Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I didn’t wanna see the place right now. I’d give him the chance to take care of the worst, and then we’d talk and clean up together.
Noticing that James and Jordan stood on their porch, I trailed over there and did my best to shake my anger. It was skin-deep, simmering on top of an ocean of indifference. Mostly because this was what teenagers did, right? Yeah, there had to be consequences, but I reckoned my biggest issue was simply watching Dylan leave his childhood behind.
I wasn’t ready.
In two years, he’d start college. He was looking at schools. He’d asked Nate to do a college tour along the East Coast.
“How happy are you that your nephew wasn’t here today?” I asked James, climbing their porch steps.
He chuckled through his nose. “Sadly, this little high school party would’ve been better.”
Yeah…that was another thing. I couldn’t be too angry. We hadn’t had many problems with Dylan.
“How’s it going over there?” Jordan wondered.
I glanced toward my house, seeing more kids head out. “I gave him twenty minutes to get rid of everyone and most of the evidence.”
“Aww, you’re a good dad. Lemme give you a healing hug.” Jordan closed the distance between us and threw his arms around my neck.
I laughed quietly and patted him on the back.
It felt a little too good, so I shifted where I stood to end the hug faster.
I missed hugs. I missed the times when Nate and I held each other so tightly that every crack felt mended.
“How is your dad?” Jordan asked next.
“He’s improving, thankfully.” I bobbed my head. “Domino’s is still open, right?”
“Yes,” Jordan replied right away. “We made peri-peri chicken with potato skins if you’re hungry.”
That did sound good, but I had a plan. “I appreciate it, but I think I’ll order a pizza. I’d rather ground Dylan’s ass over a friendly slice than in the middle of a fight. I wanna hear him out before I lay into him.”
Jordan let out a whistle. “Man, if my parents were like you, I wouldn’t have daddy issues.”
I winced and chuckled at the same time. “I hope that’s a joke.”
He shrugged and leaned against James. “It’s fine. They’re not really issues if you get off on them.”
Uh.
I lifted my brows.
James smirked and looked away.
Was that…? I mean, I had my suspicions about those two. I couldn’t quite place James yet, but Jordan struck me as a bratty Little. He might also have some switch tendencies, because he could be plenty bossy around James. I could sense some kind of power dynamic between them.
Actually, now I kinda wanted to know—and we were close enough that I could ask. They brought dinner over to my place about once a week, and they were caring as hell. They always asked how things were with the kids and whatnot.
“Are you two kinky?” I asked bluntly.
Jordan turned sly. “Maybe. And maybe we know you are too.”
What the— “How?”
“James saw you liked a post on Mclean House’s Facebook page last year,” he answered.
Oh, for chrissakes. So now I was being punished for not being on the Mclean app. Excuse me for liking a single update about a munch on Facebook.
They had to know about Mclean House in that case. Because the only updates Mclean ever shared on social media were about a monthly “meetup.” Nothing kink-related whatsoever was mentioned there. Which wouldn’t have been an issue, regardless; it wasn’t as if Dylan and Hallie wanted to be friends with their dads on Facebook. Talk about embarrassing!
“Are you members?” I asked.
James put his arm around Jordan. “He is, though only online.”
“Being part of a big community isn’t really our thing,” Jordan added. “But it’s fun to talk kink and make online friends.”
Huh. I would’ve thought Jordan, especially, would like to actually visit the house and see those friends in person.
“I guess it’s kinda private to us,” James finished.
Fair enough. I wasn’t going to push for more information either way. I missed kink enough as it was, and now to have it confirmed that my two new friends—who I really enjoyed hanging out with—were part of the lifestyle…? Like I needed more temptation.
“Dad?”
I turned toward my house and saw Dylan on the porch. “Be there in a sec, buddy.” I faced James and Jordan again and sighed. “Time to inspect the damage. Thanks for reaching out to me tonight.”
“Of course, anytime,” James replied.
I headed back to my own place and picked up the Solo cups on the porch before I went inside.
Dylan was busy throwing shit into a trash bag, and he wouldn’t make eye contact. “Before you ask, I locked the door to your bedroom and stashed the food from the fridge out on the patio.”
Kids raiding my fridge was the least of my concerns. They wouldn’t have found a lot there anyway. The house was still fairly empty.