17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
S loan had just finished cleaning up the surfaces in his kitchen when his doorbell rang.
His brows drew together, and he paused, rag in hand. He hadn’t been expecting any visitors, which had him a little twitchier than normal since he’d seen the wreckage of Ezra’s apartment. It had taken a few days to sort the salvageable items from the mess and to get the damaged shit out to the dumpster. His skin had prickled with awareness the entire time, as if Rick could be waiting around a corner, ready to pounce.
Since they’d broken up, the vigilance had rarely left him. Whipped was one of the few places where he felt truly safe. Maybe if he had a roommate, he wouldn’t get as freaked out at home, but he wasn’t about to pull some stranger from Craigslist. His trust in humanity was pretty shot .
And yet he’d offered Ezra a place to stay, which was part of the reason he’d cleaned up his space even more than usual.
Sloan peered out his peephole. Meg. His shoulders relaxed, and he tugged the door open.
“Hey,” she said. “I normally wouldn’t drop by like this, but I managed to wrangle Rachel. I would have the conversation at the café, but there’s some crossover clientele between us, and I don’t want to air her business.”
“Sure thing.” He took a step to the side.
“Spill the tea, woman.” Fin marched up the walkway, along with Parker.
Sloan drew his brows together. “What is this, Council of the Doms?”
“Hey, why isn’t that a thing yet?” Fin asked Meg. “You should get Noles to make us all shirts.”
“I’m not spending company funds on it.” Meg stepped past Sloan. “Do what you want on your own time.”
Sloan shook his head as he walked to his kitchen. He might not be prepared for company, but he knew how to handle these three. “Drinks?”
“This situation might call for one.” Meg’s lips thinned to a flat line, and Sloan’s stomach flipped. Ever since he’d left Rick, his life had remained quiet, but lately, it seemed to shake like a can of Coke, ready to explode. He wasn’t a fan.
“Second question. Whisky or beer?” He grabbed glasses, knowing the preferences of these three—in every damn way. Even though his mind raced, he could focus on tasks.
“This is a whisky conversation.” Meg’s responses continued to be ominous as fuck, and his skin prickled. After seeing the violence Rick had rained down on Ezra, he was primed for the worst news. The scared part of him still doubted the choice to let Ezra into his life.
When he’d shown up at the café while he and Kai were on their date, the run-in had felt a little like fate. Hell, everything between the three of them did, and after years of floating on numbness, on trying to lose himself in the scene, coasting from one good feeling to the next…fuck, maybe this was inevitable.
Sloan snatched the bottle of whisky from the collection on the bar in his kitchen, and then he nabbed four glasses. If this was a whisky conversation, it didn’t make sense to pour just one. Parker, Meg, and Fin sprawled out on his couches like they owned them.
Meg patted the seat beside her, and it was a testament to what was going on that she hadn’t directed him to sit on the floor by her. He itched for the touch, to have fingers run through his hair, his mouth stuffed full, something to make his brain melt to keep from teetering into the dark corners he’d been trying to evade for far too long.
He set the glasses on the coffee table, along with the bottle of Jack Daniels, and settled into his seat. An impulse struck him, one that surprised him with its intensity, but he didn’t hesitate.
Sloan pulled out his phone and texted Kai and Ezra in their newly formed group chat.
If you’re around, come on over.
His heart thudded a little harder. He barely knew both of them, not for any length of time, but he was also aware the way they’d come together wasn’t always how people clicked into place. What he did know was if Meg had bad news, he wanted Kai and Ezra in his space afterward.
“Stop texting your hookups,” Fin said. “You know Miss Prima Donna won’t fill us in until it’s all eyes on her. ”
Meg reached over to the other couch to thwack Fin on the knee. “Knock it off, bratty wonder.” She arched an eyebrow at Sloan. “And I don’t think he’s texting a hookup anyway.”
“Wait, do you have a boyfriend?” Parker said. “No shit, really?”
Sloan shook his head. He didn’t know what the fuck they were. They hadn’t had any talks on parameters for what they had yet. “There’s an interest.”
“Kai?” Meg asked. “I saw you two at the last munch.”
Sloan licked his lips. “Ezra too. Don’t know where it’s going, though. It’s all new, but we’re having fun.”
Parker let out a low whistle. “Good for you, sweetheart.”
Fin shook their head, a wry grin on their lips. “Finally decided to stop running, did you?”
Their words struck him square in the chest. After all, that was what he’d been doing ever since Rick. Ever since he’d realized he was just broken parts masquerading as okay. Sloan swallowed hard, and a knowing gleamed in their hazel eyes. Most of the crew at Whipped were shattered glass trying to form a mosaic, and they didn’t push each other, accepting where they were.
And Sloan hadn’t understood how much he’d needed that space to heal.
How these people around him had offered that safety net when he’d needed it the most. His eyes stung slightly, but he offered a smile. “Let’s be honest, I’m more the type to get captured than run.”
“But you let yourself open up,” Meg said, her voice firm. “And I’m proud of you for that.”
A tear slipped down his cheek, and he swallowed back a choked gasp. Fuck. He swiped away the tear and glanced away from everyone, even though he felt their potent gazes on him. “Thanks for getting me there. ”
“Shit, this is getting too sappy for me,” Fin said, and a laugh bubbled up inside him.
“Agreed.” He sucked in a slow deep breath. He hadn’t realized how much had shifted for him until they’d pointed it out. But now that he’d let Ezra and Kai in, he didn’t want to return to how he’d been. “We’re not here to talk about my relationship status, though. What happened when you met up with Rachel?”
Meg poured herself a finger of the whisky and took a sip. She didn’t bother setting it down but held the glass in her hand. “There’s a reason for her irregularities. She dodged around a lot of it during our lunch date, but I’ve been working in this industry long enough to be able to read between the lines.
“Someone’s taking a cut from her. Don’t know if it’s a partner, a pimp, a gang, whatever, but she was too skittish. And I didn’t miss the extra concealer she wore either. She’s in trouble.”
Parker let out a low whistle. “Fuck, what do we do about that?”
“This is where we really could use a council of Doms.” Fin lapsed into seriousness for once.
“She lives in Oakland, right?” Sloan asked. He didn’t like the itch in the back of his brain. He knew her address because she was one of his clients, and he pulled it up on his phone and mapped it. The location was far too close to Ezra’s apartment for comfort.
It had to be a coincidence. There was no way Rick was orchestrating all the fucked-up things going on in the area—that section of Oakland was a large-as-hell area. But once the vigilance turned on, he couldn’t turn it off.
“Yeah, she’s been there a while,” Meg said. “Why, do you have an idea?”
“More like I’m hypervigilant about my ex.” Sloan carded his fingers through his hair. “He’s from the same area. ”
Storm clouds flitted across Meg’s face. “I hate that you feel that way, sweetheart.”
“There’s one way to get information for sure,” Fin said. “Bring her over to Whipped, and we’ll talk to her in private. Public, you never know who’s watching, and folks aren’t going to open up.”
“They’re right.” Parker crossed his arms over his chest. “In the same token, I’m not one for discounting gut feelings either. It could be worth looking into your ex, Sloan.”
Relief saturated him. The crew at Whipped had his back, but seeing them put into action stirred him in a different way. Over the past few years, Sloan had walled himself off—from family, from older friends. Only these people had carved through. He didn’t have a bad relationship with his folks, just the casual-visit type, and his friends from college had gone in different directions or locales.
The family he relied on? It was right here.
“Thanks.” He hated the vulnerability that rippled across his skin. Maybe he could drop to his knees and get busy to divert attention, though he hadn’t talked to Kai or Ezra about boundaries with their new…whatever they were.
“Well, since we’ve crashed into your house, we might as well kick back with a movie,” Fin said.
Sloan rolled his eyes, but he wasn’t about to usher them out. The news about Rachel unsettled him, and honestly, ever since he’d seen the state of Ezra’s apartment, he hadn’t wanted to be alone in his place.
“Can we order takeout? I’m starving,” Parker said.
“What, haven’t choked on enough cock from Micah?” Fin said sweetly.
Parker flipped them off while Meg scrolled through her phone. “Pizza? ”
Sloan’s chest warmed. “Yeah, there’s a great place a few minutes from here that’ll deliver.”
“Mushrooms work for you?” Meg asked.
“Pepperoni or bust, you heathen.” Fin picked up one of the throw pillows and hurled it over. It missed by a mile.
“I’m team mushrooms,” Sloan said. “But I’ll eat whatever.”
Parker smirked. “We already know that.”
“Lord, do all of you need wrangling tonight?” Meg shook her head. “Easy solve. One pepperoni, one mushroom. Anything else?”
A knock sounded on the door. Panic mixed with hope swirled within him based on whoever stood on the other side of the door.
“Want me to get it?” Parker asked. The man was always observant. Micah was lucky as hell.
“Well, considering you three barged into my house uninvited, it’s the least you could do.” He batted his lashes. “Please.”
Parker got up from his spot and strode out of the living room, disappearing into the foyer. Sloan’s shoulders tightened, and he didn’t miss the way Meg’s gaze honed in on him. That woman spotted everything.
“Oh, hey,” Parker said, his voice a bit surprised but warm. If the newcomer was Rick, that wouldn’t be the reception. “Sloan, your men are here.”
Adrenaline pumped through him, and he tried to ignore the flutter in his stomach. His men. The idea of attempting for something long-lasting terrified him. Pre-Rick, he was all about relationships, even if he tended toward nonmonogamy. Afterward, he’d resisted giving anyone a piece of his heart.
Except he’d texted Ezra and Kai, and they’d come right over.
Truth be told, he didn’t know what to do with that.
Parker strolled in, with Ezra and Kai close behind .
The sight of them stole his breath.
Ezra’s dark hair was swept to the side, and he had a serious look on his face. His dark eyes flickered with concern as he looked at Sloan. His shoulders were squared, framed by the Misfits tee he wore, and a pair of ripped jeans clung to those muscular thighs. The dangerous edge to him lured Sloan in, so damn intoxicating he couldn’t stand it.
And Kai was by his side, as stunning as always, his olive skin delicious in the light. He looked less fatigued today. His dark brown hair was tamed, and those pretty hazel eyes stood out against his liquid-ink lashes. He wore an open flannel with a white shirt beneath. When he met Sloan’s gaze, he smiled softly. Sloan’s breath hitched.
“Oh, it’s a party now.” Fin popped up from their seat, their eyes gleaming with a wicked grin. “What brought you two here?” They were stirring shit for answers.
Ezra crossed the room and plunked onto the arm of Sloan’s couch right next to him. “We got the text and figured we’d stop by. Didn’t realize half of Whipped would be here.”
“Unsanctioned company party,” Meg said. “Aka you’re pitching in for pizza.”
“Toppings?” Parker asked.
Ezra snorted. “Barking up the wrong tree, my man.”
“I’ll happily bite the bullet and accept all the topping.” Sloan patted the space on his other side, and Kai sank into the spot beside him. When Kai snaked his arm around his shoulders, the butterflies in his chest multiplied. He hadn’t expected such a bold move from a guy so new to this, but the more comfortable Kai got, the more a snarkier and confident side emerged, one Sloan was excited to see.
“Have you ordered a pepperoni?” Ezra asked.
“Fuck yeah.” Fin hopped up to high-five him. “I knew you had good taste. ”
“Anyone on board for sausage?” Kai asked.
Meg met Sloan’s gaze, wickedness gleaming in her eyes. He cracked the hell up, his shoulders shaking. All those nerves teetered over into a sharp relief that mingled with his amusement. Ezra let out a bark of a laugh, and Fin was busy emulating a coyote with theirs.
“You sure you’re not getting enough of that as is?” Parker attempted to keep a straight face, but he couldn’t hold back his grin.
Kai groaned. “Fine, I walked right into that one.”
“I ordered a pepperoni, a sausage, and a mushroom.” Meg slipped her phone back into the pocket. “Y’all can fight it out if needed.”
“I will throw down over the pepperoni.” Fin leaned forward as if they were about to launch into action.
“Mmm, I might moan a little, then,” Sloan teased. Wrestling was a thing he enjoyed on rare occasions, though he wasn’t as active a participant as Noles or Fin.
“Don’t tempt me, babe.” Fin cracked him a wicked grin.
Sloan glanced at Ezra and Kai. Would they have an issue with his relationship with his coworkers? It wasn’t romantic, but the comfort at Whipped was something worth protecting. However, Ezra smirked, and Kai’s eyes crinkled. Relief rushed through him. They’d need to talk this out if they moved forward together, but their lack of an issue now…yeah, that gave him hope.
“So, I see you managed to find a Dom to help out,” Meg said to Kai, then gave Ezra an up-nod.
Kai squeezed his nape. “Uh, yeah. Thanks for the recommendation.”
“I was wondering how the two of you connected,” Sloan said. The pieces slotted into place. “After you jetted out of our class like a bat out of hell. ”
Kai rolled his eyes, a ruddy flush on his cheeks. “In case I haven’t reiterated it a million times, I’m new to everything.”
“You hold your own well,” Ezra said with heat in his voice that stroked through Sloan’s insides. All too easily, he remembered being between those two men. Fuck. That had been unparalleled from chemistry alone. He’d never expected to find a connection like this so intense with one man, let alone two, and he knew just how rare it was.
“Clearly, those domming lessons worked.” Sloan nudged Kai with his leg.
“Now we just need a chance to put the other side into practice more.” Ezra nodded at Meg. “You were right.”
“I usually am,” she said, a Cheshire grin on her lips. “Sloan, when are you bringing these two to Play Night?”
He sat up a little straighter, surprised she’d offered. Play Nights weren’t something the casual munch-goer got to attend. They were pretty much coworkers and partners only. Meg’s gaze was knowing, and a shiver ran down his spine. The idea of having something permanent, something like Meg and Tristan had…
Fuck, it was everything he wasn’t allowed to want.
And yet a tendril of hope awakened inside him.
“Oh, is this the coveted private nights you guys do?” Ezra asked. “I’m in.”
Sloan glanced to Kai, who offered a warm grin. “Hey, you haven’t scared me away yet. How terrifying could a play night be?”
Giddiness fluttered through his veins, and a grin rose to his lips. “Oh, you have no idea…”