Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Eww.” Jack recoiled. “We don’t fuck each other.”
“No. That’s disgusting,” Connor snarled. “It’s sick and wrong on every level.”
“Well, in the eyes of the Church, sharing one woman is just as sick and wrong.”
Which is exactly why I haven’t mentioned a word to Mom about my relationship with Beck and Heavenly.
Seth knew he’d have to drop his bombshell confession on her soon. And once Jack and Connor found out, they’d be pissed beyond belief. But Seth wasn’t being hypocritical out of spite or selfishness. He simply wanted his brothers to grow up before they got serious about traveling down such a hard road. They weren’t yet capable of putting their own wants aside and doing what it took to maintain a stable, secure, and loving relationship. Separately, they might learn. Together? They fed one another’s worst tendencies. And even if they weren’t looking for happily ever after now, they would someday. Seth was doing them a favor.
Are you sure you’re not rationalizing?
“All the more reason not to tell her,” Jack bit out emphatically.
“I won’t,” he assured them.
They blew out a collective breath of relief before Jack spoke up. “Thanks, bro. We—”
“Really appreciate it,” Connor seconded. “And we—”
“Under one condition,” Seth cut into their word vomit. “You both make a concerted effort to date separately, starting now.”
The twins exchanged a look that told him they didn’t like the idea, but they sighed and nodded glumly.
“All right.” Connor didn’t sound pleased. “We will.”
“Will you? Really?” Seth probed.
“We’ll try,” Jack answered. “Promise.”
“Great. Then it’s settled.” Seth smiled. “You two will walk the straight and narrow from here on out, and I won’t tell Mom about your deviant shit.”
And when the truth about his own relationship with Beck and Heavenly came out… Well, he’d deal with that later.
“So…think Zach will be out here anytime soon? I’d like to talk to him.”
Jack shook his head. Connor joined in, then added, “Once he gets a woman in his room, he doesn’t come out for hours. Often, they hole up all night.”
“Yeah, but damn, girls leave the next morning looking wrecked and walking sideways.”
That was more than Seth needed to know. And basically, his former digs had become hookup headquarters. Nice.
He sighed. “Tell him I stopped by to talk to him, will you? It’s important.”
Hopefully, he and Zach could have a man-to-man later.
“Sure, bro.” Jack rushed to be amenable.
Seth would think it was funny if he wasn’t so worried about the twins. “Thanks. No calling Emily back.”
“Nope,” Connor assured.
“And no trolling for another chick together.”
“Absolutely not.” Jack saluted him.
Seth didn’t believe them for a second, but he’d done what he could for now. “We’ll talk later.”
After making a mental note to schedule more surprise visits, he left, cursing under his breath.
After a shitty night of sleep, Seth came to a couple of conclusions. First, the twins were headstrong, always had been. Even birth had come on their terms—a month early, in the middle of the night, and in dramatic fashion. As if they couldn’t stand being apart even then, they’d come into the world separated by a mere two minutes. They’d been allergic to being awake with the sun and loved to make an entrance. In short, they were going to do what they wanted to. Seth doubted chastising them about their sexual proclivities would do any good. His mom had been vaguely aware that he and Autumn used to play at Club Graffiti, but that hadn’t stopped them. They’d only hidden their kink better.
Seth’s hypocrisy didn’t sit well with him. Eventually, he’d have to come clean with the twins…but not until he told Mom about his relationship with Heavenly and Beck. He couldn’t trust Jack and Connor not to blab. And if the truth got back to Grace Cooper before he could preface his relationship so that she might understand it, she wouldn’t accept the three of them.
But his bigger conclusion had been about Zach. Instead of ducking the grieving man who’d obviously needed help and a hand, he should have given comfort and advice from someone who had lived through the same losses and had come out on the other side. Seth felt guilty that it had taken him nearly two months to come to that conclusion. Right now, he didn’t feel like a great human being.
All that changed, starting today.
Seth plucked up his car keys from the hall table on his way to the garage. “Since Zach volunteered to help River and Dean move, I’m going to pick him up and bring him to the new place. We’ll stop and get donuts or something. Would you let Beck know?”
Concern settled into Heavenly’s big blue eyes. “Are you sure? He’ll be happy to pick up Zach. You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” He kissed her cheek. “And I’ll be fine. See you in an hour or so?”