38
SERENA
Xiomara was an all-too-close blur taking up my phone’s entire screen. I could see skin pores, the hairs on her chin. The arch of an ancient eyebrow.
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
She pulled back a bit, and made a face. A face that was very familiar to me, because she made it almost every time we spoke.
“It still boggles my mind, Ms. Weston,” she snarled. “You had all of Paris. You could’ve fucked anyone in the whole damned city — anyone at all — and you had to go and sleep with your contact?”
“Contacts,” I corrected her. “And yes. I slept with them.” I crossed my arms defiantly. “Both of them.”
At the same time, I wanted to add, but didn’t.
Xiomara grunted and shook her head slowly. “That sounds like a goddamn mess.”
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
The old woman sighed heavily into the phone’s camera. But looking past her designed expression, I thought I could see a glimmer of mischief in her eye.
“Well that mess is on you then, Ms. Weston. When it all goes south — and it invariably will — remember one thing: you are the architect of your own suffering.”
I wanted to tell her to fuck off. That I’d screw whoever I wanted, whenever I wanted. That I didn’t ask for or require her permission to make those types of decisions.
Instead I just sat there, letting her mock anger drain away to nothing. In truth, I thought maybe she was even a little bit proud of me.
“Are you done?”
“For now.”
“Good,” I said. “Because you need to send more people. Arato and Poole are up to their teeth in work right now, photographing, moving, and cataloging everything they can get their hands on down there. You want a mess, Xiomara? Come see it. That place is a fucking mess.”
She scoffed at me. “Only because you brought the ceiling down. They said you buried half the Order’s work beneath a pile of—”
“I saved that work,” I countered, “from being destroyed. And you’re welcome by the way.”
I reached over and grabbed a small stack of books, fanning them out in my hands for her to see. The West African woman’s entire face lit up with child-like excitement.
“Just wait until you see some of the stuff that’s down there,” I said proudly. “Might wanna put on a second diaper. You’re going to shit yourself.”
She caught herself practically drooling, and her expression hardened again.
“If there’s that much work,” she snapped, “maybe you should get your ass down there and help? Arato and Poole could use your—”
“Because I’m taking some time off,” I said proudly. “Call it a much needed vacation.”
She barked out a short, vicious laugh. “I don’t remember ever—”
“You didn’t,” I said, stretching out across the enormous bed. “But I’m taking one anyway.”
I angled the phone intentionally so that she could see. We were still in the Executive Suite, three days later. Broderick was picking through a big platter of food room service had just brought up. Damien was at the foot the bed, my legs in his lap, expertly rubbing my calves.
“Hi mom!” he smiled and waved merrily from the background. Both of his forearms were still bandaged, wrist to elbow.
“Jesus Christ, Weston,” Xiomara exclaimed. “How long do you think you’ll—”
“Until I’m ready to come back,” I said. “And not a second before.”
There was a certain admiration in her eyes now, and not just because I had two beautiful men attending to me. Xiomara could be pushy as hell, but she’d always been somewhat of a champion for taking a stand.
“So you’re staying in Paris?”
“For a while,” I said. “Maybe I’ll even see some more of Europe. Norway sounds good right about now.”
On the other side of the room, Broderick flashed me a smile.
“Norway,” Xiomara muttered. “Unfuckingbelievable.”
“What was that?”
“Nothing, Weston,” she said. A certain part of her had given up. “I’ll see you back here… well… apparently whenever.”
I smiled back at her sweetly. “Whenever sounds absolutely wonderful.”
Before she could say anything else, I pushed the END button.
My eyes blinked open and I was staring at Damien. The light of the candles had grown a little dimmer, but not much.
“So…” said Damien. “Were you serious? You’re really gonna stick around for a while?”
I was lying between them, their warm naked bodies pressed up against mine. Apparently we’d dozed off, and for a little while too. Not long ago I’d taken care of them once already. Each in turn, and also together.
As for me… I’d been sated numerous times.
“Why not?” I shrugged. “After all, you’ve claimed me, haven’t you?”
Broderick slipped a sleepy arm around my waist, pulling me tighter against him. His cock was still sticky and warm pressed up against my naked ass.
“We sure have.”
I took a deep breath. Let it out slowly.
“And if I’m claimed,” I went on, half-teasingly, “aren’t there certain unbreakable bonds formed between the three of us?”
“Yes,” said Broderick. “Bonds that grow stronger every day.”
I nodded. “It also occurs to me,” I said, “you guys still don’t have a place to live.” I poked Damien. “Unless you call that rat-trap apartment you brought me back to an actual home.”
“The shitty one?” Damien joked. “With milk all over the floor?”
“That’s the one.”
A pair of lips touched mine, and I closed my eyes and kissed. I had two men. Two lovers. Two people I very much cared about, and was in deeply in love with. I’d go anywhere they wanted, really. Anywhere at all.
“Maybe it would be good to just travel for a while,” Broderick said, kissing my shoulder. “Like you said.”
Damien kissed me harder, and with greater longing. Traveling was right up his alley. Especially if we picked a country that bordered the sea.
“You could always come back and see America,” I called over my shoulder.
Damien’s eyes lit up. “And California!” he smiled.
“Sure… or anywhere, really.”
I reached out and grabbed them by their manhoods, closing one hand gently around each.
“Wouldn’t matter to me,” I sighed. “As long as you’ll come with me.”
They snuggled in.
“To protect me.”
Damien’s eyes bored into mine. His gaze was deep, loving, perfect. Broderick’s arms, like two steel cables wrapped around me.
“Guard me.”
I felt the squeeze grow tighter. I was lost… lost between them.
“Love me.”
The kisses came from both sides now, tender and slow. Long, deep, lingering kisses with fire and passion and heat.
“The way I love you too,” I breathed, as I felt them stiffen beneath my touch.
I was rolled onto my back. My legs spread wide, knocked apart by one big knee.
“We’ll always protect and guard you,” said Broderick, climbing between my thighs. “No matter what.”
He pushed forward, entering me easily in one long, beautiful stroke. Damien held me as he did it, his blue eyes shining down.
“I love you both,” I said, reaching to pull them close.
If they said anything back to me I didn’t hear it, and that was okay.
I was too busy falling into paradise.