Two Billionaires in Vegas: A Halloween MFM Romance (Love by Numbers Book 1)

by Casey, Nicole

  A chorus of sorries filled the room and they left. Almost immediately, I felt a bit lighter. The enemy was gone, the back of my brain roared. But no, they weren’t the enemy. There hadn’t been an enemy at all, just three overly excited guys.

  It was all just an episode, I told myself, only an episode.

  “Hey, Caleb,” Jackson said, “you here?”

  When I nodded, Jackson smiled. “Good! That’s great. And you know where you are?”

  I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but my throat was so dry that I could hardly get the words out. I managed to croak the word, “Home.”

  “That’s right!” Jackson said. His joy was infectious and helped put me at ease.

  He still had a firm grip on my shoulders and guided me to a seat. He let go of me and picked up the water bottle I’d dropped, twisting off the cap and handing it to me.

  “Here, drink some of this.”

  I took the bottle in my shaking hands and raised it to my mouth. Some of the water sloshed down my shirt, but that was okay because once the water hit my mouth, I felt another layer of fog peel itself away.

  A few minutes passed and I became aware Jackson had joined me on the workout bench. I held onto an empty bottle of water, the plastic crackling when I lifted it to look at. Shaking myself, I tossed the bottle to the side and turned to Jackson.

  “What happened?” I asked, suddenly afraid.

  “Nothing bad,” he said quickly. “You’re safe, I’m safe, and so is everyone else?”

  That didn’t make sense. Everyone else? “Is someone else here?” I asked. I honestly couldn’t remember.

  Jackson sighed, his big shoulders slumping and bumping into mine. “Hudson, Benny, and Monte showed up at my house out of the blue,” he said.

  He looked irked, though I wasn’t sure why. Hudson, Benny, and Monte were old friends of ours from the marines. Was he angry at them?

  When I didn’t respond, he continued, “I guess they’re all here to gamble and wanted to hang out. Without letting us know they’d even be here beforehand. Anyway, they pressured me to get ahold of you, but when you didn’t answer, they decided they were going to come over and surprise you. I tried to stop them, but they’d already piled into their car so I had no choice but to follow them and attempt damage control. They were waiting at the door when I got here.

  “I’m guessing you didn’t hear them knock because of the music. I let us all in and told them to wait in the living room while I got you, but I guess they didn’t like waiting. They barged in just as I was trying to tell you and triggered an episode.”

  When Jackson was finished, he looked wrecked, like someone had just told him his dog was dead. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to do more,” he said.

  I cleared my throat. “Jack, know how those guys are. They’ve always been act first, think later.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, I can’t deny that.”

  “You did everything you could. It would have been so much worse if you weren’t here and you know it.” He didn’t look too convinced. “They don’t know how bad my episodes have gotten,” I said quietly.

  “No,” Jackson confirmed, “no I don’t think they do. It’s been a while since we all hung out together.”

  “Okay, well let’s go out there and make them feel guilty enough about it that they buy us lunch,” I said, shrugging.

  Jackson laughed again and this time, he sounded more like himself. “Deal,” he said, standing up and offering me his hand. I took it and he hauled me to my feet.

  Thankfully, my legs weren’t as shaky as I expected them to be and I was able to walk.

  I followed Jackson out to my living room. Three large men jumped to their feet when they saw us.

  Monte began rushing toward us but managed to stop himself. “Shit, Tredway!” he said, looking at me with those big, dopey brown eyes he had, “We are so sorry, dude.”

  “Yeah, man,” Hudson agreed, “it was fucking stupid of us to do that in a vet’s house.”

  I buried the frustration that was starting to creep in. The same they felt would be enough to keep them from doing it again. Hopefully.

  * * *

  Monte, Hudson, and Benny stayed for a few hours during which time we drank a few beers, ate the takeout they so graciously bought, and caught up. After a while, I found myself truly relaxing. The more beers I drank, the lighter I felt until I was more relaxed than I’d been in ages.

  Of course, that’s when they began reminiscing about the good old days overseas. I knew I should have left the room when it started, or at least changed the subject, but I stayed. It didn’t take long until nightmarish images began flickering through my mind, images of blood and bone. My mind raced to the day I nearly lost my life and my grip tightened on my beer can, making it crunch in my hand.

  I think Jackson noticed because he told them we’d have to leave for the club soon and ushered them out the door.

  I felt wrung out when Jackson walked back into the room and leaned forward, elbows on my knees, and buried my face in my hands.

  “They don’t get it,” I said, eventually raising my face to look at my friend. “It isn’t their fault. I’m glad they don’t get it.”

  “Yeah, but they know better,” Jackson replied. He had an edge to his voice that I’d rarely heard from him. “They’ve been around vets for years. Monte and Benny were raised by them.”

  “I can’t ask the world to walk around on eggshells because I have a problem.”

  Jackson looked ready to argue with me, but looked away. After gathering himself, he said, “You aren’t the only person with PTSD. We’re everywhere. And as adults, they’re responsible for what they do. It only takes a bit of thinking not to trigger someone, something they clearly haven’t learned yet.”

  He had a point.

  I sighed. “Yeah, I know you’re right. I guess I just have trouble faulting them when they were excited to see me.”

  Jackson pursed his lips. “I get that, man, I really do. But if the roles were reversed? If it’d been me they’d done that to? You’d be fucking pissed.”

  Again, he had a point.

  “You deserve to extend that same kindness to yourself, man. You deserve it.”

  I wanted to believe what he said, I really did, but it was so hard to. Lately, I hadn’t felt like I deserved anything good or fair.

  Though I was normally great at concealing my feelings, Jackson was my best friend. He could read me like a book. He’d had an uncanny ability to not long after we stopped going at each other’s throats and became friends.

  “I know you have trouble believing that, but know that I believe it, okay?” he said. His voice was so earnest.

  “You’re right, I do struggle to believe it. But you believing it? That means everything to me, Jack. I’ve always trusted your judgment.”

  He leaned back in his seat, a smile crossing his face. “Alright, you have enough time to snag a nap before we have to go to the club.” His smile widened. “After all, you’re going to need your strength for tonight.”

  I grinned back. Ah, yes, I would indeed need my strength.

  Because of Erin.

  * * *

  Jackson and I decided to carpool to work that night. Really, I think he just felt better driving me after what happened earlier. Even though I felt up to driving, it didn’t matter to me either way. If it gave him peace of mind, who was I to deny him that.

  When we got there, we spent a few hours in the office catching up on business. After completing our rounds of the bar, we decided to wait for Erin at the bar, each nursing a drink.

  Even though last night was our first scene with Erin, I felt more nervous today. Would she realize she wasn’t really into BDSM? Would she spend the day regretting her decision? Would she even show up?

  Just as I was beginning to spiral down a hole of doubt, a sultry voice in my ear said, “Hey, strangers.”

  Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw Erin standing behind us. Relief flooded me.
She did come back.

  We made eye contact and she gave me a huge smile. “You looked lost in thought,” she said. God, her voice was so sweet to listen to.

  I couldn’t tell her about my doubt, about my fear that she’d found something better to do. Someone better to do it with.

  Jackson came to my rescue. “Those brainy types usually are!” Erin laughed.

  I rolled my eyes. “You say that like you’re dumb.”

  “I know I’m not dumb, but I’m not on your level,” he said simply. Then he smiled at me to let me know that he wasn’t upset by that fact.

  Sometimes I felt like I really didn’t deserve his friendship. But I was greedy and depended on it.

  “Can I get a drink and join you?” Erin asked. She looked unsure, like she didn’t know what we’d say. It was strangely reassuring that she felt as lost about our arrangement as I did.

  “Of course,” Jackson said, scooting down a stool.

  Her face brightened. “Thanks!” she said, and climbed onto the stool, resting her purse on her lap.

  Tonight she wore black jeans and a loose blue top tucked into them. She looked as great in that as she had in the dresses she’d worn the last few nights.

  Seth, dressed as a vampire, noticed Erin sit down and walked over to us. “Hey there, what can I get you?” Erin thought about it. “We have a great peach bourbon as our special right now.”

  “Oh, yes, that sounds delicious!”

  “Coming right up!” Seth said, walking off to make the drink.

  Erin began digging in her purse and pulled out her wallet. I laid my hand over hers, and she looked up at me. “You’re our guest,” I said.

  “Thank you,” she murmured. “I appreciate that.”

  Erin’s drink came and we chatted for a little bit. “My friends are getting upset with me,” she admitted.

  “Why is that?” Jackson asked.

  “Well,” she said, scrunching up her face, “they claim I’ve been ignoring them.”

  “Because of us?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Yeah. I mean, they aren’t wrong. I guess I’ve been a bit of a black cloud since we got here. I wasn’t in the mood to see all the lovey-dovey stuff,” she admitted. Then she let out a dry laugh. “That’s because I walked in on my boyfriend, well, ex-boyfriend, sleeping with another woman. In my bed.”

  “Ouch,” Jackson said. For some reason, he looked guilty. I’d definitely have to ask him about that later. “That’s awful.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed, finishing the rest of her drink. “He was a really shitty boyfriend though.”

  * * *

  Erin’s screams of pleasure echoed through the private room down in the Dungeon. She was strung up by her hands, completely naked but for the cuffs around her wrists and the blindfold around her eyes. She had two red marks on her back and one on her bottom.

  I stood several feet away from her, a purple riding crop in my hand. I’d tossed my jacket when I walked in and had the sleeves of my button-down rolled up to the elbows. I felt strong, in charge. It was a drastic difference from earlier when I’d felt lost, almost intangible.

  I was so hard, my cock straining against my slacks, begging to be freed and stroked. For now, I ignored it. I’d have my fun, but right now it was about Erin. About making her scream.

  Circling around to her front, I asked, “Do you feel repentant yet?” When she didn’t say anything, I laid a light tap on her thigh.

  “You’re supposed to respond when I ask you a question.” I walked closer to her, standing right in her space. “Are you repentant?” I asked again, running the end of the riding crop down the side of her face. She whimpered at the touch.

  “I don’t know,” she cried. “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.”

  I guided the crop down her body and teased her hard nipples with it. “Don’t lie to me,” I murmured. “You’ll only get in more trouble.”

  She shuddered beautifully. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry,” she whined.

  “I know you are,” I replied softly, and then gave her a swat on her other thigh.

  It didn’t take long before Erin began to beg. “Please,” she cried out, “please, I need you so much. I feel like I’m dying with need.”

  I yanked the blindfold off, wanting to see the desire in her eyes.

  “What do you need, Erin?” Jackson asked from where he leaned against the wall, watching everything.

  She whimpered again. “Please!”

  “You have to say,” I said, lightly running the end of the riding crop between her legs. When I withdrew it, I saw that it was wet.

  “I need someone inside me. I need to feel full. I need to get fucked.”

  “What do you think, Jackson?” I asked. “Think she deserves to get fucked?”

  Erin’s eyes darted between us and she furiously nodded.

  “I don’t know,” Jackson said, walking closer. He folded his arms across his chest and appraised her. “It’s a tough call.”

  “Please,” she said again. Her voice was so quiet, so desperate, that I knew she was finally ready for it.

  “Okay,” I said. Erin sighed in relief.

  Jackson grabbed her from behind to support her as I unlocked the cuffs. Once she was free, she slumped in Jackson’s arms.

  I nodded at him and went to sit down.

  “You ready?” he asked Erin.

  She nodded, her voice soft as she said, “Yes.”

  Jackson wasted no time lifting her and carrying her to the table that housed all our toys. He placed Erin on the edge of the table and threw the toys to the floor. Grabbing Erin’s shoulder, he pushed her until she lay on her back. His hands went to his belt and in seconds, he had his cock out. Jackson stroked it a few times and Erin spread her legs apart.

  He teased the head of his cock at the entrance of her pussy and sank into her. Her cries filled the room as he filled her. Grabbing her hips, Jackson pulled his cock out and sunk back in.

  As I watched them fuck on the table, I unzipped my pants and pulled my own cock out. I was already so keyed up from the way Erin responded to me earlier that I knew I wouldn’t last long. I honestly wasn’t sure Jackson would either, though I hoped he lasted long enough to give it to Erin the way she deserved.

  After a while, he pulled out and bent over, burying his face between her legs. She came so quickly after that. Her body was gorgeous as she orgasmed, her back lifted in a deep arch, legs twitching. They would have fallen if I hadn’t been holding them up.

  Jackson continued to lick her, suckle her clit, and bury his fingers inside. I pumped myself in time to her moans and when she came a second time, I felt my own body tense as I came too.

  Erin

  Though some of us lived in Las Vegas, much of the wedding party and friends didn’t. Like all Vegas first-timers, they wanted the quintessential Vegas experience.

  A few of the places we went to I’d never even visited because, to a Las Vegas native, they’d never seemed that exciting, but I actually had a lot of fun experiencing the city as a tourist.

  Later, Greer, Hanna, Sascha, and I ended up at the hotel bar, sipping cocktails at a small circular table. When Greer began chatting about the wedding, I found myself tuning out. I felt a little guilty about it, but I couldn’t stop thinking about last night with Caleb and Jackson.

  I never thought sex could be like that. In the past, it was just something I did, something that passed the time. But with Jackson and Caleb? It felt like an actual experience.

  I wondered if BDSM was always like that or if it was Jackson and Caleb. I was beginning to like them more than I cared to admit, which was so not good. I already broke my no guys for a year rule, and here I was feeling things for two guys at once. It was scary. It was exhilarating.

  Then something occurred to me. Two nights ago when we’d had sex the first time, we did a roleplay in which I was a lawyer. Was that a coincidence or did they somehow know what my career was? I knew that I never told them. They still thou
ght I was in town on vacation, not that I actually lived here. But how would they even figure it out?

  For the time being, I put it from my mind, my thoughts drifted back to everything we did in the private room of the Dungeon.

  A sound snapped me out of my thoughts. I focused my eyes and saw Hanna snapping her fingers in my face. “Hellooooo?” she said, “Earth to Erin!”

  “Sorry!” I replied, looking around sheepishly at my friends. “Sorry, I was daydreaming.”

  “I’ll say,” Greer said, grinning at me.

  “What were you daydreaming about?” Sascha asked.

  “It must have been good,” Hanna said. “What, with the way you were smiling like that!”

  “Oh, nothing much. I’m just happy for Greer and John,” I lied.

  Greer rolled her eyes. “I know that you’re happy for me, but I also know that’s not what you were thinking about.”

  “Does it have anything to do with why you’ve been absent from the festivities the last few nights?” Hanna asked slyly. When I didn’t respond, she said, “Okay, keep your secrets. I’ll get it out of you eventually!”

  * * *

  We headed to the hotel spa after that. It was nice to get pampered for once. My muscles were sore from last night and the massage really helped loosen them up. After that, the four of us went to sit in the steam room, chatting about our lives.

  “I’m so glad things are going so well for all of us,” Hanna said, letting out a happy sigh. “We’re all following our dreams.”

  “I’d be happier if someone would hire me,” Sascha said, laughing. Sascha was looking for something in publishing. “Did I tell you I have an interview with Calliope Publishers here in Vegas?”

  “Really?” I asked excitedly. “That would be so awesome if they hired you! Calliope Publishers would be lucky to have you!”

  “Right? It would be incredible!” Sascha gushed.

  Later, we joined the guys who’d just finished up with their poker game in the common room of our hotel. We passed beers out and, after a while, one of John’s friends suggested we play a game of Never Have I Ever.