Chapter Seven
The smell of bacon and coffee had Shaw sitting up in an unfamiliar bed.
He blinked at his surroundings until horror washed over him, along with last night’s memories.
He covered his eyes. Horrified didn’t begin to cover how he felt.
Embarrassed was in there a lot too. He had really shown out and poured his anger on the wrong person.
Still, Salem had saved him from driving home .
He grabbed his phone to check the time. He had missed over half a dozen texts. Shaw opened his messages.
Joesph: As much as I know I’ll regret this, I shouldn’t have let you get in your car drunk. Let me know when you get home.
Joesph: Please don’t make me come check on you.
Joesph: It would be great if you’d just put me out of my misery.
Joesph: Really starting to worry.
Joesph: If this is some way to punish me, I get it, but fuck. This is just cruel. I’d never let you worry like this.
Joesph: Damn it. I’m coming to check on you. You’d better stop me before I leave because God help you if I drive all the way across town and you’re fine.
Joesph: I’m going out my front door.
Joesph: You slimy-ass motherfucker. I knew. In my heart, I fucking knew it. As soon as I left, I knew I was making a mistake. I should’ve just driven by Salem’s place first and saved myself from going out of my mind. Lose my number.
Defeat washed over him. There was no coming back from this one. When it came to Joesph, he was someone else. Someone he didn’t like, and he didn’t know why. He had to at least apologize, though. Shaw couldn’t live with himself otherwise.
Shaw: I’m so fucking sorry. When I left last night, I was angry and upset.
I ended up at Salem’s house, needing to scream at someone.
He put me up in the guest room and let me sleep it off.
I passed out immediately and didn’t hear my phone.
I’d never intentionally make you worry. No matter what you think, I’m not that big of a bastard.
I don’t know why I am the way I am, but I get it.
I’m destroying your life. If you really want me to lose your number, I will.
I just hope like hell that’s not what you choose, because that’s not what I want.
Shaw set his phone aside and fought the urge to beat his head against the wall.
Every word Salem said to him still rang inside his head.
Despite every hate-filled thing Shaw spat at him, Salem still bared his heart and showed vulnerability before saving him from himself.
Even while seeing how much his anger obviously scared Salem, Shaw still hadn’t stopped.
Maybe Shaw was every bit as heartless as everyone always said. He didn’t know how to fix it.
Shaw stood. His shoes and shirt were gone.
He studied the room. A cursory glance showed him nothing.
He pinched the spot between his eyes. Shaw had no clue where he had left over half his clothes.
With a growl, he dropped his hand and followed the scent of coffee.
Maybe if he begged forgiveness, someone would let him have a cup…
and possibly borrow a shirt. How did he end up in situations like this?
Sometimes Shaw wondered if he was set on self-destruct.
After following a long hallway, he headed down a set of stairs.
When he reached the bottom, the sound of laughter drew him through the sitting room.
He found the kitchen. Dodge chased Quest around the kitchen table, snapping a towel at him.
Neither of them wore anything more than thin sleep shorts, so his shirtless state didn’t feel horribly out of place.
The pair didn’t notice him right away. Shaw stole the chance to study them.
He didn’t truly know much about them beyond rumors and what he knew from Salem.
While they had all been in Greece together for a week for Tarek’s wedding, Shaw had been set on catching Salem’s attention, so he had mostly ignored them.
There was no denying they were beautiful.
They were also full of sunshine. Shaw’s throat swelled.
This must be a happy home for Salem. It was no wonder Shaw hadn’t stood a chance.
Plus, goddamn. Those shorts didn’t really leave anything to the imagination and whoa.
Not only were they beautiful and sweet, but they were also packing, and damn, some people really got it all.
A warm hand slid across the small of Shaw’s back, startling him. He glanced over as Salem moved past him, wearing nothing but a short, silky robe. Their gazes met. There was no hatred in Salem’s eyes.
“I see you lived through the night. Are you hungry?”
Shaw cleared his throat, trying to breathe past the growing lump. He really had fucked up a lot of shit in his life. “Yeah. Thanks. I smelled the coffee.”
Salem smiled. “Have a seat, then.”
Shaw sat and tried not to look at anyone. He knew the pups hated him. Shaw couldn’t blame them.
“How do you take your coffee?” At Quest’s question, Shaw forced himself to look at the guy. There was no animosity in his expression. Shaw wondered if either boy was capable of hating anyone. One thing was for sure: Salem was right. They had more class than him.
“Sugar and cream. Thank you.”
With a nod, he poured a cup and doctored it before setting it on the table in front of Shaw.
Dodge and Salem carried plates of various breakfast foods to the table and arranged them in the center.
The three ended up at the coffee station together, filling their coffee cups.
Shaw watched them exchange loving looks.
Salem leaned Quest’s way and kissed his shoulder.
Dodge kissed the top of his head. He looked like a man sickeningly in love.
Shaw’s eyebrows rose when Quest stole a kiss from Dodge.
In his heart, he had known the three were together.
It was one thing to believe it and another to see it.
Not only were they a beautiful throuple, but damn.
He would pay good money for that show. Shaw sipped his coffee to hide his reaction.
He hated the way his body stirred. The lump was back.
He was lonely. Like Salem said, he was ugly on the inside.
How could anyone ever love someone like him? He didn’t deserve it.
Quest wasn’t the type to kick a man when he was down. None of them were. He supposed that came with being down a majority of their lives. It was lonely at rock bottom. That was what Quest saw now that he looked. Shaw was set on destroying himself. Likely, even he didn’t know why.
Shaw stood. “I seem to have misplaced my shirt. If one of you doesn’t mind loaning me one, I’ll get out of your hair and let you enjoy your meal.”
All eyes focused on Shaw.
Quest didn’t care enough to argue. He preferred to be alone with his babies.
Salem was always nice, no matter what anyone thought. “Sit down. You should get something in your stomach before you leave.”
Dodge obviously felt the same as Quest. “I’m sure I have something you can borrow, but if you prefer, I can help you find your clothes. You were dressed when you got here last night, so your stuff couldn’t have gone far.”
Shaw dipped his chin. “Thanks. I appreciate the help. I don’t relish the idea of wandering through someone else’s house. That feels intrusive.”
Dodge motioned for Shaw to follow him. “I understand. When I first came to live here, I refused to leave the downstairs unless Quest was with me. I didn’t want him to feel like I was intruding.”
Quest shook his head as the pair left the room with Dodge chattering away.
The moment they were out of sight, Quest snatched Salem from his feet and sat him on the counter.
Salem’s eyes flashed with laughter as he draped his arms over Quest’s shoulders.
Quest stood between his thighs and hauled him closer .
“How far do you think I could get before they return?”
Salem’s laughter swelled Quest’s chest. “Probably pretty far, but we’re not about to find out. I’m not giving Shaw a free show.”
“We could charge.”
Salem laughed harder. His happiness was beautiful.
“At least kiss me.”
Salem’s laughter died, but his eyes still shone bright with happiness.
He held Quest’s stare as he closed the distance between them.
Quest didn’t close his eyes until Salem’s lips brushed his.
He opened, savoring the moment Salem’ s tongue swept inside.
Quest had given up on happiness. He had given up on this dream until Dodge stirred everything back to life inside him.
Now he couldn’t stop craving them all hours of the day.
He felt the way they grew closer by the minute.
Quest was a man in love. His hunger never relented.
Warm lips touched his shoulder. Dodge’s hard body molded against him.
Quest’s every thought scattered. He wanted to beg for these men to swear they would love him forever.
Quest wished he could marry them and tie them together forever.
He understood that wasn’t possible, and it broke his heart a little .
Dodge pulled away first. “Shaw decided not to stay. He’s dressing and leaving.”
Quest set Salem back on the floor. “I don’t blame him. He didn’t make any friends last night.”
Salem nodded as he carried his cup to the table. “True, but I still feel sorry for him. I don’t think he’s a bad person, really.”
“He’s set on burning his life to the ground.”
“Exactly,” Salem said, proving Quest’s thoughts correct.
“He said he was sorry like a dozen times while we looked for his clothes. I know a drunk mouth speaks a sober mind, so I don’t doubt for a second he genuinely thinks we’re stupid. But I don’t think it’s personal as much as he just has a huge ego we were stepping all over.”
Salem froze with his coffee halfway to his mouth.
Quest swiped a hand over his eyes. He didn’t know if Dodge even realized he had just told on them about eavesdropping on Salem’s argument with Shaw last night.
Salem set his cup aside. “You were listening.” His chest rose and fell on a deep breath. “I suppose I knew you’d heard at least part of what was said since we were yelling. I’m sorry. ”
Quest honestly didn’t understand Salem sometimes. “Why are you apologizing?”
Dodge nodded. “Yeah. Why are you apologizing? You’re not the one who called us dumb and dumber.”
Salem made a helpless gesture. “You two have—”
“I’m sorry for saying that. You two didn’t deserve it.”
At Shaw’s interruption, all eyes turned toward the door.
Shaw stood with his shoulder leaned against the frame.
With his hands shoved in his pockets, he looked like a little kid called to the carpet.
Shaw cleared his throat. He sounded and looked uncomfortable as hell.
“There’s no excuse I can give. All I can say is I have a lot going on right now and you were easy targets at the time.
” He straightened. “Thanks for everything. I hope you three have an amazing life. You should definitely stop hiding. JD loved a good scandal.” With a small smile, he turned away, leaving them alone.
They exchanged glances.
Salem’s hands lifted and fell. “I never had any intentions of hiding, so I have no clue what that was all about.”
A smile exploded across Quest’s face. Dodge looked his way, wearing a matching huge grin. “Well. Let’s not let our food get cold over it, then.”
Quest grabbed their coffees and moved to sit at the table. They were happy in their bubble and Salem didn’t plan to hide them. Things were finally looking up. It was time to eat and get on with the life they deserved.