Page 17 of As The Shifter World Turns

That’d make for a good time.

7

DAIRE’S PARENTS SUCK…

Archer

My phone beeped. It was a text from Daire reminding the tenants of Sunshine Manor about the meeting on the roof. This was no welcome to the building barbecue or a weekly get together. He’d added the word “Urgent” at the end of the message. And based on the conversation with his parents and the disastrous water leak in my kitchen, I wasn’t looking forward to what he had to say.

And I was worried about Neil. He had a great set up here in his former school friend’s house. While I’d never witnessed him dealing with huge changes, I suspected it wouldn’t go over well based on my observations and also Daire making Ivor and me not tell him.

Ivor had a new part-time job with Ryder, but he’d already been teetering on the edge of poverty when he was working at his former job. He’d only survived because Daire was a softie and total pushover when it came to collecting Ivor’s rent. Him looking for a new place out in the big wide world, where cutthroat landlords bumped up their prices and expected students to cram six or more into a small apartment, would be impossible.

As I climbed the stairs, Micah’s scent assailed me. He must have been up on the rooftop patio already. Leaving my apartment, I’d peeked out the door, hoping to not bump into him. It’d been a few days since my drunken attempt to kiss him, and I hadn’t apologized. Not properly. I’d tried, but my leaking tap had interfered.

And if I was honest, I was avoiding him. I cringed every time I reran the scenario in my head of me on the couch pulling him toward me, puckering my lips, desperate for him to kiss me.

I pictured it from his point of view. An omega he hardly knew and onemuch younger than him, the stench of wine wafting off me as I slurred my words, my eyes unfocused and glassy. Had I been drooling? Maybe. Gross! He’d been a gentleman not taking advantage of me. But he was probably turned off and no more wanted to kiss me than smooch Daire.

But the longer I left not speaking to him, the more the shame festered inside me. The rooftop meeting wasn’t the place to grovel and say how sorry I was. Though an image popped into my head of me groveling, on my knees, him pulling his cock out of his pants. Me sucking it.

“Oh!” I squeaked as I got to the top of the stairs. Five heads turned toward me, and I did my best to avoid Micah’s gaze as I took my seat.

“Good, now we can start. This isn’t great news, I’m afraid,” Daire began.

“Is this about the rusted pipes?” Neil spoke up. “I’m guessing your parents aren’t too happy at having to replace them all.”

“That’s exactly it. They’ve been talking about selling Sunshine Manor, maybe even demolishing the building, as the land is valuable. But having to replace the pipes is expensive.” He held up his hand, as if anticipating what people were thinking—that they could afford it—and continued, “They say the outlay of the building far outweighs the rent coming in.”

I slid a glance at Neil. His puckered brow and clenched jaw along with the color draining from his cheeks didn’t need an explanation. Reaching out and squeezing his hand put a wan smile on his face.

Ivor was sweating buckets and wriggling in his seat, his hands fidgeting with the hair that constantly flopped over his brow. Ryder was staring at something in the distance, and when I plucked up the courage to peek at Micah, his unblinking gaze was fixed on Daire.

I spoke up. “I’d hate to see this place demolished. It’s such a beautiful old building and would look amazing if it was restored.”

“If you knew my parents, you’d understand they view real estate in terms of dollars and how much it appreciates. Character and charm are not part of their vocabulary.”

His words left a gaping silence as we all absorbed his words.

“They want to auction the place and need it spruced up for inspections.” His eyes met Micah’s. “But for very little cash.”

“I can help with that,” Micah said. “We can talk about what you need tomorrow.”

I studied my feet, not daring to look up and catch Micah’s gaze. His disembodied voice as he spoke to Daire had me wondering why he wasn’t reacting to the news. How could he be so lacking in emotion about having to leave his home? Okay, it was rented, but he’d lived here a while from what Neil had told me. And what of the bond he had with his friends?

Perhaps my lusting after him was misguided and he was just a cold and unfeeling ass. But one with a huge dick that I wanted pounding into me! Damn! Everything came back to the cock when I thought of Micah.

“Isn’t there any way you can change their mind?” Neil piped up, hisanguished voice tugging at my heartstrings. “The thought of leaving here…” His voice cracked and his eyes welled up with tears. Ivor slung an arm around Neil’s shoulder and the touching gesture, despite his own anxiety, had me grateful I’d stumbled into these men’s lives and now counted them as friends.

“I tried, Neil. Really, I did. For weeks I pleaded and begged, but they won’t budge.”

I took a deep breath. While I didn’t have the immediate money concerns Ivor did or suffer from Neil’s emotional issues, finding a place I could afford would take time. Time I didn’t have as my vibrating phone in my pocket reminded me.

“Your pocket, Archer. It’s throbbing.”

I gulped and squeezed my eyes shut.Throbbing?Was he serious? Did he have to use that word? Now all eyes were on my nether region.Damn him.My dick, which was always standing at attention around Micah, was rubbing painfully against my jeans, and I hunched over, hoping no one would notice my arousal. “I put the phone on vibrate because you don’t like it when it purrs,” I hissed.

Shit!Now I’d F-ed things up by using purr, which was what I did in my dreams when Micah appeared naked before me. Purring, meowing, mewling. That was me when confronted by Micah and his cock.

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