“Welcome, ladies,” the driver announces as he holds the door open. We clamber into the backseat, and Lydia instantly begins pouring alcohol into shot glasses while Karen and Michelle cheer her on.
“To a night we’ll never forget!” Michelle yells, holding her glass in the air, and we all follow suit, clinking the clear bowls together before throwing the shot back.
The cool liquid slides down my throat, and it’s somehow both refreshing and uncomfortable. The disgusting taste stings my tongue, and I lick my lips over and over trying to rid myself of the nasty flavor.
Ugh. Alcohol has never been my thing.
But within minutes, the effects of the drink are starting to hit me as my shoulders drop a little, and my laugh slips from my lips less carefully.
“We all need to find a man tonight,” Karen begins.
“Not all of us,” Lydia grins mischievously, looking at me.
“What?” Michelle head snaps up. “What are you talking about?”
Oh no! Does Lydia know about my dirty relationship with my stepdad and therapist? But there’s no reason to panic because as usual, the blonde just wants to talk about herself.
“Well, I wanted to go out tonight so I could tell all of you at once,” she purrs. “Jason and I are getting pretty serious. I’m actually thinking about going to school wherever he’ll be playing football,” Lydia finishes triumphantly.
She waits for Michelle and Karen as my stomach flips with anxiety. I’m worried they’ll be too harsh, but instead I’m pleasantly surprised to learn they’re supportive of her decision.
“You go girl!” Michelle caws raucously. Karen leans forward for high fives all around.
I slap back, but still, envy seeps into my soul. Because it’s one thing for your friends to support your relationship when you decide to go from high school to college.
It’s another to expect support when you’re sleeping with your stepdad and your therapist at the same time. The alcohol is flowing through my veins, making me feel looser and more relaxed than before. For a moment, I’m almost tempted to tell the girls what happened.
But then it hits me – I could never do that. They’d never believe me, and even if they did, it would never be okay.
When we get to the Marquise Hotel, my head feels light. I stumble climbing out of the car on my heels.
“Those are hot shoes, but maybe you should’ve worn flats,” Lydia says, rolling her eyes.
I stick my tongue out.
“Okay,” is my silly reply. “Too late now.”
Lydia throws her head back and laughs, obviously drunk. “Come on,” my buddy says, beckoning to the rest of us. “Let’s go!”
And as soon as we’re inside, I’m taken aback. It’s a swanky, posh hotel – the kind of place Gray might take a woman his own age on a date. I’m nervous that we won’t get in, but a man in a black suit walks us to the bar without even asking for our IDs.
I guess that’s what heavy make-up and skanky clothes do.
The interior is very swanky, and the oak bar is upscale and luxurious. Purple velvet couches decorate the lounge area as people move around quietly, chatting in dark corners.
“Will this be alright?” The man gestures to four bar stools positioned around a high table.
“This is perfect,” Michelle says seductively.
We climb onto the stools, glancing around the bar while taking in the scene. Hands down, we’re the youngest, probably by two decades. But at least we’re the prettiest too, the other women shooting us evil stares.
It’s nice to be young, isn’t it?
“Four martinis, please,” Karen says as a hostess zooms by us clad in the shortest skirt I’ve ever seen. She’s at least six feet tall, and her legs are never-ending, covered in fishnet stockings.
“Coming right up!” she says with a smile.
“This is nice,” Lydia announces, smiling as her head swivels from side to side.
“And there are some really hot guys in here too,” Michelle adds mischievously, blue eyes sparkling.
“I’m going to meet one,” Karen declares and we all shake our heads and giggle.
Because Karen is bold, but she’s not exactly forward when it comes to men. She likes to act as if she’s so mature and experienced, but I doubt there’s even a kernel of truth in her display. Karen is just like the rest of us, too scared to do anything when it comes down to it. After all, these guys are decades older than us, real businessman and not the high school boys we’re used to.
“Go!” Michelle eggs her on.
Karen blushes
“Just give me a moment,” she murmurs, taking a long gulp of her drink, eyes surveying the scene.
But Michelle laughs then.
“Kar, you’ve barely had sex,” she confides. “Come on, this is too much.”
But before Karen can throw back a snappy retort, the front door to the hotel bar opens and my heart plummets. Gray and Mason walk in, commanding the attention of practically everyone in the bar as they stride towards the bar.
Oh god, oh god. My heart starts pounding like a drum, body temperature going cold, then hot, then cold again.
They’re here.
My lovers.
What were the chances?
I’m the only one in my group of friends who can see them, the other girls giggling away at something or another. To my chagrin, they brush past our high-topped table without even glancing in my direction.
Suddenly, the waitress materializes with a smile.
“This round has been paid for by the gentleman in black at the bar,” the waitress says with a curious smile, placing our drinks down on the table.
Oh my gosh! Did Mason and Gray buy us drinks? That would be so strange. Didn’t they just get here?
But when I look over, Gray is wearing a blue suit, and Mason’s tan suit doesn’t fit the bill either.
“It’s them,” Lydia says triumphantly. She tosses her hair and points to a group of guys at the bar. They’re young – definitely all below thirty. Three of them are blonde, and the other is brunette and tanned, all with big smiles on their faces.
Ugh.
Not my type at all.
I should be bubbling with excitement, but instead, I feel nothing.
Not when I’ve already had a taste of real alphas.
“Thank you!” Michelle says loudly, waving her hand in the air to beckon the guys over.
Turning in my seat, I try to look excited. Because this is just a game of cat and mouse. Boy sees girl he likes. Approach. They get to know one another. Kiss. Get married.
But somehow, the whole shebang sounds boring to me.
Why do I feel this way?
I should be excited, primping at my hair and licking at my lips.
Instead, there’s just nothingness.
I don’t care.
Worse, I notice that Gray and Mason are gone. There’s no sight of the two alphas. Where did they go? And why did they show up here together? What is going on with them? Maybe they saw me looking at these guys and got jealous and left?
Ooh, that would be so freaking hot if they were jealous of another man finding me attractive.
Wow, I’ve really turned into a bad girl.
The four guys make their way over to us, fanning out around our table.
“Thank you for the drinks!” Lydia tosses her hair and smiles. The average person would think she was being friendly, but I know she’s flirting. Jason is nowhere on her mind right now, and honestly, I feel sorry for the poor sap. High school quarterback or not, his girlfriend still has the attention span of a fly.
“You’re very welcome. We just want you ladies to have a good night. You look beautiful, so if you ever want to hang out with some boring finance guys, come on over to our section,” one of the blonde men says.
“You have a nice night, ladies,” the brunette man says with a smile before the pack saunters away.
Really? That’s all?
No hard come-on?
> Weird.
But my friends are a mass of delighted giggles now.
“They were so cute!” Karen squeals as soon as they’re out of earshot. “Oooh, that was so fun!”
They didn’t capture my attention, because I’m still looking for Mason and Gray, unsure of where they could have gone so fast. Why did they disappear?
Suddenly, dread strikes.
Was this whole thing planned? Were they trying to surprise me? That would be nice, but it’s too ridiculous. We’ve only had one session, and besides, our relationship is taboo. No one should know.
Suddenly, Lydia elbows me, disrupting my thoughts.
“Oh my god, Mona!”
Turning my head, I frown at my buddy.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
And suddenly my dream is coming true. Or nightmare, depending on how you look at it.
“Isn’t that your stepdad?” Lydia asks, nodding towards the bar. I glance over just in time to see Mason and Gray making chitchat with a group of women who are fawning over them. Jealousy fills my heart because it’s painful seeing how easily Gray and Mason handle their posse of admirers. After all, they’re the most gorgeous men in the room, women drawn to the two alphas like moths to a flame.
But suddenly, my eyes fly open, heart pounding. Because my stepdad’s seen us, and now he’s making his way over to our booth.
Oh god. No. Please, no.
But it’s true. And soon, that massive form towers over our table, elegant in a perfectly cut suit.
“Hi, ladies. Aren’t you a little young to be here?” Gray asks, bemused. His eyes sweep over my frame, taking in every detail, but that tone is casual.
I have to look away to stop from breaking into a full-on blush, but thankfully the other girls don’t notice. They’re all too busy smiling while looking at the two men with googly eyes.
Because Mason’s joined Gray, those bright blue eyes taking in the scene.
“These are virgin martinis,” Lydia lies glibly. And then she giggles. “We just really like olives.”
Mason glances over to me at the mention of ‘virgin’ and I flush bright red. It makes me think of how they both took my innocence, sensual and deep. Oh god, oh god. I’m going to die right here, going up in flames.
But strangely, the world keep on turning like normal.
“Alright,” growls my stepdad. “Have fun, and be safe,” he says, nodding his head in my direction. I nod back, hoping we more closely resemble a normal stepfather and daughter duo than intimate lovers.
Or an intimate threesome.
And every bone in my body wants to chase after Gray and Mason as I watch them walk back to the bar, but I force myself to stay still, gripping the seat with white knuckles. Good thing the other girls can’t see.
“Oh my god, he’s so hot,” Karen moans. “I can’t imagine living in the same house with a guy like that.”
“Karen! He’s her stepdad!” Michelle says, clearly scandalized. “Obviously Mona doesn’t think that way about him.”
Her words make me even more glad for the dim lighting of the Marquise and I bring my martini glass to my lips before taking a huge swallow.
But Lydia’s on a roll.
“I’ve had a crush on your stepdad for years,” Lydia admits as I shake my head with embarrassment.
Michelle coos, joining in.
“His friend is hot too! The two of them shouldn’t be allowed to roam together, because I bet women would fight over them. I mean, I couldn’t pick if you forced me!” she giggles like a nincompoop.
I wince. Of course, the brunette is kidding, but she has no idea just how close she is to the terrible truth.
Because I’ve seen both men, naked. Those hard muscled chests. The strong abs and powerful thighs. And most of all, those thick, hard cocks. Even now, my mouth floods with saliva at the memory.
I could never choose either.
There’s no way I could ever decide on one and let the other go. It’s too tough, like having to choose between light and dark. Some of both is good, even necessary, to stay alive.
But the girls are lightheaded and shallow, tipsy from the alcohol.
“Oh my gosh, I couldn’t live with Mr. Thorn,” Michelle coos again, almost panting. “Seeing him every morning would be too much! I’d pee in my pants!”
Karen shrieks and my three friends burst into hysterical laughter then.
They’re so loud that other patrons have begun to look over at our table, and embarrassment washes over me in a wave. Looking away, I see Mason and Gray settling their tab at the bar. Oh good. They’re leaving. There will be some peace if the two alphas go elsewhere.
But as if he’s been waiting for me, Mason locks eyes, that blue seizing mine. And never dropping my gaze, he holds a small envelope in the air, before placing it under a bowl of pretzels at the edge of the table.
What?
What’s in the envelope?
Because clearly, it’s meant for me.
But I can’t ask because without a word, he and Gray leave, while Lydia, Karen, and Michelle continue to giggle about my stepdad and therapist, acting like a bunch of teen girls.
Then again, we are teen girls, so it’s normal.
I’m the one who’s weird.
Besides, what could possibly be in that envelope? I’m not sure, but it has to be for me. Because Mason wanted me to see exactly what he was doing…and to take whatever it is that he’s left behind.
“I’ll be right back,” I say, quietly slipping from the table before Lydia can ask where I’m going or volunteer to come along.
Friends. Sometimes amazing, sometimes not-so-amazing.
I quickly make my way across the room, never losing site of the white envelope poking from beneath the bowl of pretzels. My heart is racing and fingers are clumsy as I reach for the small white square.
But then a gasp escapes my lips.
Because as soon as it’s ripped open, a hotel key card falls to the floor, along with a small slip of paper that reads ‘1209’ in an unfamiliar, elegant script.
Oh god, oh god.
This can only mean one thing.
Quickly, I stuff both items in my purse and then dart out of the bar and into the bathroom. I need to catch my breath and stabilize a bit before going back to the girls.
Because Mason knew what he was doing when he left this key card.
After all, it can only mean one thing right?
Are they planning for me to join them for another scandalous tryst?
Or do they want me to stay the entire night?
Or …?
After finding my composure, I make my way back to the bar. Even though it’s only been a few moments, the dance floor is packed, the crowd pulsing and throbbing beneath multi-colored lights.
Where are my buddies? Vainly, I search the crowd, bodies flickering between wisps of party vapor.
Suddenly, Michelle’s voice screams in my ear.
“Did you go to the bathroom?” Michelle vocalizes, trying to be heard.
I nod. It’s pointless to speak, the pounding of the bass drumming into my head.
“I need to go too!” she practically screeches now, eyes darting to the exits.
Silently, I mime ‘back and to the left.’ Nodding, Michelle disappears off into the crowd.
But it’s time for me to go now.
Now that there’s dancing, my friends are clearly focused on the music, the people, and the strobe lights.
“I’m going home,” I pantomime, hoping someone understands.
Lydia’s face appears in the mist, nodding.
“Sure,” her lips say. And then my buddy holds her hand up to her ear in the timeless gesture of telephone. “Call me when you’re home.”
I nod, swinging my purse over my shoulder and waving goodbye.
The girls will be fine without me. In fact, they won’t even notice.
But walking to the elevators is easier said than done. I have to push through a crowd of bodi
es, and my heels are painfully uncomfortable. Plus, I’m still a little tipsy from the shots in the car.
But Mason and Gray are waiting.
Oh god, this night just got ten times better.
As the lift moves upwards, I grow more excited. Knowing that I’m about to secretly meet my stepfather and our psychiatrist in a hotel room is almost as arousing as the sex itself. Because just what do they have planned for me?
Before long, a musical chime sounds and the doors slide open. The hallway is dark and minimalistic, with just one small table sitting against the wall and a vintage mirror hanging above it.
My black dress rides my hips, and the stretch of the fabric against my skin turns me on further, all of my senses eager to be stimulated.
Suddenly, my feet freeze, refusing to budge.
What am I doing? This is so wrong! I should just walk away. My mind struggles to contemplate my options.
On the one hand, I can go forwards and find a new me.
On the other, I can retreat into the nerdy persona that’s always been my sword and shield at once. After all, it’s not wrong to be a nerd. It’s not wrong to be a straight A student. It’s just that after years of a boring, dull existence, I want more. I want to live life a little and let my hair go wild. I want to explore what the universe has to offer … even if it’s unethical.
Because the siren song of my two lovers is too much. Mason and Gray are everything I’ve ever dreamed of, doubled. Make that tripled or quadrupled even. My world has been blown open, and unfortunately, I can never go back to the old Mona. The one who stammered every other sentence, turning beet red before rushing out of the room.
So what choice do I have really?
And tossing my hair back confidently, I stride down the hall towards room 1209. These are my lovers for better or worse … and I can’t wait to see what the next curve ball brings.
Chapter 9
Gray
Holy fuck.
This is so wrong. Mason showed up at my house with gleam in those blue eyes, and I should have ended everything right then and there.
But my man is skilled in the art of seduction – both verbal and physical – and after listening to him, I had to give it another chance. After all, his proposition seemed innocuous enough. We were just going to talk about our future over a few drinks…not that there was much of a future to discuss.
Their Secret Page 8
