A Bit of Me (33 page)

“Should I go ahead and fix James something to eat? Do you know what he likes, what

his favourite breakfast is? I’ll fix it for him. The guy sounds like he needs a break.” Billy was already up and moving, throwing the fridge door open and rifling through its contents. “I can make more omelettes, or pancakes—waffles? Or something with lots of protein! There’s sausage, bacon, ham—oh! Steak and eggs? I could…I could do that!”

Chase glanced at Billy then at Xavier, arching both brows. “We get eggs with a little extra stuff thrown in and James gets steak?”

“They are really good omelettes,” Xavier said just as Billy bounced over and smacked Chase on the back of the head.

“My omelettes are fucking wonderful. They are not just eggs with extra stuff thrown in”

Billy snarked, dancing away from Chase’s half-hearted swipe at him. “Be glad I fixed you one and kept it warm even! You could be eating a bowl of cold cereal with…soy milk, ugh!

That stuff looks like someone pissed in the milk, Xav!”

Xavier ignored the other two men’s snickers. He
liked
soy milk, so sue him. It was almost as good as the almond milk the store normally carried. “At least I keep some of the regular milk here for y’all. Keep dogging me and it will be soy milk and tofu from here on out.” They didn’t need to know he wouldn’t eat tofu if his life depended on it.

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“Soy milk can give you man boobs,” Billy said as he poked Xavier’s tit. “I read it on MSN.”

“You didn’t read the whole article,” Chase said around a mouthful of food. “It’s not soy milk, it’s an excess of soy, like”—he swallowed and pointed his fork at Billy—“anything in excess can be bad for you.”

Billy stopped bouncing long enough to smirk at Chase. “Except fucking. And blowjobs.

I don’t care what you or anyone else says, there is no such thing as too much sex. Even if your ass and dick and every other body part is aching, as long as it’s from the man you love, it’s all very, very good.”

“Can’t argue with that one,” Xavier said. Chase grunted and finished off the rest of his omelette as Billy started pulling out the fixings for James’ breakfast. Xavier sat back and watched, just enjoying the morning spent with his two favourite men. Then he wondered how long it’d be before the shit hit the fan for either James or Shearing or maybe both of them.

It was stupid to worry about that now, he decided, as Billy and Chase began bickering playfully over the best temperature to cook the steak at. What would happen, would happen, and they would all deal with it then.

Chase watched Billy carefully, almost feeling as protective of the bubbly blond as he did of James. He may not have known Billy nearly as long, but it was impossible not to be fond of the little shit. And he had a way with people…James had been awake when Chase had softly knocked on his door. His friend really did look bad, just too thin and pale and worn to the bone, with a deep shadow of pain in his green eyes.

Yet James managed a weak smile for him when Chase came in, then that smile grew as

Billy bounced along behind him, then beside him, never once bobbling the tray with a heaping plate of steak, eggs, hash browns and toast…and OJ, coffee and water…on it. By the time Billy had reached the bed, he’d already introduced himself, and informed James he’d better eat everything on the platter, or at least as much as he could since he’d got a ‘special’

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breakfast. James looked delighted and slightly overwhelmed at the same time, but Billy’s chattering had Chase’s old friend grinning soon enough as he ate breakfast.

Chase had nodded at James when he caught his eye, making sure he’d be okay with

being left with Billy. James’ actually rolled his eyes and Billy turned and scoffed at Chase.

“Really, like anyone would ever think this sexy package is dangerous in any way other than the fact I am just too hot for words!”

Seeing James spew eggs as he laughed was one of the best sights Chase had witnessed

in days, and he was grinning like a nut when he left the two men together. He almost smacked into Xavier hovering right outside the doorway where he couldn’t be seen from the guest room. Chase stopped so quick he lost his balance, but he wasn’t worried. Xavier wouldn’t let him fall—and he didn’t. In a split second Chase was wrapped in those strong arms he’d grown addicted to feeling holding him.

“I didn’t want to intrude,” Xavier whispered, his warm breath tickling Chase’s ear.

Chase nodded, rubbing his cheek against Xavier’s chest. He squeezed the man’s narrow waist then pried himself off Xavier even though he’d have gladly stayed there for hours.

Xavier slipped his hand in Chase’s and they went into the living room. The big couch held them just right as Chase sprawled out half on top of Xavier. The bulge of Xavier’s big dick pressing against Chase’s was about enough to make them both come.

“Wish we could go to your room,” Chase muttered, rocking his hips gently just to drive them both mad.

“Our room,” Xavier rasped as his hands clamped down on Chase’s ass.

Chase was pretty sure he was doing some dumb glowing-happy thing that made his

skin warm up all over, but he didn’t care. He liked that ‘our room’ bit a lot. “All right,” he murmured right before he crushed his lips to Xavier’s. Maybe they could slip away to
their
room for a quickie. Chase only needed fifteen minutes, or maybe twenty. Thirty would be better—

The roar of an engine, one that sounded familiar and likely made Xavier purr with

sheer happiness, had them both springing up from the couch. Chase and Xavier hurried to the front door, Chase hanging back slightly while Xavier unfastened the locks. When he got it open, Xavier sighed, then cursed.

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“What is it?” Chase asked as he moved in front of Xavier. He saw the Porsche, which

had to be the cause for the sigh, then he saw Liam—which shouldn’t be a reason for Xavier to curse.

“I’m worried about Shearing,” Xavier mumbled, as if he knew Chase was a tad

confused. “I’d thought maybe he was in the clear when I heard the Porsche. Liam doesn’t look happy.”

Chase narrowed his gaze to Liam’s. The man didn’t look happy.
Shit
. Chase wondered if they were going to end up having to break Shearing out of somewhere…not that they would, he didn’t think, but still.

“Where’s Shearing?” Xavier called out as Liam approached.

Liam looked from Chase to Xavier, then back at Chase. “I imagine he’ll be here in a

couple of days once he’s done being bitched out, threatened and fired. Doesn’t seem to matter that he managed to bring down a huge insurance medical scam, all that matters is that he didn’t do it the
right
way.”

Chase thought that was asinine, but yeah, he knew there were laws and guidelines and crap like that for a reason. He just thought they should all be flexible, not rigid.

“They aren’t going to allow him to retire?” Xavier asked, his voice deepening with

indignation.

Liam shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s so much gossip and bullshit going on in the

office it’s not funny. All I do know is, Shearing said to tell you he’d be here as soon as he could, and thanks for letting him drive your Porsche.”

Xavier grunted and Chase reached behind him to pat at the man’s rock hard belly. “It’ll work out,” Chase assured him, though he wasn’t anywhere near sure of that himself.

“Shearing will get here, and James will get better, and—”

“And your money’s been released, as well as everyone else’s that Rollins stole from.”

Chase felt Xavier tense behind him, those already hard stomach muscles contracting

even more. He thought he knew why Xavier reacted that way and spoke immediately to put his mind at ease in case he was right. “Thank you, Liam. I’d like mine transferred to the local bank here in town. I just need to set up an account, since I plan on staying here.”

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Xavier’s arms came around him and Chase found himself spun then lifted and hugged.

He planted his hands on Xavier’s broad shoulders then his mouth was plundered as Xavier gripped his ass. Oh yeah, this was better than good! He held onto Xavier’s shoulders, ignored Liam’s loud teasing whistle, and gave Xavier every bit of love and loyalty he had in him to give.

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It was a lot weird and a little lonely having Billy move away, even though Xavier found himself surrounded with more people than ever. Usually, Chase would pick up on Xavier’s melancholy mood and would fuck it right out of him—which wasn’t any way to discourage Xavier to stop brooding, but he tried anyway.

Chase had his money back, and Xavier’s worries that the man would leave proved

unfounded. Chase had settled right into their house as if he didn’t have a doubt he belonged there, and had promptly began making little changes here and there to make the place
their
home instead of Xavier’s. Xavier was amazed and deeply moved, and he didn’t think it was possible to love the man any more than he did. Except it must have been possible, because he lit up inside and warmed from his toes to the top of his head when Chase walked into the bedroom and put his arms around Xavier, pressing his chest to Xavier’s back.

“How are you feeling?”

Xavier felt the rumble of the words against his back. He folded his arms over Chase’s and leaned just a little on his man. Randy’s sentencing had come through, and Xavier had been a little surprised at the severity of it. For some reason he’d thought Randy would get off with a slap to the wrist. A sixteen-year stint in prison was pretty steep.

“I don’t know,” Xavier muttered, which was true. “I doubt being in prison is going to help Randy. I’m afraid it might make him even more of a danger than he was to begin with.”

Chase released him long enough to move in front of Xavier. Then he cupped Xavier’s

cheeks and pulled him down for a chaste kiss. “It might, or it might straighten him up. The recidivism rate is high, sure, but it isn’t at a hundred per cent. Some people learn from their mistakes and end up being decent human beings when they get out.”

Xavier grunted, wishing he could believe Randy would be different, but he couldn’t

believe it. There hadn’t been a hint of self-recrimination in Randy’s eyes at the sentencing. All there’d been was so much hatred when he looked at Xavier that Xavier had ended up puking www.total-e-bound.com

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in the bathroom shortly after leaving the court room. Xavier didn’t think Randy wanted to be any different from the way he was.

Chase hugged him hard then took a step back, taking Xavier’s hands in his. He looked up at Xavier with those beautiful eyes that seemed to see right into his head, and Xavier’s heart fluttered, his troubled thoughts beginning to ease.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Chase began before stopping to nibble on

his lip. Xavier couldn’t resist leaning down and licking the reddened flesh, sucking it gently for a second while Chase moaned softly and scooted closer. He lapped the skin one more time then straightened up, loving the dazed expression Chase now wore.

“What did you want to talk about?” Xavier tried not to look smug when Chase

swallowed and blinked, so cute and confused it made Xavier want to throw him down and remind Chase of who he was with and where they were right now—the bedroom, which had been christened in every possible spot.

Chase blinked again then shook himself before glaring at Xavier. “Stop trying to distract me. This is important.” He grinned and cupped Xavier’s cock, squeezing hard enough to bring him to attention. “So’s this, but it’s gonna have to wait a few minutes before it gets near my ass.” Chase winked then darted around Xavier, giving him a wicked smirk as he left the room. Xavier followed along like a well-trained pet, and he didn’t even mind. He had no trouble admitting he’d follow that sexy man anywhere.

Anywhere, this time, happened to be the office, where Chase was perched on the edge

of Xavier’s desk. He gestured towards the chair so Xavier sat and leant back, stretching his legs. Chase visually followed the movement, and Xavier thought he heard a soft groan.

When he saw the colour flooding Chase’s cheeks, he knew he hadn’t imagined the sound.

Xavier slid a hand down his own stomach, watching Chase watch him, then teased the tip of his dick with his fingertips. Chase’s stuttering breath turned Xavier on so much he was soon brushing his fingers over a wet spot. “You wanted to talk?” he rasped, pressing the palm of his hand against his cock in an effort to keep from making a bigger wet spot.

Chase grunted and dragged his gaze up Xavier’s body. By the time he reached Xavier’s eyes, they were both panting and Xavier would have thought it funny if he weren’t so hard it hurt.

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“I want to buy into the club,” Chase blurted out, and Xavier dropped his gaze to

Chase’s lips, trying to figure out how that jumble of run-together words managed to sound so unlike what he’d been expecting. He was pretty sure it was supposed to be something along the lines of ‘let’s get naked and fuck till we’re stupid from it’ but it sure didn’t sound like that…at all.

“Huh?” Xavier asked for clarification, frowning as he ran those words through his head again. “You want to buy into the club? Why? I was thinking about selling it—”

“Exactly!” Chase said with more enthusiasm than Xavier expected. Xavier flinched and leant back further, taking in Chase’s excited expression and the big grin on his face. “You want to get rid of it because you think it’s a great big fuck-spot, but I think if I bought half of it, we could turn it into a classier place like you said you originally wanted! If you want a back room tacked on for the horny guys who have nowhere else to go, that’s fine. But we could maybe have the rest of the place redone, decorate it like a classy club rather than a meat market, you know?” Chase came around the side of the desk to stand facing Xavier without the desk between them.