by Coralee June
“Why don’t you go check on her?” I asked. “Isn’t that what you’re good at?”
Alessandro scowled at me, his beautiful face twisted up into something fierce yet beautiful. I knew he didn’t understand. Perhaps I was depressed. I had five pent-up years of pain and desperation to wean off of. I wasn’t used to not being alone.
“You’re still Nix,” he said. Alessandro was sitting on a chair, leaning forward to rest his arms on the tops of his knees. His chestnut hair was disheveled and wet from his shower. His gray eyes were piercing in the late afternoon. We kept the motel dark, the shades drawn. But he was a beacon of light despite it all.
“Am I though?” I asked. “No one stays the same. Some of us change for the better. Me, for the worse.”
“You think I’m better?” he asked. There was a vulnerability to his tone I couldn’t quite place.
“Five years ago you refused to care for anyone again. You were a jaded man who put yourself first,” I answered him with a shrug while leaning back on the mattress to stare at the ceiling. It was difficult to look him in the eye for this conversation. I knew that I was the reason for his carelessness. I knew that I broke his heart and that he felt the need to put a wall around it to protect the shattered pieces. “Now, you care about Grace. And not just because you feel like you should. You actually care about her. You love her. You’ve changed. Grown.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Alessandro replied. I heard movement from where he was sitting and shut my eyes. “I’ve changed in other ways, too,” he whispered. I felt his lips on the shell of my ear, and I shivered.
“How?” I croaked. I could still hear the shower running in the bathroom. Could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
“Take your clothes off, Nix,” Alessandro whispered while running his hand up my abs and chest. I kept my eyes closed. “Let me show you that it’s okay to let someone else be in charge. It’s okay to feel out of control.” My breath hitched. My stomach dropped. Surprisingly, I could feel emotion clog my eyes and throat. Was I seriously about to cry? Oh, how the mighty had fallen.
I didn’t move. Alessandro grabbed the waistband of my pants. I heard the water shut off in the bathroom. “Take off your clothes, Nix,” Alessandro ordered. I opened my eyes and gasped at the sight of him hovering over me, his gray eyes wild with determination as he bit his lip and clutched my jeans.
“Make me,” I gritted. It was taking every ounce of my dominance to push those defiant words out. I was nothing but an echo of the man I once was.
“With pleasure, my love,” Alessandro growled before ripping the jeans open and sending the brass button ricocheting across the motel room. I heard it bounce off the wall and land on the floor. I hadn’t heard him call me that since before we broke up, and the familiar nickname made something within me wake up—something that had been asleep for ages.
He eased the denim and my boxers down my thighs. I felt myself harden, longing and heat making me stiffen. This was familiar but still different. “Once upon a time,” Alessandro began before wrapping his hands around my cock. My entire body jerked. “You taught me how to love the person I was.”
He lowered his head. His hot breath traveled down my length, and I lifted up to stare at his hungry expression. Alessandro looked feral in that moment. It was a hunger I recognized and knew well. “Oh yeah?” I asked, challenging him.
He licked the length of me, slowly, delicately. My mouth parted, and I lifted my hips, silently urging him to wrap his lips around the head of my cock and suck the life out of me.
“Yeah. So I’m going to do the same for you, Phoenix Bailey. I’m going to remind you that who you are right now is perfect. I’m going to show you that it’s okay to let people love you. It’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay to be weak. It’s okay to feel everything you’re feeling right now. Fear.” Alessandro paused to lick me again. “Need.” He sucked lightly on the head of my cock and pulled away. I groaned. “Guilt.” He cupped my balls and massaged them lightly. “Desire,” he then whispered before taking all of me in his mouth.
Holy fuck he felt good. His wet tongue glided over my skin. He took all of me down his throat, pressing slightly with his lips. Alessandro gave head like a fucking professional. He pumped up and down while groaning in pleasure.
I grabbed a fistful of his hair and guided him faster. Harder. I wanted to forget every bit of the thoughts plaguing me and just feel him—feel this.
A slight gasp made me turn my head, but Alessandro didn’t stop. In the doorway to the bathroom, Grace stood with droplets of water clinging to her bruised skin. She was clutching a threadbare towel to her dewy body, and her wet hair stuck to her neck, dripping down her collarbone. I stared at the way her chest was rising and falling. I took in the hungry look on her face.
And then, she smiled.
“Damn,” she said with a low whistle before making her way over to one of the chairs to sit down.
Alessandro paused and pulled off of me. I whimpered at the loss of his perfect mouth wrapped around my dick.
“Are you okay with this?” Alessandro asked her. Maybe that’s where I went wrong all those years ago. The tenderness and care in his question nearly broke my heart. I kept throwing Alessandro into situations, hoping he’d join in. Hoping he’d fall for someone. Not once did I ever ask if he was okay, and I was thankful he had the care and insight to ask Grace. Maybe there was hope for the three of us. I needed to not be such a selfish bastard.
“Why do you think I took a forty-five minute shower?” Grace asked with a wink. “I was hoping I’d get the pleasure of walking in on this. He needed it. Are you okay with me watching?” she asked while spreading her thighs and sinking a finger down her stomach and between her legs.
“I haven’t stopped you before,” Alessandro teased. “Suppose it would be silly to start now.”
Then, he winked. My serious, no-nonsense man winked.
People really did change.
“What is happening?” I asked in disbelief. Was it wrong to doubt this moment? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to ruin this perfect moment, for the Ringleaders to take them away.
Alessandro smirked. “What’s happening, is I’m going to fuck you until you’re you again. And Grace is going to watch. And you’re going to not think about anything but how good it feels to have me worship your cock.”
“Damn,” Grace murmured. I glanced at her and watched as the towel fell open and she circled her clit with the tip of her middle finger.
Oh fuck.
Alessandro then went back to licking and sucking and deep throating my cock. I gripped his hair again and encouraged him to keep going. I needed this. We all needed this. Grace looked like a goddess sitting on that cheap motel chair. Her newly dyed hair framed her face. The towel had fallen completely open, and her large breasts were on full display. She was breathing heavily as she worked her clit.
Alessandro pulled away with a groan. “I need to be inside of you. Right fucking now,” he growled before jerking off his pants and ripping his shirt off. Grace moaned. I stared hungrily at the chiseled man in front of me. His muscles were flexed. There was a sheen of sweat on his olive skin that called to me. I wanted to run my tongue along his body and taste the need rolling off of him.
“Get up,” Alessandro demanded.
“No,” I replied. It was fun being the brat for once. I wanted to see how far he would take this. I wanted him to yank my control from my fingers.
Alessandro grabbed me by the hips and pulled me to a standing position. He grabbed my throat and squeezed lightly. His gray eyes flared with anger and lust. “I’m really going to enjoy this,” he said before capturing my mouth with a demanding kiss. His teeth sunk into my bottom lip, breaking the skin and drawing blood. He squeezed lightly, threatening my pulse with the tips of his fingers. I wanted to fight him off and also give in.
“Oh fuck,” Grace said.
I reached out to grab Alessandro’s cock, but he pushed
me away. “You don’t touch me until I say you can,” he growled before spinning me around and slamming me into the mattress. I was bent with my ass in the air and my palms against the comforter.
I watched Alessandro out of the corner of my eye as he spit into his palm and rubbed it along me. “You’re gonna feel so fucking tight for me,” he cooed before pressing his pulsing, hard cock against me. Long, thick, and so fucking hot. Shit. I needed him so badly. He fingered my needy hole, smearing his spit around it with delicate precision until I was good and prepped. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I admitted.
Reaching around, he grabbed my dick and started stroking it. My heart was pounding through my chest. “You better fucking scream my name when you come, Nix,” Alessandro said through clenched teeth. He let go of my dick to grip my hips, then pushed into me from behind. We both groaned in unison.
“Fuck.” The invasion was hard and punishing. I stretched and burned. It was a fullness I craved with every part of me. I felt impaled and whole all at once. “I love you, Nix,” Alessandro whispered before easing out, then pushing deeper. “Stroke your beautiful cock while I fuck you.”
I reached down and did as he asked, squeezing and pumping myself as he slid in and out. I loved the way Alessandro hissed in pleasure. I loved the grunts and curses escaping his cruel lips. “I love you too,” I whispered.
Grace cried out, her raspy voice harsh and unforgiving. I turned my head to watch her ride a wave of pleasure. Her head was tipped back. Her eyes rolled as she massaged her clit. She looked like a fucking ravenous angel. She came like it was a precious gift, savoring every last drop of bliss until there was nothing left. I almost came. “It better be my name on those lips,” Alessandro reminded me as I watched Grace stare hungrily at us. I knew why he needed my undivided attention, and I wanted to give it to him, but half of my soul was in the room, too.
“Alessandro,” Grace whispered with a sly smile before rubbing herself again. Greedy girl wanted another orgasm. Alessandro stalled, shocked that she said his name.
He picked back up, this time more punishing than before. I was so fucking close. I took every fucking hard inch of Alessandro. I owned his cock. I held on to it as he rocked back and forth against me. His strong hands squeezed my ass as he moved. “You’re mine,” Alessandro gritted. “Mine. Every part of you that you hate, is mine. Every part of you that Grace loves, is mine. Every part of you that feels guilt and sadness and pain, is mine. Every inch of your cock, is mine. Every part of your soul, is mine. The distance you keep putting between us, is mine.”
Every word spilling from his lips made him drive me harder and faster. He was breathless as he spoke, choking on each demanding, possessive word. “Yours,” I agreed.
“Ours,” he amended. I glanced at Grace, who had stopped pleasuring herself to watch us. A single tear sunk down her freckled cheek. I wanted to comfort her, but we couldn’t stop. Alessandro’s declaration filled the air around us.
“Ours, Grace. Ours,” Alessandro moaned before spilling inside of me.
I came too, my cum spilled in my palm. I groaned. I cried. It was glorious devastation and relief all swirling together into one beautiful moment. I went limp at the release, my body feeling liquid and weak.
Grace got up as Alessandro pulled out. She moved timidly, as if she were approaching a wild animal. Her eyes were sad and distant. I slowly stood up. We both turned to face her. I was covered in cum. Covered in happiness. She eyed his cock with a forced smile before handing me her towel to clean up with. “Let’s take a nap,” she whispered.
I wiped off my hands and eyed Alessandro. He gave me a subtle nod, and I knew what he wanted. Cautiously, I stepped closer to Grace. Her bottom lip trembled a bit. I could see that this was harder for her than she wanted it to be. Sharing was difficult but necessary. We worked better together. I pressed my forehead to hers.
“I’m fine,” she promised.
“You’re not,” Alessandro answered. “It’s hard. I get it. You don’t have to be strong. You don’t have to readily accept this. You can feel hurt. You can feel jealous. You can compare. You can wonder if he loves me more or if he wants me more. You’re going to have to accept all those rogue thoughts of yours if you want to work past it.”
Another hot tear fell. “Is that what you did?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“And did it work?” she asked before cupping my cheek and closing her eyes.
“I’m still working on it. I love you, Grace. Whenever I feel like shit about it, I just think about how much I love you.”
I kissed Grace, and she smiled against my lips before sighing in relief.
We were all working on it.
“I love you too, Alessandro,” she whispered while looking me in the eye. “And I love you, Nix. I love you enough to work through this.”
Together.
Together.
Together.
“Together,” Grace whispered, reading my thoughts. “Ours.”
Chapter Eighteen
Grace
I couldn’t sleep. I tried, I really did. I counted sheep. I ignored the heaviness in my chest. I nuzzled closer to Nix and pretended that he didn’t smell like Alessandro and sex. I forced myself to push away the intrusive thoughts of jealousy.
I was nestled between Alessandro and Nix, both of them wrapped around me protectively. I felt safe with them. I felt complete.
I felt broken.
Watching the two of them fuck and admit their love for one another was necessary but hard. I wanted to take Alessandro’s advice to heart and accept all the obsessive thoughts plaguing my mind. I needed to do this. For Nix. For us. For all of us.
“Go to sleep,” Alessandro murmured. He was watching the door to the motel room and stroking my wrist.
“You go to sleep.”
“Can’t,” he replied with a huff. “Nix and I are taking shifts watching everything.”
I scowled. “And when is my shift?”
“Never.”
I sat up in bed and shoved the blankets off of me. Nix whimpered in his sleep. Alessandro rolled his eyes. “You’re impossible,” I said before climbing over him and getting out of bed.
“You’re the one not resting. Need I remind you how shitty of a week we’ve had? You should try to sleep when you can.”
“I can’t,” I replied. “I’m still working through what happened earlier.”
Alessandro nodded as I paced the floor. On the bed, Nix shivered in his sleep, and I walked over to fix the blankets around him. “I’m worried about him,” I whispered.
“Me too. What do you usually do when you want to turn off your mind?” he asked.
“Watch the news,” I answered with a shrug before stepping back and continuing my pacing. It was impossible to stand still.
Alessandro squinted before grabbing the remote to the TV off the nightstand and tossing it to me. “I’ve never seen you watch the news.”
“It helps me fall asleep,” I murmured before turning on the aged TV and lowering the volume so as not to bother Nix. “It was something my mother taught me. Helps provide some perspective, you know? Someone always has it worse than you.”
“It’s kind of depressing,” Alessandro whispered.
“Not as depressing as seeing the man you love with your best friend,” I snapped back.
Alessandro grimaced. “It sucks, huh?” At least he wasn’t denying it.
I started flipping through channels until I found the news. I felt myself immediately relax as the weatherman talked about the heat index. It reminded me of my childhood, sitting on the mattress on my floor and rocking back and forth while my mother was with some guy outside my door. The news used to drown out her screams and his grunts. I used to fall asleep to reports of stabbings and gun violence.
“It sucks,” I agreed. “But I’m surprisingly happy for you. I guess I love you as much as I hate sharing.” It was true. I did love Alessandro mo
re than I hated this nasty feeling in my chest. Jealousy was like a virus taking over my body, and love was the cure.
“It’s all about balance, I suppose,” Alessandro replied. I moved to sit on the edge of the bed, my eyes fixed on the television. “I love you as much as I hate sharing, too.”
“Think we'll ever get used to it?” I asked.
“We have to survive the Ringleaders, first,” he replied.
The anchorwoman appeared on the screen, and I leaned in closer, my mind hungry for someone else’s bad fortune so I could cope with my own trauma. It wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t normal to compare pain to deal with your own.
“We’re coming to you with breaking news,” she said while adjusting the papers on her desk. “It appears a private plane has crashed off the coast of Sydney. The chartered flight was coming here from the United States. We have just received confirmation of who was on the flight.”
I shivered. Flying was the worst. I seriously wanted to avoid it at all costs for the near future. That was another reason I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the flames of Gavriel’s plane burning through the air.
“Billionaire Gavriel Moretti and his wife, Sunshine, were confirmed to be on the flight,” the news anchor continued, as if it was a normal thing to say. My mind was sluggish to process her statement. No.
My heart fucking stopped. No. Certainly she didn't…
“What?” Alessandro croaked. “Turn it up.”
My trembling hands couldn’t grip the remote. I slipped off the mattress and fell to my knees while watching a photo of Sunshine and Gavriel appear on the screen. They were holding hands and walking into Gavriel’s apartment building, both wearing sunglasses and a secret smile. “A search and rescue team is currently scanning the area, but officials are not anticipating any survivors.” The screen transitioned to Callum, then Blaise, then Ryker. “Celebrity MMA fighter Ryker Hill was reportedly on the flight, as well as Blaise Bennett and Callum Mercer.”