by Dana Delamar
Raj nodded, and the Guptas had the good grace to stay silent.
I took one more look at my own parents, but they seemed frozen, and I knew the feeling.
It was time for me to leave. I squeezed Indira’s and Patag’s hands. “Thank you for standing by me.”
“We’ll walk you out,” Indira said.
I released their hands. “You both still live at home, so no, you won’t.”
Patag opened his mouth. “Dev—”
“I’ll be okay.” Sky and Rod stepped forward. Taking the hands of my two lovers, I forced my feet to start moving to the reception hall’s front doors.
I was Dev Stone now. Devkinandan Prakesh was dead.
I didn’t belong here anymore.
ROD
The mood in the limo when Tony and Hugh drove us back to my flat was somber to say the least. Sandwiched between me and Sky, Dev sat silent and lost in thought. He’d withdrawn into himself and seemed unaware of Sky’s head on his shoulder or her hand rubbing soothing circles on his chest. As for me, I had no fucking idea how to handle this. The role of comforter was a new one for me. I was usually the sullen one, the angry one.
Is that really true?
I thought back to all the years of our friendship. Sure, Dev had been there for me through some pretty rough times, but… I’d been there for him too. When his parents had insisted Dev attend Saturday morning maths classes instead of the piano lessons he’d wanted to take, I’d sat hours with him coming up with a plan to change their minds. And it had worked. I’d helped him find ways out of every restriction his parents had tried impose on him.
I snuck a glance at his face out of the corner of my eye. This situation wasn’t so different, was it? When Dev’s parents had wanted him to leave the band, I’d fouled that up. They’d wanted him to marry an Indian girl, and I’d fouled that plan too. And now, they wanted Dev to feel the weight of what they perceived to be his betrayal, his shame. I was damn well going to foul that plan up as well.
Dev was a good man. The best man I knew. The shame was on his parents and any of his siblings who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, I corrected myself, accept him and love him for everything that he was.
I could never do that to him. I could never try to change Dev, because he was perfect exactly as he was. And if that meant keeping our relationship, our triad in the closet, then that was exactly what we would do.
When the car stopped in the private garage under my building, I opened the door and took Dev’s hand in mine. Dev looked at me. His eyes were hooded and so lost, I felt my own fill with tears. “Come, babe. We’re home.”
He blinked and looked around, his gaze clearing. “We’re at your place.”
I kissed the back of his hand. “Consider it ours. Yours, mine”—I smiled at Sky—“and Sky’s. Ours.”
She sent me a watery smile of her own. “Let’s get inside, Dev.”
Like an automaton, he exited the vehicle and headed for the lifts. Sky and I exchanged a look. She was as worried about him as I was. I placed my hand at the base of her spine and we hurried to catch up. I swiped my key card and pressed the button that would direct the lift to my penthouse. It covered the entire top floor of the building and had an enormous terrace overlooking London’s downtown core.
I loved this place. When King’s Cross had started to earn us serious cash, I’d sunk all my money into it. It was my home, the only place on this big earth where I belonged, the only place where I didn’t have to hide my heart or put up a front. Even though Mum and my siblings loved me just as I was, I still kept Hot Rod on a leash around them.
But in my own home? He was free to play.
The lift dinged and the doors opened up into my foyer. I ushered Sky and Dev inside, and a thrill tightened my gut. The two most important people in my life were in my private space, and all I felt was elation. Sky had spent the week with me, except for the hours I’d been in the studio rehearsing for the tour and laying down vocal tracks for the album. And in the past, Dev had spent a lot of time here, mostly, I suspected as a way to get away from his family.
What neither knew was that other than my family and the maid, they were the only two people to step foot inside my sanctuary.
Instead of making me feel ill or scared or anxious, all I felt was glad.
I wanted Sky and Dev to be happy too. But how? How could I turn this sorry situation around?
My instinct was to take them both to bed and let the chemistry between us and the euphoria of a few good orgasms take care of matters. Sex had always worked for me before. It was how I expressed myself best.
Yet, when I took Dev and Sky’s hands and led them to the living room, I knew that sex wouldn’t be the answer this time. Dev had been disowned by his family, likely kicked out of the Indian community he’d been a part of his whole life. Hell, he’d even been stripped of his name.
I took off my rhinestone-studded suit jacket and black waistcoat and draped them over a chair. They looked divine, but they were a bit constricting.
Sky and I sat Dev down on the couch, once again between us. “How are you doing, Dev?” she asked in a soft, hesitant voice.
Dev stared straight ahead, his hands clenched together in his lap. He closed his eyes briefly and exhaled loudly. “I knew this was going to happen. It’s why I put off coming out for so long.”
“We’re here for you. Whatever you need.” Sky placed her hand over his and raised her brows at me. “Aren’t we, Rod?”
“Yeah.” I coughed to clear my throat. “Of course.”
Dev snorted. “Don’t strain yourself, mate.”
Fuck. I was about to step my foot in it, wasn’t I? “I’m sorry, Dev. I’m not very good with…” I trailed off as I searched for the best way to express how hopeless I felt.
“Not good with what, Rod? Words?” His face was twisted into a scowl, but at least the numbness in his eyes was gone.
“Yeah. Words.” It was as good an answer as any. Or so I thought.
Dev’s scowl deepened. “You’re a sodding lyricist, you dolt.”
My face split into a grin.
“What the fuck are you smiling about?” He practically spat the words, steam billowing out of his ears.
“You,” I said, laughing now. “You’re swearing at me and calling me names.”
“And that makes you smile?” He rolled his eyes. “Your sainted mother certainly dropped you on your noggin when you were a child.”
“I’m smiling because I know you’re going to be all right.” I caught him around the neck and pulled him against me. I kissed his lips. It started out as a friendly peck, but who was I kidding? Anytime I had Dev in my arms with his mouth on mine, an inferno was sure to follow.
Hands went around my sides, another gripped my hair and tugged my head back. Dev’s lips left mine and nipped at my jawline, nibbled on my chin, and licked my exposed Adam’s apple, chasing it up and down my throat when I swallowed.
I heard the sound of a zipper being lowered, then another. I opened my lids and looked into Dev’s dark brown eyes and Sky’s lighter brown ones. So much love was shining on me. My throat tightened and tears burned the backs of my eyes. Again. What the fuck was wrong with me? Tearing up, much less twice in one day? I blinked rapidly to get rid of them. I had to be the strong one today. Rod Taylor did not cry. Not when my father had beaten me, even less when he’d fucked off never to be heard from again.
I had to be strong for Dev, who’d lost everything, and for Sky, who was making a lot of concessions to be with us.
I leaned forward to capture Sky’s plump lips. I looked at their fullness and delved inside to taste her mouth, to feel the sensual slide of her tongue against mine. When my chest was about to explode with the need for air, I pulled back and studied Dev and Sky’s nearly identical lust-filled expressions.
“The two of you are fucking beautiful together.”
Dev licked his lips and bent to kiss Sky, then me.
“Were all beautiful together,”
she said.
That’s when it hit me—what I had to do. What I wanted to do. The only mystery that remained was why I hadn’t thought to do it sooner.
I extricated myself from them and stood with my back turned. I removed my nan’s gold wedding band from my pinky along with the black tungsten ring with the notes to the opening bar of “Summer Fun.” The two rings that meant the most to me.
When I went to slide them into my pocket, I realized that my trousers had been unzipped and were now barely hanging on at my thighs. Laughing, I let them fall to the ground, toed off my boots, and kicked the lot aside.
Standing in only my gray silk dress shirt—the tie had long since been rolled up into the pocket of my jacket—black boxers, and socks, I turned to face the two loves of my life.
They studied me with curiosity. But the questions on Dev’s face did nothing to hide the pain in his eyes. I’d do anything to rid Dev of his misery, but even I knew he’d have to work through it on his own.
Slowly, with my eyes on them and the rings clutched in my palm, I lowered myself to my knees between them.
One of Dev’s brows arched, and he began to grin as the bulge between his legs grew, pushing through his open zipper. “If you want to suck my dick, Rod, you need only ask. Or better yet, just do it.”
I placed a hand on his thigh and squeezed. “There will be plenty of time for a sneak attack later,” I said.
Sky laid her hand on my shoulder. “What’s going on, Rod?”
Trust Sky to know when I was trying to be serious. I hemmed and hawed and cleared my throat. Dev sat up straighter. “Rod?”
“Sky, when I look back on the past three months and see how much my life has changed, I know it’s all thanks to you. Even if I didn’t recognize it at the time, I fell for you, hard, during that magical week we all spent together in Palm Springs. You’ve made me a better person. A more open one. I hope that in time, I’ll prove that this foul-mouthed, dirty-minded rock singer is worthy of your love and kindness.”
Sky’s eyes filled with tears. Her hand moved to my jaw. “Oh, Rod. You already are. You always were.”
I turned my face and kissed her palm. “I love you, Sky.”
“I love you too.”
My eyes sought out Dev’s. “Dev, you’re smart and loving and selfless and fucking perfect, no matter what anyone says. You were put on this earth to make music and to sing. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that what you do and who you love doesn’t make you less of a man. Being honest with yourself makes you more of one.”
Dev scoffed lightly, but the corner of his mouth kicked up in a small smile. “You have your work cut out for you, mate.”
“We’ve been together for twenty years,” I said. “I’m not giving up on you. Not now, not ever.”
Dev placed his hand on top of mine on his lap. His eyes softened and his half-smile expanded into a full one. “You’ve always been my rock, Rod. Do you know that?”
My head jerked back. “No.” He had it all wrong.
“It’s true. Every good thing in my life is because of you. The music, the band. Hell, you helped me buy my first axe. Remember? We found that old Takamine at that scrotty music shop on Denmark Street.” He turned to Sky, his eyes bright with humor and the memory. “It was scuffed and scratched, and the shopkeeper told us it had once been owned by John Squire of Stone Roses. Rod gave me all the money he’d socked away so I could buy it.”
“I remember. The piece of shite cost us two hundred quid and was probably worth less than twenty.”
Dev chuckled. “We composed our first song with it.”
“‘Summer Fun,’” I said, smiling at the memory.
“I hope you’ll sing it for me some time,” Sky said.
Dev put his arm around her and kissed her temple. “Anytime, sweets.” He turned back to me. “Above everything else, Sky is the single best thing in my life, because of you.”
“Because of me? You have that backward, mate.” I looked at Sky, hoping she understood the depth of my regrets. “We almost lost her because of me.”
“No,” Dev insisted. “We almost lost her because of me and my inability to accept myself. We won her back because of you.”
“Boys, boys,” Sky interceded. “You got me back because in my heart, I never let you go. You guys are my world. My life.”
I rose onto my knees and kissed her, then Dev. “You two make me whole. I can live without you, but I don’t want to. I tried it, and I was sodding miserable. I’m a better man with both of you in my life. I hope I do the same for you. I want you, I need you, and I love you.”
I paused for a moment, took a deep breath, then plunged ahead. “You’ve given me so much, and well… I don’t have much to give. Except….” I held out a ring in each hand, my nan’s for Sky, the other for Dev. “Dev, you may have been born into the Prakesh name, and”—I looked at Sky—“I know your mum doesn’t believe in the whole patriarchy, but I’d really like it if we all had the same last name. We can’t get legally married, but maybe this can work for us instead? My old man wasn’t much, but my grandfather was stellar, and I would be honored if you both took my name.”
“Sky Taylor, Dev Taylor, and Rod Taylor.” Dev grinned. “It does have a nice ring to it. What do you say, Sky?”
A happy tear rolled down her cheek. “I love it, oh my God.” A sob escaped through her sappy smile. My heart grew two sizes just to contain all my feelings. “I so want us to be Rod, Dev, and Sky Taylor.”
I put the rings on their fingers, then Sky launched herself at me at the same time Dev did. They tackled me to the floor. I lay there, beaming, exploding with love, my arms full of the two people who were my everything.
They crawled over me, one on each side. Dev’s hot, hard cock prodded my hip, and Sky’s firm full breasts pressed into my chest. Her fingers went to work on the buttons of my shirt while Dev kissed every inch of skin she exposed. I shivered and arched into them. Christ, they had a way of making me lose my sodding mind.
When he reached my boxers, Dev pulled them down my legs, then he straddled my thigh. Pre-cum pooled on the tip of my cock and dripped onto my thigh. Sky swooped in and licked it up, making an appreciative sound in her throat.
“How does he taste, Mrs. Taylor?” Dev asked.
“Amazing.” She licked her lips and winked. Hearing Dev call her by my name made it all so real. We belonged together. Forever was within my reach. She gripped my cock and I couldn’t help thrusting into her tight fist. More cum collected in my slit.
“Fucking Christ.”
She angled the head toward Dev. “Would you care for a taste, Mr. Taylor?”
“I so would.” He sucked me into his mouth, swallowing me down to the root. I roared out my pleasure. Dev’s hot mouth was heaven. But I wanted to be connected to them both.
I sat up, reached for Sky’s hips, and swung her over me as I lay back down. This position put her wet pussy right above my mouth.
“Jesus, Mr. Taylor,” she cried. “Give a girl some warning.”
“Nope. Dev said I didn’t have to ask.”
And before she could argue, I sealed my lips over her clit and sucked.
“Oh!” she moaned and widened her thighs. Her heat and scent enveloped me. Filled me. I didn’t want Dev to be left out though. We were a family now, exactly how I’d dreamed.
I rolled us so we were all lying on the same side. Dev positioned himself with his cock near Sky’s mouth and mine in his.
“Oh fuck,” I murmured as he lashed his tongue along my shaft.
We were all connected, giving each other pleasure, and I never wanted it to stop. My balls began to tingle, drawing up tight against my belly. I thrust into Dev’s mouth and groaned when his throat fluttered around my cockhead. My groan vibrated into Sky’s pussy. Her thighs trembled against the sides of my face, and my mouth was flooded with her taste. I gripped her waist and held on, knowing she was as close as I was.
She moaned and thrust against
me, doing something wicked to Dev because his answering groan vibrated from the tip of my cock to my heart. I pistoned into his mouth, sucked Sky’s clit, and my orgasm hit me like a fucking tidal wave, dragging me under into sweet ecstasy before I could even attempt to stave it off.
Sky’s legs clamped onto my head and I felt her pussy pulsing against my tongue. Dev’s breath caught and then he too was tossed over the edge. He continued to suck on my cock, light lazy strokes that I mimicked on Sky and she no doubt reciprocated to Dev.
It seemed like forever before our breathing return to normal. I looked at us, daisy-chained as we were, and grinned. “We’re a circle,” I said.
“No beginning,” Sky said.
“And no end,” Dev finished.
Chapter 15
SKY
After six long months of us seeing each other only intermittently, Rod and Dev had insisted on San Francisco as the final date of the King’s Cross tour. That way I could check in with my parents, who I also hadn’t seen much of now that I was headquartered in Miami, and then Rod and Dev and I could take a vacation, and I could show my two loves where I’d grown up.
I’d barely had any time with Rod and Dev before tonight’s show, which I’d been watching from the wings with Mom and Dad. The guys were about to play their final encore, “No Strings,” which had become a monster hit and always made me smile and sometimes cry happy tears whenever I heard it.
I twisted Rod’s ring around my finger. I loved the weight of it on my left hand, loved looking at it when my men weren’t with me. And I loved telling people I was Sky Taylor now.
Our relationship had been hinted at in the press—along with the videos from Tahiti, some pictures and video from Aahna’s wedding had ended up on the internet—but Rod and Dev had decided to let things lie for a while. Dev still felt bad about how he’d stolen his sister’s thunder and “wrecked” her wedding, as he put it.
Indira and Patag had both been keeping in close touch with Dev, and to her credit, Aahna had even called him once and told him she’d forgiven him even if she didn’t understand our relationship. Indira was still working on their parents, but she worried that Dev’s father was too afraid of what everyone else would think and wouldn’t bend on the matter, but it was still early days.