by Rye Hart
I collapsed in a fit of sweat and come, breathing Chance’s air while his body rested on top of mine. I could feel the brothers slowly releasing me, their lips planting kisses on the parts of my body that Chance wasn’t currently covering up.
I was so lucky to have found my Lost Boys and I knew I would do whatever it took to make sure I never lost them again.
EPILOGUE - KYRA
ONE YEAR LATER
It was the night of the massive party and I was absolutely ecstatic. We were celebrating the success of my online channel that had just hit one million subscribers. Christmas was hanging thickly in the air and the boys were running around trying to put everything together. I couldn’t have been happier.
I knew they were proud of me, but I was proud of myself, too.
People came from town to indulge in the foods we had catered. I could hear the guys singing my praises every time I turned a corner and it was almost more than I could bear. Chance kept going on and on about how my dedication was inspiring and Harper kept talking about how I should write a book with all my advice in it. Ethan was going on about how he watched every single one of my videos the moment they came out and even my father was up and talking with people about how he knew I could do it.
It had been a long road to recovery for him and he still wasn’t fully there yet. His smile was still a bit lopsided and he walked with a limp, but this past year had dealt him a great deal of improvements. My Lost Boys had been there every step of the way to help, paying for things they had no business paying for and making sure he was comfortable during those long nights when he couldn’t sleep.
And every time I tried to take a breath, another person was wrapping their arms around me and congratulating me on my success.
Blake eventually escorted everyone out when he saw my father becoming tired. Dad was hellbent on throwing this party for me, but that meant we would be done earlier than most would expect. Even though my father had undergone a great deal of healing, he still tired easily and, by the time nine o’clock rolled around, he was ready to lay down.
One of the first updates that took place in the home was soundproofing my father’s suite. Owen and I found out the hard way that the walls in this home weren’t as thick as we wanted them to be, so Chance and Ethan set out to fix the issue. They soundproofed his room to make sure everyone was comfortable when it came to our intimate moments and I could tell my father was just as relieved as we were.
However, one of the second updates we soon made to the house was adding on a basement.
“Why don’t you slip into something more comfortable and meet us downstairs?”
I turned around at Chance’s voice, and I knew exactly what that phrase meant.
“I’d love to.” I stood up onto my toes and kissed his cheek, causing him to blush before he pulled me into his arms. He held me there for a little while, simply breathing in my scent like he had a tendency to do. I placed one more kiss upon his neck before he let me go. Then he gave my ass a little love tap while I walked away from him.
I had no idea what their surprise was for me, but I’d come to love them. The surprises they always gave me were out of this world and they only served to remind me of how wonderful it was to live with the Trents. I slid off into my room and got changed into one of my silken nightgowns so that no matter what, I’d be ready to go to bed.
Most nights, I slept with one of the brothers. Rarely did I ever want my own space, but I was glad I had it for the moments I needed it. Blake was right that first night. Sometimes, we were going to fight and, sometimes, it was going to get out of hand, and during those moments, I was thankful for having my own space to retreat into.
But sleeping beside each of them at night gave me a chance to blossom one-on-one relationships with them and I valued those just as much as I valued them as a whole.
I walked down into the basement we’d added to the house seven months ago and I could already feel the sexual tension. It was a room we kept under lock-and-key. A room we definitely didn’t want my father walking into. It was the first major surprise the boys had ever given to me. They built a playroom underneath the house specifically for all of us to fool around in. It had a massive bed that could accommodate all of us, pillows that were strewn all over the place, and it even had a swing hanging from the ceiling they could strap me in.
I had really come to love that swing.
“I’m coming down, boys,” I said. “Are you guys ready for me?”
“Always,” they said in unison.
I shivered at their voices as I wound down the stairs, and my eyes widened at the sight of them. There they all were, with their pulsing muscles and their gleaming white smiles, donning identical red Santa hats. Their bodies had tight red underwear clinging to the best parts of them, their cocks already erect for me as I made my way to the bottom of the steps. My heart thundered in my ears as my eyes raked over their luscious bodies and I smiled while I slowly sashayed my way toward them.
“So, Santas, am I on the naughty or nice list this year?”
I locked eyes with each of them, watching them all lick their lips while my tits rose to beautiful peaks underneath the thin fabric of my nightgown.
“You’re about to find out,” Harper said.
Soon, my body was flying through the air. Their hands were peeling my nightgown off while they ravished my body. Moans and grunts of pleasure and lust dripped from my lips and I was rushed into a world of thrumming ecstasy and endless orgasms while the brothers stuffed me full. They dove in and out of my depths while I writhed for them. They strapped me to the bed while they used my body for their every whim. I climaxed so hard I could barely breathe, but all they did was push me further.
Push me harder.
Test my limits until I was begging for mercy.
Harper’s lips wrapped around my clit while Chance’s cock pulsed between my lips. Blake’s cock filled my pussy to the brim before he shoved himself into my ass. Around and around and around we went, my holes being stuffed until there was no more come for anyone else to have.
By the time we all collapsed onto the bed, I was ready to go to sleep.
As I stretched my body over my boys, I fell asleep with a smile upon my face. I didn’t know whose bed I would wake up in come morning, but I knew I would always be safe. That was the thing with the Trent brothers. There was never a point in time where I ever felt exposed. I never felt betrayed and I never felt alone. I never felt unsafe and I most certainly never felt taken advantage of.
I was achieving my dreams, I was living with the best men I’d ever known, and my Lost Boys were no longer lost.
Why? Because they belonged to me, of course, and that was the greatest gift I could ever have been given.
The End
IT’S NOT OVER YET....THE PARTY HAS JUST STARTED.....
As a thank you, this book includes a Christmas romance by Rye Hart, which can be accessed on the following pages...
What happens when five HOT alpha brothers want to win the love of one very lucky girl?
Kyra's ex-boyfriend wants to propose. Knowing that the clock is ticking, the McCormick Brothers formulate a plan to prove that they can win her over.
Leading up to Christmas, each guy gives her a special gift - for five wonderfully sexy days of Christmas.
CHRISTMAS WITH THE MCCORMICK BROTHERS
CHAPTER ONE - HAILEY
The late fall sun was setting on the horizon. The sky was growing dark in the east, but the western horizon was a riot of colors – red, orange, and gold. It was stunning and reminded me of the leaves on the trees that time of year.
Darkness was coming, but the fun was only getting started. Black Oak's Annual Community Bonfire was an event I'd attended as a child more times than I could count, but being there again as an adult felt entirely different. The leaves had fallen from most of the trees, coating the ground in those brilliant shades of red and orange that reflected the sky above. It was a beautiful side of nature I'd mi
ssed during my time in California.
Pulling my hoodie tightly around my body, I tucked my hand into the pocket and walked into Black Oak Park, looking around at the familiar – yet older – faces that made up the crowd. There were so many I recognized, but there was one face in particular I was looking for.
My parents were, of course, working their booth as they always did at these community events. They'd tried to convince me to join them in the booth and help them out, but I'd politely declined. I had no interest in peddling essential oils to old high school acquaintances of mine, many of who had made my life an utter nightmare growing up.
I'd had half a mind to skip the bonfire altogether, wanting to avoid the awful memories that would inevitably come flooding back when put into a social setting with some of these people. After all, everyone in Black Oak attended the bonfire – and very few people ever left the small South Carolina town we'd grown up in. I was one of few, and I was not entirely excited to be back. However, there was one person I wasn't trying to avoid – and I knew she was going to be there. When I saw Jenn's face in the middle of a crowd of people, the smiled that curled the corners of my lips was instant.
As if a psychic connection existed between us, Jenn looked over, saw me staring at her, and waved me over to her booth with a big smile on her face. When I walked over, her blonde bob bounced all around her face as she excitedly rushed from behind a table filled with cupcakes.
“Hailey, I'm so glad you could make it,” she cooed, her southern accent still strong as ever.
Her big, brown eyes were wide and full of joy as she hugged me tightly. Not much had changed in this podunk little town, but my best friend Jennifer – Jenn – Staples sure had. She'd grown up nicely and was no longer the awkward, chubby girl with the frizzy dishwater blonde hair and braces.
She still had a few extra pounds, but she'd grown taller and learned to dress for her shape. Now, her clothes were flattering, and she looked like a curvy little vixen, rather than the frumpy, shy loner she used to be.
After being away for as long as I had been, I almost didn't recognize her at first. Looking for the girl I'd left behind, I almost passed her table in the restaurant right up. I was looking for the chubby, awkward girl – not the blonde bombshell in designer heels she'd become.
She, of course, had recognized me right away. Even though I thought I'd changed a lot over the years too, her ability to recognize me made me question my newfound confidence in myself. I made me think that maybe, I was still the awkward, gangly girl everyone tended to overlook that I'd been when I left Black Oak – minus the glasses and acne, of course. My mousy brown hair was now darker with caramel highlights, and my skin was bronzed from living life in the California sun. I thought I looked like a whole new person, but the fact that Jenn had spotted me straight away made me wonder if maybe, I didn't actually look that different after all.
“I want you to meet someone,” Jenn said, yanking me back behind a cupcake booth that was festooned with ribbons, glitter, balloons, and a large sign that read, Jenn Drake's Cups and Cakes.
“I already know your husband, Jenn,” I laughed. “I went to school with him, remember?”
“Not him, but yes, you should say hi to him too,” she laughed. “Martin would like that and I'm sure he'd love to see you again.”
“Martin never liked me in high school, so I don't see why –” I stopped speaking though, when I saw where she was taking me.
Sitting in a chair directly behind her booth was her mother, whom I knew well, cradling a baby. Jenn's baby. Her mother looked up at me and gave me a warm smile. Sitting next to them though, was a toddler with blonde curls and brown eyes. She was staring back at me, trying to figure out who I was.
“I know you've seen them on Facebook, but I wanted you to meet my kids in real life, Hailey,” she said, holding my hand like she might not ever let go.
Her smile was stretched across her face and the light of pride in her eyes was brighter than the sun as we approached her mom and kids. It was hard not to feel happy for her – but I couldn't deny that pang of hurt and regret blossoming in my chest.
“I'm so happy you're here, Hailey,” she beamed “This is my daughter, Sophie, and my son, Martin Jr. We just call him Marty.”
I hoped the grin on my face looked a lot more real than it felt, the effort of maintaining it was hurting my face though. It wasn't because I disliked kids, but as I looked at Jenn's kids, so bright and beautiful, it felt like another part of my life had been torn away from me. Seeing the happy family together brought tears to my eyes, but not for the right reasons. “They're beautiful,” I said, squeezing my best friend's hand. “I'm so glad I finally got to meet them. And I'm so happy for you, hon.”
“Me too, Hailey,” Jenn said, pulling me into a tight bear hug.
And while she hugged me, I let myself revel in it, let myself forget about everything – forget about Leo, who was back in California, forget about moving back home and living with my parents, and forget about every horrible thing I'd endured over the last few years.
For the briefest of moments, it felt like no time had passed at all. Jenn and I were young again. We were best friends, by each other’s side, and celebrating in our shared awkwardness. The wave of nostalgia that washed over me was powerful. Almost overwhelming. And for that wonderful moment, all that existed was our love and friendship.
“I'm so glad you're back, sis,” she said to me, invoking the nicknames we once called each other, adding to the nostalgia enveloping me. “I know you always wanted to get away, but I'm so glad you came back. I have missed you so much.”
If only she knew the real reason I'd come back to Black Oak, maybe she wouldn't be saying that. But that wasn't something I wanted to share just yet. I needed to find a way to deal with it on my own, and to put it behind me. It was my pain, and in that moment, I couldn't share it with anybody.
Not even with my best friend.
***
“I can't believe you married Martin,” I said, taking a bite from a mocha cupcake topped with an amazing frosting and with Oreo crumbles. “Not that I dislike him, it's just so –”
“Strange?” Jenn laughed. “Yeah, I know. Believe me, I know. It's not like we got along back in high school either. But, people change, Hailey. We grow up, realize that the cliques in high school are bullshit and learn to just hang out with people we like, people that makes us feel good and happy.”
I shrugged. “I guess so,” I muttered, taking another bite from the heavenly cupcake, my eyes rolling back in my head, and making a sound probably best suited to an adult film. “I missed out on a lot, apparently. So what else has changed around here?”
“Not much, really. You know Black Oak – people are born, get old, and die,” Jenn shrugged, her laugh a little wry. She picked at a pink lemonade cupcake while nursing Marty. “Most everything you knew stayed the same. It's not all that exciting here. I mean, compared to your glamorous life in Cali and all.”
I scoffed. “Please, it wasn't so glamorous,” I said. “Far from it, actually.”
Jenn cocked an eyebrow as she licked the neon pink frosting from her lips. She looked at me evenly for a long moment and even after all these years, it was strange to me to know that she could still see right through me. She could see that there was something I was holding back from her – I could see it in her eyes.
“You still don't want to talk about why you came back?” she finally asked.
“Nope. Sure don't,” I said, leaning back in my chair.
I turned and let my gaze wander around the crowd and the festival going on around me. Jenn's booth was getting a lot of attention and I'd had to hide a few times, to avoid seeing or talking to people I remembered from back in the day. Jenn had no problem selling her sweet confections to them though, and they talked about school board meetings and field trips as if they'd always been the best of friends since the beginning of time.
I know her business depended on being friendly with anybody
and everybody, but it made me sicker than the overly sweet cupcake I'd devoured in three seconds flat.
There was a BBQ food truck parked across the way from us, and the unbelievable aromas drifting from it made my mouth water. I hadn't had breakfast that day – I really hadn't felt like eating and wasn't sure I could actually keep anything down if I'd tried. I was sick with fear and dread at the idea of making an appearance publicly for the first time since I'd moved back. I worried what people would say or think. There was a line of people lined up and waiting at the truck, backed up almost all the way to Jenn's booth. I noticed that the people walking away had big smiles on their faces as well as racks of ribs and massive pulled pork sandwiches oozing with delicious, red sauce in their hands. It made my stomach growl so loud, I was surprised nobody commented on it.
“Good to see Driftwood is still in business,” I said.
My mouth watered as I remembered the famous cocoa infused barbeque sauce that you couldn't get anywhere else. Everything was made in house, and had been passed down from generation to generation of the Dierks family.
“Last I'd heard, Paul was the last of his family,” I said. “Who took over the business? He sell to somebody before he passed?”
Paul Dierks, the locally famous BBQ man, had died about two years ago, leaving his business without an owner. After hearing of his passing, I'd assumed I was never going to taste the sweet barbeque chicken I loved so much as a child ever again. He'd never married or had kids – after him, there was no one to pass down the family recipe to.
“Oh, didn't you hear? The McCormick brothers took it over after old man Dierks passed,” she said casually. “Yeah, Cason used to work there as a cook, and apparently Paul took him under his wing. Treated him like the son he never had.”
“The McCormick brothers are still around?” I asked.
That was an interesting piece of news and I strained my neck, trying to catch a glimpse of who might be working the grill. All I could see were flashes of a white apron. The crowd milling about, as well as the small windows of the food truck were obscuring my view of the person inside.