Page 10 of Their Wicked Secrets: Untouched, Vol 5 of 6

“Fairly routine surgery.” Eli glances up at the monitor. “You’ll be fine. We’ll work with you to get you back into fighting form by the time fall rolls around again.”

Nico sighs. “It would have been nice to be on the winning team this year.”

“You’re still on the team.” Luke runs a hand through his wet hair, making it stand on end. “You’re just injured.”

“It may not feel the same,” Caden says, “but it wouldn’t be the same without you there.”

“How are you coping?” Nico asks, a little too gently to still be talking about football.

I swallow my bite and wipe my mouth with a napkin. “I assume you’re asking me?”

“Yes, sunshine,” Nico says. “It’s not every day your mom takes off.”

Tears clog my throat, but don’t make it up to my eyes. I choke them down, conscious of all of them watching me like hawks. I don’t have to be brave in front of them, but I want to be.

“It’s a lot,” I admit.

Caden bumps his arm against mine. “We’re here for you.”

I lean against his arm, grateful to have them all. Jack’s feed comes on and he studies me for a moment.

“Still feeling weepy, sweetheart?”

“No. I’m better now that you guys are here.” I breathe in, wishing they were all here in the room with me. It’s easy to forget everything going on when it’s just the six of us.

“Where are you on college applications, kitten?” Eli looks up, and it’s like he’s looking right at me.

“They’re coming along.”

They haven’t been a huge priority with everything else going on. But I have worked on them with the guys. My spine tingles at the awareness they’re all waiting for me to say more. I answered their question. Sure, my answer was short and vague, but it’s not my fault they decided to apply to a gazillion universities before they met me.

When everyone just waits for me to elaborate, I blow out a breath. “It’s a really long list. It’s not realistic to apply to all of them. Can’t we narrow them down a little?”

I hold my fingers up and squish my thumb and finger together.

“We want to make sure we all get in to at least one university together.” Eli leans forward. “That includes you, kitten.”

My insides glow warm. This weekend was a preview of what college might be like. Going to school together, living together, working together. Building a future. It’s something to focus on. “There are a few more applications I need to finish.”

“What about your essays?” Luke asks. “Do you need more guidance on those?”

“If I do, I’ll put them in the online file.” It’s so weird that they want me to go to college with them, but not weird at the same time. Instead of looking forward to college because it will be an escape from this town, now I get to look forward to growing and learning with these five guys.

“What about homework?” Caden plucks at the strap of my pajama top.

“All caught up.” I glance at him, and he smirks.

“College applications first, kitten.” Eli’s tone draws my attention back to him. “We have plenty of time to play.”

My body aches from last night and this morning with how much we played, and not all in a good way. I get my laptop out and pull up the browser to work on applications again. My webcam turns on and Jack winks at me before focusing on his second screen.

After a while, I’m resting against Caden’s shoulder while working on another essay. I haven’t even started on my additional scholarship essays yet. Some of the weight of school falls back on me. What if my grades suffer and I’m not able to get into a good school with them? Will they leave me behind?

What if my mom doesn’t come back? I can’t just hang out as a ghost in Caden’s bedroom for the rest of the school year. Where would I go? Kenz’s mom would take me in, but I can’t imagine her being cool with me having sleepovers with my boyfriends. Mom will come back, but what if she decides we need to run? She wouldn’t leave me behind, but how can I leave my guys? Even if it would be safer?

Luke clears his throat, making me glance up. Caden sets his laptop on the coffee table again and places mine beside it.

“What’s happening, little nympho?” He tips me upright and then draws me onto his lap, straddling him. His green eyes search mine with concern. He touches my neck, and my pulse thrums wildly against his fingers. “What do you need?”