A seemingly innocent girl draws the interest of her three new professors with a dark background, only they are unaware that her life is remarkably similar to their own.
"To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can b...
It was safe to say that Blythe had no intentions of challenging Maddox any more after he legitimately bought every ounce of cookies 'n' cream ice cream from the ecstatic worker who was more than happy to give away the multiple tubs he had stored away in his freezer. Luckily for her though, Maddox decided to share his spending's with not only Blythe but the other two as well before they all ventured off further into the mall.
While walking, something had caught Blythe's eye. A younger man and an older woman were staring straight at Blythe, their gaze not faltering even as she met their eyes. She brushed it off as judgmental people who felt the need to criticize every person and every action. Even though she thought this, she couldn't help but look back to see if they were still staring at her, only to find that they were no longer there. "What's wrong?" Radley asked as he noticed Blythe's distraction.
"Nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew." She lied through a fake smile. Her guts told her it was something a lot bigger than nothing, but for now she would ignore it.
They kept walking until Blythe noticed a Victoria's Secret. "I'm gonna go look at underwear, how about you guys go look at some new, but probably the exact same, suits." She said.
"Or we come with you." Maddox suggested.
"Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like a question. I'm gonna go look at underwear, and you guys are gonna go somewhere else." She smiled before turning around and walking away before any of the three could say anything.
She only spared a few glances at the gauzy underwear prior to choosing the more basic sets as she felt as if she needed more, especially now that she had boyfriends to share them with. She did choose a couple more of the revealing and lace sets until deciding that she had enough and checked out everything she brought. "Lucky man tonight?" The younger checkout lady asked as she scanned the items.
"Something like that." Blythe responded awkwardly.
"Lucky woman?" She reworded her question after Blythe's awkward response.
"No, it's not that. It's just not really for him, but for me. You know?" She nodded.
-
The three boys outside hadn't bothered to move as they figured Blythe wouldn't take that long, considering she seemed to be an in and out kind of girl, she never wasted too much time. While they were waiting, Radley had noticed someone out of the corner of his eyes, someone that he knew. He let out an annoyed sigh as he shook his head and mumbled profanities.
Maddox looked to where Radley's gaze originally was. "River's here." Radley answered the other two's silent questions.
River, although being in the mafia, wasn't someone the boys would consider dangerous. If need be, they could kill him in the blink of an eye, at any point of time. He was more of the observing kind of person, which was inconvenient as they knew now they had to watch what they were doing and saying. So far, they hadn't managed to find that person that River was working for, not matter what they did or say, they couldn't even be certain that River was his real name.
Ashton's hands twitched as he balled them into fists. "This asshole." He spat. A scowl took over his features as he went to take a step forward before Maddox stopped him.
"I can handle him." Maddox lightly pushed Ashton back as he stood in front of him.
Ashton frowned as his eyes flickered back and forth between River and Maddox. "Are you sure? You don't wanna be here with Blythe. She'd probably prefer if you'd stay-"
Maddox shook his head. "I thought we got past this whole 'Blythe likes me more' phase. She likes you two as well. She'll enjoy the time she spends with you two, trust me." He interrupted Ashton, a look of irritation on his face as he spoke.
Before River could get any further, Maddox took off in the direction where he was headed leaving the other two men behind to glance at one another, already knowing what each other was thinking. "Think he's right?" Ashton asked as he looked away from Radley and towards the shop that Blythe was in.
"You still question it?" Radley tilted his head as he tried to read Ashton who only shrugged his shoulders. "What makes you think she doesn't like you?"
"26 years and not a single woman has displayed anything but lust, you can't blame me for thinking and assuming the worst."
"I can and will blame you, don't let your insecurities be the reason that you push yourself away from Blythe and upset her." Radley glowered at Ashton. For the rest of time that was spent with them both alone together, Radley had given Ashton the cold shoulders until Blythe had returned.
"Okay. First, where's Maddox? And second, why do I sense tension?" Blythe asked when she returned with two bags filled with underwear and perfume. Ashton held his hand out for Blythe to pass over the bags for him to carry, while keeping silent the entire time.
Radley huffed as Ashton's lack of response. "Maddox has business he has to handle, unfortunately it was too important to ignore, and he's just sulking for the fun of it." He rolled his eyes childishly.
Blythe squinted as she looked back and forth between the two in suspicion. "And why are you upset?" She questioned the man that refused to make eye contact with her.
"Because he thinks you don't like him as much as you like Maddox." Radley exposed him.
Blythe's jaw fell open as she struggled to come up with a response out of shock for what she had been told. She had believed that the everyone was well aware by now that she took a liking towards them all equally, especially now. "I thought by now everyone understood that they were all equal. I don't like any of you more than the others." The sadness on her face changed as she suddenly appeared solemn. "Have I not been acting that way?"
Radley attempted to speak up, "you have-"
"If Ashton thinks I haven't been then obviously we have some things to discuss." She interrupted Radley. "You have to talk to me if you're feeling that way, I can't just read your mind." She reached for his free hand and held it in her own.
"At home." He mumbled.
Blythe stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist while softly rubbing his back. "Promise to talk to me whenever you feel like something's wrong?" She asked while pulling away and holding her pinky finger out.
He nodded his head and stared down with a questioning look in his eyes at her pinky. "You've gotta pinky promise or it doesn't count." He held his pinky out in response and Blythe wrapped hers around his. "Now that, that's all sorted. Where to next?"
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