He deadpans. “No.”
Roman stands at the grill in his navy swim trunks and a ridiculous apron tied around his neck as he works the grill. The scent of sizzling meat fills the air as we drift in the shallow end.
“Thorn,” I whisper.
Rosalie floats over to me. “What?”
I motion with my chin to Maddox before she grins connivingly. I’m really starting to rub off on her, and I fucking love it.
We pretend to busy ourselves with swimming, but we inch closer and closer to the ladder until we’re right up on him. I give Thorn the signal, and we grab Maddox at the same time before pulling him into the water with a huge splash.
He surfaces a second later, spitting water into my face as Rosalie does that full stomach laugh that has me cracking up right beside her.
“Oh?” Maddox tilts his head at her. “You think this is funny?”
She nods. “I do.”
He snatches her up by the waist before dragging her to the ladder. “Grab her legs!”
I follow behind them, pushing Thorn up onto the deck as I hold her ankles and Maddox cups under her arms. We swing her in sync, counting down.
“Don’t fucking drown her!” Roman bellows as we toss her into the lagoon, her limbs flailing wildly.
She surfaces with a huge smile on her face as she brushes her hair away from her eyes. “You guys suck!”
“Not as good as you, Thorn.” I counter, twisting my hands in a vulgar gesture, mimicking her earlier actions poorly.
She splashes me, erupting in breathless giggles. “Fuck off!”
Roman shakes his head, sighing like the buzzkill he is as he sets a plate of steaks and chicken down roughly. “Dinner is ready. Maddox, grab the sides out of the house.”
Maddox shakes his hair out, splashing water all over the deck before lumbering through the glass doorway still dripping wet. I help Thorn up onto the deck, wrapping a thick towel around her as I scrub her hair dry. I pepper kisses along her damp forehead before slinging an arm around her shoulder and walking her over to the outdoor table.
Set out before us is a mountain of well-cooked meats, potato salad, chargrilled veggies, and a kale salad with vinaigrette for Rosalie. My stomach grumbles hungrily, and I pull a chair out for our girl. She slides into it, bouncing on her seat as she reaches across the table to pile her plate high. I sit down beside her, not waiting another second.
“Couldn’t wait for us to sit too?” Roman gripes.
“Fuck your table manners,” I quip.
Thorn snorts.
Maddox smacks a hearty helping of potato salad onto his plate before grabbing a steak. Roman sits across from me, stabbing into the biggest slab of meat on the plate and sliding it onto his own.
Idle conversation drones on, every topic being thrown onto the table. Maddox even speaks up, offering his opinions on the weather and how nice the Pacific is. Roman loosens up a bit, finally letting his shoulders relax as we settle into a calming atmosphere. It’s the closest we’ve been to a cozy setting in…years.
Home has always been wherever my friends are. We’ve been close since we were old enough to walk, but there’s been a shift recently—someone new has been added to the mix. Rosalie has no idea yet, but she’s now one of us, through and through. Wherever she is, that is now where our hearts lie.
I can feel it in the air. The surrounding aura of calm that trails everything she touches. It’s always been there—her light.
But just as things reach a head, they must come down. Roman may have let his guard down, but I know him. His morals may be questionable at times, but he’s never one to force something onto another person.
Like a relationship.
In his brain, Rosalie hasn’t committed to us, and he wants to make sure she has an out. He’s always clear with that when it comes to our potential partners. Not that he would let Rosalie walk away without a fight. Fuck, at this point, none of us would let her leave peacefully.
But it’s Roman’s character to honor her decision. We’ll make it damn hard to forget us if she does choose to go. She’s already embedded into our fibers, and we want the same—for her not to want to separate from us once our contract is up.
She has to be all in. There is no turning back once she makes the leap, and she needs to know that. This week will be the ultimate test to see if she can really handle us. What betterway to get her into the headspace than vacationing with her three ex-bullies—endless orgasms, lots of sun, and a fuck ton of bonding time.
