Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Chelsea

The food was incredible, and the company even better. I spent most of the meal sitting back and observing while they bantered and teased each other.

At least, Storm and Frost did. Dallas spent most of the meal with a hand on my back or my thigh. He'd remove it every now and again to break apart some bread, but quickly put it back, like he couldn't bear not touching me.

“How was your ravioli?” He looked anxious, my response important to him. His stake in the restaurant must mean more to him than he initially let on.

“It was delicious,” I said honestly. “I don't think I've ever had better pasta. There's nothing like freshly made.”

He visibly relaxed. “Yeah, there isn't. My sister prides herself on making everything fresh. With native ingredients and all that.”

“She does a great job,” Frost said. He patted his full stomach. “I'm going to have to train three times harder tomorrow. Worth it.”

“Definitely,” Storm agreed. He hadn't mentioned truth or dare again, but I got the impression he hadn't forgotten.

Personally, I was grateful for the garlic bread arriving when it did. He'd caught me off guard, but that wouldn't happen again. Not if I could help it.

“I should probably have insisted you all eat salad,” I said. “As your doctor, I should encourage you to stick to the diet your dietician gave you.”

“You're not our doctor yet,” Storm pointed out. “For the record, you could have tried. I would have had the spaghetti anyway. I'll train three times harder tomorrow too.”

I clicked my tongue. “Ignoring your doctor's orders.” I shook my head.

No, I wasn't their doctor yet, but I soon would be. I had to be. I wouldn't let failure be an option.

“What are you going to do, spank us?” Frost asked. “Because I'd be down for that.” He sipped his drink, his eyes smiled at me.

“That doesn't surprise me in the slightest,” I said. My ass was still slightly uncomfortable from the bruises Storm left behind. Not to mention the ones Dallas added.

I wouldn't say no to returning the favour with one of the guys. Or all of them. I also wouldn't object to seeing Storm leave bruises on Frost.

I saw the way they looked at each other over dinner. The occasional glance and accidental brushing of hands when they both reached for the water jug. Their connection was electric.

“How does this work?” Dallas asked, his fingers stroking the inside of my thigh. “Do we all go to someone's house, or do we take turns with Chelsea?”

“You can all come to my place,” Storm said. “We can figure it out from there. Who wants to do what with whom.” He propped his elbows on the table. “The rules are simple. No judgement. If anyone wants to make judgements, they can fuck off now.” His gaze slid from Frost, to me, then to Dallas.

“I can agree not to judge any of you,” Frost said. He turned his face and looked at Dallas.

“If you won't judge me, then I won't judge you,” the second-rower said. “Another rule. No photos, no videos. No nothing that can leak to the public.”

“A-fucking-men,” Storm agreed. “I'd love naked photos of Chelsea, but there's too much risk of being hacked. I don't want anyone looking at her who isn't in this—” he turned his finger around in a circle, indicating everyone at the table “—whatever this is. Those days are in the past.”

“Unless I decide to get naked for someone else,” I said. Last time I looked, it was still my body.

“Then they better be involved in this too,” Storm said firmly. “Your body is for our eyes, hands, mouths and cocks. Whether that's just us, or includes some other guys, it doesn't include the whole fucking Internet.”

“Agreed,” Frost said softly. “I don't want everyone seeing her either.”

I could have told them I knew a couple of guys, twins, who could have anything like that taken off the Internet if I needed it. They might not be able to remove it completely, especially if people saved the photos, but they could take it down from anywhere it would be seen by a lot of people. And keep it from going back up.

I pressed my lips together instead. If I told the guys that, I'd have a lot more to explain. Stuff they might not be ready for yet.

On the drive here, I had the distinct impression they had no idea who might have followed us. That it could have been someone far worse than a paparazzo. Did they really not know who ran Dusk Bay?

If this turned into anything more than fucking, if they wanted a relationship with me, sooner or later they had to know.

I decided that was a problem for future Chelsea. I'd look for the right time to tell them, but it wasn't now.

“If anyone spreads photos of her naked, I'll poke their eyes out,” Dallas growled. He picked up his fork and stabbed the air with it.

I smiled. For a big, obsessive guy, he was adorable. He'd be horrified if he knew what my brother would do. Poking people's eyes out was a relaxed Tuesday afternoon for Isaac 'Ice' Miller.

“It would be best not to take any photos, or videos,” I said finally. “I wouldn't want anyone to do anything rash or violent on my behalf.”

Not that would get them kicked off the team, anyway. If Dallas was going to go around stabbing anyone, he'd have to make sure they were dead and the evidence dealt with first.

Once again, I knew people.

Once again, I couldn't tell him that.

“Does that mean photos of you are fair game?” Frost asked Dallas teasingly.

Dallas aimed the fork in his direction and repeated the stabbing motion. “I have a contract. The only photos I allow to be circulated are ones that pass through my management.”

“That doesn't rule out naked ones,” Frost pointed out.

“If my management wants to circulate naked photos of me to boost my career, I'll let them.” Dallas placed his fork on his plate. “Otherwise, not a chance.”

Storm looked thoughtful.

“What is it?” I ask him.

Smiling, he said, “I was wondering what circumstances naked photos of us would boost our careers. We're supposed to be role models for children. It seems unlikely, worse luck.”

“You want to pose naked?” Frost asked. “I mean, from the front.”

“I wouldn't want to put all the other men on the planet to shame,” Storm said. “But it wouldn't bother me. I'm not shy about my body. If I didn't play rugby, I'd make an amazing porn star.” He cut a look toward Dallas. “So would you. Watching you fuck Chelsea got me going the other night. I bet you'd make a fortune.”

Dallas shrugged. “Probably, but I'll stick to footy.”

“You wouldn't want to make a living by fucking?” I asked.

I'd been approached a couple of times by people who made adult videos, but I'd declined. If I gave up medicine, I would have jumped at the chance, but it'd be difficult to get a job as a doctor if I was out there, on the Internet, as a porn actor.

“I'd rather make a living by tackling people into the turf,” Dallas said. “Making them bleed is more satisfying.”

“Right?” Storm asked. “If we weren't on the field, what we do is illegal. Or at least, something for behind closed doors.” He raised his eyebrows at me and smiled.

I smiled back before turning to Dallas. “You enjoy making people bleed?” I'd barely scratched the surface of what he was into. I didn't have much experience with knives. Divina didn't allow them, and no one I'd ever been with was interested.

As for me, I'd always been curious to try.

Dallas swallowed visibly and his hand tightened on my thigh. “I guess so.” He grimaced. “I'm so fucking hard now. If we don't get out of here, I'm going to take you into the kitchen and fuck you in front of the kitchen staff.”

“I don't see a problem with that,” Frost said.

Dallas swivelled around to look at him. “Hot oil, dickhead . Kitchens are dangerous. You don't fuck in, or with, kitchens.” He relaxed slightly. “Not restaurant ones anyway. At home, that's a different story.”

Frost held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, got it. You don't want your cock burnt off. I can respect that.”

Dallas shook his head and rolled his eyes before pushing himself to his feet and taking my arm to pull me up with him. “No I don't. If that's what you're into, then go for it. I won't be here to hear you scream.”

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. My brother would love this conversation. He would have been inspired. The next man in his workroom would probably have his cock burnt off, so Isaac could see what it was like.

Knowing him, he had a thousand other ideas without getting any from us.

“Hard pass,” Frost said. “I like my cock not melted.” He patted his groin.

“Wise decision,” Storm told him.

“I thought so,” Frost agreed. “Although, I think it's the only decision. Unless a person is really sadistic.”

“I think the word you're looking for is masochistic,” Storm said. “Either way, an intact cock sounds better.” He patted Frost on the shoulder before heading for the door.

Dallas placed his hand on my lower back and we followed them out to the car park.

I half expected to see Belinda waiting for us, leaning against the side of her car, camera in hand. She would have had a cold couple of hours standing out here, but people do all sorts of strange, uncomfortable things for money.

Where her car was parked, a sedan now sat, popping and groaning now and again as the engine cooled. Long and dark, with tinted windows, if it was the one following us, I would have freaked out.

Nothing good ever seemed to come from being followed by dark sedans with tinted windows. Of course, lots of the cars in Dusk Bay fit that description. So much so, they barely stuck out any more. My yellow hatchback was more eye-catching than this vehicle. That was a choice I made deliberately, in the hope it would indicate I stayed out of the darker shadows of the city.

Still, seeing it made me nervous.

“Any sign of the leech?” Storm stopped and turned a slow circle, looking around the car park and out onto the street.

“She's probably long gone by now,” Frost said. “Annoying the shit out of someone else.”

“That's someone who needs their eyes poked out,” Dallas said darkly. “I remember a few years ago, a paparazzo followed around that singer, Abbie Hart. Next thing, she was mysteriously dead.”

“I remember that,” I said. “Abbie was touring with Wolf Venom at the time.”

I was a big fan of her and the band. Their collaborations were some of my favourite songs. I'd met most of Wolf Venom in passing, but didn't know any of them well. Well enough to know it wasn't that much of a mystery that anyone harassing their girlfriend died. All of them were very protective of her, and most had the skills, connections and experience to kill someone and make it look like an accident.

“Yeah,” Dallas said. “That's a precedent I could get behind.” He glared off into the darkness, as though Belinda would see him. If she could, and was as smart as I thought she was, she'd be very careful from now on. Making her disappear wouldn't be difficult.

Neither Storm nor Frost disagreed with Dallas. Even if they didn't know what Dusk Bay was really like, they seemed to have caught on to the vibe.