Chapter 23 Hollis
Gently, I nudge the boy on my lap. “Come on, Baby, time to get up.”
Lio lifts his head from where he’s buried it in my neck. “Something wrong? Fuck, how long have I been in here? I should probably get…something done, with Roman out and Carter down.”
“Hush.” I kiss him softly to stop the ramble of thoughts pouring out of him. “The Seconds have everything handled, and they can hold down the fort for a while—well, Keegan can. Tennant and Roman are back, so I figured you’d want to go with me to take care of them.”
Those words have him trying to slide off my lap. Laughing a little, I push away from the desk so he can stand. “Wait one moment, Baby.”
Setting my programs to continue running in the background, I lock my computer, and grab my phone and tablet. “All set?” I ask Leandro, as I stand from my seat and reach for Lio’s hand.
“Yep. Go do what you need to. I’ll let you know if something pops up. Right now, I’m laying a map out of all those trackers Marcus and Antonio planted.”
“Any hits?” I ask, ignoring the impatient tug on my hand.
Leandro shrugs. “Nothing interesting, but I'm building a file I'll share with both you and H later. Go, before your puppy vibrates out of his skin.”
Looking down at Lio, I raise an eyebrow. He doesn't try for innocent like Roman would have, but he does still and blink at me with those big emerald green eyes.
“Do I need to leash train you, Cucciolo?”
He flushes and his breath catches. The way his eyes darken has my cock hardening in my pants. Leaning down, I whisper, “Do you like that idea? Should I get you a pretty collar and parade you around like the puppy you are?”
“Out.” Leandro’s sharp voice breaks through the heated moment. “No sex in the office. It's a rule.”
“Funny how you think you're in charge,” I shoot back, but tighten my hold on Lio’s hand and tug him out of the office, into the foyer.
We make it to the front of the house just as the door opens, and Benji and Joel escort Roman and Tennant inside.
Roman’s red-rimmed eyes and heartbroken expression has anger rising in my chest. Fucking Cristian. If I didn't trust Roman as much as I do, I would kill him myself.
Emilio releases my hand and goes straight to his friend, pulling Roman into a tight hug. Roman clings to the other boy, burying his face into Lio’s neck.
Giving them a moment, I reach for Tennant, sighing in relief when he pulls me in and kisses me hard.
“How'd everything go?” I ask when the kiss breaks.
“As to be expected. I dropped him off with Doc and Soren for stitches, and because Roman doesn't want him here quite yet.”
“Agreed,” Lio says from where he still holds Roman. “We'll have to discuss it as a Council once Carter is a little stronger. But for now…Cristian isn't allowed in this house.”
“Let's go upstairs,” I tell the three of them. “You look exhausted, Love.”
“It's not exactly been comfortable sleeping in an office chair for two days straight. Bed would be nice.”
Grabbing Ten’s hand, I lead him upstairs, with Lio and Roman following behind us. In the bedroom, Tennant and Roman both strip and climb into bed.
Lio doesn't hesitate to kick off his shoes and crawl on top of Tennant, laying his head on his chest. Ten holds the puppy close, pressing a kiss to his hair as Roman cuddles into Ten’s side, his arm wrapped around his friend.
The three of them make a beautiful sight.
My love with two of his Boys, the way they cling to him and each other, how perfectly in sync they seem, despite never being in this position before.
The only way it would be better is if they were cuddling after sex rather than the emotional shitstorm Roman and Tennant just went through.
Before joining them on the bed, I take my phone out and send two texts, then kick my shoes off and sit on Tennant's other side, tablet in hand.
“I thought this was a cuddle party.” There's a pout in Roman’s voice.
“I have a few things to check on, but it shouldn't take too long.”
“Hol can multitask,” Tennant teases.
Reaching over, I pull on his hair, making him huff a laugh.
The bedroom door opens and Jude walks through. He takes one look at the crowded bed and huffs. “Are we having a party?” he signs.
“Yep,” Roman quips. “Come join us.”
Shucking his shoes and jacket off, Jude walks around the bed and nudges Roman closer to Tennant, so he can sit.
“I heard you had an interesting day yesterday, Agnellino,” Tennant tells him.
Jude snorts. “If you call almost having a coronary because my Boy is a sneaky little shit, then sure, interesting is the word for it.”
“Antonio looked properly chastised this morning,” Roman says.
Jude grins. “I think this lesson will stick for a while…and if it doesn’t, I’ll get to enjoy punishing him again.”
I shake my head and focus back on the tablet in my hand.
I knew Jude was dominant. I have enjoyed watching him exert that dominance over Roman, and have taken my own pleasure in having him bend for me, but there’s something pleasing about watching him in his element.
I have to hand it to Roman, he knew what he was doing when he threw Antonio and the twins at our Little Lamb.
There’s a knock on the bedroom door before it pushes open slowly to reveal Benjamin.
He takes a few hesitant steps forward and stops.
Tennant sits up, careful not to dislodge Lio, who still clings to him much like he did me in the office earlier.
Poor Pup, the stress of seeing Allesandro mere days ago, and not having clear answers, is getting to him.
And he doesn't even know the current mindset of his former Master. I purposefully waited for Tennant to be available before telling him that news, knowing he’ll need the support of us both, along with his best friend.
“Come here, Topolino.” Tennant’s voice is soft, but firm.
Benjamin wrings his hands and stares at Ten with longing in his sea green eyes. “It doesn’t look like there’s room for me.” There’s pain, and something else I can’t quite put my finger on, in his tone.
“There’s always room for you,” Roman tells him. Without missing a beat, he crawls into Jude’s lap.
Benjamin looks at Lio, and when the boy shifts, as if to move, I set a hand on him. “You’re fine, Baby; there’s room for you both.”
Tennant opens his free arm and beckons his lover.
Watching carefully, I catalogue every shift of expression on Benjamin’s face as he kicks his shoes off and crawls up the bed.
There’s relief, along with jealousy. Of what, I can’t be sure?
Lio? Because he’s draped over Ten like a twink-shaped blanket?
Or is it because he wants to be alone with him after three days of not having Tennant?
Hate to break it to him, but we all went without our lover for those days.
And I know Ten checked in as often as he could, for both work and personal things.
I thought the talks Tennant and I both had with Benjamin got through to him, but if not…
it’s a situation I’m going to have to watch.
Tennant isn’t one to be pushed around, and he’s given far more concessions to Benjamin than I think the Boy is aware of.
Before Benjamin can settle in, Tennant pulls him in for a lingering kiss. “Did you miss me, Topolino?”
“Yes,” Benjamin responds softly. “It was lonely sleeping alone.”
Tennant looks at him in confusion. “Why were you alone?” He looks to Lio. “Did you invite your friend to sleep with you, Little Monster?”
Lio nods. “I slept in his room one night, and then invited him to sleep with me and Sir the next, but he said no, that he was fine and to enjoy myself.”
Tennant reaches up and pulls Benjamin’s hair, keeping their gazes locked. “You’re always welcome in my spaces, Topolino. Whether I’m here or not, Hollis will take care of you, and if he’s unavailable, Roman is always up for sharing a bed.”
“I am!” Roman tries to sound cheerful, but it falls flat as he watches Benjamin carefully. “I’m yours, so you can sleep with me whenever you want. I don’t like sleeping alone, either.”
A soft ping from my tablet has me looking down and rolling my eyes at the message that Leandro sent through.
LEANDRO
He doesn’t deserve to sleep with Roman *or* Lio…
HOLLIS
Mind your business, and stop eavesdropping
LEANDRO
I’m not! I’m just saying…you’d think the talk he had with Keegan would have set him straight. Guess not…
HOLLIS
I don’t want to know. We don’t spy on our friends.
LEANDRO
Sure.
H got back to you, BTW. Said job’s been taken care of.
HOLLIS
Thank you. Now stay out of my messages
Opening my encrypted messaging program, I read over the texts H sent, and skim read the file he attached. I owe him so much alcohol for this.
“The assassins have been taken care of,” I say, still reading over the file. “H just sent the notice over. The job’s been taken down from the darknet site they were using, and a warning has been sent out to anyone who thought going after us was a good idea.”
“How’d you pull that off?” Lio asks.
Setting my tablet on the bedside table, I move down the bed a little, throwing an arm around the Boy, while being careful not to move him from where he lays.
“It pays to have friends in high places, so to speak, in that world. Before Tennant hired me, I worked with a handful of assassins; helping them vet jobs and offering virtual support when they were on a mark. I have friends still actively working, and H works with them as well. It’s not too dissimilar to Keegan’s connections to The Company, though these guys aren’t anything official.
Just a group of friends who look out for each other because no one else will, and it pays to have people who owe you favors. ”
Jude shifts on the bed, so he can better face everyone laying down. Roman adjusts himself on his lap, snuggling in. “So, what? They warned anyone who might want to take the job that it was a bad deal?”