I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Read online

  But…she didn’t. She stared up into his eyes, her sweet green gaze filled with worry. “What if I screw this up?” she whispered.

  He held her chin. “You won’t. You were perfect Friday and yesterday, and you’ll be perfect today. Just keep being Sir’s good girl and you’ll be perfect, ’kay?”

  She nodded. “Yes, Sir.” Then she tipped her head up to kiss him one more time and something inside his heart spun sideways again—in a good way.

  * * * *

  Ken let her take her shower first—alone. He knew if he was in there with her, he’d be fucking her again, and they didn’t have time for that. While she did that he shaved, his face and head, and stared at himself in the mirror.

  What the hell am I doing?

  There wasn’t any other more perfect way, though. Sure, he was lying to his family, but it wasn’t like they lived close. They’d get off his ass about dating and getting married, and Arden would have a ready-made family of guys who’d kill or die for her.

  What could be better than that?

  A quick check of his messages showed a flurry of texts from the guys, both playfully cursing his good luck and simultaneously cheering him on.

  Running behind. Will shop for a ring for her before brunch. We all still good with me doing that?

  Almost immediately, he had three responses—YES!

  Today he’d opted for a suit and tie again to wow his family. Arden looked like a million bucks in her dress and coat, her knee-high boots the perfect tone between sassy and functional to keep her warm. He had the taxi take them to a jewelry store over on Fifth Avenue first.

  The woman who helped him spoke to Arden first, not him, despite him leading the way inside and holding Arden’s hand with her trailing a nervous half-step behind him. “How can we help you today, ma’am?”

  He held up a finger, pointing at his face. “Yo. I’m the one with the black Amex, honey. You talk to me.”

  He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and dropped the credit card and his driver’s license on the counter, because he suspected that would be her next ask to make sure it belonged to him. “Engagement rings. Nice ones. No cheap-ass CZ shit. Real stones.”

  “Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” She scooped up the card and license from the counter. “Right this way.”

  “Dat’s better.”

  He recaptured Arden’s hand and followed the woman over to a different display case. He loved that Arden’s cheeks had turned adorably pink. He gently squeezed her hand as he studied the selections. He wanted something that suited her, big and impressive without being gaudy.

  Then he spotted a radiant-cut diamond, surrounded by smaller diamonds and emeralds, the green in the stones reflecting the dark flecks of green in her beautiful eyes. He pointed. “That one.”

  “Did you wish to see the price, sir?” the clerk asked.

  “Nah. Card’s good.” He honestly didn’t care what the price was, because that card currently had a zero balance on it and he’d purchased his car with it last year. While waiting for Arden to finish her shower, he’d filed a travel notice, so the purchase should go through with no problem. But just in case, he had the app open on his phone to approve the sale in case it hung up.

  The saleswoman used a sizer to see what Arden would need, and quickly returned with the right one. He took it from the saleswoman and looked at it, nodding.

  Then he dropped to one knee and took Arden’s left hand in his. “I always do stuff right. Will you marry me, Arden?”

  It was a perfect fit, and she was actually crying as she nodded, her cheeks now deep red. The entire store burst into applause.

  “Is that a yes, baby?”

  “Yes!” she gasped.

  He rose and kissed her, then used his phone to take a selfie of the two of them together, for the guys as much as for himself.

  If he could keep her looking that happy, sure, he’d marry her.

  It’d be worth it to know there was at least one person in his life he could make smile like that.

  Chapter Twenty

  As Ken predicted, when they walked into the restaurant, his mother wore a look on her face somewhere between smelling someone’s burrito-fueled toot and like she’d stepped in dogshit. But he’d give her all due credit that she put on a smile when they drew closer to the table, Arden’s left hand in his and her following just behind him. He’d chosen to keep her on his right, so he was holding her left hand, concealing it from view.

  He wanted to spring it on them all.

  Hell, he was paying for this damn brunch. Fuck ’em.

  “Good morning, everyone,” he said. “Hope we didn’t keep you waiting.”

  He pulled Arden’s chair out with his left hand, and with his right held on to hers until she was seated. His momma and two of his sisters gasped when he let go of her hand to help push her chair in.

  His momma reached over and grabbed Arden’s hand, nearly dragging her across the table. “What is this!”

  “What’s it look like, Momma?” He took Arden’s hand, pried it out of his momma’s grasp, then flashed Arden a wink as he kissed her hand and returned it to her before sitting next to her.

  “That looks like an engagement ring!”

  “Well, now isn’t that a coincidence?” He smiled and took a sip of water from the glass in front of him, enjoying knowing that every eye at the table was now focused on him.

  Arden had turned an adorable shade of beet red.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” his momma asked.

  “What’s what supposed to mean?” He was enjoying this clueless act. Especially because it would sell it that much more strongly. He could only imagine how the story would morph as it spread like wildfire amongst the cousins.

  “Kenneth Lamar Rossi! Is that an engagement ring?”

  “Oh, yes, it is.” He smiled. “I made her leave it in the hotel safe Friday and Saturday. We didn’t want to upstage Sissy’s big weekend.”

  “You’re getting married?” The entire restaurant paused for a moment as his momma’s voice rang through the space.

  “That is usually what an engagement ring means, Momma, yes.”

  As he’d predicted, she heaved herself out of her chair and practically tackled Arden in a hug, then him. “Congratulations, baby boy! Why didn’t you tell me, at least?”

  “I just asked her a few days ago. I thought it could wait a few more days to become public. We didn’t tell anybody else, though. We wanted you all to be the first to know.”

  Poor Denny.

  He knew he’d have to make it up to her. Meanwhile, the sadist in him enjoyed watching. He sat back with a smile as his mom, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunties—everyone swarmed Arden to hug her, then him. Of course his Momma’s attitude had done a complete one-eighty now that Arden was joining the family.

  But inside, something had eased, a tension now vanished he hadn’t realized before had been so…damn near painful. Yes, he’d always been on his guard, but never before had it struck him just how heavily it had weighed on him until this moment, upon finding it gone.

  He was going to marry Arden. That meant his family would never know his secret. Therefore, he wouldn’t lose them as his family.

  On the other side of it, Arden would gain a whole family who would eventually come to love her as much as he and the guys did. He’d just have to be careful when the guys were around his family that he kept Arden close to him and there were no hints of anything between her and them.

  Or between him and the other guys.

  Otherwise, this adorable, wiggling puppy pile of familial love would quickly turn into a swarm of angry piranhas who’d pick her bones clean in seconds. His family would forgive a multitude of sins, but cheating was not one of them.

  Nor was being gay.

  * * * *

  After breakfast, Ken took them back to the room where he fucked Arden senseless with only a break for room service that evening.

  She wasn’t sure what would happen when they returned to Florida, but had a strong feeling sleep deprivation might be in her future.

  Not that she was going to mind in the slightest.

  Monday morning, Arden stared at the ring on her hand as they made their way through airport security. When she looked, she found Ken smiling down at her.

  “I can’t believe this.”

  “Believe it.”

  “How much was it?”

  “Nope. Not telling you. I bought what I wanted for you. That’s all that matters. I’m sure the guys will be buying you things, too. And we’ll all put our heads together on the wedding bands.”

  “For us?”

  “And for them. Fair’s fair. They can’t all marry you, but I know they’ll want something to wear to prove it.”

  “Really?”

  He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Baby, what will it take to convince you we all love you?”

  “But…I thought you were all involved with each other.”

  “We are. Doesn’t mean there’s not room for you. Plenty of room.”

  “Wait a minute. I don’t want to share you guys with another woman. Or other guys.”

  “You won’t. I already promised you that. Just us five.”

  * * * *

  Ken hoped that once they were back in Florida her fear wouldn’t return and make her put the brakes on. He’d already texted the guys that morning on their ongoing group thread to make sure they were home, bathed, shaved, and looking halfway decent when they returned.

  They all pestered him for details, but he didn’t have time for that.

  Suffice it to say Arden now belongs to us. We have a very good girl to take care of when I get home. Buy condoms and lube.

  That was met by a slew of responses, but he turned off his phone at the airport and smiled, knowing the boys would be anxiously stewing for the next several hours.

  After they strapped into their plane seats, Ken clasped her hand in his and brushed his thumb over her knuckles, the ring brightly winking in the light. He tipped his head so he could whisper in her ear.

  “Bet that pussy is aching from my cock, isn’t it, baby?”

  Her grip tightened on his hand, but she nodded.

  He chuckled and settled in, knowing she was now probably sporting soaked panties.

  When they landed, he pulled her aside at the airside terminal as they reached the public restrooms.

  He nodded toward the bathroom. “Give me your carryon and bring me your panties.”

  Her eyes widened.

  He arched an eyebrow at her. “Is that a red?”

  She shook her head, but the wild-eyed look that was hardening his cock didn’t disappear.

  He nodded toward the restrooms again. “Then go do it.” He’d had her wear a blouse and skirt this morning, so this was perfect planning. He held out his hand for her carryon, and she passed it over before heading into the bathroom.

  He stood there paging through his phone until she returned a few minutes later. He held out his hand and didn’t torture her too badly when she extended a tightly knotted fist to him.

  There wasn’t anyone close by, much less paying attention to them, when he took them from her and slipped them into the left front pocket of his slacks. Then he returned his phone to his right front pocket.

  “Good girl. Let’s go get our bags.”

  He’d parked them in the long-term garage, more serendipity. Once she was safely belted in and he had the car started, he reached over and pushed her legs apart, two fingers easily sliding inside her wet cunt.

  He smiled as he finger-fucked her. “Baby want to come?”

  She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

  He teased her for another few minutes, careful not to let her come. Then he pulled his fingers from her pussy and pressed them into her mouth. She sucked them like she’d sucked his cock, and now he was hard and aching, this game backfiring on him.

  “Keep your legs apart like that for the whole ride,” he ordered, hiking her skirt up her thighs until it almost completely exposed her. He didn’t want any truckers they passed being able to see what belonged to him and the guys. “I’m probably going to want to play with that on the way home.” He smiled. “Tired of me yet?”

  “No, Sir.”

  “Good girl.”

  * * * *

  That was both the longest and shortest ride of her life. Ken mercilessly teased her as they headed south to Sarasota, and she remembered what she’d promised to do when they arrived home.

  When they pulled off I-75 at their exit, he sent a quick text at the stoplight before smiling at her. “They’re going tear you up, baby girl, and you’re gonna enjoy every second of it.”

  She whimpered, barely able to think, but nodded.

  Apparently he took pity on her, because he laughed and shook his head but didn’t correct her for not saying anything.

  When they parked, he gathered everything, including her purse, and made her walk ahead of him. She’d almost made it to the front door when someone flung it open, Steve in front wearing a dark and hungry look, and Hal and Trace flanking him.

  Make or break time.

  She stepped into the entryway and once Ken was inside, Steve closed the door behind him before giving him a kiss. Hal and Trace kissed him hello, too.

  Ken set down all their things and arched an eyebrow at her.

  Face aflame, she pulled off her blouse and skirt, and Ken took them from her, followed by her bra.

  That left her in her boots.

  “Show them the ring, baby.”

  She held out her left hand, Trace taking it and looking closer. “Dude, holy fuck! How much was that?”

  “Don’t matter. It’s to her from all of us. She knows she belongs to all of us, but she’ll marry me. Problem permanently solved with my family.”

  Trace passed her hand to Hal, and then Steve.

  “That’s fucking gorgeous,” Steve said. “The green matches her eyes.”

  “Right?” Ken nodded. “Go on, baby girl. Greet them properly. You belong to them, too. I got to have you all to myself this weekend. Time for you to give them some relief.”

  “Ground rules,” Trace said. “Green, yellow, red. If you need to, say it.”

  She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

  “You’re okay with anything we want to do?”

  She glanced at Ken, and he smiled. “Come on, baby girl. Don’t be shy now after I spent the weekend fucking that sweet pussy of yours. Tell them what you want.”

  She met Trace’s blue gaze again. “Sir mentioned wanting to see what it’d feel like with his cock up my ass while each of you take turns fucking my pussy.”

  All three men’s eyes widened.

  “Duuuude,” Hal said. “You got her to say dirty words!” He high-fived Ken.

  Ken smiled. “You think that’s something, wait until you hear what she sounds like moaning around a cock in her mouth.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  They hustled her into the living room, where they’d reconfigured the sectional to be like one large bed, covered with sheets. Arden felt them lift her and lay her on her back, legs spread wide and held open by Ken and Steve as Trace buried his face in her pussy and ate her out. Someone else—or elses—removed her boots.

  Hal got naked and knelt by her head, feeding his cock to her. She let go, eagerly wanting this, afraid maybe it was just a really hot dream.

  Except the hands kneading her breasts and pinching her nipples felt too deliciously real. The first orgasm slammed into her as Hal fucked her mouth, quickly shooting a load down her throat.

  “Oh, son of a bitch!” Hal gasped. “Sorry, baby, but damn, you’re great!”

  “That’s all right,” Ken told him. “Means you can last longer when we fuck her.”

  The men switched out several times, getting naked, eating her pussy, fucking her mouth, until they were all naked and each man had made her come at least once.

  Ken was the last between her legs. After she’d come, he sat up and grabbed the lube, slicking one finger and smiling as he pressed it against her rim, teasing her. She’d had anal before, and even had a butt plug she played with on occasion, but it wasn’t as big as him.

  “Get comfy, baby, because no one’s going to bed tonight until we’ve done what I promised you we’d do. Now, you’ve swallowed a load from all your Sirs. It’s time to make you ours like this, too.” He started working his finger into her ass, Hal leaning in and licking her clit while Steve and Trace played with her nipples to distract her.

  With the sensory overload, she tripped over the edge again, several times, one long, rolling orgasm that felt like it wouldn’t stop. When Hal finally relented, she realized Ken was scissoring two fingers inside her ass.

  “Good girl.” He wiped his hand off on a towel and grabbed a condom, rolling it on before slicking himself with lube.

  He sat back on the couch and the men picked her up, turning her around with her back to him, positioning her where they wanted her.

  “Go slow, baby,” Steve said. “Be a good girl and take him.”

  As she felt the thick head of Ken’s cock breach her rim, he sucked in a sharp breath. “Damn, baby. Your ass is even tighter than your pussy.”

  Hal and Trace latched on to her nipples again, and Steve reached in to play with her clit as she slowly fucked herself onto Ken’s cock. Once he was fully seated inside her, he pulled her body back against him, one arm around her waist, one gripping her throat. She closed her eyes, savoring every sensation, her body fully under their control.

  “You find it, Trace?” Ken asked.

  “Yep.” She heard a vibrator click on, and then Hal and Steve were holding her arms, pinning her as Trace touched the vibrator to her swollen clit.

  She…howled. The orgasm exploded, hard and fierce and stronger than any she’d felt before.

  “Oooh, fuck yeah,” Ken growled behind her. “Damn, that’s good. I won’t last long.”

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