Page 32 of Ten Hammers

“Eww, Max, stop. What, are you writing car wash erotica, now? We made out. That’s all.”

Okay, even I know that while I’m being technical, I’m still lying a little. None of those felt like just making out.

I want to call him out for not telling me about the pact, about how they all felt, but that little voice in my gut tells me I need to tread lightly here.

“Anyway,” I say, “it was a one-time thing.”

“Don’t you mean a nine-time thing?” he mutters, and I want to grab his sweat rag and swat him in the ego.

“Six, but you can shut up. I was going to say that, even though I have been convinced that you all… feel things for me, too, there’s no way.

He raises a brow. “No way for what, specifically?”

“This,” I try to explain. “Us. Them. Me. You.”

Now both of his brows are up.

I let out a sigh. “What I’m trying to say is that I can never choose one of you over the others. I know that now more than ever.”

My words settle into the space between us, heavy enough that I have to check the corners of my eyes

There is a long pause before he answers. “What does this mean for you and me?” he asks, finally, but he’s not making eye contact.

“We’re going to need to, you know. Stop.”

But if it makes you feel any better, I’d rather cut off my right ear.

“Alright.”

I shift my weight from foot to foot, waiting on him to say more. He doesn’t.

“Max–”

He reaches for his weights, turning further away from me. “I just need some space, alright? Please, Win?”

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay.”

“Hey, Win?” he calls and hope surges through me.

“Yeah?”

“Why only six?”

“I cut it short when I realized you’d left. Checking on you was more important to me than–”

“Sorry to have ruined the fun,” he says.

“Max–”

“Just give me some space,” he says again.

And I do.

I am well over my recommended daily allowance of testosterone and I haven’t even had breakfast yet. Usually stress makes me hungry, but at the moment, I’m still too twisted up to eat. I need some perspective, and I need it now.

I need Goldie.

As I wander back through the house, and upstairs to my room, I try not to be seen by anyone. It’s an easy feat. Too easy of a feat. Where did everyone go? The Hammer home is ginormous, but it’s still usually impossible to take a step without tripping over a Hammer.

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