32. Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Two
A week had passed since the open house at Whipped.
Overall, the event had been a massive success despite the major interruptions. On a public level, they’d gotten a ton of class sign-ups and an influx of new customers for the café. On the private side, Sloan hadn’t heard a peep from Rick since.
And Meg had called them all in after hours tonight because she had news. His heart thumped hard. She’d made sure to emphasize Ezra and Kai needed to be here too, so he imagined it had to do with the asshole who’d caused them a bunch of problems in the first place. He’d still been waking up in a cold sweat at the memory of Rick shoving him against that wall. But then he’d feel Ezra and Kai bracketing him, and he was able to truly relax.
“Your men are here.” Nolan leaned by the door. “I sent them down to the dungeon already.”
Sloan pushed up from his chair, his legs stiff. He’d decided to keep working tonight, since everyone was heading over to Whipped anyway. “Thanks, babe. Any idea what this is about?”
Nolan’s eyes glinted. “Meg’s hottie ex headed down too, so I have some idea.”
“Why don’t you ask him out?” Sloan said as they walked toward the hallway together.
Nolan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, not in for a long-distance relationship right now.”
“Sacramento’s not that far. Or ask him to dick you down real good.”
“Mmm.” He tapped at his lips. “You know? I just might.”
The lights in the café were dimmed, giving the place a twilight feel with the gentle glow and growing shadows. His heart squeezed tight. No matter where life took him, he knew deep in his bones this place would always be a refuge. His port in any storm.
They headed to the basement, the voices growing louder with each descending step.
Tonight, not all of the crew hadn’t been able to show up. Tristan was on a work trip, and Eva had gotten caught up at her job, as had Parker. However, when he stepped in, the rest of the crew sprawled out on the couches. Fin, Micah, and Pixie had taken one of them, and Kai and Ezra had stolen the other, leaving an empty spot in the middle. James and Meg sat on one of the benches, deep in discussion.
“Your boys are waiting for you.” Nolan gave Sloan’s ass a light spank. “Better go over.” He strolled in the other direction and claimed the last slice of space next to Pixie.
Sloan looked at his men. “Ready to hear this news?”
Excitement prickled through his veins. If it was bad news, Meg most likely would’ve broken it to him in private. He plunked right into the space between his boyfriends, and the way they reached around him to draw him into their cocoon of warmth was perfection. Lately, they all slept in his bed, a tangle of limbs, and he was loving every second of it.
“James, want to take the floor?” Meg said, a smug grin on her face. If anything, that bolstered his confidence a thousandfold.
“So, I set something in motion that should resolve our problem with Rick Mitchell for good.” James crossed his arms over his chest, exposing some delicious corded forearms under his rolled-up sleeves. Nolan was salivating, as expected. “I did a little digging, and it turned out he had been committing tax fraud. Fabricating pay stubs from a job he no longer worked for years now.”
“Which means?” Ezra asked, his voice a little sharper.
Sloan’s heart thumped hard.
“I alerted the authorities, and just this morning, one Rick Mitchell got hauled away in cuffs.”
Sloan’s jaw dropped. He’d hoped. He’d hoped there would be a time when he wouldn’t need to worry about Rick coming for him, striking fear into his heart. Yet he’d never dared to believe someone would catch him. That he’d get punished for what he’d done.
“Holy shit,” Ezra blurted out.
“He’s in jail?” Micah asked.
“Lockup right now,” James said. “But given his record and everything else involved, yeah, he’ll be facing jail time. ”
Fin let out a whoop. “Let the fucker rot!”
“Tell us how you really feel, babe,” Nolan teased.
Sloan still sat there, mouth open, even as Kai smashed a kiss to his cheek.
Rick was gone.
He was truly free.
Ezra squeezed his knee, and when their eyes met, his vision glossed over. He swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of the pesky emotions rising to the surface. Meg dropped to a knee in front of him and placed a hand on his thigh.
“From the moment you came here, I knew something was haunting you,” she said, her voice low. That intense-as-fuck gaze bored into him, but he didn’t try to evade it. “Thank you for trusting me, Sloan. Thank you for being a part of our family.”
A few tears slipped down his cheeks, and he wiped them away. “Low blow, Meg Roberts. You’re one of the best damn people I’ve ever met.”
“Since we’re all gathered here anyway.” Meg clapped her hands. “Who wants to kick back with drinks and games?”
“Only if we’re playing for body parts,” Fin said.
“What sort of hot serial killer nonsense is this?” Micah asked.
“They just want to own your ass,” Kai said. Fuck, he loved to see how comfortable Kai had gotten, light-years away from the easily embarrassed guy who’d appeared at a munch in Whipped and forever left an imprint on his heart.
“Or yours,” Fin said, arching a brow. “Noles got to scene with you three, and I got left out.”
Ezra snorted. “If you want it so badly, we can set something up.” He leaned back with a casual confidence that was pure sex. Sloan was just as grateful for him. If Ezra had never crashed into Sloan’s life, he might have continued to skate along, hiding his fears, running from them rather than facing them.
“Mario Kart or Street Fighter?” Fin asked.
“Street Fighter, because you’re a little monster when we play Mario Kart,” Nolan said. Fin flicked him in the side. “Harder, Daddy.”
James’s gaze zeroed in on Nolan, and Sloan bit his lip, hiding his amusement. Nolan was going to find himself with more than he could handle. Anyone who emanated a natural dominance like James would likely be trouble of the best kind.
Meg walked over to the hidden minifridge and snagged two bottles of lager. She passed one to James and plunked down into the seat beside him. He ran his fingers through her hair, and she dropped her head back, her eyes fluttering shut. Sloan blinked. He’d never seen that side of Meg.
Micah had popped on the TV screen, and the song for Street Fighter blared through the room. “Let me know what part you want to play for, and we can discuss with Parker later,” he said to Fin. Pixie snorted.
Fin lifted their brows, and a grin ripped across their face. “Fuck yes.”
Sloan settled between Kai and Ezra, loving the way he was connected to both of them.
“How are you feeling?” Kai’s lips brushed Sloan’s ear.
“I’m going to be okay.” Joy bubbled deep inside him, to the point he could no longer contain his grin.
“Better than okay, sweetness.” Ezra glided his thumb along Sloan’s lower lip. “A future with the two of you? It’ll be nothing short of amazing.”
“That’s all I want,” he said.
Sometimes people dreamed of lofty things like rising the ranks politically, of attaining a big title or job. However, Sloan had always chased after the simpler pleasures in life. Mind-blowing sex and a job that had become a second home.
It was the other simpler thing that had been out of reach until Ezra and Kai had entered his life.
Partners to make a home with. To build a future with.
That secret part of him had remained buried until they’d unearthed it. They’d nourished it, coaxed it out, and brought it to the light.
And now, that hope would finally get to grow.