AllFreeNovel
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“What the hell are y’all watching?” he asks, plopping in the recliner.
“Don’t you recognize a cheesy Southern flick when you see one?” Maddie taunts. “They talk like you.”
“Har har. I don’t talk like that,” he remarks. Tyler’s quickly made himself at home, and I’m gonna miss him when he leaves in a month. He’s so easily fit in with everyone, and it almost feels like he’s always been one of our roommates. It helps that he and Mason already have a good relationship, though, from when he was Mason’s trainer.
Lennon and Hunter eventually arrive, wearing grins when they walk through the door. Maddie is over the moon excited to see the kids. I watch her with Aaron and see how her face lights up as she talks to him and how Allie smiles and laughs at Maddie’s words. They love her so much, and one day, I know she’ll make an amazing mom. Sophie arrives with six pizza boxes, and Mason walks in not long after with two six-packs of beer. It’s D-Day, the day I sit down and explain to everyone what happened from the top. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for so long, and the time is finally here. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about it, but I’m glad Tyler and Maddie are here to help tell the whole story.
As we eat, Maddie looks at me, smiling and encouraging me to start.
“So, I have a lot of explaining to do…but first I owe every single one of you an apology.” I speak up, finding confidence within myself. “I’m so fu–freaking sorry.” I look at Allie playing on the floor with a doll and decide not to teach her curse words.
I start from the very beginning and explain my gambling addiction, and then the big stakes poker game I lost. Sophie’s eyes are wide when I tell her how JJ harassed and blackmailed me.
“And they threatened to hurt me,” Maddie adds. “Sent him a photo with a target over my head. They followed me around campus too, knowing I was Liam’s weakness.”
Mason stops eating. “Why didn’t you say something to us? I could’ve helped.”
Shaking my head, I meet his eyes. “It was too risky. I didn’t want to get anyone else involved especially after I’d risked so much by having Tyler help me, and they were already targeting Maddie. I thought I had control of the situation, but clearly I didn’t, especially once Victoria dropped the pregnancy bomb on me.”
“You would’ve done it for me,” Tyler states confidently. “It was the least I could do.”
“Man, we’re here for you,” Hunter adds. “You’re our brother. We fight together. We do all this together and have since the very beginning.”
“I know,” I offer, pissed at myself, realizing how ridiculous it all sounds. “It’s something I’ll always regret, but I really thought I was protecting you guys.”
“Wow,” is all Lennon says, watching me with wide eyes when I tell them about Johnny nearly shooting me and Victoria saving my ass at the last second but with an ulterior motive. By this part, everyone has stopped eating, and they’re watching me intently. Maddie interlocks her fingers with mine and inspires me to keep going.
I put it all out there—the marriage arrangement, her being pregnant before this all started, the threats to obey, and learning Victoria was sleeping with the enemy. By the time I’m done, it feels as if a million pounds are lifted from my shoulders. They’re all in shock, and their jaws are on the floor.
“I don’t even know what to say. I want to be pissed at you, but I understand why you did what you did,” Sophie offers. “None of it seems real.”
“Right? It’s like a messed-up gangster movie,” Maddie tells her, and they all nod in agreement.
I smile. “As long as there’s a happy ending with you in it, I don’t care.”
“There will be, baby,” Maddie says, then giddily explains when we started our relationship and why we had to hide it. She’s not a bit shy when it comes to us or anything sexual, and I have to stop her from giving too many details when the guys start to openly cringe.
“Spare Hunter and Mason, please,” I interrupt with a laugh.
“And me too,” Tyler interjects with a grunt. “I heard enough in Oregon.”
“Thank you!” Hunter grins. “I don’t wanna hear about my friend’s dick.”
Mason nods. “What he said.”
“Why not? It’s a very nice one.” Maddie grins, knowing it’ll make them uncomfortable.
“You hurt my sister, and you’ll think Victoria was nice compared to me,” Lennon warns, effortlessly changing the topic off my cock.
“Shit.” Hunter chuckles. “You’re scary, sweetheart.”
Sophie clears her throat and grins. “It’s okay. Let’s plan a spa day, and you can tell us all the details then.” And of course, Sophie would bring it back.
