Page 11 of Accidentally Joining His Cult (Chicago Awakenings #1)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Beckett

I ’ve been in the corporate world for a long time now. At thirty-two, I’ve been working for my family’s company for half of my life, and I know all about the cheesy bullshit buzzwords that HR departments like to throw around about “company culture” and “high-performance mindsets”.

But something about these Kyla programs is setting off little alarm bells in the back of my mind.

Admittedly, I’ve been highly distracted during Cody’s classes. I can’t focus on more than what I want to do to him tonight when he’s standing in front of me, flashing that gorgeous smile or flexing those insane muscles.

Now that he isn’t teaching the classes, though, I can’t ignore the fact that something feels… off.

I know that I’m generally a pessimistic and suspicious person by nature. But I’d like to think that over the years, I’ve honed a pretty good ability to spot a scam. Nothing in the classes so far has been super concerning, where I could point to a specific thing that was said and just call bullshit, but I can’t help this nagging feeling that I’m starting to have about this company.

It started in the first class this morning when Cody’s buddy, Howard, was teaching. A lot of his investment recommendations and strategies were solid. I could tell he’s probably great at his job with the company’s finances, but every once in a while, there would be a comment about how everyone could use their earnings to participate in more Kyla programs or invest in the stock portfolios run by the Kyla financial specialists. He also mentioned using earnings to cover the fees associated with things in Montana, like the company fitness center or meal plan.

Wouldn’t those things be a job perk for free?

Aren’t the majority of the people here this weekend employees who would be getting paid to be here? Not the other way around. I know my fee for this weekend was astronomical, but I assumed it was because they were making an exception, letting me crash the event intended for employees.

If everyone had to pay to be here, then that raises some significant concerns for me over the legitimacy of their business plans, and really, the company as a whole. I know that they’re a pretty large company that’s involved with a ton of big names in both business and entertainment, with quite a few celebrities and politicians taking their classes, but something isn’t sitting right with me.

It continued in the other classes, too. Except for the program that Cody led on not letting your worries and fears hold you back from success and happiness—I really did try to pay attention to his class today and not just gawk at him the entire time, and I definitely didn’t get any of the weird vibes from anything he said.

All of this is running through my head as I watch Cody get strapped into a harness for the ropes course that we’re apparently doing before lunch. I’ve never done one, and I’m not a huge fan of heights, but I also want to spend time with Cody.

Risk breaking my neck or spend a few hours apart? You’d think it would be an easy decision, but clearly, my dick is back in charge because here I am, risking life and limb.

Not that I’m complaining about the view—the harness outlining Cody’s ass is giving me some ideas. It reminds me of a jock strap, and now I can’t help but wonder if he owns one.

“Your turn, Beck!” He sounds so fucking happy as he gets out of the way for me to get into my harness, he’s practically jumping up and down as he shifts, clearly too excited to stand still. His endless enthusiasm continues to amuse me and, luckily, distracts me from focusing on what we’re actually doing here.

Once everyone in the group is strapped in, one of the employees walks us through the process. She explains the two heavy clips attached to our harnesses, each clip is secured to a giant wire, and they’re color-coded with a chunky plastic “key” that unlocks them. Only one clip can be opened at a time as we move from section to section.

In theory, it sounds safe. But in reality, this whole thing is looking more intimidating than I thought it would be. I was picturing something much lower to the ground, and I sure as shit wasn’t imagining that I’d be unlocking and reattaching my fucking harness myself.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

She reassures us that there’s staff on the ground throughout the course to help answer any questions and help us if needed. Apparently, they even allow children to do this.

I obviously don’t have any children, but that seems like a poor parenting decision to me.

We’re all given helmets and are directed to staircases that lead to different points in the course. Cody grabs my hand and drags me toward what must be the tallest one, of course. We end up on a small wooden platform built into a tree at least fifteen feet off the ground, and there are plenty of sections even higher that it seems we’ll make our way up to.

In front of us, there’s a bridge straight out of a fairytale movie. A bunch of planks of wood that are way too far apart at inconsistent distances are held together by some very questionable-looking rope. It looks like it’s been there for hundreds of years and no one has bothered with repairs.

This would be the part in those movies where the heroes need to cross the bridge and fight an evil dragon to save a princess on the other side.

I’d make a terrible movie hero. I’m way too spoiled and way too afraid of heights to help any princess. Or prince, which I’d obviously prefer.

Cody, on the other hand, looks like he could be filming his own superhero action film. He effortlessly crosses the bridge, keeping his balance as if he’s walking on solid ground. When the gaps become too wide, he jumps across easily, the workout clothes that we changed into showing off each flex of his muscles as he moves.

“What are you waiting for?” He turns back toward me and flashes that fucking smile again, the one that I knew could get me to do anything—I just didn’t realize he’d be using that power against me so soon into our relationship with this stupid ropes course.

Not that we’re in a relationship. Obviously not. I just meant I haven’t known him long enough to endure this kind of torture.

“Just mentally preparing to save the prince,” I blurt out. Apparently, my fear has eliminated any filter I have, deciding that I should go with the most random thoughts possible.

He bursts out laughing. “Does that make you a knight in shining armor?”

I glare back at him, crossing my arms. “I’m trying to psych myself up to risk my life. I don’t need you to make fun of me.”

“Should I pretend to be a prince in distress?” he teases, and I smirk back at him.

“If you want to role-play, I’d rather wait until we’re alone,” I respond in a cheesy, suggestive tone. His eyes grow comically large, and it’s my turn to laugh.

As much fun as shout-flirting with him is across this bridge, I really would rather be near him. I take a deep breath and try to convince myself that this is easy, nothing to worry about. I double-check that my clips are secure.

Logically, I know that I’m safe. If I do fall, my harness will catch me.

But logic doesn’t slow down my rapid heartbeat.

I cling to the railings of the bridge with a death grip as I take my first steps onto it. The plank of wood immediately moves away from the platform that my other foot is still balanced on, shifting me into a wider stance. I quickly bring the other foot forward so I can stand on the moving board, gripping the swaying rope railings for dear life.

One down, another fifteen or so to go.

How did Cody make this look so easy?

I glance up at him, and he looks so proud of me for that one step, that I decide to go for the next one. Then I kind of blackout until I’m on the platform with Cody, and he wraps his arms around me in a big bear hug.

I immediately sink into the embrace, appreciating how secure I feel in his arms after being so unsteady on the bridge.

“You did amazing,” he encourages after pulling back. “Wasn’t it exhilarating?”

“Wait, wait. I wasn’t done.” I pull him back in, not ready for the hug to end. Or to continue this stupid course.

Cody laughs, giving me a tight squeeze before he steps over to the next obstacle. This one involves a rock wall.

Great. Let’s go even higher. Just what I wanted.

Cody’s already clipping in, and I decide to focus on the bright side of the situation: at least I get to watch him climb. And what a sight it is.

I’m probably drooling, but the course is big enough that we have some space to ourselves, and no one can call me out on it.

Before long, Cody is at the top of the wall, kneeling over the side of what I assume is another platform.

I don’t want to give myself more time to freak out before I begin, so I grab onto a rock and begin my ascent. Thankfully, the wall that the stones are attached to doesn’t move, and I get to the top without incident.

Between the humid Florida air and the surprising amount of strength this climb demands, I’m sweating when I reach the top. At least wearing all black hides how much effort this actually took.

Cody helps pull me up into a standing position, and I’m confused by the lack of obstacles in front of us. “Are we supposed to climb back down now?”

“It’s a zip line.” He chuckles, gesturing to the platform about fifty feet ahead and slightly below us. He tugs on his cords, making sure that the clips are secure, and squats down a bit like he’s preparing to jump.

“No fucking way, absolutely not,” I say as I grab Cody’s arm, preventing him from leaping and abandoning me up here.

He returns to his full height and looks down at me with concern. “What’s wrong?” Then, his expression shifts as he seems to understand. “I’m so sorry, Beck, are you afraid of heights?” He looks so apologetic, and I hate that I’m the reason his gorgeous smile is gone. “I should have asked what activities you wanted to do instead of assuming,” he continues.

“To be fair, I saw it on the schedule. I could have said something,” I grumble.

“Is there a reason that you didn’t?”

Groaning, I rest my head back against the tree our platform is built on and cover my face with my hands. “I wanted to spend time with you and didn’t want you to think I’m a coward” I mumble through my hands.

He peels them away from my face, still holding onto them as he meets my gaze with a small smile. “I could never think you’re a coward, Beck,” he says so earnestly, and my heart starts to race for new reasons.

Whatever connection we have seems way too intense for the few weeks I’ve known him. Especially since so much of that time has been apart. He looks at me with such adoration and fondness, and I really want to deserve that look from such an amazing man.

“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s jump.” I try to sound confident, but it comes out as defeated.

“Beck, I’m sure that we can climb down. You don’t have to do this.”

“No, I know.” I take another deep breath. “But I want to prove to myself that it’s okay to do scary things,” I say.

Totally only talking about the zip line.

It's not at all about the feelings I’m having for him. No scary feelings happening over here.

“Do you still want me to go first? Maybe it will help to see how safe it is,” he offers.

“Only if you promise to catch me if I fall,” I wink at him while I gesture for him to go ahead.

He’s laughing as he leans back a bit, squatting down with both hands holding the cords attached to the clips, and jumps right off the platform. His laughter turns into loud whoops as he descends onto the next platform, and I have no control over my smile at his pure, unfiltered joy.

When I’m sure that he’s finished and it’s my turn, I tug my clips to triple-check I’m secure. I look across the space to Cody, and even with the distance between us, I feel a strange sense of peace wash over me as our eyes lock.

And I jump.

Even I’m surprised at the loud laugh that escapes from my mouth as I begin to free-fall. Then my harness catches me, jerking me slightly as it does, and I start hysterically laughing as adrenaline courses through my veins, and I zip toward Cody.

For some reason, in this heightened state of fear and exhilaration, my brain decides it’s fucking hilarious that I’m literally falling because of him. As if I wasn’t already worried that I’m falling for him in other ways.

I land awkwardly, stumbling a bit, but Cody is there to help steady me with his strong arms and megawatt smile. I really do feel like I could do anything if he were there to support me.

Still riding the high of my adrenaline rush, I grab his face in my hands and pull him down to capture his bottom lip between mine before pushing my tongue into his mouth, desperate for him. For a moment, he kisses me back just as passionately, and I forget where we are.

Too quickly, he’s stepping back. “I don’t want to have to finish this with an erection,” he explains, chuckling.

“Too late for me,” I grumble, glancing down. When I look back at him, he’s biting his lip, obviously trying to suppress his amusement, but when I smirk, he gives up and we both end up in another fit of laughter.

* * *

I managed to keep it together for the rest of the course, even if my knees were still a little shaky from the zip line. After a quick break to shower and change back into less casual clothes, we sat through a lunch featuring more key speakers. I’d like to say I was a model student and learned a lot, but I don’t think I could even confidently say what they were about. I can only take so much of this self-help bullshit before completely spacing out if Cody isn’t the one teaching.

Now, for the main event, we have a program run by Viktor himself. “Today we will be talking about a topic you all know is near and dear to my heart. The very idea that inspired our company name of ‘Kyla’,” he takes a dramatic pause, smiling and making obvious eye contact with people in the audience before continuing. “We’re here to talk about improving our community by embracing the adage ‘it takes a village’.”

I raise a brow, aiming a questioning look at Cody. “Kyla means Village in Finnish. That’s where his ancestors are from,” he whispers.

“You all know how important I believe it is to put in the work to improve yourself, to achieve your dreams,” Viktor goes on. “We have countless workshops and seminars to help empower people to do just that. But all of it is completely pointless if we don’t use our success to help others. Our programs give you the knowledge and tools to find your personalized version of happiness, but no one can truly do it on their own. Where would you be without your Kyla village? Without the coaches who gave you these skills? What life would you be living if you’d never attended your first Kyla seminar?”

I certainly wouldn’t be in fucking Florida. But, I also wouldn’t have met Cody, so I obviously wouldn’t wish for that.

“If you put good into the world, good will come back to you. This room is full of executives, high-ranking members of Kyla, and some of our best coaches. I am honored to have each and every one of you as a member of my village. It’s especially important that we remember the power we hold. The tools and knowledge offered in Kyla programming can change people’s lives for the better. You have the ability to help people. To make others happy. Are you doing everything you can to improve your village? To help those around you?”

I’m definitely improving Cody’s weekend if last night was anything to go by.

I get lost in my head daydreaming about last night, but I’m fairly confident the rest of his monologue is just more cheesy, inspirational stuff about helping the people around you and how great his programs are.

Honestly, I’ve never really been a churchgoer, but it reminds me of the few times I’ve had to sit through a service for a friend’s wedding or gone to a funeral.

Viktor spends some time comparing the company and its culture to a traditional village. Again, nothing he says is blatantly problematic, but little comments about Linna—the town where they all live in Montana—stand out to me. He describes how much time everyone spends together and all the activities they do that don’t sound remotely work-related.

When Cody talked about his friends and his city, I assumed his enthusiasm for literally everything bled into his descriptions. But the way Viktor describes it, Linna sounds less like a small Montana city and more like some utopian society.

I keep meaning to ask Cody about it, but every time I look at him, rational thought becomes much more difficult, and all I can think about is what we’ll do back in our room tonight.

I was definitely a little nervous this morning that he’d try to rationalize what happened last night as a fluke and go back to insisting he’s straight.

The golden retriever of a man couldn’t seem to contain his excitement about doing it again, though.

I think I’m starting to believe he really is that relaxed, that he’s fully embracing his new sexual identity in less than a day, with no doubts or hesitation.

I’d still be more reserved about advancing things physically so quickly if we had more time. With tonight being our last planned night together, I’ve been debating how far might be too far to take things. Obviously, I don’t want to pressure him into doing anything that he doesn’t want to do or that he’ll regret. But if tonight could be the last night I ever get with him, I also want to make the most of it.

Still, there’s a lot we can explore without needing to do everything in one night. And if I never see him again, that’s fine. Totally fine .

Cody seems like the type of person who stays friends with his hookups. He’ll probably continue to send me funny texts and memes until we eventually grow apart, and I’ll look back on this whole experience fondly. No big deal.

I’m not getting attached to his warm hazel eyes or the way the left side of his mouth quirks a little higher than the right when something amuses him. Or to his laugh and how deep and full it always sounds, like he’s never holding any part of his joy back.

Nope . No attachment here.

Okay, fine, I don’t think I can fuck him.

If he’s even ready to try bottoming, I don’t think that I could go through with it and then just leave him tomorrow. And there’s no way that I could be vulnerable enough to let him fuck me and not feel more than I already do.

I’ve never felt like this before, and I don’t want to examine what it means.

It doesn’t matter anyway. Cody is obsessed with his job and his friends, and I have no intention of abandoning my perfect job and family to move to the fucking middle of nowhere Montana of all places.

So, tonight, we’ll fool around a bit more, and I’ll let him have some fun with his first man. Then tomorrow, we can go our separate ways, and I’m sure that the next man he’s attracted to can show him the rest.

There’s a sharp pain in my chest at the thought of him with another man, but I don’t see another outcome here. So, I need to accept it and have fun with Cody while I can.

The fantasies I’m having of kidnapping him and locking him in my condo as some sort of sexy, muscular houseboy are definitely unrealistic. And completely inappropriate. Right?

But what if I— Fuck , I need to stop thinking of ways that I could trick him into coming back to Chicago with me.

We finally sit down for dinner, and I’m so distracted by how small the portion is on my plate that I almost miss the announcement.

“Viktor, we’re all so grateful that you could join us this weekend. Your presence always elevates the experience of a Kyla retreat,” a woman on stage says into a microphone. “We’ll now be showcasing some of our members’ talents while you eat, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment!”

What follows is a bizarre mix of what feels like a corporate talent show and a pep rally. Groups perform skits, show off their “talents,” and do these weird cheers about how amazing the company and its different programs are. It’s painful. Honestly, I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.

“I’m next!” Cody whispers before getting up to join the executive management team’s routine. He stands front and center, leading a cheer with the same enthusiasm he applies to everything else. Thankfully, theirs was one of the least cringe-worthy performances.

It had absolutely nothing to do with how hot he looked clapping with his muscular arms above his head, or how adorable he is when he’s excited about something.

Nope. Theirs was genuinely better, and I’m sticking with that answer.

Viktor finally gets on stage, which I’m praying to whoever will listen means we’re done. “Thank you all for another fantastic day. Each and every one of you should be proud of yourself for the work you put in, and the investment that you made for your future success and happiness. I only wish that we didn’t have to say goodbye so soon.”

Like he’s not the one who needs them all back to work on Monday.

“I know that many of you will be joining me back in Linna, but for those who don’t work at our headquarters yet.” He pauses with a dramatic wink and everyone in the room laughs like he’s so fucking funny. “Don’t forget that your work is just as important! You have just as much potential to change lives as anyone else in this room. Put that good into the world, and know it will come back to you. Do the work to help improve your village, I am so fortunate to have you all in mine, and I can’t wait until our paths cross again. I wish you all success and happiness in each of your days. Goodnight!”

He bows, intertwining his extended fingers in front of him in the weird mountain pose we had to do in my first Kyla session as he does so. I wish that we could sneak out after that, but of course, we have to repeat the weird reception line from last night. There’s groping hugs, and everyone is just as excited to see him and say goodbye since so many people are leaving first thing tomorrow.

When it’s finally our turn, I can’t seem to force my expression into anything even resembling a polite smile. Viktor seems unfazed, grabbing my hand as he speaks. “Beckett, it has been such a pleasure to have you with us. I hope you’ve learned something this weekend that you can use to achieve even greater success and happiness. Be sure to spread the word, and if you or any of your family would be interested in furthering your Kyla journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. Cody can pass on my contact information.” He flashes a huge smile my way, giving my hand a squeeze.

“I’m sure Cody can answer any of my questions. He’s the one who got me here, right?” I point out, pulling my hand away.

“Cody is such a fantastic asset to our team,” Viktor says, nodding like he’s agreeing to what I said, even though I meant it as more of a dig at him.

“I’m just happy that I get to help so many people,” Cody adds, also not picking up on my intended slight.

When we finally wrap things up and say goodbye, Cody takes my hand as he practically jogs away, dragging me back to our cabin.

“Someone’s eager,” I tease, stepping up behind him as he attempts to unlock the door with the old-fashioned key they gave us. I put my hands on his hips, dragging his ass back, grinding my hardening cock into him. He whimpers impatiently, finally getting the door open before spinning in my hold so that we’re facing each other, chests pressed together as he rubs his large bulge against mine.

He cups my face with both hands as he leans down to kiss me, and his soft lips against my own send a shiver of pleasure down my spine. Then his tongue is in my mouth, and I pull back to bite his bottom lip before sucking it. Kissing him is addicting. I’d happily stay here all night and enjoy every moment.

But I know we both want more, so I back him into the cabin, kicking the door shut behind me before pulling away from his hold. Cody’s lips try to chase mine, but I stop him with a finger to them.

He looks devastated by the distance between us, so I rush to reassure him with a smirk. “I was just going to suggest that we make it further into the cabin before we attack each other tonight.” His answering smile lights up the entire room, and I wish that I could take a picture, be able to revisit the proof of how happy he looks in this moment.

But this is just a hookup. So I grab his hand and tug him toward the bed.