Page 38 of Shared by my Ex’s Best Friends (Twisted Desires #2)

Chapter thirty-eight

MAYA

T he air buzzes with the sharp scent of cardboard and packing tape as I wrestle with the next box, its flaps snapping shut with a final, defiant crack.

My fingers are stiff, muscles tight from hours of packing, and my back aches from leaning over for too long. I stretch, rolling my shoulders, and in that second of distraction, my elbow knocks into a small box I hadn’t sealed yet.

A glass ornament—a blown-glass ballerina my mom gave me when I was eight—tumbles out and hits the hardwood floor.

The sharp, delicate tinkle of it shattering slices through the steady hum of moving chaos. My breath catches.

“Damn it,” I whisper, sinking to my knees, already gathering the tiny shards into my palm. They glitter in the afternoon light like broken stars.

Jake’s heavy footsteps thud behind me on the floorboards. I don’t have to turn to know it’s him—he’s got a way of walking like he’s part thunderstorm and part puppy. He crouches beside me, brushing a few of the shards into a pile with the sleeve of his flannel.

“Hey,” he says, casually fishing something else from the box beside us.

He holds it up with both hands like it’s a prized artifact.

“You sure you want to part with this?” It’s the old record player, the dusty one I found at a thrift shop two years ago.

“I swear it sounds better than any Bluetooth speaker I’ve owned. ”

I huff a laugh, brushing the hair from my face with the back of my wrist. “That old thing? I don’t know…”

“It’s got to come with us. Maybe in the den?” he insists.

I grin. “All right. You can keep it. You’ve got a knack for pairing songs with moods. Like when you played that Otis Redding track after we closed on the house? I still get goosebumps.”

“Don’t gas me up,” he teases.

Across the room, Ethan is sitting cross-legged in front of the open kitchen cabinets, carefully wrapping the last of the dishes in crinkling newspaper. His motions are methodical, almost meditative.

Each finished box is sealed with careful precision and labeled in his neat, slanted handwriting. He pauses, glancing at one.

“Fragile. Kitchen. Grandma’s China,” he reads aloud, just to make sure. “This one’s important, right?”

“Yep!” I reply. “Don’t break any!”

In the hallway, Liam appears, maneuvering the old dresser with his usual quiet strength. His shirt clings to his back with sweat, and his hair falls into his eyes, but he doesn’t complain.

He eases the piece into the room and sets it down with a grunt, careful not to scuff the new floors. Then he strides toward me and places a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Take a break, Maya,” he says. “You’re pushing too hard.”

I try to protest, but the concern in his eyes is too real to ignore. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t have to do everything,” he says.

I nod, the tightness in my chest loosening slightly. His words settle over me like a weighted blanket.

That night, the little house is quiet for the first time in days. The others have gone home for a few hours to grab sleep and spare clothes.

I lie on an air mattress in the bedroom, a box serving as my nightstand. Outside, the city murmurs softly—cars humming down distant streets, a siren far off, laughter echoing up from a neighbor’s balcony.

The cracked window lets in a whisper of wind, cool and restless. I stare at the ceiling, my fingers resting over my still flat belly. The space around me is empty, but it’s not hollow.

It’s full of echoes—of laughter, of soft touches and quiet promises, of Jake’s teasing smirks, Ethan’s steady hands, and Liam’s grounding calm.

This room, this moment, feels like the last page of one chapter and the prologue of another, and I’m ready to turn the page.

***

Moving day dawns bright and sharp. Sunlight spills across the wide-plank hardwood floors of our new house.

The scent of fresh paint still clings to the air, mingling with sawdust and the citrus cleaner Ethan used on the counters this morning. It smells like beginnings.

I crouch beside a box labeled Books—Maya and carefully peel back the tape. The bubble wrap underneath crackles and pops as I reach in, pulling out a dog-eared paperback with a cracked spine.

Something familiar. Something mine.

Around me, the soundtrack is the scuff of shoes on wood, the rustle of cardboard, and laughter echoing off empty walls.

Jake passes by with a heavy box marked Kitchen—Heavy, his arms taut with effort. His shirt clings to the curve of his back, streaked slightly with sweat.

He catches my eye as he walks past, his smirk cocky and full of heat. “You planning on just looking pretty while we do all the heavy lifting?”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t keep from smiling. “Maybe. I figured I’d let you show off.”

He chuckles and disappears into the kitchen.

Ethan’s sitting at the island, unwrapping mugs

He handles them like they’re fragile heirlooms, holding one up to the light and inspecting a crack near the handle.

“This one’s yours,” he says quietly, glancing at me over his shoulder.

“I got that from a roadside place outside Nashville,” I say, warmth blooming in my chest. “It has character.”

He smiles. “Sure does.”

Across the living room, Liam is cross-legged on the floor with a stack of books and an old crate labeled Misc. He’s the picture of calm focus, flipping through an old journal of mine before setting it carefully aside.

He looks up, catches my eye, and smiles—a soft, steady thing that holds me down.

“You should take a breather,” he says gently, his voice like smooth river stone. “You’ve been on your feet all morning.”

I pause, frowning. “I’m okay.”

He stands and crosses to me in two quiet steps, his fingers brushing my elbow. “Okay doesn’t mean you have to keep pushing.”

The moment stretches—quiet, charged. I’m suddenly acutely aware of all of them in the room. Jake’s teasing glance from the kitchen, Ethan’s gentle precision, Liam’s unwavering presence.

The air grows thick and hot.

I move to pick up a book from the floor, and when I stand, Jake is right there. Close. So close I can see the gold flecks in his eyes.

“Need a break?” His voice drops, low and knowing, laced with mischief.

Before I can respond, I feel Ethan behind me—his hands grazing my waist as he passes, then lingering just enough to make me shiver. My breath catches.

Liam moves in from the other side, his hand brushing my arm, fingers trailing down until they catch mine.

“Feels like we could all use one,” he murmurs.

Jake leans in, lips nearly touching my ear. “Or maybe something more.”

I swallow, heat rising like a tide beneath my skin. I glance between them—Jake’s roguish grin, Ethan’s dark, smoldering focus, Liam’s quiet gravity—and I feel it. That pull.

That thrum of something bigger than any of us expected when we started this.

“Maybe…” My voice trembles. “Maybe we should stop unpacking for a minute.”

Ethan’s hand slips over mine, fingers strong and certain. “I like the way you think.”

Jake’s hand slides to the small of my back, guiding me toward the couch piled high with pillows and a blanket we tossed aside earlier.

The room hums, alive with tension. With possibility. With us.

Liam follows, his hand warm against my spine when he slips it under my shirt. “We’ll finish the boxes later,” he says, lips brushing my temple.

I moan softly at his touch, but Jake catches it in a hard kiss.

Ethan sits on the couch in front of me and takes hold of my shorts, dragging them down my legs, along with my panties. At the same time, Liam pulls my shirt up and over my head, then makes quick work of my bra.

Just like that, I’m completely naked while the three of them remain fully dressed.

I don’t feel shy, though, or exposed. The way they’re looking at me with fire in their eyes has my skin flushing and my blood heating with need.

“Look at our pretty girl,” Ethan murmurs, running his hand up the outside of my leg.

“How lucky are we to have her all to ourselves?” Liam says, brushing his lips along my shoulder.

“Our precious treasure,” Jake purrs, turning my face toward his so he can capture my lips in another kiss.

“You guys are ridiculous,” I giggle breathlessly.

“And you’re gorgeous.” Jake grins.

He continues to kiss me as Ethan’s hand finds its way between my legs. He runs his fingers along my folds and my knees shake.

Liam’s arm snakes around my waist and he holds me up before I collapse. When I’m steady on my feet again, he moves his hands to cup my breasts and kneads them gently, thumbing my nipples.

I moan and drop my head back against his shoulder.

“Get on your knees, baby,” Jake whispers.

I slowly obey, dropping to my knees in front of Ethan.

“Undo his pants,” Liam orders gently.

Biting my bottom lip, I reach forward and slowly unbuckle Ethan’s belt, then drag down the zipper of his jeans. All the while, I hold his gaze and watch as his cheeks flush and his eyes grow hooded with desire.

When I free his length, I give it a few long, loving strokes then feel Liam’s hand on my head. He eases me forward and I part my lips to take Ethan into my mouth. He lets out a hiss of breath and drops his head back against the couch.

As I bob my head up and down his length, I can hear clothes rustling behind me. Are the other two stripping? I want to turn and see, but I don’t want to remove my mouth from Ethan.

Suddenly, I feel hands on my back and ass. Jake and Liam are both touching me, and my skin prickles with goosebumps. One of them runs his fingers between my legs and I moan.

“You’re already so wet,” Liam’s deep voice rumbles. “You’re eager for this, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I gasp, momentarily lifting my head. “Yes, please!”

“So hot and needy,” Jake growls, reaching beneath me to cup my breasts. “You turn me on so much, baby.”

“Keep using that pretty little mouth of yours,” Ethan says, carefully cupping the back of my head.

As I do, Liam slides into me from behind and I let out a muffled cry.

“Oh, God,” Liam hisses as he begins to move his hips. “You feel so good, baby. So damn good!”

I continue to suck and lick Ethan as Liam pounds into me and Jake plays with my breasts. The sensations are overwhelming and I feel like I’m losing control of my body.

It’s not mine right now. It’s theirs, and I’m more than happy to hand control of it over to them.

Eventually, Liam moves out of me and Jake takes hold of my waist, pulling me off Ethan who stands to get undressed as well.

Jake sits on the couch instead and directs me to settle on his lap with my back against his chest. Hands on my hips, he guides me down onto his length and then takes hold of my thighs.

“Spread your legs,” he whispers in my ear. “Let the others see.”

I whimper as Jake moves beneath me and Ethan and Liam stand in front of me, stroking themselves as they watch. It’s so hot and intimate and vulnerable, and I know I’d never be able to do something like this with anyone but them.

They make me feel so safe and secure. As if I can do anything and they will accept me without a second thought.

“Fuck, that’s a pretty sight,” Ethan growls.

He moves to kneel on the couch next to me, putting his length nearly level with my face. I grip his base and take him back into my mouth. Liam kneels on my other side, and I grab hold of him the same way.

As Jake drives into me from below, I move my head between Ethan and Liam, stroking them and sucking them, feeling greedy and ravenous.

I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of this.

Soon, we shift positions again, and now I’m riding Ethan as he lies back on the couch while the other two take turns with my mouth. The whole time, I’m touching all of them, making sure the connection between us is secure and unbreakable.

It’s not long before I’m falling completely apart, my orgasm ripping through me. I throw my head back with a cry as Ethan holds me tight by my hips.

One orgasm isn’t enough, though, and we continue moving around the room, changing positions so that I’m able to feel each of them deep inside me over and over again.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve come by the time they each release inside me. We end up sprawled together on the living room floor, limbs tangled, all of us breathless, laughing softly as we bask in the afterglow, in the warmth and comfort of our new home.