He took my hand in his, and it became lost, like it always did. I loved it, part of me disappearing into Ben while he kept it safe.
“Hmm…” He scratched the side of his head. “Do you want more questions or salacious family gossip?”
“Gossip, always.”
His mouth hitched. “Well…don’t tell them I told you, but did you know Roman and Shira met at Adrian’s sex club?”
My mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding. Shira…sweet, shy Shira went to a sex club?”
“Yup. Now I’m not privy to what kind of kinks those two have—and frankly, I do not want to know—but those are facts.”
“Wow.” I stared at the decal on the wall across from us, my mind resetting. “Have you been to his club?”
“Sure. Gotta support the fam.” He brought my fingers to his mouth, kissing each one. “I’ve never participated in any action, but I’ve watched a couple shows.”
“Shows? Tell me more.”
This was all so foreign to me. I still hadn’t wrapped my mind around the fact that boring, serious Adrian was the owner of a sex club, and now I was finding out Shira and Roman had met there? I really had been sheltered. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what a show at a sex club would be like.
Well…that wasn’t true. I could imagine, but it involved Ping-Pong balls, and I didn’t think that was the type of show Adrian would have.
Ben chuckled. “What if I take you and show you?”
My eyes narrowed. “As long as it’s just watching. I wouldn’t want anyone to see me…or us. Or for anyone to touch me.” I lowered my voice and added, “Or you.”
Yes, that might have come out threatening, but I’d meant it that way. If Ben had any ideas about what I was willing to participate in or watch, he could cut it out right now.
“No one’s touching either of us, baby.”
Phew.I could lay down my pitchfork…
“And if you’re not comfortable, we never have to go. I only offered to sate your curiosity. It’s the kind of thing that’s better to see for yourself, but only if you really want to.”
I twisted, slinging my legs over his. “No, I want to. Definitely. Like you said, we have to support the fam.”
He chuckled. “That’s right. Then you can meet Sammie, Adrian’s best friend. She’s his right-hand woman. All of us are convinced they’re secretly in love with each other.”
“Really?” Ben had all the good tea. I was kind of annoyed he’d never spilled this. “Why secretly?”
“Because they’ve been besties since they were kids and both of them are too scared to reveal their true feelings.” He brushed the thought away like it offended him. “This is all hearsay. Adrian denies until he’s blue in the face, but me, Rome, and Nate are convinced.”
I gaped at him. “Wow. You guys really are gossips, aren’t you?”
He slipped his hands under my knees, squeezing the back of my thigh. “We talk shit. It’s what brothers do. And yeah, we get all up in each other’s business. But that comes from a place of protection more than anything. We went through the hell of our childhood together, so we stick close. We might get mad at each other—I mean, I was close to killing Rome after what he did to you—but we’re locked in for life.”
“I’m glad you didn’t kill him then.”
He sniffed. “Me too. Not that I could ever stay mad at him. Or any of my brothers. We don’t do that. We fight it out and get over it. There isn’t a day that goes by we don’t talk. Even when Rome and I were playing on different overseas teams, we made sure to check in.”
“I can’t say I’m not jealous,” I admitted. “But I’m happy you have always had that.”
“Don’t be jealous, baby. That’s your family now too. We’re gonna make a new group chat and trap you in it.”
I pretended to shiver. “I’m so scared.”
“You will be when Adrian texts you at three in the morning, telling you about the fluids he accidentally sat in.”
I scrunched my nose. “On second thought, you can have your brothers all to yourself.”
