Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
She swallows and licks the head of my cock while looking up at me with her big eyes, something akin to an apology in her gaze that her mouth refuses to give.
This woman already has a hold on me, and I don’t even know who the fuck she is.
CLEO
Well…this is awkward.
Once the lustful haze of sex starts to fade, we all kind of just sit there for a moment. Considering Tristan isn’t asking me a million and one questions only tells me that Talon really hasn’t told him who I am. A part of me is relieved because I can definitely do without any drama today, but the other part of me is tired of walking on eggshells whenever he’s around. Tristan has been so volatile since the day I met him, and the longer he doesn’t know who I am, the more unpredictable he can be. He’s definitely not the sweet guy I remember, but I’m constantly having to remind myself that we all grew up and life changed us. They lost their mother and then me, and I lost the only actual family I had when I left them.
I think back to the better memories of them, when life wasn’t so fucked up.
“Hey, Cleo! I bet you can’t get up here!” Tristan calls from the tree in the backyard. I stand on the ground with my hands on my hips as I look up at him.
“Mom said not to get up there!” I say.
“Mom said not to get up there!” Tristan mocks and sticks out his tongue. “Don’t be such a wuss. Are you coming or not?”
“Beat you to the top, Cleo!” Talon says as he runs past me. I watch the way he climbs up the tree. I hate heights, but I hate looking like a wimp in front of them as well. My defiance overpowers my fear, and I climb up the tree and wiggle my way onto the branch.
The branch swags a little as I get situated and Talon looks down at the ground nervously. “I think we’re too heavy to all sit on this branch.”
“It’s probably Cleo’s big butt,” Tristan teases.
“Maybe it’s your big head!” I fire back, giving him a little shove. He bursts out laughing, which sends us all into a fit of giggles.
“You wanna know something?” Talon says when we all calm down. He gives me a small smile. “I thought having a sister was going to suck, but you’re not so bad.”
“Yeah,” Tristan says with a nod. “I mean, it would’ve been cooler if Dad got us another brother, but having a sister isn’t so bad. We’ll protect you and stuff.”
I smile. Coming to live with them has been an adjustment in itself, but they warmed up to me pretty quickly. They weren’t the happiest when I first got here, but they’ve become some of the most protective, caring boys I’ve ever come across.
“I love you guys, too,” I say.
“Ew! We didn’t say that, weirdo!” Tristan says, but he smiles anyway.
“Hey! I told you kids not to get in that tree!” Mom shouts from the patio. “It’s old and the branches are rotting. Out! Now!”
“God, way to ruin a moment,” Talon mumbles.
We all shimmy down from the tree and head over to the trampoline, lying out on it and staring up at the darkening sky.
“I want you guys to promise me something,” I say after a long stretch of silence.
“What?” Tristan says.
“No matter what, we always have each other’s back.” I roll over onto my side. “Even when we grow up or if I get taken away or something. We’ll always find each other and have each other’s back.”
“No one gets left behind,” Talon agrees with a nod.
“Yeah, no one gets left behind,” I say and hold up my pinky. “Swear on it.”
“Swear,” they each say as they take turns locking pinkies with me.
Tears fill my eyes when I realize I’m the one that broke that promise. I guess I can understand why they’re so angry that I left, especially since I left without really saying goodbye.
I loved them so much back then, always feeling so safe and protected when they were around, but they couldn’t save me from everything. They’d never understand why I had to leave, and they probably won’t accept the truth. I just need to get my money so I can disappear, and life can go back to how it was before they came back into my life.
After a few tense, silent moments, I finally clear my throat. “I think it’s best if you guys leave,” I say. “I have to get ready for work soon, so…”
“Oh, right,” Talon says, though Tristan doesn’t say anything. He just continues to stare at me while he fixes his clothes. Talon raises a brow as he regards me. “Do you need a ride to work?”