My Only One Read online

  “Done.” I donate regularly to Star’s pet project anyway so this is in no way a punishment.

  “And you’ll need to attend the banquet.”

  “No.” I hate those fucking events.

  “Come on, Mack. We always get such a better turnout when you’re on the guest list. For some reason, the old crones love you.”

  “Which is precisely why I don’t go.” It’s like once an old socialite turns fifty, all sense of morality flies out the window. I’ve been groped, pinched, and grabbed more times than I care to count. “Life was a lot easier when I was fat.”

  Star snorts. “You hated life as Fat Mack,” she scoffs.

  “Fat Mack didn’t have a bevy of face-lifted, Botoxed geriatrics crawling up his dick either. He didn’t know how good he had it,” I lament, but Star’s correct. Fat Mack was a harrowing time in my life. It’s actually hard to remember that I no longer look like the dumpy middle schooler who everyone made fun of. Even though I can feel my own abs and see my bicep muscles in the mirror, there’s still the illusion of Fat Mack that overlays the image in the mirror. Besides, I can’t really figure out why all these women are hot for me now. I’m still the same nerdy person I was before, only I look better on the outside. Looks aren’t worth shit, in my book.

  “Well, that’s the price.”

  “Fuck it. Fine, but I’m bringing Dally and I’m going to hide behind her skirt the entire night.”

  “I wouldn’t expect it to be any other way.”

  “I’ll see you in twenty. Oh, and Star, be prepared to talk.”

  “About what?” she asks in surprise.

  I lay my foot against the pedal. “You’ve been having sex with a woman for years. I want to know every fucking secret you have.”

  Chapter 7

  Dally

  I work all morning in the lab to keep myself busy. I enjoy being hands on and it doesn’t even seem like work at times. Genetics has always fascinated me. I can get lost for hours in my work, which is exactly what I needed today after I pretty much offered myself to Mack on a silver platter with no response from him. I’m not sure if I am more embarrassed or mad that he didn’t even bother to respond. He normally hangs around and bugs me. At least that’s what I tell myself he’s doing.

  Maybe I caught him off guard. I know he has as much experience with relationships as I do. I’m sure he had no idea how to even respond to my proposal. Guilt starts to settle over me when I think about this ruining the friendship that we already have established. I sigh internally and continue to work. Sometimes I really wonder what we are. He isn’t like any of my other coworkers or friends and he definitely isn’t my boyfriend. He is in his own little category all to himself that doesn't have a label and it is starting to drive me crazy.

  I finish analyzing my last sample for the crime unit and decide to take a break. I quickly take off my gloves as well as the protective eyewear and throw them away. I proceed to the sink to wash and sanitize my hands. When I’m finished I fish my phone out of my lab coat as I walk toward my office. I see three missed calls and multiple text messages from Mack. The phone begins to vibrate in my hand and Mack’s name appears on the screen. I immediately swipe to answer it. He has been texting. I bite my lip to keep from smiling even though I’m a little nervous to answer it. I really don’t want things to be awkward between us. It’s not like we can avoid each other. We’ll be in each other’s lives forever.

  “What’s up?” I take on a little bit of a snarky tone. He seems hesitant, which makes it even more awkward between us. Usually one of us is throwing a jab at the other so the quiet makes me uneasy. What if our friendship is ruined because I couldn’t control my mouth? “Something wrong? I saw you’ve called a bunch of times and texted but this is the first time I’ve gotten a chance to look at my phone.”

  “I’ll pick you up,” he finally says. “When you’re done.”

  “I have a car,” I remind him.

  “I took the car with me. I needed it since I drove you to work.”

  “This doesn’t even make any sense. Why lend me Quinn‘s car and not leave it for me to use?” I figured he was having a driver pick him up or something. I guess neither one of us really thought this out. For two people who are supposed to be brilliant we really weren’t being the brightest at the moment.

  “I wanted to pick you up so I took it back.” He doesn’t sound sorry about it in the least. “I want you to come to my place after work. I’m going to make us some dinner and we can talk about things.” I hesitate for a moment because I’m not sure how to respond. If this was a few days ago, I would have already said yes because I never turn down Mack’s cooking. You’d have to be crazy to turn down a dinner invitation from him. He learned from the best. His aunt is the Mad Chef and she passed her cooking skills down to him. “I’ll see you after work, darling.” Before I can form any words he disconnects the call.

  I don’t know how long I stand there staring down at my phone. He plans on doing this. We are going to have sex. I let out a small gasp when I realize what’s happening. Sure, throwing it out there for us to do was one thing but actually doing it is a whole other thing. I have no idea what to do when it comes to sex. I begin to panic a tiny bit and immediately dial Maisie. She’ll know what to do. As I’m waiting for her to pick up I begin laughing hysterically.

  “Hello.” I hear her answer but I can’t catch my breath to respond. I’m calling Maisie who is into woman to ask how to have sex with a guy. I start laughing even harder this time. “Dally. What the hell is going on? Are you okay?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m fine. I swear. As I was calling you”—I hold back my laughter—“I realized I was calling you to ask your advice on having sex with a man.”

  “I’ve seen porn,” she defends herself. That only makes me laugh harder. “Why is that so funny?” She sounds generally confused. God, I love her.

  Maisie has the same problem as Mack but with the opposite sex. Men will fight to get her attention. It is always a losing battle. She never notices them or the fact that she is so pretty. It only makes her more attractive. The only thing that can keep her attention is Star. Those two were made for one another. Their relationship gives me hope for my own happily ever after. If I can share half of the happiness and love that they have for one another it would be more than enough.

  “Any guy in particular you’re asking about?” I knew when I dialed her number that I would have to answer this question.

  “I think we all know who so let’s not play coy.”

  She’s the one laughing this time.

  “I’m going to have sex with Mack and this weirdness between us will be over,” I inform her. It’s simple really. Okay, it sounds simple but my insides don’t think it is going to be so easy. My body is having way too many reactions to the idea of sex with Mack.

  “Just let him lead, Dally. I promise with the right person it just comes naturally.”

  “You say that because you’re in love. Star is your forever so of course it is natural when you two get it on,” I remind her. Mack couldn’t be my forever. If he felt that way about me he would’ve made a move a long time ago. In fact, he was a little prickly with me the first few times I met him.

  This is just a reaction to being close to each other all the time now. That’s it. I try and reinforce the thoughts into my mind. Believing is half the battle. People often use sex as an outlet and maybe that is what we need. I know I’m not getting it on with anyone else and the thought of him doing that with someone makes me sick so I push that thought away.

  “Yep! Love,” she agrees before hanging up on me like Mack had. What is wrong with these people?

  Chapter 8

  Mack

  I haven’t felt this nervous since...well, I can’t remember when, but there’s a rock lodged in my gut. I slap the car key against my thigh as I wait for Dally to exit the building. Talking to Star about sex was a little weird since she’s my sister. She didn’t get into anything explicit. Neithe
r of us were equipped for that kind of talk, but she did say for me to pay attention to Dally’s body language—that Dally’s response would be my guide.

  Just thinking about guiding her worked me up. Heated and aroused, I took to the bathroom after my sister left. I needed to shower anyway, but once under the water with my dick slick with soap, I couldn’t help thinking about Dally in my bed. Her hair spread over the sheets, her skin dark with arousal, her back arching high with her tits bouncing like a pleasure offering to a lecherous god.

  I’d be a benevolent ruler and accept her gift. I’d lavish her breasts with attention. I’d suckle on her throat, leaving a dark red mark to warn anyone else that she belongs solely to me. I’d hold her hair back as she took my cock into her hot mouth. I’d lick her from clit to asshole and then tongue her until her toes curled and her voice was hoarse from screaming my name.

  Then I’d part her legs, spear her pussy with my thick cock, bloody the tip of it with her virgin blood, and drive in so deep I could feel her womb. My hips started to jerk. Visions of her writhing on my bed swam through my head as I took my cock and roughly slid my palm up and down the shaft until my cum and the soap mixed together on the shower floor. My masturbation left me feeling vaguely unsettled, as if my body knew there was something better to be had and refused to settle. I finished getting ready and now with the house cleaned, a chicken in the oven, and freshly washed sheets on my bed, I’m ready. My dick definitely is. If Dally says she was kidding, I may ask her to run me over with a car.

  The thing is I know there’s a barrier between us and it’s one I created. I never meant to create it, but back in college, when Star and Maisie were getting together, people kept throwing Dally and me at each other, which I hated. Not because I hated Dally. Nah, I wanted her bad. It was because I didn’t want her to feel like she had to be with me. I gave her space so she could come to me, but she never did. Sometimes it’d feel like she was interested, but it would pass like a summer rain shower, leaving me damp and confused about the weather. Was it hot? Was it cold? The more time that passed, that space became a wall. Dally grew more and more awkward around me, running away when I was near, making excuses to avoid me.

  A number of employees stream out of the building around five. Cars pull out but I notice that one beat-up white sedan bounces its way toward the entrance. I follow it down the driveway and watch as a man stumbles out, something dark and menacing gripped in his hand.

  A tickle of unease skates down my spine. I straighten and start moving toward the stranger.

  “Hey, there,” I call out.

  The man spins around, bringing up the black piece, which is indeed a gun. I hear screams as people spot the weapon. The yelling panics the gunman, who begins to wave the gun around above his head.

  “Stop running. Don’t move!” he screams.

  I pause mid run, about fifteen feet away and then my worst nightmare happens. Dally steps out of the office. There’s a slight breeze and it lifts her hair off her forehead. She reaches up to pat her wayward strands down and somehow her gaze skips over the gunman to land on me.

  “Hey, Mack,” she calls, waving a hand in the air.

  The gunman turns. Everything happens in slow motion. His arm straightens while Dally’s hand flies to her throat. Papers in her hands fall to the ground. Someone behind me screams her name. My feet are in motion, hitting the pavement hard, but I don’t think I’m going to make it in time.

  “Asshole,” I yell. “Fucking small-dicked, worthless piece of shit, asswipe. This way!”

  My dumb, impulsive plan works and the gunman shifts away from Dally, only Dally doesn’t do what she’s supposed to do. She doesn’t run back into the building and she doesn’t hide. No, she rushes the gunman, whose attention starts to peel away from me.

  I charge at him. “Look at me, fucker, look at me! I know you want a piece of me. I know—“

  My next word is cut off when the bullet slams into my shoulder. It doesn’t hurt at first so I keep running until I’m on top of him. There is adrenaline streaking through my bloodstream and I don’t feel the next bullet that slices my side open. Instead, I feel his wiry frame collapse under my weight. Spittle coats the corner of his mouth.

  “Fuck you, big man. Fuck you and your deep pockets and your connections and your lie.” His eyes burn into mine.

  “Fuck you first,” I curse as I wrest the gun away from him and toss it to the side. “You needed something, you should have come to me like a human. Instead you choose the coward’s way—trying to gun down innocent people after a hard day’s work.” My heart’s beating so hard it might jump out of my chest. He couldn’t hurt my Dally. The thought of losing her is like a red cape being waved in front of a bull. I growl and dip my head down, my hand around his throat.

  “You all need to die for the damage you caused. You all should go to hell.”

  I squeeze harder. “Not until you do.” I keep up the pressure. The man’s grip around my wrist grows slack. His eyes bulge and then fall shut as his head lists to the side.

  “Mack, are you okay?” Dally cries as she reaches my side.

  “He’s passed out.” Her face is so close and I wanna kiss her.

  “I don’t care about him. I’m asking if you’re okay. Oh my God. Did you get shot? Denise! Call an ambulance right now. Mack, Mack, please stay with me.”

  Dally’s voice seems far away, like she’s halfway across a football field. I squint, but my vision’s blurry. I have to tell her something important but I can’t remember what it is right now. The side of my chest and my shoulder feel like someone put a hot iron against my skin, yet the rest of me is ice cold. I grab for Dally, but come up empty.

  “Darling, darling, I’m right here,” I try to tell her, but she doesn’t hear me. “Darling.” And then it all goes black.

  Chapter 9

  Dally

  “Dally!” I jerk up, flying out of my chair when I hear my name shouted. For a brief moment I don’t remember where I am but it all comes flooding back to me. The panic subsides as I realize where I am and that this is now the fourth time that Mack has awoken in a sheer state of panic, shouting my name. I rush over to his hospital bed.

  “I’m fine.” I grab his hand, trying to calm him. I don’t want him ripping out another stitch. When he calls my name it’s a feeling of terror and relief all at the same time. The thought of what could have happened almost overwhelms me until I remember that he’s alive and breathing. He can wake me up a thousand times and I would be grateful for each and every one of them as it’s proof that he’s still here with me.

  This time, though, he grabs me. His hand tangles into my hair as he pulls me down to him. Our mouths come crushing together. It’s not soft and sweet as you’d imagine a first kiss together would be. It’s filled with desperation. I let out a whimper, pushing back into the kiss. I should be telling him to stop. We shouldn't be doing this right now but holy hell this feels so right. My heart races in my chest. The thought that this may never have had an opportunity to happen between us is overwhelming. It makes me want to kiss him forever.

  “Dally.” Mack pulls back to look at me. “Why are you crying? Were you hurt too?” I reach up to touch my cheeks, not realizing I’ve shed some tears.

  “No, I’m just so happy you’re okay. I thought—I thought—” I can’t even finish the words. Not having him in my world… I can’t even finish the thought. It rocks me to my core when I think about what could have happened. All the time we’ve wasted because we’re both either too stubborn or idiots. I make myself a promise to not waste another second.

  “I’m fine,” he comforts me. I’m the one that should be comforting him right now. This time I kiss him. I can’t help myself. I need to feel his mouth against mine to reassure myself. My mouth parts, granting his tongue entrance. This time our kiss is softer and sweet. We both savor the moment. We both fall into an easy rhythm as our mouths say what we are not yet willing to. Each time I think about how the circumstances cou
ld have been different and how I might not have ever known what it was like to kiss him, my heart feels heavy. It’s an odd feeling to feel sad and happy at the same time.

  “I’m super excited you two are finally coming to terms with shit but we’re in a hospital.” I freeze at the sound of Star’s voice. I hear Maisie let out a giggle. I try and pull back but Mack holds on to me. He’s not willing to let me move an inch. He brushes his mouth against mine one last time before letting me go. I hop off the bed, straightening my clothes and hair. I don’t know why I feel the need to do this since they already caught us in the act. There is no hiding what we were doing. Maisie is smiling so big I fear she is going to explode into a pile of glitter.

  “This is so exciting.” Maisie wiggles around, almost dancing.

  “This is not the time, sweetheart.” Star wraps her arm around Maisie, pulling her close. “My brother was shot. I think we’re supposed to be all sad and shit.”

  “It was just a graze.” Maisie waves like it is no big deal. I swallow wishing I could downplay it. I know she’s trying to for our sake but it’s not working so well. Mack could have died. I could have really lost him. The thought cuts me so deep that all of the air leaves my lungs for a moment. I gasp in panic as a flashback of blood soaking through Mack’s clothes hits me. I shake my head to rid myself of the memory. Mack squeezes my hand, bringing me back to reality.

  “Everything’s okay, darling. I’m here. I’m fine.” He reassures me with his eyes. His voice comforts me as it usually does and I settle. I still don’t want to think about everything that happened. Or the why. From the things the crazy man was spouting he sounded like he wanted Mack dead. At least I knew he was in custody in another hospital.

  “How long you plan on milking this?” Star says from the other side of the bed. “You’re lucky you didn’t die on me.” She leans over and kisses him on his cheek. She rests her forehead on his for a moment. The two of them are close. Their bond is so strong. I think it has to do with the whole twin thing.