To prepare myself, I take a gulp of a rather acidic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which would be much better sipped delicately. Ideally, I could do with something much stronger. Vodka would probably do the trick.
'Waiting for what?' It takes me an age to raise my eyes to Harper's, and I swear I do it to torment myself. Perhaps I need to see the glow in her eyes, the look of ravishing happiness as she gushes out her wonderful news, or perhaps I'm just a masochist.
'For you, Gabriel,' she whispers when her eyes finally meet mine. 'We've been waiting for you, you silly sod.' They're both looking at me, and I feel even worse now that I am under intense scrutiny. Waiting for what? To make their enchanting announcement and ask me whether I want to be a godfather? Fuck. I can't do this.
'Oh?' I say, taking another enormous gulp of wine. I don't bother to tell myself not to ask this time, because I know damn well I'm going to. 'Well, I am honoured. What are you waiting to tell me?' My eyes flit between Brandt and Harper, and the pain in my chest expands. Someone could have injected a litre of Ricin in there and it couldn't have hurt any more.
'He's not going to make this easy, is he?' Brandt says, and his lips twitch. Harper frowns at him. They seem so comfortable around each other, and I feel horribly jealous of that fact. It's been too long. I shouldn't have come. The trouble was, I couldn't stop myself.
Harper takes hold of my hand again and pats it as I drain my glass dry. By now they probably think I'm either insane or an alcoholic. To confirm the latter, I'm itching to grab the bottle of wine from its fetching silver bucket and pour the rest of it into my throat.
Harper smiles, and I brace myself for the worst. 'Gabriel, we want to know if you'll come live with us for a while. Brandt and I are still both in love with you, and if you feel the same way about us, we want to see if a threesome will work. It's a big ask. You might already have someone back in England, or you might not feel the same way about us as you once did, so don't worry about being straight with us. We have no idea if this will work, but if you're up for it, we'd like to give it a try.'
My eyes explode out of my head and land on a table at the far end of the restaurant. There's no way I heard that correctly.
'I told you he'd already have someone,' Harper murmurs to Brandt. 'For God's sake pour him some more wine. He looks green.' I can't say a word for the life of me. I just sit there, watching, as Brandt pours me another glass, and all I can do is blink. This cannot be happening, can it? This is too much to hope for. There's no way I can get this lucky.
'I did warn you,' Brandt replies to Harper, patting her shoulder gently. 'Gabe usually has them on tap, running at him from all angles. Can you see him swapping his glitzy lifestyle for suburbia and Chinese takeout? Oh God, Harper, don't cry on me. I can't take it.'
Harper's eyes are filling up as she looks at me, almost pleading with me to say 'yes'. She looks as desperate as I feel. There is no baby. They want me. They both want me. Finally, someone removes the axe from my chest and I feel I can breathe again. Taking another gulp of wine, I then shove my trembling hands beneath the table. This is all I've been dreaming about for the past two years. They want what I want. This is a scenario that I never dreamed would be possible.
'I can cope with suburbia, and Chinese takeout sounds good. I'm not sure you two can handle me, but I'm willing to give it a go if you are. You are, right? Please tell me you're not fucking with me?' That would be too cruel.
Brandt shakes his head and punches me on the shoulder. 'No, we've talked about this at length. Harper and I are both still in love with you. We think this could work, but only if you're onboard with it. We don't want to pressure you. Take your time. Think about it. There's no rush.'
Fuck that. 'I've already thought about it. Tell me, is anyone on this table actually hungry?'
Harper and Brandt look at each other and two slow smiles spread across their features.
'We had a late lunch,' says Harper, shrugging her shoulders, 'and there's lasagne in the fridge.'
'Taxi!' I yell, making nearly everyone in the restaurant turn around to stare at me. I don't care. Throwing a wad of bills down on the table, I escort a laughing Harper and Brandt outside to the taxi rank and pay the guy double to get us back to their house in record time.
Two years later
It's ironic really. I've waited so long to finally fall in love, that when it happened I fell for two people at the same time. Life is funny like that. I've gone from being a nasty, East End criminal, to becoming a devoted househusband. Actually, we all share the chores, but now that Brandt and Harper are out to work I take on most of them - except ironing. I'm shit at ironing. Harper hates it too, so poor old Brandt has been left with it. Thankfully he doesn't mind.
And I don't mind being left home alone. My latest passion is surfing and now that we have a house right on the beachfront, I can go whenever I want. It was an impulse buy, but thankfully both Brandt and Harper love it. It's a five-bedroom palace with its own infinity pool that rests on the beach, with soaringly high ceilings, a gourmet chef's kitchen, an open plan lounge and dining room, and three incredible bathrooms - one that features a jacuzzi. If that wasn't enough, we even have our own wet bar and boat house. We've had a lot of fun times in that jacuzzi together.
At the moment I'm working on getting out to work myself, but I'm not sure what I want to do. I can't just sit still. It drives me crazy. I always need to be moving, that's why prison very nearly killed me.
Hoisting my surfboard up under my arm, I make my way out of the warm sea and head back across the bright white sand, which is so hot it almost burns my feet. The day is picture perfect. The water is an incredible azure blue and the sky almost matches it. I am so fucking lucky. Untying the leash from my ankle, I get a better grip on the board as I begin to walk back to the house. I'm crap at surfing, but I love it. Every day I get a little better, though, and the locals have stopped taking the piss out of me. I even go out for a beer with one or two of the boys now. It's a nice life, and there isn't a thing I would change about it. Maybe I'll just practise with my board until I'm good enough to become an instructor. I'll probably be sixty before I have a chance at that job, but hey, it's something to aim for. Personal training is probably a better bet, or I could always set up my own martial arts studio. Now there's something I'm good at. It's a thought. I'm not in a hurry though. I certainly don't need the money.
Looking down at my watch, I realise Brandt and Harper will be due back in half an hour. I need to get moving. I have big plans for this evening. It's Brandt's birthday, and Harper and I thought we'd do something special. Seeing as he's into the kinky stuff, we've bought him a couple of presents we think he'll love. I've gone with a black steel spreader bar, with both wrist and ankle restraints. I grin evilly to myself. That will keep Harper out of trouble for the foreseeable future. Speaking of Harper, she's bought him a short suede flogger, which is also sure to be a big hit, although I'm going to get the most use out of that baby after tonight. We have an agreement on birthdays, though. You get to choose whether you want to be a top or a bottom for the night. Generally I top and that doesn't change on my birthday. Brandt swings somewhere in the middle, but on his birthday he always tops and for one night a year, he gets to top me. The fucker will put me through the wringer tonight, but it's a small price to pay for the other three-hundred-and-sixty-four days of the year, where I show him who's really boss. Harper always bottoms, except on her birthday. Brandt and I are always really careful to be especially nice to her on the week proceeding that celebration. She can be incredibly creative. Last year she made Brandt and I wear chastity belts for a week. She paid for that stunt for the rest of year, but I'm not sure she's learned her lesson yet.
Bounding up the stairs two at a time, I make sure the restraints are all attached to the bed, the candles are in place, and there's some decent music playing in the background. I changed the bedsheets this morning. Look at me, how domesticated am I? I have prison to thank for that. Anyway, I have paella
in the oven (store bought; I'm not a kitchen god unfortunately) and a bottle of Sancerre chilling nicely in the fridge. I picked up the enormous chocolate birthday cake this morning - the one which we'll be smearing all over Harper later so we can then lick it off her again - and it looks incredible. Baking is also not my forte. The only one in this house who can bake is Harper, and even she has a hit and miss reputation, not that we'd ever tell her (remember the bit about the chastity belts?). Anyway, we're all set. All I have to do is jump in the shower and drag a pair of jeans and a shirt on, and I'm good to go. Sending up a quick prayer to anyone that will listen, I ask them if they can try to make sure Brandt goes easy on me this evening. Maybe he'll be in a good mood. He's just had a promotion, so there's that. Yeah, and who am I trying to kid?
When the door bangs open wide twenty minutes later and Brandt and Harper burst in full of giggles, I know they've been talking about me. I swear she enjoys this evening as much as he does. The two of them look like angels, but let me tell you, there is a devil lurking in everyone.
'Had a good day, Brando?' I ask, somewhat cautiously.
He is quick to reply as he saunters over to give me a hug.
'Brilliant, as it happens,' he says, his grin huge.
'That because of the promotion? Did they give you a raise?' No one in the household needs money, so I fail to see how this can be exciting, but each to their own. Maybe he sees it as a sense of achievement or something.
'Nah. I couldn't care less about that.' He waves a hand high in the air, telling me exactly what I thought. The promotion means nothing.
'Ah, it's because you won the lottery then?' I say hopefully, winking at him.
'Nope. You know damn well why I'm so happy and you'd better brace yourself, Rodriguez. You are in for a spell of hell-on-wheels this evening.' I breathe in deeply. Oh well. It's only for one night. How bad can it be?
'Oh, and Harper hasn't bought me a flogger. She's been lying to you.'
I turn and give her a dark look. I spot treachery on the horizon. What has she been up to?
'What did you buy him?' I hiss.
The two of them look at each other and burst into fits of giggles again. Jesus Christ. I'm living with children.
'Spit it out,' I say. We might as well get this over and done with.
Finally she manages to get herself under control, although she's now got a serious case of the hiccups. Serves her right.
'It's called the 'Ace of Spades',' she says, when she can finally talk again, 'and your ass is never going to be the same again.'
I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. Breathe, just breathe, I tell myself. Revenge will be mine tomorrow night, which is when these two will be screaming into the sunset.
'Don't you want to know what it is?' she asks me, with the cheekiest grin on her face. God, she is adorable. I don't know who I love more, her or Brandt. I couldn't decide even if I wanted to.
'I'd rather not know,' I say dryly. I have a feeling that a couple of painkillers before the session might be a good idea though.
'Good call,' Brandt yells, pulling me to him. We look at each other for a long moment, before melding our mouths together in a rough but intense kiss. This never gets old. I am living the dream. I don't kid myself that this will last forever because few things do, but if I can have a few years of it, then I will consider myself one of the luckiest men alive. When we finally pull apart we are both breathing hard, and Harper is looking on jealously.
'Hey, what about me?' she teases, with a wicked glint in her eye. She then squeezes her tight little body in between us, and my cock doubles in size instantly.
Raising my eyebrows I say, 'Oh, don't worry. You're going to get yours. I haven't bought Brandt a spreader bar either, as it happens.' I have, but that can go in storage for a bit. Now that we're waging war against each other I'm going to let Brandt have a little something I was saving for my birthday.
'What have you bought?' Harper demands, almost hopping in agitation now the shoe is on the other foot. Too bad. Two can play at this game.
'You'll just have to wait and see,' I purr. 'Brandt isn't allowed to open it until later, though.' The cooker timer then goes off as if on cue, and we all make our way into the dining room.
I'm going to need to do a quick wrapping job on a female chastity belt in an hour's time, but it's nothing I can't handle. The day Harper gets one over on me is the day I roll over in my grave.
Grabbing the wine from the fridge, I fill everyone's glass and raise mine in the air.
'To us,' I toast. 'May we always be this fucking good together.'
'To us,' they chant, and the celebration begins in earnest.
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Gabriel
No one has much of an appetite for the paella. It's not a bad offering if I'm honest, but nothing like they make at home. I miss tapas, Jamon Iberico, and churros. Maybe I'll have to take Harper and Brandt to Spain one day. Although I don't have any relatives to introduce them to, I'm sure we'd have fun.
'Everyone finished?' I ask, when no one has touched their plate for at least a couple of minutes. We've all been fairly quiet over dinner. The air is charged with sexual tension, and no one has their mind on food.
'Yes, let's get this show on the road,' says Brandt, as he rubs his hands together and winks at me. The grin he is wearing almost splits his face in two. I already know I am going to suffer this evening, but for some reason I get the feeling it will be more than usual. It's one day a year, I tell myself. It's a small price to pay for happiness. Suck it up and do as you're told. The trouble is, I really don't like doing as I'm told. This is probably why Brandt and Harper enjoy this evening so much.
'So, what's on the agenda tonight?' I ask casually, as I begin to stack the dishes. Harper stands up to help me, and we both begin loading the dishwasher. She is also smiling, but it's all right for her; she likes pain. She also enjoys submitting. I, on the other hand, do not.
Brandt clucks his tongue. 'No way am I going to tell you that, Gabe. You'll just have to be patient. It'll be your turn to have fun with me soon enough.' I glower silently. He is not wrong. I am already planning my retribution for tomorrow night and it is going to be epic. That sentiment is then ruined as I very nearly drop the plate I've been holding. Fortunately Harper grabs it before it has a chance to smash.
'Go easy on the big guy, Brandt. You know this is hard for him. Stop tormenting him and get on with it.'
Brandt looks at her and screws his face up comically. 'You're spoiling all my fun, you know that, right?'
Harper shakes her head at him. 'I'm pretty sure you're going to have more fun than you can handle this evening, so don't rub it in. Give the guy a break, Captain Evil.' She looks back at me and puts her hand on my arm, giving me an affectionate tap. 'He's just fucking with you, Gabe. It's his one night a year. He's going to go to town, but it is only one night.' She inserts her cute little butt against my crotch and grinds herself against me. If she was looking to divert my attention, she's succeeded.
'Come here,' I growl, spinning her around so that she's facing me. I desperately need a distraction, and getting my hands all over that incredible body will certainly provide one. Feathering my fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck, I pull her head towards mine until our lips are almost touching. 'Your job this evening is to keep him occupied, you hear me? If you can be a good girl, I might crack out the whip tomorrow evening.'
Her eyes widen in heated anticipation, but I barely see it because my lips are already descending upon hers. I have been waiting to cop a feel of this beautiful body all day and now that it's pressed up against me, it is too much temptation to resist. Slowly sliding my hand up the hem of her skirt, I groan out loud when I find she's naked under there. When I say naked, I mean really naked. There's not a hair upon that beautiful cunt of hers, and I should know because I suckle at it on a daily basis.
'You like that?' she breathes into my mouth. She knows I like it. I was the one who paid for her to have
it lasered off. Now it's so silky smooth you could eat your dinner off it, and Brandt and I do, quite regularly.
'You know I do,' I growl. Gripping her bottom lip in my mouth, I bite down gently, pulling my head back so I can watch the flare of pain in her eyes before the rush of arousal floods in. That look undoes me. Thrusting three fingers sharply inside her, I smile when they are covered in soft, slippery heat. 'You're drenched,' I purr.
Harper smiles cheekily. 'How could I not be? I'm surrounded by two incorrigible reprobates. You keep me fully juiced from morning until dusk.'
I lick my lips as my fingers delve deeper. 'Just morning until dusk?' I frown darkly as my thumb dances hungrily upon her clit. I then pull my fingers out and pinch her clit in my knuckles.
Harper throws her head back and gasps. 'You are a monster. You know that, right?'
I love it when she gets that throaty little rasp to her voice. I love knowing that we make her so hot she walks around permanently wet, and I love that she does the same thing to me. Our unusual trio is working far better than any of us dared to hope.
'Just morning until dusk?' I repeat silkily, increasing the pressure on her clit. If she's not careful I'll bruise it, and then she'll really suffer this evening.
'A girl's gotta sleep,' she replies cheekily, grinding those lithe little hips into me once again.
Now I need help. 'Brandt, your woman is behaving badly again. She reckons we only keep her dripping from dawn until dusk,' I yell.
'Why is she always my woman when she misbehaves?' Brandt says, standing up from the table as he rolls his eyes heavenward.
Beautiful Tyrant (Enemies to Lovers - Dark Romance Book 3) Page 26