by K Webster
“Jesus!” Drew snarls. “Fuck!”
His ass cheeks clench just as Ashton curses. I can feel Ashton’s dick swelling up, pressing against mine, and I lose it. I’m no longer able to hold on. Cum floods out of me as Ashton’s does the same based on the throbbing his is doing. All the sensations must be too much because Mia screams in pleasure.
My heart is pounding right out of my chest by the time I come down from my high. I ease out of her, watching in awe as cum runs out of her abused pussy.
It’s then I panic.
“Shit, Mia,” I bark out. “I didn’t use a condom.”
“I’m good now,” she assures me. “No babies anytime soon.”
Drew climbs off her and flops down onto the bed, breathing heavily and unusually pale. Ashton slides Mia off his dick, sending more rivers of cum running out of her.
“I’m clean,” I assure her. “So you don’t have to worry. I got checked out when I started getting intimate with Drew. We both did.”
“I’m clean too, Mia,” Ashton says. “When I had to get tested for marijuana, I made them check me for STDs as well, so I could throw that in my dad’s face too.” He shrugs. “I’ve always been careful… until you.”
“I guess that’s settled,” Mia says, giggling as she wiggles between Ashton and Drew. “I was a virgin, so I’m good too.”
I prowl over her, covering her body with mine, loving that we’re all always smashed together and it feels right. “You look good with cum in your ass and in your pussy.” I kiss her mouth hard. “And you taste good with cum in your mouth.”
She grins at me. “I’m going to be sore for a while, but I can’t wait to do that again.”
“Dirty, dirty girl,” Ashton says. “How does after dinner sound?”
Her laugh is adorable. “Ha. Ha.”
Drew is quiet, but he’s smiling. I reach over and stroke his blond hair out of his eyes. “You okay?”
“Just worn out. You people exhaust me,” he complains.
“Aww, Daddy needs a nap,” Ashton jokes.
“Fuck off, brat,” Drew throws back, laughing. “Let’s get cleaned up and over to Molly and Tim’s. I’m starving.”
As I climb off the bed, I can’t help but let nerves overcome me.
I’m going to tell them.
Not about Ben. I’ll never be able to tell them that.
This.
I’m going to tell them about this. Us. My relationship.
I hope like hell I’m not exchanging one family for another one. I need both. I need all the love and support I can get.
Ben, if you’re looking down on us, put in a good word that Mom and Dad don’t hate me for having two boyfriends and a girlfriend. Better yet, probably best not mention that to the big guy upstairs.
The house is bustling with life.
Laughter.
Love.
My heart swells, ready to burst. Ashton and Drew have Dad locked in conversation while Mia listens intently as Mom explains how she manages to get the chicken fried to perfection every time. I’m happy as hell seeing them fit in so well with my family.
Ashton is cheerful and relaxed.
Drew is content and all smiles.
Mia is eating and her eyes twinkle with delight.
I should probably wait until after we finish our meal, but I can’t. I need to tell them. It’s eating me up inside. After I wolf down my food, I set my fork down and clear my throat.
“Mom, Dad,” I say, earning their attention. “There’s something I need to tell you both.”
Everyone goes quiet, even big-mouth Ashton, as I work up the nerve to say the words. It’s as though Ashton, Mia, and Drew all want this too. Acceptance and love. I hope like hell I’m not about to ruin this happy moment for them. This is one secret I can’t keep from my parents, no matter the outcome. They need to know.
“You know how Drew’s my boyfriend now,” I say, easing into the conversation.
Dad nods and Mom smiles.
“We, uh, we were sort of invited to be in a relationship with Mia and Ashton,” I rush out, unable to meet their eyes now. “I know it’s not conventional and you won’t understand, but we’re happy. I know, deep down, that’s all you guys want. Drew, Mia, and Ashton all make me happy. I love them.”
I finally lift my gaze. Dad’s brows are furrowed in confusion, but not anger. Mom’s eyes are welling with tears, but I know they’re happy ones.
“Drew’s the daddy,” Ashton blurts out, making my mom snort out a laugh. “In case you were wondering the dynamics. Brayden’s the muscle. He beats up all the dicks trying to hit on us. Mia’s the cook and the maid.”
“Asshole,” Mia gripes, swatting at him. “Don’t listen to him.”
“The four of you,” Dad says slowly. “Together? How does that work?”
Mia and Drew both burn bright red while Ashton cackles.
“You really want to know how it works?” Ashton taunts.
Dad blanches. “No, er, not like that. I meant… do you get jealous? I don’t understand.”
“We’re all open and honest,” I explain. “There’s no jealousy because we all really enjoy being around each other. This thing is built on friendship and trust. The romantic love is just bricks stacked on top of that.”
Dad’s shoulders relax. “I can see you’ve discussed the dynamics then.”
“At great lengths,” Drew assures him. “Everyone is happy.”
“Does anyone give you a hard time at school about it?” Mom inquires. “Bray, honey, I hope you set them straight if they do.”
I roll my eyes at Ashton for planting the seed in my mom’s head that I’m the relationship bodyguard. “Yeah, Mom, I make sure no one messes with us. Well, the three of us. Drew can’t be seen in public with us.”
Mom frowns, saddened by my words. “It won’t be forever.”
“How did your parents take it?” Dad asks both Ashton and Mia. “Assuming you told them.”
“Dad will just think I’m sabotaging everyone’s lives and reputations, so I haven’t told him.” The bitterness in Ashton’s tone has Dad clasping his shoulder and squeezing.
“He’ll come around because he loves you,” Dad assures Ashton. “What about you, hon?”
Mia’s lip wobbles and her eyes water. “They, uh, my parents…” A tear streaks down her cheek. “They disowned me.”
“Oh, honey, no,” Mom cries out, standing to rush over to Mia. She hugs our girl, kissing the top of her head. “They’re rotten parents if that’s the case. You’re a sweet girl and deserve all the love, even if it comes from three people all at once. Screw them for being assholes!”
Drew and I laugh at Mom’s cursing. Dad shakes his head while Ashton smirks.
“You’re not mad?” I ask Dad.
He studies me for a moment. “You’re a grown man, Brayden. I trust you know what you’re doing. You’ve never been one to make bad decisions.” He smiles. “For the first time in years, I feel like I have my son back. You just needed to find the right relationship to bring your heart some peace.”
I shoot Drew a relieved look. “Thanks, Dad. It means a lot to me. To us.”
Mom pulls away from Mia, stroking her fingers through her hair. “I, for one, am thrilled you have these lovely people as your partners. Having a houseful of you wonderful kids makes this old woman very happy.”
“Old?” Ashton scoffs. “Please, Molly. People like my mother pay thousands of dollars a year to look like you. You’re a young hottie. If we’re not careful, people are going to think you’re a part of our harem.”
Dad grumbles. “Don’t call it a harem. And don’t invite my wife to it.”
“We could always use another daddy in the group,” Ashton jokes, ribbing my dad. “There can never be enough daddies.”
Mia smacks him and then everyone is laughing again.
Fuck, it feels good.
It feels really, really good.
“Brayden!”
I stop texting Mia
to greet some guy from my English class named Eric. “What’s up, bro?”
His face is red and pinched. “Man, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone just sent me this. I don’t know why, maybe because I’m your friend, but I thought you’d want to see. I hope it was just me because it looks really bad.”
My blood runs cold as I stare at the video playing on his phone. It’s the night of the Halloween party. The four of us dancing. It’s hot and erotic. Touching and rubbing and grinding. Everything is fine until Drew lifts his mask up. His face is as clear as day. And then my stupid ass walks over to him, boldly planting a kiss on his lips before pulling his mask back into place.
No.
Fucking no.
My phone buzzes.
I blink out of my daze to see a text from an unknown number. I click on it and see the same fucking video Eric just showed me. Shit. Fuck. There’s no way only the two of us received the video.
Then my phone goes off again. This time it’s Finn, asking why I was kissing Coach.
Another text comes through from another teammate. Then another and another…
Shit.
It’s been sent to a lot more people than Eric.
“Thanks, man,” I choke out. “Just, uh, delete it, please.”
“No problem,” he says. “Good luck.”
I take off in a sprint, rushing to Drew’s office to talk to him. Earlier he’d said he was working on some stuff. While I’m making the trek across campus, my phone buzzes again.
Mia: I just got a video text. OMG!!! Where is Drew?
I type as I head toward the athletic building.
Me: If I had to guess, with Curtis.
Mia: Oh no.
Me: Where’s Ashton?
Mia: Swimming. He’s going to freak.
Me: I’ll find Drew. Get ahold of Ashton.
Mia: Everything’s going to be okay. Love you.
Me: Love you too.
I sure as fuck hope so.
I’m winded by the time I enter the locker room. I head straight for Drew’s office. His secretary greets me with a smile.
“May I help you?”
“Is, uh, Coach Thompson in there?”
“He is,” she says. “He’s in an unscheduled meeting with Dean Carter, but I don’t anticipate it being much longer.”
I pace the locker room for twenty minutes, ignoring more texts from friends and teammates about the video that was seemingly sent to everyfuckingone. Eventually, the office door opens and Drew steps out.
Crushed.
Heartbroken.
Shamed.
This is bad.
This is so fucking bad.
I step out of the office with Curtis trailing behind me and come face to face with an ashen-looking Brayden. Our eyes meet and I can see the myriad of emotions flashing through his features. Anger. Hurt. Pity. He’s seen the video. I imagine everyone on campus has at this point. It was the reason for Curtis’s and my emergency meeting. The reason I’ve made the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.
“Drew,” Curtis says, extending his hand. “I’m truly sorry it’s come to this. If you ever need anything…”
I nod, shaking his hand back. “Thank you, sir. I’m sorry too.” I can hear the wateriness in my voice, so I take a deep breath. I can’t let Brayden see me upset. I can’t let him know how badly my heart is breaking. If he does, he’ll use it against me.
Curtis nods toward Brayden then disappears, I’m sure to give us some privacy. Not wanting anyone to overhear our conversation, I motion for him to enter my office. I swallow thickly. Correction: Old office.
Fuck, I’m going to miss this office.
This team.
This school.
It was my last link to hockey.
But more than anything, I’m going to miss the three people who quickly dug beneath the surface of my chest and buried themselves into my heart.
“I’ll tell everyone it’s my fault,” Bray blurts out the second I close the door behind me. “I asked you to the party and then I kissed—”
“Stop.” I hold up my hand, unable to listen to his pleas. I need to end this quick. Rip it off like a Band-Aid. Otherwise, I’ll lose my resolve. And I can’t do that. Not if I want to protect the three most important people in my life. “It’s over with. I already handled it.”
Brayden sighs, misunderstanding my words. “Okay, good. So Ashton’s dad said he’d take care of it? That’s good. Yeah…”
“No.” I shake my head. “His hands were tied. I’m the coach, and the video not only showed you kissing me, but I was dancing with Mia, another student here. Even Ashton was in the video.”
Brayden’s jaw clenches. “What do you mean his hands were tied?”
“I had three options,” I tell him robotically. “Deny it and let them investigate, admit guilt and let them decide my fate, or… quit.” I scrub my palm down my scruff, remembering the disappointment that bled from Curtis when I admitted to him that I was intimate with all three of them. I could’ve lied, but I’m not ashamed of the love I found, and I wasn’t about to lie to the man who took a chance on me and gave me this job. He deserved to know the truth. At first he tried to blame Ashton, but I made it clear his son was not to blame. I also told him Ashton is one of the best people I’ve ever met and if he’s smart he’ll try to get to know the man his son is instead of trying to mold him into something he’ll never be.
“What did you decide?” Brayden asks slowly.
“I chose to quit.”
“The fuck?” Bray hisses. “We can fight this. Explain we were friends before any of this happened…”
“And drag you through the mud? Fuck that. This is a small school, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and most likely, that video won’t leave here, but if I fight this, there’s a chance it can spread, and I will not let it fuck up your career before it even begins.”
“My career?” Brayden spits. “Fuck my career! If you’re not coaching, I’m not playing!”
“Yes, you are.” I step toward him, needing to be close to him one last time. “You worked too damn hard to let a scandal ruin your shot at playing in the NHL. I already had my opportunity and…” I choke up, the tears in my eyes burning behind my lids. “I will not let this shit follow you. Owners don’t like drama, and we both know if you keep playing the way you are, you’re a shoe-in as a first round draft pick.”
“Fuck this!” he barks, swiping his hand across the papers on my desk. They go flying in the air and scatter everywhere. I want to pull him in for a hug and kiss him, tell him we’ll figure this out. But I can’t do that because there’s nothing to figure out. I’m the coach and I’ve had sex with three students, one of which is my player. The public won’t care that I’m their same age, or that I’m in love with them. They’ll see it as a scandal and come after all of us.
“Why are you doing this?” He gets in my face. “You ran when we were younger. Then, for whatever bullshit reason, you quit the NHL, and now you’re just going to quit coaching here without even putting up a fight.”
I open my mouth to argue, but he continues. “And don’t you dare say you’re doing it for me! You always, always take the easy way out. Shit got hard with us and you bailed! Shit went down in the NHL and you bailed! And now, shit gets a little tough, and surprise, fucking surprise, you bail.”
“I’m doing it for all three of you,” I tell him calmly, needing him to understand, while on the inside, I’m about one step away from losing my shit. “Mia’s dream is to one day write screenplays in Hollywood, and Ashton wants to become a doctor. And you… You’ve worked your entire life to one day be able to play in the NHL.” This shit will follow them everywhere they go and I can’t let that happen. I’m in a position where I can protect them and that’s what I’m going to do.
“And what about you?” he hisses.
“Bray.” I frame his face with my palms, hoping it will calm him down. I don’t want the last time I see him, for God
knows how long, to be like this. “I love you for caring about me, but I always knew my time with hockey was limited.” I flinch, realizing what I just admitted, and quickly continue. “I chose to leave the NHL, and coming to coach here was the only way to have a piece of hockey with me, while getting to be close to you.”
Brayden’s face softens. “So, what happens now? Maybe… maybe you can get a job coaching somewhere else.”
Knowing what I say next is going to destroy us both, I lean in and press my mouth to his. I take a moment to try and memorize everything about the kiss, hoping when I’m alone, I’ll be able to close my eyes and remember how he felt—strong yet soft lips, how he tasted—like peppermint and something uniquely Brayden, how he smelled—like pine trees and snow. My heart sinks, remembering Christmas is right around the corner. It would’ve been our first one together, and now I won’t be there with them.
“Drew,” he says, forcing me from my thoughts. “What happens now?”
“Now, I leave,” I tell him. His eyes widen in disbelief. “You have four months left of your hockey season and a semester left of college, and then soon after, you’ll be drafted. I can’t stay here, on campus, muddying up your reputation. As long as I’m here, people will talk, and if you have any chance of entering the draft without this hanging over you, I have to stay out of the equation.”
“No.” He jerks his head out of my hands. “No. You’re not leaving. Ashton’s apartment isn’t technically on campus…”
“It’s not, but this is a small school in a small town. It’s best I leave so people can find the next scandal to gossip about. If I stay, they’ll put the pieces together, that we’re all together. It’s bad enough you’re publicly dating Ashton and Mia. We can’t risk adding your coach, a former NHL player, to the mix.”
“No,” he says again. “No. You’re not leaving.”