CHAPTER 23
AVA
I was disappointed to wake up alone after being perfectly snuggled against Deacon and held tightly in his hold all night, but there was still a huge smile on my face as I sat up and stretched.
Pain shot down my back, somewhat dampening my happiness as I winced with the pain, but nothing could take away from the amazing night I’d had with Deacon.
It wasn’t a good day for me, pain wise, I realized as I took a shower in Deacon’s huge en-suite shower room and got myself dressed.
The pain in my back was severe and it ran up to my neck, causing a thumping tension headache.
I’d need to go back to Colt’s for my meds as soon as I could, but I wasn’t in a rush to leave Deacon.
I’d heard him moving around elsewhere in the apartment, so I knew he was close, and I couldn’t wait to see him.
Wearing last nights clothes, no makeup, and my hair thrown up in a messy bun, I made me way slowly through the huge apartment and froze when I got to the living space and found not just Deak in the kitchen, but Jack and Mason sat at the counter talking to him.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked as I moved closer, my smile growing wider. It had been a while since I saw either Jack or Mace and I had missed them.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Deacon greeted as he looked over to me from behind the stove and smiled broadly. He was dressed in a very form fitting black t-shirt that defined every one of his muscles, and he looked amazing.
“Good of you to join us, sleepyhead,” Jack joked as he got to his feet and came over to me, kissing me softly on the cheek before he wrapped his arm around me and helped me over to where Mace sat.
“It’s not that late,” I defended myself.
“Don’t even joke, Jack. I’m just glad she’s actually getting some rest for once,” Mason said as he leaned back on his stool and reached his arm back to wrap around me. I placed my hand on his shoulder and moved close enough to kiss him chastely on the lips.
“ She can hear you, and doesn’t need you worrying about whether or not she is resting enough,” I told him with a raise of my eyebrows. “What are you both doing here?” I asked as I looked between them. I took the seat in the middle and dropped my stick to the floor beneath me.
“I called them. Jack was complaining he’d barely seen you when we were at the club yesterday. I thought we could all have breakfast together,” Deak explained, and for the first time I realized he was cooking bacon and pancakes.
I blushed a little as I realized what he was up to. He was keeping his promise to me the previous night, that we’d make things work. In order to make a relationship between all of us work, we needed to spend time together.
I looked to him with a small smile and tried hard not to worry about the fact the guys had to known something had gone on between Deak and I the night before, seeing as they knew I stayed over.
I had nothing to be embarrassed or concerned about.
Jack and Mason had agreed to me seeing where things went with Deak. They knew I loved them too.
Surprisingly, they both seemed pretty relaxed as they sat there chatting to Deacon and laughing at a joke he made.
Mason had even removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt.
He turned to me, not for the first time in the last few minutes and smiled softly.
He was trying. He and Jack both were. For my sake they were giving Deacon a shot and that meant everything to me.
“Any news on our religious psycho killer?” I asked as the conversation lulled. I leaned forward and pressed one hand on Mason’s thigh and the other on Jack’s.
“No updates from the FBI so far, but they have been requesting information on the missing people from local PD, so they are working the case,” Mason explained.
He placed his warm hand over mine on his lag and gave it a squeeze.
“We came to a dead end at th attempted break in at Jack’s place too.
Whoever was trying to get in was wearing a black hoody with he hood up.
Any street cams that caught a glimpse in the city, only got the back or side of his or her head. ”
“But there’s been no other attempts?” I asked as I turned to Jack.
“Nothing. I updated my locks and security system though, so they’d be stupid to try anything now,” Jack answered, and I nodded.
“It’s weird they haven’t tried anything since. Maybe it was just a coincidence? Some criminal trying his luck?”
“Maybe,” Mace agreed.
Deacon started handing out plates for us all, then sat kitty corner to Jack with his own. The food was good and we all dove in with gusto. For several minutes there was no sound but the clicking of cutlery against our plates.
“So,” Jack broke the quiet. “I’m guessing you guys hate a good time together last night?” he looked between Deak and I, and I smiled brightly, unable to stop myself as I thought about everything we’d done the night before, from the moment Deak picked me up at Colt’s place. It had been wonderful.
“We did,” I confirmed.
“You look happy, baby,” Mason said, and I turned to him, surprised not to hear any annoyance, or jealousy in his tone.
“I am. Colt’s safe and happy with Ky, and I…I get to eat breakfast with all of you. I feel better than I have in the longest time.”
“That’s what we want for you, love. To be happy,” Jack told me.
“We all had a talk before you got up this morning,” Deacon added and I looked to him with worry. “It was a good talk,” he assured me with a soft smile.
“Deacon doesn’t want to let you go, and we don’t want that either now we see how happy you are,” Jack chimed in.
“And we sure as hell don’t want to lose you, or even miss another day with you ever again,” Mason said.
“We decided, if you agree with it, that it might be good for us all to spend some time together,” Deacon concluded.
“Okay,” I nodded. “You mean like days out together? Dates? That type of thing?”
“We can do that if that’s what you want, Ave, but we’re all a little keener to get things moving faster.
Mace and I already wasted so much time we could have been with you, and we need to get used to Deacon fast if this is going to work.
What we were thinking was that we’d all try moving in together,” Jack explained.
“What?” I gasped.
“We get that it’s fast, and it’s all good if it’s too fast for you. We were just thinking if we spent some intense time together, we could move things along to where we’re all already pretty sure they’re headed,” Deacon told me.
“We love you, Ava. I hate being apart from you for more than a few hours. I want you to finally be ours – mine, Jack’s, and Deacon’s, if that’s what you want too,” Mason added.
“It is what I want,” I agreed easily. “But I just moved back in with Colt and this is so fast.”
“How about we try it for a set time?” Jack asked. “Let’s say one month. We all move in together for one month, see how it goes and go from there. I’ll keep my place and Mace will keep his, just in case.”
“We’re moving in here?” I asked, though it was a stupid question. Deacon’s place was huge. There was plenty of space for all of us there, and it was pretty central for us all too. It made sense.
“That’s what we were thinking,” Mace nodded.
“And you’re on board with this?” I looked to Deak.
“I suggested it. I want this thing between us all to work, and I think this is the best way right now, if you’re good with it?”
“I’m more than good with it.” I smiled brightly. “It sounds amazing, but I’ll need to talk to Colt. He’s struggling and I don’t want to leave him alone if he needs me staying with him.”
“Of course, love.”
“I never imagined any of this happening when I came back here. I came back for Colt, that was all. I never even believed anyone would want me again, let alone two guys I’d been obsessing over for years, and a drop dead gorgeous man who’s way out of my league,” I sighed.
“I never wanted to tie anyone down with all of the shit that comes along with me.”
“You’re the one who’s out of all of our leagues, sweetheart,” Deacon told me. “And we don’t care what comes along with you. We’ll deal with all of it as long as it means we get to have you. You know that.”
“I’m starting to,” I nodded.
“So you’re willing to try us all living here together then?” Mason asked, seeming surprised.
“If Colt’s good with it, then yes. Don’t look so shocked,” I laughed.
“I just didn’t expect you to give in so easily. I was ready for an argument.”
“No arguments from me,” I shrugged as I ate the last piece of my pancake.
“Okay then,” Deacon said as he jumped up from his seat and walked into he kitchen to open a drawer.
He pulled out a huge bunch of keys and handed us each a fob from one of the rings.
“These get you into the building and elevator,” he explained.
“This is the key for my place,” he went on as he handed out silver keys next.
“I have enough spaces in the underground lot for all your cars and I’ll arrange for you to have the remotes for the garage doors by tonight.
Otherwise make yourselves at home. There’s four bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs, but Ava gets first pick. ”
“Okay then,” I said as I looked between them all. “I see we’re actually doing this.”
“We are,” Mason said as he finished the last of his coffee, then got to his feet. He took his dishes into the kitchen and set them in the sink.
“Leve those, Mate. I’ll cleanup before I head out,” Jack offered and Mason nodded gratefully.
“I have to get into the office, but I’ll bring some of my shit tonight,” He walked over to his seat beside me and took his jacket from the back, gracefully swinging his arms into it and sliding it on like it was a practiced move.
“Let me know if there are any updates on the murderer,” I requested and he nodded, then leaned down and kissed my lips softly. “Be good today. I’ll see you tonight.” With that, he was gone.