Chapter 4

J ACK

F ight or flight. Most people had one or the other. I had both. When it came to being uncomfortable with people I cared about, I ran. When it came to being around assholes I could give two shits about, I fought.

When I’d stepped into the bedroom and saw Joey curled up in Lip's arms, I’d known I was the interloper, the one who didn't belong. So I left.

Which was how I found myself at McGregor's Pub, drinking myself into oblivion.

Joey and Lip were everything to me. The only time I was happy was when I was with them, but I didn't trust happiness. Every time I had, something or someone would rip the rug out from under my feet. People always left, and my life returned to the darkness. Lip was the only constant I'd ever known, and even now, I felt the connection between him and Joey deepening. Lip was good for her. He was strong. He knew how to be the man Joey needed. I was a distraction. I could be replaced.

"Where are your whore and your gay lover?" some middle-aged drunk slurred.

I knew our relationship was different, something that most wouldn't accept. The drunk was an asshole we'd clashed with a few weeks ago when Joey wanted to go dancing. I'd wanted to bash his head into the ground that night, but Joey had stopped me. She wasn't here tonight, though.

"Watch yourself, old man."

The guy went to punch me but missed. "Who the hell ya think you are, you little punk?"

The guy was pathetic. I didn't even have to duck. He was drunk and thought he could still handle himself. "Buddy, why don't you walk it off before I embarrass you in front of all your friends?"

"Who's gonna embarrass me? You? You're a fuckin’ pussy who shares his whore ‘cause you’re not man enough to satisfy her yourself. If the slut wants more dick, let me know."

I was okay with the fucker insulting me. I was even okay with him saying shit about Lip. But I saw red when he disrespected Joey again.

My fist impacted his nose with a loud crunch, letting me know I’d broken it. The asshole should’ve stayed down. Should’ve taken the hit and let that be the end of it. But, no, the fucker got up and charged at me. His nose streamed blood, but booze had a way of numbing the pain.

Grabbing the fucker by the waist, I pushed him down and sat on his chest. I lost track of how many times I pummeled his face. By the time the bartender pulled me off him, the drunk was unconscious, and a pool of blood surrounded him.

"Jesus, Jack, what the fuck?" Trick, the bartender, demanded as he checked on the man. "You're fuckin' lucky he's still breathing. Who do you want me to call? Lip or Joey?"

"No one."

"You can't drive home."

"I'll take a cab. You cool with me picking up the bike in the morning?"

"Yeah, man. Get home safe. I'll take care of our friend here, but you owe me."

"Thanks, Trick."

I grabbed my coat and stormed out of the bar, but I started walking instead of calling a cab. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I knew the only place I wanted to be was in Joey's arms.

J OEY

The moonlight streamed through the crack in the curtains and directly onto Lip's face. The man was gorgeous, like a sculpture designed by Michelangelo. I pushed a curl off his forehead, careful not to wake him.

Glancing at the clock, I wondered where Jack was. I'd been with Jack and Lip for two years. They were polar opposites, but I loved them both fully and completely. I couldn't imagine my life without them. I never thought I would be in an unconventional relationship, but with Lip and Jack, it felt like we were meant to be.

A bolt of electricity had flowed around us that first day I’d sat beside Lip in class. Jack hadn’t said anything at first. He’d sat silently, tapping on a table, focused on anything other than my conversation with Lip. I hadn’t understood why he hung out with us.

Lip, on the other hand, was charming. He knew the right things to say and was always easy with the compliments. Lip held doors open and twirled me around on dance floors like he was Fred Astaire and I was Ginger Rogers. I felt like a princess—delicate, beautiful, and unique—when I was with Lip, but I never thought he wanted me. It was never Lip and me alone. It was always the three of us, and between that and Jack's death glares, I assumed I’d been friend-zoned by both of them. I never dreamed they felt like I did for them until one night at the university pub.

I was suddenly swamped with the memory of the night everything changed between us.

I left the guys at our table after bumping into my best friend, Sonia. The two of us were on the dance floor having fun and laughing when some frat kid started groping me. I said no and pushed away, but he wasn't getting it; before I could turn around and do anything about it, Jack was there, and the guy was on the floor taking punches like a boxing bag. I'd never seen a fight in person, but I wasn't scared. I was turned on. Jack beating the shit out of that guy was the manliest thing I'd ever seen. Jack didn't hold back; even three football team members couldn't lift him off the fucker.

"You'd better reel him in," Lip said, appearing from nowhere and standing beside me.

"W-what?" I stammered.

"No one is gonna be able to make him stop but you, sweetheart. I would’ve joined in kicking the fucker's ass, but Jack needs an outlet for his emotions. He's not good at processing them."

I wasn't sure what Lip was saying. His words were confusing, and so were my emotions. But when I turned and saw Jack going wild, I knew if he didn't stop, he might end up killing that frat kid.

"Jack," I shouted, but the music was far too loud for him to hear me. I wasn't sure if I should touch him, but I sure as fuck couldn't risk him killing someone for me, so I took hold of my fear and placed my hand on his shoulder. Something about my touch made him freeze, giving me the courage to bend and whisper in his ear. "Please stop."

Jack got up, took my hand, and dragged me out of the bar, with Lip following behind. He didn't say anything; he just opened the car door and buckled me in the back seat before getting in the passenger seat.

When Lip got in the car, Jack finally spoke. "No one touches what's ours."

"Fuckin' right," Lip said, revving up the car.

"Excuse me?" I said, trying to process everything that had happened.

Lip barked out a laugh. "You heard him. No one fucks with what belongs to us."

I probably should have been scared or rolled out of the moving car, but the truth was, I did belong to them, and they belonged to me. That was a truth that I couldn't deny, even if I wanted to. I liked being theirs; the fact was, I was relieved that I didn't have to choose because there was no way I ever could.

A loud thud at the front door took me out of my memories, and I saw Jack stumbling along the wall. I rushed to him and noticed his hand; the knuckles were bruised, cut up, and raw-looking. Blood splattered his face, jacket, and jeans.

"What happened? My hands urgently roamed his body, ensuring he wasn't seriously injured. "Dammit, Jack, answer me. What the fuck happened?"

He stared into my eyes so intensely that I felt like I'd fallen down a hole and would never get out. His thumb brushed against my bottom lip. "Watch your mouth."

I ignored his bossy tone; he had a thing about me swearing. He didn't like it unless it was in bed, where he wanted my mouth as dirty as possible. "Don't give me that. What happened?"

He pulled the tie of my robe, leering at my naked body. "You get fucked?"

I was so frustrated, standing there worried about how battered and bruised he was while he tried to change the subject, something he always did when he didn't want to talk about something important. He distracted me with talk of sex. It usually worked. Something about how he looked at me made me feel so desirable as if nothing in the world was more attractive than me.

He pulled me to him, his rough hands making wetness pool at my center. That was all my men had to do—touch me—and I was revved up and ready to go.

"You trying to change the subject with sex?"

"No, I just need to fuck you. I need to be buried so deep in your warmth that I forget every fuckin' shitty thing that's ever happened in my life."

Jack turned me around as the robe slipped off my shoulders and pooled by my feet.

"Jack, can you please talk to me?" I begged as his rough hands moved up my body and grabbed my breasts.

"Fuck, your tits are so perfect." He squeezed them before his fingers found my nipples. He knew how sensitive my nipples were. His touch caused them to pucker and stand at attention.

I knew I should make him stop, make him sit at the kitchen table and talk to me, but his touch made me forget all sense of reality. I only wanted to make him feel good in any way I could. If that meant with my body, so be it.

Jack pushed me against the wall. "Are you wet, baby?"

He didn't wait for my answer; his hand roamed down my body, and his fingers parted my folds as he began the slow torture of barely touching my clit.

"Why don't you find out?" I challenged.

Jack growled in my ear before taking my clit between his thumb and forefinger and pinching.

I moaned into the wall. It hurt, but in a good way; the pain was primal. Animalistic. That was Jack as a lover, but it was so sexy. He nipped my shoulders passionately, his kisses feral, alternating between tenderness and violent bites that told me how desperate he was for me. How much he needed me. Sex was how Jack dealt with his emotions. When he was happy, he was gentle. When he was angry, he was more aggressive. Either way, I loved it. I loved him.

Jack’s fingers moved to my asshole, touching me gently as if asking for permission.

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes," he whispered against my skin.

"Then do it."

Jack dropped his hand, walking away from me.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm getting lube. I'm a crazy motherfucker, but I ain't that crazy."

"Lip's sleeping. He seemed tired. Don't wake him."

I heard the fridge door open, and then Jack stood before me, holding the butter. "This'll do,” he said, smirking.

He grabbed my neck, crushing his lips to mine. The kiss was pure hunger, his teeth grazing my bottom lip before he bit hard. When he'd pulled back, he'd drawn some blood. He smeared his thumb along my mouth. There was something forbidden about that act, and it drove me crazy.

"You're fuckin' crazy," I moaned.

"I am, and I'm all yours." Jack pushed me down on the kitchen table. He didn't give me any warning before he rammed his huge cock into my pussy.

I felt a moment of fear. Jack was huge. I wasn't sure I could handle his cock in my ass. He would tear me apart.

"Your pussy is always so wet. Always ready for me. Such a good girl. You know exactly how to make my cock feel good."

My tits moved along the mahogany table as he mercilessly pounded into me. "Don't stop. Keep fuckin' me," I moaned.

Jack pushed his thumb into my back entrance with the butter. It felt so good, the sensation of his cock in my pussy and this thumb in my ass. He slowly pressed further, allowing me to adjust before he started moving in and out.

"How does that feel, my little slut?"

"Oh, God. So good. Please don't stop."

"I don't plan on stopping until my cock is deep in there. Lip took your cunt for the first time, so it's only fair that I take your ass. But first, you're gonna give me all that pussy juice by coming on my cock."

Jack pulled my hair, making my body arch back to meet him. He kissed my neck.

"Fuck, that feels so good."

"Pinch your nipples. I know how much you like them twisted."

I grabbed my nipples and pinched hard, following his instructions. I was on overdrive. It was sensation overload with his cock in my pussy and his thumb in my ass while I pinched my nipples. My body seized, squeezing his cock as I came.

"Good girl," Jack praised. He kissed my shoulders before slowly removing his cock from pussy and moving the tip to my ass. "Now I'm gonna come inside your ass. What do you think of that?"

"Just do it."

"It's not a race, beautiful." Jack laughed before he bit down on my shoulder and gently pushed his cock inside me. It hurt at first, and he moved very slowly. He took a moment, stopping and letting me adjust to his size. "How does it feel?"

"It hurts a bit, but it also feels good. Keep going."

Jack took that as his all clear and pushed farther into me, letting me adjust again. He moved slowly at first, like he had with his thumb, before he quickened his pace, making me scream in the best possible way. Had I known anal would feel so good, I would’ve jumped in two years ago.

Jack's hand clamped over my mouth. "Shhh, love. You're gonna wake up Lip."

He pushed my body down, his hands digging into my flesh as he continued to fuck me. He moved a hand between my legs, massaging my clit.

"Your ass feels so good," Jack groaned, unloading his cum deep into my ass.

He collapsed on top of me, neither of us saying a word as his strong arms held me. He peppered kisses along my back, behind my ear, and the side of my face.

"You gonna let me look at your hand now?"

"It's fine," Jack said, rolling off me. He picked me up, cradling me in his arms. "You need to rest. Don’t need to worry about me."

"I can't rest if I'm worried about you."

Jack smiled. He was so beautiful when he smiled; he appeared younger, almost happy. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?"

"No. Take me to the bathroom, lover. The first aid kit is there."