Chapter 209

Beau and I somehow end up on the carpet at the base of the couch. By now, we are both naked, limbs tangled, with bliss coursing through my veins.

With my head resting on Beau’s chest, I counted the steady beat of his heart, as he gently carded his fingers through my hair near my scalp.

Moments like this, I wish could stretch on forever. In the afterglow, my brain has entirely shut off. All I can do is lie here and allow the hum of pleasure to course through me.

In this state, everything feels like it’s going to be alright. I feel invincible, in a way. Like I can do anything, and no barriers will ever get in my way.

I don’t really want to give up this feeling. Not for anything.

The pleasure makes me bold.

“Beau,” I say.

“Hm?” His wordless state tells me that he is in a similar position as me, lost to the warmth of post-release.

It seems the perfect time to ask him what I want to. I might not get another chance.

“When I leave the Pyramid, and move in here, do you think you’d want to… visit?” I ask.

“I’d want to,” he says, which is a pleasing response but not the kind of definite I am searching for.

“Could we spend time together like this?” I ask. “Continue our friends with benefits?”

Beau goes quiet. His hand stills in my hair. My heart starts to sink before he even opens his mouth.

“That wouldn’t be a good idea, Nanny.”

I freeze now too. Under my ear, Beau’s heart continues to beat at the same steady pace, the only indicator that time is passing forward at all.

I guess I should have expected that answer, especially after what Archer said yesterday. But Archer told me to leave the house. Beau is now telling me they won’t even see me anymore. He’s confirmed that our friends with benefits relationship will be over the moment I move out.

It hurts, more than it should. I always knew this would be the case. Inside, I must have hoped things would be different.

I feel like such an idiot.

Without another word, I push away from Beau. I gather my clothes from where they’ve scattered across the floor and change back into them. Beau watches my every move, but doesn’t say anything either.

We’ve crossed some threshold here. Our relationship has shifted.

There’s a doomsday clock hanging over us now, but it might as well have already gone off. I don’t plan on sleeping with him ever again.

Shit. Why does that hurt my heart so much?

Beau follows my lead and quietly dresses. We clean up a little, righting the pillows and readjusting the coffee table we’d bumped into when we fell off the couch.

The room came furnished, a blessing. I guess all the furniture in here is mine now. It warms me slightly to see Beau trying to take care of it, when he’s usually so careless with everything.

Then we leave the penthouse. He locks the door with the key and then hands it out to me. I accept it and put it into my pocket.

The walk back to the Pyramid feels longer in the silence. When we finally reach it, we still don’t say a word. We just go our separate ways.

With the end of my time at the Pyramid so quickly approaching, I decide to more earnestly begin packing my things.

Do I truly need all of the clothes and other items that the brothers have bought me? No. Am I taking them with me anyway? Yes.

What would they do if I left them? They’d just throw them away. They wouldn’t even donate them. No, I’m much better off taking everything with me and figuring out what to do with it later.

Maybe I’m bitter. No. Okay. I’m definitely bitter. After everything, all the secret moments shared with the brothers, all the near-death experiences, and the evolution of our relationships, I genuinely thought they might actually give a shit about me.

I feel like such an idiot. They all just wanted to get their rocks off, and I was a convenient little target.

Maybe I should just leave now. I have a place to go now. It’s fully furnished and move-in ready. All I would have to do is haul my things over there.

Would the brothers even notice I’m gone?

My movements become erratic. I’m throwing things in boxes, zipping around with the tape.

The sooner I’m packed, the sooner I can move, the sooner I can put this entire experience in the back of my mind and move forward with my life.

“Chloe?”

I look up from my madness to see Steven standing in my closet doorway. He’s holding Mia, who is trying unsuccessfully to fit an entire plastic donut inside of her mouth.

The sight of her cools all the rage building up inside of me. Mia, sweet innocent, mischievous Mia. The only reason I was ever let into the Pyramid to begin with. The person my heart will miss the most when I am gone.

How can I leave even one second before I am absolutely forced to, knowing it would pull me away from this precious baby?

No. I have to stay and see these final two and a half days through. If not for the brothers, if not for myself, then for Mia.

I abandon my boxes and come over to take Mia out of Steven’s arms. He shuffles her over to me. Mia grabs a handful of my shirt. She coos at me, even with the plastic ring half in her mouth, and my entire heart melts once again.

Steven glances away, a dust of red on his cheeks. He stuffs his hands in his pockets. “Chloe… uh…” He’s building up to something. I wait a moment, but he can’t seem to find his voice.

“Yes?” I prompt. “What is it?”

“There’s a special space exhibit at the planetarium tonight,” Steven says. “It’s designed with children in mind. I thought… if you wanted… if you thought Mia might enjoy it…”

Mia likely wouldn’t retain anything of what is happening to her here. She’s much too young, but she might like seeing the bright shapes and colors. And it is probably good for her to get out of the house now and then. She spends way too much time in her playroom. I’ve been meaning to speak to the brothers about that.

“Maybe… you would like to go with us, Chloe?” Steven asks. He looks at me and his eyes are earnest and pure. He still somewhat nervous, fidgeting a bit.

As I look at him, as I take in his nervous posture and the blush in his cheeks, I realize what this seems like. What it can’t possibly be.

This feels like Steven is asking me on a date.

It can’t be. I know that. But that knowledge doesn’t stop my heart from beating out of control. I’m sporting my own blush now, I’m sure, with how hot my cheeks are becoming.

“What do you say?” he asks.

I smile a little. What else could I say?

“I’d love to.”