Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
I gigglesnorted. “That’d be Lily, then?” I’d heard some cute stories about her. Ash and Nathan suspected she might be on the autism spectrum, and Ash had mentioned her when Franklin was nearby. Which had prompted a whole conversation because Franklin and Jack’s daughter was also named Lily—and she was autistic.
Now, they had plans to go golfing together.
“The very one.” Ash nodded with a dip of his chin.
As if on cue, the big doors opened, revealing Reese and Penelope with stone-faced expressions and fancy clothes. Goodness! Penelope in a pencil skirt and a snug button-down…? Sign me up for a teacher fantasy. Or a librarian fantasy. Or anything, really.
“Finally. We’ve been waitin’ forever,” Ash told them.
“Oh my gosh, it’s starting!” someone called from the crowd.
“We’re right on time, fucker.” Reese flashed his watch. “See? Four o’clock.”
Ash came up to him. “Is this like the guards watchin’ the palace in England? Do I get points for making you smile?”
I cleared my throat and tapped his shoulder. “You don’t get points for that in England, but you might get arrested, depending on how far you go.”
Penelope’s lips twitched, and she turned away.
I grinned.
“Enough joking around,” Reese said. “We’re not here to have fun. That’s not what TPE is about.”
Lucian came up behind us with Cam, and they furrowed their brows.
“Pardon?” Lucian asked. “Our core kink is not fun?”
“I said what I said, man,” Reese grated out. “Come on, quit wastin’ time.”
When I spotted Macklin coming up the steps with his Owner, we exchanged a brief glance, and he nodded subtly.
It was on!
Anticipation buzzed within me, and I followed Ash inside the house. Considering we’d been banned from being in here up till now, many had bags and clothes to store away; I’d stashed my shorts and top in the bed of Penelope’s truck. I’d left my phone there too, safely tucked under a folded tarp.
Eventually, everyone gathered in the club area, and I perked up at the sight of the setup in the seating area. The chairs and sofas and tables had been pushed closer to the wall, and two long tables with white cloths now occupied the space. And with it came a chef. August King was dressed like the chef he was, and he’d prepared stuff on the table, all of which was hidden underneath those silver lids you lifted off a plate at a nice hotel.
The doors leading to the deck were closed, and Jack and Lucas stood there as guards, so I assumed we weren’t allowed to be out there.
The cacophony of voices grew louder as the club area filled up, and Reese yelled over the din for everyone to gather at the stage.
My contribution to the brat reveal was done; I’d helped out with the audio, but I saw some others getting ready to finish their part. Tate accepted Macklin’s phone and went behind the bar, to the confused look on Kingsley’s face. Noa and Corey whispered to each other, and I could tell they’d hidden something under their T-shirts. Most of the other male participants went shirtless.
Last but not least…
I watched with a dumb grin on my face as Macklin left Walker’s side and strode up on the stage.
Gah! This was going to be so fun! And also, I had front-row seats to watch Ash’s reaction.
“Boy, what do you think you’re doin’ up there?” Reese demanded. He was instantly on high alert, and I could imagine why.
“Get that brat off the stage!” Colt hollered.
“Now what?” Ash folded his arms over his chest.
Macklin switched on the mic and tested the sound. “Testing, testing. Do we have any scared Sadists in the house?”
“Motherfucker,” Greer cursed somewhere behind me. “He picks today?”
My cheeks hurt from smiling, and I wanted to catch all their reactions. River with his scowl, Reese with his death stare, Colt and Greer with their readiness to get even, and all the brats beaming with excitement.
I found Penelope in the crowd, only to see she was already watching me with a playful warning in her stare.
I blew her a kiss.
“Before the event starts, I would like to take a quick moment to show my appreciation,” Macklin said. The crowd piped down one by one, and Macklin paced casually along the length of the demo stage. “As one of the founding members of Mclean House, I’ve had the privilege of practically growing up with some of you. I remember when I came out here for the first time, just legal enough to buy my own drinks. This was long before Colt grew a mustache.” Laughter all around. “Reese and Lucas showed me around the house, and they spoke of the plans they had. Founders’ cabins, guest rooms, playrooms, interrogation rooms, this club right here… A lot has changed over the years. For instance, do you know what color the house used to be?”