Jack paced the room, impatience warring with the sick feeling he’d had ever since that moment that he’d realized it was happening all over again. He kicked off his boots and shucked his jeans to the side. What the hell was taking them so damn long? Did they think this was fun for him?

Every minute they weren’t with him sent him further into his head.

In his mind, he saw the gun Leo had picked up off the floor. The Dom had tried to conceal it, but Jack hadn’t missed the glint of metal. It had been shoved against Abigail’s stomach. It could have just as easily been Sam. If Sam had been whipped first, he would have been down there, waiting to be Slater’s victim.

That fucker had put his hands on Abigail. He’d treated her like she meant nothing at all, like she was some kind of fucking pawn to be used and discarded. Rage screamed inside him, seeking an outlet.

He shoved his fist through the bedroom wall.

“I’m sure Julian will appreciate your renovations, Jack,” Sam snarked.

He and Abigail stood in the doorway watching him. There was no judgment in their eyes. It was as though they were simply waiting for him to be done with his fit.

He wasn’t done yet. “I should have killed that fucker. I should have put my hands around his neck and squeezed until his eyes popped out. How could I have let him walk away?”

“You didn’t, baby.” She strode straight up to him and put her arms around him.

He started to step back. The idea of her putting her hands on him when he was so angry made him nervous. It was like he was too dirty to have her touch him. But then he could probably be covered in another man’s blood with a knife in his hand, and she would put her arms around him and ask if he was hurt. Sam would be there, too, only he’d probably be offering to wash the knife and help him hide the body.

“He didn’t walk out,” Sam continued her thought. “He was kind of dragged along, crying the whole way. He’s probably being tortured even as we speak.” Sam’s face got serious. “It’s over. It happened and we survived it. Put it behind you. We won’t let you shut us out again.”

But Jack was on a roll. He was sick to death of being afraid. The terror rolled in his gut, but it was nothing compared to the anger he felt. “And I swear, I’m going to beat the shit out of that Leo guy if he so much as looks Abigail’s way again. The same goes for Julian with Sam. I am sick of people questioning my rights to my subs. Abigail is my wife and, damn it, you’re my Sam. I won’t let other people try to take you away from me.”

“After what you did to my back, I seriously doubt anyone’s thinking like that, Jack,” Sam said.

“And from now on, I decide the punishment. Julian can go to hell. I am not living by his rules. I make the rules for this household. I do not have to live by his dictates. I don’t have to follow some goddamn handbook on how I live my life. And the two of you are not allowed to fucking die on me.” He reached down and pulled Abigail up. “And neither one of you is allowed to leave me. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Jack,” she replied.

He looked at Sam, who had his hands on his hips. Jack tossed him a questioning look. They were going to have to work on Sam’s obedience.

“Fine, I won’t leave. I wasn’t going far anyway. Can we fuck, please? This is getting painful.” He indicated his massive erection. “We can work through your angst later.”

“He’s going to be the death of me,” Jack whispered to his wife. He looked between his lovers. “I was afraid I would push you away with my demands. I can see now that the only way I can push you away is by holding you at arm’s length.” He opened his other arm, and Sam walked into it.

Their bodies pressed together. Something deep inside Jack loosened and broke free.

“You can push us to do some crazy stuff,” Abigail admitted.

Laughter welled inside him, banishing the darkness. “Then I’ll have to come up with some creative torture.” His eyes met with Sam’s. “I love you both. I won’t check out again. I promise.” He leaned over and brushed his lips against Sam’s and then Abigail’s. When he was done, he looked at his wife. “Get on the bed, baby. We’re experimenting tonight.”

She was on the big bed before Jack could say another word.

“Sam, I believe our wife would like some attention.” Something relaxed deep inside Jack. He was in control again. It was exactly where he liked to be.

A decadent smile spread across Sam’s face as he dropped to his knees in front of Abigail. “Spread your legs, baby. I need something sweet.”

He pushed her knees apart and shoved his face in her pussy. He had a glimpse of how wet and perfectly aroused she already was. It didn’t matter. Sam could lick her all day and she’d just make more. He’d never had a woman get so wet for him, want him so badly.

Abigail didn’t need lube, but Sam was going to. Jack pulled the lubricant out of the dresser. He spread the lube in his hand. He enjoyed watching Sam lick at their wife as he stroked his erection, making certain he was nice and slippery. He was hard as a rock at the thought of what was about to happen. It had been forever since he’d fucked a man, and he’d never been with one he loved. Tonight he would be fully and completely with Sam and Abigail.

It was perfect.

“Abigail, move back,” Jack ordered. “Sam, you’re going to get inside our wife and then wait for my instructions.”

Sam pressed her legs open and seated himself. He groaned as he pushed his erection in. She tilted her hips up to take him all the way to his balls. Sam wasn’t one to wait. He started thrusting in and out, his head falling back.

Jack didn’t stop him. Sam could thrust like that for a really long time.

“Does she feel good?” he asked, his voice low and husky as he continued stroking his cock.

“God, yes.” Sam twisted his hips, making her moan. “You know how tight she is. She fits me like a glove.”

He groaned slightly at that thought. Sam was going to be tighter than a glove. Suddenly he couldn’t wait. He was done holding himself back. It was past time to join them. Hell, he was always going to join them from now on. He ran his hand up Sam’s strong back, pushing him forward lightly. “Spread your legs. I need room to work.”

Sam shuddered as he spread his feet apart, though it still didn’t make him miss a thrust. Abigail was pushing back against him now. Her thumb was stroking her clit. He could hear the sweet sound of flesh slapping against flesh.

Sam’s fingers joined hers. “Come for me, baby. That’s right. I’m going to make you come all night long.”

That wasn’t going to happen until he was ready. “That’s going to have to wait a minute. I need you to hold still, Sam.”

“Damn it,” he cursed but stopped and leaned over. He planted his hands on either side of Abigail’s head. She didn’t complain at all, even though it was apparent she’d been seconds away from heaven. She held still and let her hands drift into Sam’s hair. Jack could hear her whispering to Sam. She told him how much she loved him. Abigail looked up at Jack, and he saw the love shining in her eyes. His heart clenched. This wasn’t sex, not even close.

This was making love.

He smiled in return and moved between Sam’s legs, letting his hands cup the muscled cheeks of Sam’s ass and pouring out more lube. He spread those cheeks and started to work the lube into the tight rim of his ass. The plug they removed earlier in the day had opened him up a bit, but he was still tight as a drum.

“Relax, Sam.” He gently pushed his middle finger in, working the lube around. Sam pushed back. “Patience.”

“I don’t have any.” Sam laughed as he groaned. “I never did, man. Come on. I want your cock, not your fingers, Jack.”

He sighed. Later, he would probably spank the hell out of Sam for that, but now he was just as impatient. He lined his dick up to that tight hole and gently started working his way in. Tight, so tight, that ring of muscles fought him, fought to keep him out. “Press back against me.”

It was so fucking good. He wasn’t even past the rim and he was fighting orgasm.

Sam flattened his back and pushed out. Jack steadied himself. He put a hand on Sam’s abs. They were tight in anticipation. Jack tunneled in as carefully as he could. When his hips were flush against Sam’s backside, he held still. He could feel the nub of Sam’s prostate rubbing against his cock.

“Fuck,” Jack muttered because there was no way he could last. It was too tight, too hot, too good.

“Yes, fucking would be nice,” Abigail said a little desperately. “I’m so close.”

Sam laughed, and he could feel it all along his cock, the sensation threatening to send him over the edge. He was done playing. Jack pulled out almost to the rim and thrust back in. Sam’s head came up.

“God, yes,” he yelled. He pushed back, forcing himself onto Jack’s dick, then shoved forward into Abigail.

Jack gripped Sam’s hips and set a brutal pace. He dragged his cock in and out, the heat and pressure making him crazy. Sam’s body fought to keep him inside. His tight hole sucked at Jack’s cock, tighter than anything he’d felt before. She heard Abigail cry out as Sam got her to come. Then Sam’s head fell forward, and he was the one shouting as he filled their wife.

Jack felt his balls tighten and a tingle at the base of his spine. He pushed as far as he could into Sam’s body as the orgasm took him. The hand on Sam’s stomach tightened, and he pressed forward. He hissed as the orgasm squeezed his balls, shooting them off like it would never stop. He dragged air into his lungs as he thrust in little bursts, unwilling to leave the hot clasp of Sam’s body. He finally slipped out and let gravity pull him forward.

They landed in a heap of arms and legs.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked when he could breathe again.

He felt Sam’s hand wind around to land on his hip.

“Never fucking better, man. I like being in the middle. Though not to sleep.” Sam got up suddenly and pulled Abigail between them. “She’s softer than you and doesn’t give off as much heat. You’re like a furnace.”

Sam settled back down, cuddling up to her, his head resting happily on her chest.

Jack went up on his elbow. He wondered what he’d been so upset about before. It didn’t seem to matter now. They were together. That mattered. Abigail was looking up at him with dreamy eyes.

He laid a kiss on her forehead. “You okay, baby?”

Her lips curled in the sexiest smile. “I want to watch next time. It’s like my own private movie.”

Sam’s head came up.

“No, we’re not taping it.” He had to be stern on that point or Sam would start up a new hobby.

Sam let his head fall back down with a pout. “You want to watch? You know what that makes you, Abby? That makes you a pervert.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she insisted, snuggling down between them. “It just makes me Abby.”

It made her perfect. It made them perfect.

 

* * * *

 

“Is she going to sleep all morning?” Jack asked as Sam walked into the room. He stopped and really looked at his longtime friend.

Sam wore a pair of boxers and scratched his stomach. His hair was wet from his shower. There was a cozy intimacy between them now that hadn’t been there before. They had been friends, the closest of friends.

Now they were more. So much more.

Sam yawned and stretched. “Well, she went through a lot. Can you blame her? She got whipped, and then some guy tried to kill her, and then we did the whole crazy three-way thing four times in one night.” He stopped and a grin covered his face. “Maybe we should wake her up with sex.”

Jack shook his head and laughed. Naturally that’s where Sam would go, but he had other plans. “I like how you think, but there’s no time for that this morning. I want to be out of here in two hours. We’re going home.”

“Where we can have going-home sex to relax after all the vacation sex, right?”

Oh, they would definitely have going-home sex. He wanted them there, in the house they’d provided for Abigail. So much had happened that all he wanted was to get home to assure himself it was real. His thoughts were cut off by the knock at the door. When he opened it, Julian himself pushed through a large elegant tray. Sally followed behind him. She was bright and fresh faced. The moment Julian had the tray where he wanted it, Sally began pouring coffee into the china cups on the table.

Julian was already dressed for business in a three-piece suit that looked all elegant but made Jack think of a cage. “Good morning, Jackson, Samuel. I wanted to make sure you enjoyed your stay. Breakfast is on the house this morning.”

“Thank god,” Lucas said, walking in from the hall, one hand on his stomach. “I’m starving.”

So much for his intimate morning plans. He would have to get used to it. The tight circle of people he trusted and gave a damn about was getting bigger by the moment. His younger brother looked over the food with an eager glint in his eyes. He downed the cup of coffee Sally handed him. Next month, Jack would have Lexi at the house for Easter. His heart did a little flip-flop as he thought about it. Two more people to take care of, to think about when he made a decision.

This was his family. Years he’d gone without, and now they were here.

“Hey, don’t you eat all the bacon,” Sam complained good-naturedly. “If you’re anything like your brother, we’re going to need to tell Benita to double the grocery order.”

Julian stood apart, his eyes on the table where the younger men were arguing over the pancakes now. His gray eyes were surprisingly warm as he looked up at Jack. “You and Sam seem fine. I worried a bit that last night might bring back bad memories for you.”

So many bad memories, but he’d realized that the way to deal with the bad ones was to make new memories, precious ones, loving ones. “Sam and I are very happy. So is Abigail. Don’t worry about us, Julian. We’ll be fine and we’ll be back. I think my subs won’t accept anything else.”

“I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that. I’ve missed you, old friend.” He pulled a small envelope out of his pocket and turned to Lucas. “But this is for a new friend. In case you need to blackmail your father. I know it’s a family tradition.”

Lucas’s eyes went wide as he pulled out the contents of the envelope. “Wow. These are disturbing. I don’t think I want to see my father in fetish wear. He let her spank him? Damn.”

He flicked through the pictures, his face glazed with shock. Sam snuck a peek and shuddered.

“Jack, your dad looks like you, but his dick isn’t anywhere close. Papa’s got a tiny package.”

“I must take after someone else,” Lucas murmured. Jack nearly laughed out loud when his brother flushed. Lucas stood up straight and handed the photos back to Julian. “Thank you, Mr. Lodge, but I’m out of the blackmail business. I have better things to do with my time.”

“Like punch cattle,” Sam supplied.

“I have to punch them?”

Pride swelled in Jack. His brother was going to be okay. He needed time and patience and a family who loved him unconditionally. That was all. Luckily, that was something Jack was damn good at.

Julian handed the photos to Sally, who tucked them into the pocket of her suit. Like Julian she was all business this morning.

Julian took a cup from Sally. “Very good, Lucas. I’ll keep them in case you need them later. Know you’re always welcome here. Jackson, Samuel, don’t be strangers. Sally, come to the office when you’re done serving breakfast.”

Julian shook hands with him and left quietly. As soon as the door closed, Abigail walked out of the bedroom, looking like a rumpled kitten.

“I need coffee,” she said.

Sam already had the situation in hand. “Here you go, baby.”

“Oh, good, breakfast.” Abigail’s eyes lit up and he worried maybe they would have to order more.

Sally held out a hand, gesturing to the tray. “I have a variety of breakfast favorites. There’s pancakes, bacon, eggs, danishes, and fruit.”

Abigail looked down at the small buffet. Her smile faltered and she went stark white. With shaking hands, she managed to set down the coffee mug before she darted back into the bedroom.

“Abigail?” Jack ran to keep up with her. Sam was hard on his heels.

She was on her knees in front of the toilet throwing up everything she had in her stomach.

He sank down beside her and pulled her hair out of the way, giving her the only support he could. They would have to rethink their plans if Abigail was sick. He patted her back and made sure she had an anchor.

Her whole body shook and he looked back at Sam. His partner’s face was pinched with worry. She’d been so sick for the past month, but she’d seemed to be coming out of it. Was she relapsing? Getting worse?

“Darlin’, are you all right? Do I need to call a doctor?” They would stay in Dallas and see a specialist.

Lucas looked in. He slapped Sam on the arm. “Dude, is she pregnant?”

Her head came up. “No. No. I’m almost thirty-eight. I can’t be pregnant.”

Sally stood in the doorway. “I think Lucas is right. I had a friend. The smell of bacon made her puke when she was pregnant. It was funny. Not the puking part. Sorry. She was really psycho about taking her birth control pills, but then she was on antibiotics and they canceled out the pills. She was pissed.”

“Oh, my god,” Sam breathed, his eyes wide as saucers. “We’re going to have a baby? I think I’m still a baby.”

Jack shot his brother a stare. “Lucas, go with Sally and ask Julian for a pregnancy test. I’m sure he has them.”

Lucas nodded and walked out with the blonde.

“I’m too old to be pregnant,” Abigail said, glassy-eyed.

“I’m too young for her to be pregnant.” Sam looked equally shocked.

“Is Sally right about the antibiotics?” Jack ran a soothing hand along her back. She’d been on three different antibiotics trying to get rid of the infection in her lungs and they had not started using condoms. It hadn’t occurred to him at all.

She nodded. “Sometimes antibiotics counteract birth control.” She seemed to search her brain. “It’s definitely possible. I’m a nurse. Why didn’t I think of it?”

Because she’d had other things on her mind. Because she’d been worried about her marriage. “There’s no blame, darlin’. None at all. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Jack got her in the shower and helped her brush her teeth and then they waited for Lucas.

Twenty minutes and one pregnancy test later, Jack stared at the plus sign. Sam looked over his shoulder.

“Damn, Jack, what are we going to do with a kid?”

“The normal things a family does with a kid.” Jack was surprised at his utter calm. Abigail was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. He was going to be a dad. He searched deep inside for some level of fear and panic and couldn’t find it. A deep sense of satisfaction was the only thing inside him. That and an anticipation that made him smile like he hadn’t in forever. Their future was right there, growing inside his wife. “We’ll play baseball with him, teach him how to ride, stuff like that.”

“I have a twenty-one-year-old daughter,” Abigail said, still in shock.

“She’ll make a good babysitter.” Jack kissed the top of her head, pulling her close.

He and Sam were going to be dads.

“He’s going to be a cute kid,” Sam said. It was obvious he was calming down, too. “We gotta be careful. He’s going to be awfully good looking. He’ll probably have my hair and my build. I’m okay with him having Abby’s eyes. They’re really pretty.”

Jack snorted. He felt unaccountably light hearted. He didn’t care who’d actually fathered the baby, but couldn’t help playing. “What makes you think it was your sperm? My sperm is obviously the dominant sperm. My sperm told your sperm to get to the back of the line. The boy will have black hair and green eyes.”

Sam shook his head. “I bet my sperm listens to your sperm about as good as I listen to you. My sperm is also very impatient. It ran to that egg. Little Sam is gonna be a handful.”

Abigail burst into laughter. “Holy shit. If this doesn’t get me on a talk show, nothing will. And this one is a girl. I just know it.”

She put a hand over her stomach, and there were tears in her eyes that had nothing to do with sadness.

Jack put his hand over hers, and Sam’s fell on top, too.

“I don’t think I can handle a female me, Jack,” Sam said seriously.

Jack swallowed. He didn’t think he could handle it, either. After a moment, he got up.

It was time to take his family home.