26. Ryder
Chapter 26
Ryder
“What do you mean?” Mom asked as Dad perked up, knowing something was up.
“I thought you said you invited friends here to relax after you were… hurting,” he said.
“Yes, that is true. But it’s more than that.” I sighed and dove right in. Rip off a bandage, right? “I never told you this… Rowan knew and Waylon knows, but I’m… bisexual.”
My parents looked confused, probably running through their memory banks to find that moment in time when they missed it.
“But you dated girls,” Mom said.
I smiled patiently. “Yes, but that’s being bisexual, right? I date girls… and guys.”
“You were dating guys?” Dad asked.
I shook my head. “No, not while living in a small town. I not only didn’t know who was queer or not, but it’s not like the most accepting area. It was fine. I knew some nice girls. But I did have a crush on Waylon for far too long.”
Finn sat up and stiffened while Knox tried to appear relaxed, but the tension was all over his face.
“Wait… how long was this crush for?” Finn asked with a hint of jealousy, making me smile and feel strangely loved.
I winked at him to tease him. “For about ten years or so.”
“Ten…” he squealed, then coughed. “I mean, ten years… wow. That’s a… long time.”
“It was a stupidly long time,” I agreed.
My parents were now looking between Finn and me, finally catching on.
“So, you and Finn?” Dad asked, his face unreadable. My parents had never made a homophobic comment in their lives—that I was aware of—but then again, they hadn’t had a child who came out to them as bisexual before, either.
“Not just with Finn, but Knox, too.”
Dad tipped his beer bottle in his mouth to take a sip when he suddenly sputtered at my admission. “T-two men?!”
“Oh…” Mom gasped. “That’s uhm… Well… I… ah… It’s unusual.” At least she tried to be diplomatic about it as she processed.
They weren’t yelling at me, so that was a plus.
“Look, I know this is a lot to process, and it’s unusual, as Lorraine said. We didn’t seek love, but that’s what happened. We adore Ryder, and he’s become someone special in our hearts. Sometimes the heart wants what it wants,” Knox said, speaking up for the first time.
My face bloomed with heat and love for this man. “You can thank Finn and Knox for finally setting a fire under my ass to come home. They healed me in a way I never thought possible with their honesty, open communication, and support. I wouldn’t be here without them. On the anniversary of Rowan’s death, I was so broken… I could scarcely breathe. They pulled me out of it, Mom and Dad. They may have saved me.”
Mom sniffed as her eyes watered, and Dad clenched his jaw, which was typical when he couldn’t express what he wanted to.
I reached for Knox, who sat next to Finn, and he grabbed my hand, then I rested my other hand on Finn. “You don’t have to like or understand. Just… accept it, I guess. That’s all I ask.”
Dad suddenly coughed and dug into his meatloaf. His fork hovered over his mouth before looking at Finn and Knox. “Thank you for… helping our son and bringing him home to us,” he said quietly.
My two men glanced at each other before looking back at my parents. “You’re welcome,” Finn said, who had been quiet until then.
“Sorry that was so awkward,” I said when we got to the bed-and-breakfast after dinner, and I put the truck in Park.
Finn grabbed my hand and kissed it. “Hey, at least there was no screaming and kicking us out. That’s a bonus.”
“They hate us,” Knox groaned like a teen, making me laugh. Where was my sweet, sexy, dominant man?
I chuckled. “I promise they do not hate you. Just let them adjust and get used to the idea of all of us together.”
“We missed you, Rye-baby,” Finn said, threading our fingers together. “Do you want to come up for a little fun before you head back?”
“God, I would love to. I missed you both, too. We have to be quiet, though, or else we’re going to give your neighbors an earful.” Then I frowned and looked at Finn before kissing his forehead. “Do you even want that after what happened to you, baby?”
“Does it sound wrong or weird if I say more than ever? It’ll be good for me to wash away the damn memory of that asshole and replace it with goodness. I’ll never forget it, but eventually, it will become nothing more than something hazy and distant. I freaked out at first, but I think because I stopped that asshole with Casey, despite him being pissed at me for it, I got back some of my control. I hurt for a while, but, yeah, I’m good.”
I leaned forward to look at Knox, who was holding Finn’s other hand, looking worried for him. “What do you think, sir? Should we spend our time pleasing our Finn?”
Knox slowly grinned. “I think that’s a solid plan.”
We all headed up to their room, which was very traditionally Victorian but well-kept and homey.
“Be quiet as much as we can,” Knox ordered.
He placed his large palms on the back of our heads and brought all of us close together. “Now, kiss me. Both of you.”
We closed in and gave each other the sloppiest, naughtiest kiss, full of tongue, our hands traveling wherever we could touch. The sounds were salacious and delicious. Who knew three men kissing at the same time would be so hot?
There were only days that had separated us, but you would’ve thought it had been months, seeing us consume each other.
Suddenly, clothes were being tugged off and tossed into unknown corners of the room. Then we went back to kissing, except Knox grabbed my cock and Finns, tugging on them not just for pleasure but to control.
“I want to do something else,” Knox said when we came up for air. “I want to take care of both of my hurt boys.”
To say I melted was an understatement, especially as Knox dropped to his knees, almost in reverence to our cocks. Regardless, even with him down on the floor before us, Knox was still in charge.
He had a tight grip on our shafts and tugged us toward his mouth, opening wide as we eased our tips inside. It was a tight fit, but he used his tongue to explore the underside of the heads, sending shivers through us, not to mention the amazing feeling of rubbing my dick against Finn’s.
Finn and I had an arm wrapped around each other as we started to kiss, breathing heavily, putting our entire bodies into it, the room quickly filling up with groans.
Soon, Knox swallowed my cock down as he stroked Finn, and then switched it up. Every time I got close to coming, he would edge me before he would do the same to Finn. Jesus, he had an expert mouth and tongue.
Finn’s free hand slid across my chest and pinched one of my nipples hard, sending a shiver across my body. He smiled in his kiss and did it again, but harder, twisting it. The sting, combined with the pleasure and the blow job, quickly sent me over the edge. Knox swallowed all my cum, and before I could respond, he was on Finn, pulling the cum out of him. Then I did the same to him as he did to me, tugging and twisting his nipple, groaning into my mouth. His body suddenly froze before it shuddered as he came.
We were all breathing heavily, and I was especially feeling numb when Knox stood tall, pressed his hands on our heads, and pushed us down to our knees.
“Open your mouths,” he ordered. “If… ah, that’s okay with you, Precious.”
“Yes, Daddy. Do whatever you want. He didn’t ruin us.”
We opened our mouths, and Knox fisted his cock, pumping fast, twisting his hand, and swiping up pre-cum, the piercing gleaming in the dim lighting. He didn’t take his time and came quickly, shooting his load on our faces and tongues.
“So fucking pretty all painted, my precious boys.”
When he finished, he headed to the bathroom. Finn looked at me, grinning, before he pressed a finger to my cheek, swiped up a glob of cum, and shoved it into his mouth.
“I love Daddy’s cum.”
“So do I. I love yours, too.
We kissed again, sharing Knox’s flavor in our mouths as Knox returned and cleaned up our faces with a warm washcloth.
“Come here, boys.”
We stood, and he pulled us into a group hug.
“I love you both… so much.”
“We love you, too, Daddy.”
“Yes, I’m grateful for you both,” I said. “I’m more than grateful because you’re making me stronger each day. In fact, for the first time since her death, I’d… like to visit her grave. Would you… come with me?”
Knox kissed my forehead. “Of course we’ll come.”
“We’ll be there for you, Rye-baby.”
The day was drizzly, making the cool day feel colder. It penetrated my soul as I stared at my sister’s tombstone with fresh flowers. My body trembled, the pain of her death another hard blow. Standing there at her grave was a stark reminder that she was gone. It was evidence of her death for all of eternity.
Rowan Lee Jennings
May 13, 1998 - September 18, 2023
Beloved Daughter and Sister
It was a simple headstone. We weren’t a religious family. Next to her was a plot for me that my parents bought at my insistence. I wanted to be buried next to the other half of my soul when I died. My name was on it, too, along with my birth year. The rest was blank.
Finn and Knox flanked either side of me in a protective embrace as the tears spilled down my face. This was the second most difficult thing I’d done besides coming back to town. Thank god I had the two men that I loved with me.
“I don’t like seeing your name there,” Finn admitted. “It’s like you’re not really here, but there.”
“Yeah, it’s… weird,” I agreed.
Knox’s fingers dug into my side with his arm wrapped around my waist. “At least we know what to do when the time comes.”
“Stop. I don’t want to think about it, Father. I don’t want to imagine our Ryder dying.”
I looked at my guys as I took a shuddering breath. “Can I have a moment with her?”
“Of course, Sweet Boy.”
They both kissed each side of my face on the cheek, stepped back, and walked to the car that was parked close by.
“I miss you, Bug Face. So damn much. I miss your face, your voice, your laugh… I miss you teasing me and giving me advice when I needed it. You were always there for me, and I tried to be there for you, but I failed. It doesn’t matter how many people tell me it wasn’t my fault; nothing will change that. Yes, Bryce hurt you… killed you. But I should have done better. I should have gone with my instincts to tell Mom and Dad or drag you out of there. You would have hated me, but you would be alive. I know that eventually, you would have forgiven me.”
My lip trembled as I tried to hold back a sob. I stared up into the overcast sky as cold droplets sprinkled my face.
“You would have loved Finn and Knox. I know it, but not without a lot of scolding first about dating two men, one old enough to be my parent. Eventually, you would see how great they are and how much they love and support me.”
I touched her tombstone, hoping to feel… something. Anything. Like the connection we used to share, and wondering if it went away in death. But it was just cold, wet stone.
“I have to go now, but I promise not to wait another year to see you again. I love you, which is something I never said enough to you.”
With that, I turned and headed back to the car. Knox and Finn pulled me against them and held me as I pushed down my pain. I was damn tired of crying.
“We’ve got you, Rye-baby,” Finn said.
And I believed him. They would both catch me whenever I fell. And I would always do the same for them.