Page 5 of Ten Hammers

We’d played all day, until we were all hungry and the boys were called in for dinner.

“What are you having for dinner?” Axel had asked.

“Instant noodles.” I always had instant noodles for dinner.

“We’re having pot roast and all the fixings!” Cruz had said, and then he invited me to join them.

“You’ll get to meet our brothers. We’re all adopted, except Jack,” Diesel had added as I followed them inside and my nose was hit by the most delicious scent I’d ever smelled in my life.

I’d had no idea what the word adopted meant, and when I met the rest of the Hammer brothers – sets and sets, of them, like copies of each other, and all within a few years of each other in age – I assumed adopted meant being twins and triplets, something they’ll forever tease me about. But I was warmly welcomed to their table that day, and treated like they’d always been my friends.

A welcoming home was something I didn’t quite understand until the Hammer family. Gram wasn’t nurturing. Dad had a cruel mouth when he wasn’t absent. But the Hammers kept a permanent place at the table for me and they have a permanent place in my heart. Instead of always feeling lonely and scared, I grew up with ten best friends who were there to protect me, no matter what.

Ten best friends who grew up into insanely hot men.

A noise behind me draws my attention away from the eye candy display and I glance over my shoulder.

Cynthia Sinclair has Jack backed up against the side of the house I’ve been sitting out in front of. It’s not like there are any residents inside to piss off. We always rent the entire block when we’re renovating a house, putting up the families in hotels. Jack’s shirt is off again, clenched in Cynthia’s talons as she mashes her boobs against his chest. His hands are tangled in her hair and it looks like they’re in a race to see who can swallow the others’ face first.

That is not how he likes to kiss in my Losing It To Jack fantasy.

I get up quietly and go back across the street.

“Hey,” Max approaches me. He’s holding his water bottle and hands it to me. “You never got anything to drink, did you?”

I shake my head and in that moment, I make up my mind. I may not have a Happily Ever After with one of the Hammer brothers. Sooner or later, they’ll all find their Cynthia Sinclair. But. I have no doubt that even though I’m not girlfriend material for any of them, any of them would do anything I asked them too. They may not love me that way, but they do love me.

Before we wrap, before we go our separate ways, I’m going to ask one of them to have sex with me. And the Hammer brother standing in front of me is the obvious choice.

Reaching out, I place my hand on Max’s shoulder, moving close enough to feel the heat from the sun radiating off his skin. “You know, there’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Hey, Winnie!” Goldie calls over from one of the vans before I can say another word. “Someone’s blowing up your phone! Looks important!”

I drop my hand, reluctantly moving away. “Later, I guess.”

But he grabs my hand. “Anytime, Win,” he promises.

Without thinking, I stand on my tiptoes and give him a quick kiss on his cheek, shivering with anticipation as the sensitive skin of my lips brush his rough stubble. Then I turn on my heels and hurry away.

Chapter 3

Jack

Cynthia Sinclair kisses as if every kiss is the last she’ll ever have. At first, it turned me on. But now, I find keeping up with her frenetic desperation is more of a chore than a turn-on.

When I pull away, she blinks up at me with lust-heavy eyes. “Is that a screwdriver in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” she purrs.

Okay, I might be hard as stone, but it’s not like I’m made of stone. No, it’s not a screwdriver.

“All of these houses are empty, right? Let’s sneak into one and do it,” she whispers with a giggle. She grabs for my hand, but I catch her wrist.

“Cynthia, we need to talk.”

“We do!” She smooths down her hair. “I forgot to tell you. I pitched my idea to Diane and she adores it. She’s already scouting locations for us to move in together. Only when filming, obviously, but it’ll be an instant hit. You’re a reality TV darling already, and I’m, you know, me. I think we’ll call it Cynthia Loves Jack. Or Jack Loves Cynthia? Diane would want me to push for top billing, but I think Jack Loves Cynthia is sweeter.”

Last night, on a video call that I tried to keep brief, Cynthia informed me of the five year plan she’d made for her life. Great. I’m all for a life plan.

What made my balls feel like she was tugging at them – and no, not in a pleasurable way – was when she divulged the role she wanted me to play in that plan.

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