Chapter 23
Captain’s Hall, Freedom
D’Angelo
I sit with my back against the headboard of the bed in the center of my room with my legs casually crossed at the ankle. I’m wearing one of my favorite sky-blue Armani suits.
It’s a fucking beautiful suit.
I sip at my caffe corretto, which is an espresso shot with a drop…or more than a drop…of brandy.
Delicious.
I lick over my lips, savoring the taste.
The early morning sunlight is barely struggling to push through the drapes. It’s never too early for this coffee kick, however, even if Eden would give me a disapproving look that I’m not drinking tea, and Shay would be babbling about some healthy smoothie shit that looks like toxic waste.
Only my principessa understands my love for coffee.
At college, we once debated starting a coffee appreciation society, which would mainly be an excuse to sit around tasting world coffees and deciding what cookies go best with them.
I take another drink, feeling far too relaxed considering the stress of the car crash of a meal at coach’s house yesterday and the importance of the game later today.
Waking up this morning, however, I’m filled with a new determination.
I’ve survived my brother, parents, teachers at the discipline school, and bullies at college, all wanting to destroy me because of who I am.
Not what I’ve done…who I am.
I’ve never allowed them to.
I’ve survived. I’ve fought. And I’m still fucking standing.
So, no one is going to ruin me now for the same reason, let alone ruin men as sweet as Noah or Shay.
This new family that I’ve been building for myself can’t be shaken by a journalist and the demons from our pasts.
My OCD has been pushing at me this week. My intrusive thoughts have been spiraling. Yet I can hold on because now, I’m no longer alone.
I’m the fucking luckiest man alive.
It’s Melanie who’s going down for hurting the people I love.
I take a last drink, before setting down my empty coffee cup on the bedside table.
This is how all mornings should start, especially since I have gorgeous men and women sleeping under the glimmering covers with me.
Of course, they’re naked.
The early bird gets to put their pants on.
I smirk, holding the Guide loosely in my free hand.
“Let’s see what fantasies my little ray of sunshine has added like this is a letter to a kinky Santa,” I mutter, turning the page with a relaxed flick of my wrist. Then I lift my eyebrow. “Ten Reasons I Love Robyn.”
I glance at Robyn.
She’s lying in the middle of the bed, between Eden and Shay.
Shay’s arms and legs are entangled with hers, whereas Eden is on the edge of the bed, tangled in the blankets instead.
I can’t help the smile, when I see how Shay and Robyn’s faces are so close that their long eyelashes are brushing. Her red hair is mingling with his golden locks. His hand with chipped black nails rests on her cute ass.
Shay’s ice-white skin looks ethereal in the pale light, and fuck, I’m never growing tired of his tightly muscled body and broad shoulders. The way that Robyn’s soft curves compliment his hardness is like poetry.
I love watching her sleep.
I refuse to accept that sounds stalkerish.
My lips thin, however, when I force my gaze away from my sleeping brats and start reading these ten reasons and realize that they’re not Shay’s romantic ramblings but rather, Eden’s earnest pleas from the soul.
They’re heartbreaking.
My brow furrows.
Eden loves Robyn because she doesn’t see him as a shadow…? She makes him feel worthy? She listed the ways that he was more talented than Shay…and he thinks that she believes them? She’s not abandoning him?
God, how could I have been so blind?
Eden spoke about how broken his brother was but he’s spent so long protecting his brother that he can’t see that he has the same issues.
It’s not only physical pain that he hides.
My expression steels.
Eden is like a brother to me. I’m going to help him and that means making sure he knows that he has as firm a place in this relationship as the rest of us.
I can’t help the slight laugh, when I see how Eden has signed his section of the Guide like it’s a marriage document. He’s as anal as I am.
No wonder he’s such a good fit as a PA for me.
I honestly thought that we’d at least have had one argument over the best way to schedule appointments or line up notices on the bulletin board. Yet Eden is more organized than any professional I’ve worked with, despite his headaches and post-concussion symptoms.
To be fair, I feel like one of those politicians who have their entire lives down to the diamond earrings that are bought for their wives’ anniversaries, run by their far more competent secretaries.
I even found that Eden had marked Robyn’s birthday in my diary with a gift symbol next to it.
I’m keeping him as my PA no matter if he genuinely demands a million dollars for his pay.
“Signed by Eden…” I shake my head with a quiet laugh as I snap shut the book and slip it onto the bedside table along with my empty coffee cup.
I hear Eden stir on the bed like some kind of baddass fae prince in a fairy tale who’s woken up by his name being voiced, only one who’s black and blue with his arm in a sling.
“Good morning.” I study him.
Eden yawns, running his hand through his hair that’s fallen over his face and instinctively slicking it back. “Morning, Jude.”
He glances at Robyn, scanning over his brother and her like he’s assessing what they need.
I know what they all need.
This is going to be an intense day.
A difficult one.
I’m going to make sure that we feel as connected as we can, before anyone tries to tear us apart.
I tilt my head in thought, before I lean to the bottom drawer in my bedside table. I pull it open and select a bottle of water based lube. Then I rummage around through my selection of sex toys, before I find what I’m looking for.
My eyes glitter wickedly, as I pull out the finger vibe. It’s finger shaped, silicone, and purple.
I’ve noticed that’s Robyn’s favorite color in sex toy.
See, you should always want a man who’s observant and thoughtful about those kinds of things.
Again, not stalkerish.
Eden sleepily sits up, and the sheet pools at his waist. “What’s that? It looks like a witch’s finger.”
I hush him.
“It’s not a witch’s finger, but it is magic,” I whisper. “Want to wake up our girlfriend in the best way?”
Or one of them…I have many creative, fun ways.
Eden nods, cautiously.
I look at Shay and Robyn who are still sleeping innocently.
Not for much longer.
I feel a little guilty, since Shay’s insomnia was terrible last night. He was wandering the house until 3 a.m., before Eden and I cornered him in the kitchen, and I carried him over my shoulder up to my room. Then I put him in the middle of all of us, and he finally managed to fall asleep.
I know that Shay’s freaked out by the memories that were stirred up by that photograph, as well as his anxiety about scoring in the game today.
Coach put the fear of god (or the devil), into him.
I could have kicked coach’s ass for laying more pressure onto Shay’s shoulders, even as simply a teammate and my mentee, let alone the man who I’m fucking obsessed with.
Shay’s already beating himself up. He didn’t need to be made an example of.
He was abused by that woman, and I don’t think he realizes how badly. Perhaps, by being in this relationship with Robyn and me, he’ll start to.
Of course, once it really sinks in what was done to him, it’ll hurt worse, before he gets through to the other side, because he’ll understand just how badly he was treated by so many people in his life who he should have been able to trust.
Instead, they spat on that trust and his love.
They betrayed him in the worst possible way.
People who pretend that they’re doms, while using the title as an excuse to hurt people without their consent are the worst fucking assholes.
If someone has a red flag, it’s not sexy. Red means stop in a scene for a reason.
I beckon to Eden with the finger vibe, which is strangely satisfying.
He rolls his eyes.
“It’s a vibe,” I explain.
Then I beckon to him with the violet finger again.
Eden’s eyes darken with interest. He slides off the bed, wrapping the sheet around his middle without any care for the fact that he’s exposing Shay and Robyn.
I share a long look with Eden, as he stalks around the bed to join me.
I enjoy having another dominant man in this relationship. Eden understands me with simply a look.
He quirks his pierced brow. “Are we tormenting them?”
“Tormenting with pleasure,” I agree.
See, he simply gets it.
Although, he doesn’t fully understand himself yet. This is new to him. But his dominance is an innate part of his personality.
I rarely get to play with another dom in bed.
It’s always exhilarating.
I’ve always been good at being a leader. I loved mentoring Eden on the ice. I’m going to love mentoring him in bed even more.
Eden reaches forward, running his finger along the vibe. I let him explore the feel of it.
“It has different settings,” I explain, showing him the button on the side. “They increase the vibrations. It adds an intense sensation to your touch. It means that since you’re still injured, you’ll be able to sit next to Robyn and barely move to get her panting. It’s good because it’s not bulky, so you can hit the sensitive spots and then let the toy do its…”
“Magic.” Eden’s eyes dance.
I grin, mischievously. “You always were a quick learner.”
I reach for the lube and pump some onto my palm. Then I spread it over the finger vibe.
“Time for our girlfriend’s special wakeup call.” I gesture to Eden like I’m offering him the first dance at a ball.
He inclines his head, walking back around the bed, before stretching out next to our sleeping girlfriend.
I crawl onto the bed, hovering over Robyn and Shay.
I nod at Eden, and he takes up his place beside Robyn.
Lightly, I caress down first Shay’s cheek and then Robyn’s.
Her eyelashes flutter, then her nose scrunches up in the adorable way of hers. “Jude…”
Something inside me snaps at my first name Jude on her lips.
I growl, dipping to kiss her plush lips.
She opens them, making a small, surprised sound.
I deepen the kiss, and her pretty emerald eyes focus on me. She looks muzzy and still rising from sleep.
I kiss her awake.
Instantly, I hear buzzing behind me.
I glance around, as Eden rests the vibe on Robyn’s nipple and begins to tease it. He’s watching her face, avidly.
“Fuck.” She jumps, but I press her back against the bed.
Her breathing hitches. She keeps her gaze fixed on me like I’m her savior.
She doesn’t know that I’m the villain who set this up.
My lips twitch. “Something wrong, principessa? We’re just waking up our Sleeping Beauty.”
“You already kissed me,” she gasps.
Robyn’s struggling to talk already, as Eden swipes the vibe across her nipple, while using his other fingers to play with her breasts. The combined and unexpected sensations shocking her out of sleep are already driving her wild.
“Thanks for reminding me,” I reply. “You need to be kissed somewhere else to truly awaken you.”
I turn to Shay, who’s lying very still like I won’t notice that he’s woken up and is watching the ravishment of his girlfriend with delight, if he doesn’t talk.
I snatch his golden hair in my fist.
“Morning to you too, brute,” Shay whines.
I lean closer to him, and his breathing speeds up. “Don’t be rude. Kiss our girlfriend good morning.”
For a moment, he looks puzzled.
He attempts to lean forward and purse his lips to capture Robyn’s lips.
I’m mean enough to almost let him manage it.
They look adorable trying to have their Romeo and Juliet moment.
I don’t think so…
I wrench Shay away by his hair.
“Hey,” Shay protests like I’ve stolen his treat from him.
“Setting two.” Eden doesn’t give any more warning, before he turns up the vibe and distracts Robyn from protesting as well.
Robyn squeaks.
This is what I love about having a pincer attack of dominants in bed.
I smirk as I drag Shay down the bed. “I’ve already kissed those lips. Your breakfast is down here. You better show me how grateful you are for this feast.”
I push Robyn’s thighs apart, before directing Shay between them.
Eden trails the vibe down Robyn’s stomach, circling her belly button. “Five.”
She’s crumpling the sheets between her hands. “I f-fucking l-l-love five.”
She’s going to love ten even more…actually, it’s going to be more love/hate, but then, that’s more or less how she’s felt about me for a long time.
Shay’s stroking up and down Robyn’s hips as he settles himself between her legs.
I glance down his body.
His cock is already hard between his thighs.
“Taste her.” I push Shay’s face against her pussy, tightening my hand in his hair. “I want you to still have our girlfriend’s taste in your mouth, when you win the hockey game this evening.”
Shay groans, liking that thought as much as I do.
I know that we’re both going to imagine his tongue in Robyn’s pussy, every time that we pass the puck to each other during the game.
And I’m going to imagine fucking her myself when I score.
Shay licks down her pussy, then flattens his tongue and works harder, thrusting in and out of her like a miniature cock.
Robyn’s humping her hips up and down now against his face like she can’t stop herself.
I’ll have to let Shay up to breathe soon.
But not yet.
He can hold on a little longer.
I lean forward and slide my own finger along her wet folds, pressing into her pussy.
“What…?” Robyn gasps. “Again.”
“Good girl.” I thrust my finger in alongside Shay’s tongue like it’s two cocks double penetrating her.
It’s intimate and fucking hot.
I stroke Shay’s tongue at the same time as Robyn’s insides.
Shay whimpers.
Robyn’s looking feverish; she’s making these delicious moans that go straight to my balls.
“Ten.” Eden rests the finger vibe over Robyn’s clit.
Eden’s gaze catches mine, and I nod.
Then he kicks it up to the top setting and the buzzing vibrations pulsate through it straight to her clit.
At the same time, Shay and I renew our efforts fucking into her pussy with our fingers and tongue.
Robyn hisses, arching her back.
Her breathing is labored and heavy.
I hold her leg down to stop her kicking and thrashing, but she’s twisting her head side to side.
Then I can feel by the way that her pussy tightens around my finger, a moment before she comes with a scream.
Eden is relentlessly like I knew he’d be, holding the vibe at full power to her clit all the way through her orgasm.
“Eat up.” I shove Shay even more insistently against her pussy.
I remove my finger and wink at Eden.
He presses harder with the vibe.
Robyn’s clit must be oversensitive now.
“I’m awake.” Robyn yells. “I’m f-f-fucking awake.”
I laugh.
Eden switches off the vibe.
Robyn relaxes.
Eden lies down next to her, and she turns to kiss him. “That was incredible. But you appear to have grown a monster finger overnight.”
“You like monster romance,” Eden says, deadpan. “Aren’t you happy?”
Finally, I drag Shay away from Robyn’s pussy, allowing him to drag in a desperate gulp of air. He still gets in one final lick along her pussy like he’s already missing it.
He won’t forget the taste of her like I wanted.
He looks dazed but is smiling.
I loosen my hold on his hair, stroking over it, instead. “Good boy.”
His smile widens.
I help him to sit up, massaging his jaw. I wipe my fingers over his lips and cheeks that are smeared and wet, helping to tidy him up.
“Okay?” I ask.
“Bloody perfect, darlin.’ I’ll happily wake up to using my mouth on Robyn or you every morning.”
My eyes darken.
Now my cock is uncomfortably hard in my suit trousers. “If you keep making promises like that, then…”
“Yes…?” Shay teases, ghosting his hand over my crotch.
“I’ll be immensely happy.” I snatch his wrist and hold it more firmly against my crotch to show him how hard my cock is at the idea.
He sucks in his breath. “I can feel that, darlin.’”
But then, his thick cock is equally as hard between his thighs.
I quirk my brow. “Why don’t we make ourselves mutually…happy?”
“Only if I get to watch.” Robyn snuggles against Eden’s chest, who’s playing with her hair.
She looks sated and blissed out. She’s watching us with a little smile.
Shay and I exchange a look that I know means we’re going to put on a performance for Robyn, which is going to make her come a second time.
Shay brushes his hand through my curls with a sudden shyness like he thinks I’m a god and he hardly dares touch me.
My chest is tight.
I stay still, allowing him to lead.
His eyes are wide, as he brushes his fingers through my hair, reverentially. Then he scans my face in awe, before he kneels up and rests his hands on either side of my face. He draws me into a kiss, which is tender but possessive.
I slide my hand up his back, and he shivers.
Robyn is watching us kiss, and she’s going to watch us…
All of a sudden, a loud obnoxious vibrating sound startles me out of my happy pleasure filled haze.
I frown, reluctantly drawing back from the kiss.
Shay follows me with his lips.
“Shit, sorry.” Robyn scrambles to the far bedside table, snatching up her iPhone. “It’s a text. Probably Dad; you know what he’s like.”
Sadly, I do.
“Tell him to go away. I have a cock to suck,” Shay pouts.
“Don’t tell him that,” I say, quickly. “At least, leave out the cock sucking part.”
Shay chuckles.
You can never be certain what Robyn will say. She has a talent for embarrassing herself.
And sometimes, me.
When Robyn gasps, I pull away from Shay altogether, however, and look over at her. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s from Melanie.” Robyn’s pale. “Another cryptic message. She says that she has more secrets and she’ll publish them if—”
“I already agreed to do an interview with her,” I burst out. “What more does she want?”
I couldn’t allow everyone to be threatened and hurt.
As soon as that photograph of Shay was shared, I knew that I’d do whatever was needed to keep him or anyone else from being harmed again.
What if Melanie shared something from Robyn’s past next?
The people in this bed right now are what matter to me.
“She wants you to do the interview live tonight before the game,” Robyn replies. “We can’t allow this to happen. The press scrutiny will be huge at that time, and she’s not giving us time to prepare for it. If she drops any surprises, then you’ll be fucked up just before the big game.”
I clench my jaw. “I guess that’s what she wants.”
Shay grabs my hand. “You shouldn’t do this. She doesn’t have the right to attack you on air and wreck your reputation.”
I snort. “Don’t worry, I’ve spent years doing a good enough job of wrecking my own reputation.” He needs to understand. I can see by the way that Robyn is giving me an assessing look that she does. But then, she was brought into the Bay Rebels by her Dad to clear up my PR mess. Plus, she’s known me since college. I tip up Shay’s chin, stroking his jawline with my thumb. “You look at me like I hang the moon. But you shouldn’t idolize me. I’ve made so many fucking mistakes. I’ve been beaten and disowned. I’ve spent years partying, drinking, and throwing away chances when…”
I look away.
Shit, this is hard.
“You look after us,” Eden says, simply. “We’ll look after you.”
“That simple, huh?” I try to laugh and hide the tears in my eyes.
“That simple,” Robyn says, firmly.
Shay tightens his hand around mine. “I don’t only think that you hang the moon but the fucking stars too. That’s saying a lot coming from an astrophysicist.”
I chuckle, before letting out a surprised breath as Shay pulls me into a crushing hug.
“Why is she trying to hurt us?” Eden asks. “Why now?”
“Good questions.” I pull out of Shay’s hug, patting him on the shoulder. “Perhaps, she wants this interview because she’s trying to get to all of us.”
Robyn’s eyes widen, and she shrinks against Eden’s chest. “You think that she knows about us…?”
“Maybe.” I fidget with my cuff links, three times.
If I don’t, then the sick feeling spreads through me that something bad is going to happen. It’s the same OCD feeling that I’ve been struggling with for the last decade.
The men are going to come, break in tonight, then…
I battle to recognize that it’s an intrusive thought. It’s not real. It won’t happen.
I’m safe.
“I am doing this interview,” I continue. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going in there like the lamb to her wolf. I’ve got the team working to find out about her. Her behavior is shady and beyond normal journalistic parameters.”
Robyn’s brow furrows. “They won’t have time to find anything out, however, if she wants the interview to be today.”
Time to confess.
I plaster on a cocky grin, smoothing down my sleeve. “Then it’s rather lucky that I took it on myself to get my friend who’s a PI to look into her already.”
“Legend,” Shay breathes.
Robyn crosses her arms. “Since when?”
Here goes…
“Since the moment that she acted obsessed about me, before the season even started,” I reply. “I rang him first thing this morning to gain as much information as I could. Finally, he came through for me. It took longer than expected because he kept getting blocked by someone powerful at every turn.”
“The same as me.” Robyn points at me. “Your morally gray ass is forgiven, if you managed to find something out that can save our asses.”
“The PI, Garcia, told me that Melanie was kicked out of her first job on a city paper for lying and making up facts in her pieces, along with phone hacking. In her next jobs, she broke press regulations. She’s known for it, as well as destroying celebrities’ careers with smear campaigns based on rumors, while revealing secrets that she shouldn’t be able to know.” I give a slow, dangerous grin. “But I know more than that. I know some secrets of my own about her.”