TEAM PLAYERS: A COLLEGE FOOTBALL REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE (HUGE Series)
TEAM PLAYERS: Chapter 22

When the boys get back from training, they stomp into the house without the usual rumble of laughter and conversation. Instead, there’s a bleakness that I wasn’t expecting, mainly as it’s Harley and Hunter’s birthday, and we’re supposed to be setting up the house for a party soon.

Gordon disappears upstairs, and I open my eyes questioningly to Trey, who shakes his head mournfully. “Gordon had to apologize to Cox,” he says. “Coach insisted. He threatened to suspend him… we thought it was going to happen, and that would have been the end. There are scouts at every game now, and Gordon needs to play. It’s the whole reason that Cox was winding him up at the gym.”

“So what happened?”

“I thought Gordon’s head was going to explode. He went so red in the face when he said sorry. It looked like he had to yank that word out of the bottom of his very soul. And then he had to run penalty laps of the field while we did our training. Cox was laughing the whole time. I don’t know how Gordon didn’t tear that asshole’s head off, but he knows how important these next few months are for all of us. He didn’t want to risk us stepping in and getting on Coach’s bad side, so he sucked it up.”

“Shit,” I mutter, and inside, guilt settles like a cold black sludge. If I hadn’t jumped in and run my mouth, none of this would have happened. Gordon would have held his temper yesterday and wouldn’t have had to face so much humiliation. Once again, my mouth has ended up hurting someone I care about, and it feels terrible. “It’s my fault.”

Trey’s face falls, and he rests his arm over my shoulder, pulling me against him for a side hug. “It’s not your fault, Maggie. Not at all. The bad blood between Gordon and Cox has been there since we were in high school.”

“But if I didn’t open my mouth…”

“There would have been another reason for it all to explode. Gordon should have known better, and he takes full responsibility for his actions.”

“So what now?”

“Now, we get ready for the party, and I’m sure Gordon will relax once he gets a drink in him.”

“Okay,” I say.

Trey presses a soft kiss onto my forehead, and I wrap my arms around his middle. “We haven’t gotten to spend much time together,” he says. “My brothers have been monopolizing you, but maybe we can hang out tonight?”

“That would be great.”

“Do you want to help me get things ready for later?”

“Sure.”

I follow Trey into the kitchen, and he begins to pull things from the cupboard. We empty chips into bowls and search out paper plates and plastic cups. We tidy the den, putting away items that could get broken. I ask Trey if I should vacuum, but he just laughs. “There’s going to be a whole load of people dropping shit in a few hours. Don’t worry about it.”

I guess that approach makes sense to a man but not to me. I grab the vacuum cleaner anyway and do my best to make the place presentable.

“We’re ordering in pizzas,” Trey says, lifting the keg into the corner of the kitchen. “Can you look in that cupboard? I think we have some vodka and tequila from the last party.”

“Sure.” I duck into the low corner cupboard and replace it overflowing with bottles of spirits, retrieving two. “Wow, it looks like you guys know how to have a good time.”

We spend the next half an hour laughing and joking, and all the while, I’m watching Trey and remembering what I read about his past. How does someone who has been through so much have such a balanced and positive view of the world? How is it that his smile can light up the whole room, and he practically never stops grinning? Trey has a light inside him that is infectious and so much adventurous spirit. For spring break last year, he tells me about the climbing adventure he went on with Harley and Hunter, and I’m blown away.

And I think back to what Danna said about the different personalities within a harem group and how much it adds to the relationship, and I can see exactly what she means. Being with someone like Trey would inspire me to be braver about experiencing life, and someone like John would always be there if I needed to explore my feelings. Dwayne would always make me laugh, and Gordon would have my back. Reggie’s artistic nature fits with my love of writing, and Logan’s confidence would inspire me to be bolder about my ambitions. Sean’s bright and sarcastic nature would remind me to never take anything too seriously, Harley and Hunter would bring the thoughtful seriousness, and Donovan and Daryl the light-heartedness that I so need.

But what would I bring to them?

It’s so hard to search for your own innate character traits. I’m only nineteen, and I’m still on the journey of self-discovery. Maybe that’s what I would bring to them… a desire to create a life for myself that is bigger and better than what I’ve been living. Maybe I’d be the glue to keep them all together.

Trey thanks me for helping and kisses me softly on the lips, promising that we’ll hang more when everyone arrives. We both head upstairs to get ready as the rest of the brothers are beginning to make their way down.

Harley and Hunter are putting the finishing touches on their hair in the bedroom when I stick my head around the door. “There she is,” Hunter says. “You owe us a birthday hug.”

“I’m holding out for something bigger and better than that,” Harley says with a wink.

“Ignore my brother.” Hunter pulls me into a gorgeous, warm hug and plants a soft kiss on my lips.

“Happy birthday,” I say, putting my hand against his cheek. “And I’m definitely up for the birthday sex later.”

“See?” Harley laughs. “That’s my girl.”

“He was holding out for a birthday blow-job,” Hunter says knowingly.

“Like you’d say no to that!” Harley tugs me out of Hunter’s arms for his birthday hug, and I’m enveloped in the scent of his cologne.

“There isn’t a straight man in this town who’d say no to that.”

“Ewww… gross,” I say. “Maybe don’t make me think about giving head to hundreds of strange men. I think there are enough men under this roof for me to deal with.”

“You don’t seem to be having problems dealing with us all so far,” Harley says.

I pretend to scowl. “Have you been comparing notes?”

Hunter puts a belt through the loops of his jeans and fastens it around his trim waist. “I don’t think you need to worry about us telling each other how fucking hot it is to be with you,” he says. “If they haven’t had the chance yet, you know they imagine it nonstop.”

“And if they have had the chance?”

“Then they’re reliving it in every detail.” He grins wolfishly. “You gonna get yourself all beautiful for us?”

“What?” I pretend to look down in confusion. “Is this not suitable party dress? Will I embarrass you in front of your friends?”

“No,” Harley says. “You could hit this party wearing a sack, and you’d still be sexier than the rest of the girls dressed up like that stupid family on TV with the big asses and sausage lips.”

I snigger, knowing exactly who he means and enjoying the compliments. “Come on then. You guys need to leave so I can get ready.”

“Can’t we stay and watch?” Harley sticks out his bottom lip like a recalcitrant toddler.

“That would be a no from me.” I start to push them both by the shoulders, and they pretend to resist, holding onto the edge of the door and peeking around. “The longer you lurk, the longer it will take me,” I laugh.

“I’ll deal with these assholes for a kiss,” Logan says from outside.

“Deal,” I say.

He shoves his brothers out of the way playfully and then grabs me, dipping me low like in an old black-and-white movie and planting a kiss on my lips. From outside the door, there is a rumble of clapping, and when Logan brings me back to a standing position, I replace the triplets outside the door, grinning too.

“This isn’t a kissing booth,” I say, swatting Logan’s chest. “Look what you’ve done.”

He holds his hands up with a flourish. “Don’t look at me. You’re the one who agreed to a kiss in exchange for my services.”

“Well, you better take your services out there and get rid of your brothers so I can beautify myself.”

“Looks like your work is done,” he says with a wink, but he does what I’ve asked him to do, leaving the room, closing the door, and ordering his nosy brothers down the stairs.

A minute later, as I’m searching through my bag trying to replace something clean and presentable to wear, there’s a knock at the door. “I thought I told you guys to leave me alone,” I shout.

“It’s me, Sean. Can you open the door a second?”

Approaching the door with a mix of nerves and curiosity, I replace him outside, holding a pink bag with ribbon handles. He holds it out, his eyes gleaming and that quirk of a smile firmly in place. “I thought you might need something to wear tonight.”

Did he buy me a gift?

I take the bag and look inside, replaceing a gorgeous sweater dress in the softest gray. I guess that Sean really took my comments about romance to heart. “Thank you… you didn’t have to.”

“I know that, Maggie. I wanted to.”

Dropping the bag to the floor, I step into the hallway and put my arms around him, recalling the neglected little boy that he was when he came here. Now he’s a fully grown man with a shell of sarcasm and humor to keep people at arm’s length and a heart of gold beneath it all.

“Hey… a thank you would have been fine,” he says, smiling down at me.

I kiss his smile gently. “That’s the first gift I’ve ever been given by a man,” I admit. “It felt like it needed a little more than just thanks.”

Sean shakes his head, his pretty green eyes sparkling like jewels. “Well, now I feel privileged to be the first man to show you how much you deserve.” He draws back as though he doesn’t really know what to do next.

“I should get ready. I’m excited now I have something pretty to wear.”

“I’ll see you downstairs,” he says with a shrug, as though none of what just happened is a big deal, but his face is still beaming.

I freshen up, pulling on my dress and marveling at how sophisticated I look in the mirror. It’s made from a material with a silvery thread running through it, and it clings over my hips and slouches off one shoulder. I leave my hair down, the black curls cascading messily down my back. A black liquid liner and a nude lip complete a casual but sexy look, perfect for a house party. Luckily, I packed some black pumps.

By the time I make it downstairs, the music has been cranked up, and the lights turned down. The front door is open, and people are arriving carrying bottles of beer and wine. In the den, I can hear the rumble of the boys’ voices and their laughter, and for a moment, I feel like an outsider. These guests are their friends, and I know nothing about them. I’m a stranger.

Then Trey appears in the hallway and immediately grabs my hand. “Wow, you look amazing!”

“Sean bought it for me,” I tell him.

“He did?” A knowing look passes over Trey’s face. “I think you’ve made a big impression on him.”

“What for? Not letting him get into my panties?”

“Yes,” Trey laughs. “That guy is like a magician. He looks at women, and suddenly they’re naked. He thought you’d be the same, but when you walked away, you proved you were different. I think Sean likes different.”

“He likes someone with a shred of self-respect.”

“Exactly. Anyway, I’ll fix you a drink.”

Trey leads me into the kitchen, reaching for a bottle of wine. I place my hand over my belly, and he immediately realizes his mistake. “We have juice,” he says.

“Sure. That would be great.”

“Are you pregnant?” The question comes from a girl with blonde hair who’s currently standing in the doorway to the yard, smoking a cigarette.

“None of your business, Shawna,” Trey says.

Shawna shrugs. “Living with these guys, you’d probably get pregnant from sitting on the couch.”

I wrinkle my face in disgust, and so does Trey. “If you’re insinuating that we all sit around jacking off in the den, your head in is an unbelievably gross place.” Trey hands me a red plastic cup and leads me away from Shawna into the den. “Stay away from her,” he says softly. “She’s not in a good place.”

“Okay.” I sip the orange juice and survey the groups who are congregated around the room. Hunter and Harley are laughing with a group of girls who all look as though they might be cheerleaders. They have that manicured look about them, and all of them are wearing tops that don’t meet their pants and skirts. In another corner, Logan, Reggie, and the triplets are slumped on couches with men who look familiar. I think they might have been at the gym when Gordon pushed Cox. Their other teammates, I guess. In the garden, there is more laughter. John is out there with Gordon and a load of other people I don’t recognize.

“I’ll introduce you,” Trey says.

“As what?”

“Maggie.”

“And when they ask who I am and why I’m here?”

“I could tell them that you’re our foster sister or that you’re a friend from out of town. Or even better, that you’re trying out for the position of girlfriend.”

“I think you might blow some minds with that last one,” I laugh.

“And sister sounds wrong,” Trey says thoughtfully.

“So, friend, it is.”

“No way,” Sean says behind us, throwing an arm around each of our shoulders. “Friend sounds lame, and I’m not embarrassed about what we’re trying here.”

“But maybe Maggie is.” Trey and Sean stare at me expectantly, and I start to blush.

“You see,” Trey says. “She’s blushing just at the idea of telling people.”

“It’s not that I’m embarrassed,” I say. “It’s just that as soon as you tell people, they’ll be imagining the sex, and to be honest, I’m just not that comfortable with it.”

“I’m imagining the sex,” Sean says. “Are you uncomfortable with that?”

“Me too.” Trey winks, and I melt a little at their cuteness.

“You guys can imagine all you want. If you play your cards right, you might not need to imagine after tonight.” I wiggle my eyebrows, and Sean pulls us both closer, hugging us to him with so much glee that a giggle bubbles up from inside me.

Sean takes my hand, dragging me into the center of the room, and begins to introduce me to his friends. In one group, he tells them that I’m a long-lost cousin. In another group, I’m the nanny that the state has sent to look after them, and in another, I’m the new lodger. Each time, everyone seems to believe what he’s saying completely, and I get asked a ton of strange questions that I have to play along to answer. Sean is practically wetting himself with laughter by the time I manage to escape.

We wind up outside sitting under a massive tree with a couple of plates of pizza, and I feel lighter in my heart than I have in a really long time. I’m nineteen and pregnant, but this is really the first time in my life that I’ve felt free.

“This pizza is good,” Sean says, licking his ever-smiling lips. His black hair reflects the light cast from the house, making it seem even shinier than usual, and his jade eyes sparkle in a way that sends a shiver down my spine. He leans close, using his thumb to wipe away a blob of tomato sauce that I have on my lip. “I’m glad you’re here,” he says. “I’m glad you stuck around after hearing the crazy vote. Most girls would have run.”

“I’m not most girls,” I say, “and anyway, I’m not sure I agree. I mean, look at you guys.” We both survey the yard, replaceing each of the boys laughing and eating, their beautiful faces lit up and their athletic bodies relaxed. “You guys could have your pick of any of the girls here. I guarantee to you.”

“But we don’t want the girls here. Not wanting to make things awkward, but most of them have passed through here at one time or another, and they weren’t keepers.”

“Really?”

Sean shrugs. “I think we’re all good at working out the truth of a situation. We’ve been through enough to size people up, especially the bad ones. Too many girls are looking for a meal ticket, or they want to fuck so that they can brag to their friends. Maybe they’re looking to keep evidence of them with you so that they can sell it in the future if you go pro. I’ve had girls taking selfies with me while I was sleeping, for fuck’s sake.”

“That sucks.” I put my hand on his arm, and he covers it with his big palm.

“People aren’t always as good as they look, Maggie. But in your case…” He shakes his head, a quizzical little smile on his lips.

“What?”

“I don’t want this to sound weird or gross, but you really remind me of your dad. You’ve got the same no-nonsense approach to life—the same groundedness. You’re not here because you see us as a meal ticket. In fact, I think you’d walk away from this situation before any of us did.”

“So what am I here for?”

“The sex,” he says, biting another large chunk of his slice of pizza. “You’re a nympho for sure.” I swat his arm, and he winks one pretty eye. “And the companionship. I can see how much you like being part of a big group. I think you’ve struggled to be an only child. I know I did.”

I nod, the truth of his observation fascinating. I would never have seen Sean as someone who’d have deep and perceptive thoughts, but he obviously observes and mulls things over.

Just as I’m about to respond, there’s laughter coming from around the side of the house. A big group of very large men makes their way into the yard. I recognize the one at the front straightaway.

Cox.

What the hell is he doing here? Surely, he wasn’t invited, or maybe he was. Maybe the boys are trying to smooth things over before the game on Friday. I seek out Gordon, who is sitting on a white plastic garden chair, and I know immediately when he’s spotted Cox. His back straightens, his jaw clenches. My instinct is to fly to my feet and put myself in between them. There is no way I’m sitting by and letting things get out of hand again. I’m pretty sure that Gordon’s nerves will be even more frayed than they were before he had to run those punishment laps and make that awful apology. I’m also certain from Cox’s swagger that his ego has been inflated by Gordon’s forced submission.

He’s a bully, and bullies thrive where they feel the power is all in their hands.

“Shit,” Sean mutters. He glances around quickly, and I can see him taking note of where his brothers are.

“I take it you didn’t invite that douchebag.”

“No. And I don’t know why he’s shown up here.”

“Of course you do. He wants Gordon out of that game, so he’s going to do everything he possibly can to get him angry.”

Sean begins to get to his feet and holds out a hand to help me up. I release my half-eaten pizza slice onto a paper plate and follow Sean slowly across the yard.

“Well, this is a lame party,” Cox says loudly, shaking his head dismissively.

“Yeah, well, no one invited you,” Logan calls out. “You can replace your own way out.”

Cox tilts his head to one side and smirks. “I think I’ll hang around. See if I can liven up the party for you. You know… as a birthday treat.”

The whole yard seems to be resting on a knife-edge. No one steps up to force Cox to leave, but no one seems happy about him staying. Sean and I join Gordon, Hunter, and Harley, and two girls I haven’t been introduced to yet, and I make sure to place myself right next to Gordon just in case. The problem is that I have a feeling any one of my foster brothers might be ready to connect their fist to Cox’s face. I can’t keep watch on them all.

Cox helps himself to some pizza, and his friends lurk around behind him like bodyguards, except they are both shorter and smaller than him. When Shawna comes into the yard from the double doors of the den, Cox’s expression goes from slyly amused to furious.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he barks.

There is something very wrong with the way Shawna flinches at his words. Something that tells me that he’s harmed her in some way in the past, and she’s fearful that he’ll do it again.

Sean is up on his feet, his hand on Gordon’s shoulder, pressing down so he can’t get up.

“I don’t want to talk to you, Cox,” she says, replaceing her pack of cigarettes in her pocket, pulling one out, and lighting it with fingers that I can see shaking from a distance.

“Why are you smoking? You look like a tramp,” Cox says.

“It’s none of your business,” Shawna says. Her shoulders are hunched over and her free arm is clutched across her body as though she’s trying to protect herself. She inhales deeply, and I’m not sure if it’s because she’s nervous or because she wants to defy Cox.

His nostrils flare, and Harley slowly gets to his feet. All around the garden, my foster brothers are rising as though they know what’s coming and are trying to get into position to stop it. It suddenly dawns on me that maybe this situation with Shawna is exactly why Cox and Gordon are enemies. Is she the girl he stepped in to help?

“Why are you wearing that shit on your face? You want one of these guys to fuck you?”

Shawna inhales again, and this time I can see her hand is trembling. Shit. I can’t imagine what she’s been through with him if this is how he’s prepared to talk to her in public.

“Sean,” I say softly. “We need to get Shawna away from him and Cox out of this house.”

“This is bad,” he says. “Cox was bad when they were dating, but he’s worse now. He’s got bigger too. I keep thinking maybe he’s taking something.”

“That wouldn’t be good.”

“He needs to get the fuck out of my yard,” Gordon hisses, his jaw ticking with fury.

I put my hand on his other shoulder. “Stay calm,” I say. “You’re not in the best position to deal with this, okay? Let your brothers handle it.”

When Gordon turns to me, his eyes are filled with turmoil. He knows that I’m right, and the responsible part of him wants to do the right thing, but the piece of him that values fairness and justice can’t comprehend sitting by. “You need to be playing that game,” I tell him. “You guys have too much history.”

“Cox, back off,” someone yells. It’s Donovan, and he’s managed to get close enough to Shawna to get in front of her. Her hand holding the cigarette has dropped to her side, and she’s looking at Cox with fearful eyes.

Cox shakes his head, his hands already clenched into giant fists. “Back the fuck off, whichever fucking triplet you are. This is none of your business.”

Donovan puts his hands up calmly. “No one here is looking for any trouble, but it looks like you are. I’m just stepping up to remind you that this is a party and that you’re a guest here. This isn’t the place.”

“No place is ever the place for that kind of talk,” Logan says. He’s made his way next to his brother, and between the two of them, Shawna is completely shielded by a wall of man.

“You see, this is your problem. You think you’re so above the rest of us, but you’re not. This house is just a gathering of fucking reject pussies who’d rather fuck their sister than hit on any of the willing girls that are out there.”

His words hit me in the chest like a fist, knocking the air from my lungs. How the hell does he know?

“I’m going to say this again, Cox, one last time. You need to back the fuck off.”

“And what are you going to do about it? You gonna push me like your weak-ass brother and end up running laps tomorrow, or maybe even get yourself suspended?”

“Nobody is shoving anybody,” Logan says. He seems calm, but then I notice him rise up on the balls of his feet, and I can see he’s primed for a fight. Fuck.

Cox starts to walk forward, and before I know what’s happening, I’m flying across the garden. “I’m calling the cops,” I say loudly, my phone in my hand. “You need to get the fuck out of this house right now.”

Cox’s friends glance at each other nervously, but Cox only grins his creepy smile again. “See what I mean. You’re all weak-ass men who need a girl to stick up for you.”

Dwayne puts his hand out and grabs me around the waist, preventing me from getting too close. My fingers fumble over the screen, dialing 911. I’m not playing here. The cops are coming if Cox isn’t leaving.

“You think I’m bothered by the cops?” Cox crosses his arms, his biceps bulging to massive proportions.

“You have a game on Friday. They could keep you in the cells. You’ll miss the chance to show the scouts your game.” I try to keep my voice confident and strong, but my throat is closing up with anxiety. Nothing about Cox’s behavior so far has told me that he’s thinking rationally, but there’s a subtle change to his expression when I mention the game. He doesn’t want to risk his position on the team any more than my foster brothers do.

I watch as he seems to hesitate over what to do next. He’s definitely not the kind of man who likes to back down, but it’s either that or risk getting arrested. “Shawna’s a skank. You’re welcome to her.” He turns his head and spits onto the ground. His eyes meet mine, and they are filled with a cold hatred that sends a shiver down my spine. I wait for him to say something else, but he doesn’t. When he turns and strides back into the house, I can feel the frantic thud of my heart in my temple.

“I’m going to make sure he leaves,” Donovan says. Logan follows him into the house, and everyone in the yard seems frozen. Dwayne pulls me into a hug, kissing me fiercely on the forehead. A minute later, Donovan and Logan return, and there is a collective sigh of relief.

Logan walks straight over to Shawna, resting his hand against her upper arm. “Are you okay?”

She takes a final drag of her cigarette, dropping the butt and standing on it with her gold sandaled foot. “It’s never going to get better.”

“No, it isn’t, but college is nearly over.”

“I’ll have to leave town to escape him,” she says, defeated.

“As much as I’d hate to see him do well, I think the best we can hope for is that he gets signed to a team in a different state.”

“I’ve got everything crossed,” she says.

The party goes on for a few more hours, but the confrontation with Cox has taken the edge off the celebration. When the final guests leave, we agree to clear up the next day and crash out in the den for an after-party conversation.

I slump onto the sofa, feeling worn out. I check my phone, replaceing more messages from Cora. She’s worried about me and pissed at Cathy for spreading gossip about me. She asks if that’s the reason I haven’t come back to college. She tells me that I shouldn’t let Cathy and Justin run me out of town. “You still have friends, and it’s your life. You can’t let them mess it up.” Her messages are so sweet that I feel my eyes well with tears. What do I say to her? It would be easy to deny that Justin and Cathy have anything to do with why I’m still here with my foster brothers, but it wouldn’t be true. When your life becomes something difficult, leaving it behind can feel easier than dealing with it. But there is more to it than that. Being here and replaceing my feet in a new place feels like a relief. I text her back, telling her that I’m okay. I tell her that I’m hanging out with my foster brothers and that I’m not sure when I’m coming home. It’s all true, but only half of the truth. Cora is a good friend, and keeping important things from her doesn’t feel good. Then again, I’m not in a place where confiding my confused feelings would make any kind of sense.

“You did good tonight, Maggie,” Gordon says. “But I wish you wouldn’t keep jumping in… especially where Cox is concerned.”

“I just didn’t want anything to mess up your chances.”

I’m sitting next to Logan, and he throws his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against his chest. “Maggie’s got the same fierce protective streak that Dad had.”

“Yeah, but Dad was six foot two and three hundred pounds,” Reggie says.

“I just hate that guy… the way he was talking to Shawna was unbelievable.”

“That was tame compared to how he was when she dumped him.” Gordon shakes his head in disgust at the memory. “But you need to take it easy, Maggie. You’ve got eleven men here, and it’s our job to protect you.”

“And I’m sure you would if I needed it. If Cox had gotten rough, I know you’d be there to make sure I didn’t get hurt, but if I think I can make things better, then I will. It’s just how I am.”

“And we love you for it,” Logan says.

Love.

It’s a big word, but there’s not a hint of regret in his face at using it. I think about the rush I felt when I thought Cox was going to attack Donovan and Logan. The same rush I felt for Gordon in the gym. It’s the same protective feeling that I get when I think about any of these men and what they’ve been through in their lives.

Is that what love is? Warmth mixed with a fierce reaction to protect at any cost?

Danna told me she knew within a week that the Jacksons were her destiny. She knew she loved them faster than I ever thought would be possible, yet here I am in the same position.

The thought of going home to live with Mom and getting back to my old life fills me with an ache that makes my throat hurt. To not feel their hands on me or hear their laughter. To not see the light in their eyes or know their concerns. It would feel like torture to leave them behind.

Logan’s fingers skim my bare shoulder, trailing up my neck and leaving a line of gooseflesh in their wake. Sean’s hand rests on my leg, touching just under the hem of the gorgeous sweater dress that he so thoughtfully purchased for me. Logan tips my chin to kiss my lips gently, and all around us, the room slips into silence.

A silence that feels like it’s dripping with intention.

So far, I’ve only been with these men alone or in small groups, but tonight everyone is here. Tonight, maybe I’m ready for the final test.

Can we really all be together?

Will it work?

I guess it’s time to replace out.