Page 111 of Untether

‘Anyway,’ I clear my throat, because I don’t want Rafe, Zach and I to start hugging it out and braiding each other’s hair any more than they do. ‘We’re about to go on a bit of a publicity spree—give people plenty of reasons to get behind us as a couple—‘

‘I can help!’ Maddy says, bouncing a little on the sofa to make her point. ‘We can definitely do some of the heavy lifting via the Alchemy socials. Ooh, I feel a few cutesy reels and TikToks coming on.’

‘Honestly, I’d love that,’ I tell her. ‘Basically, Creatrix is giving Aida a hard time about any messaging that so much as hints at a monogamous happy ever after. They want this documentary to really pack some punches, so we need to show everyone that being with me is punchy as fuck.’

‘Amen to that,’ Rafe drawls, and everyone laughs.

‘Why do I suspect you’re far more comfortable with that than Aida is?’ Gen asks.

‘Because you know what an attention whore he is,’ Zach points out. ‘Remember that fashion show at uni when he went out on the catwalk in just a pair of too-small briefs, all oiled up with a fuckingtyreon each arm?’

‘What, a car tyre?’ Maddy asks, as the rest of us fall about laughing.

‘Yep,’ Gen says drily. ‘I can never unsee it, unfortunately.’

‘I could have had any girl in the entire fucking place that night,’ I protest. ‘They were gagging for it. My Hot Mechanic routine was like catnip to every girl there.’

It happens to be true.

‘Dear God,’ Gen says.

‘From Hot Mechanic to Hot Armed Robber in theParadisetrailer,’ Maddy muses. ‘It all makessomuch more sense now.’

‘Fifteen years on and he’s still working the baby oil,’ Zach says, and I guffaw along with the rest of them, because the guy has a point.

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It’s Gen who corners me, discreetly but deliberately, in our kitchenette a bit later.

‘So,’ she says, smiling down at the spoon she’s using to stir her tea bag in her treasuredWolff Holdingsmug. That woman is a total simp for her boyfriend. ‘Monogamy, eh?’

Ah. Sothisis where she’s going with it.

‘Yep,’ I say.

‘I have to hand it to you.’ She looks up at me through her eyelashes. ‘Aida’s… amazing.’

‘She is.’

‘I never thought, when…’ She shakes her head. ‘It’s really fantastic, that’s all. I strongly suspected you two would have chemistry, but I didn’t see you falling in love. I’m thrilled to bits.’

‘She’s very easy to love,’ I say, and she smiles.

‘As are you,’ she says quietly but firmly.

I smirk. ‘Obviously.’ I’ve been told I’m lovable all my life. I suppose it comes with having always been a smiley kid and then a good-natured adult—people warm to me. But that’stotally different from having a beautiful, mesmerising, intellectual powerhouse of a woman fall hook, line and sinker for me.

Nope.That’sa singular pleasure I’ll wallow in for as long as Aida bestows her love upon me.

‘Still,’ Gen muses aloud as she squishes her tea bag at the side of the cup, ‘it’s a big change in lifestyle for you. Going from Alchemy to a monogamous relationship.’ She fixes her big blue eyes back on me once she’s disposed of the tea bag, and I feel the weight of her scrutiny.

This is the part where I could get defensive. Where I could sayWell, I’ve managed so farorYou guys did it. Why not me?But I don’t, because I know exactly how she means it. There’s no snark intended. Just concern for, I suspect, me and Aida alike.

Because she’s right. I’ve ribbed all three of my mates mercilessly for dropping like flies this past year. It’s been ridiculous, frankly, how fast and hard they’ve fallen. Even if our little Alchemy family has only got better for having Belle and Maddy and, I suppose, even Anton, as part of it. Even if I’ve never seen my friends happier.

So I’ve carried the flag for this glorious club and the particular delights it offers. Beautiful strangers and a wonderful buffet of varied, kinky, endless sex. I’ve partied and gorged and dreamt up events intended to thrill. To arouse. And I’ve been the life and soul of every party we’ve thrown. I’m that guy.

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