Chapter 25
Atlas
It was early December as we all stood in Ryder’s bedroom while he packed up the last of his things. I was going to fucking miss him, but he deserved happiness, especially after everything he’d gone through with losing his sister and all.
“Are you sure you want to move in with these men so quickly?” Emma asked as she helped him tape up a box of his things. She was always watching over us, being the ‘mom’ of all of us roommates.
“Definitely. Yeah, it all happened fast, but I love them. They healed me in ways you can’t even imagine.”
I could completely imagine. Hugh and Linden have been amazing at making me like myself more, or at least accepting myself more. And I knew they wouldn’t lie to me when they told me they found me beautiful.
“Okay, if you’re sure. We’re going to miss you around here.”
Ryder gathered Emma into his arms and gave her a fierce hug. “I’m going to miss y’all, too.”
“Especially me!” I yelled out and fell onto his mattress with a big stretch.
He snorted a laugh. “Yes, especially you, At.”
Luna punched away on her phone, her thumbs rapidly moving over the smooth surface. “I’m texting you some links, Rye. They’ll include some meditation techniques and music. Use them when you sense that grief coming on again.”
“Thanks, I will.”
He taped up the last box and looked around. “Wow, I have so little to show for living here for over a year.”
Emma scanned the room and nodded. “Very sparse. I hope when you move into the other house, you put a piece of yourself in it and don’t make your space look so temporary.”
“That’s what I want. For the longest time, I felt so temporary, you know? Like I didn’t know if I was going to stay in the city, move on to somewhere else, or eventually go back home. Running from grief clearly wasn’t the way to go.”
“You did what you could to get through it, Rye,” Luna said. “There’s no wrong way to grieve.”
He looked down at me with a sad smile on his face and his arms spread wide. “Come here.” When I stood, he gathered everyone into a group hug. “Stay in touch.”
“The same goes for you,” I said.
A knock sounded behind us. We all turned our heads to find Knox and Finn ready to help Ryder move into Knox’s home.
“Ready?” Knox asked.
“I am.” Ryder hefted a backpack onto his shoulder and looked back at us as he stood in the doorway. “If there’s anything you need, you all know where to find me. I’ll always be around for you.”
“Bye,” I said, now feeling sad. He was the sweetest man I’d ever met. I hoped our friendship could continue.
After Ryder left, I distracted myself by doing some art.
It wasn’t only to distract from losing a roommate, but Hugh and Linden were out of town at some convention for a few days, so I wouldn’t be able to see them.
It felt weird because ever since I started working at Cross Corp, I’d seen them every day, whether at work or on weekends.
Christmas was in three weeks, so I wanted to make something for them.
I’d already sketched out what I wanted on two separate sheets of watercolor paper.
One sketch had Hugh sitting in a cushioned chair, his leg over a knee, and his hand tucked under his chin, as he stared out the window.
I’d taken a candid photo of him when he hadn’t been looking.
The lighting had been perfect, and he appeared so reflective.
The other sketch was of Linden, leaning against the fence overlooking Great Falls. It was from the pictures we took on our date back in October. It was of his profile, and he looked so beautiful as he stared out at the flowing water.
When I finished, they would both be in watercolor, in my sketchy abstract way, since they both loved that style of art on the walls in my old bedroom.
What else do you get two men who have all they need? I hoped they liked the art.
After I mixed the watercolors in hues of purple, pink, teal, and yellow, I started on Hugh’s portrait and poured all my love into the piece.
Hugh and Linden had become profoundly important to me.
Every time I saw them now, my body warmed, and my heart raced with love.
I still hadn’t told them yet. And I still didn’t know what held me back.
The only thing I could think of was that it was new to me, and I assumed I only needed to find that perfect time.
Or maybe I was waiting for them to tell me, which they hadn’t.
I didn’t know how long I’d been painting when my phone, sitting on my nightstand, buzzed. I placed my paintbrush into the jar of water, wiped my hands, and grabbed my phone to read the text.
Linden: Hey, baby. We’ll be back tomorrow. Be ready. It’s sex club time.
Me: I can’t wait!
I looked at my phone, waiting for a response, but nothing else was said, so I shrugged and went back to work. They were probably busy.
Hugh and Linden were wearing their usual masks, and I put mine on after I’d stripped out of my clothes. Linden pulled me against him and kissed my neck as Hugh kissed my lips.
“We missed you,” Linden said against my ear.
I giggled in Hugh’s mouth because his breath tickled, and the fact that they’d told me how much they’d missed me about five times already.
“Atlas?”
I turned to face the familiar voice, and my jaw hit the floor. “Holy shit… Ryder?” That was when I noticed the other two men following close behind. “Hello, ah… Knox and Finn.”
“Atlas. Good to see you,” Knox said, and Finn waved.
Ryder looked as shocked as I was while trying not to stare at my naked body. “I never expected to see you in a sex club.”
I raised my chin and grinned. “I could say the same about you.”
“Well, we don’t come often, but we like coming here to unwind. Who are your guys?”
“Well, this handsome one on my right is Hugh, and the gorgeous one on my left is Linden. Sirs, this is my old roommate and dear friend, Ryder.”
Everyone shook hands awkwardly, and it was a little awkward, but I got over it quickly.
What were the odds? Did he put on a show with his guys the way I did with mine?
I never expected Ryder to do any of that, but perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised since he was in a taboo relationship with a stepson and stepfather duo.
I winked at him. “You should watch us sometime, Rye. We put on quite the show.”
He smirked as blush crept up his face. “I don’t doubt that.”
“I need to watch you all, too, if you don’t mind.”
He shrugged, his blush deepening. “Go for it.”
God, he was so cute.
“Good thing your friend Ryder has men in his life; otherwise, I’d be jealous,” Hugh admitted.
I sucked on my bottom lip. Having a man jealous over me set my ego soaring.
I rested my hand on his chest and batted my lashes at him. “He has nothing on you and Linden. You’re both the most special men in my life.”
Hugh grinned and pinched my chin. “Brat.”
After sliding on a pair of lacy underwear with an intentional hole in the ass, we left the locker room before nearly stumbling into Luis, the owner of The Backdoor.
“Ah, gentlemen! It’s a pleasure,” he said, giving a slight bow of his head. “Your room awaits.”
Linden reached for Luis’s hand to shake first. “Thanks.”
“It’s good to see you three together still. These relationships of three take proper care and balance. It’s good that you all are succeeding. I wish for many years to come.”
“Appreciate it, Luis,” Hugh said, wrapping an arm around me.
“Now, to find the man who makes my heart beat a little faster, but alas, my heart is steady by every man I meet.”
“I’m sure you’ll meet your special someone when you least expect it,” I said.
Luis smiled and gently pressed a hand to my face before quickly dropping it. “Very kind of you.” He gave us a curt nod again. “Good evening, gentlemen.”
“You’d think he’d have his choice of men from owning this place.”
“Luis is demisexual. He needs that bond to be sexually attracted to them,” Linden explained to me. “He used to have a partner he lost a long time ago, and I’m not sure he’ll find that again.”
“That and he started this place not to hook up, but to give the queer community a safe space to explore sexually,” Hugh said.
“Oh, that’s kind of sad. To think he believes he may never find that person again.”
“He does okay. He’s very active in the community, and he’s busy with the club.”
Once we reached our room, I helped Linden and Hugh get naked.
“Let’s skip double penetration tonight,” Linden said out of the blue, folding his clothes and carefully placing them on the floor since there was only a bed in there.
Hugh raised a brow before shrugging. “Oh, okay. Did you have something else in mind tonight?”
I didn’t care what we did, but Hugh seemed rather disappointed. I loved double penetration because I loved being a part of my guys at the same time, filling me, stuffing me.
Without an expression on his face, which was rather unusual, Linden looked directly at me. “Perhaps Atlas would like to be inside me instead.”
“Come again?” I asked, unable to mask my shock. We’d never talked about my fucking them. Not once.
I glanced back at Hugh, who stood behind me. He couldn’t hide his shock either. “Oh… you sure? You usually top.”
Linden shrugged. “You know, I’ve bottomed lots of times without you, Hugh. Sometimes I just want to be fucked.”
“Oh,” Hugh said again. “Sure, if that’s what you want.”
“I do.” Linden’s eyes landed on mine. “Would that be fine? Hugh can be inside you, and you fuck me?”
What was going on? Why did Linden seem so off suddenly?
“Uhm, sure. That’s cool.”
“Have you ever fucked anyone?” he asked me.
“Yeah, a couple of times, though it’s been a while.”
He stepped up to me and gripped my shoulders. “Is that okay? Be honest.”
I gave him as confident a nod as I could muster.
I relaxed and pressed my hand against his face, my fingers sliding underneath his mask.
He leaned into my touch and closed his eyes.
What was up with him? Then he turned his face to kiss my palm.
“Yes, darling. I can fuck you if that’s what you want. I’m happy to do that.”
“Thanks, sweet stuff.”
“You okay?” I whispered as Hugh got the bed ready for us.
He gave me a reassuring smile that didn’t come off as genuine, especially in his pretty eyes. “I’m fine, baby.”
“If you’re sure.”
I didn’t believe him, but I trusted him to tell us if something was bugging him if it involved us. Linden could be having an off day. We all went through that.
Linden fell back onto the bed and spread his legs.
“Do I need to work you open?” I asked him.
“Nope, you got this. I made it easy for you.”
“Princess, why don’t you hover over Linden. Just do your thing, and once you’re inside, I’ll enter you.”
I turned to face Hugh, who now appeared stressed and bothered. I could tell, even through his mask. His brows were furrowed, and he was clenching his jaw.
No, we couldn’t have this. Linden was allowed to change things up.
I understood the concern since it was unusual for Linden to be fucked.
That, and he snapped at Hugh, which was also unusual as far as I could tell.
I’d only known them for about four months, but in all that time, I’d never seen them snap at each other.
And Linden was one of the most laid-back men I knew.
I stopped Hugh from his fussing through our things, grabbed his face, and pulled him into a kiss. I pressed my body tightly against his until he finally relaxed.
“He’s fine,” I whispered.
He nodded, pulled out his favorite lipstick, and swiped it across my lips. I rubbed them together, spreading it evenly before it set in.
I turned and climbed into the bed, using my spindly arms to hold me up. I wasn’t anywhere near as strong as my guys were.
Linden wrapped a hand around my neck and tugged me down for a kiss. Our tongues explored, and our cocks pulsed against each other.
I wasn’t used to taking charge, so I didn’t. Just because I was about to fuck Linden didn’t mean he still wasn’t in control, so I didn’t pretend I was.
“I’m a little nervous,” I admitted.
“You’ll be fine. You can’t do it wrong, baby.”
Well, you could, but I wouldn’t dream of backing out of this. Linden wanted something from me, and I wanted to give it to him. Hell, I’d give anything for my guys.
Shit, it’d been a hot minute since I fucked a guy. Sure, it was like riding a bike. I hoped.