Bound Together: a New Adult Reverse Harem Romance (Torn and Bound Duet Book 2)

by K Webster

  “Yes, I am.” I step away from him. “And I’m leaving today. While in my meeting with Curtis, I got a flight scheduled for a couple hours from now.” I didn’t plan to see any of them before I left. I had hoped to grab my stuff from the apartment and leave before they could get to me and try to convince me to stay. I know it sounds selfish as fuck, but I couldn’t chance the three of them cornering me, just like Brayden’s doing now.

  Brayden’s features morph into anger. “Are you fucking serious right now? Just like that? You were going to pack up and leave without saying a word to any of us! We were supposed to be in this together,” he spits. “I come out of class and find out about the video and meanwhile you’re already planning your getaway.” His palm hits the center of my chest and I stumble back. “Fuck this and fuck you!” he roars. “We were never in this together.”

  He stalks out of the office, slamming the door behind him, and I take several breaths, trying to calm my breathing. I know what I’m doing is the right thing, and one day Brayden, Ashton, and Mia will understand that, but right now, it fucking hurts.

  In the time Curtis learned of the video from the person who brought it to his attention, to his meeting with me, it had been sent to virtually everyone. Curtis assured me he would do everything in his power to work with the IT department to get the video shut down and to find out who’s responsible for spreading it. In return, I told him I would walk away, so the school isn’t caught up in a scandal. I don’t give a fuck about the school, but I do care about Brayden, and if the NHL thinks he’s a risk before he gets drafted, they will blacklist his ass so fast, and I won’t let that happen to him. He deserves to get drafted, to play in the NHL. He deserves to know how amazing it is to play your heart out in front of thousands of hockey fans and to win a ring. To have people wearing your number and asking for autographs. And I won’t be the reason he loses it all before he gets it.

  Maybe one day, when the dust clears, we can somehow try to make this work… Fuck! I can’t think about this right now. I need to get my shit and leave. I need to protect them. That’s my priority.

  I grab the couple items of mine from the office and leave the key on the desk, then head home. Fuck, home. Soon it won’t be my home anymore. I’ll be back to being on my own. The thought makes my heart clench in my chest. Those few years on the road, I missed having a real home. Growing up, my dad was always gone, but Brayden’s family welcomed me into their home, and after my dad passed away, my grandma did the best she could, providing me with a place to lay my head. But nothing felt as much like a home as the apartment I share with Ashton, Mia, and Brayden—might as well say he lives there since most of his shit is in my room and he hasn’t slept in the dorms since we got together.

  Body numb, I make the quick walk to the apartment so I can pack my shit. I didn’t come here with much, since I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay, so there isn’t much to pack. When I get home, the apartment is thankfully empty. Brayden’s right, I’m taking the coward’s way out by running, but it’s the only way.

  I stalk through the living room, trying not to focus on the little things, like the plates in the sink from breakfast this morning, where Ashton made us all pancakes and then proceeded to lick the syrup off our bodies. My dick—and heart—swells at the memory. I’ll never be able to look at syrup the same way again.

  I step into my room and glance around, my stomach bottoming out when I notice all of Brayden’s stuff mixed in with mine. His Ice Hawk’s hoodie hanging over my desk chair. His beanies tossed haphazardly on the bedside table and dresser. His schoolbooks splayed out across my desk.

  I get choked up as I remember the way he lay across my bed last night studying with Mia for their finals while I worked on plays for our upcoming game. My eyes go to the floor where Ashton’s Xbox rests. Since I have the desk and told them I needed to work, they all piled in here. I only got a little bit of work done before they lured me to bed and we made love.

  Raw emotion claws at my throat, knowing there’s a chance I may never lie in bed with them again. If I had known this morning would be the last time the four of us would be together, I would’ve kissed them harder, held them tighter. I would’ve made sure to tell them how much I love them.

  I grab my duffle bag and make quick work of stuffing my clothes inside. Adrenaline is coursing through my veins, making it hard to breathe. Every second in here with my memories is making me weak. I throw my toiletries inside and figure anything else I might need I can buy once I get to where I’m going.

  Hopefully this is just temporary…

  As I’m zipping up my bag, my breathing becomes labored. I take several gulps of air, but I can’t catch my breath. Fuck, my heart hurts.

  I reach for my phone to try to call… someone.

  “Drew!” Ashton barks, the door slamming closed. “I know you’re here and Brayden told me the shit you’re trying to pull.” He steps into view as my vision goes blurry. “Sorry, man, but we’re not letting you… Drew.” He eyes me with concern. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “My…” I stumble forward, dropping my phone. “I can’t…” I gasp for air. “My heart.”

  Twenty Minutes Ago

  Pointing. Laughing. Pitying looks. Whispering.

  I reach the end of the pool, launch myself out of the water, and stalk over to Travis, who sits on the bleachers wearing a shit-eating grin.

  “What the fuck did you do?” I growl, flinging off my goggles and yanking off my swim cap.

  He sneers at me. “When you point at someone, you have four fingers pointing back.”

  “Three, you fucking moron,” I growl.

  “It’s a figure of speech, not literally—”

  “I don’t give a fuck. Tell me what you did.”

  He smirks, shrugging. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  As some kid passes, I grab his phone out of his hand. Just like I suspected. The video that was sent to me has now apparently been sent everywhere based on the looks I’m getting.

  I toss the phone back at the kid. “Delete that shit.”

  “Sure, man,” he grumbles.

  Swiveling around, my hands fisted, I snarl at Travis. But he’s gone. Took off like a fucking pussy. I’m going to destroy him. I stalk over to my bag and throw my hoodie and sweats on over my soaked body. By the time I locate my phone, I have a million missed texts and calls from Mia, Brayden, and Dad.

  Nothing from Drew.

  Fuck.

  Travis, that little bitch, is going down.

  I throw on my shoes and stuff everything in my bag. Once I’ve slung it over my shoulder, I hurry out of the building toward my car. I dial back Brayden, who answers on the first ring.

  “What happened?” I grind out.

  I know what happened.

  Travis threw us all under the fucking bus and now Drew is going to be the one who gets in trouble.

  “Drew…” His voice cracks. “He’s leaving.”

  Over my dead body.

  “Drew’s not going anywhere,” I growl. “Let me fix this. I’ll talk to Dad—”

  “He quit, Ash. He’s leaving. Flying the fuck out of here. Away from this—away from us.”

  My stomach hollows out at his words. He can’t bail. We’ll figure it all out. Drew just needs to give me a goddamn minute to sort it out.

  “I’ll call you back,” I tell him. “I’ll fix this.”

  “I don’t think you can.”

  We hang up and I dial Dad.

  “Hello?” Dad answers, his voice tight.

  “How could you?” I spit out.

  “It’s beyond my control, Son. That video has my employee kissing his player and dancing with his hands all over another student. The four of you…” He huffs and then rushes his words out, as though he’s mortified to have to even say them. “Everyone knows the four of you are together. It’s unethical for Drew to be in a relationship with one student, much less three. It’ll cause a huge storm if I don’t d
o my part.”

  I knew, eventually, he would figure it out, and now he has proof. But, rather than being cool as shit like Tim and Molly, Dad is the king of morality and hell-bent on doing the right thing. In this case, running Drew off.

  “You didn’t even try,” I accuse. “You fired him because you’re embarrassed!”

  “I didn’t fire him. He quit. I didn’t do this for me, Ashton. It’s for the best it’s come out, though. He’s a coach and—”

  “You can’t handle the fact that we’re all together!” I belt out. “Admit that’s what this is about. Now that people know your own goddamn son is in a relationship with three people, it’ll destroy your reputation. Admit it, Dad, you were just waiting for something like this to happen so you could shut it down.”

  Dad sighs. “I honestly don’t know what you expected from me. Do I condone the fact you’re sleeping with three people? No. If it were three students, though, I wouldn’t get involved. This is between me and my employee. I’m the dean, for crying out loud. I can’t let this go, especially since the video was sent to everyone. All I can do is damage control, and Drew leaving his position is a step in the right direction.”

  I throw my bag into my car and climb in, trying not to mow down anyone in my haste to get home.

  “We can’t lose him, Dad,” I rumble, my fear bleeding into my anger. “Brayden says he’s leaving.”

  “I’m sorry,” Dad states. “Maybe it’s for the best.”

  Fire burns hot inside me. “And Travis gets off without a smack on the hand? Dad, you know he did this. The weed. The bleach in my water bottle. The threats. The slashed tires. He hates me and wants to fuck up my world. You can’t do shit about him?”

  “Bleach? Slashed tires? What are you talking about?”

  “He’s a monster trying to destroy my life!” I bellow, slamming my hand on the steering wheel. “And you let him. Because your job is more fucking important than your own goddamn son. But that’s how it’s always been for you, huh? Doing grand gestures to show the community what a fine, upstanding citizen you are, at the stake of your family.”

  “Ashton—”

  “If you don’t deal with him, I will,” I warn. “I’m tired of letting him get away with all this shit. He crossed the line sending that video to everyone, because now he’s beyond hurting me. He’s hurting them too.”

  “Ashton, I don’t know about the other stuff with Travis, but I’ll look into it. But the video?” He sighs heavily. “He didn’t send it to me.”

  I pull into a parking space in front of my building, snag my bag, and climb out of my car. “Of course he did.”

  “It was brought to my attention by another… concerned student.”

  “Who the hell is concerned about my goddamn love life?” I snap, flinging open the door to the building. “This is such bullshit and you know it!”

  “Sasha. You know her dad is—”

  “What?” I bark out.

  “She only showed me the video. I doubt she was the one to spread it. If you’re worried about Travis being the culprit, I’ll have the IT department investigate him first. Just come by my office and we’ll discuss this like adults.”

  I take the stairs two at a time. “Sorry, Dad, but I have to take a raincheck. I need to go convince my boyfriend he can’t fucking leave us or our hearts are going to break. Great talk.”

  “Ashton—”

  I mash the end button and then push inside my apartment. “Drew!” I yell, slamming the door closed behind me and dropping my bag to the floor. “I know you’re here and Brayden told me the shit you’re trying to pull.”

  I stride into his bedroom and find him at the counter in his bathroom, a bag in one hand and his phone in the other.

  Pale.

  So fucking pale.

  “Sorry, man, but we’re not letting you…” I trail off when his knees buckle, alarm surging through me. “Drew. What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “My…” He stumbles, his phone slipping to the tile with a loud clatter. “I can’t…” He gasps. “My heart.”

  I rush him as he clutches his chest, his body seizing. I grab onto him as he falls, landing hard on my ass, the big guy crushing me beneath him. Rolling him over to his back, I quickly realize something’s wrong. Really fucking wrong.

  His lips are bluish in color.

  I don’t think he’s breathing.

  “Drew, babe, you can’t do this. What the fuck is happening?” I choke out, panicking. “Wake up, man. Wake the fuck up.” I dial 911 and put it on speaker when they answer. “My b-boyfriend isn’t b-breathing. Holy fuck. Holy fuck.”

  “Calm down,” the operator says. “What is the address of your location?”

  I rattle it off, my eyes never leaving Drew.

  “Do you know how to perform CPR?” the operator asks next.

  “Y-Yes,” I stammer, my training kicking in from all the years of swimming.

  “Good, we have a responder on the way. They’re only a couple of minutes out. Stay calm and listen to what I need for you to do.”

  As the woman walks me through the steps I’m rusty on, I begin chest compressions. My heart is in my chest as tears blur my eyes.

  Check pulse.

  Tilt his head back.

  Pinch his nose.

  Breathe air into his lungs.

  Chest compressions.

  Repeat.

  I go through the steps over and over, growing sicker and sicker to my stomach the bluer his skin turns. I’m choking on a sob when the operator tells me they’re entering the apartment. Two EMTs rush into the bathroom, ushering me out of the way and taking over.

  “He’s in cardiac arrest,” one of the EMTs says.

  They pull out the defibrillator and cut his shirt open. All I can do is watch as they press the paddles to his chest, ready to try and jump-start his heart.

  “Clear.”

  His body jolts as they shoot the voltage into him. The machine doesn’t beep and continues to show no heart activity.

  No.

  This can’t fucking happen.

  I’m frozen in fear, unable to do anything but pray like fuck he’ll start breathing again.

  “Clear.”

  He jolts again as they hit him with the defibrillator once more.

  Nothing.

  “Come on, Drew,” I beg. “Please.”

  “Clear.”

  Beep.

  The professionals are moving with trained ease, working their hardest to get Drew’s heart to pump again. All I can do is watch, fucking useless to help.

  “Clear.”

  Beep. Beep.

  My heart is galloping enough for the both of us. If only it were that easy.

  “Clear.”

  “We’ve got a pulse,” one of the men says, reading the machine. Then, to confirm, the other EMT checks his carotid.

  “Low, but there,” the other guy confirms.

  I sob in relief, finally allowing myself to breathe.

  “He’s stable,” one of them says. “Let’s get him into the ambulance.”

  While they strap him down to the gurney, I gape at how horrible he looks. The mask they’ve attached to his face pumps air into his chest. His skin is still tinged blue and he’s not moving or speaking, but he’s getting oxygen and his heart is beating, even if only barely.

  I rush after them, my entire body trembling. People peek their heads out of their doors in the hallway, checking to see what the commotion is about. I realize I don’t have my phone or anything. I’m certainly not turning back for it. We make it outside, and as they load him into the ambulance, Dad shows up.

  “What’s going on?” he asks, clutching my shoulder. “I came to talk to you and… is that Drew?”

  Nodding, I swipe at the tears that won’t quit fucking falling. “I lost my phone. Mia… Brayden.”

  He hugs me. “Go with him. I’ll find them.”

  The EMT allows me to climb inside with Drew while the other one drives. I clutc
h onto Drew’s cool hand, silently begging for him to be okay.

  He has to be okay.

  We can’t lose him.

  We just can’t.

  My hands won’t quit fucking shaking. I don’t know what time it is or how much time has passed since we arrived at the hospital. Not long since no one has gotten here yet. Dad is the first to show, a worried frown on his face. I hate how much I need him right now. He walks right up to me and pulls me to his chest.

  I’m so pissed at him.

  And yet… I sob against his shoulder.

  “He can’t die, Dad. He can’t.”

  “He’s not going to die,” he promises, though he doesn’t sound certain. “He’ll pull through.”

  I cling to my father because I need his strength. I’m unravelling so fast, I don’t know which way is up. A few minutes later, two of my favorite people rush us.

  “What happened?” Brayden growls. “Is he okay?”

  I step away from Dad to pull Mia to me. She’s crying and it’s then I realize Brayden’s lashes are wet too. Swiping at my eye with my palm, I let out a ragged sigh.

  “He, uh, he was standing in his bathroom packing his bag it looked like. He was just so pale. Clutched his chest and mentioned his heart. I thought he meant his heart was hurt from having to leave us at first, but he fucking meant literally.” I squeeze my eyes shut, more hot tears rolling out. “I, uh…”

  Brayden hugs the both of us, leaning his forehead against mine. “What, Ash?”

  “I was so f-fucking scared. I didn’t know what to do. I c-called nine-one-one. They told me to do CPR.” My body trembles with a sob. “They… The paramedics took over and… fuck.”

  “What?” Mia whimpers.

  “He, uh, he didn’t have a pulse. C-Cardiac arrest they said. He was so fucking blue.” Brayden squeezes me, urging me to continue. “They used the defib and it took like five shocks before they got his pulse going again. That’s all I know.”

  We cling to each other, crying for what seems like forever, all of us worried as hell. Then, we hear voices speaking with Dad. A sob. And then Molly is hugging us.

  “It’s okay, kids,” she coos. “Everything’s going to be okay. Our Andrew is a fighter.”