6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Ford
After dropping Hans Linder at his apartment building, Ford was anxious to get the three of them home. He and Jax had spent time together and his dick rose to the occasion, so he was ready to make love with both his husbands to renew their connection.
The cancer thing had scared the shit out of him, but it also opened his eyes to some truths. Life was unpredictable, regardless of how organized one might be. In order to be prepared for unexpected events, it was best to ensure those you loved knew you loved them, and that was his new goal going forward.
The plan was that he’d fix them each a drink and then take them upstairs and get back to business as usual. He’d missed their physical connection, and he was grateful he would live to see another day. He wanted a lot of happiness with Jax and Cade, and he’d fight heaven and hell to get it.
“I’m exhausted,” Cade announced as they walked into the house from the garage.
“Too tired to make love?” Ford asked.
Cades face lit up. “Never. God, I’ve missed you, Bix.” The shorter man wrapped his arms around Ford’s neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss. Tongues swirled and lips nipped. Ford had missed the taste of his younger husband, and it was like walking back through heaven after an absence.
As they pulled apart, Ford reached for Jax who had his hands on both of their backs, watching them.
“Come here, love,” Ford ordered, pulling the big man closer to kiss him. Knowing he had two men loving him was such a life-affirming feeling, Branford couldn’t contain himself.
“Let’s go upstairs. Anybody want anything to drink?” he asked.
“Water,” both of his husbands announced as they ran up the stairs.
Ford laughed and went to the kitchen to grab three bottles of water from the fridge. He locked up downstairs and turned off lights since both of his loves were home safely before he traversed the steps, seeing a glow from their bedroom and hearing Cade’s ringing giggle.
He walked into the room to see Jax and Cade both sitting on the end of the bed with several candles lit around the room. They were both naked, and the sight made Ford’s heart skip a beat.
“Okay, gentlemen. How should we proceed?” he asked as he handed them each a bottle of water.
“I was hoping we could play a game?” Cade offered, surprising Ford.
“Okay, what kind of game?”
Cade went to the closet and returned with a box Ford had completely forgotten. The brunet tossed it on the bed and opened it, pulling out some anal beads, flavored lube, and a black butt plug with silver studs around the knob. It was the box of toys Ford had bought for them for Christmas but hadn’t gotten around to giving them because their home was filled with six boys at the time. With everything that happened after, he’d totally forgotten there was a box of goodies waiting for them in the large dressing room.
“How’d you find that?” Ford asked, trying to act as if he was pissed.
Cade’s face flushed bright pink. “I’m sorry, but I found it when I was trying to figure out what to get you for your birthday. I thought it was a pair of boots, and if it was, then I needed to know what size. Imagine my surprise,” Cade taunted as he held up a pair of backless briefs which he quickly pulled on, turning around to show off his gorgeous ass.
Jax laughed until Cade launched a pair of green ones his way. “For me? How kind of you, Mr. Delacroix.” Ford laughed, happy for the playful nature of the teasing. It had been far too long.
“Okay, we have our costumes. What’s the game?” Ford asked as he began undressing. His cock was crowing.
“I was thinking that one of you could get the anal beads, which the two of us can have the joy of inserting into you, and then the other of you could have the butt plug. After you’re both ready, then you can take turns fucking me until you both come. Let’s say a minute each. I don’t guess we need a stopwatch, right?” Cade teased.
Jax laughed as he grabbed Cade under the arms and scooted him up the bed to the middle. Ford’s nerves began to take center stage. He’d never really played with toys before.
As he thought about it, he and Jax had a pretty vanilla relationship. They’d only been married for a year, but maybe a little spice was what they needed after everything they’d been through of late.
“Which would you like, Mr. Delacroix? Butt plug or beads?” Ford asked.
“Well, Mr. Delacroix, I was thinking I could feed those beads into you and slowly pull them out while you’re fucking young Mr. Delacroix, there. How does that sound?” Jax leaned forward to run his tongue up the side of Ford’s neck. It felt so delicious and naughty, Ford shivered.
Ford grabbed the mango-flavored lube and slicked up the butt plug as he walked over to the box and pulled out something Kincade seemed to have neglected… the remote. It wasn’t just any butt plug—it was a vibrating butt plug.
“How about you rim the young man while I slowly work this thing inside you and then we’ll change places?” Ford suggested. Jax nodded and rushed up the bed, planting his face firmly between Cade’s ass cheeks.
Just as Ford was about to dive into Jax’s, the youngest husband stopped. “We need to do a little maintenance, which can be fun. Meet me in the shower?” Cade suggested.
Ford looked at Jax and saw the smile. “Our little hygienist,” Jax teased.
“Hey, we all like a clean playing field,” Ford teased. The two men laughed as they made their way into the large shower stall and proceeded to wash each other thoroughly, inside and out. Ford nearly shot off, but he was able to shut them all down when he turned the knob to cold. He was glad they lived in a single-family house because the shrieking would have woken the neighbors.
“ Switch! ” Cade announced. He had Ford’s watch and was calling time at a minute each. Ford loved the feeling of the beads inside his body, and he really loved it when Jax was inside their younger lover as he fired up the vibrating plug.
The first time it went on, Jax yelped, bringing Cade into a fit of giggles which would have been cute if Jax wasn’t going down on him and trying to loosen him up at the same time. The big man didn’t appreciate the laughter.
Ford pulled Cade’s legs over his shoulders as he thrust his hard cock into the tight channel. Jax was behind him, panting, as he worked the anal beads, attempting to get Ford to come before him. Ford still felt he had to prove himself because of the fake ball, and he was determined to outlast Jax.
“ FUCK! Hang on, Cade,” Ford gasped as Jax pushed the largest bead inside him and began to spin the silicone toy, hitting his prostate. “Jackson, you bastard, that’s not fair,” Ford complained as he drove into Cade like a jackhammer.
“ Oh! Goddamn!” Cade yelled as he climaxed all over his chest and the headboard. Thank the heavens it was black lacquered wood so it wouldn’t stain.
The bedroom had been decorated in a sensual, Asian theme. There were bold colors and black furniture, and the three men loved it. There was a red velvet chaise in the corner with a hanging lantern above it where Cade loved to relax with a book while Ford and Jax watched television or did paperwork. They’d made it their perfect sanctuary, and at that moment, it was the spectacular backdrop for a good, old-fashioned fuck session.
“ Time!” Jax called as he reached around and pulled the butt plug from himself, dropping it onto the rug under the bed. As Ford moved from Cade, Jax took his hand and moved him to the back.
“Get in there, babe. Fuck me while I fuck him, please?” Jax asked, lust evident in his eyes.
“One condition. When I tell you I’m about to come, reach around and pull out the beads, please?”
Jax nodded, and the three of them went at it. They all climaxed together, and when Jax came to his senses, he reached behind Ford and pulled out the beads, prolonging his orgasm. It was the perfect way for the three of them to renew their commitment. They fell deeply asleep, and Ford didn’t need the sleep aids the doctor had prescribed. He made a mental note to hide them in the trash on pick-up day. Great sex was better than any drug he’d ever taken.
When Ford made his way downstairs the next morning, he found Jax at the table with the paper. “Morning, love. Where’s our husband?” he asked.
Cade was gone when he woke. He hated being the last to wake in the morning, but the sleep had been so fucking incredible it wasn’t even funny.
“He went to get us donuts. Said we deserved them. He’ll be back in a little bit. Coffee?” Jax took his cup and went to the coffee machine.
“Please, love. Do we still have that Columbian blend?” Ford picked up the front-page section. Jax was reading the sports pages, and Cade loved the entertainment section.
Ford and Cade read the business section together, or they had before the surgery. Ford wanted to get back to the ritual of having Cade in the old black recliner which used to be in the media room. Cade would sit in front of him and hold the paper as they read and discussed the business news together. It was a Sunday ritual Ford definitely wanted back.
“Yep. So, we need to decide about this baby thing. You need to talk to Sela, babe. If she doesn’t want to carry the child, maybe she’d be willing to donate eggs and we could use a surrogate, or maybe we just use donated eggs and find a surrogate? You brought it up before the surgery about asking Sela,” Jax said.
Ford had actually forgotten because those days were so stressful for him, but as he was reminded, he remembered their talk.
“I’ll call her and see if she can get lunch today. I need to tell her about the cancer thing first,” he answered.
Jax smiled. “Don’t guilt her into it, okay? We’ll figure it out, and hell, we haven’t even discussed this with Kincade. I don’t know how he feels about having kids of our own. I know he loves kids, which is evident when you watch him with Carlotta. When you talk to Sela, ask if Carlotta can spend the weekend? I need a tea party.” Jax made Ford a cup of coffee, placing it in front of him with a soft kiss to the top of his head.
The gorgeous redhead leaned into his ear. “Last night was so fucking incredible, Branford. Thank you so much. I think you have enough toys in that box for us to have many enjoyable nights like that. When were you going to break that out?”
Ford chuckled. “I bought them for us two Christmases ago, but with our company at the time, I didn’t see anything good if I gave them to you then. I put them in the closet and then just forgot about them. Thank God Cade got nosy.”
They both had a good laugh at that one. Being with Cade had brought many new prospects for them, and the world of toy play had many possibilities Ford couldn’t wait to explore.
“Uncle Branny!” Carlotta greeted him as she jumped into his arms. He picked her up and held her tightly.
“How’s my girl?”
“Great! Momma’s still dressing, like usual. Auntie Winnie and I are just getting ready to make hand cookies,” Carlotta told him. Winnie Oakes walked out of the kitchen and smiled at him.
“Mr. Ford, how are ya, baby? It’s been too long since I’ve seen ya,” she chastised, just as he believed she would. He welcomed it.
“I’m doing great, Miss Winnie. How’s this brat?” He tussled Carlotta’s braid before he put her down on the floor and took Winnie into his arms to feel one of her fantastic hugs. Rina Hayes gave good hugs, as well, and he missed her. He made a mental note to suggest they take a weekend trip to visit her.
“She’s one of God’s children, even if she doesn’t pick up her dirty clothes and put ‘em in the hamper like her momma asks her,” Winnie teased the girl.
Without a word, Carlotta ran down the hallway, bringing a raucous laugh from Winnie and Ford. “I love that child. How’s Mr. Jax and Cade?”
“Stop calling us that! You’re one of our favorite people, Miss Winnie. We’re no misters to you,” Ford instructed, getting a lipstick-tinted kiss to his cheek. She always wiped it off, but he loved to feel her unconditional love. It was more like a mother’s love than he’d ever felt in his life.
Just as he was about to sit her down and confess about the surgery, Sela came breezing in. “I’m sorry I’m running late, Branny, but I had to email some photos from a shoot. How are you, dear one? You look like you’ve lost weight,” Sela, always the astute one, observed.
Ford grinned. “We’ve been getting regular exercise since Jackson opened the Wellness Center. We’re all trying to shape up and lead a clean lifestyle, but I feel like getting a little dirty. How about the champagne brunch at the Regent?”
He’d made the reservation earlier that morning in hopes of buttering her up, so she didn’t have a fit that he hadn’t told her about his cancer and the surgery. He was afraid of her reaction.
Sela squealed and clapped her hands in a very Carlotta-like manner. “I love their brunch. Give me five to change,” his sister told him as she ran down the hallway to change from her jeans and sweater into something dressier, he was guessing.
He turned to see Winnie with her left eyebrow raised. “I happen to know you don’t care for that fancy kind of food. You went once when one of your suppliers at the club was havin’ a birthday party, but you made my Cleveland go with ya. What’s up, Branford?”
He sighed, having never learned how to lie to Winnie Oakes. “I had a slight cancer scare I didn’t tell my sister about, and I want to soften her up, so she doesn’t throw a fit. I’m fine, before you get worked up, Miss Winnie. Cade and Jax held my hand every step of the way, and now I’m healthy as a horse,” he proclaimed with a bright smile, hoping like hell she didn’t ask for details.
The short, round, woman pulled him into a hug. “You shoulda told me, baby. I don’t like bein’ kept out of the loop with people I love. Shame on you!” She swatted his rear, bringing a terrific laugh of joy.
“I love you, Winnie, just as if you were my own mother. Cleve is lucky,” he told her without hesitance. It was part of his new resolution—make sure the people he loved knew it.
She chuckled as he pulled away, reaching for a dish towel to dry her eyes. Ford took that as a sign of success. A minute later, his sister breezed in wearing a pretty, flowered dress and a bright smile to boot.
“Are you ready, Miss Thomas?” he asked as he extended his arm to escort her.
“Miss Winnie, we’ll be back in a while. Don’t take any guff from Carlie,” Sela instructed.
“Have fun. We’ll be fine.” With Winnie’s assurance, the two of them were out the door.
They’d ordered their food and were enjoying Bellinis. “I love it here so much,” Sela gushed.
“I’d have thought you’d have wanted to stay in New York or go to the West Coast when you moved back to the States. We didn’t put too much pressure on you, did we?” Ford knew the three of them had given her the hard sell, but he didn’t want her to regret her decision to move to Chicago near them.
“New York is too close to Mom and Dad, and the West Coast is too damn strange. Those two weeks in Los Angeles drove me insane. Anyway, tell me what’s going on with you. We’re all too busy. We need to plan a weekend when Carlie and I can come camp at your place.”
Ford smiled and took her hand. “We’d love it anytime, Sela. Hell, we’d love to have the two of you move in, but I understand you want your independence. So, here’s the news. I had surgery six weeks ago for testicular cancer. It didn’t spread, and they removed the testicle, but I have a bright, shiny, new one,” he teased, hoping to lighten the news a bit… If that was possible at all.
Her face crumpled into a tearful mess, so Ford handed her the champagne flute. “No, we’re not doing that, okay? Take a drink and listen to me.”
She did as he asked and settled in to listen, shedding a few tears as he explained the hell the three Delacroixs had gone through with the news. He could tell she was upset he hadn’t shared his diagnosis with her previously, but he had one answer. “If it would have been worse, I’d have called you, but Sela? I had to work through the part where I was losing a part of myself I never thought I’d lose.
“The hell I put Jax and Cade through while I dealt with it was enough. I just couldn’t do that to you. I’m happy to report I’m cancer free, and I have a favor that’s really shitty to ask right now, but I don’t expect an answer yet, and this isn’t a guilt trip to get you to agree to something you very well may not want to do, so don’t say anything,” he told her as their food was delivered. Eggs Benedict for him and crepes Foster for her.
They toasted again to his recovery and then dug into their food. Ford wished he’d ordered something simpler because his stomach was churning, but it was the food he’d ordered so he was going to eat it. Cade had brought home donuts for him and Jax. Ford wished he was home eating a donut, but the brunch with Sela was necessary.
After they finished eating, Sela helping herself to as much of his breakfast as her own, they ordered coffee and sat across from each other. He could tell she was waiting for him to open his mouth and say something.
He finished his last Bellini and looked at her with a smile. “We’d like to have children, as strange as that might sound with us being a triple, but I was wondering…” he began.
She was nearly over the table, pulling him up into a tight hug. “Of course, I will. Just tell me when and where Branny. I think it’s fantastic, and I know the three of you will be amazing parents. I’ve seen it firsthand,” she told him through her tears. Hell, he shed a few of his own, but those tears were in thanks for her kind and loving heart.
The only thing left to do was to sell the idea to Cade—or feel him out. If he was against it, then the discussion ended. Unless the vote was unanimous, nothing moved forward. They’d made a contract that they all had to agree on big changes in their lives, and Ford was holding onto the very heart of it. All or nothing.