CW Boys- The Complete Series Box Set

by C. Shell

  Dex lets out a fluid monologue of curses. His eyes darken as they snap to mine, a million questions are swirling in their depths. “What the fuck happened?" he seethes. “I’ve never seen you this upset, and it’s pissing me off. Did that motherfucker hurt you?”

  My mouth hangs ajar. I scurry to find the right words to explain my actions. My driveway is up next, and I’m desperate to keep Nate turning from in

  “No, he didn’t lay a hand on me.” My voice is steady, unlike my shaky hands. I clasp them on my lap to keep them still. “We fought earlier, and he said things that upset me. Things I wasn’t expecting. My dad is a gigantic dick and a pompous ass, but he’s no monster.”

  Nate gives me one hard glance, then to my relief, he presses down on the accelerator and zooms past my house. My body deflates like a balloon as my mom’s little cottage style home with the sweeping front porch, and a manicured lawn is left in our dust. I collapse back into the seat and mutter a heartfelt, “Thank you,” as I lay my head against his arm. I can feel Dex’s eyes staring me down, trying to dig under my skin and learn all my hidden secrets. He wants answers. Out of instinct, I reach across the seat and grab his hand. Our fingers intertwine, and for the first time tonight I feel at peace. With Nate on one side and Dex on the other, I know that everything will be okay.

  ***

  “Stop stealing all of the popcorn,” Dex growls. I duck and roll as he lunges for me, but my damn foot has fallen asleep, making my escape impossible. I aim for the lounge chair beside me and miss my mark by a few inches, landing on the floor with a hard thump. My backside pulses with the hit, but I manage to keep the popcorn bowl safely cocooned within my arms, so not all is lost.

  Despite my pain, I smile. Keeping my stash of food safely away from Dex is worth a bruise or two. I swear his stomach is a bottomless pit. How he stays fit and toned, no matter how much he shoves into it, is a mystery I’ve never could crack. He definitely won the genetic lottery because nobody is that lucky.

  “You two are worse than children,” Nate says with a laugh.

  I rub at my sore behind. Nate catches my motion and raises a brow in question. I roll my eyes and give him a sly smile. “My ass hurts. Want to kiss it and make it all better?”

  Both guys bark out a laugh. “I think you would enjoy it too much, Princess. I know I would,” Nate replies, his voice a low rumble.

  His flirty words send my stomach on a roller coaster. The sensation is a bit scary and unpredictable, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I take a moment to remind myself that his flirting doesn’t hold any weight. He’s just messing with me like he did when I was younger. Dex and Nate have always gotten a kick out of making me blush.

  To be honest, I’ve secretly crushed on both boys since junior high. It’s wrong for so many reasons, but I’m a hot-blooded teenager with hormones just like every other girl at my school. Not to mention, the guys are smoking hot which only adds fuel to the fire. A fire that keeps growing the older we get. They don’t see me in the same light. How could they when each of them has more girls warming their beds than a severe case of the bed bugs?

  Despite my better judgment, I steal a glance at Nate’s face and observe him from beneath my lashes. I’m surprised to find a mischievous twinkle in his eye. What it means, I have no idea. I like to pretend that he might see me as something other than just his best friend’s sister, but knowing my luck, he’s probably dreaming of his next big game or some unusual sex position his latest girl toy learned.

  Nate and Dex are out of my league. With the crude things they’ve done in front of me, I shouldn’t be thinking about them the way I do. Damn if I’m not immune to their charms. Any girl with a working libido would easily fall for either of the guys. Hell, they already do. Nate and Dex are stinking gorgeous. Unlike the girls at our school who only see them as the bad boys they portray, I’ve had the chance to witness their sweet side, something only a handful of people are privy to.

  After the guys bypass my home, we end up at Nate’s house. With his parents sound asleep upstairs, we retire to the basement. Nate’s basement isn’t the creepy kind you see in horror movies with cobwebs hanging in the corners and giant rats housed under the stairs. His parents redesigned the space into a modern theater and lounge area when Nate began high school. With its own private entry from the outside, a spacious bathroom, two sizeable fold-out leather couches that turn into a double bed, and a small kitchenette, you could practically live down here. The space is a step-up from my bedroom.

  I alert my brother to my whereabouts the moment we arrive while the guys make a king-sized pallet on the floor. Armed with two buckets of buttery popcorn and a variety of sodas, we snuggle into the blankets and begin the first of many old action flicks.

  Nate gives me a hard nudge in the side and points to my behind. “Your ass is vibrating.”

  I roll my eyes at his stupid remark and reach for my phone. Seeing Daniel’s name blinking back at me along with a goofy picture I snapped when he fell asleep during class one day, makes my lips curve into a smile. Without a second thought, I thumb the bar on the screen and read his text.

  Daniel: Are you okay? You acted troubled earlier.

  Out of all the guys at school, Daniel is by far the most thoughtful. He defies the whole stigma about jocks being nothing but oversized kids with too many muscles and an extra dose of testosterone. My fingers fly across the screen as I text him back.

  Me: I’m good. You didn’t need to check up on me, but I appreciate the thought.

  Daniel: If you need to talk about anything, I’m your man. No judgment here.

  Me: Not in the mood to rehash it. I was dealing with a lot of stupid family stuff that got the best of me.

  Daniel: How about some company? I can come over or better yet, I’ll pick you up, and we can grab a bite to eat. Food always cures the soul. At least, that’s what my mom says.

  “Who the hell are you texting?” Dex barks, his voice startling me to the point that I almost drop my phone.

  The frown lines around his mouth deepen as he leans my way in an attempt to peer over my shoulder. I hate how nosy he can be. I smash the phone to my chest and give him the evil eye. Using my feet, I press them to his firm thighs and do my best to push him away. My effort is in vain.

  “It’s only Daniel. He saw me leave in a hurry from the party and was worried about me.” I stick my tongue out at Dex and scoot to the other side of the blanket. “Stop being such a meddler. I’ll be done in a minute.”

  I can feel the weight of his gaze as he watches me with the patience of a spoiled child awaiting their turn. “I don’t trust Daniel and neither should you. You might be book smart, but you lack any street smarts if you can’t see through his bullshit.” There's a challenge hidden in his tone that taints my vision red. I flip him the middle finger, but it fails to shut him up. He leans in closer as he speaks. “The only thing he’s worried about is the fact that you left the party with Nate and me. The prick has been trying for years to get in your pants.”

  I dismiss Dex’s words the moment he spits them out. “Daniel and I are just friends. We’ve never come close to crossing that line. He’s not a slut monkey like you.” My curt reply is meant to put him in his place, except it only seems to rile him up further. His muscular frame ripples with restrained fury.

  I return to playing with my phone and do my best to ignore the daggers Dex shoots my way. His pissy attitude confuses me and leaves me feeling antsy. Is he jealous of my friendship with Daniel or could it possibly be more? More of what, is the question that haunts me.

  Breathe. The soundless command soothes me.

  Me: Not tonight. Hanging out at Nate’s for a while before going home. Maybe we can do something tomorrow. Thanks for always being a good friend.

  When finished, I store my phone back in my pocket and give the guys my full attention. “So, what do you two rebels want to do next?” I waggle my eyebrows for effect. “We could toilet paper someone’s house, play a drinking ga
me, or an exciting game of poker?” I throw up my hand and cut Nate off before he can speak. “Regular poker. Not the strip version.”

  Dex ignores me and brings up the one topic I’ve danced around all night. “As much as I love us crashing at Nate’s and having you all to ourselves, you owe us some answers, Jelly Bean. What happened tonight that sent you into a tailspin?”

  I idly twirl a piece of my hair around my finger. It's a nervous habit that, no matter how hard I try to break, keeps coming back like a bad penny. It’s now or never. With a heavy sigh, I tell them about my dinner date with dear old pops.

  “My dad will never be in the running for father of the year. I should’ve known something was up when he blew into town after so many years happily living without us. He took me to one of my favorite restaurants. I was so excited, I mistook his shaking hands and small appetite for happy nerves, not the kind that would come back and smack me in the face. After an hour of small talk and stuffing me full of lasagna and cannolis, he dropped a little bomb on me.” I blink back stupid tears and mentally brace myself for the wrath I expect to come.

  “Continue.” Nate’s stern voice urges me on.

  My fingers twirl faster. If I don’t get this story over soon, my soft waves will be condensed to one large ringlet. I’ll look like Goldilocks surrounded by bears. Two formidable, sexy, dangerous bears.

  “My dad came armed with an agenda. He and Cindy are trying for a child.” I fight to swallow the fat lump that’s lodged in my throat. “Cindy’s still young, and according to my dad, her biological clock is ticking. She’s waited a long time for my dad to put a ring on her finger and make an honest woman out of her.” My shoulder lifts in a shrug. “She’s a whole whopping eight years younger than he is, so I should’ve expected as much.”

  Dex interrupts me with a firm hand on my shoulder. “So, you ran out on dinner and got drunk because of a man that you have little to do with tells you that he’s going to make you a big sister?” I don’t miss the disbelief in his voice. I’m not a moron, I understand that I messed up. Drinking my problems away wasn’t my brightest idea, but he of all people has no right to play judge and jury over my actions.

  “Stop being a dipshit and let me finish.” I inhale sharply, surprised at the amount of anger in my tone. My head bows as the tears I’ve been holding back break loose and run freely down my face. “I took off after he propositioned for Jimmie and me to come live with him after Christmas break. He’s already talked to mom about it. Thankfully, she said it was up to us.”

  “Why the hell would he ask that of you? He’s never had a qualm about being an absentee father before now, so what’s changed?”

  “It’s all about Cindy. She’s always wanted a big family and thinks it would be good for us to get better acquainted, especially if she ends up popping out a kid. The idea of switching schools and moving to Texas to live with them freaks me out. Without thinking it through, I hauled ass out of there.”

  Nate’s face darkens to a deep red while Dex’s loses all color. I sniffle loudly as my tears continue to fall, making my vision blur. I seriously hate to cry. Panic mounts in my chest until it feels like I might explode. I’m a complete and utter mess.

  Dex moves in, scoops me up, and sits me on his lap. Dazed, I look up at him through strands of my hair and try to make out the emotion etched on his handsome face. It’s one I’ve never seen before, and that piques my curiosity.

  “You’re not leaving us. Neither is Jimmie.” His blunt voice holds a conviction that makes me want to believe him. If only it were that easy. He grabs one of the blankets on the floor and wipes at the wetness coating my face. “That man may be your biological father, but he lost the right to act as your parental figure years ago. Where was he when you fell out of the swing in sixth grade and twisted your ankle? He wasn’t the one who carried you to the nurse and held your hand while she wrapped it up.” He stabs a finger to his chest. “We did that. Not him.”

  I nod my head as I snort out a chuckle. “You three took turns carrying my books and helping me to my classes until it healed. I’ve never had so many girls ready to rip me to shreds as I did back then.” I rest a shaky hand on his chest as I cuddle in closer to his chest. His body heat seeps into my clothes and warms me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

  “Where was he when you won best freestyle swimmer two summers ago at the YMCA? Or when you drove off the road trying not to hit a squirrel that was crossing it and crashed Jimmie’s car?” I shift on his lap, and our eyes meet. The intensity in them should scare me. It doesn’t. On the contrary, I find myself strangely intrigued. Pinching my chin tightly between his fingers, he holds me captive as he speaks. “That man is nothing but a sperm donor. He doesn’t deserve the chance to get to know you. We are your family, Jelly Bean. We are the ones who take care of you. Always have and always will.”

  Hearing Nate’s deep voice, I turn to find his intense green eyes trained on me. “You’re only seventeen. If you turn down his offer, do you think he will try to force the decision on you?”

  I was never one of those girls who yearned to grow up too fast. My age has never seemed more like a ball and chain as it does now. Seconds pass before I answer. I want to protest, to tell him that I would never leave them, but the words die on my tongue. Instead, I settle for, “God, I hope not.”

  Nate frowns. His gaze shifts to Dex and something passes between them. Silence reigns heavily in the room. With a chin nod from them both, a decision has been made. I’ve always been envious of the way the two of them can communicate without ever uttering a single word. I swear Dex and Nate should be the twins in the group because they have a far closer bond with each other than Jimmie and I.

  My tears have finally tethered off. The combined efforts from the stress weighing me down to the substantial amount of food I consumed earlier has made me tired. By some miracle, I’ve managed to keep my eyes from drooping shut.

  I cover my mouth to stifle a yawn. “Jimmie and I spoke about it briefly by the bonfire. Unlike me, he’s curious to learn more about our father. Despite our difference of opinion, we both agree that leaving mom by herself, after all she’s sacrificed for us, isn’t right. I would never choose him over her.”

  Nate shrugs, but there is nothing casual about the motion. “When do you plan on telling your father that you’re staying?” The harshness in his tone doesn’t sit well with me. The angry response I was about to unleash on his ass fell away as he dropped down next to me and began rubbing out the tension in my shoulders.

  I groan and close my eyes with a sigh. “As soon as I see him again. I should do it now, and I would if I wasn’t so tired. Sleep first, then I’ll face him tomorrow and put all this talk of moving behind us. I won’t let him separate us. I promise.”

  Chapter Seven

  Nate

  The moment she told me her deadbeat father is trying to whisk her away to Texas, I had a gut-wrenching urge to grab her from Dex and never let her go. My mind is spinning with all the places we could hide her. My throat feels tight as I swallow. Losing Addison would be the equivalent of slitting our wrists and leaving us to die a slow painful death.

  Addy Bear is special. Every time she stomped her foot or demanded to be heard, she inadvertently crept further under our skin, until one day she didn’t just have our hearts, she fucking owned them. She would fight us tooth and nail over the smallest things, and instead of being put out, we loved her for it. She never stood a chance against us. From day one, her fate to be with us was sealed.

  Addison watches me. Her expression is wretched as she curls further into Dex’s embrace. God, she’s so damn beautiful. I dig my nails into my palms to keep from reaching out to touch her. Call me a selfish dick, but there’s no way I’ll ever let her go. One look at Dex’s face and I know we’re in agreement on this.

  Having her sprawled out in my home enjoying herself is something I’ll never get enough of, so when she asked to stay over my answer was an instantaneous, “Of c
ourse.” I lent her a pair of my boxers and a t-shirt for her to change into knowing she would never be comfortable sleeping in her tight jeans. While she’s spending time doing whatever in God’s name girls do in a bathroom, Dex and I place new sheets on the pullout bed from under the couch.

  Dex casually checks his phone for the umpteenth time. I grit my teeth in annoyance as I address him. “Addy might have been too out of it notice your phone vibrating all night, but I wasn’t. What the hell is going on?” With an angry grunt, I throw some more pillows on the makeshift bed.

  Dex arches an eyebrow then types something into his phone. “Lacey saw me leave with Addison. She’s pissed and is raising hell that I left her high and dry. The girl was in the mood to fuck and is blaming Addy for ruining her fun.”

  “Jesus,” I growl out, clenching my hands to keep from slapping him upside the head, “you better fix this shit and fast. Lacey is a mean bitch when threatened, and if she turns on Addy, then we’ve got big problems.”

  Dex takes a seat on the newly made bed and looks at me through annoyed, pale, blue eyes. “I don’t need you preaching to me. I’m tired, horny, and itching to rip Addison’s father a new asshole.” Running a hand down his face, he exhales a harsh breath of air. “I promise to reign in Lacey. She won’t lay one damn finger on Jelly Bean. Consider it handled.”

  I fist my hand under my arms and nod my acceptance. “Why can’t you wet your dick with regular girls instead of the crazy ones with daddy issues?”

  He snickers. I can’t help but join in. Shrugging his shoulders, he stands and moves to take his drink from the side table. A smile teases his lips. “What can I say? Good pussy is hard to find. Lacey might be aggravating, but she has one hell of a talented mouth. I swear the girl has no gag reflex.”