Page 42 of Darkened Truths
I clamp my thighs together, not wanting him to know the effect he has on me. Why does that turn me on way more than I want to admit? “I’m not going anywhere,Cupcake.”
“If you kids can’t play nice, I’m going to have to lock you in a room until you learn,” Wesley teases. “Julien, leave her alone.”
Zander picks that moment to walk into the kitchen and looks down at my bare leg and oversized t-shirt. When he reaches my eyes again, they are dark. Darker than I’ve seen them before.
“Better yet, I’ll let Zan tie you down and beat it.” Julien taunts.
Zander looks at him and back at me, but I can’t read his expression. That doesn’t stop my mind from picturing the three of them together in a room with me. I now have images of all three of them spanking me, and let’s just say it doesn’t sound half bad. A breathy sigh escapes and I don’t miss how quickly Zander snaps his head in my direction. I bite my lip and look at my feet, trying to hide whatever thoughts and emotions are rocking me to my very core.
Wesley comes around the counter to stand behind me, almost like my own personal bodyguard. The other men move around us, the conversation from moments ago forgotten. He kisses the top of my head and motions for me to take a seat at the counter while the three of them work in tandem to cook up some breakfast.
I’ve seen nothing like it. They are all perfectly coordinated. It’s alarming how well the three of them can read one another, and I suddenly feel like I’m invading in their personal space.
“I need to check my phone. Be back in a minute.”
I find it in my jeans pocket with a new message.
James:
What’s Contend? I’ve been on the road with Michael. We were in Portsmouth last night.
No. That’s not right. I'm pretty sure it was him. I bite my lip and reread the message, then pull up a search and see James isright. My dad was in Portsmouth last night. I click on a video clip of him answering some questions from audience members.
“How’s your daughter, Riley, doing at Pointebreak?”
His smile is wide as he beams at the crowd. “She’s doing wonderful. She’s really taken to the curriculum and is enjoying herself. We spoke just last night, in fact.”
I scoff and shake my head as my heart sinks. I haven’t been able to get in touch with him at all this week. He keeps sending me to voicemail. I’ve been pretending I don’t care because I’m still mad at him, but it’s actually affecting me a lot. I check my phone way more than I should, hoping for a message or email from him, but I get nothing. My few texts have also gone unanswered. The only person who has answered my calls is James, and even that was a brief conversation with him cutting me off.
Me:
NVM, guess I saw your twin.
I look up when I hear a knock on the door, and Wesley fills the frame. “Everything okay?”
“Yup.” I put my phone back in my pocket and drop the pants on the floor.
“Breakfast is ready.”
I lick my lips and worry my bottom one between my teeth. “Not sure I should eat with you three. I feel like I’m intruding in your personal space.”
“You’re not,” he assures me. “Come on, it’ll be fine. His bark is worse than his bite.”
“Somehow, I doubt that,” I mutter as I take his hand and he leads us back downstairs. I sit at Wesley’s right with Zander next to me and Julien across from me. It’s all very…domesticated. And dare I say, kind of nice?
“Where are you guys from?” I ask when I can no longer stand the silence.
Three sets of eyes look at me, and when he swallows, Wesley answers first. “I grew up in Connecticut. Zander’s family is from New York and Julien is from here in New Hampshire.”
I sit up straighter. That’s a surprise. “Oh really? Whereabouts?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he says.
I snort. “Of course not,” I mutter, playing with the food on my plate. “Um,” I clear my throat, “so why Pointebreak? I’m sure you could have gone to any school you wanted.”
“Family tradition. Our fathers came here, and it was the expectation.” Zander’s deep timbre sends a thrill through me. He speaks so rarely that it almost always catches me off guard when he does. “Those who attend Pointebreak are more successful than those who don’t.”
That seems surprising to me. There are many Ivy league and highly rated schools I would think would look better on a resume than Pointebreak. “How so?”
