by Ella Frank
She didn’t have to tell them twice. Not a second after the words left her mouth, he and Jacquelyn shot off into the enormous home in search of their new rooms…
“JULIEN?” THE DISTANT sound of his name had Julien stirring where he sat, his mind clearing from the past as a hand on his arm shook him back into the present.
“Jules? We’re about to make our descent. You’ve got to put your chair up.”
Julien’s eyes opened fully then and found Robbie’s lovely face where he sat by the window.
“We’re already here?” Julien asked as he began to move his stiff body, and when Robbie nodded, Julien brought a hand up to scrub it over his face. “Dieu, I slept the entire way?”
“You were tired,” Robbie said, concern marring his usually carefree voice.
“I guess I was,” Julien said, and touched his fingers to Robbie’s cheek. “Remind me not to work so hard ever again, princesse.”
“As if that would help,” Priest said from across the aisle, and Julien turned his head on the headrest to look over at him. “You haven’t stopped all week, using the restaurant as an excuse. Don’t try and deny it.”
Julien opened his mouth to do just that, but then sighed instead. “You’re right, mon amour. You’re absolutely right.”
“Uh…don’t tell him that,” Robbie said, as he looked to Priest, who raised a copper-colored eyebrow. “He already thinks he knows everything. There’s no need to give him any more ammunition.”
Julien pursed his lips and nodded. “This is true.”
“Of course it is,” Robbie said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “That’s why he’s sitting over there with a spare seat. One for him and one for his giant…ego.”
“Robert?” Priest said in a voice that never failed to capture Julien and Robbie’s attention.
“Yes, Joel?”
Priest’s eyes narrowed on their boyfriend, but the twitch of his lips made it clear he was amused. “Behave yourself.”
“And if I don’t?” Robbie said, as he crossed one of his denim-clad legs over the other. “What are you going to do about it? We’re on a plane surrounded by a hundred or so upstanding citizens.”
“We might be. But we won’t be on a plane in fifteen minutes, will we?”
Robbie shifted in his seat and Julien wondered if it was the dark promise of sex in Priest’s voice or the underlying threat of a well-deserved spanking that turned Robbie on more—knowing their princesse, it was likely both.
“How about you use this time to make sure the two of you are all buckled in,” Priest suggested, and then lowered his eyes to the blanket draped across Julien’s lap. “I’d like you both to arrive safely. Think you can handle that?”
Julien followed the pink tip of Robbie’s tongue as he slid it along his glossed-up lower lip, and then he aimed his baby blues at Julien and winked. “Oh, I would love to handle that.”
ROBBIE WAS PRETTY sure that safety was the last thing on Priest’s mind as he stared across at him and Julien. But there was no way in hell Robbie was about to debate the issue when he’d just been told to “handle” Julien.
Not in this lifetime. No siree.
Over the past four hours or so, Priest had been working on his laptop while Robbie had been listening to his music and trying to ignore the fact that Julien had slept with his head resting on his shoulder the entire trip.
Not exactly an easy feat when the man’s lips were soft and plump and made Robbie want to suck on them until those stunning jade eyes found his and begged for more, but…that was beside the point.
The point was that the flight from Chicago to L.A. had been a fairly uneventful one. No turbulence of any kind. Until five minutes ago when Julien had finally woken up and Priest had shut down work, and they were once again aware of the fact that they were in close confines and unable to touch one another—at least not in any way that they wanted to.
Priest’s eyes were fastened on the two of them with that serious expression Robbie had come to crave, and as he slipped his hand under the blanket on Julien’s lap, Robbie pressed his lips to Julien’s cheek and said, “You all buckled in, Jules?”
Julien smiled, but it quickly turned to a hum in the back of his throat when Robbie may—or may not have—accidently brushed his hand over his groin. “I better check. Just in case,” he said, as Julien’s eyes fluttered shut. “Hmm, I don’t think this is your seatbelt…”
As Robbie massaged Julien’s growing erection, Julien pumped his hips up off the seat. “I don’t think it is either.”
“No?” Robbie asked, feigning wide-eyed innocence.
“Non.” Julien moved a hand to clamp it down over Robbie’s and let out a rush of air. “Ahh, princesse. You’re testing my restraint.”
“I’m just being thorough. Priest wants me to make sure you’re safe. I’m following a direct order.”
“I see,” Julien said, and brushed his lips over Robbie’s. “So it’s Priest’s fault that I’m now sitting here with an erection?”
“Oui. So embrasse-moi. Let’s tease him a little. It’s only fair,” Robbie whispered, and Julien groaned.
“You’re getting good at that.”
Robbie increased the pressure of his hand and grinned against Julien’s lips. “Then reward me.”
And when Julien did just that, and slid his tongue inside Robbie’s mouth, Robbie made sure to aim his eyes across the aisle to Priest.
Damn. The man’s stare was like a tangible thing. Robbie swore he could feel it at all times, and knew that Julien did too. Priest didn’t have to speak. He didn’t have to move. He just had to be in the same vicinity as them and they were instantly aware of his presence.
When the corner of Priest’s lips tugged into an arrogant grin, Robbie wished they were all somewhere they could get naked. It had been a long week, and with the way Julien had been working overtime, they’d barely had a moment where they’d all been in the same room at the same time. And now that they were, they were on a flight that Robbie knew was going to bring Julien to a place of eventual pain.
“Arrêtez,” Julien said, and nipped at Robbie’s lower lip. “You need to stop or this is going to get out of hand.”
Robbie pouted. “Can we finish later?”
Julien took hold of his face and kissed him quickly. “I’d be disappointed if we didn’t.”
“Okay… I suppose I can wait, then,” Robbie said, and ran his tongue across his top lip, taking a final taste of Julien before looking over at Priest. “He’s all buckled in. Nice and safe.”
Priest arched an eyebrow. “From turbulence or you?”
Robbie poked his tongue out at the dry remark, and when Julien laughed, Robbie found himself settling back into his seat with a smile on his face.
For a moment there, he’d taken Julien’s mind off what was ahead this weekend, and that was what mattered the most—that he and Priest got Julien through the next two days in one piece, because from what Robbie understood, that wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
PRIEST STUDIED Julien’s profile as he sat across from the two men he now considered his. A slight smile remained after the burst of laughter that had just escaped his husband, and Priest wondered just how long that would last.
This weekend was never an easy one. The anniversary of Jacquelyn’s death, and the circumstances behind her passing, usually culminated in a total clusterfuck that had Julien unraveling in ways he fought so hard to avoid on a daily basis. It was the one time of the year that Priest watched Julien extra closely, and this time around would be no different.
As the flight attendant announced the time and weather at their final destination, Priest checked once again on the two across from him. Julien’s eyes were now shut, but Robbie’s were locked on his, worry having replaced the light that had been there a couple of minutes ago.
Priest had said it before and he’d say it again: Robert Bianchi was a smart one. Smarter than he gave himself credit for, Priest thought. It was in the deep understandin
g that filled those blue eyes of his right now. In the ability Robbie had to playfully take Julien’s mind off what was ahead, yet at the same time keep his concerns to himself until a moment like this where they shared the burden—and Priest had to admit, he was thankful to have Robbie with them this time around.
What they were about to walk into was something that no one could imagine. It was like heading off to war. No matter how prepared you thought you were, until you got there, you never quite knew what you were up against.
Where they were going was a place where years of guilt, years of pain, had manifested into something ugly, and eight years ago, Priest had realized that not all demons were the same.
They weren’t always obvious and didn’t always hide away in the dark like his did. Sometimes, they were out in the light for everyone to see. In a face, in a photograph, in the way a mother and father looked at their son with disdain in their eyes. But the one thing about demons that never differed was that they never missed an opportunity to drag a person into the darkness, whenever they found a weakness.
They watched and waited. They searched for the right moment. And when they spotted a break in the line of defense that they could slip through, all one could pray for was some flicker of light, some flicker of hope, to pull them back through to the other side. Luckily for them, there was strength in numbers.
This weekend, Priest was Julien’s line of defense and Robbie was his light and hope, and it had never been more apparent that the connection they had forged was one they’d all been searching for, and one they desperately needed.
Chapter Seventeen
CONFESSION
You never get anywhere standing still.
But then, you don’t get much further on the 405 either.
“IS HE OKAY?” Robbie said, as he and Priest stood by baggage claim around thirty minutes later.
Like him, Priest wasn’t paying any attention to the bags that were rotating on the black conveyor belt. Instead, they were focused on Julien, who was standing over by one of the exits, staring out at the buses, cars, and taxis driving by.
Julien hadn’t said a word since they’d arrived, and the smile from earlier on the plane had vanished the moment they’d set foot in the L.A. terminal, making Robbie start to worry.
“No,” Priest said, his mouth set in a grim line, his focus locked on his husband. “He’s not.”
Shit, Robbie thought, but knew there was little to nothing he could do. There was no quick fix to all of this. No fix at all…really.
When Robbie sighed, Priest turned to him. “Are you sure you want to be here for this? It’s not too late for us to book you a return—”
“No,” Robbie said, and shook his head. There were many things he wanted to do right then, from comforting Julien to being there if Priest needed him. But leaving? That wasn’t one of them. “I’m not going anywhere but with the both of you. So if you’re trying to get rid of me, you’re going to have to do better than that.”
Priest ran his fingers over the frown on Robbie’s brow, and as he looked into those grey eyes, Robbie wished he could read Priest’s mind.
“That’s the last thing I’m trying to do,” Priest said. “I just want to be aware of how you’re coping with all of this. How you’re feeling is just as important here.”
Robbie looked over at Julien and knew only one thing. He wanted to be there if, and when, Julien needed him. He wanted to be available to listen when Julien was ready to share. And that couldn’t happen if he was back in Chicago.
“Robert?” Priest said, and took Robbie’s chin in hand. “You can leave. We won’t think any less—”
Robbie reached for Priest’s wrist and drew it away. “I’m not leaving. Not him. Not you. He asked me to be here and you didn’t nix the idea, so let me be here. Let me help you take care of him this weekend.”
Priest ran the pad of his thumb over Robbie’s lips, then he leaned in and kissed him softly, making Robbie giggle when Priest’s short scruff tickled him.
Priest raised his head, his eyes serious as he slicked his tongue over his lower lip and said, “What’s today’s flavor?”
Robbie’s mouth curved into a wide smile. Ever since he’d moved in, he’d delighted in introducing Julien and Priest to his wide array of flavored lip glosses, his favorite addiction.
“Sugar Plum. But I like to call it Sugar Plum Fairy.” Robbie added an impish wink that drew out that elusive grin of Priest’s. “You like?”
“Very much,” Priest said. “You and your sweet lips.”
“Are you trying to take my mind off things by appealing to my vanity?”
“I am.”
“Well…it’s working,” Robbie said, and held up his thumb and forefinger a few inches apart. “A teensy bit.”
“Good. Then let’s grab our bags and get over to Julien and see if we can distract him.”
Robbie nodded and turned back to the suitcases circling them on the belt, but couldn’t stop himself from taking one more look at Julien, who remained staring out the window like a caged animal. One who desperately wanted to be anywhere but where he was.
BY THE TIME they collected their bags and came to a standstill behind Julien, his hands were jammed into his pockets and his shoulders were rigid.
Priest glanced at Robbie and held a finger up, as he stepped around his suitcase and walked over to stop beside his husband. Julien didn’t turn to look, but when Priest touched his fingers to his arm, Julien automatically brought a hand out from his pocket to cover the one now resting on his loose, cream-colored cardigan.
“I’m all right, mon amour,” Julien said in a quiet voice, and it didn’t surprise Priest that Julien knew what he was thinking without him having to speak. That was always the way with them.
“I’m just thinking,” Julien continued. “Wondering why I put myself through this every year.”
“You put yourself through it because this is where she is, and they’re your family. Because you are theirs,” Priest said.
“They’ve made it abundantly clear they wished that wasn’t the case. But it is what it is,” Julien said. “I guess I should just be thankful they don’t lock the gates on me.”
I fucking dare them to try, Priest thought, and shook his head in disgust. But the truth was that he was also surprised they hadn’t resorted to locking their only living child from his home. Then again, Priest got the impression they enjoyed having someone to blame for their misery. Someone to hold responsible for all of their anger and sorrow.
“Haven’t you been punished enough?” Priest whispered, as he moved his hand up to cup the back of Julien’s neck.
Julien turned his head, and his sad eyes told Priest there would never be enough punishment for what had happened all those years ago, then he said, “Non.”
Priest wanted to argue, to vehemently disagree, and while the baggage area seemed an appropriate setting for them to talk about all of this, he knew it wasn’t the right time or place to delve into details.
After several silent seconds passed, the two of them looked over to where Robbie stood watching them with a pensive expression, and Priest decided it was time to head out. They were getting nowhere standing still.
“Well, Mr. Bianchi, are you ready to see L.A.?” Priest said.
“Why yes, Mr. Priestley, I think I am.” And the smile that crossed Robbie’s face was enough to pull Julien out of his headspace.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Julien said, and stretched a hand out to Robbie. “Let’s go, princesse.”
“IS THE TRAFFIC always like this?” Robbie asked, as they moved half a car length up the 405 and again came to a stop.
“Oui. It is, always. It’s even worse during rush hour,” Julien said from where he sat behind the wheel of their black SUV rental, with Robbie seated beside him and Priest in the back.
They were crawling up the 405 freeway and Julien was tapping his finger along to the music softly playing through the speakers, trying not to think ab
out what was going to go down in the next forty-eight hours.
“Robert?” Priest said, as Robbie stared out ahead at the sea of brake lights, in what now felt more like a parking lot than a freeway.
“Hmm?”
Priest had been going out of his way to make small talk and keep everyone occupied since they’d left the airport, and if it had been any other time or place, it would’ve been highly amusing to see him so chatty. As it was, Julien was nothing but grateful for the distraction.
“How is it that someone as flashy as yourself has never been to L.A.? I would’ve assumed this was your kind of town.”
“Right?” Robbie said, his attention now redirected as he shifted in his seat so he was angled toward the middle of the vehicle. “It really does feel like my kind of place, doesn’t it? All the glitter and glam? Hmm, maybe I should think about relocating. My ma always said I should never hide my light under a bushel.”
“No one could ever accuse you of doing that,” Priest said, as he ran his eyes over Robbie’s grey V-neck shirt that had black Eiffel Towers and bright red kisses all over it. He’d told them he’d had to have it when he spotted it last week because it made him think of kissing Julien.
“I mean, who wouldn’t want to live here? I bet there are thousands of sexy single men waiting to be discovered, aren’t there?” Robbie let out a dreamy sigh and then shrugged. “Not that I care about that now, of course. But that would’ve been a huge draw before.”
“Before?” Priest said.
“Yeah. Before this. Before us. Now, I’m one hundred percent content.”
“How reassuring.”
“Oh, please.” Robbie rolled his eyes. “Don’t even try to act like you don’t know I’m totally stupid over the two of you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Julien saw Priest lean forward between the seats to say, “There’s nothing stupid about you, sweetheart. Don’t say that, ever.”