“That’s called sex,” Gabriella says, pushing her hair behind her ear.
I wrinkle my nose. “Can we not talk about parents fucking right now?”
“No, let’s talk about you fucking,” Celine says. Her parents got divorced three years ago, and I know my situation is sending her back into a sad place.
“Let’s just say I’m five dares in and have done about everything there is to do.”
“Five dares?” Dornan says.
“Yeah. You, Gabriella, Micky, Colby, and Seb. Five dares.”
“I don’t want to know,” Dornan says. “I didn’t think seven minutes in heaven was going to be the catalyst for a sex frenzy.”
“I did,” Gabriella says. “I knew you liked those boys. You always denied it a little too hard.”
I shrug because she’s right. Behind all of my resentment and dismissiveness was an attraction that seared my core. “You seriously worked your way through them all?” Celine asks. She brings her hand to her forehead in a clipped salute. “I take my hat off to you, Ellie Franklin. You are way more woman than me!”
“Hardly,” I say. “If we’re counting numbers, Eddie has definitely set you up as the sex-fest front-runner.”
“Yeah, but my situation seems positively vanilla compared to yours.”
“I prefer chocolate,” Gabriella muses, glancing over at a woman devouring a tall glass of hot chocolate with a whipped cream top.
“I didn’t realize there was a competition running,” Dornan says. “I must be trailing. Coach has me too busy focusing on football to find time for women.”
“All work and no play make Dornan a boring boy,” Gabriella says in a sing-song voice.
“Tell me they were good,” Celine says. “Tell me they rocked your world.”
Flashes of the multiple orgasms the Townsend triplets gave me over the past few days light up my mind and my body. But this isn’t what I should be focused on right now. Mom is going through something awful, and everything about my life that has been stable will probably end up twisted in turmoil.
“They were good,” I say. “They were great, but it’s done. I’m not going back there again.” I stare at my friends with wide, determined eyes. “And no more dares in that direction. My life is complicated enough.”
Dornan nods. Gabriella turns to give Celine a knowing look. Whatever. They think I’m talking shit, but they weren’t there this morning when mom almost trashed the house in a fury. Even if I wanted to let Colby, Sebastian, and Micky into my life, it’s an even remoter possibility than it was twenty-four hours ago.
Behind my ribs, an ache that I’ve never experienced before builds. I rest my hand against it and swallow around the lump in my throat. For my good and the good of everyone else in my splintering family, I have to push away all thoughts of the tenderness my stepbrothers showed me at Molly’s. I have to forget the way they made me feel.
For all of our sakes.
21
COLBY
All Micky’s message says is, ‘Saw Ellie crying,’ but it’s enough to make me want to tear bricks from the wall with my bare hands. Or maybe overturn a few bookshelves.
The library is so quiet that when a growl emanates from my throat and echoes in the space between the bookshelves, the one other dude in this section turns and gives me a weird look.
Instead of lashing out, I stuff my books into my bag, flip my laptop shut, and storm out of the building. The fresh air smacks me in the face, and I glance up into the clear sky and inhale a long breath. My hand flexes at my side, tension radiating through me.
Ellie doesn’t deserve this. I don’t want a single tear to run down her cheek. Ever.
And even though I’m not personally responsible, I feel guilty by association. It’s my dad’s fault. He’s the one who’s done this, and he’s the one who needs to make it right.
I pull my phone from the pocket in my jeans and find dad in my contact list. When he picks up, I’m initially stumped over what to say. I know what he’s like. He’s as stubborn as me at knowing his mind and never wants to take advice from anyone else, but it’s time for him to listen. It’s time for me to stand up and let him know how important this is.
“Colby. Is everything okay?” he says.
“No,” I say. “Nothing is okay.” I take a deep breath and grit my teeth. “We all need you to sort this situation out. We want our family back. Whatever it takes, you need to do it.”
I wait, expecting him to explode with a diatribe about it being his life and his decision, but all I get from the other end of the line is a long sigh.
“You know what, Son? For the first time in my life, I’m at a loss. I know I’m in the wrong, and I hate myself for what I did. Lara doesn’t deserve this. None of you do. But I’m not good at apologizing, and Lara isn’t good at accepting apologies. I don’t even know if expecting her to listen to me is fair. I’d be broken if the situation were reversed.”