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[Maeve has joined the group text]

HAYDEN: Maeve, tell these two why I had to hang up earlier in the gazebo. My hands were otherwise occupied, right? Back me up here.

MAEVE: Oh my god, you're seriously discussing what we did in the gazebo in a group text?

GABRIEL: No, we're discussing Hayden's poor phone etiquette.

FORD: And how he deprived me of a very entertaining show.

MAEVE: Well… to be fair, he was pretty distracted. His hands were definitely too busy at that moment to hold on to his cell.

HAYDEN: Exactly. I had more important things to focus on.

GABRIEL: Now I'm the one feeling left out.

MAEVE: Sorry, Gabriel. I suppose, since Ford missed the finale and you missed everything... maybe I should fill you both in on what happened after Hayden hung up.

GABRIEL: Yes, please. Go ahead.

FORD: I'm listening.

MAEVE: He basically growled at me to come for him… and I couldn’t have held back if I tried. I completely lost it. I'm pretty sure I made some very undignified noises.

GABRIEL: Fucking hell, Maeve.

HAYDEN: She was shaking so hard I thought her knees might give out.

MAEVE: They almost did. And when Hayden came too, he actually bit my shoulder because he was trying not to be too loud. I’ve never had someone bite me like that before, and I really liked it. I’m starting to realize I like a bit of pain mixed in with my pleasure, because it made my orgasm go on and on…

HAYDEN: I thought she’d never stop coming.

GABRIEL: Fuuuck.

FORD: You're both evil.

MAEVE: I’m not evil! Although I can’t say the same for Hayden. After he finished fucking me, he didn't want to waste anything, so he... made sure his cum stayed where it belonged by pressing it back inside before I fixed up my clothes. I could still feel it between my legs the whole walk back.

GABRIEL: Goddamn it. I hate both of you right now. But mostly Hayden.

HAYDEN: *smirking face emoji* *fire emoji* *laughing emoji*

FORD: You're both going to regret this.

MAEVE: Hmm. Does that mean you’re going to punish me later? Because in that case, I’m not sorry at all.

48

MAEVE

The next few days pass in a haze of family activities—and a ridiculous amount of incredible sex. I never imagined having this much sex in my entire life, especially not the kind that’s consistently this mind-blowing. I didn’t think experiences like this happened to someone like me. It still feels surreal, like I’m living in someone else’s fantasy.

And yet, in other ways, it feels overwhelmingly real.

I can sense all four of us feeling the weight of time passing, like there’s a countdown timer embedded in our chests. We’re all acutely aware that this arrangement isn’t permanent. More than that, we know if we’re careless and any rumors surface, it’ll destroy everything with Silver Start. The pressure is constant and suffocating.

Whether the men successfully close this deal or not, everything will end once they meet with the CEO. Mr. Traditional Values himself. There won’t be any reason to continue this charade much longer after that meeting.

Which means we have to make the most of every moment we have left together.