Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

“ I can’t believe you talked me into this. Didn’t I tell you that I was tired yesterday?” Vinnie whined as Mason led him downstairs into the basement of the clubhouse.

He grinned and glanced over his shoulder at him. “You literally always say that. Sometimes even when we work out in the evening.”

Vinnie sighed heavily, his feet stomping on the steps. As much as he complained, Mason just knew it was part of his process. While Mason enjoyed working out and getting that rush of endorphins, Vinnie was more of the reluctant sort. He was always grateful that Mason dragged him along afterward, but before, and sometimes during, he’d bitch and complain like the best of them.

Ollie could be the same way sometimes, though usually, he was more like Mason, especially if they had some loud, heavy-bass music going as they ran on the treadmill or did squats.

“I’m just grateful we’re allowed to use this space,” Mason said. “I was all ready to go and renew my membership at that place we used to go to.”

Vinnie groaned. “That place was the worst.”

“It really was.” Mason laughed. “Remember that guy who would grunt so loud it practically echoed every time he bench-pressed?”

“Remember? The sound still haunts me. I get sometimes you have to make noise when you’re exerting yourself that much, but when it drowned out the music no matter how loud the employees turned it up, maybe you got too much weight on there, buddy,” Vinnie sniped, rubbing at his face tiredly.

Mason almost felt bad for waking him up and dragging him out of bed, but he was still just so grateful to have him there he couldn’t really feel too guilty. And he didn’t think Vinnie was that mad either, just honestly tired. Mason knew from recent experience how long the drive was from Atlanta, but after both of them had talked to Tomas the night before and then he and Vinnie had talked in the office afterward, he’d been feeling a lot better. Better than he had in months.

The cherry on top had been when he spied Vinnie and Tomas pressed close together in the corner of the room last night. Right as Mason was looking for Vinnie to see if he was okay with CJ’s birthday present to his husband, he’d spotted them.

He hadn’t gotten close enough to hear what they were saying, but he’d been able to make out Vinnie’s face and recognized the look. He was pretty sure Vinnie had confessed his kinks to Tomas, following through on his promise to be open to the idea of the three of them being together.

So that put a pep in his step that morning.

Even if the rest of the people in the clubhouse were dragging from the late night before, he couldn’t help but feel damn near bursting with happiness and anticipation.

They were the only ones in the gym for the first twenty or thirty minutes. Vinnie started to become more talkative as they moved from doing their cardio warm-up to weight reps. Heavy footsteps coming down the stairs drew their attention.

Mason recognized Marv’s easygoing tone as he said something that made the other man laugh. A shiver worked down Mason’s spine. That was Tomas. He could tell, even though he’d only heard him laugh a couple of times.

The two of them appeared in the doorway a moment later, and they paused when they saw that Vinnie and Mason were already working out.

“Mind if we join you two?” Tomas asked, shooting them his trademark half smile.

“It’s your gym,” Vinnie said, back to playing the ice queen again.

Mason knew him well enough to know he was far from unaffected by Tomas’s appearance, trying too hard to play it cool. He wasn’t worried though. Vinnie didn’t break his promises. He might get a little scared after sharing something so personal with Tomas last night, but he’d still try.

Marv snorted and moved over to one of the treadmills while Tomas moved closer to him and Vinnie. “It is, but you’re guests in our home. It’s called being polite, Vincent.”

Mason’s eyes widened, and he looked between the two of them.

“No one calls me that,” Vinnie said tightly, keeping his eyes on his barbell.

“I doubt I will often either,” Tomas said. “Unless you’re being particularly bratty first thing in the morning, gatito. In which case, there will be more consequences than your full name.”

Vinnie sucked in a breath, eyes darting up and locking on Tomas’s. Mason suddenly felt like a third wheel, but not in a bad way. He got it. He’d been happily wrapped up in Tomas’s orbit since the moment he’d arrived at the clubhouse. He’d gotten weeks of stolen glances and shared meals, soft smiles. He didn’t mind one bit that the two of them were still feeling each other out, finding their footing.

Though he couldn’t wait until it was the three of them finding their way forward together.

“I’m not really a morning person,” Vinnie said, and it was the closest thing to an apology Tomas was going to get, and he seemed to know that, giving him a quick nod and then a wink.

Then, Tomas turned on Mason, his eyebrows shooting up as he stared at the T-shirt Mason had turned into a workout shirt, cutting off the sleeves and the bottom to turn it into a crop top.

His black shorts were low-riding and like a second skin on him, showing off his pierced belly button, but Tomas’s gaze was stuck on the image and words across his chest.

He glanced down and then grinned up at Tomas. “What’s the matter? You don’t like pound cake?”

Tomas snorted and shook his head, giving a soft touch underneath Vinnie’s and then Mason’s chins before turning and heading over to the elliptical next to Marv.

Mason bit his bottom lip and watched him go before offering Vinnie a smug smile and stage-whispered, “I told you he’d like my shirt.”

It had an illustration of a pound cake covered in white icing with the words “pound my cake, daddy” above and below it. Considering he’d been keeping his distance despite what he actually wanted from Tomas for the last three weeks, he’d thought he should send a very clear and direct signal this morning.

The chains were off. If Tomas was willing to try with them, then Mason was all in. Vinnie and Tomas could figure out their shit as they went, but Mason was eager for all of the fun and sexy things Ollie got to have with his boyfriend.

“At least his face looks a little better this morning,” Vinnie said, a lot quieter than Mason had been.

Mason wasn’t sure what exactly he was looking at, if maybe they were talking about two different people. As far as he could tell, Tomas’s face was even more gross than it had been the night before, the bruises more vivid and the swelling still there around his eye and lip.

Though he supposed there wasn’t any active bleeding anymore, so that was an improvement.

He glanced at Marv and gave him a quick once-over, ignoring the sexy sleeves of tattoos he had and taking note that the others had been right. He really did only have his right hand wrapped, though it didn’t have a full cast, so he probably hadn’t broken anything. His face was clear of any sort of damage though.

He tried not to hold it against him, considering Marv had been nothing but nice to him since he’d arrived. But a small, petty part of him was upset Tomas looked like he’d been jumped by a dozen guys, whereas Marv was basically fine.

They were just starting another circuit when Six appeared in the doorway, oddly silent for a man as big as he was. Thumping loudly down the steps behind him could only be Ollie.

As soon as he appeared in the doorway next to Six and spotted Vinnie and Mason, he beelined toward them, groaning dramatically. “Who let me drink so much last night?”

Mason laughed. “You barely had anything to drink that I saw.”

“That’s the problem,” Ollie said, like that made any sense at all. “Six rarely lets me drink at all, so anytime I indulge a little? Instant hangover.”

“It’s almost like we’re almost thirty,” Vinnie said snarkily.

“You bite your tongue!” Ollie said. “I’m two whole years younger than you two. I’m still in the prime of my twenties.”

Mason shook his head at the both of them, then remembering the horror he’d woken up to that morning, he pointed an accusing finger at Ollie. “That fucked-up meme you sent me has ruined my childhood!”

“He didn’t just send it to you,” Vinnie reminded him. “I’m pretty sure he traumatized poor Emmett.”

Six appeared behind Ollie like a phantom, firm frown on his face. “What did you do?”

Ollie whirled around, the picture of innocence. “Nothing, it was just a meme. They’re being babies.”

Vinnie snorted, doing a couple more bicep curls as Mason gaped at him and said, “It was horrifying, and you should be ashamed.”

Ollie glanced at him over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out.

“Ollie, what did it say?”

Shoulders crumpling, Ollie turned back to his daddy and said, “I swear it wasn’t that bad. It was just a picture of a flesh-colored dildo with the word ‘Andy’ written on the suction part.”

“ And ?” Vinnie said, setting down his barbell. “Say the bad part out loud, Ollie.”

Grunting in annoyance, Ollie threw up his hands. “Okay, the N was written backwards.”

Six looked confused, his stern face scrunching as he tried to figure out the significance.

“You know,” Mason said helpfully, “Like it was on the feet of Woody and Buzz on Toy Story .”

Recognition dawned on his face, and he turned a look on Ollie. “You sent that to Emmett too?”

Ollie rolled his eyes. “He might be a little, but he’s not actually a child. He can handle a sex joke or two. Besides, Andy had a toy named Buzz as a child. Did we really think he wouldn’t grow up to enjoy adult toys too?”

“You are terrible,” Mason said, laughing and returning to the bench where he’d been sitting to do his own bicep curls.

“Agreed, I think this calls for a punishment later,” Six said in a low voice.

Oliver shivered and leaned against his chest. “Promise?”

“Such a brat,” Six said, but it was said with such fondness Mason’s chest ached a little.

That, right there, that was what he wanted. Someone who fulfilled every want and need, who had no issue possessing him, owning him, taking him all the way up, and then bringing him back down safely to Earth. He didn’t want to be jealous of his best friend anymore. He just wanted what he had with someone a little less scary than Six.

Water beat down on his back, but he barely even noticed, surging up onto the balls of his feet to connect his mouth with Vinnie’s.

“Missed you so much,” he mumbled against his lips.

Vinnie wrapped his arms around him, kissing him back with equal passion and desire. “Missed you too, Mase. Sorry I tried to ruin things.”

Mason shushed him, gently touching the back of his head and neck and shoulders, getting in as many small touches as he could to try and fill the space left in his chest over the last few weeks.

“It’s okay. When you’re ready to talk about why your head was up your ass, I’m here to listen, and I’m ready to move forward. We don’t have to keep dwelling on everything. We’re back home, we’re together, we can be happy.”

Vinnie kissed down the side of his neck, running his hands up and down Mason’s back. “You’ve always made me happy. I’m sorry if you didn’t feel that way.”

“You make me happy too,” Mason said softly, cupping the sides of Vinnie’s face to hold him still so he could gaze up at him. The light over the shower wasn’t very bright, leaving the space dim. The dark tiles added to the private, ensconced vibe, like the two of them were alone in the world for a moment.

Though if he listened too hard, he was sure he’d be able to hear Ollie moaning just on the other side of the wall. But he kept his focus on Vinnie instead.

The night before, by the time he had gone up to bed, Vinnie had already been passed out, his earplugs shoved in and classical music playing on his phone to drown out the sounds from downstairs. Even though they hadn’t had a chance to reconnect sexually, he’d still been grateful just to have him in the bed next to him. He’d stripped down and crawled in, wrapping himself around Vinnie as tightly as he was allowed. Vinnie liked to be able to move a little too much while he slept for Mason to stay fully velcroed around him, but he’d still gotten in as much cuddling as he could.

But now, as they washed the sweat away from their workouts, they gently touched each other like they hadn’t seen one other in months instead of weeks. But even before he’d left, they hadn’t had this. They’d shared a bed in an apartment, but they hadn’t shared themselves . Not for a while.

Mason had been too unhappy, and Vinnie had been too stubborn and stressed. He took it as a good sign that things were going to move forward and would continue to get better.

For long, languid minutes, they just kissed and touched, their fingers gentle and exploratory. As the heat between them began to build up and up, Mason started to squirm against him, needing something more, a firmer touch.

Vinnie chuckled and pressed a kiss to the skin of his throat. “What do you want? My mouth?”

Mason nodded, grateful and nearly in tears from relief as Vinnie sank to his knees in front of him, not hesitating to run his tongue up the underside of his cock. Vinnie wrapped his lips around his head and slowly worked his way down his shaft. It was wet and tight, just the way he liked it.

Vinnie’s fingers fondled his sac and then played with his taint before smoothing back between his cheeks to pet at his hole. Mason moaned, his hands shooting out to steady him against the walls of the shower stall.

He spread his legs, giving Vinnie more access. He wished he could say that he lasted, but he was so pent-up, having gone so long and been surrounded by hot, sexually liberated men, that he barely lasted more than a couple of minutes before he shot down Vinnie’s throat with a loud groan.

It took him longer, probably, to catch his breath.

Vinnie pushed to his feet and leaned against the tiles to smirk at him as he licked his lips obscenely. “Glad to see I haven’t lost my touch.”

Mason swatted at him even as he carefully dropped down himself. “Shut up. It’s been ages. I’m surprised I didn’t blow as soon as you breathed on it.”

Vinnie chuckled, but it turned into a moan as soon as Mason got his first taste, using his tongue to lick all over the length of him. He didn’t suck him down right away like Vinnie had. Vinnie preferred to be teased, tormented, driven to the edge. Though the hard tile under his knees wouldn’t allow him the amount of time he would’ve liked to give him, he gave him as much as he could, licking and sucking, driving him mad with desire.

They’d been doing this for so long—way before Vinnie’s parents had caught them—they both knew all the ways to drive the other one crazy. It was comforting in a way, the steady reassurance of familiarity.

When Vinnie’s breaths drew shorter and louder, his fingers sinking into Mason’s longer hair and holding tight, he wrapped his lips around the head of his cock and rubbed his tongue against the smooth skin, loving the weight of it in his mouth, and then he sucked. Hard.

Vinnie grunted above him, bending over him as he shot into Mason’s mouth, filling him up with come. Mason held on to it, waiting until Vinnie was done, and then carefully climbed to his feet.

He pressed in close and found Vinnie’s panting mouth, using his tongue to feed Vinnie some of his own seed, sharing the taste and intimacy. Vinnie groaned, his hands landing on Mason’s ass and squeezing hard as he licked inside his mouth, cleaning every inch, devouring him with more energy than Mason felt he should have after such a good orgasm.

After they both calmed, they carefully washed each other, Mason floating on a cloud of happiness.

He wanted every day to be like that day.

The only thing that would’ve made it better was if Tomas was in the shower with them. His big body wouldn’t have actually fit in the small space with the two of them already in there, but he wondered if Tomas had a house of his own. He knew he didn’t live in the clubhouse, so he had to have some space. Whether an apartment or house didn’t really matter to Mason, he just hoped the bed and shower were big enough for three.

“I have to go talk to Lee tomorrow.”

“About getting your job back?” Mason asked, rinsing the conditioner out of his hair as Vinnie stepped out of the stall and grabbed a towel.

“Yeah, he said it wasn’t an interview, but I think that’s basically how he’s going to treat it. Hopefully, he doesn’t make me grovel too much.”

Mason made an affronted noise as he turned the water off and joined him on the squishy bath mat. He planted his hands on his hips and stood there, dripping on the floor. “He better not make you grovel at all. He’d be lucky to have you back. You need to remember that, Vin. You’re incredibly talented. You can’t tell me that Atlanta didn’t offer you a permanent position. I know we didn’t talk about it, but there’s no way they didn’t.”

Vinnie shrugged but didn’t deny it.

“And the reason Lee was upset about you leaving was because of how good of a respiratory therapist you are. Your patients and their families adore you. How many times have you come home with little gifts and baked goods from your patients’ families as a thank-you for taking such good care of their kids or parents or spouses?”

Still, Vinnie looked skeptical.

Mason held up his finger, nearly poking Vinnie in the face when he reached around Mason to grab him a towel as well. “You have to know what you’re worth, Vinnie, and you’re worth a whole hell of a lot. So you go in there with your head held high, and you demand not only your job back but an increase in pay for the added experience you gained.”

Vinnie raised his brows. “An increase in pay, huh?”

Mason nodded firmly and then started drying himself off. “Definitely.”

“I’ll think about it,” he said with a soft smile. “How do you feel about maybe going to dinner tomorrow night?”

“With who? Like Penny and Ollie? Get the old gang together?” He was bent over, drying his legs, but as he stood again, Vinnie cupped the bottom of his chin, not unlike the way Tomas had done to him a time or two, and held his face firm.

“No, Mase, just you and me. On a date.”

His insides turned to goo as he practically melted onto the floor at Vinnie’s feet. “We haven’t been on a date in a long time.”

“Another mistake.”

“I’d love to,” Mason said, meaning it with his whole heart.

“Me too.”

They were still smiling at each other like giddy schoolboys as they stepped back into their borrowed bedroom, but Vinnie came to a screeching halt, Mason bumping into the back of him. He looked around his wide shoulders and smiled at Tomas where he sat on the edge of the bed. It was unmade and messy as hell, but the whole room was since Vinnie hadn’t had a chance to straighten up since he’d gotten there.

“Hey, how long have you been waiting?”

“Not that long,” Tomas said, eyeing both of them like they were prized steaks and he was a ravenous lion. “Just long enough to hear the fun ending in there.”

Mason wasn’t even a little embarrassed. He just hoped Tomas had been turned on by the sounds of them getting off in the shower.

Vinnie cleared his throat and turned away, keeping his back to Tomas as he walked over to his suitcase and carefully crouched down, keeping his towel wrapped around his waist as he grabbed some clothes.

“Don’t tell me you’re shy,” Tomas said teasingly.

“I told you,” Vinnie said quietly. “I don’t like audiences.”

Mason frowned. It wasn’t like Tomas had deliberately spied on them. He’d probably poked his head in when they didn’t answer the door and then, when he realized they were in the bathroom, had just come in to wait.

Vinnie was moving back across the room, headed for the bathroom with his bundle of clothes, but he stopped when Tomas held a hand up.

“You’re right, you did,” Tomas said. “I apologize if me overhearing made you uncomfortable, and I’m sorry for teasing you about it.”

Vinnie looked over his shoulder at him. “I wasn’t just being flirty last night,” Vinnie said carefully. “I’m never going to be comfortable giving you a blowjob in the middle of the clubhouse.”

Tomas pushed to his feet, closed the distance between the two of them, grabbed Vinnie’s arm, and tugged him around to stand in front of him.

“I don’t need that.” He glanced at Mason. “I wouldn’t say no if you wanted to though.”

Mason grinned as his cheeks flushed. He wasn’t sure he was quite ready to do that in front of the whole club, but he knew for a fact this bedroom had quite the history of voyeurism. Maybe they could try something smaller, like inviting their neighbors for a revival of exhibitionism in the space.

Tomas turned back to Vinnie. “When you said the things you liked were private and not for public viewing, I didn’t realize you meant even from me unless I was involved.”

Vinnie dropped his eyes. “I guess I didn’t mean you too. I was just… surprised to find you in here.”

Cupping the bottom of Vinnie’s chin, Tomas raised his face.

Mason’s stomach clenched, and for the first time, he realized just how much Vinnie had been filling in for him, doing his best to give him certain things to try and make up for the fact that they didn’t have a Dom. God, he’d been so selfish!

Vinnie’s whole expression melted, and he knew for a fact he looked the same way when either one of them touched him like that. Possessive yet gentle. Vinnie needed so much more than Mason had been giving him over the years.

He’d twisted himself into the shape of something he wasn’t just so he could try and fill in the blank spot of their third partner for Mason.

And Mason hadn’t even noticed.

“We’re still figuring things out between the three of us,” Tomas said. “If you don’t want me involved all the time when the two of you are together, that’s okay. You and I will have moments where Mason’s not involved. Same with Mason and I without you. It’s okay. It’s healthy. It’s the only way it’ll work.”

Vinnie stared at Tomas with open yearning, and Mason didn’t think he’d ever seen anything like it before. He’d thought he’d have to remind Vinnie to keep an open mind when it came to Tomas, but that wouldn’t be the case. His poor Vin needed so much Mason had a feeling he’d fall right into Tomas’s steady hands.

Vinnie nodded and whispered, “Okay.”

Tomas gently tugged him forward into his chest, palming the back of his head to hold him against him. Mason ached for his best friend, boyfriend, and soul mate. Vinnie was… everything. His other half. He was so glad he was finally getting some of the things Vinnie had been going so long without. It hurt his heart but in a good way.

Tomas looked over at him and gave him that gorgeous half smile of his. “Did I hear you two make a date for tomorrow night?”

Mason grinned. “You did.”

“Alright. Well then, I’d like to take each of you out sometime later in the week.”

“Separately?” Vinnie asked, his voice muffled against Tomas’s collarbones.

“Separately and then together. Is that okay?”

“It’s okay with me,” Mason said. “My week’s wide open.”

Tomas grinned at him, even as he kept his gentle hold on Vinnie. “How do you feel about Tuesday?”

Happiness exploded inside Mason. “It’s a date.”