Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
Kingston
The hospital parking lot is raised somewhat, with a short decline leading down to the hospital itself.
I make my way down the steps and find Ella, Terrence, and a heavily-tattooed blond guard whose name I can’t remember sitting on a bench outside the hospital.
Standing in front of them is Jaxon. Everything looks peaceful, calm, and the roar of San Esteban traffic is muted behind me. Still, my lunge feel frozen with panic.
No, I have to be calm. I’m a fucking adult, I’m in control, and Ella needs someone to support her, not freak out. I walk to them as calmly as possible, going straight for Ella. She starts to stand when she sees me.
“Don’t get up, sweetheart,” I say, taking the free spot on the bench next to her. “Are you okay? Tell me you’re okay.”
She opens her mouth to say something, then hesitates.
“Ella?” I ask.
Taking my hand in hers, she says, “It’s hard to hear right now, but I’m okay. My ears are ringing. The doctor said it would stop after a few hours.”
A bandage covers her arm, and two more are on her knees. “What happened? Jaxon said something about a flashbang?”
“Terrence and Roman kept me safe,” Ella says. “There was never any explosion, but they treated it like a real grenade.”
I look over at the two men, both of whom look largely unhurt, just scraped up like Ella is. These men were there with her, guarding her, doing their best to make sure she’d be okay. I make a mental note to arrange gifts for them.
“How are your ears?” I ask loudly.
“It’s been better,” Roman says with a shrug. “But we’ll be okay.”
“Thank you, both of you, for keeping my girl safe.”
“It’s just part of the job, sir,” Terrence says, his brown eyes serious.
“It might be a job to you, but she’s the world to me.” By the time I’ve finished shaking both their hands, Sebastian is hurrying down the steps from the upper parking area to the front of the hospital.
“Ella,” he says, looking wildly among everyone in our little group before fixating on her. There’s nowhere to sit next to her, so he squats down in front of her and takes her free hand in his.
“I’m all right,” she says, cupping his bearded cheek.
“I take it everyone has been discharged?” I say to Jaxon.
“Yes, I was just waiting for you to arrive before taking my men back to the office,” he says.
“Bash and I are going to take Ella home, then,” I say. “Thank you again.”
“Two more guards will meet up with you at your place,” Jaxon says. “Cora will introduce you so everyone’s clear on who belongs. Where do you plan to go—yours or Sebastian’s?”
“Kingston’s,” Bash says. “It’s safer, more security measures on the building.
We say our goodbyes, then Bash and I walk on either side of Ella, keeping her between us. I’m vaguely aware of Jaxon, Terrence, and Roman following behind. Even though they’re off-duty for the moment, they’re still looking out for her.
When we reach my car, where Garth is waiting, Bash takes out his phone. “I’m riding with you,” he says. “Just texting Kellan to let him know.”
Inside the car, I buckle Ella up. Sebastian and I are fussing over her, but I don’t think we can help it. Only once we start moving do I realize Ella looks annoyed.
“What is it?” I ask. “What’s wrong?”
“You didn’t ask where I want to go,” she says. “I wanted to go to Sebastian’s, be close to the cat and my studio, and he has that blue blanket there that’s really soft?—”
“I’ll bring all of those to you,” Sebastian tells her.
“The cat, really?” she says. “And do you plan on moving the entire studio?”
I look between the two of them. “I think it’s high time we moved in together, all three of us. We can look for a new place that we all pick out, or we can move everyone into mine, or into Bash’s…Ella, what do you think?”
Smiling, Ella says, “I love that idea—of all three of us being together. Kingston’s place is biggest, and I like the pool, but how will Schrode react to moving?”
“I think he’ll be fine with it,” Sebastian says. “I have good memories in that pool. And with four bedrooms, we can all have our own space when we want it. One room could be used for Ella’s studio.”
“Make it your studio, too,” Ella says, squeezing his hand. “We should both use it.”
“So you two are on board with this?” I ask.
“I want us to have everything in one spot,” Ella says. “We’ll make a real home, for the three of us.”
“Great,” I say. “And honestly, if we ever want to move, or find somewhere else to live, we can all pick it out together.”
Ella winces.
“What is it?” Bash asks.
“Slight headache,” she says. “It’s fine. I just wish the ringing in my ears would stop.”
I scoot closer to her so she can rest her head against my shoulder, and I take her hand, careful of her bandaged elbow. “Is there anything we can do to make you more comfortable?” I ask.
“No…just being here with me,” she says. “That’s all I need.”
There’s more that needs to be arranged, figured out. Not the least of which is: who threw the flashbang, and why?
* * *
Ella
The guys remain on either side of me as we get out of the car and move through the parking garage. Garth follows behind us until we get into the elevator. An expression passes between him and Kingston, and Garth nods before going to another elevator.
“What was that about?” I ask.
“Garth has been training with Ironwood,” Kingston says. “He’s learning about safety protocols and defense maneuvers, so he can be part of keeping you safe.”
“I wish this wasn’t necessary anymore.” I glance between Kingston and Sebastian. “I just want us to be able to enjoy each other, and be happy. Not worried all the time about everything else.”
Sebastian’s voice is low, duller than usual because of the ringing in my ears, but I hear him clearly just the same.
His hazel eyes are intent on mine. “I’m enjoying being with you.
I’m happy. All this other bullshit…it’s not everything.
You are everything. I love you. And whatever else comes with you? I love that, too.”
My heart softens like gooey melted chocolate. “I love you, too,” I say, leaning against him.
A soft chime from the elevator and the doors are opening into Kingston’s—no, our —penthouse.
The ringing in my ears is nearly gone. I’m not going to lose my hearing.
The doctor at the hospital was especially reassuring when she’d told me that.
She was more concerned about a fracture in my elbow, which turned out to be not a thing at all.
Scrapes, some temporary ear ringing, bruises.
A headache. Nothing worse than that. And Terrence and Roman are going to be okay, too.
My heart thuds faster at the memory of how quickly everything happened. The guards leaping toward me, the deafening bang of light and sound, the hard asphalt beneath my knees and arm.
“Ella, sweetheart.” Kingston’s hand cups my cheek. “Where’d you go just now?”
I shake off the scary thoughts. “Just remembering what happened, that’s all. I’m fine.”
“Okay,” he says. “Tell us what you need, and you get it. Anything.”
Waggling my eyebrows at him, I say, “Even cock?”
“If you want our cocks, all you have to do is ask,” he says.
“And sometimes beg,” Sebastian adds. “If we’re feeling mean.”
“Which is always,” I say, laughing. But then I wince, because that pressure in my head is no joke.
“Headache?” Kingston asks.
“I promise, it isn’t bad,” I say. “I should maybe rest instead of doing sexy times with you two, though…as tempting as sexy times is.”
“Naptime, little girl,” Kingston says, shepherding me toward the bedroom.
I dig in my heels. “I’m not tired.”
“Let us take care of you,” Sebastian says. “If you’re not tired, can we at least cuddle?”
Well, it’s hard to say no to cuddling. “And just sit there, doing nothing?”
“You’re always reading,” Kingston says. “Maybe we could take turns reading to you.”
I imagine them reading the books I like to read, and a blush immediately heats my face.
Lips lifting up at the corner in a half-smile, Kingston says, “What’s the blush for, little one?”
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “I have to go to the bathroom, be right back.”
Sebastian laughs. “Be honest—do you really have to go?”
“No,” I say, sighing. “I just…maybe one of you can pick out a book?”
“Sure, from your digital library,” Kingston says. “You’re always reading on your phone. Hand it over, and I’ll find something for you.”
“Never mind, I’ll pick something,” I say.
“Too late. We want to pick,” Sebastian says, his hazel eyes twinkling. “I want to see what has you blushing so hard.”
I hold a hand up to my cheek. “It’s…it’s personal.”
“You have a safe word,” Kingston says. “Unless you’re going to use it, you’d better hand over your phone, young lady.”
Ooh, so stern. If my head weren’t still hurting, he’d have me dropping to my knees in front of him right now.
I give him my phone.
“Unlock it,” Sebastian says.
Muttering a curse under my breath, I type in the passcode.
“What was that?” Kingston asks. “Did you say something?”
“Nope,” I say, giving him a fake smile.
“Uh huh.” He doesn’t believe me, but he’s too busy to call me out because he’s scanning the screen, looking for the reading app. “Here we go. Oh, little girl. You have some naughty books in here.”
Bash moves to peer over his shoulder. His eyebrows rise high on his forehead. “Wow…this is a very adult reading list.”
I hide my face in my hands. “Stop making fun of me.”
“Oh, babe, we aren’t making fun of you,” Kingston says, passing my phone to Sebastian. “Let’s get comfortable on the sofa and we’ll read to you. I have a feeling this is going to be a very eye-opening pastime for all three of us.”
I groan. This is going to be humiliating. And they seem to be getting off on my embarrassment, the big old jerks.
Kingston lies back against one side of the couch and pulls me up to his chest so I’m nestled between his legs. He’s careful, when moving me, to avoid touching my bandaged arm or my knees.
“Whoever threw that flashbang is really fucking lucky I don’t know who they are,” he grumbles.
Sebastian sets up at the other side of the sofa. “What’s it going to be? Lots of books by Sammie Starr, so let's pick one of those—she must be a favorite. We have My Hot Professor , My Father’s Best Friend , An Apple a Day to Keep the Doctor in Play , Crushing on My Bestie’s Dad …”
I can’t listen to him read the titles without feeling like my face is on fire. How am I supposed to “relax” while they read out loud?
“Ella?” Kingston asks, his voice deep and rumbly behind my head. “Which one?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I mutter, squeezing my eyes shut. “This is so embarrassing.”
“ My Father’s Best Friend it is, then,” Bash says cheerfully.
Oh, shit. There’s all kinds of dirty things in that one. These guys will never let me live it down when they read about the sex club.
“Maybe a different one would be better,” I say.
“Mmm, you waited too long to give us input, and I’ve already opened the book,” he says. “Nice first line: Life didn’t come with a rule book explicitly telling me not to bang my dad’s best friend .”
They wanted me to take a nap. I close my eyes, thinking maybe I can sleep through this embarrassing interlude.
But the story starts off innocently enough, once that first sentence is out of the way.
We get through the first chapter, where the heroine is thrown unfairly from her apartment by her asshole roommates and she’s searching for a place to stay, carrying her three bags of belongings in giant black trash bags down the street.
When the chapter ends with a Lamborghini pulling up alongside her, driven by none other than—surprise—her dad’s best friend, Sebastian passes the phone over to Kingston.
Kingston starts reading, and I start to get comfortable. They’ll get bored before we reach anything too salacious.
But nope, I forgot about the part where the heroine zones out during the ride to the hero’s house.
“I imagined him pulling over on the deserted road, ordering me out of the car, and yanking my skirt up and my panties to the side. He would thrust his finger into me, and I’d already be dripping wet. Fuck, he would say, you’re turned on. I want you so bad.”
Snug against my back, Kingston’s cock is hardening. I wriggle against him, encouraging the erection. Sebastian’s eyes are heated as he gazes at us.
“Wait—fuck,” Kingston says.
“What is it?” Bash and I ask at the same time.
He holds out my phone. A text notification is at the top of the screen.
Did you like our little surprise?
As I stare in dismay at the message, a second one pops up—this one with another image of Tommy. Just like in the last one, he looks bruised. Both of his eyes are black, and his lower lip is crusted with blood. My breath catches in my chest. My poor brother.
And finally, a third message: Now do you take us seriously?
I don’t know how to respond, or if I’m supposed to. High up here in Kingston’s penthouse, I feel safe, mostly. But they’d said they were watching me. Do they know I’m here? They knew I was at the park. Are they following me?
“Breathe, baby,” Sebastian says.
* * *
Sebastian
I can’t stand this. I can’t stand to see her looking so worried and helpless.
“That’s it,” I say to Ella, then look over at Kingston. “The police are useless. Call Jaxon, will you?”
He’s already got his phone out. “On it.”
“I’m going back to my place to grab a few things,” I say. “Including, my dear princess, our cat, some items from the studio, and that soft blanket you mentioned.”
She throws her arms around me and kisses my neck until I bend forward enough that she can reach my lips. Her mouth tastes like candied cherries, so fucking sweet.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she says.
“You got it, princess. Anything for you.”
And I don’t just mean a few comforts—I mean we’re going to give Ironwood whatever they need to get to the bottom of this. San Esteban PD has failed us, but Ironwood won’t.