Thad's house—small mansion—was as beautiful as the man himself. I shouldn't have expected anything less. The modern blocky structure of his bachelor palace created the perfect juxtaposition with the backdrop of a soft, luscious forest. It was lit up like a lantern in the snowy darkness. The backlit silhouettes of Thad and Beth in the kitchen were clear to me as Noah guided his new SUV up the long, curvy driveway. Mal and Joshua were standing in the living space.

All the boys had traded in their vehicles for new ones, Noah had explained, as a precaution. If Stephen knew where we were living, then it wasn't a small jump to assume he also knew what cars they had and even the license plates. They had even sold Riley's flashy black car and the money was already in my bank account.

It looked like the Range Rover showroom had been running a buy one, get one sale. Noah parked his pristine black one next to a dark grey version which was parked next to a matching blue one. The blue one must be Joshua's. I shook my head, exiting the SUV and taking Noah's offered hand.

"Did you get a preferred buyer discount?"

He adjusted the box of wine he was holding so he could shove his hand into the back pocket of my jeans and give me a squeeze. "Not me. Thad."

"What do you mean?"

"All the cars are in Thad's name. Can't be traced to us."

I stopped, shocked. "Why would he do that for us?"

"As cavalier as he comes off, Thad has always helped my family, especially me. I've known him since I was fourteen when my dad hired him, and he treats me like a little brother. All three of us, actually. I don't think he will ever not be grateful for the opportunity my dad gave him and the support he provided to help Thad achieve his dreams."

Noah sighed, looking up at the impressive house. "He feels like he owes us something, I think."

I followed Noah's gaze, and we both took a few minutes to stand and appreciate not only the house but also Thad's help over the last week—sharing his apartment with us, the cars, and taking in Beth. Although I doubt that was a sacrifice on either of their parts.

I shivered and Noah frowned down at me. "Let's go inside. I didn't mean for us to be out here so long."

"Are you still not going to talk to him?"

"Just because I appreciate what he's done doesn't mean I'm okay with him spying on my naked girlfriend. Twice."

Noah knew about the gallery office camera. The police had requested all of Thad's footage for the evening. Even though he had deleted the video of Noah and me from his phone, the sneaky voyeur failed to explain to me that it was still saved in the security system's online database. The police had the full video, and I kind of wanted to die. Someone was studying that recording, mainly for the footage that included Stephen sneaking in and out of the office, but were they also fixating on the oral sexcapades of Noah and me?

Thad seeing us excited me a little bit, and I ultimately didn't mind if he still had a copy of the video. Honestly, it turned me on thinking about him getting off to a recording of me getting off. I was beginning to realize exhibitionism might be one of my kinks.

Just add it to the list.

"You can't go the whole night without saying anything to him. He's our host."

Noah grumbled, "Watch me." Then he led me up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the bell.

I heard a chorus of voices... Beth calling something to Thad...Joshua responding...Mal yelled something at both of them and then the thud of footsteps down the front hall.

Mal barely had the door open before Beth reached out and pulled me into the house. She looked absolutely stunning. Her long blond hair was down and styled in waves around her face, and the pale pink blouse was the perfect complement to her pale coloring and neutral makeup. She beamed at me and shoved a bottle of champagne in my hands.

"Ree, we have so much to talk about. And by that, I mean sex talk. So much sex to talk about."

"It must be yours because I haven't gotten any in a while."

Mal quirked an eyebrow at me, removing my coat and then whistling low. "With the way you look, it'll be a matter of hours before I'm inside your -"

"That's enough, big guy. Save the smut talk for later. It's my turn with her now."

"He's right," Joshua said, wandering down the hall to us. "You look beautiful."

After our small tickle war, Noah gave me plenty of time to prepare, knowing it was my first time out of the apartment and seeing everyone together. I was so glad for it after their reactions. I needed to feel pretty and sexy and wanted. Having my neck sliced open and still stitched and bandaged made me feel the opposite of all that.

I chose tight, dark, washed jeans I knew showcased my ass wonderfully and a silky teal camisole that set off my eyes and tits. A cropped suede jacket and heeled ankle boots completed the look.

Noah nuzzled my neck, kissing me above my bandage. "I love it when your hair is down."

I wore it this way so I could cover my war wound. I preferred ponytails. Except, as Joshua and Mal nodded their agreement, I'd make sure to wear it down a lot more.

Grabbing the box of wine from Noah, Mal led us into the house and toward the expansive dining room and huge neighboring kitchen. Thad stood at the center island, carving the turkey and surrounded by platters of beautifully prepared food. He smiled at me, giving me a tilt of his chin.

"Regan, you look ravishing." To punctuate his compliment, he placed an olive on his tongue and then chewed it slowly, maintaining eye contact.

I smiled, maybe giggled a little, and blushed.

Thad winked.

"Knock it off, Thad. I'm sick of your shit," Noah warned. He started yanking wine bottles from the box Mal placed on the opposite counter. If he slammed them down any harder, we were going to have a pool of wasted and expensive wine to clean up.

"Uh oh. What's happened now?" Joshua shoved Noah out of the way and took over. "Let's not damage the alcohol, okay?"

"Thad has cameras in the apartment. In the shower. He's probably been watching Reggie in there this whole week."

Mal and Joshua spun around to Thad who gave no reaction and just kept carving the turkey like he wasn't being accused of anything unsavory.

"Oh, he definitely has," Beth pressed her lips together in a funny little grin. "And I've been benefiting from it."

"Thad, man, what the hell?" Joshua sounded disappointed in him rather than angry. "She didn't know?"

Mal was about to yank the carving knife from Thad's hand and stab him with it.

"We can discuss this later," Thad finally said. "Dinner is ready."

"Dinner can wait," Noah started.

"Actually, it can't," I interrupted. "I'm starving. This all looks amazing, and before I start chugging this champagne, I need to eat first."

"Truce!" Beth exclaimed and grabbed my arm. "We can sit. They can serve us."

Mal snapped, "We're going to talk about this."

"Then do it over dinner," Beth called back to him over her shoulder. "The women require food and drink. Fetch it for us."

"I can't believe you just told Mal to fetch something."

She motioned for me to sit to the left of the head of the table, and she took the right seat directly across from me. I tried to wait patiently while she took the bottle of champagne from me and filled my glass, then hers. I was practically bursting with impatience.

"Out with it already!"

Beth gave me a shit-eating grin and blushed a little bit. Without answering, she sipped her drink and stared over my shoulder at Thad in the kitchen.

"It's good then, huh?"

"The man is very thorough. I never thought I'd fall for the age gap trope, but Jesus, can that man fuck."

It wasn't surprising. Thad had such an easy confidence about him, not to mention how talented he was at capturing the female form perfectly on canvas. He's been extensively studying women for years in their most vulnerable state, and I'd bet money some of his models were more than happy to offer themselves as study aids. I would have if circumstances were vastly different.

Thinking about him painting me still gave me a little thrill.

"He's taking care of you? You're okay here?"

"It's just the palette cleanser I needed after Greg."

"Speaking of," Joshua approached with two plates, setting one in front of me and then sat in the chair to my left. "Have you heard anything from him?"

"Of course," she answered. I could tell she was trying to be nonchalant about him. However, we had known one another for over twenty years, and it was obvious to me she was only acting at being unaffected. The whole situation with Greg and his betrayal had hurt her. So, yes, Thad was definitely a palette cleanser and the distraction she needed right now. "He calls me every day."

Mal sat next to her, resting her plate on the table as he had been ordered. "We need to get you a new phone."

"I haven't been answering him. But he leaves me lots of messages. Angry in some, sad in others. He doesn't understand why I just left."

"And it can stay that way unless he's suddenly cleared of any wrongdoing, and I don't think he will be, even with the Boston police gunning for someone at the office. Do not talk to him."

Beth nodded to Mal. I reached across the table to grasp her hand. "It'll be okay. I'm sorry you have to go through all of this."

She rolled her eyes at me. "When are you going to finally accept that I have your back no matter what? It started with that little ass stealing your shoes," she waved at Joshua, and he laughed. "And it'll never end. Not until we're dead."

"If Stephen gets his way, that'll be sooner rather than later."

Everyone went still. Noah's shocked face looked down at me from the other head of the table, and Thad matched his expression beside me. Mal shot back the rest of his drink and pushed his chair back, presumably to refill his glass. Joshua looked at me, sadness on his face and pleading behind his usual bright blue eyes.

"Don't say things like that. He's not going to do anything to you."

My fingers pressed against my bandaged neck. "He already has."

Thad cleared his throat and sat. "Noah, why don't you go back to threatening me for seeing our lovely Regan naked?"

I let out a loud laugh; it couldn't be helped. "I much prefer that conversation. Thank you, Thad."

Mal returned to his seat, holding a trio of short ball glasses and a bottle of dark liquor. He didn't ask me; he just poured a few knuckles worth into one and placed it in front of me. He did the same for Joshua and Beth. Noah and Thad already had their drinks.

"While we're all together, we need to talk about the information my private detective has uncovered about Stephen. Or Phillip, which is his birth name."

"Phillip?" Beth and I burst out at the same time. Between our outrageous laughter, we both emptied the glasses Mal had given us and held them to him for more. Thank God he had chosen rum. The familiar burn soothed me, and he knew it was my favorite.

Ignoring our inappropriate reaction, Mal began retelling everything he had learned over the last few days. The rest of us listened and drank, eventually digging into our food as all the hard liquor started taking effect. Mal talked for a long time with none of us interrupting, and it occurred to me that Noah and Joshua already knew everything he was telling me, Beth, and Thad.

Stephen's given name was Phillip Nicholas Miller III—a perfect moniker for a sociopath. He was born to Phillip and Susan Miller in small-town Nebraska and had a younger sister whose identity hadn't been confirmed yet. Phillip was thirty-two years old, never married, had no children, and, from what the detective could tell, hadn't been in touch with his parents since graduating high school. He never attended college or trade school, falling off the map essentially until his mid-twenties when he had been arrested for aggravated assault. His girlfriend at the time had been caught cheating on him, and he attacked the guy with a knife. No injuries had been inflicted, so Phillip got a smack on the back of his hand and was let loose into the wild.

Where he promptly disappeared.

Nothing had been discovered about his time between then and when he popped up in my life, living under the identity of Stephen Laughlin. The real Stephen Laughlin was an eighty-two-year-old man living in a nursing home and suffering from dementia. For now, the PI was focused on locating Phillip's sister and contacting his parents to see if he could speak with them. They hopefully had some insight that could help the investigation along.

All of the new information had been provided to the Boston police and the local sheriff's office back home in Maine.

I was the first to break the silence. "Looks like the only thing he didn't lie about was his age. Now what do we do?"

Noah watched me from the end of the table. "We keep doing what we're doing. You stay hidden at Thad's. The three of us will continue rotating where we stay so if he's watching us, we keep him off track. Beth stays here."

I was shaking my head before he finished and pushed my glass to Mal for another refill. "I can't. I can't keep staying there alone. I'm going crazy."

"Maybe we can rotate through there, too." Joshua offered. "We're only trying to ensure we don't accidentally lead him to you."

"Mal, what about all of your guys? They were trailing us the whole way here, making sure we weren't followed. Can't they do the same when you guys stay with me? Don't make me keep staying there alone."

It was embarrassing how much their presence comforted me. In a perfect world, their distance would have been fine, probably a little appreciated and needed. In this screwed-up reality, I needed them with me.

Mal's dark eyes softened as I looked across the table to him. "I've already got them spread thin, keeping an eye on the Brownstone, the office, here, and Thad's apartment."

At my disappointed sigh, he quickly amended, "I'll figure it out. I'll stay with you tonight, okay?"

I bit my lip and nodded, noticing how his eyes drifted down to where my bottom lip was caught between my teeth. Before I got swept away with what his look meant, I turned to Thad.

"I like that you watch me in the shower."

Alcohol always did make me unreasonably truthful.

Thad came the closest to being surprised that I had ever seen him. He recovered quickly, sipping too casually from his drink and setting it down before bringing his eyes to mine.

"Jesus, Reggie," Noah groaned and threw his napkin onto the table.

"I mean it. I like it. He can watch me all he wants."

"I knew you enjoyed being watched the second I saw you admiring my artwork. The second I saw how flushed your skin was as you studied those women on my canvases. What a pair we would make - voyeur and exhibitionist."

Joshua placed a hand on my thigh and squeezed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You want Thad to join us?"

"Fuck that," Mal snapped. "No way."

Joshua glared at Mal. "I believe I was asking Regan, not you."

"It doesn't bother you, him watching me and me wanting him to?"

"Maybe you've forgotten - and I'd love to give you a reminder right here and now - I get off on seeing you with the other guys. I can't fault Thad for wanting to admire you."

Thad sat very still in his chair, waiting for my answer. I met his eyes and swallowed, heat flushing my entire body. Maybe Joshua could convince the others to let Thad paint me. Or he and I could sneak away for it without telling Mal and Noah. The trouble I would get into for that ... I clenched my thighs. I'd happily take that punishment from them.

Beth shifted in her seat, which broke my moment with Thad. She didn't look upset, quite the opposite, yet I still asked, "Does it bother you if Thad keeps the cameras on?"

"Please, Ree, I've seen you naked. I totally understand what all the fuss is about." She swiveled her head to look at everyone at the table. "Everyone here has seen you naked."

Oh God, she was right. "Well, that's not fair," I mumbled.

Beth was unbuttoning her blouse and stripping it off, one hand beneath her to unclasp her bra, ready to display all her goods until I shot to my feet with my hands out. "Beth, no! What are you doing?"

"Evening out the playing field. The guys have never seen me naked, and if Thad is going to join you, I assumed that meant me, too. Gotta tell you, Ree, I've always had a fantasy about the two of us getting dirty with each other. Let's seize the moment and orgy it out."

She started laughing at my bewildered look and threw her top at Joshua, who caught it easily. He was trying not to look at her. Same with Mal and Noah. All their eyes were inverted toward the ceiling.

My sweet boys.

Beth was kidding, of course. She was only trying to lessen my embarrassment. She sat back down, completely comfortable in her pale pink bra. "I think it's time for dessert," she said.