by Bianca Vix
He fought his urge to run, knowing he’d get removed immediately if he drew attention to himself. Staying on the edges, he moved as quickly as he could without attracting someone’s attention.
Since everyone was focused on the building, no-one noticed him.
He spotted Blake, standing off to the side, eyes glued to the bar just like everyone else’s were. Miles hurried over to his side.
“What’s happening?” Miles said to Blake in an undertone.
“They’re sending someone out. Fuck, that looks like Lora. It is. It’s Lora!”
He was right. It was Lora, and she looked okay.
Right away she was surrounded by people, escorting her away from the building, talking to her as they walked her over to a waiting ambulance. Miles and Blake made their way over too while everyone was distracted.
“You’re here,” Lora said when she saw them. In an instant Blake had his arms around her and he wouldn’t let go until one of the ambulance attendants broke them apart.
“We have to check her out now,” he said.
“I’m fine,” Lora told Blake as they began examining her.
“What’s going on in there?” Miles asked her. “Is everyone alright? Are Claire and Reid…” He couldn’t finish his sentence. It was inconceivable that anything would’ve happened to them.
“No-one’s hurt. They were fine when I saw them. The two men haven’t done anything yet. They’re just talking.” Lora shuddered. “But they have a bomb too, not just guns. One of them keeps threatening to detonate the bomb. Take the club out, and everyone with it.”
Miles’ blood pounded in his ears so loudly, he couldn’t hear what Lora said next.
They could die. He’d never see Claire or Reid again. The thought nearly knocked him off his feet. He leaned against the ambulance for support.
“I didn’t want to leave Scott,” Lora was saying to Blake. “Or Claire or Reid. I shouldn’t have.”
“Everyone will be fine. Don’t worry. They’ll get everyone else out too.”
“What do you mean, that Claire and Reid were fine when you saw them?” Miles managed.
“The other guy took them and a few other people into the back room right when they burst in. I’m sorry, Miles. I don’t know what’s going on in there. They split up the crowd to make it easier for them to keep us under control.”
“What do they want?” Blake asked. He looked like he was about to storm inside and take them on himself.
Miles knew how he felt.
“They didn’t make very much sense. They were mostly talking about hating gays. How they want to take the club down, so there wouldn’t be a place like a gay bar to gather.” She leaned against Blake. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Miles left them to each other, walking up discretely behind a small group of officials to see if he could find something out.
“The negotiator’s arrived,” one of them said.
“Good. We need to get this going if there’s any chance at all. Because it’s not likely this is going to be a standoff for very much longer.”
Glancing around, Miles saw who they were talking about. He recognized the negotiator from the news. She was high-profile, always getting called in on tough situations. He couldn’t remember her name, but she was good.
And he had to get to her.
She was surrounded by people. Miles walked up to her as if he had every right to be there, reaching her as she was setting up.
“I need to talk to you. There’s something you need to know about them.”
“Who the hell are you? Do you know the captors?” she asked him.
He dodged her questions. “They hate gays. That’s why they’re doing this.”
Her gaze was like steel. “Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?”
“Of course not. It’s just that I know guys like that. They always need reassurance about their own masculinity. Knowing that might help in your approach.”
She went off without a word. He’d done what he could. The fact that the negotiator hadn’t had him removed meant something. Hopefully she’d keep what he said in mind, because from what he knew, this wasn’t a common type of hostage situation. And he knew more about homophobic men than he’d like to.
Miles rejoined Lora and Blake. All eyes were on the negotiator as they connected her. Everyone was waiting for something to happen. The silence was beyond tense as she began to engage with the hostage-takers.
The man’s voice came through loud and clear. “No negotiations. We’re not here to talk.”
A single shot rang out.
Then another.
And all hell broke loose.
Chapter 20
Everything was chaos as swarms of cops rushed inside. More shots rang out. Before knew what he was doing, Miles made a break for the building.
“Miles,” Blake yelled after him.
He didn’t get far before he was grabbed by two cops.
“I have to get in there.”
“No, you don’t. You’re staying right here. The situation is being handled.”
At least the shots had stopped. The front doors swung open.
“Clear!” The voice came from inside the building. EMTs hurried inside.
“What happened?” Miles asked.
No-one would answer.
“It’s all right.” Blake was by his side. “They wouldn’t be sending them in if it wasn’t safe now.”
“Yeah. That’s right.” It had to be.
After a few tense moments, the police started escorting people out of the building. Anxiously, Scott stared at each emerging face, searching for the ones he didn’t see.
One by one people were brought out. Miles’ eyes were glued to the line of people coming out. Where were they? Where were Claire and Reid?
“There’s Scott,” Blake said, about to rush forward when the cop cast him a warning glance and he stopped. “He’s okay.”
Scott came over.
“Where are Claire and Reid?”
“I don’t know. They were kept in the back room. They’re just getting everyone out of there now.”
Miles hadn’t stopped staring at the door. People were still streaming out. Where the hell were they?
And then they appeared. Claire and then Reid, filing out with all the others.
Safe and unharmed.
Miles sprinted forward, catching them both up in his arms.
“Miles. You’re here,” Claire said. “You came.”
“Of course I came. I’m here, I couldn’t stay away. And I’m never leaving you again.” The were together. And nothing else mattered.
He didn’t want to ever let them go. He only did when they had to get checked out, and they checked out just fine.
“But, Miles. It’s your playoff game tonight. We were going to go watch the game, that’s why we all met here,” Reid said.
“Yeah, I know.”
“But why aren’t you at the arena?”
“Because I couldn’t stay away, not when something like this was going down. Not when you were in danger. Look, about what I said before. If you’ll have me, I want you back. I don’t want to lose you, and I can’t see my life without you.”
“Oh, Miles. Of course.” Claire hugged him. “That’s right,” Reid added. “We never stopped wanting you.”
“Shouldn’t you be getting back to the arena for your big game?” Lora asked. “You guys are going to miss it.”
Miles and Blake exchanged glances. Neither one of them had given it a thought since they’d left. It had been the last thing on their minds, both of them.
It all came crashing back now. Miles checked the time. Fuck. “Well, if we’re not terminated, we can still make it. Just barely, if we leave now. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“We’re fine. And we’re coming with you,” Claire said.
“Are you kidding? You can’t come, not after this. You just suffered all of this. You need to go home. Rest and recover.”
; “Fuck that.” Reid and Scott spoke up at almost the same time. “We’re going with you.”
“Yeah, well. We might not be able to play at all,” Blake said.
“Doesn’t matter. We’re going with you. We can talk to them, too. Tell them what happened. We can’t let you get kicked out because of us,” Reid added. “Let’s get going.”
Miles was touched. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“We’re absolutely fine. Nothing happened to us. Those shots that they fired, that was when they were arguing with each other. They didn’t hit anyone. I mean, it was an awful experience, of course. But I’d much rather be with you watching your game than being at home, replaying everything that just happened,” Claire said.
“Fair enough.”
The coach looked like he was wanted to murder Miles and Blake when they arrived, suited up and ready.
“We’ll talk after the game. Get the fuck out there, right now.”
Yes. At least if this was his last game ever, Miles was going to his chance to play in the playoffs.
And both he and Blake played like they’d never played before. It was like a great weight had been lifted off Miles’ shoulders. Everything went as smooth as if it had been choreographed. No missed passes. Great shots. No lost chances.
And Miles could hardly believe it, even when it happened.
But they won.
The Stormers won their very first playoff game, and the truth was, it was mostly due to himself and Blake. The whole team rallied together, but it was he and Blake that took them all there.
They’d been on fire the entire time. As they skated off, he couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.
“That was a hell of a night,” Blake said back in the locker room.
Miles raised his eyebrow. “Uh huh. Understatement.”
“Do you think we can go celebrate with the team before…”
“Not if we want to have the slightest hope of not having our contracts terminated tonight. It’s time to go face the heat now.”
“Yeah, I figured. Good luck.”
“You too, man.”
Their meetings were separate. It was bad enough for Blake to take off like he did. A whole other thing for Miles to abandon his entire team at a time like this.
But to Miles’ surprise, he wasn’t as bothered as he thought he’d be. Of course it would be awful if he got kicked off the team. And he’d never be able to play pro again, not for the rest of his life. But that paled in comparison to Claire and Reid being okay. And he was back with them. As hard as it would be, Miles could live with the consequences of what he’d done.
Hours later, Miles emerged from his meeting, yawning and stretching. It had been exhausting. And even after he’d explained everything, they didn’t care.
Striding through the quiet halls, he checked his phone and found a text from Blake.
I’m done. We’re all waiting for you around the corner.
The last thing Miles wanted to do was go to their usual post-game bar right now, but he did. He found the five of them at a table in the back.
“Well?” Blake asked the moment he spotted Miles.
“There’s some disagreement about what should happen to me, so there’s going to be at least another couple of meetings. I might have to have a hearing. In the meantime, because it’s the playoffs and they can’t easily replace me now, I can play. After a one-game suspension.” He sat beside Claire, curling his arm around her. “Contract renewal is going to be another story. But that’s down the line.”
“That’s something,” Reid said. “At least you’re still on the team, at least for now.”
“You?” Miles asked Blake.
“Same one-game suspension. And next season is up in the air for me, too.”
“We’re probably safe, for now at least. They won’t let two players go during the playoffs. We just have to win every single game of the playoffs. But that won’t be a problem. We’ve got a great team behind us.” Miles gazed at Claire and Reid as he spoke.
It was true. All that was ever needed was a great team.
Chapter 21
Miles pulled Claire right to him the moment the door closed behind them, his tongue driving into her mouth. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her right into the bedroom, setting her on the bed.
A pair of hands dropped onto his back and he moved so Reid could work his shirt off him. Miles forced himself away from Claire long enough to get the rest of his clothes out of the way. He didn’t want anything coming between them.
Reid was starting to strip down himself and Miles gave him some help, sliding his strong hands beneath the waistband of his pants after he’d worked the zipper down.
“I’ve wanted to do this all night.”
Reid got down on his knees right in front of Miles. Miles slid his fingers into Reid’s hair, holding him while Reid’s tongue licked up his whole throbbing length, pausing only to swirl over the head of his cock.
“Fuck, Reid.” He wasn’t sure he’d be able to stay standing if Reid kept that up.
Reid ignored him, continuing to do things with his lips and tongue that made Miles groan. When he scraped his teeth lightly along Miles’ cock, Miles tightened his grip on Reid’s hair.
Reid got the hint that Miles needed him to stop. Standing up, his hand wrapped around Miles’ cock, he kept him right on edge. Miles tensed up, as much from the sight of Claire on the bed easing her clothes off as from what Reid was doing to him.
“Christ,” Reid muttered as he turned to see what had Miles’ attention. “So fucking sexy, Claire.”
Yeah, Miles was right there with Reid. Not only was Claire naked now, her fingers were slipping in between her legs, her eyes on the two of them as she touched herself.
“As much as I’d love to watch you guys all night,” Claire said. “I really want to one of you inside of me. Right now.”
Reid went to the bed, taking Claire’s hand and leading her over to the chair in the corner. When he sat down, Miles sucked in a breath.
“Come here, Claire.” As she straddled Reid’s legs, Miles gripped Reid’s cock, guiding Claire to it, his hands never leaving either one of them as he helped Claire lower herself down onto Reid.
Miles had to close his eyes for a second. As much as he wanted to fuck both of them all night, watching them together like that was unbelievably pushing him close to the edge already.
“Oh, yeah. That’s it, Claire,” Reid groaned, leaning back in the chair while Claire raised up and slid down, her eyes drifting over to Miles’ hard shaft.
Reid reached out, grabbing Miles’ ass and pulling him in close, close enough so that his throbbing cock was right between him and Claire.
Miles shuddered when both of their tongues touched him at the same time. Fuck, they were going to drive him crazy with their light, teasing licks. He dropped his hands to their shoulders, encouraging them on.
Miles’ eyes were locked on Claire as she picked up speed, riding Reid faster and faster.
Reid opened his mouth wide, taking Mile’s cock deep inside as his lips slid over the rock-hard shaft.
“Fuck,” Miles gasped as he penetrated Reid’s warm, inviting mouth, his whole body reacting to the flood of emotions rushing over him. What they were doing was insanely hot but it was so much more than that too. The feeling he had of being connected at his very core to both Claire and Reid was so overwhelming, it took his breath away. It was almost more than he could handle and for a moment, he fought the overwhelming instinct to pull away. Like he’d lose himself if he didn’t do something to put some distance between him and them.
But when Claire gave him her gorgeous smile and Reid caught his eye, his fears melted away. What he was feeling was reflected right back to him by both of them. They felt it too, and nothing could have done more to convince him that they were all in this together. That this was so much more than just sex.
It was love.
Heart pumping, Miles c
losed his eyes. The sensations flooding him now were going to make him lose it. His body tremored with lust, desire for both overtaking all of his senses and his mind.
And his heart.
Reid released his cock, only to have Claire take over where he’d left off, her lips sliding down his shaft before she took him between her sexy lips.
Her body stilled when Reid grabbed her hips, holding her still as he thrust up inside of her, her orgasm hitting her hard.
Reid and Claire alternated between kissing and taking turns sucking Miles cock. It was beyond hot and it didn’t take long before Miles had to stop them, a reluctant groan sounding from deep in his throat.
“Too much.” He pulled away and Claire climbed off Reid. In seconds, the two men had her on the bed, flat on her back while Miles stood at the edge, bending down for a brief taste her flowing juices.
“I can’t wait any longer. I want you, Claire.” Miles went for the night table, but Reid stopped him.
“You don’t need those on our account,” he said, a wicked glint in his eye. “We’re all good. Clean bill of health.”
“And unless you’ve been with anyone else since…” Claire said, her voice questioning.
Miles shook his head, a slow grin spreading over his face. “There’s been no-one else but you.”
He covered Claire’s body with his own, his raging cock finding her warm, wet heat, plunging deep inside of her in one smooth stroke.
Miles was lost in her when Reid’s fingers jolted him back to reality. The cold drip of lube combine with Reid’s exploring fingers made him shiver as Reid got him ready.
Gripping Miles’ hips, Reid guided his cock into Miles’ body, going slow as Miles stilled.
“So tight.” Reid kept his steady movement until he was buried deep. He didn’t let go of Miles’ hips, holding him back from moving at all as Reid worked to stay under control.
Starting to pump his hips, Reid’s fingers dug hard into Miles’ skin. Miles moved back against him, encouraging him on.