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It wasn’t the promise part so much as the home part that I’d clung to. It gave me hope that he really did feel that way. That Brody and I were home for him.
Brody and I hadn’t made love, even though we could have since the three of us had talked about the “rules” of our relationship several weeks earlier, after the night Brody had kissed me in the kitchen, not knowing Beck was watching. It had been an awkward conversation, especially considering we hadn’t actually defined our relationship, but we’d all agreed that two of us being with each other when the third wasn’t around didn’t stir any feelings of jealousy. And if it ever did, we’d discuss it. The talk had given us the freedom we’d needed to strengthen our individual bonds with each other. For my part, there was nothing hotter than walking in on my men when they were going at it. Wondering if they were when I wasn’t with them ran a close second.
Neither of us had slept and Brody had helped me feed and take care of the horses this morning. He was supposed to have gone to work, but he’d managed to find a replacement so he could be here when Beck returned. We’d kept ourselves busy turning the horses out and cleaning stalls after I’d called Gabriella to tell her that Lilah didn’t need to come back until she was ready.
And then the waiting game had begun as we’d watched and waited. I’d been half-tempted to call Roman after lunchtime came and went, but I’d forced myself not to. Because Beck had promised…
I watched as Brody released Beck. My young lover had trouble making eye contact as he approached me. Whether he was still embarrassed about what he’d admitted to the day before or because he hadn’t come home when we’d ask him to, I wasn’t sure, and it really didn’t matter to me.
Nothing mattered except knowing he was here and unhurt.
We could figure the rest out.
“Quinn, I’m sorr-”
I kissed him before he could finish. He let out a cry of surprise and then he was in my arms, his body pressed flush against mine.
The relief was so instantaneous that my knees almost buckled. I tore my mouth free from his and just held onto him, needing to make sure he was real.
“I love you, Beck,” I said softly, my mouth pressed to his ear. I felt him stiffen in my hold for the briefest of moments, and then a strangled sob tore free of his throat.
“I love you too,” he choked out against my shoulder.
I’d known in my heart that my feelings would be returned, but his words still set me free. I grabbed Brody who was standing just behind Beck and dragged him forward into our embrace. “I love you,” I said just before I kissed him softly.
“Me too,” he said hoarsely as he nodded. He waited until Beck was looking at him before saying, “Both of you…so very much.” I didn’t hear Beck return the words as he wrapped an arm around Brody’s neck, but the sigh of relief that escaped Brody’s lips was proof enough that Beck had said those amazing three little words to him as well.
We just held on to each other after that. I wasn’t sure how much time passed before Beck stepped back. He wiped at his eyes and I immediately noticed how swollen they looked.
I suspected, like us, he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before either.
“Where’s Lilah?” he asked. “Is she okay?”
“She’s with Gabriella,” Brody said. “She’s okay…she was worried about you.”
Beck nodded and then his eyes fell to his bruised knuckles. “Am I…am I in trouble for what I did?”
“No,” I said softly as I reached out to him and forced his eyes up. Never again did I want to see his head hung in shame. “Lilah told Jax what happened. Gabriella fired Dale and Jax escorted him off the property. Warned him to get out of Dare.”
Beck nodded. “So Jax knows what I said?” he whispered.
“He does,” Brody murmured.
Another nod. “I need to go see them…Jax had my car brought to Roman’s this afternoon after the tow truck got it out of the mud, but I was asleep so I didn’t see him.”
“Do you want us to come with you?” I asked. I didn’t tell him how I couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving again, even if it was just for a little while.
“I’d like that,” he responded. “Can we go now? I’d like to talk to you and them together.”
“Absolutely,” I said.
I put my arm around him and Brody moved to his other side to take his hand. Harley trailed after us as we went to my truck. I wasn’t surprised when Brody climbed into the backseat with Beck and pulled him into his arms while Harley draped herself across his lap. None of us spoke as we drove to Dane and Jax’s house beyond me calling Jax to let him know we were on our way. Beck held onto Brody throughout the drive and even nodded off for a few minutes. By the time we reached Dane and Jax’s, he was stiff with tension, but he hadn’t tried to move away from Brody at all.
It was a good sign.
Jax and Dane came out of their house as soon as we arrived. Beck was tense when both men hugged him. It took a few minutes to get settled in their living room with me and Brody on either side of Beck on the couch and Dane and Jax in the two side by side armchairs.
“Where are Emma and Ben?” Beck asked, his hands rubbing together nervously.
