“As far as Coach is concerned, both Jase and Chad came down with a fever. There will be no issues on campus, for any of you. It’s all been taken care of.”
“It’s the least you could do.” I glare at her again. “I can’t believe you injected him with something that could have killed him!”
“It would not have killed him. I have been here every day taking care of him, monitoring his vitals, and ensuring he wasn’t in any danger. I’ll give him this, and then you can sneak him a couple of doses of the vaccine along with some supplements, and he’ll be totally fine.” Mom pushes past me, looking aggrieved. “A little thanks would be nice,” she murmurs, walking down the hallway toward the master suite.
“Hell will freeze over before that happens,” I spit out.
Jase hauls me back against his chest as we reach the door to my bedroom. “I know you’re mad. I am too, but you need to calm down before we go in there, or you’re going to tip him off there is more to this.”
Air whooshes out of my mouth as he spins me around and envelops me in his arms. “You’re right, but it’s not easy. She told me no more secrets or lies, but she still hasn’t been truthful. You can’t tell me she couldn’t have asked her brother to speak to me about this at HQ when he escorted me to the compound after the ceremony. She never gave either of us the opportunity to have a say.”
“I know, baby.” He pecks my lips softly. “What’s important is Chad is okay, and look at it like this. You have an excuse now to avoid sex with him for a while. We’ll get your mom to tell him it’s infectious for at least four weeks and he needs to take precautions and avoid intimate contact with others.”
We hadn’t come up with a workable solution yet to that part of our plan. I can’t use the skin patches to cover my brandings for another few weeks, so I can’t get naked with my boyfriend. And after I get my IUD removed, I can’t have unprotected sex with Chad either. Not until I’m pregnant with Jase’s baby.
It sucks because I love Chad and we are very sexually active. I hate adding more lies on the pile, but we have to protect him. He can’t know about us or The Luminaries. To do so would be signing his death warrant. Ergo, we have no choice. I hate it, and it will be hell on earth resisting temptation. I’ll just have to remind myself this is a life-or-death situation, and that should be all it takes to stick to my resolve.
“What about Ares?” I ask Mom as she curls her fingers around the door handle to our room. “What did you tell him?”
“He believes you were staying at my new house, helping to unpack and take care of Emilie, while I took care of Chad. I told him I had a nursing degree, and he seemed to buy it.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Ares is no dumbass, and he’s sneaky.
Mom turns, planting her hands on her hips. “While we’re on the subject of Ares Haynes, do you want to explain what you said to The Luminaries Sunday night?”
Oh, hell to the no. She did not just go there in front of Jase.
“Nope.” I flash her a “butt out” look as I push her out of the way and open the bedroom door, rushing inside to see my boyfriend.
ChapterThirty-Nine
Ashley
“That went better than expected,” Jase says, bundling me into his arms the second I enter his bedroom.
“He looks terrible though.” I link my arms around his neck. “And he’s clearly exhausted.” Chad was only awake for about twenty minutes after Mom administered the shot. She insisted on staying to monitor him. Hence why we came next door. Julia’s car is gone, and Bree has gone to the library, so we have the house to ourselves.
Poor Chad. I am sickened at what’s been done to him, and Mom and Julia better pray he makes a full recovery, or I’ll be out for their blood even more than I already am.
“Chad will recover. He’ll be fine.” He kisses the top of my head. “At least he was thrilled we have resolved our differences and the three of us are back together.”
“He won’t be so pleased when he realizes what being contagious means for his sex life.”
Jase grimaces as he pulls his shirt off over his head, revealing that sexy-as-sin body I’m eager to climb all over. “I know what it’s like not to have you in my life or my bed. It won’t be easy, but it’s only temporary.” He devours me with his eyes as he grips the hem of my shirt. “At least you have me to take care of your needs.” He waggles his brows suggestively as he rips my shirt off. “And Chad likes watching. We can include him so he doesn’t feel left out.”
“Good thinking, Batman.” I press a firm kiss on his lips. “I won’t enjoy sneaking around again,” I admit, helping him out of his sneakers and jeans. “And I hate we have to lie to Chad.”
He kicks his jeans away before popping the button on mine. “That seriously sucks. I have been so close to telling him, telling both of you, over the years, but ultimately that would be the most selfish thing I could have done.”
I lean my hand on his chest as I remove my sneakers and shimmy my jeans down my legs. “I know we can’t tell him to keep him safe, but it still sucks.” Pushing my jeans away, I stand in front of him in my bra and panties. I run my hands up his broad tan chest. “I don’t want to lose Chad. If we pull this off, how long can we keep him?”
Jase removes his boxers and his impressive cock springs free, already hard and raring to go. He pulls me up against his naked body. “Like I said, when you get pregnant, they’ll have to let us marry. Then, when the dust has settled, and we’ve paid whatever punishment they deem necessary, we can fuck whomever we want within the privacy of our marriage. The rest is up to Chad.”
“What do you think he’ll say?”
“He’ll say yes, Temptress.” Jase unclips my bra and carefully drags the straps down over my still-healing brandings. “He loves you too fucking much to ever let you go.”
Jase pulls my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against the small scar on my palm. We have matching scars now too, but Jase’s line is much deeper than mine from participating in countless initiations. He had told me he got the injury from repairing fences on his grandpa’s estate in France during successive summers as a kid, but that was only a cover story.
