Page 32 of Bro Amazing

Although I'm not sure how I'll approach that conversation. It's not like I can go up to them and say that I've stalked them online and now I know they're loaded so they need to hire a housekeeper so the house isn't so gross all the time.

Once I hit the button to submit my payment and I'm officially a follower, I check out their private chatting platform. It's both overwhelming and quiet. There are tons of chats I could go back through and read, but the latest update is just a post from Helix that they're starting a live stream and everyone should jump in to watch.

No sense in reading the whole backlog right now, though, with my roommates playing an actual game I can watch.

I pull out the chapters I need to critique for this week and turn down the volume a little on my headset so I can focus while still listening to the commanding voices of my boyfriends. I'm not really following along with their game, but it doesn't mattersince I couldn't really follow along when I was paying attention, either. Besides, while yes, it is soothing to listen to their voices, listening to the stream will also let me know when they're finishing up with their work so I won't be caught by surprise if they come straight upstairs to find me.

I'm definitely not listening mostly because their voices are comforting. Nope. Not at all.

Chapter Fourteen

Fuck, I'm running late. I'd been so distracted with listening to yet another of my roommates' live streams—it's become a bit of an obsession since I joined their subscription platform a week ago—that I lost track of the time. Now I need to shower and dress for lunch with my parents as fast as possible. Hopefully they'll also be running behind due to traffic.

The front doorbell rings and I freeze in the middle of brushing my hair. I'd been planning to pull it back in a braid, but now there's absolutely no time.They're here.I yank the brush through my hair to make sure there aren't tangles before throwing down my brush and grabbing my purse.

Please let my boyfriends still be playing their game.

Racing down the stairs, I nearly trip as I spot Miles opening the door.Fuck.

I practically crash into Miles as I attempt to shove my body between him and my parents to usher them back out the front door. For being a gamer, he's pretty solid though, and doesn't budge. Just stands there holding the door open as my parents stand, confused, on the front stoop.

"Ready to go?" I duck under Miles's arm to grab my jacket. I can put it on outside in the cold so long as I get my parentsaway from Miles and all the potential for this to become very awkward, very fast.

"What's the rush, honey?" asks Mom. "It's almost as if you don't want us to come in and meet your roommates."

"Yeah, Clarissa," says Miles. "Do you not want your parents to meet all of us?"

He smiles, and there's a teasing aspect to the way he lifts the corner of his mouth. Of course he had to call me out in front of my parents. It's either admit to them all that I don't want them to meet, or let them talk and potentially tell each other my secrets.

"No, that's not it at all." I attempt to wave way Miles's question as if it's not a big deal. "I just figured my parents are hungry, and I don't want to make them stand around on the front stoop for ages. Better to head out to lunch someplace warm."

"You make a very good point," says Miles, his grin turning Cheshire. "Why don't you two come on in where it's warm, and you can meet everyone else."

Miles forces the door open even farther, practically yanking it out of my hand as I attempt to hold it in a way to block their view of the inside. I still remember all the negative comments my parents made about the state of the house last time they were inside, and I fear they're going to make the same types of comments again, but this time in front of the people who pay for everything. As if the stress of them finding out the reality of my living situation isn't enough.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful, thank you," says Mom, immediately stepping inside and looking around as if inspecting the space to catalogue the differences.

"I wouldn't mind meeting these fellas also, Clarissa," says Dad, joining us in the hallway. "Would be nice to know who you're living with in case something goes wrong, and to make sure you're being safe and taken care of."

Miles chokes on a laugh that he hastily turns into a cough as my face goes beet red. There's absolutely no way my dad can know just how well my roommates have beentaking careof me. This is already so embarrassing, and we've only all been together for a minute. And without the other four guys.

"I can take care of myself, Dad," I insist, avoiding Miles's eye.

"Yeah, you can," chokes out Miles, still hiding his laugh.

I shoot him a glare, my face heating at the memory of Miles discovering that I'd fallen asleep in my bed after masturbating to thoughts of him.

Which my parents donotneed to know about.

"Well, I will say that this hall looks much better than when we helped you move in," says Mom, looking up into each corner to search out any missed cobwebs.

"We did recently mop due to a"—Miles glances at me—"a spill."

This man is determined to embarrass me in front of my parents, and I hate that it's working.

"… because your roommates couldn't be bothered to help," says Mom, continuing on as if Miles hadn't said anything.

My cheeks heat again, but this time it's my mother who's embarrassing me. I really don't want my parents to insult my roommates the entire time they're here.

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