Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
"Is it okay to ask what's happened about the video?" I take a bite of my burger and then a long swig of soda, enjoying the familiar tastes.
"The police have Eddie's phone. They arrested him last night, but we haven't heard anything else."
"That's good. Is the video still up?"
Celine shakes her head. "It's been taken down from the site he uploaded it to. I checked last night. But who knows how many times it's been downloaded and shared."
"Hopefully, it wasn't up long enough for that to happen."
"And it's impossible to keep track of without immersing myself in gross content twenty-four-seven."
"Exactly." Elias offers her one of his hot wings, and when she doesn't take one, he offers one to me, too.
"Thanks, man," I say.
"So, what's the plan with you?" he asks. "Do you think you'll still be able to start that job?"
"I called them from Germany to explain what happened and tell them I'm coming back. They haven't filled the role, so they’re happy for me to start. I get the feeling that they're a little worried I'll let them down again. I guess the only way I can prove I'm reliable is by being reliable."
"So, Lina didn't fuck things up for you?"
"I'm out of pocket for two flights. I can handle that. It was the right thing to do. I had to be sure."
Celine nods. She goes to say something but then brings her lips together.
"What?" I cock my head to the side.
"I just…" She looks around at each of us in turn and her cheeks warm. "I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed playing revenge games with you, but now Eddie's well and truly out of the picture, I release you from your commitment."
"Release us?" Elias's nose wrinkles like he smells something gross.
"I just mean, I don't have any expectations for what this is, so if you don't want to do this anymore, all you have to do is let me know."
"Errr." Elias looks like Celine just said she wants to hack off his testicles.
Dornan lowers his burger solemnly. "You're joking, right?"
"I just…well, we haven't exactly talked about what this is…" She waves her hands around to encompass us all.
"I thought it would be obvious by now," Dornan says. His eyes search mine and then Elias's, checking to see if we're all on the same page. We both nod.
"Obvious?"
"Yeah. It's what you said you were doing at the Red Devil."
"What?" Celine's confusion is too cute, and it makes me want to kiss her on the tip of her nose and then shackle her to my bed.
"Gathering your own harem!"
Her smile is brilliant and bright. She drops her burger and leaps up, taking Dornan's surprised face between her hands and kissing his lips. She does the same to Elias, who's reluctant to let her go, and slaps her ass when she tries to pull away. Then she rounds the table to me.
When I left for Germany, I thought this thing between us was going to be over before it even started. The way I missed her felt stronger than it should. I tried to tell myself that I was being an idiot for even thinking she'd want more than what we started. Dornan's one of her best friends, and she's known Elias intimately since before we started playing as a group. If she was going to choose to solidify a relationship with any of us, it was going to be one of them. But as she kisses my lips tenderly and lets me pull her into my lap, I feel the truth.
She wants us all, and it's not in a greedy way. She sees each of us individually and how we work as a unit. What should be impossible feels infinitely possible with Celine at our center.
"I missed you," she whispers. "I'm glad you're home."
Home.
This apartment I've never lived in feels warm and inviting because of the three other people here with me.
I feed Celine chips, and we laugh at a stupid story Dornan tells us about yesterday's locker room antics. And when we're done eating and the conversation slows, Celine stands and leads me by the hand into the bedroom, encouraging the others to follow.
28
CELINE
We're back together, and it doesn't seem real.
Now I know they want the same thing as me, I'm practically trembling as I lead Travis by the hand to his bedroom. A few days ago, I didn't think he'd be coming back. I imagined him with a new life in Germany, wheeling a baby in a stroller down a Berlin Street with that bitch, Lina, by his side. In my grim fantasy, his face was drawn and gray, and I wanted to pull him back to where he'd be happy. I wanted a chance to make that happen for him.
And now he's here, and I can hardly believe it.