Page 44 of Black Hearts
Theo wrapped the condom in another tissue, and then he went to pull his boxer briefs and pants back on. He left them unbuttoned, the zipper undone. With his top half bare and his glasses a little crooked, he looked… well, adorable wasn’t necessarily a word I’d ever use out loud to describe him, but it was the first word that came to my mind when I turned and saw him half-dressed.
Me? I think I was just going to lay here for a while.
“Stay,” I said, watching him as he exited the room, probably to the bathroom across the hall to toss the condom away. He returned to me, not quite shutting the door, but not leaving it wide-open, either. “You don’t have to get back to the house so soon, do you?”
He ran a hand through his hair, coming to sit on the edge of the bed with me. “As much as I’d like to stay, I shouldn’t be gone too long. Without Markus in charge, it’s like… everybody’s on edge. Nobody’s getting along. The tension is palpable. Johnathan Scott has to go. I just hope Markus is able to get him to leave, because if not…”
I was slow to sit up. “If not, where would we go?” The idea of starting over somewhere new was not very appealing. Though many things went on in that mansion that I didn’t approve of, many things I didn’t like, deeds that were well and truly evil to their core, it was my home now. I couldn’t help but want to get back to it.
“I don’t know—” Theo was going to say more, but right then, Will burst into the room, holding two water bottles.
“Not going to lie, I was eavesdropping,” Will rattled off, throwing himself on the bed near Theo and me. He offered a water bottle to Theo, and then one to me, but not before he took a long, lingering look at my naked body. “I thought you two might need some refreshments after the fucking.”
Theo leaned backward, blocking most of Will’s view, while I was busy blushing. I know, I know, it was far past the time when I should blush over comments like that, but I just couldn’t help it. Plus, I wasn’t exactly used to sitting in front of people, naked. I decided to scoot back and stick my legs under the covers, pull the blanket up just enough to cover my chest. Only then did Theo stop his posturing.
“What? It isn’t anything I haven’t seen before,” Will spoke, rubbing his cheek. “Although… it has been a while. Say, Doc, why don’t you give Juliet and me some space?” He grinned, and that grin was on full blast when it turned my way; my insides did a somersault. Jaxon and Bennet had claimed time with me already, but Will…
He hadn’t. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t push him on it. Maybe he was punishing himself for what he did to me all that time ago, taking advantage of the fact I was a heavy sleeper. Maybe he wanted me to come to him.
But, still, Theo wasn’t the person to let Will do whatever he wanted. The time when Theo’s darkness came out to play in the basement flashed in my mind.
“I thought it was Theo now?” Theo asked.
“Maybe, sometimes.” Will shrugged. “Or, how about this? Let’s test out my jealous tendencies and have a round two with me included—”
Theo stared squarely at him, deadpanning, “If we were not on Juliet’s bed, I would dump this entire water bottle on your head, but since we are, I’ll settle for saying: no, thank-you. I think I speak for us both.” He glanced over at me.
If I’d blushed at Will’s earlier comment, the one about a threesome made me blush even harder. These men didn’t like to share. I didn’t think I could picture two of them with me at the same time. I mean, how would that even work?That time at the party in Hillcrest popped up into my head. The only reason that had happened was because Bennet blackmailed us into it; I didn’t Jaxon would’ve shared, otherwise.
Now, Will and Theo…
Maybe now wasn’t the best time to experiment. It wasn’t like I was one hundred percent healed up.
“Look at her,” Will went on. “She’s thinking about it.”
“What? No, she’s not. She wouldn’t—” Theo studied me, and then he went silent.
Will laughed. “She is. She is totally imagining us both railing her—”
Theo held up a finger. “Do not finish that sentence. I will pay you money to not finish that sentence. In fact, I’ll pay you whatever money you want to leave this room.”
“Now, what would I do with money when I already have enough of it? I’d much rather occupy myself with Juliet—” Will was going to say more, but out in the suite, it sounded as if Markus had made his return. “Ah, shit. The big man’s back. There goes all my fun.” He slid off the bed, acting as though his dick hadn’t hardened up a little bit from the conversation. He sauntered out of the room without saying another word.
“Never thought I’d be thankful for Markus’s return,” Theo whispered. He set the bottle on the bed and went to get the rest of his clothes, working to put them on quickly.
I took my time in getting out of the bed, doing much the same, though I did take a pause and get a swig from the water bottle Will had brought first. While the others might say they were working on their jealousy, I didn’t want to push any buttons when it came to Markus.
When Markus lost control, he could be so very cruel. I still couldn’t forget the things he’d done to me, what he almost made Lincoln do, all because I’d dared to speak my truth to him. He’d put in effort since coming back to me, but I didn’t want to test him. I think it would be better for us all if we were careful around him, at least until things settled down.
It was strange to be in love with a man like that, but again, love never seemed to give you a choice in who you fell for. Markus had been my silent protector, the man watching me from afar as I grew up, oblivious to the things my father was doing, what he planned to do to me. I’d gone from one beast to another.
Theo left the bedroom first, and I followed him. We came upon Markus in the kitchen, leaning on the edge of the island countertop. Those dark eyes of his flicked toward us, and I knew he was smart enough to discern why we’d both come from the direction of my bedroom. Oh, he probably saw my flushed skin, how my hair was a little greasy from sweat. He knew what we’d gotten up to, but he didn’t address it. He only said, “Theo.”
“Markus,” Theo replied.
“Don’t mind them,” Will interjected, talking about Theo and me, “they were just finishing up saying how much they missed each other. Except, you know, with a lot more sex involved—” He only stopped when Jaxon elbowed him sharply in the gut.
Markus let out a hard sigh, a muscle in his jaw clenching. I knew he wanted to address what Will had said and what his own eyes saw, but he didn’t. Instead, he said, “I got a call from Oliver. He’ll have the contract ready tomorrow.” Those dark eyes took me in, drew me in, suffocating in a way that wasn’t uncomfortable. “Would you like to come with me when I pick it up?”
