Page 11 of The Pact

COLE

I pull into the driveway, parking between Damian’s Black Audi RS7 and Wesley’s Red BMW M4. Thea’s scent still clings to me, a sensual vanilla aroma that’s driving me crazy. Turning my car off, I let my head fall back against the seat.

Closing my eyes, I remember the feel of her body pressed against mine. I’d wanted to know how those perfect lips felt for too long. It was so much better than I imagined. The way she bit at my mouth and arched her tits into me.

God, I could have fucked her right there.

My hands fought to stay above her waist, eagerly wanting to run up the edge of the slit in that pretty dress. I could have easily pushed the fabric up her thick thighs and slid my fingers between her legs. There was no way I wouldn’t find her wet with need.

I want to shove the image out of my head. I don’t want to rush this and if I keep thinking about the things I want to do to her, I won’t be able to hold back. But it’s useless. I’ll be stroking myself to the idea of fucking her in that kitchen as soon as I’m in the shower.

Maybe it’ll ease the tension and give me some much needed self control.

Exiting the car, I make my way to the house and find the front door unlocked. Someone’s still up and I hope I can sneak past whoever it is.

“You’re out later than normal,” Damian’s voice cuts across the kitchen where he’s leaning against the stove. “What trouble were you getting into?”

He knows I don’t get into trouble. He’s being nosy.

“I was on a date, if you really need to know.” I shut and lock the door behind me, heading for the stairs.

“She must have done a number on you,” he comments, pointing the granola bar he’s snacking on at my pants, where I’m clearly sporting a sizable bulge. “Who is she? Anyone important?”

I sigh, not wanting to deal with his inquisition tonight.

I turn to fully face Damian, my oldest brother—well, sort of. We consider each other family in all ways aside from blood. From the outside, anyone looking at my brothers and me would clearly see we don’t resemble each other.

Damian’s dark auburn hair is parted and slicked perfectly. There’s a bit of stubble on his face. He never grows it out any longer than a day or two. He’s paler than me and his eyes are glacier blue, icy, and hard.

“Her name is Thea. She comes into the bakery and I don’t know… It was a first date.” I hate feeling like I have to report this to him. He might be older, but that doesn’t mean he needs to control every little thing in our lives. The minor act of defiance is my way of keeping some of the power.

Damian doesn’t need to know how I feel about Thea… yet. Some things I prefer to keep to myself, even if my brother doesn’t agree.

Straightening, he comes towards me. He’s only an inch taller, at six two, although he’s more muscular than me and wider, so that inch difference sometimes feels like five. “Keep me updated,” Damian orders before turning to walk away.

I want to argue that I don’t need to keep him in the loop, but I know that’s pointless. My oldest brother has given us everything. He’s provided for us, made us successful, and protected us. So as much as I want to keep some things close to my chest, at the very least, I owe him my honesty. Just maybe not tonight.

Strolling past the massive fireplace that separates the kitchen and the living room, Damian opens the door to his room and closes it without so much as a goodnight.

I head downstairs to my room before I run into my other brothers.

5

THEA

The drive to Brasstown Bald is breathtaking. Lush greenery borders either side of the road and though spring has given way to summer, there’s still a coolness in the air that makes me keep my truck’s windows down.

Traffic is scarce for a Wednesday. It’s one reason I love working weekends and having some weekdays off. A few of Cassie’s clients recommended me to their friends, so my schedule for the next few weekends is full.

To celebrate, I’m making the trek to the tallest mountain in Georgia. It’s nearly an hour trip each way, but Brasstown Bald has been on my hiking bucket list.

When I moved here months ago, a promise I made to myself was to connect more with nature. In Atlanta, I argued that I was “too far away”. Now, the mountains are in my backyard and I have no excuses.

I’ve kept good on that promise. I stayed close to Willow Hill at first, exploring local trails so I could build up my stamina. Slowly, I worked my way north, finding new places to challenge myself with.

My camera never gets left behind on these hikes. While my passion is photographing people, I find a certain peace in capturing the beauty of nature.

This is my farthest hike away from home, yet I think it will be the most rewarding. At the top, there’s an observation tower and on a clear day you can see four different states.

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