Doll Parts (The Game 4)

That hurt. KC was really going to need that—for the rest of his life? Lucian had told me KC’s condition was going to take months to evaluate before they really knew the extent of it, but they knew the gist of what he could expect.

I wanted to run over there, throw my arms around KC’s neck, and tell him everything was going to be okay.

Instead, I hugged myself loosely and watched Lucian help KC into the wheelchair.

I pinned my gaze on KC’s face so hard that I was giving myself a headache, but I wanted to see his expression. I wanted to see him smile or something. Just a small hint that told me he was gonna pull through. But they were too far away.

That seemed to be the running theme these days. Everyone was too far away. My grandparents wanted me to visit, but they were in San Diego. My mom and I didn’t have a great relationship at the moment. And KC was way out of reach. Even most of my friends had grown tired of me never wanting to go out with them.

I had school, my job, and my band.

The loneliness was starting to get to me.

I caught Lucian laughing at something, and it was enough to catch my heart in a vise. He wouldn’t do that if KC hadn’t said something funny, right? Fuck, I wish I’d parked just a little bit closer. Any expression more subtle than a laugh was impossible to see. Had KC told a joke? He knew some great jokes.

I bit my nails and felt my eyes well up.

PROLOGUE 3

ONE YEAR AGO

Noa Hayles

I couldn’t go up there, could I?

I squinted for the sun and peered up at the pale-green–painted trendy restaurant, all three stories of it, including the rooftop terrace. It was one of those restaurants that used to be an apartment building, so you had a bunch of smaller dining areas inside.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek and wondered how the hell I hadn’t connected the dots sooner.

Fuck, it was hot. I ran a hand through my hair and looked around me. The restaurant was right on the corner of a busy intersection, and the sleepy locals on their way to brunch were sharing the sidewalk with tourists.

Maybe I should text him and call it off…

“Excuse me, are you going to the munch?”

I cocked my head to the guy to my left. He was about my age, I estimated. “What if I didn’t know what a munch was?”

He grinned, and it was hot. Hot and cute. “I would’ve said never mind and hightailed it out of here,” he replied. “But I’ve been around long enough to spot someone too nervous to join an event.”

Oh. I wasn’t nervous to join an event. My very first munch, I’d been the first to arrive.

I scratched my head. “I’m stalling because I’m pretty sure I’m barging into someone else’s territory,” I admitted. “My mom’s ex-husband is kinky too.”

The guy made a yikes-face, and I felt the need to elaborate.

“I check his Instagram sometimes, and if he posts four pictures every month, one is from this place,” I explained. “Usually with a caption like ‘Luke is teaching me to post foodporn, whatever that is’ and ‘Macklin’s eggs Benedict are a bit of a religious experience.’”

I could tell I’d mentioned names the guy recognized. I was right. This was the munch of KC’s kink community. Motherfucker. I’d seen eight pictures from this place on KC’s dusty Instagram—or parts of the place. Mostly from the rooftop terrace. Maybe that was where they hosted the munch.

“You know them, don’t you?” I pressed.

The guy smiled uncertainly and shrugged slightly. “We take integrity seriously, but…”

Yeah.

“Who’s your mother’s ex-husband?”

“KC Hayles.”

He nodded once. He’d heard that name too. Then he eyed someone else, or two someones, coming up the sidewalk. They were twins. Hot-as-shit set of twins in their forties.

One of them smirked upon seeing the guy I’d been talking to. “You hidin’, Cameron?”

I observed the guy’s reaction. Cameron. A crooked grin full of mischief lit up his face. He was really fucking cute, and I didn’t usually feel attraction toward men my age. He was a bit taller than me but not much. Blue eyes.

“Does that sound like something I would do, Sir?” Cameron countered.

Definitely a submissive.

One of the twins chuckled and ruffled Cameron’s shaggy, dirty-blond hair. “See you upstairs, boy.” He spared me the quickest of glances, lifted his brow a little, maybe in curiosity, before he and his brother took the steps up to the restaurant.

Cameron turned back to me. “It’s possible you’ve stumbled upon your stepdad’s community.”

I figured. “I’ll just reschedule with the guy I was gonna meet. Thanks for letting me know.”

It wasn’t too important I met him today anyway. It was only a bite to eat to see if I was compatible to play with him and his boyfriend.