Chapter Eight

Chapter EightEnding my video call with the production team of my current project three weeks later, I placed my phone down on the mattress beside me. Glad my workday was officially over, I did a long, languid stretch. Hey, I loved my job. I really did. To the extent that I often worked more hours than I should. Still, I liked to wind down and relax as much as anyone else. Or, in the case of this evening, get ready to head out.With regards to the project, a lot of progress had been made on all sides. Most notably for me and Zhen, the director had approved of the costume sketches that we forwarded, only suggesting minor additions. Also, my wonderful apprentice and I had finished one of said costumes—which the production team had just confirmed they loved—and we were midway through another.Since my plans for tonight didn’t involve lazily lounging around, I slipped off the bed, gathered my papers and pens together, and then made my way to my home office. Inside, I made a beeline for my desk, where I stuck my pens in the pots atop the surface and then returned my papers to their designated drawer.I took a moment to briefly skim my fingers over the work in progress that currently adorned a mannequin, carefully not to knock any of the pins, before leaving the office.I went straight to the kitchen and switched on my coffee machine. I had a full two hours before I needed to leave the apartment, but I decided I might as well start getting ready now. I’d already showered earlier, so it would just be a matter of freshening up and getting out of my sweats. First, though, I needed more caffeine to give me a pick-me-up.As I sipped at my drink, I returned to my bedroom. After placing my cup on the nightstand, I headed straight to my closet. There, I carefully slipped a cute floral blouse off a hanger and rested it over my arm before then snatching a soft pair of light-blue jeans from a shelf. I wouldn’t need to get dolled up, since my plans didn’t involve going to the Vault.Between sips of coffee, I dabbed on some makeup, pulled on my clothes, and used my straighteners to smooth out the few kinks in my hair. I’d earlier allowed my pink mop to air dry, so it hadn’t looked its best.Finally done, I then transferred my bits and bobs from my black leather purse to the creamy white one I’d retrieved from my closet that matched my outfit. Now I just needed to slip on some—My intercom buzzed.I felt my brow wrinkle in surprise. I wasn’t expecting visitors. Please don’t be my mother. Just the thought that she might have come here made my shoulders stiffen.I still hadn’t heard from Alondra since the phone conversation we’d had outside my dads’ home last month. News of my drink being spiked had circulated around the Vault’s basement, so it seemed likely that she would have been told of it. Either she was busy sulking because I hadn’t stayed away from Trace, or she’d been satisfied by her friends’ assurances that I was fine and so felt no need to call me.Whatever.I padded on bare feet through my apartment and over to the wall-mounted panel near the front door. A peek at the small camera screen made the tension leave my shoulders. Kaleb.The first time he’d abruptly turned up at my building uninvited, I’d been shocked as all shit. Nowadays? Not so much. But it confused me that he was here now, given that we were supposed to be having dinner soon at his place with Trace.I pushed the button on the intercom. “Is it my turn to play host and I forgot?”His lips curled. “No, I came to pick you up, since I was passing your building to head home. Let me in.”Dear God, that voice never failed to do interesting things to my insides. I buzzed him in, glad I’d made an early start on getting ready. Not that he hadn’t seen me in baggy loungewear and no makeup when he’d paid me surprise visits on prior occasions. I’d just prefer not to keep him waiting. With that in mind, I returned to my bedroom closet to grab my shoes.Over the past three weeks, I’d seen a lot of both him and Trace. We played together most Fridays and Saturdays at the Vault. We also often had dinner at either my place, Kaleb’s, or Trace’s before heading to the club. We’d all agreed it was better we did that than eat at the lounge, where my mother’s friends could watch and report back every little detail to her.At first, I’d only seen them on weekends. But then, just over a week ago, each male began to separately turn up at my complex on weekdays—usually with lunch or even baked goods. They never stayed long, they “just came to check in.” Their words.They also occasionally gave me an orgasm before leaving. Either with their fingers or their mouths. But they never allowed me to return the favor, and they never fucked me. Probably to keep me off-balance.I figured that the visits would stop once they’d both finished the break they were each taking between projects, so I was enjoying it while it lasted.Nabbing my shoes from the closet, I slipped them on. Although I saw the guys relatively often, one thing we never did was go out in public together. Unless it was to the Vault, of course, where our privacy was all but guaranteed. It seemed to be some unspoken rule we had. Or they had. I wouldn’t have cared.I heard from them almost as often as I saw them. They didn’t only contact me to arrange for us to play at the club, they texted me about this or that throughout the week. They asked how my day was, relayed little snippets about their own daily lives, or even made me some very filthy promises that they later delivered on.Generally, I didn’t like people constantly texting and calling and visiting. I liked my space. Plus, too much attention had a way of making me feel uncomfortable. But it seemed that none of that applied with Trace and Kaleb.I couldn’t lie, I pretty much basked in their attention. Like a cat in the freaking sun. It was almost embarrassing.Every text message or surprise visit from them made me smile, no matter how busy or tired I was. They were both equally irresistible to me in their own individual way. Trace with his smooth candidness, elegant dominance, and compelling sense of calm. Kaleb with his bad boy charm, hearty laughs, and disarming humor.I never found myself wanting to fabricate an excuse to not meet up with them on weekends, despite being a fan of ‘alone time.’ And I always had an absolute ball with them. We talked and laughed and exchanged stories. And, of course, had sex.Lots and lots of sex.Standard. Anal. Oral. A combination of all three. You never quite knew what the guys were gonna spring on ya.At this point, they felt a real part of my life. I’d grown to care for them in a way that scared me for one very simple reason: I had no idea where I stood with them.They were open. Tactile. Possessive. Protective. But they hadn’t even proposed an arrangement, let alone a fling or full-on relationship.Also, territorial they might be in their way, but they hadn’t requested exclusivity either. And it often made me think of something that Trace once said regarding him and Kaleb …We don’t wish to tie ourselves to someone who we know won’t suit us in the long-run.Looking outside the box, I would conclude that they’d offered me no level of commitment because, quite frankly, though they enjoyed my company, they had no interest in taking things up a notch.But looking from inside the box … they were so good to me, so sweet. I wanted to believe that they were all up in my space because they wanted more. I’d convince myself that it wouldn’t otherwise make sense for them to behave this way.Thena little voice in my head would remind me that they hadn’t laid any sort of claim to me; that they seemingly had no issue with me walking into the Vault visibly unclaimed. Which didn’t say good things, did it?Fuck, even Grover—a man to whom I hadn’t emotionally mattered—had laid a claim to me.Taking that into account, I’d then feel compelled to accept that this was purely casual to them—especially when I considered that this ‘thing’ we had was very similar to the shallow, meaningless flings I’d had in the past. Those flings had involved texts, calls, visits, dinners, and sex too.But I didn’t want to believe that they only saw me as a casual plaything, so I went backwards and forwards over it a lot in my head.During my moments where I felt positive that this must be temporary for them, I told myself that it would be better if I pulled back; reminded myself that I was liable to get badly burned if I didn’t. I even occasionally resolved that I’d make excuses the next time they invited me to either of their homes; that I’d stop giving them so much of my time and attention.But I never pulled back, and that resolve to make excuses always crumbled. Because I believed in grabbing moments of happiness whenever you could, even if it meant taking chances on people or situations. I’d taken risks many times in my life, and most of them had paid off. This could pay off, too.Knuckles wrapped on my front door. I opened it wide, and there stood Kaleb. So markedly rugged, so incredibly masculine, so unabashedly sexy. My pulse kicked up, and everything feminine within me all but cheered.He stepped inside, his lips curving, and tagged my nape. “You look as gorgeous and fuckable as always.”I melted into him. “Right back atcha.”He took my mouth in a lazy kiss, sipping and nipping. “Hmm, needed that.”“I’m surprised to see you here. I figured you’d be at home cooking right now.”His brow flicked up. “We agreed on Wednesday that we’ve have takeout tonight, remember?”Now I did. “Oh, that’s right.”A teasing smile plucked at his mouth. “Should I be worried by how easily you forget our plans?” He boldly rested a hand on my ass. “Is it a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ for you?”“No. It’s a case of me having a busy week. My brain gets frazzled, and then I forget shit. Including my own PIN for, like, a good thirty seconds. I kind of just stared at the cashier in the grocery store, my mind blank.”Humor lit his eyes. “You work too hard.”So he kept saying. And he wasn’t wrong. “Is that why you came to pick me up even though I didn’t need to head out this early? To make sure that I didn’t work late again?”His smile turned sheepish. “Busted.”I rolled my eyes. “It should annoy me that you’re butting in this way. I don’t know why it doesn’t.”“I do.” He nuzzled my neck. “It doesn’t annoy you because you know I mean well.”I huffed, untangling myself from his arms. “I’m sure it will please you to hear that I’m done for the day. I’m ready to leave when you are.”“Then let’s go.”The drive to Kaleb’s place wasn’t a long one, so he soon whipped the car into his masonry driveway. He owned a detached house not far from the mall. The colonial style home was absolutely charming with its dormer windows, covered porch, green lawn, cute little fence, and window boxes.He took my hand as he led me into the house. He’d given me a tour the first time I came here. It was all warm colors, dark woods, and sleek lines. He had a very cool soundproof home studio to use for recording, auditioning, or practicing voice narrations.Considering the house was essentially a bachelor pad, I’d been surprised by how clean and tidy it was. But then, it wouldn’t be so hard to keep tidy. He was something of a minimalist. There was no unnecessary furniture, no clutter, no mementos lying around. Yet, the place didn’t look soulless. It had a very homey feel.“Trace will be here soon,” he said, gently pulling me down the hallway and into the kitchen. “We might as well have a drink while we wait.”We were both halfway through a glass of wine when Trace arrived, all elegance and smolder. Much like his BFF, he was quick to steal a kiss from me. Kaleb then ordered our food, which was delivered fairly quickly.We sat at the dining table, talking and laughing between bites of food. In no time at all, we’d demolished our pizza, garlic bread, barbeque wings, and nachos.Afterward, we made ourselves comfortable in the living room. At first, we simply sat on the sofa with me in the middle. But once we’d finished our glasses of wine, Kaleb wasted no time in lifting me up and placing me on his lap so that I straddled him.He hummed. “That’s better.” He plucked at the lace that threaded through the front of my blouse like a corset. “I like this top.”I smiled, resting my hands on his sides. “Thank you. I made it.”Kaleb’s brows inched up. “Yeah? Do you make a lot of your own clothes?”“Not a lot. I enjoy shopping too much to design my entire wardrobe. But I do like to make my own clothes. I sometimes also spruce up something I’ve bought.”Trace scooted over to us and planted a possessive hand on my thigh. “I suppose this is where your experience with costume design comes in handy.”“I started making my own clothes as a kid, back when I used to live with Alondra. It was that or scream. She would dress me like I was a doll. An accessory. She obsessed over my appearance and imperfections.”Trace’s face darkened. “Imperfections? She pointed out to you, to a child, what she perceived to be imperfections?”“It wasn’t in an effort to make me feel bad about myself, just as the times that she complimented any of my ‘positive physical traits’ weren’t efforts to praise me,” I told him. “Those were merely clinical observations. But like I said, she could be obsessive about it, much as she’s obsessive about her own appearance.”“In her mind, every single detail about you reflected on her,” Trace surmised, giving my thigh a soothing rub.“Exactly. I hated that I never got to choose what I wore or how I looked. So I would revamp my stuff, or make clothes and costumes out of pillow cases or whatever.” Feeling my lips curve, I added, “It infuriated her, but she got so tired of giving me shit about it that she eventually let it go.”“And that’s how your love of costume design began,” Kaleb guessed.I dipped my chin. “Yes. My dads bought me my first sewing machine and textiles. They even arranged for a professional designer to come talk to me and give me pointers and stuff.”“Why did you end up living with Ansel and Troy?” asked Kaleb. “Did they file for custody?”I shook my head. “Alondra shipped me off to them.”Kaleb’s brows drew together. “The fuck?”“According to her, I’m high-maintenance.” I wasn’t surprised when both men barked a disbelieving laugh. “Yeah, it’s the pot calling the kettle black, right? By high-maintenance, she means that she can’t make me follow her every directive like a good little puppet. When I was a kid, she didn’t seem to know how to cope with the fact that I had a mind of my own. As if she hadn’t counted on that ever being the case.”Trace inched his hand further up my thigh. “So she gave you up.”“It didn’t bother me,” I assured him. “I was genuinely excited when she told me that I’d be living with my dads.”Kaleb frowned. “How could it not bother you? She’s your mother, Briar.”“She’s not a mom, though,” I said. “Alondra has no clue how to be one and no real interest in trying to figure it out. She’s too self-focused for that.”“And that doesn’t hurt you?” asked Kaleb, sliding a hand up my back.“A part of me mourns that I never had a true mom. There’s this absence where a mom-daughter bond should be, and that sucks. But it’s not something I dwell over. I don’t have mommy issues or anything. For me, it always felt like my dads were my parents; that she was more like a distant aunt that I called ‘Mom’ and lived with for a short while. My dads more than made up for that—they’re the fucking best.”Trace slanted his head. “You’re close to them?”I nodded. “Very. I only ever felt at home with them even when I did live with Alondra.”Kaleb blew out a breath, shaking his head. “It’s a wonder you have any contact with her. In your shoes, I don’t think I would.”I’d heard that before. “She’s not as stone cold as she might seem.”Trace let out a soft snort. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”“Once, when I was a kid, the paparazzi swarmed and knocked us both to the ground,” I said. “Alondra was all pissed-off lioness that day. She went ballistic on them and held me tight. She comforted me and cleaned my scrapes—a small, surely natural thing for most women, but not for her. It was one of the very few times she wasn’t solely focused on her own feelings. She cares for me, but not in a way that you or I would care for someone. She can’t.” And for that, I pitied her. So done discussing the woman, I said, “So, tell me about your families. Tit for tat and all that.” I poked Kaleb’s chest. “You can go first.”His mouth hitched up. “I can?”“Yes. So spill.”He shrugged. “There’s not a lot to tell. My mom died of a heart attack when I was nineteen. It was all very sudden. So my two younger sisters lived with me until they were ready to flee the nest.”My chest went tight. I gave his upper arm a quick, comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry to hear about your mom. How old were your sisters when she died?”“Ten and thirteen,” he replied.So young. “It must have been one hell of a hard time for you. You not only lost your mom, you had to take responsibility for your sisters when you were just a teenager yourself.”“It wasn’t as hard to act as their guardian as you might think. I was used to it. Our dad left when I was seven and my mom worked a lot, so I was essentially the other parent in the house while growing up. She hated that for me, but I didn’t mind. I knew it was important that she worked—we didn’t have much.” He sighed. “I honestly don’t know how we never ended up homeless.”I gently played my fingers through his hair. “Do your sisters live in Redwater?”“One lives in Europe. The other lives in Texas. Both are married with kids, and they constantly badger me to ‘meet someone’ instead of ‘clinging to my bachelor status.’” He rolled his eyes.Chuckling, I asked, “Do you see much of them?”“We fly out to see each other a few times a year. We also do a lot of video calls. And, well, that’s it.” He lifted his shoulders. “I told you there wasn’t much to tell.”I slid my gaze to Trace. “What about you?”“My story is even shorter. It’s also boring. And if I’m going to tell it, I want a better view.” With quick, fluid movements, Trace untied the lace on my blouse and spread its front open so my bra-clad breasts were almost fully exposed. “Hmm, that works.”“Nah, I can make it even better.” Kaleb unfastened the front clasp on my bra and pushed aside the cups, letting my breasts spill out; the cool air made my nipples tighten. His eyes heated. “So very pretty.”“And so very soft,” said Trace as he lightly palmed one breast—too lightly.I arched into his hand, wanting more pressure.Trace tsked.“You wanted to hear about my parents, remember?”Not anymore I didn’t. Which, going by his smirk, he knew perfectly well. But the teasing bastard clearly meant to make me wait for what I most wanted.“I’m a single child,” he said. “As were both my parents. I’m not in contact with them or any of my family.”My lips parted. “None of them?”“It doesn’t bother me any more than it appears to bother you that you have no true relationship with Alondra. Some parents just aren’t parents. I wasn’t quite an accessory to them the way you are to your mother, but I certainly wasn’t a person.”I felt my face scrunch up. “People suck.”“Don’t get me wrong, my parents weren’t bad or abusive. I had nannies, the best education, and medical care etc. I just didn’t have them. They wanted an offspring, an heir. That was all I was to them. So I can relate to how it didn’t bother you to be sent to live with your dads. I was shipped off to boarding school early, but I was happier there than at home.”“Did they even spend much time with you when you were home?” I almost hitched in a breath as he began circling my taut nipple with his thumb, never quite touching it.“No. For them, I was the product of an agenda. My father wanted someone to take over his business when he chose to step down; to continue the family name. At home, I often felt invisible. Like I wasn’t real. Like I could easily not be there and my parents wouldn’t notice I was gone, let alone care.”I’d often felt that way with Alondra when I lived with her as a child. It could make a person feel very lonely.“You might mistakenly think I therefore went into the acting business to get the validation and attention from others that I didn’t receive as a child from my parents,” Trace went on. “It wasn’t that. I wanted my mother and father to see me. I also wanted to piss them off by choosing a career that they’d find beneath the Lacroix name.”He paused, a self-depreciating smile curling one side of his mouth. “I suppose, in that sense, I got into acting for the wrong reasons. I don’t like how I’m very much a product of my environment.”“We all are to some extent. Do you have any regrets about becoming an actor?”He thought about it for a moment. “No. I enjoy acting. It isn’t as cushy a job as most think, of course. You have to deal with social media shitstorms, an enormous amount of pressure, a fierce competition, and the knowledge that one bad performance can ruin your career. But there are pros,” he added, thumbing my nipple.I swallowed. “Like?”“You can play so many different roles. You get to travel the world. You have access to exclusive events. You get to be a role model for children. And you can be sure that your life won’t be boring.”I jolted as he pinched my nipple hard. “Hey, what was that for?”“No reason.” His smile turned taunting. “Don’t worry, I’ll kiss it better soon. You’ll want to first hear why Kaleb got into voice acting, though, won’t you?”Actually, I did want to hear about it, I would simply rather have an orgasm first. But I could see by their expressions that neither were ready to oblige me yet. “I would like to know, yes.”Lightly coasting his fingers down the column of my throat, Kaleb said, “I was approached by an agent in a bar.”I felt my mouth kick up. “Let me guess. They heard your voice and pretty much melted, right?”Kaleb rubbed at his stubbly jaw. “I don’t know if I’d say they melted, but they gave me a business card and told me to call them. So I did. It went from there.”“Do you enjoy what you do?”“Yeah. It’s challenging, but I like it. And I like that I can dictate my own hours. In the beginning, I didn’t expect it to be anything other than a side hustle. But it’s been pretty lucrative for me. Although my studio cost me an arm and a leg, it was absolutely worth the expense.”“You don’t mind isolating yourself in there for hours on end?”“Nah, I’m good with my own company.”I fought an amused smile as I remembered something. “I heard you originally tried keeping a low profile but then some woman locked on you, hunted you down, and snapped all kinds of pictures of you. Is that true?”His lips thinned. “Yes. How someone can become so obsessed with a voice that they’re determined to stalk the person in real life, I have no idea. She plastered pictures of me all over social media.”Trace’s mouth curved. “He was offered modeling jobs and acting roles after that. He turned them all down.”Kaleb shrugged. “Fame wasn’t something I ever craved. Though I’m grateful for my success, I do wish the limelight didn’t come with it. Your right to privacy ceases to exist.”Trace gave a heavy nod, his smile fading. “It does. It’s one of the reasons I like the Vault so much. Fame means nothing there. Nor does fortune. Everyone is an equal, all there for the same reason.”Kaleb squeezed my hip. “Speaking of the Vault … I booked a room for the three of us for tomorrow night. You’ll be there.”I raised my brows. “I will?”“You will. Now, I think we should chat some more.” He pursed his lips, palming my ass. “Want to hear about my external relatives? Some are rodeo riders. They’re quite interesting characters. Shall I tell you all about them?”“Or … should we make you come?” Trace swooped forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth.I inhaled sharply, threading my fingers through his hair. “You should definitely make me come.”Kaleb squeezed my neglected breast. “Which do you want tonight, Trace—her pussy or her ass?”“That’s a tough question.” Trace raked his teeth over my now-throbbing nipple. “Her pussy. I’ll have her ass in the morning before we go out for breakfast.”I blinked. “Wait, what?”Trace bit into the side of my breast. “I’ll have your ass in the morning.”I shook my head. “Breakfast. You said we’d go out.”He shrugged. “It’ll make a nice change.” He stood, fisted the back of his tee, and pulled it over his head. “Stand. Strip. Do it fast, Briar. Then you’re going to bend over and suck off Kaleb while I fuck you.”“No making me come, though,” Kaleb told me as I slid off his lap. “I don’t plan on blowing my load until I’m buried deep in your ass.”My pulse going mental, I took off my blouse. “Actually, my ass could do with a break.” Not really, but I did like to complain. They took me so much rougher and more mercilessly when I bitched at them. “Tonight, you’ll have to make do with my mouth so—”A hand fisted my hair from behind and snatched my head back.Ignoring my long hiss, Trace spoke into my ear. “Maybe you’ve forgotten that you don’t make those sorts of decisions. Let me remind you of something, baby girl: we’ll do whatever the fuck we want with you. Your ass gets a break when we decide it needs one, not you. If Kaleb wants to rail it here and now, that’s exactly what he’ll do. And if you’ve got an issue with that, well, there won’t be a whole lot you can do about it. Because I’ll be pinning you to the floor while he pounds his cock into your ass until you come so hard you scream.”A short time later, that was exactly what happened.