CW Boys- The Complete Series Box Set

by C. Shell

  I lean back against the tile with a languid smile on my face. I needed that release more than I care to admit. All the stress and sexual tension in the air has been messing with my mind. Dex’s footsteps thud against the floor as he stalks in front of me. Bracing his hands on each side of the stall, he leans forward and stares at me through the glass. The intensity in his gaze makes my pulse pick-up to a steady rhythm.

  “I’m dying to be inside you again, but I won’t touch you until after our task here is done, and we’re back in Florida where you, me, and Nate can have a discussion on what’s going on.”

  A shudder rolls over my body. I’m not against the idea of having both Nate and Dex’s mouth on me again, but I am shocked that Dex would want that. Or Nate for that matter. Being with them both is a filthy thought, but I can’t deny that every time I think about it, my thighs become slick with arousal.

  I step away from the wall mimicking his stance against the shower door. “Are you saying that you want something to happen between the three of us?”

  “Seeing you sandwiched between us that day at Nate’s was fucking hot. I wasn’t jealous. In fact, I got off on watching him touch you. I can’t remember ever being that hard before.”

  His answer surprises me. I have a million questions running through my head. If this is something he wants to do as a one-time crazy experiment or is he talking about something more permanent? Dex is the only guy I’ve been with, and I might like to walk on the wild side, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with giving it up just for fun. Call me old-fashioned, but to me, sex is personal and intimate, and I won’t do it unless it means something.

  Dex must read the uncertainty on my face because he is quick to reassure me. “Nothing will be decided until we all talk it over. I love you more than anything, and I will take you any way I can get you. I can’t speak for Nate but I’m pretty sure he feels the same. Your happiness is the top priority. What we do or don’t do is up to you. You’re in control, not us.”

  With those parting words, Dex leaves me. I start to contemplate my options but soon push it all to the back of my mind. We have more pressing matters to deal with right now. My love life isn’t as important as Jimmy’s welfare and with that thought riding my actions, I exit the bathroom, so I can get ready for Cindy’s dinner party.

  Chapter Twenty

  The boys are already seated around a ridiculously large, mahogany table when I arrive upstairs. I scan the room taking in the expensive chandelier, gold sconces, gilded mirrors, tacky shimmery wallpaper, and fine china with disdain. It’s showy and over the top in every way.

  “Hey there gorgeous,” Nate says, drawing my attention his way, “I saved you a seat.”

  I take in the full table of strangers talking amongst themselves. Not one of them seems concerned about who I am or what I’m about, which strikes me as odd.

  “About time you arrived,” Dad says, startling me from my perusal. Turning around, I give him a timid smile.

  “Nice to see you too, Dad.” I glance down at my watch and smirk. “I thought you would be happy. I made it on time with two minutes to spare.”

  Cindy poked her head out of the kitchen interrupting my father’s response. “Oh, good. Everyone’s here. Dinner is about to be served so ya’ll go ahead and take a seat.”

  I blink. Then I blink again. Facetime aside, I haven’t seen Cindy since we moved away when I just a little girl. You would think she could spare a minute to say hello or how are you doing, but I guess the hospitality fairy skipped her ass.

  I move along the wall of gaudy travel photos and slip into my seat next to Nate with Dex and my brother, directly across from us. Dad, of course, being the King he thinks he is, takes the spot at the head of the table. Talk about cliché.

  Taking one of the folded napkins off the plate, I lay it on my lap and wait for the fireworks to begin. “What are you smiling about?” Nate whispers, his voice laced with curiosity.

  “Patience my dear,” I reply, my grin slowly spreading. I peek around the table surveying Cindy’s family and friends and wondering what makes them so special that they get the upstairs rooms. They look no different than us, only older. “What are they like?” I ask him.

  “Not really sure,” he replies examining them in the same studious way I am. “They greeted us when we first came in but have ignored us since.”

  “Their loss,” Dex chimes in, clearly eavesdropping on our conversation. “It takes more than having the same DNA and a marriage certificate to make someone family. That shit is earned, and these bastards don’t deserve you.”

  And just when I thought I couldn’t love them more, they have to go and say sweet shit like that. I clear my throat and shake my head before sinking back into my chair. This is not the time or place to get emotional; I’ll save that for when we get back home, and Jimmie is safe from my dad’s evil clutches.

  I listen to the small talk going on around us while Cindy starts bringing out dish after dish of food. I spot chicken fried steak, gravy, scalloped potatoes, something red and jiggly, green beans, and macaroni and cheese. Cindy might be a rude host, but her cooking skills look on point.

  Speaking of Cindy, she hasn’t aged any since the last time I saw her. Of course, that could be all the Botox in her face, the collagen plumping up her lips, and the enormous boobs casting shadows on her small waist. Those babies have to be fake; there is no way pregnancy has made her breasts that engorged in such a short time.

  And the bitch still hasn’t acknowledged my presence!

  Just to stir the pot and cause a little discourse, I wait until she takes her seat next to my father, and then I stand and tap my spoon against the side of my glass, garnering everyone’s attention. “I would like to make a toast.”

  I look to my father and Cindy and raise my glass in their honor. My dad’s worried face has me chuckling to myself. “I would like to thank my father and Cindy for letting my brother and our friends stay here in celebration of their long-awaited wedding. I want to especially thank Cindy for sticking around all these years and never giving up. I was sure my dad would put a ring on her finger the moment my mom picked up and moved us to Florida, but he is a fickle fellow. I guess it’s true what they say about love not being measured by time.”

  I retake my seat as if I didn’t just shit on the engaged couple and ignore Jimmie’s wide eyes and my dad’s furious scowl. Cindy recovers the fastest and starts passing the food, acting as if I didn’t just drop a word bomb on her dinner party.

  “That was epic,” Nate says, handing me a bowl of green beans.

  “You haven’t seen anything yet,” I whisper back.

  All the adults make small talk as the dinner progresses. Too much time has passed, and I start to sweat, wondering if my plan will work. I’ve done my research, but that doesn’t mean mistakes can’t happen. It’s always the not knowing that can drive a person to do drastic things. Which is precisely what I was on the verge of when the smoke detectors in the house start screaming their warning.

  Dad is the first person out of his chair. I watch in amusement as he scrambles around looking for the culprit and directing everyone to go outside while he checks things out. Standing I start following Cindy’s family to the front entrance acting as if I am just as worried and panicked as they are.

  “What is going on?” Dex demands, sidling up to me and giving me an accusatory look.

  “You boys go help Dad look for the fire. Keep him away from the study and do your best to convince him to wait outside with everyone until the fire department arrives and clears the area. I’ll meet up with you soon.”

  “Don’t you think he will notice you not out there with everyone else?” he asks, cutting in with a direct question.

  I can’t stop the laugh that bubbles up. “Stop being silly, Dex. We all know he won’t notice my absence.” I give him a little push toward the direction my dad is heading. “Now, be a good boy and keep Pops busy for a while. I’ve got work to do.”

  Nate
gives a dramatic eye roll. “We’ll take care of the grown-ups. Promise us you’ll be safe. Text if there is a problem.”

  “Always.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Following the scent of old leather and cigar smoke, I found my father’s office on the first floor near their bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I rush over to the desk against the rear wall and start on the file cabinets first.

  In truth, I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for. I don’t expect David to have a file labeled things that will send me to jail, so that leaves me flying blind. There are no locks on the cabinet doors which leads me to believe whatever is in here is probably bills and other non-essential garbage. After a thorough inspection, I come up empty.

  I don’t know how much time I have until the fire department arrives, but I can’t imagine it being a lot. Need to think smart. If I were a crappy crook where would I hide incriminating evidence? I glance at the laptop on the desk and give it a try. I expect my dad to be like most people and have it password protected once the screen comes to life, and my assumptions are proven right. Now to figure out the right set of keys before I’m locked out.

  I really should have taken a psychology class in school. Being able to think like my dad would really come in handy right about now. My fingers tap on the keyboard spelling out Cindy’s name, thinking he would use his most prized possession. When that doesn’t work, I try Jimmie’s name, which is another dead end. I’ve got maybe three tries left.

  I pause for a micro-minute and rack my brain as my eyes move around the room combing the area for clues. One wall holds pictures of my dad shaking hand with a few C and B list celebrities and politicians, while the other wall is occupied by a floor to ceiling bookcase. Besides some ancient encyclopedias, an ugly portrait of Cindy in a bathing suit, and some self-help books there is nothing of importance stacked on the shelves, which leaves me exactly where I started, with zilch.

  “Think,” I silently demand of myself. “You can do this.”

  Out of desperation, I type in the name of dad’s office, his birthday, and last, but not least, I try Jimmie’s and my birthdays.

  The first two tries are a miss, but the third is a winner. I let out a silent scream of triumph as the screen unlocks and the desktop picture of a giant bird appears.

  Starting with the documents file, I comb through the names listed, looking for anything that seems suspicious or out of place. There are a lot of pictures of Cindy and data on their house, but nothing that includes his work. I am just finishing up with the laptop when my phone buzzes in my pocket.

  Dex: We can hear sirens. You need to hurry.

  Fuck! This is not going the way I had hoped. I was sure everything I would need would be readily available. My mom always says that assumptions are the root of all evil and at this moment, I can’t argue with her logic.

  Me: I’m trying

  Standing, I start to search the rest of the room. With maybe minutes left before the house is filled with emergency personnel, I have nothing to lose. I look under the seat cushions on the couch, inside the books on the shelf, and behind the pictures on the walls. My spirit drops lower with each failed attempt.

  I am so close to giving up when I notice something shiny peeking out from behind the couch. Crouching down to get a better look, I carefully peel the sofa away from the wall and find that a portion of the back of the couch has been cut out, creating a nifty little hiding spot. Nestled in the center of the cutout is a metal box, the fireproof kind that holds important documents.

  My elation over finding the hidden file box screeches to a halt when I notice the key lock on the front. Now, how in the hell am I going to get that off? It’s not as if picking a lock 101 was ever offered in high school. I’m contemplating my options when my phone buzzes again. Slipping it from my pocket, I check the message.

  Dex: Get out of there! Firetrucks just arrived, and they are preparing to search the house.

  Me: I need five more minutes

  Dex: Now!

  I rake a hand over my face in frustration. I don’t have time to do this the right way, which leads me to grab a paperweight off the desk behind me and smash the lock over and over until it finally gives way and falls off.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I grab the large envelope inside, stuff the broken case back into its cubby hole, and slide the sofa back into position before running for the door.

  The hallway is empty when I step out. I shove the envelope in the back of my pants, making sure that my shirt hides it entirely before making my way to the back door. I walk on quiet feet until I hear the loud voices and thudding feet of the firefighters and then I’m running, dodging furniture and weird art pieces as I bypass the living room and go straight for the back door that leads off from the kitchen.

  My slick hands fumble with the lock but manage to get it turned and open before anyone spots me. I haven’t been in the backyard yet, so I’m not exactly sure which way to run. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the night sky and I use that time to catch my breath. The adrenaline running through me urges me forward. I feel my phone vibrating but don’t want to chance stopping and giving someone the chance to see my screen lit up.

  I fumble in the dark, following the fence line until I find the gate that will lead me to the front of the house where I assume everyone is still gathered. Wiping sweaty strands of hair away from my face, I open the gate with the same manner I would an orange; peeling back the door on noiseless hinges, I slip out and close it with the same care.

  Feeling safer now that I’m at least on the right side of the fence, I pull my phone out and read the all the texts I’ve received.

  Dex: Where are you?

  Nate: You’re worrying us. Hurry up

  Nate: Just get out, it's not worth you getting caught.

  Dex: You’ve got 2 seconds before I’m coming in there after you.

  Dex: 1….2

  Jimmie: Addy where are you? I thought you were right behind me. I’m starting to get worried.

  I smile at their concern and send everyone a group text back.

  Me: All good boys. I just got turned around and a little lost. No worries

  I did it! At least I think I did. I still need to read over the files I found, but they’ve got to be something of value if they were worth hiding. The cubby hole in the back of the sofa was a nice touch. I will have to remember that one day when I get a couch of my own.

  Slipping the phone back into my pocket, I trudge ahead ready to go reunite with my family. I can’t wait to see my dad’s face when he finds out what set the smoke detectors off.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “A bug?” Jimmie is having a hard time believing that an insect could cause so much damage. He needs to watch more of the Discovery Channel. I’ve learned so many interesting facts from that show.

  “A June bug to be exact,” I reply with pride.

  “Why do you look so happy? What happened tonight is not a good thing. Cindy’s dinner was ruined, and now dad has to deal with the fire department.”

  I don’t like Jimmie’s tone. After the fire scare, Dad banished us back to the basement while he and Cindy dealt with their worried guests. He at least had the decency to let us bring our plates of food with us, something I was insistent on. All that running around and being sneaky made me hungry.

  “It was a false alarm. No harm was done,” I dutifully point out.

  “I still don’t understand how a bug can set off a smoke detector,” Dex muses.

  “One of the firemen said that bugs mess with the wires and can cause them to go off,” Nate says, giving me a saucy grin.

  From the way Nate and Dex keep staring at me, I’m starting to think my little stunt has impressed them. Then again, they should know better than to underestimate me.

  “Do you think there is any dessert upstairs?” I turn from my spot on the bed so I can see the boys better. “I would really love something sweet to eat.”

  Dex laughs and shakes
his head. “You’ve got the worst sweet tooth. I’ll go see what I can find.”

  “Wait,” I say, a bit too loud. I leap off the bed and grab Dex’s hand before he darts away. “Why don’t you let Jimmie go.” Everyone stares at me as if I’m speaking another language. “I’m sure David and Cindy are still a little upset about earlier. Jimmie is good at smoothing things over, and it will do him some good to get acquainted with where everything is kept since he will be living here soon.”

  Dex opens his mouth to object, and I squeeze his hand hard, trying to convey to him without words that he needs to shut up and let Jimmie go instead of him.

  Dex’s eyes flash with understanding. He gives my hand a squeeze back taking a seat back on the bed. “I didn’t think of that. Smart thinking, Jelly Bean.”

  “Seriously?” Jimmie asks, not buying into our logic. “I really don’t think it would matter who goes upstairs. It's not as if we made the bug crawl into the smoke detector.”

  “Addison is right,” Nate agrees. “David wasn’t exactly happy about Dex and I tagging along. We don’t want to rock the boat more than we already have.”

  “You bitches owe me,” he growls. With a grunt and some nasty eye rolls, Jimmie pushes up from his seat beside the television and marches up the stairs, sounding a lot like my dad did when we first arrived.

  “Love you too,” I call back before he reaches the top landing.

  The guys and I wait five long counts before huddling together and getting down to business. Nate is the first to speak. “The bug in the smoke detector was genius. I’m so mad I never thought of it myself.”

  Dex cuts in before I can respond. “You were in that study a long time. Did you find anything?”