Turning some of the bottles they had used earlier that night so that their labels were facing perfectly out, Joel began the mental tally of breaking down each bottle's remaining content into tenths and noting their totals.
He was on his twelfth bottle when Vic finally broke the comfortable silence. "You two look disgustingly happy tonight," he remarked, the sound of the rubber band snapping around the stack of bills in his hand punctuated his words. Joel looked up at him past the perfectly lined liquor bottles and through the mirror's reflection as Vic continued. "I take it that things between the three of you are…" Vic let the words fade away, giving him an expectant look.
Joel's face creased into a wicked smile at the thought of his girl. "Working like a fucking dream."
That afternoon when they had left her working the café counter by herself, both he and Hayden had taken the momentary lack of customers to kiss her, pressing her against the counter. Joel had to refrain from closing his eyes at the memory of the little tremor of desire he had felt run through her as he ground his hardening erection into her stomach. Jesus, she was so damn responsive. Needy and soft, all hidden behind those icy defenses. Fuck, he loved her. The realization filled his chest with an indescribable heat just as it did every time she moaned those beautiful three words in his ear.
Joel wasn't even sure when it even happened.
The overwhelming need to hold her to him, to see her laugh and smile each day, was becoming paramount. It was becoming a basic fucking need for his body to function.
Pulling himself from his thoughts, Joel looked to see Vic's expression of disbelief.
Covertly looking around the bar first, Vic stepped closer to him and spoke in a low voice. "And Hayden doesn't mind sharing her with you?"
Joel could hear the doubt in his words. Honestly, it was a valid question. They both knew Hayden long enough to know that the giant bastard was not only very sensitive about being overlooked or, worse, abandoned, but the man was very, very possessive.
Joel considered Vic for a moment. He could see the genuine curiosity in his brother's eyes, something for once overshadowing the usual frustration and fatigue that normally lingered there ever since he started taking care of his father and that cursed farm. But there was something else, something else shining back in Vic's dark eyes that Joel couldn't quite place. Intrigue? Or was it—hope?
Mentally shaking his thoughts, Joel shifted and looked past Vic toward the hallway to the back, making sure there was no sign of Hayden. "At first, there were some bumps in the road," he began quietly, "but we quickly worked that out between us and laid down some basic ground rules."
Vic's eyes lit up. "Well, this I got to hear."
Joel was about to speak when they heard the back door open. Without missing a beat, they both turned back to what they were doing, letting the low strains of the music cover up their rushed silence.
"Okay, trash is out," Hayden called out as he pushed through the short swinging doors that led to the back.
Nodding in acknowledgment, Joel hurried to finish up his counts for the night. Behind him, through the mirror's reflection, he could see Hayden grabbing chairs two at a time and flipping them in midair before catching them once again and placing them on the table.
"Looks like someone is ready to get back home," Vic said aloud.
Hayden's answering grin nearly made Joel burst out laughing.
Excitement was an understatement. When they finally did disengage themselves from practically dry humping her in the café, Sapphire had told them she would go to bed early so she could be up when they got back. She didn't even need to explain what she meant by that. The dark hooded look in her eyes or the way her gaze traveled appreciatively over their bodies. Joel had practically felt the fever of need roll off her golden-brown skin as the memories from the previous night evidently filled her thoughts.
Yeah, Hayden was more than ready to get home. Hell, he was too. Joel could feel himself growing stiff in his jeans just at the thought of sinking into her sweet, wet heat again. All day he thought of her tight little asshole quivering around his tongue as he ate her out. Her beautiful, desperate screams were still etched into his mind. Son of a bitch, he needed to hurry.
Snapping the notepad shut, Joel turned stiffly around. "I'm gonna record these numbers in the computer, and we should be good to go." He winced at how rough his voice sounded even to him.
Ignoring Vic's curious look, Joel went to the office and sat down at the computer. A few minutes later, Vic walked in carrying the night's profits in a zippered lock bag. Opening the large safe on the other side of the room, he tossed the money in. After working for the Leblanc gang for so long, they had picked up little safety habits along the way. Like breaking their bank run routine. Some nights they went to the bank in pairs or all three to drop off the night's profits and poker winnings, but on some nights, they just kept the money in the safe, making sure to constantly shake up the routine.
Leaning his hip against the desk, Vic crossed his arms over his chest. "So, tell me about these rules," he urged.
Just the mention of the rules made Joel's dick swell even more. Last night he had watched Hayden fuck Sapphire on the kitchen table from behind. Naked and spread out against the hardwood table, her breasts and cheek were smashed against the wood grain as Hayden violently rocked into her. He had made her repeat the rules over and over again. Joel had come in his fucking hand just from watching. Just seeing the mixture of emotions cross her face in that defenseless position brought his balls up tight. Fear, drunken desire, and shock all mingled on her beautiful face like a watercolor come to life.
Adjusting himself discreetly under the desk, Joel leaned back in his chair and glanced at the open door to the hall before whispering. "Well, there are only two. No solo sex with either one of us, not yet at least," he added at seeing Vic's dubious expression.
"Why? I mean, there are going to be times where it’s just the two of you and…" Vic let the words purposely hang in the air.
"Yeah, trust me, I know, but Hayden and I talked about that. It's just for now. I mean, hell, we just started this, so we're taking it slow. Trying to mitigate some unnecessary jealousy between us."
"Fuck man, is it like that with her already?" Vic asked, standing up straight from the desk. Joel could see the worry in his friend's eyes and knew what he was thinking. Since meeting years ago, they had all made sure never to let anything come between their friendship: money, the gang, and especially not women.
"Yeah, it is," Hayden's deep voice broke in, and they both looked up to see Hayden standing in the doorway.
For a moment, he just stood there, and Joel held his breath. He knew Hayden wasn't quite ready to talk about their relationship with Sapphire with Vic yet. Even though the two men were close, like brothers having fought and killed for the other in the past, there was still an underlying tension—no—more like a competitiveness between the two. As if they were fighting for some top spot amongst the three of them. Which was fucking absurd in Joel's mind because, by that logic, that meant he was the fucking Beta in their invisible Alpha war, and that shit just wasn't the fucking case. Joel just didn't feel the way those two idiots did. What the hell was there to compete for? They had everything they ever wanted and needed, and now that Sapphire was here, his life was fucking complete as far as Joel was concerned.
To his relief, however, Hayden sat down with a tired sigh on the couch and gave Vic a smirk. "If you only knew how fucking good it was with her, then you'd understand. By the way, how's your dad? I meant to ask you earlier when you got in, but Lauren Gainsly nearly bum-rushed me to get to you."
