And it was love. This wasn’t just sex. This was full-on, heart-dropping, stomach-churning love. The kind of love anyone would be lucky to get.
The men held her close, their legs twined together. Finally, Linc started to pull out very slowly, her muscles protesting.
“Easy, baby. I need to take care of the condom. Justin, too.”
She felt bereft as Linc disappeared into the bathroom. He was back in seconds and held her while Justin did the same. She was planning on falling back asleep when Linc tugged her out of bed and scooped her into his arms, heading for the bathroom.
“Let’s shower and hit the diner for breakfast. I want to show you off to the entire town.”
She giggled. “Maybe I want to show you both off, too. I could make you wear T-shirts that say ‘Leah’s hot studs’ on the front. What do you think?”
Linc waggled his eyebrows as Justin turned on the shower. “I think we need to get some shirts made up. We’ll get one made for you also.”
“What will mine say?”
Linc smiled. “Our dream come true.”
Leah sniffled as he set her feet down in the shower. Her boys could be sweet and romantic when they wanted to be. They were her dream come true. She’s always believed in fairy tales, and now she was living one.
Chapter Fourteen
“I’m happy, okay? We’re really happy.” Leah laughed and bit into the succulent pot roast. She was attending the Monday night dinner at the diner with Jillian, Cassie, Becca, and Ava. She’d been so busy with Justin and Linc she hadn’t been in a few weeks and the women were bursting with questions.
“Damn, this pot roast is delicious,” Leah raved. “I’ve got to learn to cook this. Justin and Linc would love it.”
“Thinking homey, domestic thoughts, are we?” Cassie teased. “Next stop is marriage-city.”
The other women laughed and nodded, but Leah rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure my men are marriage-minded. I know they love me and I know they’re committed to me, but we’ve never talked the Big ‘M.’”
Ava nodded. “It’s a big step. My boys knew I had trust issues, so they waited a little while. By the time they proposed, I was at ‘hell yeah.’ I can’t wait to be their wife.”
Jillian dug into her chicken-fried steak with relish. “How are the wedding plans coming? Are you still planning an autumn wedding?”
“Yes, we are. The wedding colors will be an autumn palette. Think big, huge bouquets of flowers with a riot of colors, a tiered wedding cake in chocolate and gold. We want a sit-down dinner but a dessert buffet afterward.”
“Fireworks, too?” Becca laughed. “It must be nice planning a wedding with no budget.”
Ava blushed. “My men are good to me. I would have been happy with a small wedding, but you know how they are. You can take the boys out of New York, but you can’t take the New York out of the boys. They said they’re only getting married once and want to do it big. I had to talk them out of horse-drawn carriages.”
Leah wrinkled her nose. “Horses can do smelly things.”
Ava nodded vigorously. “Agreed. I put my foot down on that one.”
Leah turned to Becca. “By the way, thanks for meeting with Logan and Meyer. I know they probably asked some personal questions and you were awesome to talk to them.”
Becca waved away her concern. “They seem like really nice guys. We liked them a lot. They did ask some personal questions, but were careful to stay on the safe side of the boundary. Mostly they were concerned with the logistics of making this work. I got the impression the sexual side was taken care of. They admitted they’d had sex together with a woman, but hadn’t found one they wanted to make a commitment to. I know Mark and Travis had a great deal to say on that subject. You know, waiting until you find the right one, making her the center of the relationship.” Becca leaned forward. “We should find a woman to fix them up with.”
Jillian’s expression was surprised. “Are they moving here? I thought they lived in Los Angeles.”
Becca grinned. “They do, but we put the full-court press on them to think about moving here. They’ve fallen in love with the town but aren’t sure about their business. If we could just find a woman for them to fall for it would be a done deal.”
Cassie sat back replete. “What exactly is their business again? It’s some kind of security, right?”
Leah shrugged. “Best as I can tell, they do security checks, you know, background information. I guess rich and famous people like to know personal details about the people they work with and spend time with. I think they also set up security systems and such. We didn’t talk about it in detail.”
“Is that what they’re doing for Linc and Justin?” Ava asked.
“I think so.”
Jillian pushed her food around on her plate. “That doesn’t concern you a little? Don’t you wonder who they’re having checked out?”
Leah raised an eyebrow. “I know who they’re having checked out and I’m not worried. They don’t seem to have a care in the world, so I’m not concerned in the least.”
Cassie sipped her iced tea. “You’re so serene all the time. I’d be driving Zach and Chase crazy with questions.”
Leah shook her head. “I’m not worried at all. If anything was going on, Linc and Justin would, for sure, tell me.”
* * * *
Linc’s phone starting ringing just as he and Justin entered their office at the club. They were planning to head home soon to meet Leah after her Monday night dinner with the girls.
Linc groaned when he saw the caller. “I’m putting this call on speaker. It’s Bobbi.”
He accepted the call and sat down at his desk. “Hey, Bobbi. What’s going on?”
Justin perched on the edge of the desk with a wary expression. They both wondered what Bobbi thought she had on Justin.
“Linc, what a pleasure to talk to you. I’m calling you about the concert tour. Have you had a chance to reconsider the offer?”
“I haven’t changed my mind,” Justin answered. “I’m opting out. Good luck, though. Sounds like it should be a big one.”
There was a long silence. Justin and Linc exchanged a glance while they waited for Bobbi’s reply. Hopefully, she would tip her hand.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Justin. We’ve been friends for a long time.”
Linc shook his head. They’d never been friends. Not really.
“I hate to do this, but I need you on this tour. I need you to say yes.”
“I won’t say yes.” Justin pulled up a chair from his desk and relaxed back in it with a grin. After several discussions with Justin, Linc knew there was nothing Bobbi could say that would compel Justin to do the tour.
“I think you will.” There was anger in Bobbi’s voice now. She was clearly not happy with them. “I don’t think you want your devoted fans to know what you’ve been up to. I’d hate to have to tell them.”
Justin leaned toward the phone. “Why don’t you tell me what I’ve been up to that anyone would give a shit about?”
Bobbi laughed but she sounded more triumphant than happy. “Threesomes. You and Linc like it kinky. I have three women who are willing to make a statement to the press that you had sex with them together. They’re also willing to testify you’re a little perverted, liking spankings and double-penetration sex. You even moved to a kinky town and are double-teaming your little girlfriend. What would the world think about their Golden Boy if they found out?”
Linc shook his head in amazement. They’d never flaunted their sexual proclivities but they hadn’t buried them either. The fact was they never thought anyone gave a damn about what they did in the privacy of their bedroom as long as Justin churned out the hits.
Justin propped his feet up on the desk. “Go ahead.”
Crickets could have been heard in the background. “What do you mean?” Bobbi’s voice had lost its bravado. She sounded unsure of herself now.
“I mean, go ahead. Tell anyone you want. W
e don’t give a damn.”
“You’ll lose everything. You’ll lose your fans and your career.”
“I won’t lose anything I value. I left my career behind, and if my fans don’t approve, well, that’s their business. I won’t let you blackmail me, Bobbi.”
“I’ll call a press conference today. I’ll tell them everything.” Her voice was shaky.
Linc snorted. “Tell them. They’ll talk about us for a few days, then somebody else will fuck up and we’ll be old news. But, if I were you I’d be careful, Bobbi.”
“Why should I be careful?” Bobbi sounded like she was crying now. Linc hated being a hard-ass, but he didn’t tolerate people threatening them.
“I doubt you want people talking about you. You’ve got a few skeletons, too.”
Logan and Meyer had called him last night and filled them in on Bobbi’s checkered past. They didn’t want to use any of it against her in the press, but Linc wouldn’t hesitate to point out she had something to lose herself if she persisted with this.
“I hate you,” Bobbi spat. “I hate both of you.”
“We can live with it,” Linc answered. “I’m sorry you’re in the mess you’re in, but you can’t go around blackmailing people into doing whatever you want. Life doesn’t work that way.”
“You’ll be sorry. Both of you will.”
Justin shook his head sadly. “The only thing we’re sorry for is ever doing business with you in the first place. Take some advice, Bobbi. Straighten up and do things by the book. Treat people decently. In the end, people are all you have, not money, cars, and big houses.”
“Fuck you. Fuck both of you. I’m going to get back on top, and when I do I’m going to make sure you never work again.” Bobbi hung up.
Linc sighed in relief. “Now we know what she thought she had. She still can’t seem to understand we don’t want what we had. We want something completely different.”
Justin stood up and stared out over the club. “Bobbi’s going to have to learn this lesson the hard way.” He turned back. “She’s mad enough to go to the press. You’re the boss. What do you suggest?”
Linc grinned. “I’m going to call Logan and Meyer first and thank them for their help and then get a press conference of our own scheduled. Let’s get the truth out there before anyone else. I don’t want this to keep haunting us in the future. If we really don’t care what people say, let’s do it.”
Justin nodded. “The truth will set us free. Make your calls.”
* * * *
Leah hummed as she climbed the stairs to the office above the club. She’d had a great dinner with the girls and hadn’t felt strange or awkward once. She giggled. She was becoming downright extroverted on occasion. Rare occasions, of course.
She pushed open the door to the office and heard Linc and Justin talking along with another voice. She hesitated to interrupt them when they were doing business so she decided to wait until they were done.
“Bobbi’s big news was she’s planning to tell the world Linc and I share women,” Justin could be heard saying. “She knows about Leah, and the town of Plenty. Of course, she says it will ruin my career. I’ll lose fans and our lives won’t be worth living. She was pretty venal when she called.”
“What did you tell her?” She recognized Logan’s voice although it was a little distorted. They must be talking on the phone.
Linc pushed back his chair. “What do you think we told her? This isn’t going to end well. You know that.”
Leah stepped back, almost stumbling on the stairs. She backed down them quickly, her heart breaking into pieces. Someone was going to out Justin and Linc about their relationship with her. Justin would lose many of his fans, possibly friends and family, to make matters worse. It was hard for people outside of a town like this to truly understand ménage. Even Linc had said it wouldn’t end well. If the press got a hold of this, it would ruin Justin’s legacy. People wouldn’t talk about his music anymore. They’d talk about his personal life.
She practically ran down to her car and started driving, not sure where she was going, but knowing she had to put some distance between herself and her men. By the time she reached Main Street, the tears in her eyes had dried. She swallowed the lump in her throat, heartsick at the turn of events. She knew what she had to do. She had to back away from her beloved men. It was the only way to make this situation right. She couldn’t let them lose everything they’d worked for because of her.
I love them too much to let them be hurt.
Man, love was painful. Even when Jenny had set her bookstore on fire, her chest hadn’t hurt this badly. The only solace she felt was the fact she knew they loved her in return. It wouldn’t be easy for any of them, but it had to be done. They were probably trying to work out a gentle way to let her down easy right now.
She found herself at the far end of Main Street, past the historic district, where her father’s old mechanic’s garage was located. Gabe’s motorcycle was parked outside alongside Jason’s truck. She didn’t know what they were doing there, but she suddenly needed the comfort of family. She wasn’t going to be able to get through this broken heart alone.
The front door was locked, but the back door was open, letting in an early spring breeze. She stepped in—the overhead lights up on the high ceiling were lit up—and looked around in confusion. All the car lifts and tools were gone. The space was wide open, with only some sawhorses and tables in the middle of the room. On the tables were hammers, saws, and nails, while in the corner of the large warehouse-like space was a large stack of wood. She spied Gabe and Jason leaning against a counter and talking. It was good to see them so comfortable with each other.
“Hey, what are you guys doing in here?”
Both men started when they saw her, obviously not expecting any company. Gabe straightened up, his shoulders tense.
“Sis, I could ask the same question. What are you doing here? I thought you had a date with Justin and Linc tonight?”
She felt her lips start to tremble and her eyes start to fill with tears. She hated being a crybaby, but she was still reeling from the conversation she’d overheard. Gabe pulled her in for a hug before she could answer.
“Aw, sis. What happened? Do I need to go kick Justin and Linc’s asses? Because I will, you know. Jason will, too.”
Jason nodded grimly. “They make you cry, I make them cry. Fair is fair.”
She shook her head and pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes. “No, it’s not their fault.”
Gabe crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed. He was every inch the big brother at this moment. “Then whose fault is it?”
Gabe offered her his bottle of water and she drank gratefully, sinking into the metal folding chair by the counter. “I’m going to end it with them. I have to.”
Jason pulled up another chair. “Okay, slow down, think this through, and tell us why you have to end it.”
Leah took a deep breath and told them about the phone call she’d overheard. Jason pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. “Leah, you didn’t hear the entire conversation. You could have misunderstood something. Did they say they needed to end the relationship?”
She shook her head, sniffling. Gabe handed her a handkerchief. “No, but they said she could make their life not worth living. I don’t want their life not worth living. It would be mean to stay with them if this could happen.”
Gabe scowled. “They’re fucking famous, at least Justin is. They must have thought this whole lifestyle thing through before they came here.”
Jason patted her hand. “Something isn’t right here. You need to talk to them, honest and open. If you can’t be together, you deserve to know the truth and why. Maybe they just need to keep it a secret. Make out like you’re only with Linc or something.”
That sounded even worse. Pretending not to love one of her men would be impossible. She knew it was written on her face every time she looked at them.
“I can’t talk to them. I’l
l just start crying, and you know men hate a woman crying.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Gabe said. “Why don’t you head home and get some sleep. Everything will look better tomorrow.”
Leah pushed her glasses up her nose. “I can’t go home. They’ve already left me several messages and the next place they’re going to go is my house. I’m not ready to face them.”
Jason squeezed her hands. “You have to face them, cuz. You can’t avoid this. It’s not a book where you don’t have to turn the page. This is real life.”
Real life sucks. Give me a book any day.
Her head fell back and she slumped in the chair. “I know you’re right. I just don’t want you to be right.”
Gabe laughed. “Sorry, sis. We men are right every now and then. Do you want us to come with you?”
She shook her head and stood up. “No, I’m a grown woman. I can do this.” She took a good look around for the first time since arriving. “You never answered me. What are you guys doing here? Not that I’m complaining. It’s good to see you two work together again.”
Gabe rubbed his chin. “Let’s just say Jason got even with me. He’s agreed to help me with my project when he has time off.”
She raised her eyebrows. “What project is that? It’s obvious you’re not opening this back up to work on cars. What is this going to be when it grows up? Does the town council know about this?”
The town council was very protective of Plenty and what businesses could open there.
“Yes, I already talked to Zach and Chase about this. I have a permit and everything, little sister. Worried Jason might have to arrest me?”
Gabe was smiling and she felt herself start to smile back. It was hard to be unhappy when her brother was so clearly happy again. She’d waited a long time to see him this way.
Plenty to Believe [Plenty, FL 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 14