I join her and laugh half-heartedly, but I'm not oblivious to her inquisitive side-stare. Eager to keep up with the charade, I add, "Don't look at me like that. Come on, Charlie, they're not going to be in London forever—”
"Just as long as you remember that," she wags a motherly finger at me.
"I'm having the sex of my life, I haven't completely lost all my senses. That said, thanks to them, I've learned that there's no good reason for me to ever settle again," I say, pretending I'm not gutted by the idea that eventually they'll go back to America and they'll probably forget all about me.
Brandon, Holden and I have been living in our own world—our little bubble of lust set high up in the sky in their luxurious penthouse. This is the first time since I started seeing them that I’ve talked about what I share with them with someone else. Heck, I've been steadfast in my decision not to over analyze this and just go with it. Now that I’ve been able to take a step back, I realize how improbable it is for this to be much more than a steamy love affair.
"So…"
"So…" I match Charlie's cockiness.
"Speaking of the sex of your life, do you know what comes next?" Charlie asks, changing the subject.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Now that you've officially been spit-roasted, are you ready for the next level of corruption?"
"You mean your favorite thing in the whole wide world?"
She gives me a one-shoulder shrug. "Anal sex is a beautiful thing."
"So you keep reminding me."
"Honey, you forget that wasn't something you could consider with Frederick. I mean the guy could hardly manage seeing you naked without spilling down his leg. Not that I’m making fun of his condition, but he would never have lasted.” She’s right. “I’m so glad you never gave that part of you to Geoff. He was in and out of your life in the blink of an eye. This isn't something you give to just any bloke. He has to deserve it—"
"Is that why you only allow Barrett to fuck you that way?" I volley.
"Yes. Enough about me. This is about you. I've never done it with two men, but I can just imagine how mind-blowing it must be. There's nothing more hedonistic than anal sex with the right guy. Two? I doubt my heart could handle it." She fans herself.
"I’ve thought about it," I retort without a shred of hesitation.
"You have?"
"Don't look so dumbfounded, Charlie. You're the one who's introduced me to all of this kinky stuff. I've watched the videos… at your place…" I pause. "Not to mention, that you keep going on about how it’s every man’s ultimate fantasy to claim a woman that way."
"I can't believe you just said that."
"Holden and Brandon eluded to it last night."
"They did?"
I nod. "I thought it would’ve frightened me, but it didn't… on the contrary…" I avert my gaze. "It's just that even though it turns me on mentally, I'm just not certain how my body can handle them."
Charlie pulls the stool next to me and sits down. "Are you seriously considering this?" she asks, concern lacing her voice.
"Yes,” I say simply.
"They’re not pressuring you into this, right? If so, I wouldn’t hesitate to take them on." And she wouldn’t even if she's no match for them.
"No. It’s not their style. They're gentlemen and incredibly patient. I'm the one who keeps pushing their buttons," I laugh, flashing back to the look of utter shock on their faces when I stepped out of the ladies room at Cremini.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day," Charlie says. "Good girl." She stares at me intently for a few long seconds. "I think it's time for another sex-ed crash course, my dear friend. Let’s get your royal ass ready," she declares.
CHAPTER 55
Amelia
“Do you want more dessert, sweetie?” Brandon asks looking down at my empty martini glass.
“No, thank you. I’m full," I exhale.
"Come on. I'm sure you'll find room for a little more," he winks.
After an incredible evening spent on an unforgettable boat ride with my two favorite guys, we’re back at their place enjoying their upper deck.
I shake my head vehemently. "Absolutely not. After everything we ate on that boat, I’m about to explode,” I laugh.
“It was a long evening, we wanted to make sure you had plenty to eat," Brandon responds.
“Everything was amazing," I smile. “Clearly not the usual fare on that boat.”
“Nope. I had to go to Très Gourmet for tonight's upscale movie night feast,” Brandon says proudly.
“Well, it was delicious."
"He pulled out all the stops," Holden laughs.
“He certainly did. You even treated Officer Stohler to her gourmet meal. She still can’t get over it,” I say, remembering my officer’s excited text messages.
"That was Holden’s idea. Since she was staying behind on shore, he suggested we treat her," Brandon corrects me.
"Please, that was a small spark of genius on my part in an otherwise pretty phenomenal master plan," Holden jokes.
"Thank you. Even though this evening was really about the three of us, I didn't want Officer Stohler to feel like a babysitter. When Holden pointed out that it might be a long and boring night for her, I thought it made perfect sense. An excellent meal and an iPad for her entertainment can't compare to what we experienced, but it's a good second," Brandon grins.
"The iPad was brilliant," I cheer.
"It was a really nice touch, buddy," Holden pats Brandon’s shoulder and they exchange a friendly smile.
"You two are so attentive," I say. It's so endearing.
"As long as our princess is happy, nothing else matters." Brandon’s words are so incredibly sweet.
"He's right," Holden chimes in. "It's all about you, angel."
"Let it be known that Princess Amelia is extremely pleased. Her American lovers delivered, yet again," I tease. "I'll allow you to live," I lift my chin up smugly.
"Her Royal Highness has given her verdict," Holden jokes right back. "I think you might have saved our lives," he play-punches Brandon's arm.
"You dazzled me tonight," I say. "I'm not really sure why I'm surprised, you always treat me like this," I smile. That's just one of the many things I absolutely love about them.
"We treat you like you deserve to be treated, Amelia," Holden corrects me. His gaze bores into mine and for some indescribable reason, my cheeks flame up. I'm really not sure why I react this way. He hasn't said anything sexual, but here I am blushing like crazy. He blinks away the connection and says, "After all, we’re talking about three full-length movies back to back. We had to make sure you were well fed.”
“And you’ve succeeded. At this rate, this wrap dress will rip at the seams,” I say, patting my rounded tummy.
“For the record, that dress ripping open isn't necessarily a problem. Not to me it isn't and I'm sure Holden will agree. It simply means we'll get to you faster," Brandon grins.
"You're incorrigible."
"When it comes to you? Yeah, I am." Brandon's voice is uncharacteristically low.
He holds my gaze, forcing me to avert my eyes. I read lust, passion and even a feral ardor in those eyes. No man has ever looked at me that way—unless I'm losing myself in Holden's blue eyes—but what I read now makes my stomach flutter.
“I’m born and raised here. You'd think I’d be privy to one of the most enchanting activities in the city. Nope. I had to wait for two American men to pull back the curtain,” I change subject before I combust.
“So, the magic of the evening hasn’t worn off yet?” Brandon asks.
“Nah. I won't be able to stop thinking about this evening for weeks to come," I say. "Other than the phenomenal company, the stellar lineup of films was absolutely brilliant. No wonder you kept it a secret,” I laugh.
“The owner grumbled when I told him I didn’t want to watch Mary Poppins, When Harry Met Sally, La La Land, or Notting Hill. He didn't even understand why Finding
Nemo and The Little Mermaid were also off the table. I gave him a hefty bonus and through all his bitching and complaining, he came through,” Brandon grins proudly.
“Did he ever. I saw those movies when they came out at the cinema, but nothing compares to watching superhero action flicks under the stars. I can die happy now," I say dramatically, complete with a Gone with The Wind hand gesture.
“And it was a perfect night to boot,” Brandon says.
The laughs mount before I even notice.
"What?" Holden and Brandon ask in unison.
"It’s silly, really," I say, still laughing.
"Let's hear it," Holden insists.
“You already know that Wonder Woman is my childhood superhero. Who were yours?" I ask, my eyes bouncing from one of my delicious guys to the other.
"I didn't have one," Holden deadpans.
"What do you mean? Every kid admires a superhero. Come on, don't be shy. You can share," I entice. "Your secret is safe with me."
"I'm serious." I think he notices my confusion and adds, “I wanted to be the superhero."
Of course. "Why am I not surprised by that answer?" I laugh. "Is that why you enlisted in the Navy SEALs?" I ask.
"I joined because I needed to feel like I mattered. After my father passed away from a freak accident on a construction site, I felt like I didn't have much of an identity. I was eight at the time. Mom and I moved in with my grandparents to survive. Don’t get me wrong, my grandparents did an amazing job—and I love them deeply for caring enough to take me in when most times they barely had two cents to rub together—but in many ways, I always felt like an orphan because my mother abandoned me. In my mind, becoming a superhero meant that I could rise above those hurtful and crushing feelings," Holden explains. "In many ways, I felt like Spiderman... Nana Alice and Grandpa Peter were Spiderman's Aunt May and Uncle Ben," he curls his lips up in a small smile.
For a few seconds, I'm so gobsmacked, I don't even know what to say.
"Your mum just left? Without you?" It’s the best I can come up with.
"It's a pretty shitty story, really. The snapshot is really simple, I became a burden she didn't want to deal with after she remarried.”
“You’re her son. What does that have to do with her getting remarried?” I ask indignantly.
He sneers. “I came back early from school one day because my baseball practice got cancelled. Before I even entered my grandparents’ place I could hear Nana Alice and Mom arguing. Since no one seemed to notice me, I hid around the kitchen corner and listened in.”
“They were talking about you?” I ask.
“In a nutshell, yes. It was about my future. I just didn’t know it at the time. My mother was much younger than Dad was, and she didn’t want to care for a child on her own. That was the motivating factor behind her accepting his marriage proposal. I was an accident. I remember how she spat those cruel words out in Nana’s face. My grandmother became furious. Dad wanted to do the right thing by Mom. Nana reminded her that that’s the kind of man they raised. He didn’t run away like a deadbeat dad. Mom kept insisting that she never loved him, so why mourn him longer than she had to. Nana Alice was livid. Mom didn’t care. That’s when she announced she was getting remarried.”
“How long after your dad passed?” I inquire.
“He was in the ground no more than three months and she was ready to fucking move on.”
“My God,” I gasp.
Holden rolls his eyes. “I know. Fucking incredible.” He pauses just long enough to take a long gulp of his drink before he speaks again. “Mom was a maid at a Manhattan hotel and she was going to marry Henry Gardner, her boss.”
“Did you know him?”
“Yeah. Mom had introduced him to Nana and me one day when we dropped by the hotel where Mom worked to pick her up after her shift, since we were in the city. It was hate at first sight and it was very much mutual. Nana was convinced Mom was cheating on Dad because everything developed too quickly. Based on how things shaped up, I tend to agree. Mom and Henry eloped for their wedding. I wasn’t invited. Neither were my grandparents. Right after they tied the knot, Henry got a big promotion with another hotel chain and they moved to Orlando to start their new life. Better pay, more—”
“Why couldn’t your mum take you with her?” I can’t believe this woman.
“Mom had told Nana Alice that day they were arguing that she needed me to stay in Brooklyn with my grandparents for a while until she and Henry got settled. She’d send for me as much as possible. When I turned sixteen, Grandpa Peter told me the truth. Henry didn’t want to raise another man’s child—even a dead one. Not to mention, I was nearly as tall as the jackass at the age of ten, so it was clear I’d tower over him in no time. He didn’t want to deal with that.”
“So, your mum just went along with Henry’s retarded wishes? That’s preposterous.”
“She did send for me at first, but that quickly changed when she became pregnant with Henry’s first child. Once the baby was born, she kept coming up with farfetched excuses for me not to visit—I might be a distraction. With my size, I might crush the baby. I have too much energy to be around an infant. I don’t listen when Henry reprimands me. She needed to focus on the newborn. Blah, blah, blah,” he says sarcastically. Blimey. “Nana kept trying to remind my mother that I was also her child and her first born, but it was in vain. I think I was fourteen when I asked Nana to stop calling Mom and stop suggesting I go down to Florida. I was done with Mom, Henry and their baby.”
“I really can’t wrap my head around your mum’s ability to just forget about you like she never gave birth to you.” I can hear the unmistakable anger in my voice. I don’t know this woman, but God would I love to be able to smack her.
“It seemed that not only was my mom never in love with my dad, she never really loved me either. In the end, she chose Henry over me,” Holden says simply. And he seems to be okay with that.
“Just like that?” I’m dumfounded.
Holden shifts his attention to Brandon for a beat before returning his blue eyes to me. “My grandparents took over her responsibilities. I was their only grandchild. Since they had lost their son, I was all they had left."
His mum is a raving bitch. How can she do that? Tears well up in my eyes. I reach out for his hand and interlace my fingers with his. "I'm so very sorry your mum did that to you," I say, choking on my words.
"Don't be, angel." Holden wipes away a tear that escapes with his free hand. "It’s not your fault. And it’s an old story now," he says.
"So, you don't have any contact with your mum anymore?"
"Not since I was ten years old." There isn't a trace of emotion in his voice.
“But that’s twenty-five years!” I shriek.
“Yup.” Holden only offers me that one word before focusing his attention to his tumbler again.
I blink with my mouth agape. I can't even fathom being in his position. My parents showered me with so much love, and Mum doted on me like I was the most precious thing in the world because I was her only daughter and the last born. I can't imagine how a parent could do such a horrible thing—especially a mother.
“At least she never insulted your intelligence by attempting to contact you once you became successful and your story became public,” I say.
“She never dared, even after we hit The Youngest Billionaires On The Forbes 400 list three years in a row. Had she, it would’ve been my pleasure to slam the phone down on her,” Holden says with an unreadable expression.
Uncomfortable with the idea that I might have unknowingly opened a Pandora's box of sadness, I turn my attention to Brandon. "What about you? Who were your childhood superheroes?" I try to keep my voice level, but it's impossible after what Holden just shared. My heart breaks for him and for the boy who never grew up with his parents.
CHAPTER 56
Brandon
Amelia just asked me a question, but my eyes are still glued on my best friend’s. We
stare at each other, exchanging so much without even saying a word. I know this guy as much as I know myself, if not better. He may not talk about her, but it doesn't mean he doesn't hurt. In the twenty-five years I've known Holden, this is the most he's been willing to open up about his mother.
We were already best friends when Diana Dunn Barclay walked out of his life. Not only did she leave him behind, but she quickly changed her name to Diana Gardner—yeah, she gave up her maiden name and Holden’s Dad’s name in a blink of an eye. She essentially severed the last link with Holden. My best friend never shed a tear—not in front of me anyways. Knowing him, I don't think he even cried in private. He said that after his father died—and he cried his eyes out over that loss—it hardened him for life. I never questioned him, even though I thought it was a weird thing to say at his age, but Holden has always been strong-willed and laser-focused. He kept saying he'd be okay because he was a man. He was all of ten years old. Not even a teenager, and certainly not a man.
"Brandon?" Amelia's voice brings me back to the present.
I break my gaze with my best friend and slide my eyes towards her “I'm sorry," I say, shaking my head as if waking up from a bad dream. "Iron Man.”
“Why him?"
"He was everything I wasn't—he was incredibly strong, fearless, insanely wealthy, he had a loyal friend and he was a brainiac. I was the complete opposite. I was a scrawny kid—it’s only when I hit sixteen that my body started looking like a man's. I was dirt poor. Not that I had any friends to speak of per se, but after my father died, I retreated from everyone I knew at school. When it comes to intelligence, I'm not sure I ever thought I was all that smart, but this guy over here wouldn't give up on me. He kept pushing me and lifting me up as he kept reaching new heights," I pause and smile at Holden.
"You're selling yourself short and you know it, Royal. You were always super smart, and you were far more intuitive than I was at a young age. Even I knew that," Holden scolds gently. Fuck, do I ever love this guy. I'm certain if my brother had survived, I'd never be as close to him as I am to Holden.
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