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It's the most hilarious thing ever when Preston and Santiago burst into a duet. It’s about loving men who are much older than them. They use coded language, but I recognize their true intentions.
I clap loudly. "That's incredible. You're both so talented."
Preston makes a dismissive motion. "You're sweet. That's a song I wrote when I was seventeen about my bodyguard, Sasha."
"Which one is Sasha?" I gesture to the group of men across the room.
Preston points to the man sitting next to Maxim. "That's Sasha." He bats his eyes dreamily. "He was my bodyguard when I was seventeen. I wanted him so badly, but he refused to speak to me because I was only a kid."
"That's so beautiful," Christian drawls. He picks up a package of Zebra cakes and pops a fresh one into his mouth. "A match made in statutory rape heaven."
"Knock it off." Preston sticks out his tongue. "You met Nikolai while he was trying to take out an Italian mobster at a gay club in New York City. Like that's any better."
I pivot to Christian. "Is that true?"
"My Daddy Nikolai was on a scary mission." Christian lets out a contented sigh. "He was hunting an asshole named Luca Ricci."
Shit. Even that name is scary as hell.
"What happened next?" I ask.
"Nikolai raised his gun to catch Luca in his crosshairs…" Christian pauses for dramatic effect. "Then he laid eyes on me."
Arlo, Rusty, and I burst into a round ofoohs. Rusty walks over to Christian and hands him his firetruck stuffy, Red. "Congratulations."
Christian hugs Rusty as hard as he can. "Tell your firetruck stuffy he’ll meet the Daddy of his dreams someday, too."
Arlo presses his hands to his heart. "This is so sweet."
"Yes." I let out a sigh as I stare at the ground. "These two are adorable."
Karter turns to face me and it doesn't take long for the rest of the boys to follow suit. "So." He crosses his arms over his chest. "Tell us about Benedetto."
I let out a groan and bury my head in my hands. "I already did. It's nothing."
"If it was nothing, you wouldn't be so shy." Rowan's observation is a little too poignant for my taste.
A morose wail escapes me. "Get closer." I motion them forward. "I don't want your partners to hear."
I’d die of mortification if anyone overheard me. For God's sake, I'm about to confess the biggest secret of my life. I'd never live it down if word got back to Benedetto that I was dishing about my crush on him.
After the boys scoot closer, Christian holds my hand. "I'm giving you my hand for moral support. Don’t let us down."
"Benedetto is my big teddy bear." I put this as honestly as I can. "He's watching me for the next few weeks and protecting me from the men who took me."
"I sense a but somewhere." Karter hugs his ducky stuffy.
"I really like Benedetto." I rest my chin on my palm. "When he gets home, we cuddle on the sofa. We have a nightly ritual where we watch animated movies and eat mint chocolate chip ice cream."
Bentley rubs his belly. "I could go for a bowl of ice cream right now."
"We have plenty," Christian says. "Just help yourself. It's dairy free."
"I meant real ice cream. With dairy. But okay."
"Benedetto is exactly my type." I let out a sigh. "He's so unlike the men I met in the warehouse. They were skinny and gross, but Benedetto is fluffy and amazing. Every night, I think about sneaking into his room and hugging him. He could beat up the guys who hurt me and make them never put their hands on me again."
Preston and Santiago press their palms to their hearts. "That's so freaking cute. Thank you for sharing."
