Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Grinder
“Wakey wakey, little sis.” Mia’s been sleeping for going on two days, and because I vowed that I would always be there for her, I haven’t left her room except late at night until early morning.
And because I’m a needy fuck, Parker and Spencer have been my caregiving shadows this whole time.
Not only by sitting with me in Mia’s room, but also sleeping on either side of me when we go back to our suite.
“Ugh, Diego, don’t you have better things to do than to harass me?
” Her voice is sleep-filled and sounds like she’s just smoked a pack of unfiltered cigarettes.
Not that she would actually smoke. We had a very long, very scary conversation about the things I would do to anyone who pressured her into smoking or doing any kinds of drugs.
Yeah, yeah. I’m a hypocrite and she knows it. Doesn’t mean she’s allowed to fuck up her life on stupid shit.
“I do, but because I’m a great fucking brother, you’re my priority.
” I kiss her forehead, and despite her groaning and protests, I don’t miss the tiny smile on the corner of her lips.
“Breakfast is ready. I wasn’t sure whether you’d want pancakes or crispy strips with two sunny side ups so I ordered both.
” When she was a kid, we could tell her mood for the day depending on what she’d eat.
Pancakes for comfort food, eggs and bacon when she had a busy schedule.
As a cross-country runner—full ride at UNC, too—protein is essential.
“I can’t decide.” She may be almost twenty-two and on the verge of being a college graduate, but when she uses her tiny voice, it pulls me back to that bright summer day when she joined our foster family.
My past was fucking horrendous, but Mia?
I don’t know how she found the strength back then to take one step after another.
“Both it is, then. Comfort and protein.” She grins at my declaration and I turn on my heel before I start crying because this moment is…a lot. She’s here, she’s safe. She’s fine. Just fucking fine and I need to grow a vagina since my balls are clearly bringing me down.
As I’m bringing the warm plate to her bed, there’s a light knock on the door, followed by Spencer’s disheveled dark head popping in.
“Knock knock, mind if I come in and check your vitals?” Fuck, he’s perfect.
“Hi, Spencer.” Mia loves him, I can tell. And not just because her entire face lights up when he walks in and her voice goes from vulnerable with me to strong and firm with him.
“Hey, how’re you feelin’?” He’s speaking to my sister but he spares me a glance with a private smile that promises so many amazing years to come.
I may be reading into it, but little does he know that it’s happening.
Same for Parker, who follows in right behind Spencer with two low-hanging pigtails and a black SOK cap Vanessa had made last year for the anniversary of the club’s creation. I like the look on her. A fucking lot.
“A lot better if Bouncy, over here, didn’t feel the need to wake me up at the butt crack of dawn.”
I narrow my eyes at Mia but she won’t look at me. Brat.
“It’s eight in the morning, hardly the butt crack of anything.” I huff out a breath then—because my old nickname gives me ideas—I jump on her bed and start hopping up and down just to fucking annoy her.
“Awww, see? This is what I missed not having Rainer around.” My head whips around at Parker’s words. Who the fuck is…oooh, that’s right. I haven’t fucked with Sledge about his given name in a long time. I’m bumping that shitshow to number one priority, right the fuck now.
“He was probably too grumpy and emo to be fun like me.” I keep bouncing up and down until Spencer slams his hand on my shoulder and speaks through his teeth.
“Stop it. I’m trying to get her vitals.” Oh, shit. Why is that hot? My dick goes instantly hard at his assertive side, all professional and shit. So, making fun of Sledge has just taken the second—no, third—place. Spot one and two now belong to fucking my…I need to figure out a word for us.
Old people isn’t going to work for me.
Lovers sounds like we’re in some kind of highbrow movie that nobody understands at the end. We may not be total hicks, but we’re far from bougie.
Soulmates is a mouthful and the only time I like that is, well, when my mouth is full of cock or pussy. Occasionally carrot cake. That works, too.
Lovebirds? Maybe if we were eighty. No, not then either.
Without another word, I leave Mia in Spence’s capable hands and sink down into the old, leather, reclining chair, my phone in hand and my concentration on point. I barely even register Parker sitting on my lap.
“What are you do—? Ohhh.” Her question dies mid asking when she reads my search bar. She gets it. “Wow, that’s a lot. Who knew? Humans aren’t even up on that list, we’re so mid.”
“Kinda makes you wonder why we get so much slack, doesn’t it?” I’m scrolling through the choices, bypassing the apes because nothing about them screams sexy or cute.
“What about them?” I look at where Parker is pointing and there it is. It ticks all the boxes.
Fun, trouble makers, a little psychotic but also committed and loving. And damn, they’re the most fluid animals in the fucking kingdom.
“It’s fucking perfect, Stabby-poo.” I get a punch in the thigh for that so I do the only thing I can.
Flip her around and the fuse my lips to hers, kissing her deep and hard until her entire body melts into me and my dick is begging me to just get them back to our room and fuck until we’re all dead.
Figuratively speaking, of course.
“Y’all need to get a room, seriously.” Mia’s grinning from ear to ear as she chastises me.
I know she’s happy without us even talking about it.
Despite her kidnapping and her abuse I had to witness, she seems to be handling everything well enough.
Sadly, this isn’t even a top three of the horrendous things that have happened to her.
Knowing her, she’s locked this whole experience down tight and will revisit and cope when she’s ready. It’s her M.O. and I won’t fuck it…yet.
“I agree, little sis. I’m taking my dolphins back to my room and we’re going to partake in some watersports of our own making.” My words have their intended effect.
Mia pretends to choke on vomit while Spencer, ever the professional, furrows his brows and gives me a what-the-fuck look that is fucking cute. I want to lick it off his face.
I may actually start with that.
“Put the TV on before y’all leave.” I grab the remote on my way to kiss her on the forehead when she continues. “With the volume on loud as fuck.”
I flick the tip of her nose with my thumb and forefinger. “Listen to you, talking like a badass.”
“Taught by the best.” We smile at each other and there’s a moment of gratitude that passes between us. We may not be blood but we’re tight, and that’s all that matters.
“And don’t you forget it. Now, eat and be good.
Also, do not talk to any of the club members.
They stick their dicks in way too many pussies.
I don’t wanna have to kill’ em for mistakin’ you for an available good time.
” I tuck her back in and grin. It’s my devilish one because I know Mia and she’s about to test my brotherly love and support.
“What if I wanna be a good time girl? Nothin’ wrong with that, it’s what you always said.”
I laugh outright and Parker shoots fake guns at me.
“She got you there, Grin-der.” Stressing both syllables of my name, Parker winks at Mia, and now that they’ve ganged up on me, I’m assuming they’re besties.
“Whatever. If you want to be responsible for my murders, I’m down.” I shrug. Like I haven’t already killed for both of them.
With a pat on her leg and the remote in her hand, we all leave her to rest. It’s Saturday and she’ll have to go back to campus tomorrow to prepare for her finals.
Which means we need to get our shit together for her graduation.
The whole fucking club is going because family supports family and one of ours is one to all.
As soon as I close her door, my thoughts do a one-eighty and I’m solely focused on the next few hours of our lives.
“Dolphins?” Spencer’s question is coupled with a quick shake of his head, like our crazy is becoming our normal.
“Yes, Spenny, dolphins. It was almost bonobos because the males like to rub same-sex genitals and that gives the females orgasms. Sounds fun.” Parker opens our door while going through the list of animals we quickly read though earlier, and there were a lot.
In fact, I’m convinced there aren’t any uniquely straight animals in all of the kingdom. Not even the guppies.
“I cannot with y’all, seriously.” Spencer chuckles and I can’t tell if he’s amused or looking for the red exit sign out of this crazy throuple because I’m too focused on the way his ass is hugged by those jeans.
“Well, doesn’t matter now anyway. The days where you could bow out of this are long gone, Doc.” My voice is low, lust-induced, and I’ve got only one thing on my mind.
Them. Naked. Panting. Coming. Over and over again.
This is happening.
“I have no boundaries,” I start, taking them both by surprise at my now serious and firm tone. “But I know y’all do and since we’re about to take a major first step here, let’s talk it out. Red light, yellow light, green light. Go.”
Parker grins, then lets herself fall back on the mattress, bouncing a few times before settling. Spencer, ever the reserved one, clears his throat and sits in the armchair next to the window.
“All’s green for me, too. My only hard passes are Spenny’s hard passes. Whatever makes him uncomfortable, I don’t wanna do.” Popping back up on her elbows, she tilts her head to the side and blows a kiss to Spencer. Pretty fucking cool answer.