Page 15

Chapter 4

Addie

“Be vigilant. Be smart. And always stay with Tam,” Calax lectured after I appeared in the living room. The rest of the guys, including Tommy, had already dispersed - no doubt preparing for our trip to Atlanta - leaving me alone with my brooding boyfriend. Ryder had left with Ronan to steal maps and pamphlets from the local gas station. My cheeks flamed as I thought about what had transpired only moments earlier. Ryder’s expert tongue inside of me. Ronan’s hand slowly stroking the length of his impressive cock.

Had I been cheating?

It hadn’t felt like that, but my emotions were running rampant within me. I didn’t necessarily know how Ronan fit into the equation that was my love life, but I couldn’t deny that he was a crucial and inevitable piece.

It was impossible to discern what Calax saw on my face. Guilt? Lust? Pain? His expression considerably softened as his eyes grazed my features.

I opened my mouth to confess God only knew what but was silenced by a calloused finger against my lips.

“I know Baby Girl,” he said softly. My eyelids fluttered rapidly, both at his addicting touch and his words.

“What?” I finally managed to sputter out. He removed his finger from my lips and wrapped his other arm around my waist. I could’ve melted at the warmth he emitted; I was close to him, but suddenly I wanted to be evencloser. Both mentally and physically.

“It’s okay if you did stuff with Ryder.” Despite the accepting words, his jaw ground together. “I don’t want to hear about it, but I understand. He’s your boyfriend too.”

Guilt instantly consumed me.

What the hell was wrong with me? I had two amazing boyfriends, and yet my traitorous body still responded to the other members of his team. My guilt was washed away by self-loathing, nearly as staggering. I found that I couldn’t breathe as both disgust in myself and guilt at my actions battled for dominance. As before, Calax read my face easily. His thumb traced my cheekbones and brushed lightly over my parted lips.

“And it’s okay if it’s not just with us,” he said softly. Carefully. His brow was furrowed as he considered his words.

Horrified, I glanced up at him. “Do you want me to have sex with other people?”

Like a prostitute?

Before the thought could fully form, Calax was shaking his head.

“No.” He ran a trembling hand through his hair in agitation. “I suck at explaining. Okay, look, Baby...I know for a fact that Ryder and I aren’t the only people to have feelings for you. And I also know that we’re not the only two who you have feelings for.”

I was afraid to admit that I squealed like a pig.

Feelings? For more than just Ryder and Calax? Puh-lease.

And yet…

All I managed to do was gape at him like a raving, albeit cute, lunatic. Calax smiled at the disbelief evident on my face before leaning forward to press a kiss on my forehead.

My forehead. Not my lips.

Did that mean I was in girlfriend timeout? Would it involve a spanking? Not that I was against it or anything…

“These men are my brothers,” he continued. His breath blew across my forehead, and delicious tremors vibrated down my spine. “And I want them to be happy. I wantyouto be happy.” He paused to tenderly brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“That you don’t want to spank me?” I blurted. “I’m not exactly clear on the whole ‘spanking thing’.”

A thousand emotions flitted across his face in a span of seconds.

“Where the fuck did you get spanking from?”

“Like bare-handed? Or with a paddle? Usually I wouldn’t be down for it because of my past, but I trust you.”

He blinked furiously before rubbing a hand down his face.

“No,” he said through gritted teeth. “There will be no spankings.” His voice fumbled over that final word.