Page 38 of The Pact

I know that’s a lie but I can’t tell them that there were cameras in my room and that after McKayla was kicked out, my father went as far as taking away the doors from my bedroom and bathroom. That’s too humiliating and I’d rather them not know how weird my family really is. I level a hard stare on them, feigning a confidence I don’t feel. But I’m already embarrassed, I refuse to look weak. “Is this a deal breaker?”

They look at one another again. “Will you give us a second, Ausra?”Bode asks and when I nod, they all leave their chairs and go into the living room, sliding closed the patio door that separates that room from the deck where I’m now sitting alone.

I’d really like to play it cool and pretend that I’m not interested in whatever discussion is going on with the four of them but I can’t help but watch them talk.

I’m equally fascinated and horrified by how calm and collected Bode and Ashton look, while Shep and Kelley seem a lot more animated.

I watch them debating something—me—for about ten minutes.

In the end, they seem to reach some kind of agreement as they all nod to one another and then seal whatever deal they came to with those weird man handshakes or fist bumps or whatever guys do.

The patio door slides open and the guys come back out, returning to their previous seats.

When they all look at me without saying anything, I snap. “So, did y’all change your mind then? Really?”

Bode smiles. “Yeah, we changed our minds. But not on wanting to play with you, Ausra. Just on what kind of game we want to play.”

I’m more confused than ever. “What do you mean?”

Kelley looks at me and he sounds way more emotional than normal. Or maybe I’m just projecting my agitation on him, I don’t really know.

“When we asked you to play our game, we didn’t realize that there was more at stake than just one night of fun. We’ve never had the chance to play for firsts before. So we still want to play with you but we can’t just expect to team tag you your first time.”

I look at them and I have to work really hard to keep from yelling. “If this is your way of telling me that what I told you put you off—”

Bode intervenes. “That isn’t what we’re trying to tell you, pretty girl. We just want to play a different game with you. Not over one night. Over the whole summer. There are obviously a lot of things you haven’t done and that makes the game a lot more exciting for us. We get to be the firsts to do everything with you. We get to play with a blank canvas. So we still want to keep the same rules as before but the guys and I will play for the privilege to show you things first. You get to decide what happens and with whom. Eventually, you’ll have your first time. That’s something we all want but we accept that you can only give it to one of us. But there’s a lot of other firsts that each of us can get to enjoy before the others and we all want to have you eventually.”

My heart is beating so fast that I hear blood rushing and roaring in my ears. “The whole summer?” I ask.

Ashton winks at me. “Yeah. A whole summer of hot games, and a whole summer of orgasms. And in the end, if you want, you’ll have all four of us.”

Shep smiles. “Think about it. We’ll all compete for who makes you feel more pleasure. Until we can all work together on making you come over and over and over again.”

Kelley takes my hand again. “Will you play with us, Ausra? Will you be ours this summer?”

I’m definitely crazy, because I say yes.

Kelley stands up, lifting me from my chair and kissing me hard.

Bode’s voice reaches us as he admonishes us with a deep chuckle. “Hey before you two get started, there’s some stuff to discuss.”

Kelley lets me go with a frustrated groan. “Like what? Fucking killjoy?”

“Like birth control,” Bode says. “And getting tested.”

“I’m on the pill,” I volunteer. What I don’t say is that I have to thank my sister for taking me to the doctor to get a prescription. My parents would give me a hot water bottle and a cup of chamomile tea when I had crippling period cramps.

Ashton nods. “That’s awesome. We get tested every couple of months. Team rules. So we can show you that we’re clean. I don’t think you need to get tested on the account of you being new at all this.”

Well put, Ashton. I give him mental brownie points for not using the V-word like Kelley did before.

“Anything that you aren’t sure about?” they ask.

I nod. “There’s one thing. I know you said you don’t do relationships but if I play this game with you, I expect you not to be with anyone else but me until we’re done. No matter if you think you’re losing.”

They all agree immediately. Kelley is the only one who seems to need to think about it but he accepts my terms in the end.

And speaking about the devil, his phone chimes with a text message.

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