Page 54 of Craving Consequences

VAN

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The room won’t stop spinning.

I stare at the stucco sprayed across the ceiling, my brain a blender of desperate chaos trying to process.

What. Just. Happened?

My chest rises and falls in rapid, shallow pants that seem much too loud. I’m acutely aware of the ache in my thighs ... and asshole.

Fuck me.

I mean, she kind of did. I guess.

“You good?”

The hesitant question reminds me I’m not alone. That my best friend, the guy who generously offered his cum to be used to penetrate me, is still on the bed with me. Still naked.

Heat crackles beneath my skin as I scramble to a sitting position. My abused asshole protests the motion, but I bite back the grimace and reach for the sheets. Finding them gone, I grab the pillow and stuff it into my lap.

A bit late for modesty, but it’s all I got right now .

“I have no idea,” I admit, unable to meet the other man’s prodding gaze. “That definitely wasn’t on my bingo card.”

Lachlan snorts a laugh. “Can’t say I was expecting it either.”

We sit in silence for several heartbeats. Just two guys marinating in the aftermath of ... whatever the hell that was. The air is thick with the scent of sex, sweat and damp earth. It’s such a natural odor, something primal and calming, yet my limbs are still trembling.

“It didn’t bother me,” he mumbles quickly and quietly, like he needs to get it off his chest quickly. “None of it. Just so you know.”

He’s not looking at me, but staring hard at the window, at the smudge of gray seeping through the curtains.

I clear my throat and swallow. “Thanks.”

A beat passes before he asks quietly, “But you’re good?”

Was I? Aside from some aggressive shits, nothing’s ever violated that area of my body before. But am I mad about it? That’s a hard no place for a guy, right?

“It was weird,” I confess shifting on the bed and reigniting the dull pang between my cheeks. “Different.”

Lach nods slowly. “But like you’re okay? We need to go find Everly and I want to make sure you’re not going to lose your shit on her.”

I blink and tilt my head in his direction .

“Do I look like I’m losing my shit?”

Maybe it’s something on my face. I am a little shellshocked, but I thought I was holding it together pretty well.

“You look spooked. She’s already freaking out and if you’re not okay with what just happened, maybe you should stay here.”

“What? No,” I blurt. “Look, I wasn’t expecting it, but given the number of things we’ve done to her in the last several days, getting pissy about her trying something on us would be a bit hypocritical, wouldn’t it?”

Lachlan shrugs. “Yeah, it would be, but also...”

I bump my left shoulder and give a nod. “Yeah, like I said, it was weird, but I’m not mad about it.”

Why am I telling him? It’s Everly I need to convince.

Without waiting for a response or further conversation, I chuck the pillow aside and shove off the bed. I locate my sweats, ignore the sticky smear of everything coating ... everything, stuff my legs in and stalk from the room.

Lachlan doesn’t say anything, but I hear him moving behind me. I don’t pause or wait for him. I figure he was grabbing clothes because he’s wearing his black sweats when I hit the landing of the stairs and glance back to find him hurrying after me.

The boards creak beneath our feet as we jog down the stairs.

The house is heavy with the lingering scent of rain, damp earth and wet pine.

It seems to cling to everything, the familiar humidity of camping.

I don’t linger to enjoy it as I stalk barefoot past the living room, pausing only briefly to scan inside before rushing to the kitchen. It, too, sits empty.

My heart skips in my chest, a nervous trot that I have to ignore as I push in the direction of the sunroom.

“She wouldn’t leave,” I say, more to myself, but also to Lachlan.

“She can’t,” Lachlan points out. “I mean, she could walk, I guess.”

I ignore that last statement. I’m not about to get twisted up in the image of Everly strolling through the wilderness in nothing but sheets. She’s not stupid. She would never do that.

I’m fully convinced I’m right when I spot her.

A tiny, curled figure lost in the puffy cushions of an old rocking chair. Her knees are drawn to her chest, toes peeking out. Her wild mane is a tangle of curls around naked shoulders and a face shiny with tears.

Soft, hazel eyes stay settled on the lake splayed far below the ridge, down a steep incline past a wide patch of yard.

I don’t look close enough. I don’t care as I tug open the screen door and slip inside.

She doesn’t look up, but I see her stiffen.

“Hey, baby,” I murmur, feeling like I’m approaching a spooked horse .

“I’m sorry,” she breathes, still not turning to us. “I shouldn’t have ... I crossed a line. If you hate me—”

“No one hates you, sweetheart,” Lachlan cuts in.

Her quiet sniffle guts me. I move to her with wider strides and stop once I can crouch at her tiny, pink toes.

I’m careful not to touch her, but I rest my hands on the chair, just on either side of her feet.

“Hey, I’m not angry. Lach isn’t either. It was ... different, what you did, but ... will you look at me?” I wait until she turns damp, red rimmed eyes down to me before continuing. “I promise, baby. No one’s upset.”

She runs the corner of the sheets under her nose and across her cheeks. “I should have said, before I...”

The corner of my mouth quirks, but I keep my gaze level with hers. “It was a lot and yes, it surprised me, but we can’t be upset with you for trying something you’re interested in when you’ve let us do so much to you. More than that, doing new things is a good thing.”

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, and she sniffles again.

“Technically, you did warn us,” Lachlan adds with a slight grin. “And we fully consented.”

I nod quickly. “We did.”

She nibbles on her lip, some of the apprehension melting in her eyes. “Yeah, I guess.” She glances past me to Lachlan standing just over my shoulder. “You’re really not angry? ”

“Cross my heart,” I say at the same time Lachlan says, “Absolutely not.”

She glances between us, uncertainty twisting the sheet corner around her fingers.

“Thank you. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

“Well, that will never happen,” Lachlan states with a firmness of someone prepared to go to war to prove it.

But rather than comfort, Everly only shrinks deeper into the folds of fabric.

“Except once we go home,” she whispers to her kneecaps. “Last time, remember?”

I glance up at the man over my shoulder, curious to see if he knows what she’s talking about.

The lightness in his expression is gone. It’s replaced with a hard set of his jaw and a deep crease between his brows.

“Don’t think about that,” he tells her gruffly.

“What’s happening?” I interject.

Everly peeks at Lachlan like she’s waiting for him to answer, but he turns his head in the direction of the yard like he can’t even stand to think about it.

Realizing it’s up to her, she licks her lips and peers at me. “We can’t do this again once we get home. We’ll have to be neighbors. Friendly smiles in passing and the occasional wave at gatherings. No more Sunday BBQs. No more camping trips. Just ... strangers. ”

Distant.

Passing waves and polite smiles.

She doesn’t have to spell it out that once we return to Jefferson, there will no longer be a reason for us to be anywhere near her. It’s only been the shield of Lauren and Bron that kept the tongues from wagging. Without them, that protection no longer stands.

“We’ll figure it out,” I blurt out loud.

I twist my head back to peer up at my best friend, but he’s staring down at his feet. Hands on his hips, expression a dark thundercloud.

“We can’t,” Everly whispers to me. “After the party, everyone will know I am no longer with Bron and I can’t be friends with Lauren after what she did. Jefferson may be behind on a lot of things, but the people aren’t stupid. Eventually, someone will put the two together.”

“So what?” I blurt, pushing to my feet. “You’ve been part of our family for years. Why would that change?”

“Because no one will understand why my and Lachlan’s cars are in your driveway overnight, or why I’m randomly at your houses when I’m not there to see Lauren or Bron.

They won’t understand why I’m still invited to dinners or trips without Lauren or Bron.

They will put it together and it will blow up in all our faces. ”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, fighting to stave back the thrum building behind my eyes.

“This is ridiculous.” I drop my hands. “So, what if they know? What can they possibly do?”

I am not a fan of the glances the other two share, or the way Lachlan isn’t saying anything.

“A lot,” Everly murmurs with just a hint of fear that only intensifies my irritation.

“I work at the mayor’s office, remember?

I have seen the complete dismantling of an entire family overnight.

Best case scenario, you and I will only get fired from our positions and Lachlan will lose his construction business.

We’ll lose all credibility. We’ll be the talk of the town, humiliated, belittled and shamed. ”

“That’s the best case?” I mutter.

She nods slowly. “Worst case...?” Her and Lachlan steal peeks again. “Freeze our bank accounts. Tow our cars ... burn our houses down.”

I am not stupid.

I was in the army, for God sakes, I know fear tactics when I see them.

I have never been blind or oblivious to the rumors that circulate Jefferson.

The hushed talk of people that had tragic incidents that forced them out of town.

Did some of them sound weird? Yes. Am I the right person to pass judgment when I don’t have all the facts?

No. Accidents happen. If the authorities have looked into the case and ruled on it, what more can I say about it?

“I told you before you moved here that you need to be very careful to follow the rules,” Lachlan murmurs, facing me. “Jefferson doesn’t like rebellion and disorder.”