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“Mr. Ashton West.” He nods a few times, scratching his chin. “Hell yeah, Pretty Girl! I’ll take your last name. Fuck my parents and fuck the asshole I was named after. I’m Ashton West from now on. I’ll make it official, too.”
“Take all the time you need. We still have a lot more to prove to you that you’re our end game…”
“You always were, and we were dumb fucking idiots,” Rad grumbles, kissing my cheek before he pulls away. Cradling my face in his palm, a slight grin tugs at his lips. “Mrs. Radcliffe has a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it? You like it, don’t you, Pretty Girl?” His brows wiggle when I whack him in the chest and snort. Those big, expressive eyes of his cloud over with worry as his easy-going expression falls away.
“What’s wrong?” Worry takes hold as the serious expression my funny guy usually wears disappears.
He blows out a breath. “If anyone’s the ho, it’s me, Pretty Girl. I…” He shakes his head, cursing under his breath. “I didn’t wait for you like all the others. I…” I place my hand on him, resting it there until he continues. “After we left, a hole opened in my damn chest. There was nothing I could give anyone else except music. No one owned my heart like you did—still do. It was always with you, sitting in your palm. But I… I slept with a few girls here and there. It was never anything serious. I just drowned myself in their existence to rid the pain of what I thought happened.”
“We were apart,” I whisper, squeezing his hand. “I never would have expected you to.” Who would? This is reality. They thought I betrayed them. So, why not enjoy themselves? Move on. As much as it pains me to think of them with other women, they were free of me. Not tied down.
“I know. We were done. Broken and over. But, Pretty Girl. I’ve felt so damn guilty since we came back together. And since… You didn’t with Van. And I…” he trails off again with a heavy sigh. His shoulders slump, and defeat crosses his expression.
“You think I was celibate the entire five years?” I raise a brow when his gaze whips to mine in alarm.
“Of course not,” he says, scrunching his face. “Although that’s a punch to the damn heart. You and other guys? Fuck. But no, I can’t judge you. We were apart…”
“And now we’re together.” It slips before I can think about the implications of my words.
Together. As in, we’re in a relationship. Maybe? No. Ugh. I swallow the razor blades in my throat. There’s no time to take back the words now out in the open. Free for their interpretation. Only a few weeks ago, the truth came out about Asher’s betrayal. And now, a deep need plows through me. It’s more than sexual. It’s the connection I’ve always had with each of them. I want this. Despite everything I went through. I deserve to be happy, right? And so does Ly. Why should I hold back from them when they show me daily how much they care and want to make amends?
Rad blinks at me several times before a sly grin explodes. “I knew you’d come around to being my girlfriend. It was only a matter of time!” he chuckles, resting his head on the pillow.
“Slowly,” I whisper with apprehension.
“You’re still hurt,” Callum says in a soothing voice.
“One day at a time, Pretty Girl,” he murmurs, brushing his lips against mine. “But I’ll still call you my girlfriend.” He snickers when I roll my eyes.
“How about you?” I ask, looking over my shoulder. “Any dirty deets in the sheets?”
If the darkness hadn’t covered Callum’s face, I’m sure I’d see the redness seeping up his neck.
“You were my first and my last,” he murmurs, squeezing my ass with his large palm.
“Well, Jesus, Cal. Way to make me look horrible. Kieran can’t get lil Kier to work in the presence of another woman. You haven’t touched anyone but our girl. And Asher…well, I don’t know about that dickbag… Pretty sure he locked himself up and threw away the key. The only thing that bastard was interested in was music…” he trails off, scrunching his face. “Then there’s me, Ashton, the asshole man-whore.”
I snort. “You’re not a man-whore. Shush,” I murmur, feeling the ache of exhaustion pull at my limbs. A tingling starts at my toes, slowly working its way up both legs until I’m on the verge of sleeping again. “You’re just fine.”
“Night, Pretty Girl. We’ll be here when your eyes open.” Rad’s lips rest on my forehead.
“Night, Little Star. We’ll watch over you,” Callum murmurs, brushing his lips against my nape.
“Night,” I mutter through a heavy tongue, falling into a dreamless slumber.
By the smileson Rad and Callum’s faces this morning, I can tell something happened between the three of them. Something monumental. Something I want. Fuck.
“You’re grinning,” I grumble, side-eyeing Rad.
Rad rifles through the fridge with nothing but his boxers on, shaking his ass as he walks. He softly hums a tune under his breath, brimming with joy.
And it makes me fucking sick. My stomach turns at his happy movements. What did he get to do with her? Why is he so goddamn happy? And why wasn’t it me?
“I don’t kiss and tell,” he replies, sticking his head in the fridge. He grins more when he pulls out the coffee creamer and goes to the Keurig. “You have to make your own way.”
Running a hand down my face, I blow out a long breath. My own way? How can I show River how sorry I am? Dates? Food? Music? Shit. I’ve got nothing brewing in my idiotic brain but jealousy and wanting to wring Rad’s neck.
“You, too?” I raise a brow when Callum snorts, hiding his blush from me.
