Judge (Shady Valley Henchmen 1)

“Did I ever tell you about my first time?” she asked.

“No, actually,” I said, turning to face her.

Nyx had always been very open about her sex life. But now that she mentioned it, she’d totally left out the first time.

“Probably because I try to block it out,” she admitted with a head shake. “So, I was sixteen. Which is a perfectly average age,” she added.

“I know. I’m the freak,” I agreed.

“Nah. Not a freak. I think a lot of us wish we waited until we were a little older. Hindsight being twenty-twenty and all that crap. But I was a stubborn-ass who thought I was grown, so there was no reasoning with me.

“Anyway. There was this senior that I was so obsessed with. God, it is fucking embarrassing how I trailed after him like a puppy dog. But I did. I thought he was the hottest guy I’d ever seen.

“I saw him recently and he lost ninety percent of his hair already but refuses to shave the rest off.

“Anyway, I digress. I wanted him. I even told him that. But he told me that he didn’t fuck virgins because they get too attached. So, I did what any idiotic, smitten girl would do. I found a guy my own age that I didn’t even like, and I told him to meet me after school.”

“You didn’t.”

“Oh, I did,” Nyx said, cringing. “His name was Eric and he was this beanpole of a guy. But you know what they say about skinny guys…”

“No, actually.”

“That they’re usually packing. And he was. But he had no experience either.

“Anyway, I took him out to the woods behind the school. And I told him I wanted him to fuck me. He squeezed my tits like he was trying to fucking honk them. Then up went my skirt, down went my panties, and yeah. It hurt like a motherfucker. I cried my eyes out the whole time. And the whole week after.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I had to pick pine needles out of unmentionable places,” she added, a whole shiver moving through her body. “But, yeah, it sucked. And I get it if you’re having a rough time. Being older doesn’t make it any less jarring.”

“It did hurt,” I admitted.

“He has some strong big-dick-energy,” Nyx said.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “It was just awkward and uncomfortable. And then just… over. It was all over and he just left.”

“Sorry, babe. I think the guys we crush on the most end up being the most disappointing.”

“Was the senior?”

“Oh, my God. He made this dying animal sound when he came. It was hard not to laugh. Since, you know, back in those days I hadn’t fully realized that I was supposed to be enjoying it too, so I was just kinda lying back and watching it unfold.”

“I’m glad you realized you are a sex goddess who deserves all the orgasms,” I told her.

“Me too. And you’ll get there. I know one-night-stands are weird to—“

“The fuck?” Sean, the second brother, barked, slamming the door open.

“Uh oh,” Nyx whispered.

Damnit.

I should have known someone would be eavesdropping. I never got a moment of privacy. Which was a big part of the reason I wanted to move to my own place when I had some money saved up.

My brothers, while employing me full-time, still refused to accept me as an adult who didn’t need to be babysat.

“One-night-stand?” he added, charging in with my other brothers in tow.

“That’s what this is?” Cillian asked, face murderous. “What did he do?”

“Oh, God,” I hissed, my eyes closing tight.

“Who is it?” Conor demanded. “Give us a name. Everyone knows you are off-limits.”

“This is all very dramatic,” Nyx said, jumping to my defense. “What? Was she supposed to go to the grave a virgin?”

“Yes,” Conor said. He was illogical when he was angry. And he also happened to be the brother with the shortest fuse. I imagine it went with his job description, being the enforcer in the family.

“She’s twenty-one years old,” Nyx insisted.

“This is your doing,” Conor accused. “You’re a bad fucking influence.”

“Don’t yell at her,” I demanded, forcing myself to sit up.

This was getting out of hand. And I knew from experience that if I didn’t get a hold of it soon, it was only going to spiral out of control.

“I don’t want you hanging out with her anymore,” Conor declared.

“Ah, actually, fuck you,” I said, getting a surprised head jerk from him. “You’re not my father. And I am an adult. I can hang out with whoever I want.”

“Who was it, Dell?” Cillian asked, voice sounding as tight as his jaw looked.

Where Conor had a fiery sort of temper, Cillian’s was icy cold.

Honestly, I preferred the fire.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me,” Cillian said.

“It wasn’t one of your guys,” I told them, shrugging. “So, it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters,” Cillian insisted. “I’m going to assume you met him at work since you disappeared. So either you tell me, or I go and review the footage. Either way, I’m figuring it out.”