Page 76 of Deadlier Obsessions

“No problem. Family, right?”

He sets the bag down and stares at me after I set mine down. What? Am I supposed to say something else? Why’s he looking at me like that?

He suddenly wraps his arms tight around me and squeezes me in a hug.

“Seriously, thank you. I know we’re not together like everyone else, but it still matters to me that you see me as one of you.” I cautiously pat his back, wondering why the hug hasn’t ended yet. If he tries to kiss me, I’ll knee him in the balls.

“I’ve always felt like there’s an awkwardness between the two of us, because we’re not close like any of the others in our family, but I want us to be.”

“I’m not agreeing to buttsex,” I say quickly, just to make sure he knows that line isn’t getting crossed, and he laughs as he pulls away and finally releases me from his grip.

“I know that, man. Just thank you. This trip was hell, but I feel like maybe it made the two of us a bit closer, and I feel like that’s something good that came from it.”

Jesus, man, don’t make me tear up or some wussy shit like that.

“Yeah, me too, I mean, it’s definitely good.” I slam the trunk and pick up the last two bags, starting to walk past him with them. His hand touches mine as he takes one of them from me. Dude, seriously?

“And if you change your mind about the buttsex, don’t worry, Mav, we’ll be gentle.”

SEBASTIAN

So much bad stuff happened while we were away, but in some ways, coming home feels like a magicalBand-aid, smoothing over those cracks that briefly appeared while we were… wait… that’s not howBand-aidswork. Jesus, clearly my head is a bit more messed up than I realized. I think things feel better anyway, a little more settled than they did at the beginning, or even the middle of that god-awful trip.

Sure, our girls are likely to suffer some emotional distress because of what that asshole did, and planned to do, and let’s be honest, because of seeing what we did to the guy. And even being involved. We’re good at holding them and making them feel safe again though.

In some ways, this is exactly the relationship I’d wanted when I first planned to take them, but I’ve come to realize that one man would never have been enough for them. Having Gage and Mav to help me love and care for them, just shows me that this is what it was meant to be. Family isn’t about two parents and a bunch of kids, it’s about five of us together, and the children we’ll raise. Am I hoping to get them pregnant again after these two?Hell yeah, I can’t fucking wait, but one thing at a time. Marriage first, right?

“I’m going for a dip in the pool,” Lucy says, heading for the deck, already in her swimsuit, and closely followed by Gage.

“Where’s Stella?” I should ask about Mav too, but I’m guessing where one woman is, one of us will always be.

“Showering. Do you want to join us outside, Sebastian? I think we all need to relax after that long journey.”

“Especially me, your fucking chauffeur,” Mav blurts, stalking past Gage, and grabbing Lucy in his arms as she screams and slaps at him. “I’m gonna go toss our girl in the water. PB, you wanna coax Stella out here too? We need family downtime.”

Lucy’s screams lead outside, followed by a loud splash and a lot of cursing. Gage grins at me, reaching out to catch my shoulder. “You’re joining us, yeah?”

“Definitely. Let me go find our other girl and follow you. She might need painkillers or something first.”

I will always want to fuck our women, but looking after them? Taking care of them when they’re unwell, or need comfort? That’s fast becoming just as rewarding, if not more so, and I don’t think that makes me a pussy. I think that makes me a man.

LUCY

Lounging in the pool together feels like a return to what’s comfortable, and normal for us. Mav tossed me in the pool like a dick, sure, but that’s normal too. If he catches one of us in proximity to the water, we usually end up in it with him, but I’m sure those days are numbered with us being pregnant, and why does that word kick me in the gut every time I even think it?

Stella comes out to the pool with Sebastian, but she wants to lounge in the sun rather than joining us in the pool, so he stays there with her, and Gage joins us, swimming, splashing, and generally chilling out. Already that trip away from home feels like a mile away. I’m not sure I’ll ever stop feeling guilty for insisting on it, especially with what happened to Stella while we were at the bookstore, even though that wasn’t necessarily part of the trip I’d insisted on. In fact, the part I’d wanted, apart from being a waste of our time, had been the shortest part of our time away. I know one thing though, I’m in no hurry to leave here again any time soon.

Water hits me in the face again, and I splutter, before I send a pathetic wave of it back at Gage. He laughs, and reaches for me, dragging me close to kiss me, then passing me off to Mav, so he can do the same.

Home sweet home. It’s not about the house at all. It’s about the four people I live in it with. I was dumb to think it was about anything else. It’s about people, the ones we choose, and not necessarily the ones we’re born to. I think things can only get better and better for us now too. We can grow old with these men, and raise babies with them, and build generations of our own family, where there’s no judgement, no disappointment, and no labels.If it feels good, do it. Everyone should live that way.

GAGE

I flash Sebastian a look, telling him to follow me out of the pool, and since he’s such a good boy, he obeys. I nod to Mav and motion my head toward the pool once we make it to the deck. Helifts Stella over his shoulder like a caveman, and she kicks him repeatedly yelling, “Put me down, you dick!”

He chuckles obnoxiously. “I plan on it.”

Mav continues laughing as he drops her into the water, while Lucy watches with a giggle. “Enjoy your swim, baby.”

---