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And seeing her with Shade, pulling him out of the dark recesses of his own mind and interacting with all of us, proved she was special. Hopefully she felt the same way. Because I was ready to uncover what this was between the three of us.
Now we needed to play our cards right and convince her to explore it with us.
And allow us to show her how two men devoted to worshipping her were far better than one.
EIGHT
GEORGIA
The stretched-out hair tie was almost useless. I wrapped it around my messy bun four times just to get it to hold. Staring at my reflection, I studied the difference from the past week with my overly friendly, accommodating, funny, intimidating, and sexy neighbors…. I blew out a breath, my lips vibrating. Those two were the best thing that could’ve happened to me.
The woman staring back at me in the mirror had life in her emerald-green eyes, highlighted by the pink flush that brought color to her pale skin.
In result of their fussing and attention, I looked less like the stress and exhaustion were devouring me from the inside out.
Not saying I looked good, but less gaunt and sad, at least.
At this point, that was a win.
And the impact of their genuine attention on Gracie was apparent too. My heart swelled, beating hard in my chest, remembering the sound of her laughter ringing through their living room because of something Trap said to instigate the giggles. Those two fed off each other, bantering back and forth about shows, ice cream, celebrities—anything and everything was fair game. Even around her closest friends in NYC, I never witnessed her act like this, seeming so relaxed and sure of herself. What did that mean? That maybe she wasn’t as happy as she thought with her overly scheduled life but was going through the motions because that was all there was to offer?
She reminded me daily that she missed the fancy life we left behind, but that didn’t mean she missed life back in New York City. I could say now that we were settled, I missed nothing from our old life. Well, except access to my own money so I didn’t have to rely on Max dropping off cash or my neighbors’ generosity.
I sure as shit didn’t miss the lonely ache that Barrett’s constant absence caused.
My phone beeped with another incoming text from Max. Both hands wrapped around the edge of the sink, I dropped my head forward with a groan. I wasn’t annoyed with Max, per se, but fucking Barrett. The asshole was digging his feet in, demanding he speak with me before he gave them the names of those who’d accompanied him on the “boys’ weekends” where they partied with the underage girls.
The feds insisted I talk with Barrett so he’d give them the information, and then they could move forward with the other charges, but I couldn’t, knowing it was all a manipulation tactic. One he’d fooled me with for the last five years.
How I never saw Barrett for the liar and cheat he was, especially after all the crime shows I watched, was humiliating. For years, he’d used my desperation for attention and affection to get what he wanted. And I knew, no matter what the FBI said, that was exactly what Barrett planned to do if I agreed to talk to him.
With a shake of my head to stop me from dwelling on shit I couldn’t change, I grabbed the oversized sweatshirt Trap loaned me that first morning off the vanity and tugged it over my head, the lingering masculine scent filling my nose as the soft cotton brushed over my face. Twisting from the mirror, I quietly pulled the bathroom door open, watching Gracie’s bedroom door for any signs of life, though no light shone beneath it and not a sound filtered down the short hall.
Butterflies took flight in my gut as I wrapped my palm around the front doorknob and tugged, stepping out into the dark, quiet night, not even pausing to grab the pack of cigarettes that had stayed untouched since Trap nearly scared me to death. For the last week, we ate dinner at their place after they got off work, then hung out for a few hours after, but then Gracie and I would head home. Tonight had gone the same as the last several had, only after our good nights, as I stepped out the door, Trap tugged me to a stop and asked me to come back over after Gracie was in bed.
To hang out.
Just the three of us.
Alone.
A mix of excitement and nerves made my stomach flip. I hadn’t truly been alone with them before; Gracie was always with us or in the next room working as a buffer, keeping all our topics light, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when it was just us three.
Fuck, what do adults talk about when a kid isn’t listening?
After locking the door behind me, I stood on the front stoop, breath fogging in gray billowing clouds. A glowing full moon made the night bright. Thousands upon thousands of blinking stars filled the sky, adding to its breathtaking beauty. For several seconds, I stood there, despite the cold, arms wrapped around myself, taking in the magnificent scene that I’d missed out on living in a big city for so many years.
Deep rolling laughter cut through the quiet, tugging my lips upward and urging my feet back into motion. With silent steps, I weaved between our two houses, headed for the side gate that led to their backyard. My pulse raced, excitement coursing through my veins, making each breath shallow and quick.
This was dumb. I was being dumb coming over here this late. If I still assumed they were gay, then I wouldn’t be this nervous about drinks and hanging out alone.
But they weren’t.
And they were smoking hot with amazing personalities and kind hearts too.
So damn sexy, each in their own way. The bad thing, the thing that made me sick to my stomach, was that I was equally attracted to both. Which wasn’t really an issue, but there was only one of me. I stood behind what I told Trapper that first morning, that I wouldn’t come between them. Sure, at the time, I thought they were romantically involved, but a friendship was just as important. I refused to be a wedge between them.
And I knew if I allowed my feelings to show, I would be that wedge that drove them apart.
