Four sets of twins? I want them all.

It’s Christmas.

So what if I just broke up with my boyfriend?

A girl’s allowed to kiss 8 guys under the mistletoe.

Even if it does get me a death threat from my ex.

So now I need round-the-clock bodyguards.

Big.

Strong.

Devoted.

And the twins all agreed to help me out.

The Wolf Twins, the billionaires.

The Castle Twins, the firemen.

The Jameson Twins, the doctors.

The Oakley Twins, the quarterbacks.

I can’t seem to decide which pair make me feel the safest.

Or the sexiest.

I’ll just have to move in with all 8 of them.

* * *

Chapter 1

I curled my hair in the mirror as Courtney put on her makeup. The resort hotel I worked for, Beacon-Ansley, threw several parties throughout the holiday season. Being the event planner meant managing everything from the VIP list to place settings, choosing the colors for the decorations, and triple-checking the menu. But by now I’d lived in Los Angeles and worked for this hotel for about three years. I knew the regulars by heart, could address every person by name, and even had a hand in hiring other individuals if people didn’t work out on my catering teams. It kept me busy working over sixty hours a week, but this year threw me a curveball.

A twin convention!

“So, you really mean it when you say this party’s gonna be filled with twins?”

“Yep,” I said as I fluffed my hair.

“Just a bunch of people who look like another person getting together because they’re twins,” Courtney said.

“Uh-huh. Apparently, it’s a big thing. Twin celebrations happen all across the world. I’m honestly surprised LA hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon sooner.”

“Good thing I’m single. Maybe I’ll get lucky tonight.” Courtney was my best friend. She was the first person who had befriended me when I moved to LA, and now we were roommates. Sure, I made enough money to live on my own, but living with a roommate was just cheaper. I got to pocket more of my money to save up for the house I really wanted to live in someday. I wanted a massive home with lots of rooms that I could fill with the people I loved. Strong men and their dashing desires. Maybe a person or two I could control. I wanted to fill my life with people who loved me.

Especially since I’d grown up without any.

“Too bad you’re off the market. I bet there’ll be some hunks at this party,” Courtney said.

“Honestly? I wish I wasn’t taken.”

“Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?” she asked.

“He’s just—getting worse, I guess.”

“What do you mean? What’s Jeremy doing now?”

Jeremy Newberry was the man who had hired me at the resort hotel. He was the manager of hospitality, meaning he oversaw the work of the event planners. When I had that first interview with him, I couldn’t deny how attractive he was. He had this pale skin that contrasted with my dark tan beautifully and luscious lips that I kept daydreaming about kissing. His hazel eyes were mesmerizing against his jet-black hair, and I practically squealed the first time he asked me out on a date. At first our dating was frowned upon, but Jeremy fought for us. He talked with his supervisors and kept me from getting fired on more than one occasion. I owed my career in the hospitality industry to him, but unfortunately it now seemed as though he felt like he owned me.

Like I owed him something.

“He’s just—I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain it. If he calls and I don’t answer, he keeps calling until I do. One time I was in the shower and saw I had seven missed calls from him. I called him back and he picked up the phone and berated the shit out of me until I told him I was just washing my fucking vagina.”

“Yikes. Yeah, that’s out in left field pretty far. What else is going on that you haven’t told me?” Courtney asked.

“He keeps bumping into me at places. At first I just thought I was going crazy. I mean, we’ve been together three years. We’re gonna frequent some of the same places, right?”

“Right. You’ve been together too long. Continue.”

“Well, I took a trip about thirty minutes north to see if this one shop had a china design I was looking for. You know the Medical Network of LA’s Christmas party that happens next week?”

“Sure. Go on,” she said.

“Well, they found this pattern they wanted desperately for their plates, and I couldn’t find that shit anywhere in LA I told Jeremy there was a shop north of here that said they could order it, but I wanted to go make sure they were ordering the right design before we shelled out the money. I decided to do lunch there before I came back, and Jeremy just happened to ‘be in the area’ when he walked into the fucking restaurant.”

“Uh, creepy. What the fuck? Is he following you or something?”

“That’s crazy, right? He can’t possibly be. People don’t do that shit, right?” I asked.

“Well, I told you he was weird the first time I met him. I honestly wouldn’t put it past him.”

“I just feel stifled. Now I’m walking around with one eye looking over my shoulder. I’m sleeping with my fucking phone ringer on just in case he calls, and it’s driving me nuts. I’m over it.”

“So break up with him. He can’t fire you because HR finally approved your relationship, so they know he would be biased. If you’re unhappy, Lexi, leave.”

“It just doesn’t seem that simple. I mean, what if he is crazy? What if he, like, dives off the deep end and tries to stab me with a knife psycho-style?”

“Maybe one of these sets of twins will be bodyguards or something,” she said, grinning.

“Ugh. I know I need to end things with him, but I can’t honestly tell you that I’m comfortable doing it.”

“You’re scared, Lexi, and that’s not okay.”

“I’m not fucking scared, all right? I’m just—”

I looked at myself in the mirror, my lipstick poised above my lips. Things had gotten a bit boring and monotonous with Jeremy over the past year, and that was when things seemed to have ratcheted up. Maybe this was his weird way of spicing things up and showing me he cared, but I’d be satisfied if he was just willing to try other things in bed.

That shit had gotten old fast.

“Lexi, can I be honest?”

“Since when do you ask permission to be honest?” I asked.

“Since you became such a blatant pussy.”

“What?”

“Look. Jeremy’s not right for you. You’ve been dating him ever since you moved to LA Cool. Got it. He was your introductory man. Now it’s time to find you a real one. One that doesn’t need to know your every move and will be okay with you calling him back. Someone who doesn’t make you feel creeped out or uneasy at night. Come on, you’re a strong, independent woman. Why am I telling you any of this shit?” she asked.

“It would be nice to just spend time by myself. You know, doing me and shit,” I said.

“Yep. And I know you think your sex life has gotten boring. You could do you while doing other men who do you right. Know what I’m sayin’?”

“You’re a fucking horndog, you know that?” I asked.

“You’re just jealous because you are, too, but you can’t explore it. It’s just the boring old missionary shit where he lubes up his cock and sticks it in. He doesn’t even go down on you! When was the last time you had a decent orgasm?”

“I have orgasms, all right?”

“When, Lexi?”

I paused, and my silence was all she needed. I just didn’t understand why it was so hard for Jeremy to please me for once. The more I thought about it, the angrier it made me, and the more I wanted to end things with him right then.

“I bet there’ll be a nice twin or two who would lick that pussy real nice,” Courtney said, grinning.

“Be careful. You’ll spray the bathroom and we’ll both be taking another shower,” I said.

“You just need a change of pace. Allow yourself that. I miss my headstrong roommate. I’ve been stuck with this asshole for months.”

“I’m not an asshole,” I said.

“The only things assholes do is shit and blow hot air. That’s all you’ve been doing for months. End it with the poor man and get your life back. And if he tries any hinky bullshit, I’ll just punch him in his nuts.”

“You’re insane,” I said.

“And that’s why you love me.” Courtney handed me my phone, and I sighed as I took it. I wasn’t going to do something like this through text message. We’d been together way too long for that. But if things were about to end, then that needed to happen now while I still had the guts to do it. Plus, I was now distracted from the party and running ten minutes behind.

Hey. We need to talk. Meet in the lobby before the party begins?

I sent him the text message and then gave it to Courtney to see. She rolled her eyes but accepted it for now as we continued to get ready. I had to let him down easy, seeing as he was still my boss. He couldn’t fire me without grounds relating to my work, but he could make work a living nightmare in order to gain the grounds to fire me. I had to tread lightly with this, especially considering the habits he’d struck up over the past four or five months.

“Come on, Courtney! You’re gonna make me late!”

“You better fucking break up with him. I’m ready to mingle with the twins with my best friend,” she said.

“I’ll talk to him, I promise.”

We drove through downtown Los Angeles before I whipped behind the hotel. If I ran, I could still meet Jeremy on time and catch my breath before the kitchen would need help coordinating food tray runs. I grabbed Courtney’s hand and rushed her in, pushing her through a door that dumped into the ballroom before I made my way to the lobby.

Jeremy was standing there in the corner looking out at the street. His eyes were darting around in that paranoid state I’d come to view as normal, but seeing it from afar, it only struck me as odd. Part of me wanted to help him. I’d spent the last three years of my life with him and I cared about what happened to him. But I couldn’t do this. Not anymore.

Not with him.

“Hey, Jeremy.”

He whipped around as I walked up to him, relief flooding his face. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close, and I closed my eyes to take in everything about it. Right now, he was being kind. Right now, he was being a relieved boyfriend. But soon the green-eyed monster would rear its head, and I found my hands shaking at the thought.

“What’s going on, Lexi? Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yeah, yeah. Just nervous for the party. It’s the first new one I’ve acquired since working here.”

“You’ll do just fine. Is that all you wanted to talk about?”

“No actually. There’s something else.”

I looked up and searched his hazel eyes as I drew a deep breath through my nose. His hands were clamping tighter and tighter around my skin, and I squealed a bit before I jumped back. He released my arms, giving me an apologetic look, but all it did was confirm that I needed to back away from this. Something was happening to Jeremy, and I couldn’t stick around to figure out what it was.

“I don’t want to hear it,” he said.

“Jeremy—”

“This isn’t happening right now. It’s fucking Christmas. I promised my parents you’d be there.”

“That’s not my fault. I told you I couldn’t go this year. I work right up through Christmas Eve,” I said.

“I’m not listening to this.”

He shoved past me and headed for his office, but I was hot on his heels. I’d be late to the party if it meant having this conversation now. He didn’t get to be paranoid, controlling, and then off-putting. All of his attitudes and moves only solidified that this needed to be over.

“Jeremy, just stop for a second,” I said.

“Go the fuck to work, Lexi, before you’re late.”

“It’s over, Jeremy.”

Those words stopped him in his tracks. He slowly turned on his heels, fire blazing in his eyes. He was angry, and I got it. I was throwing away the past three years, and I knew that would make anyone mad. But I stood my ground in the doorway of his office. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me out of this decision.

“What?” he said.

“Things have deteriorated between us. You’ve gotten paranoid, and you’re following me places—”

“I’m not fucking following you anywhere, you self-absorbed idiot.”

“I’m leaving you, Jeremy. We’re no longer dating,” I said.

He took a step toward me, and I backed out of his office. He drew a deep breath through his nose, but I didn’t want to hear any more of what he had to say. In my opinion, he’d said enough with that last sentence he’d spewed at me, and the last thing he was going to do was gaslight me. He wasn’t going to manipulate me and make me feel crazy any longer.

“Have a wonderful holiday season. I gotta go work,” I said.

I backtracked out of his office before he had a chance to address me. It was shocking to me that he didn’t follow me out, but I was relieved he didn’t just the same. I walked over to the closet and shrugged my coat off to hang it up before I made my way into the kitchen. It was time to coordinate the tray runs of appetizers for the guests. As I threw my gaze out the small window into the room, Courtney caught my eye. She was giving me a quizzical look, no doubt wondering if I’d done it.

I flashed her a thumbs-up, and a smile creeped across her cheeks.

Chapter 2

It really was a sight to behold. Twins were walking around everywhere, sticking by their siblings while they fraternized with one another. If they were all strangers, none of them acted like it. Everyone interacted with everyone else like they had known each other all their lives. I walked by the tables, making sure no one needed anything and asking if they had any food allergies or personal requests. I took an order or two, delivered a few drinks, and then went on my merry way. Courtney was living it up. She was currently smack dab between two lovely men with darkened skin. She loved her men black, and I couldn’t stop giggling as they showered her with affection and touches.

I made a mental note not to expect her home this evening.

As much as I hated to admit it, she may have been right. There were some sets of twins that caught my eye. At one table were the Wolf brothers—Terry and Tony. I had to compliment them on their bespoke suits, tailored to their runner’s bodies and broad shoulders. They kept smiling up at me and offering me their life story, telling me how they were the CEOs of their own investment and energy companies. I giggled at the idea of two brothers going into business with one another, and they said it kept them on their toes. Wolf Energy oil refineries now had two very handsome faces behind it, and I found myself sitting down as I listened to them talk to me.

Tony was obviously the business-savvy twin. He kept going on about Wolf Worldwide, the parent company their parents had started over three decades ago. He talked me through grand business plans while Terry spouted off statistics and facts that spun my head clear off my shoulders. The amount of knowledge, though very different, they each had up in their brains was astounding. I couldn’t help but get lost in the excitement brewing behind Tony’s eyes, and Terry kept grinning, watching my every reaction as his hand slowly settled behind the back of my chair.

The twins were tall; I could tell by their long legs. They had short dark hair with brown eyes set deep into their faces. Their identical strong brow cast a mysterious shadow over their features, boasting of secrets I so desperately wanted to be privy to. Terry started stroking my back with his fingertips, sending shivers down my spine that I had to try hard to conceal. I could tell by their accents they were from upstate New York, and the strength in their chests that pulled at their shirts boasted of an athleticism beyond running.

Maybe they lifted weights in their spare time.

I had to excuse myself and continue with my rounds, and if I hadn’t convinced myself I was seeing things, I would’ve thought they were disappointed. I rounded the next table, making sure everyone was just fine, but the moment I slipped over to the next table I came across another set of twins that caught my eye.

But for very different reasons.

The Castle brothers introduced themselves, and it was very apparent how strong they were. Their forearms were bulging with veins and muscles. Their brown eyes stayed connected with mine as I introduced myself and asked for their names, which they told me were Liam and Logan. Their faces were chiseled and their shoulders thick. My eyes flickered down to their legs, which were clad in jeans that clung tightly to their muscles. I listened to them as they told me they were firefighters for the greater Los Angeles area, and for a split second I thought about training my sights on them. I could feel the wild woman within me rise up as these two hulking men raked their eyes over me, but before I could get into a decent conversation with them, another table beckoned.

I reluctantly excused myself and darted across the room only to be met by another set of twins that took my breath away.

Kevin and Kyle were the Jameson brothers, and I could tell right off the bat that they were doctors. They were lean and most definitely did nothing but running. Their glasses enhanced the intelligence found behind their eyes, but as they talked me through the mistake in their food order, I felt as though I were underneath a microscope. Their eyes roamed over me, clocking me much the same way I’d done with the other sets of twins, but for some reason the motive behind it felt different. Their auburn hair and blue eyes sucked me in even as they nitpicked at the food. I rushed their order to the kitchen and waited for it.

I looked back over to the table where Courtney had been sitting, but she was nowhere to be found. Knowing her, she was probably in a bathroom somewhere with the twins she’d found, and I honestly couldn’t blame her. Every set of twins that wanted my attention tonight could have all of it they wanted. The Wolf brothers were rich and charming. Classically handsome. I dreamed they were probably very romantic, which meant they might have a nasty streak about them in bed. The Castle Brothers rocked my primal world. Hot and chiseled with muscle. What I wouldn’t give to shower with the two of them. To lick every drop of water off those chiseled abs.

I grabbed the two plates of food for the Jameson brothers and then darted back to them. I set the plates in front of them, then apologized for the mix up, and I saw them both soften. The intense microscope they had me under seemed to melt, and that was when I figured out that my prediction was correct. Kyle was a gynecologist and Kevin was an oncologist. I could tell from the way their polo shirts splayed against their bodies that they were fit underneath them. They probably had those thin, sinewy muscles that were unassuming until they had those long arms of theirs wrapped around the body of the woman they wanted.

I wondered if any of these brothers shared the women they took home.

I bid them farewell and made the last of my rounds, stopping at the last table for the evening before I had to go prepare for the dessert round. There I stumbled upon a pair of brothers that raucously laughed with those around them. They were loud, proud, and incredibly strong. Their muscles were lumped all over their bodies and they hunched at the table, primal in their reactions. They had no issues showing the pleasure they were taking in from the night. I walked up to them and made sure everyone at the table was doing all right, and that was when I felt it.

The Oakley brothers had their eyes on me.

They introduced themselves as Cameron and Cole, and I quickly recognized them from all the sports Jeremy constantly consumed. Cole Oakley played for the LA Rams and Cameron Oakley played for the LA Dodgers. I smiled at them, telling them my ex was probably shitting himself right now, and that was when Cole made a quipping comment about how he was an idiot if I was an ex.

It made me smile, and I melted into his big green eyes.

The Oakley brothers had curly blond hair piled on top of their heads. They talked about how they had always wanted to be professional athletes but never wanted to play on the same team. Cole said he had always loved football and playing it with his dad, and Cameron said their mother was a baseball fanatic. I sat down in a chair and listened to the happiness in their voices when they talked about both getting drafted into their respective sports and how lucky they had gotten to be able to live in the same city and stay close. They were beautiful men, and they constantly doted on my looks and told me how much of an ass my ex must’ve been if I left. I felt beautiful, truly beautiful with the two of them, and it killed me inside when I had to go prepare for the desserts coming out.

I tried to distract myself with sending out desserts, but my eyes kept dancing around the room. Every time I looked toward one of the twins, they were always looking back at me. The Wolf brothers had these devilish grins on their faces while the Oakley brothers kept their innocent eyes trained on me. The Jameson brothers allowed their glasses to fall down their noses as they craned their heads in my direction, and the Castle brothers were simply lounging in their chairs and looking over at me when they thought I wasn’t looking.

Holy fuck, I’d never been in the presence of so many beautiful men in my entire life. All of a sudden, I was glad I’d broken things off with Jeremy. He would’ve been fucking pissed if he’d seen how I was looking at these men. I didn’t think he would have pulled anything stupid or caused a scene, but I did know him well enough to know he might have told the head honcho of the Beacon-Ansley that I was flirting with the guests.

It wasn’t exactly frowned upon, especially if it garnered us more business, but things could always get twisted when it came to Jeremy.

After the dessert was sent out, I made my rounds again. Most people had finished and gotten up to mingle, while some were out on the dance floor. I walked around the tables, trying to make my way back to the twins I’d met earlier, but none of them were sitting in their seats. Disappointment rolled over my body, so much so that I almost relegated myself back to the kitchen.

Until I saw all eight of them standing in the corner.

This was the perfect opportunity to go up to them, but I needed a reason. I couldn’t just approach them and idly stand there. I’d look like an idiot if I did. So, I grabbed the name tags and a Sharpie and walked on over to the group of men.

And they looked all too happy to usher me into the middle.

“Gentlemen, there is a reason name tags were sitting at the entrance,” I said, smiling.

“You mean you don’t remember my name, Miss Lexi? Because I surely do remember yours,” Tony said.

“Did you know the name ‘Lexi’ is actually of Greek derivation? It means ‘man’s defender,’ which is interesting, don’t you think?” Terry said.

“Then allow me to defend with my entire honor. But, that requires name tags,” I said, lifting my Sharpie.

I wrote down all their names and smoothed each tag out onto their chests. I got to feel their strength underneath my fingertips and instantly became aware of my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. I smoothed the last name tag onto Cole, whose bright eyes pulled me in again, but the more I craned my neck back, the more I saw what was dangling from the ceiling.

Mistletoe.

I was fucking standing underneath mistletoe with these men.

“Well, well, well. Look what we’ve got up there, Kyle,” Kevin said.

“A bit of mistletoe if I’m not mistaken,” Kyle said.

“Must be my lucky day,” I said, smiling. The men around me showed off their gleaming smiles before I felt a strong arm around my body. I found Liam pressing himself into me, his firefighter muscles flexing as his lips slowly descended onto mine. His kiss was soft, hesitant. Like a man who wanted to make sure he was respecting my boundaries.

He’d have to hose me down after the fire his kiss set in my gut.

One by one, they passed me around, and each had a different sort of kiss. Some were hungry and others were light. Some used tongue while others were just wild lips and wine-tainted breath. By the time I was done being passed around, I was breathless, panting for air as I unraveled myself from Terry’s arms.

“Those lips might ramble, but they sure are magic,” I said, winking.

I loved it. I loved the attention and the heat. I loved the energy and their tastes. And the smiles on each of their faces as their lips stayed swollen told me they enjoyed it, too. But as I looked between the Wolf brothers, I saw Jeremy staring me down. It sent shivers up my spine, seeing how he was openly glaring at me. My hands began to tremble, and Cameron noticed. He reached out his strong batting hands to mine as my gaze flickered up at him.

“Are you all right, Lexi?” he asked.

“Oh, yes. Just getting a fun little glare from my boss. I must be off to work again,” I said.

Quickly, I parted from the eight men underneath the mistletoe as their gazes followed me. I couldn’t look back at them knowing Jeremy was still staring me down as I hustled to the kitchen, but I could feel each set of their eyes on me.

But now all I wanted to do was get out of there.

Chapter 3

Everyone was on the dance floor with drinks in their hands while I helped the kitchen clean up. Glasses had to be gathered and sanitations had to be started. The more we could clean up without destroying the flow of the party, the more time I could spend in my own bed. If I stayed at the hotel too long, I’d have to rent a room just to be able to get a decent amount of sleep, and I didn’t want to do that.

“Lexi!”

“Yes, Chef?”

“Courtney’s looking for you. Want me to send her back?”

Before I could answer, I saw Courtney walking toward me. She started handing me glasses while I threw them into the plastic holder and then slid them into the sanitation machine. She handed me a rag and I wiped my brow, then noticed the hickeys all over her neck, which told me exactly what she’d been up to. I grinned at her, shaking my head as I tossed the rag back at her, and the two of us began to giggle.

“So, how were they?” I asked.

“Can’t remember their names, but they were dark, hung, and chiseled. Oh, girl, I gotta thank you for the invite.”

“You know our holiday tradition consists of you coming to these parties, me stealing a bottle of wine, and the two of us staying up late chatting,” I said.

“Speaking of, what bottle did you swipe for us this time?” she asked.

“A 1986 Gruaud-Larose. It’s the white wine that was on the menu tonight.”

“That shit was fantastic. Is it already in your car?” she asked.

“I’ve got it underneath the sink in the back. Can you take it to the trunk of my car?” I asked.

“Sure. Be right back.”

I couldn’t get Jeremy’s look out of my mind. I kept glancing over my shoulder to see if he was there, and every time I looked out among the guests, I saw him casing the room. He’d never been this attentive to any of the parties I’d hosted before, so I knew this had something to do with the kisses he saw in the corner earlier. I shivered at how their lips had tasted before a shock of dread ricochet through my stomach. I had a feeling Jeremy would use this to try to fire me, but Courtney’s voice ripped me from my thoughts.

And confirmed the worst of them.

“So, I saw the way Jeremy’s been looking at you tonight. He does not look happy.”

“I know. He’s pretty pissed,” I said. “I can’t honestly say I feel good about it either.”

“Well, I’m glad you said something. The look in his eyes is giving me the heebie-jeebies, and I’m not the one he’s pissed at.”

“Did you see what started it?” I asked.

“Oh, sweetheart, I saw all of it, and you looked happy as a clam. They’re all sexy, too. Fucking freaks, passing you around like a piece of meat. I bet you enjoyed it, too.”

“Hell yeah I did. I haven’t felt that alive from just a simple kiss in years,” I said, grinning.

“Lexi, can I be honest for a second?”

“Stop fucking asking and just do it,” I said.

“The looks that are crossing Jeremy’s face worry me.”

It was the first time in my entire friendship with Courtney that she had ever voiced a fear. In my mind, I had figured she simply didn’t have the capability of doing so. She didn’t get angry; she only got even. She didn’t get upset; she only made her point known. She let things roll off her back and never once could you intimidate her.

But right now she seemed genuinely afraid.

“You’re freaking me out, Court. Cut it out,” I said.

“I’m serious, Lexi. There’s possessive and weird, and then there’s what he’s doing. His eyes are looking a bit psychotic.”

“I read you loud and clear. He’s looked like that for months. Good thing I dumped him tonight,” I said. “Now can we please get off the subject?”

“I just don’t want him manipulating you because he’s scaring you,” she said.

“He was controlling in our relationship; I know how he works. Trust me, I’ll be fine. I’m gonna have a sit-down with the HR rep tomorrow and just explain to her what happened and why I left. Maybe she can put me on a different schedule than him or something so we don’t see each other as often.”

I drew in a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. I’d just broken up with the guy and then he watched me be passed around by a bunch of men who were superior to him in every single way. This was just an isolated incident that would blow over soon enough. It would go away and everything would be fine.

Right?

“I am worried, Court.”

“And you should be. Listen, the party’s dying down. Why don’t you tell the chef you’re heading out and let the rest default to the crew? You’ve trained them well. They can handle this shit.”

“No, no. I gotta stay and wrap up,” I said.

“No, you don’t. You always say you do, but you know it falls to the catering crews to clean up their own space. Now grab a tray of treats, slip them into a container, and meet me at your car.”

I nodded as my eyes drifted out to the dance floor. People were beginning to trickle out, some stumbling over themselves while their siblings clung tightly to them. Most parties like this went well into the small hours of the morning, but this party hadn’t even hit midnight before people began to trickle out. My eyes drifted along the floor, looking for any sign of the men I’d seen earlier. Disappointed, I was about to give up my search.

Until I shifted my position and my eyes landed back in that same corner I’d met them in earlier.

The eight of them were standing there, talking and laughing underneath that mistletoe. Logan Castle, one of the firefighting brothers, caught my stare and waved. His motion prompted the other men to slowly look over, and I watched as smiles bloomed upon their faces. Courtney elbowed me, smirking as I turned my face toward hers, and I handed her the glass I was shining before I busted through the doors.

I wanted one last chance to revel in their glory before I left for the night.

“Glad you decided to stick around,” Logan said, grinning. “I wasn’t sure how long you’d be here before you retired for the evening.”

“I usually wind down the parties and then help clean up, but my roommate is convincing me to get out of here a little early,” I said.

“Well, I don’t know about these fellas, but I won’t take much of your time. I just wanted to know if you’d do me the honor of presenting me with the digits that would allow me to call you on your cell phone sometime,” Logan said.

“Do you always have to be so fucking convoluted all the time?” Liam asked. “He just wants your number so he can text you pictures of his abs.”

“You can text me pictures of your body whenever you’d like,” I said as I held out my hand.

“Well, what if a certain someone wanted to send you pictures of, say, a beautiful sunset?” Tony asked.

“Are there many sunsets over the sign of Wolf Energy?” I asked.

“Oh, sunsets can occur anywhere. Sunsets have less to do with the actual setting of the sun and more to do with the atmospheric pressures that create clouds that obscure the view,” Terry said.

“I would probably just send you pictures of me practicing on the field,” Cole said.

“I don’t know much about football, Mr. Oakley, but I’m sure those would be just fine,” I said as I typed my number into Logan’s phone.

“Would you send pictures back?” Cameron asked. “I’m sure a beautiful woman like yourself has much to share with a man like myself.”

“And myself,” Kevin said.

“And me as well,” Kyle repeated.

“Ah, I see the doctors want onboard, too. I was beginning to think the two of you didn’t like me,” I said, winking.

“That’s absolutely impossible,” Kevin said. “You are the epitome of beauty.”

I was being showered with attention and I reveled in it. Their smiles were bright and their eyes were kind. Their bodies were strong and their minds were in sync. One by one, they handed me their phones, and one by one I entered my number into every single one of them. I took pictures of my face and set them as my contact photos in their phones. I was blowing each of them a kiss in the pictures.

“A beautiful face with a beautiful pair of lips,” Tony said.

“You guys can call or text me anytime you wish,” I said. “But my roommate’s waiting with a very expensive bottle of wine that we’re going to open after we get into our pajamas.”

“I feel a rousing round of pictures coming on,” Tony said, smirking.

“Only if you’re feeling lucky, Mr. Wolf.”

I turned my back and sashayed away as my eyes scanned the room for Jeremy. I didn’t see him anymore, much to my relief, but I did see Courtney gawking from the kitchen. She was leaning against the edge of the counter, her eyes as big as the sun as I pushed through the doors that led into the bustling room. She ran over to me and linked her arm with mine, giggling as she walked me straight back and out the door.

“I already got the snacks in the car. Some fruit and those puff pastry things. You have so much to tell, I grabbed another bottle of wine, just in case,” she said.

“You’re bad.”

“Oh, but you’re so much worse. And those men loved it,” she said.

The moment I got in the car and drove away, I felt like I had nothing to worry about. I looked for Jeremy, for any indication that he was following us, and as we got out onto the highway with no sign of him, relief flooded my body. I was out from under his prying eyes, out from under his title of boss overlord, and out from under his judgmental gaze.

Now I could think about each of the eight men I’d kissed, all who now had my cell number.

“So, which one do you like best?” Courtney asked.

“Is it bad that I don’t know yet?” I asked.

“Sweetheart, if you actually chose, I’d be sorely disappointed. You’ve got four sets of fucking twins drooling over you. Ride the wave of the single woman until you drown in your own fluids!”

“Could you be any grosser?” I asked.

“Want me to try?”

“No, thanks. I’d actually like to enjoy my drinks and snacks tonight,” I said.

We pulled up into the parking lot of the apartment we were renting together. I sighed, leaning my head back against the seat of the car as we sat there for a while. My eyes kept darting toward the mirrors, clocking who was coming and going and who was simply passing us by. I hated feeling this way—like I was being watched or followed. It pissed me off that I had allowed some idiotic man-child to make me feel this way.

Courtney’s hand landing on my knee pulled me from my trance, however, before I had enough sense to cut the car off.

“He’s not here,” she said. “It’s just us.”

“You ready for some of that wine? Because I am.”

“Then let’s get upstairs and get them open,” she said.

“And screw glasses. I’m just sticking a straw right into the fucking top of it.”

“That’s the spirit! Like a massive Capri Sun or some shit!” Courtney exclaimed.

“I want to hear all about this encounter with those twins you suddenly disappeared with. I wanna know how you got each and every one of those hickeys,” I said as I got out of the car.

“Oh, Lexi, you don’t have a choice tonight.”

Chapter 4

I woke up the next morning and made myself a pot of coffee. I had the day off because of the party last night, and I was looking forward to spending the time with Courtney. I poured myself a cup of coffee and drowned it in sugar, then sat back on the kitchen counter as I drank it down. The winter sun was pouring through the windows, casting a white ray across the stainless-steel refrigerator. I had to admit, I was a bit disappointed that none of the twins had messaged me last night, but then again, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. Eight hot men to just fall at my feet?

Not likely.

A knock came at my door, and I sighed. Whoever it was pounded and pounded until it began to wake up Courtney, so I sat my coffee cup down and charged the door. I ripped it open, ready to cuss out whoever the fuck was standing on the other side of it. But all I was met with was an empty front stoop.

“Hello?”

I poked my head out and looked around as Courtney dragged herself out of her room. I heard her fumble with the coffee pot before it went crashing to the floor. She hissed in pain before I heard another crash, and I sighed as I turned my head.

“Can you not go one morning without making an insane mess?” I asked.

“I’m stealing your coffee. Did you pour a half a gallon of sugar in it?” she asked.

“Nope. Just a pint this morning.”

“Who the fuck was at the door?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but if they come back, they’re getting a face full of hot-ass coffee.”

I went to shut the door but a box caught my eye. I bent down and picked it up before shutting the door. There wasn’t a delivery or return address, and for a split second I thought maybe this wasn’t meant for us. Our neighbors had packages delivered all the time for heaven knew what. Maybe this was something they were returning or some shit.

But then why would they have tried to bang down our door?

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot. Open it,” Courtney said.

I ripped the box open, but it tumbled from my hands. A picture fell to the floor as I gripped a note in my hands. My eyes scanned the words as Courtney dipped down to pick up the picture. Tears prickled the backs of my eyes as the note pricked my fingertips. I took the picture from Courtney before I handed her the note to read.

It was a picture from the party last night. I was standing underneath the mistletoe with the twins, and we were all smiling. Logan had his hand on my back and all their eyes were trained on me.

Courtney’s voice pierced my mind.“You need to call the police.”

“Who the fuck took this picture?” I asked.

“You know damn good and well who did this. ‘You’re going to pay for this with your life’? The fuck kind of edge has Jeremy dove off?” she asked.

“Jeremy’s possessive, but he’s not murderous. This has gotta be someone else.”

“Wake up, Lexi. This is serious. Someone took a picture of you with those dudes and gave you a note that threatens your life. I’m calling the fucking police.”

I took the note from Courtney and ran through it again. The words were typed and there was nothing on the back of the picture. I had no idea what the police would do, but the more I studied the angle of the picture, the more I knew it had to be him.

Jeremy.

My ex.

“Yes, we need an officer to come down to our apartment. My roommate’s life has been threatened.”

I heard Courtney talking on the phone but paid it no mind. I kept scrolling across the words as tears rose to my eyes. The picture was taken at an angle, almost like the person had been standing in the back corner of the room. The camera had been off to my right, back behind the guys at the part of the dining hall that sat toward the front of the hotel lobby.

Right near where Jeremy’s office was located.

“Why is he doing this?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but a couple of officers are on their way. They told me to put the letter and the photograph in Ziploc bags. Gimme.”

I handed them over to her as I reached for my coffee cup. I tipped up the cup and drank the last of what Courtney hadn’t gotten already, then allowed a tear to roll down my face. How the fuck did things get so messed up so quickly? I just wanted to be free of Jeremy so I could do my own thing. Why did that have to make him so angry?

Another loud knock came at the door, and I jumped.

“Police.”

I grabbed the bags from Courtney before I went and opened the door. I ushered the officers in while Courtney made another pot of coffee, and then I handed them the two bags. The officers looked at the note before taking a look at the picture. Then the officer with a heavy southern accent spoke up.

“Did anyone else touch these things?” he asked.

“Just the two of us,” I said.

“All right. You know if y’all’s apartment complex has any surveillance or anything? Didn’t see any cameras walkin’ up. Didn’t know if you knew of any.”

“Not that I know of, but I can call down to the office and ask,” I said.

“No need. That’s our next stop. I’m gonna be honest, with this message bein’ typed and all, I doubt we’ll get much.”

“It’s her fucking ex,” Courtney said.

“Ya think so?” the officer asked.

“I know so,” she said. “Lexi broke up with him last night after three years because he’s a boring, possessive motherfucker.”

“That true?” the officer asked.

“His actions had escalated, yes. I felt like he was following me around town, running into me conveniently in places I knew he wouldn’t be. Out-of-town venues and stuff.”

“What else was he doin’?”

“He’d call incessantly until I picked up the phone, then berate me because I didn’t pick up sooner. Things like that. He wasn’t always like that, just in the past few months,” I said.

“How did the two of you know one another?”

“He’s my boss at work. I met him when I interviewed for my position at the Beacon-Ansley.”

“That where this photo was taken?” the officer asked.

“At the Christmas party I planned last night, yes.”

The other officer was furiously taking notes, trying to write down everything I said before he forgot it. I ran my hand through my hair, feeling the knots and tangles from the restless sleep I’d gotten. The apartment was cold with the front door still open, and I shivered before I pulled my robe tighter around my body.

I couldn’t believe this was happening.

“Well, here’s what’s gonna happen. I’m gonna go talk to the front desk, get any video footage they might have, and then I’m sendin’ all this stuff off to the lab. Did it come in anything?” he asked.

“This box,” Courtney said as she shoved it over to him.

“We can go have a talk with this ex of yours. What’s his name?”

“Jeremy Newberry. Manager of events at the Beacon-Ansley,” I said.

“Right. We can chat with him, but if he’s behind this, it might escalate him. Let us get all this stuff back to the lab. We can contact you in a few days. In the meantime, you keep an eye out. If he approaches you or starts harrassin’ you, you call me, all right?”

The officer handed me his card, and I slipped it into my pocket. It was better than I was expecting they could do, but I still didn’t have hope that they’d find much.

“With the note bein’ typed and all, I wouldn’t be surprised if the guy took other precautions, too. But, it don’t hurt to check. We’ll keep in touch, and call if ya need anythin’ or feel unsafe in any way.”

“Thank you, officers. I will definitely do that.”

Courtney escorted them out, but I could tell she wasn’t happy. She shut the door behind them before she turned around on her heels, her eyes boring into me as she drew in a deep breath.

“You know damn good and well it’s Jeremy,” she said.

“They need proof before they can do anything.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t need proof.”

“And what are you gonna do? Yell at him until he has a heart attack?” I asked. “Just calm down already.”

“How the fuck are you so calm?”

“Because I don’t have any other choice, all right!? Welcome to the last four months of my fucking life!”

Suddenly, I was panting, gasping for air. I felt the walls closing in around me as Courtney’s hands clamped down on my arms. She maneuvered me to the couch and sat me down as the smell of coffee wafted through our apartment.

Jeremy was coming after me. I could feel it.

“Let’s get you some coffee. Just breathe, all right?”

I sank back into the couch and dug my phone out of my pocket. I had two missed text messages, one from Liam and the other from Logan. The Castle brothers. I smiled as I opened their messages, as both of them told me I had been on their minds last night.

“There’s that smile. Hear from one of the twins?” Courtney asked.

“The Castle brothers,” I said.

“Oh, both twins! Go, girl. What’d they say?” she asked.

“They’re asking me how I’m doing. Should I tell them? Or lie?”

“Honey, it’s your funeral. Right now, I think any male attention you feel safe around is gonna help mitigate what’s going on, but we need to figure out what we’re going to do today. They wanna do any freaky-deaky shit, it’s gotta be put on hold until tomorrow.”

I sent them both back a text message and told them what was going on. In a way, I felt they had a right to know, especially Logan since his hand had been on my back in the picture. I told them about the note and how I thought it was probably my ex, and then I waited for their responses. I took the coffee Courtney was offering and leaned back into the chair, but no sooner had I taken my first sip than my phone lit up again with a message from Logan.

“What’s it say?” Courtney asked. “Read it out loud.”

Giggling, I read it to her.

Have you called the police? You need to. In the meantime, if you feel unsafe, I can make sure you’re protected.

Then my phone buzzed with Liam’s message.

“That the other one?” Courtney asked, grinning.

“Yes. Listen to this.”

Do you need me to come over? It doesn’t sound like you’re safe. I can make sure you are.

“Sexy and protective. These the doctors?” she asked.

“Nope. The firefighters. Dark hair and eyes. Tan skin. Muscles for fucking days,” I said, groaning.

“Well, message them back!” she said.

I went to send a message back to Liam, but then a group message popped up. Logan and Liam’s names were at the top alongside mine, and I saw they were both typing.

Do you need us to come over?

What’s going on?

I turned my phone toward Courtney, and she practically lost it. She was covering her face and squealing, and I couldn’t help but allow a smile to grace my cheeks. Not only were the Castle brothers ruggedly handsome, but it seemed as if they were fiercely protective.

I could get used to something like this.

I’m all right for now. The police are doing what they can. Gave me their card with a number to call in case I didn’t feel safe. But honestly, I could use a distraction.

I waited for their response, then saw Liam typing back.

What are you doing tonight? he asked.

Hanging out with my roommate. We gotta figure out where to go with everything since the police are taking this seriously, I said.

What about tomorrow night? Logan asked.

I’m free tomorrow night. What were you guys thinking?

“Oh, holy shit. They’re gonna ask you out on a shared date. Girl, if you come back to this apartment before eleven o’clock, I’m gonna be sorely disappointed in you,” Courtney said.

Let Logan and I take you out tomorrow night. You know, to get your mind off things.

I second that notion. Come out with Liam and me. You’ll be safe, and you’ll have a good time.

“I don’t doubt it for a fucking second,” Courtney said.

“Shut up,” I said, grinning.

Actually, I think I’d rather spend the weekend with Court right now, if you guys don’t mind. What about Tuesday night? Where would you like to meet?

Tuesday’s fine with me. And don’t worry, it’ll be fine with Liam, too. And not a chance. We’ll come pick you up. Say around five? Logan asked.

Five sounds fine to me. I’ll shoot my address over to you guys tomorrow, I said.

“Holy hell, I’m jealous,” Courtney said.

“You had your twin action last night. I get to Tuesday night.”

Yes. Tuesday’s good for me. Can’t wait to see that beautiful smile of yours. This from Liam.

Not to be outdone, Logan chimed back in. I prefer her eyes. Can’t wait to make them sparkle in the moonlight.

“Oh, they’re good,” Courtney said. “They’re very good.”

“So, what are we gonna do?” I asked.

“Get you a new fucking outfit,” she said.

“I meant about Jeremy.”

“We can talk about that shit while we shop. Come on. Half the day’s been slept away already,” she said.

Courtney dragged me from shop to shop, and all afternoon I got messages from the rest of the twins. All of them messaged me and created group messages with their respective twin. And once they found out about the note and photo, all of them started getting worried. I was getting exhausted, flipping back and forth between all the group chats, but it felt wonderful to have men who were worried about me. The Wolf brothers were ready to put a protective detail on me if I didn’t let them come over to see how I was. The Oakley brothers were ready to snap Jeremy at the kneecaps, and the Jameson brothers were two steps away from walking out of their practices to come find me around town. I simply kept assuring them that I was fine, that I was with Courtney and we were coming up with a plan, but all of them wanted me to keep them in the loop.

So, I did.

“Holy fuck, you have all of them eating out of your hand. I need to know your secret,” Courtney said.

“Date a psycho man for a while, then leave him and have him threaten your life. That’ll do it,” I said.

“This is all gonna be all right. Right now, just keep yourself occupied by focusing on your evening with the Candy brothers.”

“The Castle brothers.”

“Whatever,” Courtney said. “Slobber all over them like candy, then just sit back and let them ravish you. Trust me, it’s worth it.”

“That what happened to you last night?” I asked.

“Oh, Lexi, I didn’t even tell you the half of it.”

Chapter 5

The night came and went with absolutely nothing happening. Courtney stayed up with me and we watched movies until we fell asleep on the couch, but I kept startling myself awake. Every little sound and each little noise made me flinch, and by the time I finally rolled off the couch, it was well past lunchtime. I could smell food coming from the kitchen as I stretched and yawned. Then I heard the glorious sound of a plate of food being unceremoniously dropped onto the coffee table as my eyes slowly peeled open.

“Eat,” Courtney said.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“Time for you to get your ass up,” she said.

My back hurt and my limbs were sore. I checked to see if I had any messages or missed phone calls, and sure enough all the twins had messaged me. They all had their various versions of good morning wishes and inquiries about my sleep, but the Wolf brothers had taken it to another level entirely.

Love, you’re worrying me. Let me know you’re all right. This from Tony, followed by a response and plan of action from Terry.

She’s probably just sleeping, Tony. Let her rest. If we haven’t heard from her by lunchtime, I’ll call.

They were talking back and forth with one another in the chat, and it made me smile. Courtney sat down next to me on the couch before she turned on the television, but I could feel her lurking close to me, looking over my shoulder.

“Ah, the animal-named brothers. Those the rich ones?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said, giggling. “Wolf Energy.”

“They should’ve bought you a new outfit for this date,” she said.

“They’re not gonna buy me a fucking outfit for a date with some other dudes. That’s just…weird,” I said.

“Is it really, though? They might be into that kind of shit,” she said, grinning.

Good morning, Tony. Good morning, Terry. I’m all right, I promise. Just didn’t sleep well last night, so it made for a late wake-up call. It felt strange texting in pairs like this.

I bet you look radiant sleeping, Tony wrote back.

You probably didn’t get enough REM sleep. When doctors say people need eight hours of sleep, a certain portion of that needs to be REM sleep. For someone in your current state, that could translate into ten or more hours of sleep, because the body doesn’t automatically slip into REM sleep the moment your eyes close.

I giggled at Terry’s message. He was definitely the brainy one of the bunch. But, there was something endearing about his ramblings, something that made him ironically innocent given their intense, darkened stares.

What my brother is attempting to say is that it’s good that you overslept. After what you’ve been through, darling, you need it, Tony wrote.

Are you sure we can’t convince you to take the protective detail? It might help you slip into REM sleep better, resulting in a more productive work performance this week, Terry said.

Did you just tell her she was going to suck at work because she didn’t get enough sleep? Tony asked.

No, no! Fuck, I’m sorry. And sorry for the language. I was just trying to convince her to take the detail. I know how worried you are about her.

All I could do was smile at their conversation. They kept going back and forth like I wasn’t even a part of the chat, and there was something refreshing about that. They were confident in themselves and obviously had a close relationship, and I enjoyed watching their dynamic unfold on the screen.

And so did Courtney.

“That Terry’s a smarty,” she said, “and Tony’s the romancer, isn’t he?”

“Probably,” I said.

“You gonna say anything?” she asked.

“Nope. I think they’ve got it for now.”

I let them continue chatting in the group chat as I ate the sandwich Courtney had made me. We watched television mindlessly for a bit, and then I picked up my phone and read through their conversation. It was a lot of Tony posturing because he apparently never worried and Terry being clueless as to why his brother was suddenly lying, so I finally interjected to settle their minds.

I promise I’ll be all right for now. Thank you so much for checking in on me, though.

Anytime. Keep in touch, all right? And expect some wonderful pictures of the sunset tonight, Tony said.

I don’t really send pictures, but if something interesting pops into my head, you’ll be the first to know, Terry said.

I could think of a few pictures you could send, Terry.

“Naughty girl! And with a date already set up with another set of twins. Looks like the student has become the master,” Courtney said.

Ah, and there’s that feisty side. You have rendered my brother speechless. Let me go reboot him quickly, Tony said.

I shook my head and set the phone down before my mind drifted back to Jeremy. I was so glad now that I’d decided not to move in with him when he had asked. My lease was up for renewal, and while Courtney and I hadn’t yet decided whether we were going to stay or not, I had never once considered Jeremy an option. He had tried everything he could to convince me to drop this apartment with Courtney, but something just hadn’t sat right, so I’d declined.

Holy hell, imagine the prison I’d be in if I hadn’t said no.

“Whatever scenario you’re running in your head right now, cut the shit. You’re gonna be fine,” Courtney said.

“I’m just thinking about how glad I am that I didn’t move in with Jeremy when he asked.”

“No fucking joke. Have you resigned the lease here?” she asked.

“Not yet, but I’ve still got a month before I make a decision on my room. You?” I asked.

“Honestly? Not to put any more on your plate, but I’m thinking of getting my own spot. I love you and all, but having my own place is the next logical step in growing up and shit,” she said.

“I hear you. I’m not sure if I want to stay here, but I wouldn’t know where to go if I did leave,” I said.

“Well, it’s not like Jeremy can fire you at the hotel. You’ve talked to HR, right?” she asked.

“Doing it tomorrow,” I said.

“Well, once you talk to HR, he can’t fire you for this shit. You make more than enough money to afford this place on your own, but I know you’ve always wanted to own your own house. How goes the savings?” she asked.

“I’m about four paychecks away from a down payment if I save conservatively,” I said.

“See!? Movin’ on up in life. We can get our own places and help each other redecorate. You can have all those muscular twins help you move boxes and furniture before they each have their way with you.”

“Does your libido ever stop?” I asked.

“Does yours ever work?” she asked.

“Do you think I should tell someone at work what happened?” I asked.

“Like you said, the police need proof. Without that, it may just make you look bad. I wanna shout it from the rooftops just as much as you do, but it won’t do any good at this point. Even I know that.”

“Yeah. Telling someone might get me fired anyway,” I said.

“Just wait for the police to do their thing. With evidence, you can throw his ass in jail, then rule that fucking resort hotel yourself like you know you can. You’ve been gunning for promotions for the past year. It’s time they understood the asset you are, not to mention the asshole their current events manager is,” she said.

Just then, my phone rang from an unknown number calling. I felt a shiver shoot up my arm as I tilted my phone toward Courtney, and she told me to put it on speakerphone. I answered it and then pressed the speaker button, allowing the call to flood the room.

But on the other end was complete silence.

“Hello?” I asked.

All of a sudden, the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. Courtney’s eyebrows hiked up, and at that moment, I decided to call him out.

“Jeremy, is that fucking you?” I asked.

The call ended and tears sprang to my eyes. Courtney was already shuffling around for her phone, asking me where that card from the police officer was. I pointed to my room, telling her it was in my robe, and just as she left the room, a call came through again.

From an unknown number.

I picked it up and held it to my ear, and it was the same heavy breathing. I sat there for a little while, listening to the heavy breathing, and my hands began to shake. It went on for a few seconds before it stopped, and that was when I asked again.

“Jeremy, what the fuck are you doing?” I asked.

“Did he fucking call back?” Courtney asked.

The phone went dead as I looked up at my best friend. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she held the card in her hand, dialing the officers who’d been here yesterday before she held the phone to her ear. She began talking to the voice on the other end of the line, explaining what was going on, and then it happened again.

My phone rang out, an unknown number calling.

“It’s happening right now. Yes. For the third time. This is fucked up. Can’t someone do something?” she asked.

I picked up the phone as tears ran down my cheeks. There was the same damn heavy breathing from the same damn unknown phone number. My hands began to tremble as I sniffled. My legs grew weak even as I sat on the couch. I sank back into the cushions, holding the phone to my ear, and without prompting, the call simply ended.

“Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered into the droning line. “Why are you doing this to me!?”

Chapter 6

I went into work bright and early Monday morning but was quickly let off. I talked to the HR department about my change in relationship with Jeremy, but they told me they already knew about it. He had informed them of the change over the weekend, and that made me nervous. Had he told them something? Were they going to fire me? Was I already out of a job?

“Mike, just talk with me,” I said.

“There isn’t anything to talk about, Lexi. We know of your change in relationship and you have the day off.”

“It didn’t say that on my schedule the last time I checked,” I said.

“Well, the department feels you should have the day off, so you have it off. I’m just the messenger.”

“Is the general manager around?”

“Lexi, what’s really the problem?” Mike asked.

Should I tell him what I was afraid of? At this point, I really wasn’t sure what I had to lose. I hadn’t been fired yet, so whatever Jeremy had told them must not have been too bad.

“I’m concerned I’m going to lose my job,” I said.

“Why would you lose your job over a change in relationship?” he asked.

“Because I don’t think Jeremy’s too happy about it and he’s my boss.”

“Well, we did try to warn you both about that when the two of you first started dating. Quite frankly, we’re surprised the two of you lasted as long as you did.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“Look, in this building I can’t talk about personal case files and things with regard to other staff and personnel,” Mike said. “But, I can talk off the record about the fact that you’re not the first woman to be uneasy after ending things with Jeremy.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“He doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to being dumped. And trust me, it’s happened a lot. I’ve known him since he was hired here eight years ago. He doesn’t take rejection well.”

That was a fucking understatement from where I was sitting.

“Anyway, all this is to say that he can’t fire you, and any attempts to do so will come under direct scrutiny from the general manager herself. Right now, it would be easier for him to get struck by lightning than to fire you. Certain protocols are in place to keep interoffice romances from blowing up and ruining jobs. There’s an entirely different protocol he now has to walk through if he even has a complaint about you, much less wants to fire you. Trust me, you’re good.”

“Thanks, Mike. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me,” I said.

“I just need your signature on some paperwork so I have the official ‘change of relationship’ on file. Then you can go home.”

I signed the paperwork, gave Mike a hug, and then headed back to my car. Part of me debated on just cashing in a bit of my vacation. It’d been about a year since I’d taken any vacation for myself, and the thought of having Christmas Eve off this year did sound pretty appealing. My parties would have to default to someone, possibly even Jeremy, but the idea of not running into him until all the dust settled made me smile more and more.

I got into my car and pulled out my phone to text Courtney, but I froze when I saw all the missed calls. From the time I had left the house to now, I had ten missed calls from that damn unknown number. I’d had just about enough of this. If this pathetic excuse for a man thought he could scare me into coming back to him—or whatever the fuck he was trying to accomplish—then he thought wrong.

I ignored the calls from the unknown number and called Courtney instead.

“Hey, girl. You talk to HR?”

“Yeah, yeah. Jeremy had apparently talked to them over the weekend, and now I suddenly have the day off. But the HR rep reassured me my job was more secure than I realized. Apparently Jeremy has a reputation around work for not taking rejection well, so there are some extra protocols and roads he has to travel in order to file a complaint about me, much less try to fire me.”

“Good. Fucking fantastic even. You on your way home? I’m feeling some fancy coffee,” she said.

“Actually, I wanna run something by you. What do you think about me taking some vacation?”

“You mean you won’t be working your ass off? I’m all for it,” she said.

“So, if I went back into work and put in through Christmas, you’d be all right with that?”

“The fuck you asking me for? It’s your life. You never give yourself time like this. Plus, it’d be nice not to have to see that fuck-face until things settle down.”

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

“All right. Go put in for vacation, then come back with that fancy coffee. I’ll have toast and eggs ready,” she said.

I went back into work and headed over to see the general manager. I sat down and talked to her about taking vacation time, and she was all for it. Even though Mike had told me my job was secure, I didn’t feel as if it was. The general manager assured me the time would be paid leave. Three weeks of doing nothing but enjoying the holidays and staying the fuck away from this place.

Then she did something I didn’t expect her to do.

She stood and gave me a hug before I left.

I got out to my car and my head was spinning. People were acting strange at work and I hadn’t seen a lick of Jeremy in sight. His office door hadn’t been open, his light hadn’t been on, and his car wasn’t in the parking lot. Maybe the police had come around asking for him? If that had occurred, maybe that was the ‘personnel case files’ thing Mike had said he couldn’t talk about.

I drove to my favorite coffee shop and grabbed two large iced coffees, one with caramel and creamer and the other black as night. I had no idea how Courtney drank black coffee, much less how she could stand to put a shot of espresso in it. I’d fucking shoot through the roof with that amount of caffeine, but all it seemed to do for Courtney was focus her attention and make her a bit sassier than normal.

All the way home, my damn phone kept ringing. I’d look down and see that fucking unknown number, and by the time I pulled into the apartment complex, my blood was boiling. I threw my phone into my purse before grabbing the coffees, then started up the steps to my apartment. I banged on the door with my foot, yelling for Courtney to open up. I was done playing this petty little game with him, and I had the perfect solution if he wanted to keep being a little bitch.

“Who the hell pissed in your coffee?” she asked.

“I’m changing my number,” I said.

“Still calling?”

“Yep. I had voice messages bombard my phone because I turned it off last night. Just that fucking heavy breathing like he’s got some nasty booger in his nose. Rang all through the fucking HR meeting and all the way home. I’m not doing this anymore.”

“Sounds like it’s time for a number change then. Just don’t forget to give your number out to all those twins you’ve got on the hook,” she said, grinning.

I set my coffee down and shot her a look as I called the phone company. I was very honest with them and explained my situation, telling them I had an open police report and everything. I was relieved when they told me I could change my number for a small fee, but I was even more relieved when they told me I could do it now. No changing my phone, no coming down to the store. Just a small reallocation in their system and a small fee for the effort.

I could even tack the fee onto my next phone bill and be done with it.

The woman put me on hold as I sat there chugging my coffee. I was ready for this entire debacle to be over. A call came in from that unknown number, and I felt something inside me snap. The woman came back on the line and I told her to hang on. Then I flipped over to the other call and put it on speakerphone.

Almost on cue, the heavy breathing started up, but I wasn’t having any more of it.

“Listen here, you sick fuck. I’ll have your ass thrown in jail for harassment. By the time I’m done with this phone call, you’ll never be able to contact me unless you come for me. And if you do, I swear to heaven and hell I’ll castrate you on sight. Do you hear me!?”

I was panting and Courtney was gawking at me. The heavy breathing stopped and there was a beat of silence. Then a menacing chuckle began to reverberate over the phone. I didn’t recognize it at all, and it sent shivers down my spine. Then the phone call cut out and switched back over to the woman from the phone company.

“Ma’am? Are you there? I’ve got your new number for you.”

My eyes were wide as tears lined the edges. That laughter just kept ricocheting through my head, and for the first time since this bullshit started, I saw genuine fear fade over Courtney’s body. Her eyes were wide, her pupils blown open with adrenaline. I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice, but Courtney found hers before I could.

“Yes, we’re ready for the new number. Go ahead.”

Courtney wrote down the new number before the woman pressed a few buttons on her end and the call dropped. Then my phone lit up with a foreign number, though the number wasn’t unknown.

“Hello?” Courtney asked as she answered.

“It works! Your number has been changed and the small fee will be on next month’s phone bill. I hope this helps with your problem.”

“Thank you very much,” Courtney said before she hung up the call.

“Lexi, talk to me.”

I blinked a few times before my fingertips curled around the phone. I finally lifted my eyes to meet her gaze and felt a tear run down each cheek. Courtney reached out, wiping them away from my skin. Then her voice hit my ears softly as she reminded me of what I needed to do.

“Make new group chats and give the boys your new phone number. Maybe you should consider taking the Weld brothers up on their offer,” she said.

“The Wolf brothers,” I corrected.

“Whatever,” she whispered as her hand clasped the back of my neck. “Just consider it, okay?”

Taking my coffee, I went to sit on the couch. I heard Courtney begin to fix the food she had said she’d have ready when I walked through the door, and I slowly sent my new number out to all of the twins, plus a few other people who I wanted to have it. Group chats were made and they all began hounding me about how I was, but I honestly didn’t know how to reply to any of them. They were all so kind and wanted to protect me, but right now all I wanted to be was held.

“You still gonna go on your date tomorrow night?” she asked.

“What?”

“The date with the Mansion twins.”

“For fuck’s sake, you mean the Castle twins?” I asked.

“Damn, I’m never gonna get their names right. Chill out. I’m not big on names anyway. Names have no bearing on pussy-licking skill, so what do I care?”

“Tomorrow’s Tuesday, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Yep, and it’s also the first day of your vacation. That means you need to do it right. Please tell me you haven’t canceled that date.”

For a split second I considered it, unsure if it was safe for me to be going out with other men right now, but I didn’t want Jeremy ruling my life. He had attempted to do plenty of that while we were together, and there was no reason in this world why he needed to be scaring me out of what I wanted to do with my life now.

He had no right to it then and even less now.

“No. I’m not gonna cancel. It’s bullshit that Jeremy thinks he can frighten me into not having a life,” I said.

“Yes!” Courtney said, pumping her fist in the air. “Lexi, it’s good to have you back, sweet cheeks.”

“Sweet cheeks?” I asked.

“Yeah. You know, you’ve got that nice round ass. Me, I’m a stick. So sue me,” she said.

“You’re insane. You know that?” I asked.

“Precisely why you love me. Now, if I might interject with all these twins you’re volleying about.”

“Yes?”

“Be honest with them, at least with the Kirkland brothers.”

“Now you’re just doing it on purpose. Castle brothers,” I said.

“The sexy firefighters, I know. Tell them. If Jeremy’s gonna be pulling this kind of shit, it’s gonna piss him off that you changed your number so he couldn’t call. Tell them what’s happening and keep them in the loop. It’s only right.”

She had a point. This was something I couldn’t hide from them, especially if we were going out tomorrow night. So, I took to my group chat with Liam and Logan and began to explain why I had changed my number.

And while I was at it, I decided to just go ahead and tell them all.

* * *