Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
I had my work cut out for me.
On the other hand, I had the most potent weapon.
Gael.
When he gave Dean a pout and said he “sort of, kind of” wanted to go home with Daddy, Dean didn’t even hesitate. He went up to our guest room and grabbed our bags.
After I’d Venmo’d Reese for the cleaning fee, we made plans to meet up soon. Aside from the event, of course. KC wanted us to come over for dinner sometime as well, and I was looking forward to that. Gael shared a bit with both Noa and Cam, and he clearly got along well with them. After tonight, it was safe to say I got along well with KC too. If we ended up in another group-play event, I wouldn’t mind spending time between him and Dean. KC and I had interrogation kink in common, to boot. Imagining what we could come up with together…should make the boys tremble a little.
When all was said and done, I got behind the wheel to the sound of Dean’s grunt and Gael’s yawn, and I couldn’t fucking wait to get us home.
Thank fuck it wasn’t a long drive.
Dean yawned too, and he gave my leg a squeeze. “Are you all right, darling? You’ve been quiet.”
I smiled tiredly and backed out of the carport. “Just itching to get us home.” I glanced at Gael in the rearview. “I’m in desperate need of cuddles.”
Our boy beamed, almost as tired as I was. “Me also, Daddy! Can we have cocoa and watch Band of Brothers?”
“Yes,” Dean answered, without missing a beat. “Abso-damn-lutely. We’re on episode six now, aren’t we?”
“Yes, Sir!”
I smirked to myself, already feeling better.
Friday went by too quickly. Dean worked from home, and Gael had the day off, but between finishing the painting, eating lunch and dinner together, going through our limits for the event tomorrow, and performing world-class aftercare on Gael’s sweet but bruised little ass, including cooling balm and kisses, it got dark while I was mentally on my lunch break. I wasn’t ready yet.
Both Dean and Gael passed out in front of a movie, so I spent a couple hours assembling furniture and finalizing some last-minute changes for the Game. The group chat was running hot; Greer had a suggestion for the geometry class, Colt added a bondage web for PE, and Ty wanted to make sure we’d all talked to our subs about what the biology class would entail.
I’d skipped that conversation with Gael because I’d picked up enough hints to know it wouldn’t be an issue with him. My boy wasn’t particularly into fear play, but he didn’t want all the details.
Before long, I got my men to go upstairs and into bed, and it never failed to make me grin when Gael went “Ouch!” as he landed at a weird angle and hurt his butt.
When I woke up the next morning, I was alone in bed, as had become usual, but I’d found a silver lining in it. I got to stretch out and snooze a few minutes to the sounds of Dean and Gael chatting downstairs.
I smiled into Gael’s pillow.
“…before we get ice cream!” Gael was saying. “That would be a nice outing, don’t you think, Daddy?”
“It sounds wonderful,” Dean replied. “Have you been there before?”
I yawned and rolled onto my back, and I scrubbed my hands over my face. I’d missed the mention of what museum they were discussing, but I was sure Gael had visited.
Eventually, I dragged my ass out of bed and took a quick shower before I got dressed and headed downstairs.
“Finally!” Gael lit up when he saw me. “Good morning, Daddy. I’ll grab coffee for you.”
If someone up there is listening, please give me this for the rest of my life.
He was last seen on CCTV at the Chevron close to where he lives, where he used his credit card to buy an energy drink. Exact time, 11:42 AM.
I checked my watch and climbed out of the truck. So with the time difference, Caleb was last seen in El Cerrito, just north of Berkeley, roughly an hour ago. Okay, I could relax for the time being—but something might be up. The lunch photo he’d posted right before we’d left the house had been taken two days ago, at the same location he’d had lunch then. Not of the same meal. He’d had a tuna salad two days ago, and the picture today showed a sandwich.
“Daddy, we gotta hurry!” Gael exclaimed. “Gretchen and Franklin are handing out clothes on the porch now!”
“You can run ahead,” I replied and pocketed my phone. “Grab a pair of shorts and a tie.”
“Okay!” The boy shouldered his backpack and hurried across the big lawn toward the house.
I went to grab my bag in the back seat, only to see Dean had taken it already.