49. Brielle

The door swings open with a creak that echoes the unease knotting my stomach. I step into the house, the scent of rich leather and faint cologne wrapping around me like an enticing yet unfamiliar embrace. My heart is a confused symphony of beats, each thud resonating with the memories of Dad's harsh words and the soft hum of liberation.

"Hey, Brielle!" Grayson's voice pulls me from my reverie, his smile warm like the afternoon sun as he emerges from the kitchen, a dish towel slung over his shoulder. He's the rock, always steady, always there.

"Look who's finally here," Levi chimes in, his tone light but his eyes scanning mine with a doctor's precision. He's the brain, insightful, always thinking three steps ahead.

"Welcome to our humble abode," Conrad adds with that signature smirk that seems to know more secrets than it lets on. He's the flame, flickering dangerously close, threatening to ignite something within.

"Thanks, guys." The words tumble out, a weak attempt at normalcy. I shuffle further inside, the walls adorned with abstract art and shelves of books feeling both alien and comforting.

"Sit down, make yourself at home," Grayson says, pointing to the plush couch that looks like it could swallow my anxieties whole.

"Can I get you anything?" Levi asks, gesturing toward the kitchen, where the clink of dishes suggests a recent meal. His brow furrows slightly, always concerned, always caring.

"Water would be great, thanks," I manage, easing onto the couch, the cushions embracing me softly.

"Sure thing." Levi nods before padding off to the kitchen, his movements precise and efficient.

"Doing okay?" Conrad inquires, his gaze intense, searching, as he perches on the edge of the coffee table in front of me.

"Getting there," I admit, allowing myself a small smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes.

With these three by my side, maybe, just maybe, things are looking up.

I take a sip of the water Levi hands me, the cool liquid doing little to quench the knot of unease lodged in my throat. The glass clinks back onto the table, my fingers tapping an anxious rhythm against its sides.

"Thank you for this…for letting me crash here." My voice is a hushed murmur, eyes skimming over the trio who've become my unexpected sanctuary. "It's just…a lot to process. You know, with everything that's happened with my dad."

Grayson nods, his lips pressed in a thin line of understanding, while Levi leans against the kitchen doorframe, arms folded, offering a silent nod. They get it; they always do.

Conrad's eyes twinkle with mischief as he leans closer, his warmth radiating like a beacon in the chill of my doubts. "Brielle," he starts, his voice low and teasing, "there are ways we could…distract you from everything." His eyebrows dance suggestively, a silent invitation hanging between us.

A laugh bubbles up from my chest, surprising even myself. It's light, a fleeting escape from the heaviness that's been suffocating me. I shake my head, but there's a smile tugging at my lips now, partly because of Conrad's unabashed flirtation, partly because these moments feel like a life raft amidst the storm.

I bite my lip, considering Conrad's sly suggestion. The air is thick with a mix of tension and amusement. Grayson shifts in his seat, a frown creasing his brow.

"Can we even—?" he starts, hesitating as if weighing his words. "I mean, with the baby and all…is sex safe?"

Levi rolls his eyes so hard I worry they might get stuck that way. "You're such an idiot, Grayson." He strides over, confidence in each step. "Of course it's safe. Pregnant women aren't made of glass."

My cheeks heat at the blunt talk. They're talking about me as though I'm not here, or maybe because I am. Levi's gaze meets mine, and there's a hint of apology there before he turns back to the others.

"Besides," he continues, a half smile playing on his lips, "Brielle should probably see an ob-gyn anyway. You know, just for regular checkups."

I blink, surprised. "You sound like you know what you're talking about."

"Well, I have gone through this once before, before Amelia was born," he reminds me. "And—" There's a glint of pride in his eyes. "I thought about going into medicine once, considered being a doctor." He says it casually, but it's a revelation that adds layers to the man I thought I knew.

"Really?" I can't help the intrigue lacing my tone.

"Yep." Levi nods, a wistful look crossing his features for just a moment. "Life had other plans, though." His admission hangs in the air, an unspoken bond tethering us through shared vulnerability.

I nod slowly, taking in Levi's unexpected depth. "Sex could help, then? To feel…better?" The words tumble out before I can censor them, raw and honest.

"Absolutely," Conrad chimes in, his voice a low purr that sends a shiver down my spine. He steps closer, the hunger in his eyes unmistakable.

"Distraction can be therapeutic," Levi adds, his tone serious yet enticing, as if he's prescribing me a dose of pleasure.

Grayson is silent, but his gaze is heavy on me, intense and warm like a blanket wrapping around my shoulders. In their own ways, each one is reaching out, offering comfort, connection.

My heart thrums, a rapid beat echoing the mounting tension in the room. It's as though the air thickens, charged with electricity. We're magnets, pulled by a force too strong to resist.

I stand, my movements fluid, instinctive. The space between us evaporates as they gravitate toward me, a constellation orbiting its star. Each touch, each look, fuels the fire that's been smoldering under my skin since I stepped into this new, unpredictable world.

"Then let's not think about anything else," I whisper, giving voice to the desire that's clawing at my insides, desperate for release.

Their nods are simultaneous, a silent agreement that speaks volumes. Levi's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. Grayson's fingers trail along my arm, igniting sparks. And Conrad—bold, unashamed Conrad—rests his palm against the small of my back, drawing me closer.

Everything else fades away, leaving only us, the hunger, and the promise of oblivion in each other's arms.

My breath comes in short gasps, each one mingling with Levi's as his lips find mine in a kiss that sets my world ablaze. Conrad kneels before me, his hands roaming over my thighs with a hunger that mirrors the ache within me. Grayson watches, his eyes dark with desire, waiting for his moment to join.

"Relax," Levi whispers against my mouth, and I melt into him, trusting completely.

Conrad's fingers trail higher, teasing the edge of my panties, and a shiver races down my spine. He hooks his fingers into the fabric, pulling them away with a swift motion, revealing my bareness to their gaze.

"Beautiful," Grayson murmurs, and I feel it rather than hear it—a vibration through my body.

Levi's hands explore my torso, slipping under my shirt to caress the soft skin of my back. His touch sends ripples of pleasure through me, and when he finally lifts my shirt over my head, I'm exposed and unashamed, bared for them and their adoration.

Grayson steps forward then, his lips trailing down my neck, finding that sensitive spot that makes my knees buckle. Levi supports me, his arms like steel bands around my waist.

Conrad's tongue flicks out, tasting me where I am most sensitive, and I gasp, a sound lost in the space between our bodies. The room spins, but I'm anchored by their touch, their presence.

"Are you ready?" Grayson asks, voice husky with need.

I nod, unable to form words as the rest of our clothes are quickly removed. Levi lowers himself to lie on his back on the plush carpet. I straddle him happily, lowering my already dripping core over his length. Warmth presses at my entrance, and I brace myself, lowering myself onto him inch by deep inch. Conrad doesn't wait, kneeling behind me, his own hardness pressing in insistently alongside Levi until he too is part of me, filling me in a way I've never known.

"Open for us, Brielle," Levi's voice is both command and plea, and I obey, surrendering to the sensation as Grayson positions himself, kneeling next to us on the ground. His length brushes my lips, and I welcome him, tasting him, my tongue swirling around the tip.

Together, they move, a symphony of thrusts and licks, pushing me further into the abyss of pleasure. My body becomes a conduit for our shared desire, each stroke stoking the fire within me until it consumes everything else.

"More," I beg, and they give it to me—more intensity, more passion, more of themselves. Their rhythms converge, and I am lost in the dance, my cries a melody to their powerful movements.

"Come for us, Brielle," Conrad urges, his voice strained with his own pleasure.

And I do, once, twice, a cascade of climaxes that tear through me, leaving nothing in their wake but blissful exhaustion and the warmth of their bodies entwined with mine.

Soon we're a tangle of limbs and labored breaths, the afterglow wrapping around us like a cocoon. Sweat cools on my skin, but the warmth from Grayson, Levi, and Conrad lingers, seeping deep into my bones.

"Wow," I whisper, the word a soft puff of air against Grayson's thigh.

"More than wow," Conrad chuckles, his chest vibrating against my back.

"Agreed," Levi murmurs, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my hip.

I close my eyes, letting their presence, their touch, anchor me in this moment—this perfect, unorthodox moment. It feels right, like puzzle pieces clicking together, forming a picture I hadn't realized was incomplete until now. My past, riddled with shadows of my father's disapproval, fades away, insignificant in the face of this new life pulsing within me.

"Are you okay?" Grayson's concern cuts through my reverie.

"Better than okay," I breathe out, turning to meet his gaze. "I'm happy."

"Good." Levi's voice is warm, his smile genuine. "You deserve to be happy, Brielle."

I nod, a rush of emotions swelling in my chest. Here, with these three men, I discover a fulfillment I didn't know I craved. The love I sought within the confines of society's norms pales in comparison to what I feel now—a love that defies convention, yet feels as natural as breathing.

"Welcome home," Conrad says softly, kissing my shoulder.

"Thank you," I respond, the gratitude spilling from my lips.

As I reflect on the path that led me here, I realize that it isn't just about acceptance—it's about embracing who I am and what I want. I've found contentment in their arms, a sense of belonging that tells me this is where I'm meant to be.

"Let's do this together," I say, more to myself than to them, a promise hanging in the air.

"Always," they reply in unison.

The life ahead, unconventional as it may be, stretches out before me, filled with possibilities. I can't predict every turn or bump along the way, but one thing is clear—I want this. I want them. And together, we'll navigate whatever comes, our connection the compass guiding us onward.