by Ella Frank
“What is?” Felicity asked, as she angled her head to peer up at him. “You told me after L.A. that everything was better than ever.”
“I know. But yesterday I… I found out something. Something really important that Priest kept from me, and for some reason, I can’t get past it. Ugh.” Robbie flopped back in his seat. “Every time I think that or say it, I get annoyed at myself, because hello, of course there are going to be things I don’t know about them yet. But for some reason, this one hurts…a lot.”
“Robbie, Robbie, Robbie,” Elliot said.
“What?”
Elliot raised his hand to flag down a waitress. “You’re gonna need another shot before you hear what I have to say about all this.”
Robbie frowned at his longtime friend and wondered if there was any way he could just slip out of there before Elliot gave his two cents. But considering the viselike grip Felicity had on his arm, Robbie wouldn’t be going anywhere without causing a scene.
So he was there to stay, whether he wanted to or not. And judging by the pointed look Elliot aimed his way when the waitress brought back one more Jägerbomb and two Cokes, Robbie was going to need this hit of alcohol to numb whatever sting of realism Elliot was about to throw at him.
“Look, all relationships are complicated,” Elliot said, looking between Felicity and Robbie. “This one more than most, I would think. But you’re new to this, and you haven’t exactly been with people who…cared before.”
“Uh, ouch,” Robbie said, and quickly threw back the shot to help ease that slap to the face. “Thanks a lot for the reminder, asshole.”
“Sorry, I’m just trying to make a point.”
“Then hurry up and make it.”
“All I’m saying is, if Priest kept something from you, then maybe he had a reason. These two have been super straightforward with you. You told me so yourself. They laid it all out there. If you are with them, you are only with them. And if you’re feeling the way you are, like you might be falling in love? Then maybe they’re feeling the same way and Priest wanted to, I don’t know, protect that for a little bit. Protect you.”
Robbie’s mouth fell open, and as he tried to find his tongue, Felicity said, “Damn, El, you’re pretty wise after a couple of shots.”
Elliot shrugged. “I have my moments.”
“I get what you’re saying, I do,” Robbie said. “And I know you’re right, but it’s just…when we all started this, they were both so adamant that I be honest. That it was the only way we could all be on the same level as each other.”
“And he wasn’t honest about whatever this is?” Felicity asked.
“I mean, he didn’t lie. He just didn’t tell me until he had to,” Robbie said, and thought about the gut punch he’d felt when he’d discovered that Priest wasn’t really…Priest.
“I’m assuming Julien knew whatever it was that you didn’t?” Elliot asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“Ah, okay,” Elliot said, and leaned forward to rest his arms on the table. “I’m going to say something you might not want to hear, but I want you to listen anyway.”
“Okay…” Robbie said, bracing himself.
“This relationship you got into with them…it’s not like—cover your ears, Felicity—the other threesomes you’ve been involved in. They’re married and you’re joining that. It’s bound to be a bit…messy, right?”
“Right,” Robbie said softly. “But it’s not messy because they’re married. I love that.”
“My brother, the traditionalist.” Felicity laughed.
“Traditional is boring, and so not me,” Robbie said. “I love hearing about how they fell in love, their life together. It makes me feel closer to them. It connects me to that part of them.”
“Yes, but I don’t mean all of that,” Elliot said. “This is messy because of the emotions you didn’t realize were going to come up. For the first time, it sounds as though they shared a pretty big secret that you knew nothing about, and when you found out, that hurt your feelings.”
As soon as Elliot said the words, it was as though a light bulb went off, and Robbie realized that yes, that was exactly it. He’d been trying to work out why it had hurt so much to find out this secret of Priest’s.
Julien had shared his demons from the very beginning. He’d told Robbie there were things that he needed to know. But Priest? Priest had kept this huge part of himself hidden. He’d kept it between himself and Julien until he’d had to tell Robbie, and that was what hurt.
“Bianchi?” Elliot said, and waved a hand in front of Robbie’s face. “Bianchi? You okay?”
Robbie nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I just realized something when you said that.”
“And?”
“And it helped,” Robbie said, and it really had. But it sure as hell didn’t make him feel any better. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Is that okay?”
“Of course,” Felicity said, clearly sensing the shift in her brother’s mood.
“How about I go and get another round?” Elliot said. “And then Felicity can tell us all about Prim and Proper Penny? I still can’t believe she got knocked up.”
Robbie nodded, knowing he should probably stop with the drinks at this stage, but also realized they were likely the only thing making him feel as relaxed as he was after the last twenty-four hours he’d had.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Elliot said. “Then after this, we’ll take you home.”
Robbie nodded absent-mindedly, that fourth Jägerbomb finally hitting as he tried to process how in the world he was going to find the courage to tell Julien and Priest that for the first time in this relationship of theirs, he had felt…left out.
Chapter Eight
CONFESSION
Sometimes a little liquid courage helps us say
exactly what’s on our mind.
IT WAS AMAZING how slow time moved when you were constantly eyeing the clock. But forever seemed like an apt enough description, Julien thought, as he sat curled up in the corner of the couch with his laptop.
He was trying to concentrate on going over the final invitation list for the opening on Thursday, but if he were being honest with himself, his heart just wasn’t in it tonight.
Priest was seated on the couch opposite him, also doing his best to distract himself, but with the way he kept looking at the front door every time there was some sort of noise other than the two of them, Julien knew Priest was finding the wait for Robbie’s return just as difficult as he was.
It had just turned eleven thirty—pretty early for a Friday night in the scheme of things, but it felt like a whole week had passed them by since they’d seen or heard from their guy.
Julien had known Robbie had needed a timeout, but he had to admit that this was harder than he imagined. With every hour that passed, it became increasingly obvious to both him and Priest just how vital, how important, Robbie had become in their lives, and when he finally returned home, they were going to make damn sure he knew that.
Just as that thought entered Julien’s mind, there was a loud thump at the front door that had Priest’s head snapping up. Priest was the first to get to his feet, putting his laptop on the couch beside him, and as the sound of someone jostling the door handle reached them, Julien watched him go, wondering why Robbie wouldn’t just let himself in with his key.
When Priest reached the door, he looked through the peephole first, and then glanced back at Julien and indicated that he come over. Julien closed his computer as Priest undid the locks, and when he got to his feet, Priest pulled open the door, revealing Robbie with…a dark-haired man and a very cute young lady.
Priest held the door open wide, and when Robbie raised his face and spotted him, excitement lit his eyes.
“Priest,” Robbie said, as he threw his arms out and wrapped them around Priest’s neck. “You’re here!”
Julien smirked as Priest barely caught Robbie wit
h his free arm to hold him steady—and upright. “So it would seem.”
“Yes. It. Would,” Robbie said, as he tapped a finger on Priest’s chest in time to his words. Then he turned his head, and his glassy eyes locked on to Julien. “And Jules! You’re here too…”
Julien nodded and said, “I am,” before he looked at the two strangers watching the exchange.
The young lady, whose eyes were shifting between Priest, Robbie, and Julien, was several inches shorter than Robbie, but the high cheekbones and dainty features gave her away as one of Robbie’s sisters. That meant the man with the coal-colored hair, cut into a high-end style with bangs sweeping across his forehead, had to be Elliot, the best friend. Which made both of these people very important.
“Bonsoir,” Julien said, smiling. “I’m Julien—
“Thornton,” Elliot said, and held his hand out as a knowing grin tipped the corners of his lips.
“Oui, that’s right. And this here is Priest, as you just heard,” Julien said, as he shook Elliot’s hand before he turned to face the young lady gaping at him. Julien took her fingers in his, brought them up to his lips, and kissed just above her knuckles. “And you, chérie? You must be one of Robbie’s sisters.”
“Oh, isn’t he just dreamy?” Robbie sighed. “I told you he would melt your panties off the second he spoke, Felicity. Didn’t I tell her, El?”
Julien’s lips quirked at their loose-lipped princesse, as the woman tried to find her tongue.
“Uh, yes, sorry. That’s right. I’m Felicity. His favorite sister. That’s an important distinction to make when there’s three of us.”
Robbie giggled and held on to Priest’s neck with one hand, as he leaned over to wave one, then two, and finally three fingers in Julien’s face. “Un. Deux. Trois. That’s our favorite number. But there’s no favorites here,” he singsonged, and Julien looked to Priest, who was frowning. “We aaall love each other the same. All happy. All the same. Isn’t that right?”
“Ookay,” Felicity said. “As you can see, he’s had about four too many Jägerbombs.”
“Did not,” Robbie said, and then started to laugh. “I had about two less than I wanted, because you…both cut me off.”
“Excuse me,” Elliot said, that smile of his still in place. But Julien didn’t miss the way he was sizing up Priest. “I didn’t want to have to ask someone to carry you out to the Uber, Bianchi.”
“Which we thank you for,” Priest said, and Elliot inclined his head ever so slightly. It was clear he was wary, and slightly protective, of the friend currently hanging off Priest’s neck.
“Aww. Priest hates thinking about others touching me. I mean, except Jules. It’s so sweet how he gets jealous. Isn’t it sweet?” Robbie patted Priest on the chest and went right on talking about him as though he wasn’t there. “First with Logan, then Nathan, and— Oh! Even Ace Locke. I mean, come on, we all get a movie-star freebie, right?”
“Robert,” Priest said, and Robbie flashed him a sloppy but endearing grin.
“Yes. Priest.”
Priest tapped a finger to Robbie’s lips. “Can you blame me for being jealous? I’d be stupid not to be.”
“And you’re not stupid,” Robbie said, and nipped at that finger.
Priest frowned, and Julien had a feeling Priest was thinking the exact opposite about himself right then.
To change the topic, Julien returned his attention to Elliot and Felicity. “Thank you for bringing him home tonight.”
“You don’t have to thank us,” Elliot said. “We’ve done this a few times in the past for each other.”
“Plus…” Robbie drawled, looking at Julien, “they practically made me bring them back here to meet you two.”
Felicity’s eyes widened. “Robert Antonio Bianchi, zip it.”
“What? It’s true.”
Felicity rolled her eyes, but Elliot said, “You can hardly blame us, Bianchi. You didn’t shut up about them all night.”
Priest’s entire body stiffened at that little tidbit of information, and it was clear Julien wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“No need to worry, Mr. Priestley,” Robbie said, as he ran his hand up and down Priest’s t-shirt. “I only told them the good things, like— Oooh, you feel good.”
“He did actually tell us that,” Felicity said, as Robbie became sidetracked and moved up onto his tiptoes to practically purr against Priest’s cheek.
“Mhmm, I did. I left no detail out because they’re all sooo delicious.”
Julien had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing, because Robbie drunk was seriously entertaining, not to mention adorable. Julien just wished it had been under different circumstances.
“He also told us to bring him home because his men were waiting for him,” Elliot said, and Robbie glanced at him and batted his lashes.
“And was I wrong?”
“No,” Elliot said. “You weren’t wrong. They were both waiting.”
Julien caught the emphasis there and had to wonder at it. “Would you like to come in for a little bit?”
Elliot was about to respond, but Robbie beat him to it. “No, no, they would not. Would you, guys?”
“Well—” Felicity said.
“Blanche,” Robbie said. “You have to go back to Nonna’s.”
“Right.” Felicity patted Robbie’s shoulder then looked to Julien. “I do have to get back to Nonna’s, and Elliot has to get home before he turns into a pumpkin.”
“Yes, this is true,” Elliot said, and raised a hand to sweep his hair out of his eyes. “By the way, we’re really looking forward to your restaurant’s opening on Thursday. Thanks for the invite.”
“Oh, yes,” Felicity said. “But I have to warn you, you have die-hard Bianchi fans who are going to be in attendance.”
“More so than this one?” Priest asked, and Felicity looked to see Robbie rubbing his face up against the side of Priest’s, humming when the scruff of his beard tickled him.
“Okay, maybe not as much as him,” she said. “But you will definitely be making four women very happy on Valentine’s Day.”
Robbie started laughing, and then turned to waggle his eyebrows at Julien. “That’ll be a first, huh? Four women at once.”
Julien tapped a finger to Robbie’s nose. “You are so drunk, princesse.”
“I am…that’s true.” Robbie paused, and his forehead scrunched up as though he were trying to work out what he’d been saying. “But I’m still coherent enough to—”
“Use words like coherent?” Priest said, as he tightened his hold around Robbie’s waist.
“Yes, if you must know. But what I was going to say is we need to talk while I’m still coherent enough to have a conversation. So Elliot and Felicity need to skedaddle.”
“Well, that’s just rude,” Elliot said, and then Felicity leaned in and kissed Robbie’s cheek.
“It is,” she said. “You’re lucky you’re my favorite brother.”
“I’m your only brother, so that doesn’t count,” Robbie said, and rolled his eyes.
Felicity laughed, and the joyful sound reminded Julien of Robbie when he was relaxed and carefree. It also made him think of a time when he and his own sister had had such a close bond. A bond he was only now allowing himself to enjoy and remember.
“It’s nice to finally meet you two,” Felicity said, and Elliot agreed with a nod before a fierce protectiveness entered his eyes.
“But just so we’re clear, if you two don’t fix whatever it is you did to make him get this stupid drunk and horribly dressed tonight, you’ll have me and some angry Italians to deal with, fans or not.”
“Oh my God, El,” Robbie said. “Shut it.”
“No,” Priest said, making Elliot look in his direction. “He’s right. We appreciate you looking out for him tonight and always. You have our word—we’ll fix this.”
“Good,” Elliot said, and with that, Felicity blew Robbie a kiss and Elliot moved in to swat hi
m on the ass, then they turned and headed off down the hall to the elevator.
A few seconds later, Robbie said, “Just so you know…Elliot and Felicity? They’re, like, the sweetest of the Bianchi clan. You should remember that. Us Italians are loyal when it comes to family, and last time I checked, you two said you were mine, so you”—Robbie jabbed Priest in the chest—“have some explaining to do, damn it. Or I’ll set them loose on you.”
Robbie pushed out of Priest’s arms, swayed a little on his feet until he was steady, and then headed inside, saying over his shoulder, “Whew, glad I got that out. Now, is it hot in here? Or is it just me?”
AS PRIEST SHUT the door, he took a step closer to Julien’s side, and the both of them watched Robbie strut into the condo like he owned the place.
Gone was the quiet, hurt man Priest had dropped off at his nonna’s, and in his place was a cocky little version of himself, courtesy of several Jägerbombs.
“All right,” Priest said, as Robbie shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it over the arm of the couch. “How do you think we should play this?”
Julien chuckled softly and shook his head. “Honestly? I have no idea. But maybe it would be best if we—”
“Hello,” Robbie said, as he somehow managed to perfect a pirouette and circle around to face them. “What are you doing standing all the way over there? I told you we have things to discuss. So come, come.” He beckoned as he walked toward their bedroom.
The corner of Priest’s mouth twitched at the command, but he didn’t dare laugh, because what was happening here stemmed from something far too serious to be made light of. He was, however, finding it difficult. Robbie inebriated was something to behold.
When they walked into their bedroom, they found Robbie sitting on the bed stripping out of his shirt, and Priest said, “I think that we should—”
“I worked it out,” Robbie interrupted, nodding as he stared up into Priest’s face. His blue eyes were wide and direct, as though he were waiting for Priest to acknowledge what he was talking about. But when Priest remained silent, Robbie broke the connection and kicked out of his shoes.