Total pages in book: 193
Estimated words: 184001 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 920(@200wpm)___ 736(@250wpm)___ 613(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184001 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 920(@200wpm)___ 736(@250wpm)___ 613(@300wpm)
His father, still dressed in a dusty white T-shirt and worn jeans from his construction company, is even taller than Khalil. He’s a commanding and burly man with a salt-and-pepper beard and focused eyes. He steps forward and pulls his son into his arms, and they do the manly clap thing before the older man leans in to kiss his son’s cheek. “Then welcome home, boy.”
“I don’t want to drive the knife in deeper,” I say later that night as I shuffle on my knees toward the head of Khalil’s bed, the mattress springs squeaking loudly as I go, “but your parents were definitely more excited to meet me than they were to see you.”
Khalil cackles but doesn’t deny it as he finishes snapping on his skullcap to protect the fresh stitch braids I gave him before we left LA. He then gently pulls me down to sit next to him while I lean into him and lay my head on his strong shoulder. His scent wafts over me, immediately calming me. Khalil always smells so good—a little sweet, a little spicy, and minty.
“Well, you didn’t disappear without a word for ten years, so you have that going for you. And also, you’re famous. I think they were a little starstruck. My mom and pops are happy to see that I’m alive, but they’re not too thrilled with me right now.”
I stare at the wall of posters Khalil collected as a teen. “I’ve never seen anyone get cussed out for that long.” It was truly a sight to behold. After the warm welcome, his parents immediately went in on Khalil’s ass—cursing their grown son out six ways to Sunday, and when one got winded, the other took over like a well-oiled parenting machine. “You think they’re weirded out about you being in a four-way relationship?” I ask. “Honestly, they didn’t seem all that surprised. Confused, but not surprised.”
“Thorin, Zeke, and I have always been weirdly close, and I disappeared with them for ten years. My parents probably don’t feel like they even know me anymore.”
“They’re your parents,” I remind him. “No one knows you better. They’re probably just worried that if they show too much concern, they’ll drive you away when they just got you back. You should talk to them about it. Ease their minds and help them understand so that they don’t have to worry about you any more than they already are.”
“When did you get to be so wise?”
“I think it’s all the baby juice I’ve got pumping in these veins. I think it’s altering my brain.”
Khalil snorts, and then his eyes widen slightly when I stare up at him seriously. “Really?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Probably. Where are Thorin and Seth?” I ask as I yawn. I haven’t seen them since dinner, before I left to shower off the day.
“They’re bunking together in the guest room across the hall.”
I start to sit up. “You think your parents will mind if I…?”
“Go ’head.” Khalil tips his chin toward the door and then slides down on his bed, getting comfortable with his shoulders resting on the pillow and his head still propped up by the headboard. My gaze catches on his abs bunching and flexing as he moves and the impression of his semihard dick pressing against the front of his loose athletic shorts. Khalil starts laughing, flashing his straight white teeth when he sees me having second thoughts. “You might as well go because my parents might be cool as a fan, but there’s no fucking under their roof unless it’s them.” He shudders at that last part.
“Fine,” I grumble as I scoot down the squeaking bed. When I get to the foot, I look over my shoulder as I bounce up and down rhythmically, smiling like a villain when I see the panic in his eyes.
“You better stop before my mom comes in here and pops you,” Khalil warns.
I laugh riotously as I head across the hall, glancing at the open door of the hall bathroom when I do. I don’t bother to knock on the bedroom door as I push inside to see Thor sleeping soundly on one of the two twin beds crammed inside the bedroom. There wasn’t much room for any other furniture except for the old chest in the corner. Khalil already told me that Zeke and Thorin would often spend nights here growing up when life got too hard at home, so his parents had created a safe space for them to use whenever they needed.
I look over at the other bed by the open window with the curtains blowing in and see that it’s empty, so I walk over to Thorin’s bed on the opposite side and I reach out for his shoulder to shake him awake, but he catches my wrist before I can. His blue eyes pop open, and then he releases me and immediately tries to pull me onto the bed with him as he rolls over.