Page 116 of Wicked Deceit
“Of course, Sir!” Chase says through his easy-going grin, saluting my damn father like this is a game.
Dad narrows his eyes to slits, looking at Chase and eyes the others, too. Wiping a hand down his face, he sighs, opening his mouth to say more. But my mom steps in front of him, waving a hand.
“You’re all such good boys,” she cuts in, cooing over them. She hugs them, pinches their cheeks, and fawns all over them like they were her own damn kids. If there’s one person who loves them more than me, it’s my mom. “I know you’ll keep Kaycee in line, and she’ll do the same for you. You all have been through so much together, and now, kids, your future awaits.” She grins, gesturing toward the house a few yards away with so much happiness bursting out of her I’m sure she could shit rainbows. I snort, picturing my mom pooping rainbows and jetting off into space until they all look at me with varying expressions of laughter and smiles.
I furrow my brows. “What?” I grumble when Seger snickers, leaning over.
“You said the pooping rainbow stuff out loud,” he says, giving me a lop-sided grin when he messes up my hair. I scowl, batting his hand away, and he laughs more.
“Did not,” I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You did, Sunshine,” Chase says with a smile.
“It’s okay, Sweetpea. You know I’m used to it,” my mom says with gentle kindness and a cocked head. “Besides, I am filled with happiness today. You guys are going off into the big bad world after so much and….” Tears fill her eyes again, and she looks away, strangling the sob working up her throat.
“Boys,” my dad grits out through clenched teeth. “A word?” he gestures to another part of the yard far away from us.
“So he can kill them, and the neighbors won’t see,” I murmur, shaking my head when the guys stare at me again with wide eyes. “What?” I ask, cocking my head again.
“Get more sleep,” Carter grumbles with a huff.
“You’re saying things out loud again and scaring your boyfriends into an early grave,” Mom coos through a grin, putting her arm around my shoulders.
I sigh when all their eyes remain on me, even as they take a few steps, walking away from us. “They’re lambs being led to the slaughter, and my father is the butcher,” I murmur, snorting when all their frantic eyes shoot back to me. Mom chuckles beside me, tapping my shoulder a few times until they’re out of earshot.
They stand far enough away, and I can’t tell what my dad is saying. When I see the boys' wide eyes, stiff backs, and hard swallows, I know he’s giving them a stern talking. They nod their heads in return for his whispered words. Chase discreetly wipes sweat from his neck, and Carter turns a dark shade of green. My father’s permanent scowl hasn’t left his lips since he got here. Ah, now he’s waving his finger in their faces with a red face.
Over the summer, the boys and I came up with this plan. We wanted to live together in privacy instead of in the dorms. Since we had dorms at East Point, we didn’t need to experience it in college. Except, they didn’t tell me they bought the damn thing. They said we were renting some dinky house across from campus. Now, we have this enormous house a few blocks from our classes. My heart flutters, and butterflies bloom in my tummy.
This ismyforever with the overprotective idiots whom I love.
True to their words, these days they’re overprotective assholes to the max. Think of the biggest, most-Alpha, crazy man and multiply it by ten. I’m not exaggerating, either. Some days they drive me nuts, but I know it’s all coming from a sincere place. They feel like they failed me eight months ago when the Apocalypse took me, so they flank me everywhere we go, protecting me from all sides. When all five of us go out, they put me in the center of their circle. If anyone so much as side-eyes me, they pounce on the unsuspecting person like unhinged psychos—swoon. It’s so romantic how far they go to ensure my safety, even if the poor person on the other end of their glares is innocent. One day, they’ll ease up and let me off my imaginary leash, but that day is not today or tomorrow, or probably not next week or year. Hell, they may never relax again—shit.
“Are you ready, Kace?” Mom asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. I must be more tired than I thought because I can’t seem to focus on the here and now.
“For what exactly?” I ask, staring up at the vast house and examining every inch of it.
My mom chuckles. “He loves them, you know? I think he’s trying to put the fear of God in them, for some reason. He’s having a hard time letting you go.” A watery smile passes over her lips, and I know exactly what’s coming.
“I know,” I whisper as she squeezes my shoulder.
“Just yesterday, I was bringing you into this world, and now here you are, all grown up in college with four doting boyfriends and a house,” she says with a hiccup.
“The next four years will be insane,” I reply, eyeing the house again, imagining all the shenanigans we’ll get up to without parental supervision. Since I’ll live here with my guys, I won’t have to move back home in the summertime, so this is goodbye for now to my parents, who are excited yet nervous to let me go.
“You five have a lot ahead of you, but those boys, Kace, are loyal as hell to you. I haven’t seen loyalty like that since…your father.” Tears break, streaming down her cheeks. “Just don’t make me a grandmother too quickly.” She wrinkles her nose at the same time I do.
“You heard the doctor,” I whisper through a myriad of emotions bubbling up my throat.
I never thought I’d want to be a mother, and definitely not right now. I’m way too young and immature to bring life into this world. I want to experience a relationship with the boys and grow together in the future. One day, maybe—we’ll have kids. If I can have any, that is. If not, we’ll work through it and adopt children who need a home.
“I know what I heard, but miracles happen. In my heart, one day, you’ll be a parent,” she says with such certainty. I just nod.
“That’s not for a long time, Mom. Who’s saying they won’t get bored with me and want something different?” My insecurities surface and rear their ugly heads for the first time in our relationship.
At East Point, we lived in a happy little bubble. But here? After so much trauma? We are a part of one of the largest universities in the state now. Thousands upon thousands of people attend here. Now, we’re thrusting our relationship into the actual world and testing it to the max. Can four boys love one girl and stay faithful to each other? My answer is yes. But we have four years to grow and learn more about each other. We only met a year ago and started this crazy relationship amid the turmoil. I’m confident we can survive anything this university throws at us, but the future is the future. I’ll continue to contribute and love the boys as hard as always and grow and become a better girlfriend.
“Mmm,” she hums, kissing my hair. “You all are young, yes. There will be women who pursue them and men who pursue you. You can’t know for sure, Sweet Pea. Take this one day at a time, okay? You all have four years to figure this out. If it works, it works, but if it doesn’t? Then, so be it. It’ll break your heart, sure. But look at what you kids have accomplished together. You’ve overcome what many people wouldn’t be able to. Your past makes me confident your father will walk you down the aisle to four men instead of just one. And those men? They’re fine gentlemen.” She smiles widely, kissing my forehead.
