Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 131271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Hayes shifts in his chair, dropping his head to one side. “You’re good for him, you know,” he says quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
I glance down at Jacob, my hand stilling for a moment. “I hope so. Sometimes it’s like... like it’s not enough.”
“You’re helping,” Hayes assures me. “Just by being here. He doesn’t let many people see him this way but with you...” He shakes his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “It’s different.”
I meet his gaze, and the intensity of his words makes my chest tighten.
“I’m going to have to talk to my team tomorrow,” I say after a long silence.
“We’ll back you up, whatever you need.”
“It’s not that simple,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want them to think I can’t do my job, that I’m just some distraction in your lives and a complication to the team.”
“You’re not a distraction,” Hayes says firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Shawn nods in agreement. “If anything, you’re the glue holding this whole mess together. Without you, we’d probably be tearing each other apart.”
I laugh breathily, conscious of Jacob’s sleeping form. “I just don’t want to lose everything I’ve worked for. My internship, my reputation...”
“You won’t lose it,” Hayes says, his voice steady. “You’re too damn good at what you do. Anyone who can’t see that is an idiot.”
Shawn smirks. “And if they try to mess with you, we’ll just remind them who they’re dealing with.”
“Yeah,” I say, smiling despite myself. “That’s not intimidating at all.”
***
Eventually, Hayes moves to the couch, and Shawn stretches out on the chair. We find another comedy special to watch, and I try my hardest not to laugh too hard for fear of waking Jacob. I stroke his head, hoping that it’s releasing some of his tension and pain, even in his sleep. Surrounded by my men, the outside world is far away, and all the reasons I could think of to end the relationship slip away. No one but me is living my life, and why should we care what a bunch of jealous online trolls think of our love? As the night wears on, I find myself watching each of them, my heart full despite the weight of everything we’re facing.
35
RILEY
The HomeGoods aisles are my happy place. There’s something calming about the endless rows of shiny gadgets, colorful bakeware, and racks of neatly stacked mixing bowls. If I could, I’d take the whole store home and build a baking empire.
Today, though, the calm is shattered by Imani, who’s trailing behind me with a shopping cart and a thousand questions about my love life.
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“I couldn’t. I swore them to secrecy, so I had to be willing to keep it a secret, too.”
“But…” She waves her finger back and forth between us. “This is the girl zone. If something’s a secret, we take it to our deaths.”
“I know, and I love you, and this is no reflection on my trust in you. It’s just about being truthful with them.”
“So, you’re seriously dating all three of them?” she asks, loudly enough that an elderly woman browsing muffin tins gives us a startled glance.
“Imani!” I hiss, my cheeks blazing. I grab a pastel blue spatula and wave it at her like a sword. “Could you not announce it to the world?”
She smirks, unrepentant. “Relax. The world already knows, and it’s not like anyone in here cares. How many people like baking and hockey?”
She has a point. “Me,” I say. “You?” The thousands of people who watch my channel. I keep that part to myself.
“I love hockey and cake, but I’ll pass on the baking. Too much cleaning up to do.”
“Yeah. The cleaning up sucks, but the cake is worth it.”
She narrows her eyes at me and then shakes her head. “I just can’t wrap my head around this whole situation. The Draytons. I thought you hated them.”
“I did,” I say. “But they’ve grown on me.”
“Like a wart?”
“Errr… no, and gross. It’s complicated.”
“Complicated?” Imani snorts. “Girl, that’s an understatement. It’s like you’re starring in some forbidden love drama. A stepbrother love triangle. Except this is more of a square.”
I stop in my tracks, giving her a withering look. “It’s not like that. We only lived together for a year. We were kids. It’s not weird.”
“Not even when you’re all naked and doing stuff to each other?”
The elderly woman who was shocked at Imani’s earlier comment and stayed close to us as we moved to the next aisle makes an audible gasp.
“They don’t do stuff to each other. They’re brothers, for fuck’s sake,” I hiss. “What kind of hillbilly shit do you think I’m involved in?”
She snorts. “Okay… when you’re naked, and they’re all doing stuff to you.”
“It’s not weird. It’s hot.” I wiggle my eyebrows. “Just imagine Calian times three, with hockey boy stamina and physique.”