Page 54 of Piece Us Together
“Didn’t think we’d be falling in love with all of them,” I say with a smirk.
“Hey, speak for yourselves. You’re all dropping like fucking flies.”
Jake and I exchange a look before turning that look on Ace. He looks at each of us with a deep frown, eyebrows pulled together. I groan as I realize he’s not being a liar, he’s being a fucking idiot. “Oh, man, don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out yet?” I ask in half-shock, half-dread.
“Figure what out?” Ace asks.
“Oh no…” Jake puts his face in his hands. “It’s even worse than us all dropping like flies. He’s dropped and doesn’t even know!”
“What? Oh—wait, no. That’s not—Matt? Are you talking about Matt?” Ace makes apsshhsound, but his dark skin is flushed on his cheeks, and he’s not meeting our eyes any longer. Not looking at the pool either. Apparently, his beer label has suddenly become very interesting. “We’re friends. He feels safe with me, that’s all.”
I blink at him, really wishing he’d look at me so he could see how absolutely idiotic I think that is. “Dude. The two of you are attached at the hip.”
“So? Bryce and Max are too, but you don’t see the two of them fucking.”
“Bryce and Max don’t share beds, or sleep on the couch of a certain someone’s office whenever that person can’t be in bed. Bryce and Max don’t have to give the other a single sad look to get their way.”
Ace splutters.
He thinks that taking a drink of his beer will help him, but it ends up making the spluttering worse as he starts to literally choke.
A strangled sound comes from our right. I have to hide my smile when I see it’s Matt, his arms braced on the edge of the pool. He looks terrified. I hit Ace on the back a few times before telling Matt, “He’s fine. Just forgot how to drink.”
Matt doesn’t believe me, watching Ace closely until Ace catches his breath and gives Matt an embarrassed smile. “Unfortunately, he’s kind of right…but I’m good now.”
Matt does the sign for,promise?
Ace’s smile softens into something disgustingly lovesick as he signs it back. I roll my eyes with Jake.What an idiot.
Keats saves him, walking into the pool area with hunched shoulders and a look on his face I can’t quite place. He very purposely doesn’t look at the pool as he walks up to us and squats in front of Ace’s chair. There’s an aura about him that suddenly sucks the humor right out of the room. I find myself hoping the boys in the pool don’t notice it.
“What’s wrong?” Ace asks, sitting up quickly like he’s sensed the same thing as me. Jake looks just as rigid from his spot. “What happened?”
“Nothing. Nothing, just—can I steal you? And Jake?” He nods at me. “Sorry.”
I scoff with a short laugh. “Don’t ever apologize for not needing me to do something.”
He gives me a look that clearly says don’t get used to it, which is fair, even if it makes all of my earlier anxiety return with a vengeance. I look away from him to avoid making things any worse. The last thing I need is him deciding he needs me after all, not only ruining my plans tonight but also forcing me back into a role I hate.
Thankfully the three of them leave, Jake mentioning off-hand that he’ll be back in a few minutes to tell Casey it’s time for bed. I keep my gaze on Nolan with his friends like I didn’t even hear him. The world suddenly feels too small. Too heavy.What’s going on?Ace is tech, always staying behind for missions, and Jake has made it clear he’s done with missions now that Casey’s loose ends are tied. He’s officially retired. If Keats needs them for now, it could be to set up the background support for something more. Something that will need boots on the ground. Boots like mine.
Fuck.
I run my hand through my hair, my eyes drifting to their abandoned beers and the cooler on the floor.Fuck.
For a rare moment, I find myself wishing Travis and Carter would have stuck around. Things have still been so damn tense between us all, Carter seeming to swing dangerously from wanting to be like we used to be and wanting to hate my guts for existing, but there’s a chance Travis knows what’s going on. A chance he could help put my mind at ease.
I shoot him a text instead, asking him discreetly if he’s heard about any movements from Keats. He answers almost immediately with a no, then a follow-up text with crying emojis and the question of why I’m asking. I tell him he came to visit and is acting sketchy. He counters that Keats is always sketchy, which is fair. The guy is always either acting suspicious or so relaxed that it feels almost unhinged. Neither are particularlysettling. I tell him I’ll keep him updated, and he agrees to do the same.
Thankfully Jake is back soon enough, not looking the least bit worried as he approaches the side of the pool with a fond smile and relaxed posture. That helps a little. Even if Jake isn’t going to be sent anywhere if there’s a mission, he’d still be concerned. He’s definitely a daddy in that sense.
Jake squats down at the edge of the pool while Casey hurries to swim over to him. I can’t hear what he says when his boy is close enough, but whatever it is has Casey’s lip puffing out in a pout. Nolan and his friends all look amused as Casey works his daddy over, clearly trying to get his way. Considering he’s in the pool, and Jake had mentioned bedtime before, it’s a safe bet to assume he’s angling for more swim time. That’s a fight he’s had with Jake nearly every night since we moved in here.
I asked Jake once why he puts up with it when I’m fairly certain he could use his daddy authority to put his foot down and tell Casey he can’t keep arguing every night. Jake had said, “But he’s so fucking cute when he whines and pouts. And I like how happy he gets when I sometimes let him push the rules a bit.” He had smirked then, wicked and a little dangerous. “Besides, it gives me a chance to let him push just a little too far. Then I get to punish him—and he’s so damn pretty and sweet after he’s been punished.”
At the time, I hadn’t had much reference to go off of, but he’d seemed happy, so I had laughed. Now, I can picture Nolan on Hunter’s guest bed, writhing and begging, tears streaking his cheeks. Nothing drastic has changed with me. I still don’t like the thought of hurting him or making him submit. But seeing him wrecked from pleasure like that was fucking intoxicating, to the point where I lost myself a little in it, something I would have agonized over after if Hunter hadn’t been there to keep thingsin check. I could see how Hunter or Jake would enjoy watching their submissives, if they looked anything like that.
I wonder if Casey is going to be made to suffer before he gets to come tonight.