by Ella Frank
“Oh, bonjour, princesse.”
“Hey, Jules,” Robbie said on impulse, and Priest and Julien started laughing. “What?” Robbie asked, feeling like he’d missed something.
“Nothing,” Priest said, and Robbie sat up.
“That laugh doesn’t sound like nothing,” Robbie said. “Is he laughing at me, Julien?”
“He is.”
“Why?”
“When you say my name like that, it means…stud, in English.”
Robbie thought back to what he’d said, and then looked to Priest. “Seriously? Jules means stud?” He looked back to the phone. “Your nickname literally means stud? Wow, your parents were spot fucking on.”
And that made both men laugh even more.
“Merci,” Julien said, as he finally calmed. “I’m going to take that as a compliment. You can call me that whenever you like.”
“I think I just might. It’s way more fitting than Prick.”
“I don’t know,” Priest said. “You’re just thinking about the man you know now. Have you forgotten the one you used to watch? He was very—”
“Temperamental?” Robbie said. “I remember.”
“Excusez-moi,” Julien said. “I’m still here, you two.”
“So you are,” Priest said, and winked at Robbie, who almost fell off his lap in shock. Jesus, playful Priest was…sexy as hell. “I was about to speak to Robert about what we discussed this morning.”
“Oui, let’s,” Julien said, and Robbie frowned.
“We understand you will be looking for a place to stay now with your nonna moving, and we would like to invite you to come and stay with us.”
As Priest was talking, Robbie tried to pay attention, but as the words came out of his mouth, Robbie couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He blinked at Priest a couple of times, but when Robbie said nothing, Julien came across the speaker.
“Princesse, you there?”
“He’s here,” Priest said. “I think he’s in shock. He looks like he might pass out.”
Julien chuckled. “You don’t have to sleep in our room with us, per se.”
Robbie found his tongue. “Why not?”
Priest’s lip curled. “Because we don’t want you to feel like you can only say yes if you sleep with us. The offer is there regardless of our circumstances. We know you’re still thinking about all of this—”
“No, I’m not,” Robbie said. “I’m done thinking. I was done last night when we all finished talking.” Priest went silent, and Julien remained likewise, until Robbie said, “I want this. Whatever this is, or can be, or will be, I want to see where it goes with you. With both of you.”
PRIEST COULDN’T BELIEVE what he’d just heard, and as Robbie sat there on his lap and stared at him, Julien said, “That’s wonderful.”
Robbie laughed, and the joyful sound registered, but Priest was still busy staring at the beautiful man who was seated on his lap. He couldn’t believe Robbie had actually agreed to be theirs.
“Priest?” Julien said, and Robbie laughed a little louder.
“Now he looks like he’s going to pass out.”
“You’ve shocked him,” Julien said.
That was the absolute truth. Priest was stunned.
“What’s the matter?” Robbie said. “You change your mind already?”
Priest shook his head. “Not a chance.”
Robbie’s eyes twinkled as his pink lips curved up in a sexy smile.
“And the apartment?”
“Uhh…” Robbie said. “I don’t know about that. This is already so much and so fast. I…I think it might be better for now if I get my own place for a while. That’s okay, right?”
“Of course.” Priest nodded and smoothed his hand up his back. “We understand.”
“We do,” Julien agreed. “And if you change your mind, you just let us know.”
“Okay,” Robbie said, and then grinned like a rascal. “So we’re really going to do this? Date? Like…all of us?”
“We are,” Julien said.
Priest nuzzled in under Robbie’s ear. “We are going to wine you, dine you, and—”
“I already think you’ve done all of those things,” Robbie said, and swatted at Priest’s chest.
“Mmm, we did. Didn’t we?” Julien said. “Then how about you pick something for us to do?”
Priest chuckled, feeling completely relaxed for the first time in months as he leaned back in his chair. “Julien, I’m not sure that’s the smartest idea leaving the decision up to—”
“Hey,” Robbie said. “I can pick something fun.”
“Oh he’s not worried about that, princesse,” Julien said, and Robbie leaned in and put his lips to Priest’s.
“Aww, are you worried I’m going to make you go to a karaoke bar and sing Starship with me?”
Priest’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t. But I am now.”
Julien laughed loudly, and as Robbie nipped at Priest’s lip, there were three loud knocks on the office door.
“Priest? You in here? I thought I’d stick my head in and see if you bothered hanging any photos on the—”
Logan Mitchell’s words came to an abrupt stop as he froze in the doorway and stared at the scene in front of him.
Robbie dropped his hands from Priest’s chest and was obviously about to scramble off his lap. But Priest put a hand on his thigh and said in a calm voice, “Julien? We’ll call you back.”
“Oui. Talk to you then,” Julien said, and ended the call.
Logan took a step farther into the office and let the door shut behind him, and his sharp eyes took in everything from Robbie on Priest’s lap, to the hand Priest had on Robbie’s leg. He then brought his gaze up to Priest and said, “You are unfuckingbelievable.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
CONFESSION
Adele is always right.
Sometimes love lasts and sometimes it just fucking hurts.
PRIEST SIZED UP his new partner, Robbie’s forever crush, and the man he now considered a friend, and wondered if this was where that friendship was about to end.
Logan Mitchell. He’d known the handsome lawyer professionally for years now, but it wasn’t until the last couple of months, when he’d accepted the offer of partner at Logan and his brother, Cole’s, law firm, that he’d really started to know the man—and right now, he was pissed off.
Logan was good-looking to the point of ridiculousness, and that was driven home by the healthy glow of a tan he had obviously gotten from St Lucia where he’d jetted off to with Tate for their honeymoon. The casual jeans and navy sweater didn’t hurt either, and that black hair, usually perfectly styled, was now a little longer and ruffled by his hands, making him appear relaxed—except for his eyes.
Those intelligent eyes behind his black frames were still busy assessing everything, and when Robbie made a move again to get up, Priest said in his ear, “Don’t you dare,” which had Robbie’s head whipping around.
Priest could see the panic on Robbie’s face, and he wasn’t quite sure what had brought it on. Logan’s arrival, the discovery of what they’d been doing, or worry that he’d let down a man for whom he’d had feelings for a long time?
Priest hoped it wasn’t the last, but at the same time had known it was a possibility that when Logan got back things would become difficult, or may even revert to what they had been. For a while there, he’d even wondered if Logan was why Robbie had been putting off giving them an answer. But when Priest’s lips curved into a small smile and Robbie glanced down at them, Priest figured the status of their relationship was still a certainty. So it was time to clear a few things up.
Priest raised his eyes over Robbie’s shoulder to Logan, and said as calmly as he would, had Robbie not been perched on his lap, “Welcome back. Did you have a nice time on your honeymoon?”
Logan’s eyes shifted to Robbie, as though he were waiting for something, but Robbie remained exactly where he was. Priest wished he could see Robbie’s
face.
“Yes,” Logan said, his voice clipped. “I did.”
“Good,” Priest said. “I didn’t realize you’d be coming in today. I’d been told tomorrow.”
“Obviously,” Logan said, his eyes flicking to Robbie. “I can see you weren’t expecting anyone.”
“Obviously,” Priest said, drawing Logan’s attention back to him, and that was when Robbie shook his head.
“Oh for God’s sake,” Robbie said, and let out a sigh. “Would you two stop circling each other like gun-wielding cowboys in a bad western?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Logan said, walking further into the office, and Priest watched him closely, taking in the tic of Logan’s jaw and the hands he kept balling into fists by his sides. “What the hell is going on here?”
“I would think that was clear to someone as smart as you,” Priest said. “But if you need a play-by-play, you’ll have to ask Robert. I’m not about to talk about his private life with you. That’s his business.”
“His private life?” Logan said, his eyes widening as they moved back to Robbie. “I’m sorry, Robert. But have you lost your fucking mind?”
Robbie’s spine stiffened with what Priest could only assume was irritation, and Priest smoothed his hand down Robbie’s thigh. When he did, Logan’s eyes dropped to the move, and Priest added a small squeeze for good measure.
Tread carefully, Mitchell, Priest thought, as Logan’s temper started to boil, his cheeks now coloring. You hurt him, I’m not going to be impressed.
“No, I have not lost my mind, thank you very much,” Robbie said. “But thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“This isn’t about my confidence,” Logan snapped. “It’s about common sense, and clearly you’ve lost all of yours.” Logan’s eyes had darkened right along with his mood as he turned them back on Priest. “And you. Did you and your lovely husband decide to wait until we were out of town before swooping in on him? Get him while he’s defenseless? Was that it? That’s low, Priest, and kind of predatory, don’t you think?”
“Logan,” Robbie said, and this time when he moved to get up, Priest let him go. “Stop it.”
But Logan wasn’t listening to Robbie, he was focused on Priest, and it was more than obvious he wanted to punch him right in the face. Logan’s overprotective side was admirable, Priest would give him that, but if he didn’t watch himself, he was going to learn that Robbie didn’t need someone standing up for him.
“You know, I always respected you, even though I thought you were a little out there in how you do things,” Logan said. “You’re shrewd, smart, and incredibly talented at your job, but this bullshit you’re pulling with him? I don’t even know what to think of that.”
“Logan, shut up,” Robbie said, and grabbed on to Logan’s arm as Priest slowly got to his feet, but Logan wasn’t listening.
“He’s already had to deal with one asshole who fucked around with him, and I won’t let another—I’m sorry, two other assholes do that again,” Logan said, not paying any attention to Robbie, his focus one hundred percent on Priest.
“Are you quite done?” Priest said, and when Logan glared at him, Priest noticed Robbie’s jaw was bunched as he shook his head.
“I haven’t even started,” Logan spat out.
“Well, before you make more of a fool out of yourself and embarrass Robert any further, why don’t you calm down for a minute?”
Logan scoffed. “How about you go fuck—”
“Be careful, Logan. I’d like us to remain friends after this,” Priest said, his eyes moving to Robbie, who was beyond disbelief and had moved into raging fucking mad, by the looks of it. “But that’s not going to happen if you keep talking and don’t stop and listen. Two things you should know. The first is: Robert called us. And the second is: Robert is an adult. And if you have a problem with the fact that one of your exes is now dating me, then that is exactly what it is. Your problem. Not ours.”
“Ours,” Logan said, zeroing in on the one thing that was pissing him off the most. “Nice word choice there, considering the circumstances, because he’s not just dating you, is he? Tell me, do you and your husband get your kicks out of using sweet young things?”
“Oh my God,” Robbie said, and then stamped his foot, and the move was so adorable that Priest’s lips twitched. But then Robbie shoved Logan in the arm to get his attention. “What is the matter with you?”
“What is the matter with me?” Logan said, and put his hands on his hips. “What’s the matter with you? Why would you do this to yourself?”
A flush crept up Robbie’s neck to his face, and then he finally lost it. “Because I wanted to, and you know what? It’s none of your business.”
Logan shoved a finger in Robbie’s face. “This is a mistake and you’re going to get hurt.”
“Well, it’s my mistake to make, isn’t it? Just like Tate was yours.”
Logan dropped his hand and stared at Robbie, questions written all over his face. “What are you talking about?”
“Tate was straight,” Robbie said, as if Logan was a moron. “He was straighter than straight. He was married to a woman. Not exactly a good guarantee for a man I know likes to fuck as much as I do, but you took a risk.”
Logan looked absolutely gobsmacked by Robbie’s outburst, but managed to relocate his brain. “This is—”
“Don’t you dare say different,” Robbie said, taking a step forward until he was toe to toe with Logan. “You are the last person I would expect to be judgmental. So unless you want to talk to me like I have a brain, I’d rather you didn’t talk at all.”
Logan swallowed back whatever caustic remark he was about to make, and then he looked to Priest, who was standing silently, watching the exchange. “Remember what I said to you.”
Priest nodded, but Robbie wasn’t about to let that go. He was too pissed off to keep quiet now. “Actually, if you could leave his and Julien’s balls intact? I rather like them where they are.”
Logan’s head whipped back around to Robbie. “This has disaster written all over it, and you know it.” Before Robbie could say anything else, Logan turned and stormed out of the office.
Priest studied Robbie, who was staring at the empty doorway, clearly wanting to go after Logan, and when Robbie looked over his shoulder at him, Priest said, “Go on. I’m sure he hasn’t gotten far.”
Robbie grimaced and said, “I…I just can’t leave it like that.”
Priest understood. He could see the war waging in Robbie. Despite Robbie’s showy I’m independent attitude, deep down he wanted to please those he loved, and that was one of the things that drew Priest to him. It was one of the things he wanted to explore further. But right now, that side of Robbie was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Priest being the hard place.
“Go and make up with him, Robert. You’ll be happier if you smooth things out.”
Robbie bit down on his lip and nodded. “Okay. I’ll only be a couple of minutes.”
“Take your time,” Priest said as he sat back down and Robbie walked to the door. “And Robert?”
“Yes?” Robbie said, looking over his shoulder.
“Julien and I—we’re very happy that you wanted to take a risk with us.”
Robbie grinned. “I still want to. I’ll be right back.” And with that, he disappeared out the door.
HOW DARE HE, Robbie thought as he stepped out of Priest’s office and shut the door behind him. How dare Logan be so fucking judgmental and, well…stupid. He was so damn mad, not to mention embarrassed, and as soon as he found Logan, he was going to kill him. Or at least yell at him some more.
Robbie marched down the hall to where Logan’s office was, hoping to find—yep, there he is—the infuriating man inside. Logan’s door was shut, but he’d flipped the light on and was pacing back and forth in front of the large wall of windows at the far end.
Robbie remembered the Christmas party when Tate had dragged him in there to avoid a public spectacle. He
wrapped his fingers around the door handle and pushed it open, and when Logan stopped and glanced over his shoulder, Robbie felt his heart stutter a little. Sweet God in heaven, he is too good-looking for one man to be.
His reaction to Logan was nothing out of the ordinary—it had been that way from day one, and he suspected most people felt the same way when they met him. But where Robbie would usually look at Logan and wish somewhere in the back of his head that he could one day be his, he found that desire was now…gone.
Instead, he took in Logan’s alert eyes and pissed-off scowl, and was reminded of Priest’s stern mouth and Julien’s ability to zoom in on everything he was feeling, and felt the need to make Logan, his friend, understand that he was happy.
“Hi,” Robbie said as he stepped inside. Logan said nothing, just turned away. Robbie shut the door and walked farther into the office, and as he looked around, he saw Logan’s degrees on the walls, books lining several bookshelves, and on his desk was a photo of him and Tate.
It was a beautiful shot—they were in tuxedos and standing on a balcony with candles all around them and snow falling. Robbie reached out and picked it up, tracing his fingers over the image. “Is this from your wedding?”
“Yes,” Logan said without looking Robbie’s way. “I’m sure Priest and Julien have a similar one.”
Robbie looked at Logan’s back, shocked by the venom in his tone. “Would you stop it?”
That finally had Logan facing him. “Why? It’s the truth. Do you not like to hear the truth?”
Robbie put the photograph back down and walked around the desk, his eyes never leaving the man he’d always fancied himself in love with. “Why are you so angry?”
“What?” Logan snapped, and Robbie arched an eyebrow.
“Why are you so angry about this?” he said. “It’s not like this is the first time I’ve been with two men. You of all people know that. So why are you so angry about this? You were the one who told me they were interested in the first place.”