easier, but that's a load of shit. It never gets easier; you just get used to the pain.

I'm so lost in my thoughts that the sound of my phone beeping makes me jump. It's Cilian telling me they're just down the street; he knows he can't get dropped off at the door.

My feet pad softly across the floor, along the hallway, and passed Masen's room. The room Demetri stays in is right by the staircase, and even though he's probably high, I don't want to be too loud just in case.

Jasper and Cilian grin at me from outside when I open the door for them. They're both so attractive; it makes my heart race.

Cilian must've warned Jasper how things work because they don't try to hug me, just quickly follow me. We creep along the floor to my room, and I usher them in, shutting the door and sighing in relief before I spin around.

Both boys climb onto my bed, and Cilian grins at me, his baby blue eyes sparkling. "Hey, pretty girl."

"Hey, pretty boys," I sing, joining them on the bed and crossing my legs.

Cilian pulls me into his warm body and kisses my hair. "Wanna watch a movie, babe?"

"Yeah," I murmur, snuggling back into him as his strong arm wraps around my stomach, the warmth of his body relaxing some of the tension in my chest.

Jasper smiles at me and then moves forward, snatching me away from Cilian and into his arms, giving me a big squeeze.

"Hey," Cilian calls out, snickering.

I giggle, burying my face into Jasper's warm neck as he plants soft kisses across my bare shoulder. I shiver, inhaling his aftershave.

"Bella, you smell so good," he mumbles, letting me go gently with a kiss to my head.

I sigh into his neck, "You do too."

"You okay, babe?"

I nod, and he squeezes my hand. "I need to pee."

I gesture to the ensuite, and he jumps off the bed, wandering across my room. Cilian picks up the remote and lines up Netflix, clicking Spirited Away. I smile at him, and he winks. It was my favorite movie when we were kids, especially when I was sad about something.

Cilian leans into me, tucking my hair behind my ear with warm fingers, his blue eyes searching mine. "You doing okay?"

I nod, and he smiles, bending forwards and kissing me gently. I return the kiss, and Cilian skims his hand up my back comfortingly, placing soft, sweet kisses across my cheeks and my nose. Warmth floods through me, his familiar touch the best comfort I've had today since Em hugged me this morning. I lean closer into him, tears rolling down my cheeks.

Cilian's arms tighten around me, and he places a final kiss on my mouth before licking up my cheeks and catching my tears. I giggle and he gently guides me back onto the bed, pulling me into his body. I rest my head on his chest, nestling myself in his strong arms, the sound of his heartbeat against my ear calming me instantly, my breaths slowing and some of the tightness around my chest dissipating.

I hear Cilian laugh softly, "Do you remember when we were ten, and you imprinted that heart on my chest? We convinced your mom it was ink for a second, that you'd stolen her gun to do me."

A weak laugh leaves my mouth. "She was half angry, half impressed."

"I miss her," Cilian says simply.

I swallow heavily. "Me too."

He kisses my head.

Jasper joins us on the bed again and lies on my other side, wrapping his arms around me too. I breathe in deep, relaxing into them. They smell like soap and musky aftershave, the scent making something curl in my lower belly.

"This is nice," I hum, resting my head on Cilian's shoulder as his long fingers tangle with mine, Jasper's breath warm against my shoulder.

We watch the movie quietly for a while, but lying in between them is affecting me, my attraction to both, mixing with the heaviness in my chest until tendrils of heat start to gather in the pit of my stomach. My heart starts beating faster in my chest, and when Cilian's scorching fingers languidly skim up and down my arm, tingles rush down my spine, goosebumps rising across my skin.

A breathy sigh leaves my lips, and the atmosphere in the room seems to shift all of a sudden, the air growing warmer, thicker. I hear Jasper's sharp intake of breath before his hand moves to gently rest on my thigh, his warm thumb rubbing gently against the soft material of my leggings. I shift on the bed, pressing my thighs together, and Cilian's arm tightens around my waist.

"Come here, pretty girl," he murmurs in my ear, turning my body, so I'm facing Jasper. I'm pulled back into Cilian's hard chest, his arm around my waist tightly, fingertips brushing the bottom of my breast. I shiver, arching into him as the heat from him scorches against my back. I feel Cilian's chest vibrate with a silent laugh.

Jasper's cerulean eyes meet mine, and I swallow, biting my lip as a jolt goes through my body. His gaze drops to my mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing. A sound from the TV causes our heads to turn, and Jasper moves a little closer to me, resting his cheek on the pillow by mine and casually throwing his arm around Cilian's waist, sandwiching me between them. My breaths are ragged, the heat from their bodies making my blood burn.

Cilian hums in my ear, and I feel his fingers stroking up both mine and Jasper's arms as we all pretend to watch the movie. My body shudders as Cilian's mouth brushes the back of my neck and my eyes flutter as Jasper moves closer, placing a warm kiss by my collarbone, the soft brush of his lips causing a pulse between my legs.

I whimper, and both of their arms tighten around me, their breathing picking up until the mix of our pants is louder than the movie.

"What were...you two doing earlier?" I ask breathily.

Jasper's lips brush my neck again. "We were just hanging out, making out a little. Cilian likes to tease me."

"Bella knows all about how I like to tease," Cilian says playfully, lightly biting the back of my neck. I arch into him, and he lets out a low laugh, his burning fingers dipping under my T-shirt and brushing the bare skin of my stomach.

I tremble, my breath catching.

"I'm surprised Cilian was able to resist you," I manage to say as Jasper leans back a little, my heart racing as I take in his gorgeous face. His cheeks are flushed, a tiny freckle above his left eyebrow I've never noticed before. My fingers reach out to run down his strong chest, feeling the warmth of his body and Jasper's blue eyes glint playfully at me.

I flatten my palm against his stomach and Jasper's jaw twitches, his abs tensing under my fingertips.

"Well…" Jasper says in a throaty voice, his eyes rapidly growing darker. "He wants both of us."

I twist my head so I can see Cilian, and he smirks at me.

"Is that what you've been trying to do this whole time?" I laugh.

Cilian bites his lip, pressing his lower body into my ass so I can feel his cock, rock hard and thick in his joggers. I gasp and his jaw jumps, his eyes hooding over.

"We all want each other, don't we?" he murmurs, his arm tightening around my waist, fingertips raising higher and brushing the hard peak of my nipple through my shirt. My pulse skyrockets, rushing in my ears.

I nod at him, swallowing heavily as I turn my head and find Jasper's equally hooded eyes, burning into mine. We stare at each other for a second, before a whimper leaves my lips, a warm wet sensation at the back of my neck making me squirm. Cilian's tongue licks up my throat to my ear, rough and wet against my skin. Jasper inhales sharply and nudges his face closer to mine until our lips are only a few centimeters away, his breath warm against my mouth. I feel Cilian's cock twitch against my ass.

"Kiss him, Bella," Cilian orders in a raspy voice. I lean forwards, brushing my lips against Jasper's. They're so warm and soft I gasp against Jasper's mouth. We hover there, breathing heavily, when suddenly Cilian slips his hand under my t-shirt, fire blazing across my skin as he makes his way to my breast, cupping it in his hand as he groans in my ear.

A loud moan leaves my mouth and Jasper makes a nosie in the back of his throat, capturing my bottom lip between his and kissing me gently. I moan again and he exhales roughly into my mouth, his tongue teasing at my bottom lip. A rush of heat blazes down my spine and I reach out, cupping his cheek as I kiss him fiercely. Jasper's body presses into mine, pushing me harder into Cilian, and he groans into the back of my neck, rubbing his hard cock against my ass.

Cilian's thumb smooths over my nipple, his voice low. "Does he taste good Bella?"

I whimper in response, my eyes rolling back in my head as Jasper's tongue sweeps into my mouth. I meet it with mine, and he groans, gripping my thigh and lifting it over his hip, pressing closer. He's thick and hard against my hip and I rub myself against him, feeling Cilian's cock twitch against my ass.

Both of them are pressing into me and I'm on fire, every nerve ending in my body firing at the feel of Cilian's hot kisses against my neck, Jasper's tongue searching my mouth hungrily, sucking at mine. The taste of him is driving me crazy, my pulse pounding between my legs.

"Fuck, that's so hot," Cilian growls, nipping at my ear. "So hot, watching you two."

I pull back from Jasper, searching for Cilian. I meet his stormy eyes for a second before his mouth descends on mine fiercely. He lets out a guttural groan, moving his hand to my other breast and sqeezing. My hard nipple presses into his palm, and I arch, whimpering as the shift in position causes Jasper's cock to press firmly against my throbbing core.

I pull back from Cilian, gasping for breath, and he flicks his thumb over my nipple, leaning over me and crashing his mouth to Jasper's.

Their kiss is a clash of teeth and tongues, both boys groaning, their bodies pressing tightly into me. I whimper as I watch Jasper's tongue catch Cilian's, their kiss wet and hungry. I moan, shifting between them to try and relieve the tension coursing through me. They break the kiss, giving me playful smirks.

We adjust our positioning, kneeling on the bed facing each other, our heavy pants filling the room.

"Do you want this baby girl?" Cilian asks me, searching my eyes. I nod, glancing over to Jasper, whose cheeks are flushed, his eyes dark and hungry.

Cilian's large hand cups the back of my head, and he gently pulls me into his body, his lips meeting mine in a slow, deep kiss. I moan, my head tilting back in pleasure as he trails kisses down my jaw. My whole body shudders as I feel Jasper's mouth, soft and warm against my neck, the dual sensation causing an ache between my legs.

"We both want you so fucking bad, pretty girl." Cilian murmurs, nipping at my neck with his teeth.

A low moan leaves my mouth as Jasper's hand slips under my shirt. His touch is new and exotic, the feel of his hands touching me at the same time as Cilian's sending my body into overdrive. The sensations running through my body are intense, a wild desire rushing through my blood. I've never been so turned on in my life.

Cilian slants his mouth over mine again, pushing his tongue deep as Jasper's burning palm slides down my stomach, cupping my pussy through my leggings. "Ugh, Jasper," I whimper into Cilian's mouth, tilting my head back in pleasure.

Cilian bites my bottom lip, and I shiver as his fingers dance under my shirt, tugging it upwards. Both boys lean back from me as Cilian pulls it over my head, and he groans, licking down my neck and tangling his hand in my hair as he pulls back lightly, making me arch, my chest jutting out.

I stare up at him, breathing heavily, and watch his eyes flick next to me, a smirk playing at his pouty mouth. The bed dips to the side of me, Jasper's hand disappearing from between my legs. I twist to look and find him staring at my bare chest with dark eyes; his cheeks flushed, lips swollen and red. Jasper groans, lifting his hand to me, his warm thumb teasing over my nipple.

"Oh fuck," I cry. Cilian lets out a low laugh.

Jasper's voice is deep and gritty, "You're so fucking sexy."

He leans in and kisses me hungrily, a violent shudder going through me as his tongue runs the length of mine. I gasp into his mouth when I feel Cilian's warm, wet tongue wrap around my nipple, my pulse pounding between my legs as he sucks and licks.

Jasper breaks our kiss, breathing hard, and then gently pushes me back onto the bed. I giggle as I stare up at their dark eyes.

"Think we can get rid of these," Jasper teases, his warm thumb sliding under the waistband of my leggings.

Cilian tugs his shirt off, and I grin at him as he bends down to kiss me, my hand trailing down his bare back and then his abs, palming his straining length in his joggers.

"Shit," Cilian hisses, biting my bottom lip playfully before he pulls back.

I lift my butt as Jasper pulls my leggings down and chucks them behind him somewhere.

"Mm so beautiful, babe," Jasper hums. He places a burning hand on my thigh as he leans into Cilian, kissing and sucking at his neck.

"She's fucking gorgeous," Cilian murmurs in agreement, grabbing the back of Jasper's head and kissing him fiercely. They both groan, and I press my thighs together, licking my lips. When they break apart, Cilian turns to me and smirks before bending down and licking his wet tongue across my nipple. Jasper copies him, taking the other side, and I writhe on the bed, moaning, each suck of their warm mouths sending a tug between my legs. Cilian gets up first, rubbing the length of his cock with his palm as he stares at me hungrily.

"So fucking hot watching him touch you, Bella. Does that feel good?"

I whimper and nod, and Cilian groans, cupping my pussy with his large hand, the heat causing a hot gush between my legs. "Mmm, she's so wet for us, Jasper."

Jasper makes a guttural noise, leaving my nipple and crashing his mouth to mine, our tongues meeting in a slow, wet lick.

"Fuck," Jasper growls against my lips.

I tug at his shirt, and he pulls back, ripping it over his head. I lean up on my forearms, eyeing him hungrily. He's slightly thinner than Cilian, his muscles leaner. Both of them are fucking hot.

"You like what you see, Bella?" Jasper grins cockily, dark eyes burning into mine.

"I know I do," Cilian bites across his chest, his hand running across my stomach at the same time. "God, I've thought about both of you like this a lot."

I grin, and Jasper's hand palms Cilian's thick cock, his blue eyes locked on mine. "Same."

"I haven't," I tease.

Cilian smirks, turning to me and falling on top of my body.

I squeal, and he laughs. "Such a liar."

A gasp falls from my mouth as I feel Jasper's warm body against my side, his mouth trailing across my stomach. I bite my lip as I watch the boys kiss again, my eyes rolling back in my head as they break apart and start kissing up either side of my neck.

There's a sudden bang behind us, and we all pull apart, staring at the now open door with wide eyes.

A/N Did I just do that to you? Yes, yes I did.

You can find the teaser pictures, the Instagram convo between Jas and Bella and the Instagram photo in question - all over on the creaatingmadness FB group. Check it out ❤️

Have a wonderful week lovelies,

Ella xx