Chapter 76
Seventy-Six
ANDREA
One Week Later.
“Left, left, left!”
Downshifting, I swerve into the right lane.
“Your other left!” Cade shrieks through the speakers in our helmets, clinging to me like a koala as we fly around the corner. As soon as we hit the straight, I glance over my shoulder. His mirrored visor reflects back at me. “Are you directionally challenged or just deaf?”
“We’re taking a shortcut,” I snicker, revving Lillith’s engine.
His arms tighten around my waist as the bike lurches, his scream dissolving into manic laughter as we rocket down a back road, kicking up dust in our wake. A horn blares. I throw up a middle finger at the truck tailing us.
“He’s gonna spank the shit out of you,” Cade warns.
“Good. Maybe he’ll finally fuck me.”
“You know he wants to. He just doesn’t want to hurt you.”
While Cade makes a valid point— I’m still sore from the pelvic floor physical therapy session we just left— I don’t care.
I don’t want logic. I want my boyfriend to stop worrying for three fucking seconds and feel good with me…
even if his dick will probably (absolutely) hurt like a bitch.
Although technically, Seba wasn’t cleared to have sex until two days ago.
He’s still supposed to be taking it easy, but last night…
well… Cade begged to eat me out, which got Seba hard and it was too tempting not to see if I could make him come with my mouth.
(He lost it when I massaged his shaft with my tongue piercing.) The result: Cade face down between my thighs, ass up as Seba railed him into oblivion.
It was the first time all week that the three of us finally relaxed.
Ever since my father’s arrest, it’s been a blur of police interrogations, interviews, and doctor appointments.
My father’s congregation, Seba’s mom included, is in serious denial despite the mountain of evidence stacked against him.
Since he’s been denied bail, they’ve been protesting outside the prison, insisting he’s been framed.
He’s even got Mom out there in fucking mourning garb, parading around like a grieving widow.
It’s honestly embarrassing. I’ve never wanted to change my last name more.
(Andrea Holt-Warren has a nice ring to it.)
An incoming call blares through the Bluetooth in my helmet.
“Hi, daddy.”
“Slow the fuck down,” Seba growls.
“Chill, big guy, I’m going the speed limit.”
“You’re pulling away from me.”
“Then maybe you’re just going too slow.” My phone vibrates with another call. “Gotta take this, see you in a sec, grouchola!” His protest is cut off when I switch lines.
“You guys taking the scenic route?” My best friend asks. In the background, his boyfriend grumbles something. “Win says vampires aren’t built for this heat.” More mumbling. “And he’s hangry.”
“Tell Winifred to stop being such a whine-box. There was an accident, so we took a detour. We’re pulling in now.”
The words have barely left my mouth when the bright green sign comes into view, a Flower Festival banner swinging in the breeze.
We coast past a mess of cars haphazardly parked along the road until we find an empty spot on the sloped shoulder.
Sebastian rolls into the space beside me as we remove our helmets.
Cade shakes out his wild blonde hair and springs off the bike, tugging me toward the maze of food trucks and craft tents.
“Fuck yes, there’s funnel cake! And tacos!” His head snaps to a pen where a group of kids screeches and squeals. “A fucking petting zoo, too? You think they have ducks? I fucking love ducks.”
Seba chuckles, coming to take Cade’s other hand. “Let’s find Remy and Win first.”
It doesn’t take long. One, my best friend is predictably at the cookie truck ordering one of everything and two, his boyfriend is the only idiot wearing black on a day this fucking hot.
“I’ll have a strawberry shortcake one!” I call as we approach.
They twist toward the sound of my voice.
Suddenly, my stomach swoops. Remy has never hung out with Cade and Seba despite all of us attending Kingsbury together. And it’s the first time Win has met either of them.
Please get along.
“About time,” Remy grins, passing Win the bag of goodies to hug me. He’s glowing. Relaxed. So happy it makes my heart swell too big for my chest. I squeeze him, extending our hug a little longer to soak it in.
“You can let go now,” Win grumbles.
“Calm your tits, Pooh.”
“Pooh? Like Winnie the Pooh?” Cade snickers. “Clever.”
Win’s grey eyes snap to him. He squints. Assessing. Seba slides a hand into Cade’s back pocket, mirroring Win’s glare.
I’m surrounded by possessive cavemen.
“Remy, Pooh, meet Cade and Seba.”
Cade waves. Seba up-nods. “How’s it going?”
Win gives them a slow blink.
Jesus fucking Christ. My best friend and I sigh at the same time.
“Be nice,” Remy hisses to Win.
His boyfriend arches a dark brow. “I didn’t say anything.”
The look Remy levels at him says, Your face is saying it all.
Win crosses his arms over his chest and mutters, “Sup.”
Remy rolls his eyes, extending a hand to Seba first, then Cade. “Sorry about him. He’s worse than my cat with new people.”
“You have a cat?” Cade gasps, turning those puppy eyes to Seba. “I want a cat. We should get one. Or a dog. Or a duck. Oh! How about a snake? They live in a terrarium, so it wouldn’t be messy and they’re super chill. And they don’t make any noise.”
Seba smoothes a palm up his back to gently massage the back of Cade’s neck. “We’ll see.”
“Oh come on, you know I’d be an amazing snake dad. I’d make a sick enclosure too with all kinds of branches and shit for climbing. And little hats to wear when the danger noodle is feeling fancy. It can even star in my vlogs!”
“You vlog?” Win asks.
Cade’s entire face lights up. “Hell yeah! Mostly about being psychotic.” Seba cuts Cade a look.
“My bad, about DID. So many misconceptions, because all my alters, except for Mom, are just other Cades.
But we're working on merging. Anyway. Vlogging trumps journaling, hands down. Got a channel and everything.” He digs into the pocket of his checkered shorts, pulling out the new camera Sebastian bought him yesterday and sidles up to Win. “Check this out.”
Remy winks at me behind Win’s back, stealing two cookies from the bag of treats and handing me one as our group begins migrating around the festival. Seba drapes an arm over my shoulders; I deflate against his side, grinning as Cade geeks out to Win over specs, angles and lighting.
“You’re getting him that snake, aren’t you, big guy?”
“Like I have a choice. You saw his face.”
I snicker, rising on my tiptoes to kiss his stubbled cheek. “He’s gonna lose his shit.”
He just smiles, sighing, “The things I do for love.”
I loop my arm around his back and squeeze.
Cade spins to walk backwards in front of us. “Ay, church girl, you didn't tell me Pooh plays the violin. Fucking sick!” Elbowing Win, “You should definitely post those covers. People love covers.”
Remy chucks a piece of cookie at his boyfriend. “What’d I say earlier? You don't need to go back to school. You're ridiculously talented. Put your stuff out there.”
Win is blushing like mad. “I'll think about it.”
He's saved from more nagging when the manic blonde notices the petting zoo again and takes off.
“They do have ducks!”
Seba sighs for the millionth time. “Fucking menace, I swear… but damn if he ain't adorable.”
Bubbles pop in my brain. I'm made of them— little iridescent spheres of joy, lifting me higher and higher… maybe all the way to heaven.