Page 99 of Counter Bet

“Not a fucking word!” Ben warns Jack as they get dressed.

Jack tightens his belt. “My lips are sealed. Let’s do this again sometime.” He winks at me cheekily. “Thanks for letting me come on your tits.”

I should feel embarrassed, but I don’t.

Ben stiffens next to me. “Don’t fucking look at her!”

Great, possessive Ben is back.

Jack chuckles and waves him off. “Chill, man. I’m going.” He gives me one last cheeky wink before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

I wonder what he makes of the night. Firstly, he had his dick sucked by a guy, and then he partook in whatever this was.

I put my dress back on.

“Are you okay?” Ben asks when I brush my fingers through my tangly hair.

“Don’t worry about me.”

The bed dips as he sits down next to me, threading his fingers through mine. “I would never willingly hurt you. Sometimes, our games get a bit out of hand, and I know we can take things too far. The last thing I want is to make you feel uncomfortable.”

Dallas takes a seat on my other side and grabs my free hand. “We just want to make sure you’re okay with what happened here. We took it further than we intended.”

I squeeze their hands. “I promise, I am more than okay with what we did. You make me feel safe. I know we haven’t spoken about what this is between us, but I need you to know that I care about you both.” I clear my throat. “I’min lovewith you both. Maybe it makes me greedy, but I can’t help how I feel.”

Ben’s voice is thick with emotion. “Remember when I spoke to Rick and told him that I’m falling for you? I meant it, Em.”

Dallas lifts my chin. “I’m in love with you too. It’s fucking scary, to be honest with you. I’ve already lost everyone I love. The thought of losing you… It terrifies me, but I’m here, and I’m all in. Others may not understand our unusual relationship dynamic, but it works for us. And like Ben said, we sometimes take our games too far, so you need to tell us if you feel uncomfortable.”

“I promise to tell you if I feel uncomfortable, okay?”

Dallas presses her forehead to mine. “You’re perfect.”

I shake my head, then kiss her softly, smiling against her lips. “I’m not, but you like my darkness just like I like yours and Ben’s. Let’s never conform. It’s us against the world.”

Ben places a soft kiss on my shoulder, humming in agreement. “Where have you been all this time?”

My heart feels too big for my chest. We’re from different worlds, an unlikely match, but we love each other despite our differences.

Love.

Wow, what a big word, but it feels so right.

“I wasn’t going to tell you yet,” Ben says hesitantly like he isn’t sure of how I’ll react. “Dallas told me what college you applied for, so I went to see the career advisor, and she helped me apply too.”

My head shoots up.

Does this mean we will all be together next year?

“You did?” I ask, afraid of his answer in case I misheard him.

Ben smiles, palming my cheek. “Yes, princess. I’m not letting you go. I want this—us. The dog. You can name it whatever ridiculous name you want.”

My tears spill over. This moment feels too good to be true. “But how, Ben?” I ask, running my fingers over the stubble on his cheek.

He smiles. “I’m a smart cookie, princess. I qualified for a scholarship and was eligible for financial aid because of my circumstances. The career advisor pulled out all the stops for me.”

I look at him as if for the first time. Why did I ever doubt him? Why did I judge him based on his clothes and the crowd he hangs out with. I’ve seen him hand in his homework on time and participate in the few classes we’ve shared. He always surprises me with his intelligence and quick thinking.

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