Chapter 28

TWENTY-EIGHT

MATEO

I strode down the familiar hallway of the Westchester estate, making my way to Lennox's office. He had been unusually bright and cheery when he asked us to meet him here this morning, and I couldn't shake the feeling that a certain dark-haired beauty had something to do with it.

As I pushed open the door to the office, I was greeted by the sight of Lennox sitting behind his desk, a confident smirk playing on his lips. Cole and Cohen were already seated, their expressions guarded, while I stood off to the side, my arms crossed over my chest.

Lennox gestured for me to take a seat, and I complied, sinking into one of the plush leather chairs opposite him. The atmosphere was tense, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the thought of Lennox and Salem together. I had agreed to share her with the others, but that didn't mean I couldn't want her all to myself.

Lennox wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room. "So," he began, his tone casual but his eyes serious. "I'm sure you've all noticed my good mood this morning."

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Yeah, and we're all dying to know why," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm.

Lennox chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, let me put you out of your misery. Salem and I got together last night."

The room fell silent, the news sinking in as we all exchanged incredulous glances. Cole's jaw dropped, Cohen's eyes widened in surprise, and my heart clenched with jealousy.

Lennox held up a hand, pausing any protests. "I know you all have feelings for her," he said, his voice gentle. "And we've all been exploring our individual connections with her. But now it's time to talk about the future."

The words hung heavy in the air, and I could feel a knot forming in my stomach. The future. What did that look like for us? I had secretly been hoping Salem would be content to choose one of us. But the more I watched her interact with my best friends, seeing the easy way she laughed with Cohen, the quiet understanding between her and Cole, and the push and pull between her and Lennox, it became increasingly clear that asking her to choose between us would be like asking her to sever a part of herself.

She belonged with all of us, each of us bringing out different facets of her personality and different shades of her being. Asking her to pick just one of us would be asking her to deny a fundamental part of who she was, and I couldn't bear the thought of doing that to her.

I had never imagined myself in a polyamorous relationship, but the thought of losing Salem was unbearable. I wouldn't give her up.

I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. "You're the last one on board and already pushing for a label," I muttered under my breath, but Lennox heard me anyway.

His gaze flickered to me, his smile widening ever so slightly. "You can't tell me you would be happy just winging it forever?" he challenged. "What if she found someone else she wanted to date seriously? Or sleep with?"

There are several growls and protests at that, but Lennox simply smiled, unfazed. "Exactly what I thought," he said.

I exchanged a look with Cole and Cohen, a silent understanding passing between us. Despite our reservations, Lennox had a point. Maybe it was time we started thinking about what the future held for all of us.

Cohen broke the silence, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "So, what exactly was it you were proposing?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Lennox steepled his fingers in front of him. "A polyamorous relationship," he replied simply, his gaze unwavering.

My heart skipped a beat at his words, a rush of conflicting emotions washing over me. Polyamory? The idea wasn't entirely surprising, given our unconventional relationship with Salem, but the thought of sharing her with my best friends still sent a spasm of jealousy coursing through me.

Cohen spoke up, his voice weighted with uncertainty. "I don't know if I can share her permanently," he admitted, his gaze fixed on Lennox.

Lennox's response was swift, filled with a raw honesty that caught me off guard. "You think I want to fucking share her?" he retorted, his tone tinged with frustration. "I'm the last on board, and still, I'm a greedy bastard who wants her for myself. But I'd rather share her than make her choose."

I interjected, a smirk teasing my lips. "Yeah, 'cause I'd win." This earnt me a round of scoffs from the others.

Cohen's expression remained conflicted as he considered our words. "If she just chose one of us," he began, "it would be hard for the others to be around them."

Lennox nodded in agreement, his gaze softening as he looked toward Salem's closed door down the hall. "So, we'll try to make it work?" he questioned.

"Do you think she would agree to that?" Cole asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"You say that like we would give her a choice," Cohen growled. I had to agree with him there. Like fuck would I let her leave me for any of these fuckers. Or anyone else, for that matter. But Salem had always been open-minded, and I had no doubt that she would at least consider Lennox's proposal.

Finally, Cole spoke up, his voice hesitant but determined. "I think we should give it a shot," he said, his eyes meeting mine. "We all care about her, and if this is what she wants, then we owe it to her to try."

Cohen nodded in agreement, his expression solemn. "I'm in," he said simply, his voice firm.

I hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, count me in, too," I said, my voice gruff but sincere. ″But you fuckers better not be greedy.″

And with that, the decision was made. We may have had our doubts and fears, but one thing was certain. We were all in this together, and we would do whatever it took to keep Salem in our lives.

As we gathered in the living room, the weight that had been pressing down on my shoulders seemed to lift, if only slightly. The atmosphere was tense, but there was also relief now that we had cleared the air and come to a decision about our relationship with Salem.

I sank into the couch beside Cole and Cohen, exchanging a glance with them. Despite the gravity of the situation, there was a newfound camaraderie among us, born out of our shared determination to protect Salem and ourselves.

Lennox and Salem took their seats across from us and Fallon. Lennox drew Salem into his lap, and for a fleeting moment, a pang of jealousy surged within me. I couldn't deny the desire to have her in my own lap, but as I watched them together, something about it felt strangely right.

Fallon's gaze shifted between Lennox and Salem, then to the rest of us, her smile growing. It was as if she could sense the unspoken understanding between us, and already knew about our agreement, despite not being yet informed. Maybe this whole polyamory thing wouldn't be as complicated as I had initially thought.

As long as we each had our time with Salem and communicated openly and honestly, I could envision it working. Sharing her with anyone else would have been unthinkable, but with my closest friends, it seemed natural. It fit us, our dynamic, our bond.

Finally, Lennox cleared his throat, his commanding presence silencing the room. We all turned our attention to him, waiting with bated breath for his words. "Last night, Salem and I were ambushed," he started, his voice carrying the weight of the events he was about to recount. "We stopped at a gas station on our way back from Brooklyn. Everything seemed routine until Massimo's men showed up."

I could feel the tension growing thicker with each passing moment. Lennox's calm demeanor did little to mask the gravity of the situation.

"It happened fast," he continued, his eyes flickering with memories of the previous night. "Massimo's men came out of nowhere, guns blazing. Salem and I were caught off guard, but we managed to fight back and get away."

I could see the images playing out in my mind as Lennox spoke. The screech of tires, the smell of gunpowder, the chaos and confusion as bullets flew. It was a miracle they had made it out alive.

"Salem." Lennox turned to her, his gaze softening as he spoke her name. "She was incredible. Fierce and determined, she held her own against our attackers. But it was too close for comfort."

I glanced at Salem, her expression unreadable as she listened to Lennox recount their ordeal. Despite her stoic facade, I could sense the tension coiled beneath the surface, the memories of the ambush still fresh in her mind.

″We were lucky to escape with our lives," Lennox continued, his voice shadowed with gratitude. "But it's clear that Massimo is making a move. And we need to be prepared for whatever comes next."

A collective murmur of concern rippled through the room at his words. Massimo was a thorn in our fucking side.

"He must've had someone tail you from the shipping yards," Cohen said. "I'll make sure to wipe the gas station cameras so there is no trace of you being there."

Lennox nodded in agreement, his gaze flickering to Salem before returning to the rest of us. "Remington will be arriving tomorrow," he continued. "So we'll finally be able to start on the offensive."

Salem spoke up, her voice steady despite the situation. "We'll need to be cautious," she said, her eyes meeting each of ours in turn. "Massimo might be watching us, and we can't let him know about Remington."

Fallon nodded in agreement, her expression mirroring Salem's resolve. "Do you think Massimo knows where we're living now?" she asked, concern crossing her face.

Lennox tightened his grip on Salem with a thoughtful expression. "We took a long route home last night and didn't notice any tails," he replied, his voice calm but tinged with caution. "But I've beefed up security around the estate, just in case."

The reassurance was appreciated, but it did little to ease the relentless need inside me to take care of this threat for my family. I wanted nothing more than to slaughter anyone who even looked at us the wrong way.

All I could think about was eliminating every danger hovering over us, erasing them one by one until we were finally safe. The surge of rage threatened to consume me, but I pushed it aside, redirecting my thoughts to Salem. She was my anchor, the beacon of light in the darkness that threatened to engulf us.

As I grappled with our uncertain future, I found solace in picturing the life we could build together. The promise I had made to my friends weighed heavily on my mind, but so did the desire to express to Salem just how much she meant to me.

My thoughts swirled with possibilities, each one more enticing than the last. But one idea stood out among the rest, capturing my imagination and fueling my excitement. The more I contemplated it, the clearer the path forward became.

As the conversation turned to strategy and preparation, I started planning my epic gesture for Salem. With her brother's arrival scheduled for tomorrow, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Lost in my own thoughts it took me a while to notice Cohen's elbow jabbing into my ribs. This motion eventually snapped me out of my distraction. With a quick shake of my head, I refocused my attention on the conversation just in time to catch the final details being ironed out for Remington's impending arrival.

"I think we've hashed out all the specifics, now we just need to wait for him to get here," Fallon interjected, her voice cutting through the air with purpose. "How about we shift gears for the rest of the day? What do you say we have a movie day?"

Lennox glanced around the room, considering the suggestion. "That sounds perfect," he agreed, nodding in approval. "We could all use a break."

Cohen nodded in agreement, adding, "Yeah, it'll be good to unwind for a bit before Remington gets here."

Cole headed off to the kitchen to make us popcorn, and I caught Salem's eye and winked, silently communicating my excitement for the impromptu movie day. She smiled in return, her expression reflecting the shared anticipation of a few hours of relaxation.

With a mischievous chuckle, I swooped in and plucked her from Lennox's lap, announcing, "My turn!"

Salem let out a surprised laugh as I effortlessly slung her over my shoulder, her protests only serving to fuel my antics. With a playful grin, I shot Lennox a challenging look before darting in the direction of the home theatre.