Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
I didn’t mind the subbie treatment, to be honest. Every now and then, I had their fingers in my hair, scratching my scalp, making me purr like a damn cat. Additionally, it gave me the best access to everything on the low table in front of me, and it was quite the spread of fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and wings.
My hunger had returned with a vengeance.
“Poor Cameron,” Reese chuckled.
“Poor Lucian,” River retorted.
I bit into a piece of fried chicken and scanned the people by the pool. Cameron was also part of the group I sat with at munches. I knew he carried a torch for Master Lucian. I remembered Cam and the others talking about it at a munch this spring.
“Why feel bad for any of them?” I asked.
“Cam just needs to be patient,” River replied quietly. “Lucian will realize the boy’s good for him soon enough, but after that breakup…?” He let out a low whistle. “I can’t blame Lucian for sticking to casual partners.”
“Master Lucian was hurt?” I guessed.
“Understatement,” Reese murmured. “Cameron is a sweet boy, though. If Lucian would open his damn eyes, he’d see that Cam’s perfect for him.”
Oh wow. Did Reese Tenley just come out as a hopeless romantic?
I crammed the last of the fried chicken into my mouth and looked up at him over my shoulder. “Are you a sucker for romance?”
He smiled slightly, grabbed a napkin, and wiped some crumbs off my cheek. “I’m a sucker for happy people. Don’t tell anyone.”
I grinned and chewed quickly so I could say, “Wouldn’t wanna ruin your reputation.”
“Exactly.” He leaned down and kissed me briefly, then reached for his beer and sat back again. “We could invite Lucian and Cam to the group play next week.”
River nodded with a dip of his chin, and I faced forward. Could I ask? It wasn’t my business. I shouldn’t even be curious about what they had planned with other people, much less let it bother me. It didn’t bother me. It didn’t.
I did my best to sound indifferent. “Group play?”
“Mm.” Reese set down his beer bottle on the table. “You know who Macklin is, right?”
“Yes, Sir.” I nodded.
Shit, I hadn’t meant to call him Sir. It slipped out.
Maybe he missed it, though. He didn’t react to it. “He suggested we get together next week for an orgy.”
“Oh, okay. As you do.” I widened my eyes to myself and shook my head.
I wasn’t hungry anymore. My stomach felt unsettled all of a sudden. Fuck, I better not face a round two tonight.
Fingers wove their way into my hair, and then my head was tugged back. It was Reese again.
“You’re joining us.” He tightened his grip on my hair, enough that my scalp stung. Me, joining them for an orgy? I…I didn’t know what to say. Did they want me there? “I don’t know how yet, but you’re staying all week. I just need to find the right way to convince you.”
No way. I’d already pretended long enough. Again, it felt too good. I’d get stuck out here. I’d find more reasons to cave to my stupid longing. I didn’t deserve it.
“I can see the conflict in your eyes.” He dipped down and pressed his lips to my forehead. “We’ll go through with the goddamn fight, if that’s what it takes.”
“Leave him alone, Reese,” River ordered quietly. “Kid knows he can’t beat you. No need to rub it in.”
The fuck?
As Reese released me and leaned back, I turned toward River and tried to remain polite. “You two have been really nice to me, so I don’t wanna be a dick. But don’t pretend to know anything about my background and how I fight. We talked about your specialties before—well, this one’s mine. You don’t see me shitting all over your mindfucking.”
River opened his mouth and took a breath as if he was ready to fire back. Instead, he closed it again and furrowed his brow.
“Who trained you in martial arts?” he asked eventually.
I didn’t like his question one bit. Facing forward once more, I reached for my Coke and closed the topic. “He’s dead, so it doesn’t fucking matter. Can we enjoy the rest of the evening now?”
Five
Reese Tenley
Shay excused himself to go to bed around midnight. His mood made it clear that he didn’t want company.
Fine by me; I had plenty I wanted to discuss with River outside of Shay’s hearing range.
“Where he decides to sleep will say a lot.” I took a swig of my beer.
River lit up a smoke. “He’ll be in our bed.”
I believed so too, and it was further proof that Shay was clinging to a façade where he claimed to be detached and wanted distance, but the act had become transparent and weak. If he actually did want distance, we’d find him in the subbie bed. If he actually wanted to get away from us, he would’ve accepted a ride from just about anyone who’d left the house tonight. If he actually wanted to be punished, he wouldn’t set off any alarms for Sadists.