“Fucking ketamine? I didn’t know that people were still into trippy knock out shit, but I guess…” Stefan grunts as I hand him the tox screen.

“None of it matches up with anyone else’s reports.” I say, pointing to the State Examiner’s file. Jefferson altered the materials. And we thought agreeing to say he was in a car accident instead of shot was the biggest thing about this case. But he didn’t even tell the anesthesiologist that he’d recreationally pre-gamed with Vitamin K!”

Vitamin K is the street name for what Al Jefferson was taking, and dealing, from his hospital. His surgery complications were because he tried to slide past everyone he was already so high on his own anesthesia he was stealing from the hospital that Al, well, he fucked himself up. What a goddamned mess.

I toss my hands up in the air. It is one thing that this fucker is wrapped up in shady shit and trying to ruin us. Suing us because he’s thinking he’ll be able to paint us it the wrong light and no one will see the dirt under his fingernails. I mean, fuck a man who’d try and ruin other men because he can’t handle his own shit.

But you already know what really gets me. It is what makes Stefan and David crazy about this, too. Elodie! You know we love her…and none of us want to see her hurt.

Especially not by someone who is supposed to care for her. There was a time when Jefferson probably acted like Elodie meant everything to him, but he’s callously tossed her aside because of some fucking sex tapes? What kind of an asshole does that to someone who admires them and is inspired by them?

“Ya know, I’m actually looking forward to the fucking trial,” Stefan says, dropping his phone. I see the latest news coverage of another another leaked sex tape is pulled up on his screen.

I shake my head. “I guess if Elodie never wants to talk to us again for not telling her more, some fucking creep has archived some of her orgasms.”

Stefan’s eyes light up with rage. “I am glad David thinks he’s found the person making those fucking videos. That’s not what I want for her, and I know you don’t, either. Who the hell has this much access to her and has been able to leak this shit so quickly. When Elodie had someone sweep her apartment, they only found one camera in each room…and I’m thinking that there were even more. Why do our sex lives have to be wired for sound?”

I pass a beer to Stefan. “Fuck, I know, man. Who knows if Elodie even has an interest in being in a relationship with the three of us, and how is she ever going to trust anyone again after all of this? I mean, this guy Mark was vying for Elodie’s job. Al is a shitty fake dad to her. I guess we just have to hope that despite the scandal and drama and the trial, Elodie actually feels like she can trust us.”

Stefan takes a long drag on his beer. We share a look but neither of us says anything for several minutes. He’s right. But if we think this is a lot to process, don’t you think Elodie’s going through so fucking much right now? Bet you want to reach through this book and hug her…I know that I’d rather have my mouth on her than a beer right now.

“So,” Stefan puts down his beer and stretches his legs, palms flat on the counter. “That is what we want. You, David, me, and Elodie? I know we’ve done casual sex sharing…I know that Elodie spending time with us individually is fine. Or even just two of us. But you’re talking about her having a damn harem. We know that’s what we want? I don’t know if Elodie knows that, much less wants it, and I feel like we have to be sure.” Stefan straightens his back and picks his beer back up.

I lift my beer up to his. “Stefan, don’t act like you aren’t totally in love with her. And be honest with yourself, you aren’t competing against us for Elodie. You want to share her. Don’t you want how hot it was to share her once to be every day? When are we going to meet a girl more perfect for us than Elodie?”

Stefan listens to my speech, nods, and clinks his beer to mine. “Cheers.”

We both drink, and my phone dings with a notification. I think maybe David’s getting in touch to tell us what he’s found out. It is just an update for my phone. After this whole sex tapes scandal, I’m relieved it isn’t another fucking news alert.

I can’t even talk to any of my buddies anymore. I should say ex-friends, because I know what I’ve known since I met David and Stefan when we were all pre-med and decided to go to our med schools and then form a private practice together…they are the best friends I’ll only have. They are the only ones now after the shit they’ve said about Elodie and us fucking Elodie. I finally changed my number after so many guys thought they needed to see the sign-up sheet for who could gangbang her next.

That’s not what any of this ever was. We love Elodie. We want to share her and love her equally. Certainly not with some prick who should never have watched those damn videos. The media even wants to make it like Elodie might be releasing them so they can reach for subscribers of videos no one should be watching.

I’m sick of the fucking scum in this world. It makes me love Elodie more, knowing how strong, how good she is…and it makes me appreciate my partners because we’ve been our best team yet trying to win Elodie for us. Trying to solve this Jefferson fucking mess and survive this litigation. I am almost tempted to just cash in on money I have near liquid and buy a damn island to hide away with Elodie, David, and Stefan. We’ll ban cell phones and video devices and keep away from this insane bullshit and never deal with the pushy damn media or scammy old tycoons every again.

And whoever it is that’s leaking these videos. David has been busy trying to find that out, and while we’re all normally sane, rational people, I started to wonder if David wasn’t going to kill the fucker when we find him. I pick up my phone and message him.

“You can’t fuck Elodie in prison. Be smart, bro.”

I say it out loud and Stefan laughs but nods.

“I might use a damned emoji to reply to that if you did it in our group message-” Stefan is interrupted by the notification on his phone letting him know, yes, I did use our group chat.

I laugh as I watch Stefan’s eyebrows knit while he browses through emojis.

David’s message comes through before just as Stefan selects a thumbs up to send. Stefan reads it aloud. “I’m emailing you details, Stefan. You handle this. I am going to see Elodie and letting you handle this shit. No Elodie in prison.”

“Well L-O-L,” I say, bumping my fist on Stefan’s shoulder. “He passed the don’t kill this asshole torch to you and you already thumbs-upped it.”

We laugh, but I know by the look on Stefan’s face that he is as grateful as I am that David’s going to seek comfort in Elodie rather than murder the fucker who was stupid enough to take all these videos of her.

“Okay, we’re all good here, but never say L-O-L to me again, or I’m posting a video of it online, badass,” Stefan says with a laugh.

I get up to get us more beers. Today hasn’t been a total wash.

The trial is coming soon.

Elodie is starting to trust us despite the odds being stacked up against us.

“Stefan, I think I have a better idea than the private island I was considering sequestering our harem on,” I tell him.

His eyebrows raise, and then I tell him a much more enticing plan. Something to look forward to after the trial.