by K Webster
Ashton grabs Mia’s phone to read the text. “Tell her you’re in great shape from fucking all your boyfriends.” He tosses it at Drew.
“Delusional-ass woman,” Drew complains after he reads the text, handing it back to Mia. “Ignore her.”
The phone buzzes in Mia’s hands.
Mom: Will you bring the same young man again? I’ll need to accurately RSVP if you intend to bring a plus one.
“Tell her you’re bringing a plus three,” Ashton gripes when she shows him the text.
She sits up. “You want to go?”
“To fuck with your mom and support you? Hell yeah,” Ashton states. “They’ll come too.”
“Of course I’ll be there,” I tell her, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Just like last time. I’ve got your back.”
She turns her attention to Drew. He frowns, a sad as fuck look on his face.
“Mia,” he mutters. “I’ll come too, but…”
“You can’t be seen at such a public event because of your position,” she says, reaching for his hand. “But you’ll still come? We can stay at a hotel together. The four of us.”
He pulls her hand to his mouth and kisses the back of it. “I can do that. The event itself, I can’t, though. I hate that. I want to be there to help protect you from your wicked witch mother.”
“As long as you’re waiting for us when the dumb thing is over, I’ll be happy.” She beams at him and then texts her mother back.
Mia: Plus two.
Mom: Two? Whatever. Make sure they know it’s a black-tie affair. Don’t embarrass me.
“I can’t wait to meet Mommy Dearest,” Ashton says in a sinister tone. “Cannot fucking wait.”
“Are you going to be good?” Mia asks, poking him with her foot.
“MiMi, I think we both know the answer to that question.” He playfully bites her toe and then we go back to watching the dumb show we have to pay extra close attention to so we know what the fuck is going on.
Everyone goes quiet and the mood is content.
I could get used to this.
Every damn day.
Two Weeks Later
I want to bite her ass.
It’s delectable as fuck. The light blue, sparkling evening gown she was supposed to wear was waiting in concierge when we arrived at the hotel. Shoes. Accessories. A goddamn stylist. I’d been pissed to watch Mia transform into this doll for dressing up, but when they finished, my dick wasn’t pissed at all.
Mia is the hottest goddamn woman to walk the face of the earth.
Even now, as I follow behind her and Brayden into the fancy-ass hotel this event is at, I only have eyes for her. The other women—celebrities I recognize well—don’t hold a candle to my girl. Our girl. Brayden is proud as fuck to have her on his arm. I’d be on the other side, but she seemed nervous and I didn’t want to make a scene. Besides, I’m enjoying the view of her perfect ass.
“Cristal?” a man asks, holding a tray filled with champagne flutes.
“Thank you,” she says. She takes one and then Brayden and I each take one.
I’ve had Cristal plenty because Mom is a fancy bitch like Mia’s. It’s okay. I prefer the cheap vodka that makes me puke and hate my soul when I’ve had too much. I’m not a fancy guy.
Brayden sets his down on a table as we pass.
He sure as fuck isn’t a fancy guy either.
I pull out my phone, texting Drew.
Me: Cristal. Y or N.
Drew: Is this a trick question?
Me: Are you a fancy fucker, boyfriend?
Drew: My dick is fancy.
Me: Send me a pic.
He sends me the middle finger emoji instead.
Me: SOS.
Drew: Really need a savior?
Imagining Drew blazing in here all hot as fuck in his sweatpants—since that’s all he was wearing when we left—makes my dick hard.
Me: I’ll keep you advised.
Drew: The answer to your question is no. I prefer beer.
Me: I love you.
It’s meant as a joke, but I suddenly don’t feel as though it’s a joke. For the past couple of weeks, we’ve all grown closer. I thought we’d split off maybe, but those big-ass hockey players join Mia in my bed every damn night. My bed is an oversized king, so we all fit, but I wouldn’t complain if we got a bigger one.
Drew: Love you too, Ash. Love all of you.
My heart squeezes in my chest. It feels right with the three of them. So right. At first, I was worried I would fuck things up with Mia, but I’ve never seen her so happy. She really rocked my world when she said how deprived of love she was growing up, and that she craves extra love because of it. It shaped the way I viewed this new group dynamic we have.
Mia deserves more.
We can all give it to her if we work together as a team.
She deserves it.
As much as I want to live in this happy as hell moment with them, I can’t help but have this niggling feeling of the other shoe waiting to drop. I don’t trust Travis with that video he has. And after Dad busting us, it’s especially worrying. Considering he hasn’t used it, he probably only intends to threaten me with it, but I still worry.
“Hello, darling,” a woman purrs. “Are you an actor or a model?”
I lift my gaze where I was staring at my phone and am confused to find my lovers are gone and I’m stuck with a botoxed woman who looks like she may have been on one of Mom’s soaps she used to watch when I was a kid.
“What?” I ask, scanning the room for my people.
“I’m Barbara Lyndell from A World Apart.” She preens. “And you are…”
“Ashton. Just Ashton. Have you seen a drop-dead gorgeous brunette in a pale blue dress walking with a sexy-ass dude in a suit who looks like he could bench her?”
“Claire’s daughter?” she asks, frowning, though her forehead doesn’t wrinkle at all—totally juiced up on the good stuff. “They’re probably over there.” She points a long red fingernail to a crowd of people laughing. “Are you friends with the girl?”
“She’s my girlfriend,” I state. “If you’ll excuse me…”
She bites her claws into my tuxedo jacket. “What a lucky girl. Claire wants her to go into the biz. It’s lovely she’s dating an actor now. Her mother will be pleased. Last I heard, little Mia was dating a poor college boy. Claire was devastated. Had to seek therapy and everything.”
I gape at this woman. “Are you tight with Claire?”
“Everyone in this biz is tight. Keep your enemies close, your enemies closer.”
“That’s not how the saying goes—”
“In Hollywood, we’re all enemies. We’re just really good at acting. Send Claire my love.”
I pull away from the dinosaur and stalk through the crowd, needing to be near my girl. These people are vultures. Sick assholes who get off on the perverseness of seeing others suffer.
My girl needs rescuing.
We’re getting the fuck out of here and soon.
I’ll text Drew after I find her and Bray and get him to grab an Uber to pick us up.
Pushing past someone I know I’ve seen in at least ten movies, I make my way into the inner circle of the crowd. A woman who looks like an older version of Mia smiles at her group of starving vultures just waiting for her to slip up so they can feast on her. They laugh because they’re good at acting as Dino-Barbara says. I hate them all.
Mia is stiff, clutching Brayden’s hand tight. I don’t know what’s being said, but I can tell Mia is the butt of the joke based on the veins popping in Brayden’s neck. The man beside Claire also resembles Mia, but he’s missing her fire and flare and strength. He’s a spineless pussy.
“Hey, baby,” I say, slinging my arm over Mia’s shoulders. “Your ass is looking fantastic in this dress. You ready to bail on this lame-ass old people show and get back to the hotel?” I nip at her neck, loving the breathy laugh that escapes her.
Claire isn’t laughing now.
“Darling,” Claire hisses. “I’m confused. Do you know this young man or should I have security show him out?”
“He’s with me,” Mia bites out.
Claire glowers at her. “Your decisions regarding your life lately are concerning. First, you’ve developed this eating disorder where you consume everything in sight and now, you’re acting out sexually. You’re an embarrassment to me and your father.”
I turn my glare on Claire, slowly inspecting all her flaws and letting it show on my face. Wrinkles she tries to hide. She and Ancient Barb must see the same skin doc. Skin that’s no longer smooth and perfect like her daughter’s. Thinner hair than her daughter’s. Saggier tits. Pursed, wrinkly lips. It’s the sneer on her face that makes her so horrible to look at.
She’s ugly inside and out.
Everyone knows it, especially her.
“Mia, is this old witchy woman bothering you?” I ask, ignoring the bitch.
“Mother,” Mia says, straightening her spine. “My decisions are mine to make, not yours. This is my other boyfriend, Ashton.”
The group around us gasps and her father’s face pales. He says nothing. Does nothing.
Her mother, though, is furious.
Red slowly turns to purple on Claire’s face like a pimple ready to burst. She raises her hand, but I preempt her move, releasing Mia to stand in front of her. The vile woman smacks me hard against the cheek, her eyes flickering with hatred.
Several cameras flash.
I step forward, sneering at Mia’s horrible mother. “Your friend Barbie Lyndell thinks it’s time for you to see your therapist again. This time, why don’t you seek help for the emotional and mental abuse you’ve spent eighteen years inflicting on your daughter?”
“How dare you,” Claire seethes. “She is my daughter and our relationship is none of your business.”
“The hell it isn’t,” I snap. “She’s my goddamn girlfriend and I’ll be damned if I let you belittle her like she’s a piece of shit. Apologize.”
“Mia,” Claire shrieks. “Are you going to let him speak to me this way?”
“He’s right.” Mia steps up beside me and takes my hand. “You’re horrible to me.”
“People are watching,” her mother hisses.
“I’m sure they’ve all witnessed your cruelty firsthand, especially Dad,” Mia says, lifting her chin. “These two men are my boyfriends and I won’t be ashamed of that. I’m tired of not being enough for you—for either of you.”
“Mia,” her father murmurs weakly but gets shut down with an icy glare from Claire.
“You don’t want to do this,” Claire warns.
“I already have,” Mia says as Brayden takes her other hand. “We’re leaving. I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.”
“You walk out that door with them and I will disown you! You can kiss your spoiled life goodbye!” Claire shrieks. “I will cut you off before you take your first breath outside that door!”
“Goodbye, Mother.” Then to her dad, she says, “Thanks for sticking up for me, Dad.”
I flip the bitch off and then drag my girl away from the horde of ravenous onlookers. As we pass the osteoporosis Barbara, she cackles.
“Lovely show, young man. I knew I liked you.” She winks like I did her a goddamn favor.
I flip her off too. “Go home, old lady. You’re a decrepit antique in a room full of shiny trophies. I’m embarrassed for you.”
She gapes at me, but I don’t give a fuck. I’m so over these monsters. All I care about is getting my girl the fuck out of here. We make it outside and Brayden bulldozes a path for us to the parking garage. His phone is pressed to his ear as he urgently speaks to someone. By the time we make it away from the curious people, a limo screeches to a halt in front of us.
The window rolls down, revealing our motherfucking prince charming.
Thank fuck.
We climb in with Drew. Mia gets pulled into his arms while I settle in the seat across from them with Brayden. I’m quaking with fury. How fucking dare that bitch say those things to our girl?
“You okay?” Drew asks, stroking her hair.
“I am now.” She smiles my way. “Thank you guys for being here.”
“I’m sorry,” I grumble. “I know she’s your mom, but she infuriated me with how she spoke to you.”
“I’m glad it happened,” Mia admits. “It was inevitable.”
“I shouldn’t have exploded in front of all those people.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Fuck.”
Brayden’s hand rubs at the back of my neck. “You spoke seconds before me, man. I wasn’t going to take any more of the shitty remarks about our girl. If Drew were there, he would’ve done the same thing.”
“My heroes,” Mia says, laughing. “Ashy C, look at me.”
I drop my hand to stare at the most beautiful girl in the world.
“I love you,” she assures me. “And as much as I dread the fallout of what my mother will do, I don’t regret it. It gives me pure joy you put her in her place in front of all her friends.”
They chatter lightly the entire way back to the hotel while I stew. It’s not until we’ve showered and I have Mia’s naked body beneath me that I finally feel okay with what I did.
We’ll protect her.
From everyone.
Especially toxic bitches like her mother.
I go to sleep, confident in the fact we always will.
“Is this really necessary?” Brayden asks, yanking my chair over to his. “We could’ve done this at your place… at Ashton and Drew’s…” He throws his arm around me and nuzzles his face into my neck, and for the millionth time in the last hour, I shake my head and move my chair away from him.
“Yes, it’s necessary.” I hit him with a pointed look I hope comes across as stern. “You can’t keep your hands off me here. Do you really think we’d get any studying done in private?”
Brayden shrugs. “Maybe not English or History, but I bet we could get other studying done.” He waggles his brows and I pull the front of his hat down to cover his eyes.
“How’re you feeling about your finals?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Good. It’s crazy to think after this, I’ll only have one semester left and then I’ll be a college graduate.”
“You’ve got this.” I reach over and squeeze his hand.
A couple walking by glances over at us, intrigued. The rumor mill is running on overdrive. I’ve heard the whispers. Seen the looks. We haven’t confirmed anything because it’s nobody’s damn business, but since returning from the disastrous event in California, Brayden, Ashton, and I have been spending time together publicly. Sometimes Ashton walks me to class holding my hand, or Brayden kisses me in the tutoring center. I’m not ashamed to love three men and I refuse to hide it—with the exception of Drew. I hate that we have to keep him a secret, but it’s not about being ashamed. He would lose his job if anyone found out that he’s dating a student—or three.
“I’m studied out,” Brayden says, standing. “Why don’t we go grab a coffee before I head to practice?”
“Fine,” I agree, since I could use a caffeinated pick-me-up.
When we get to Starbucks, which is located on campus in the quad, I order on my app like I always do so we don’t have to wait in line, but when I click to place my order, it comes back denied. Weird. I click to purchase using a different card, but it does the same thing.
“Did you order?” Brayden asks.
“I think my app is messed up.”
When we get to the front of the line, finally, I give the barista our order and hand her my credit card.
“I’m sorry, but your card has been declined,” she says, flinching.
I hand her another card, but she shakes her head. “I’m sorry, it was declined too.”
“I got it,” Brayden says, shooting me a sympathetic look. He hands her his card and it goes through without issue.
“I’ll meet you at the table,” he says, leaning over and kissing me softly.
I walk over to an empty table and pull up my bank app first. My hands shake as I wait for the home screen to pop up, and when it does, I nearly hyperventilate. Zero. There are zero dollars in my bank account. How is this even possible? Was my account hacked? But then I remember my credit card was declined too.
I open up my contacts and pull up my mom’s number… Then scroll up to my dad.
Before I hit call, Brayden comes over with our coffees and sits down. “Everything okay?”
“I’m sure it’s just a mix-up,” I murmur, taking a sip of my coffee. My peppermint mocha latte is usually sweet, but today it tastes like cardboard, and I know it’s because I’m freaking out. Mom warned me… I thought because I haven’t heard from her in a couple weeks, she forgot about me. But I should’ve known better.
“My parents want to have us all over for dinner,” Brayden says, taking a sip of his own coffee.
“That’ll be fun.” I force a smile. I love Brayden’s parents. They’re so sweet and nurturing. “Maybe Molly can show me how to make a new dish.” She’s been sending me easy recipes to try out and so far they’ve been a success. The boys have not only eaten them, but none of them have died from food poisoning.
“I want to tell them about us.” He gnaws on his bottom lip. “I’m a little worried they’ll flip, but I want them to know.” He doesn’t say it, but I know he’s thinking that he has enough secrets he’s keeping from them.
“I think initially they’ll be shocked, but I don’t believe they’ll disown you or anything.” Not like my parents have…
“I don’t think so either,” he says, staring out the window. I follow his line of vision and see Drew walking across the quad. I want so badly to call him over to join us, but we can’t.
“I can’t wait to get the hell out of here,” Brayden says, anger dripping in his words. I know he’s thinking about finally being free to be with Drew out in public but…
“I have three more years.” If I can even afford to continue here. If I’m right and my parents did cut me off, there’s no way they’re going to keep paying for my apartment, or my utilities, or my food.