“I'm not here to answer your questions. I'm here to make sure nothing hurts your father.”
“I'm not doing anything to him.”
“You're entire life is a threat to him. Don't you get that? I've seen you. Every night you go to that club, I watch you walk off with man after man. You barely know them and you're up the stairs, getting your ass fucked all night. I should give the senator more details than he's asked for. Then maybe he'd stop playing these games. Then maybe he'd do what he needs to.”
“And what's that?”
Fowler smirked.
I turned away and stormed out of the bar. I didn't look to see if he followed. There was no point. He and my father knew where I lived— and where I played.
Not for long.
In less than a week, I'd be playing and living at Richard's. If I was careful, they wouldn't find out for a while. Maybe long enough for me to get Matthew and Richard out of my system.
I staggered into my apartment and slammed the door closed. I headed straight for bed, and for the first time since I'd met Richard and Matthew, I didn't fight the images. I allowed myself to relive the moments of my nights with them— the touching, the kissing, the fucking, and even the talking.
Before I drifted off to sleep, I planned out several ways to get from my apartment to Richard's again without being followed. Neither Richard nor Matthew had asked for any problems. They didn't deserve to be fucked with in that way.
And if the need arose, my father would fuck with them in all the horrible ways he was capable of.
Chapter Eleven
“You're moving in with them?”
The shock in Walter's voice confirmed he hadn't heard about my self-imposed, ill-conceived fate. Hearing someone else say the words aloud was worse than the repetition of it in my own mind.
I switched the phone to my other ear. “I think my brain melted. I guess that's what happens when you spend a night with the best fuck and the best suck you've ever had.”
“Three nights,” he said.
“Yeah. That's where I went wrong.”
“I wouldn't say you've gone wrong, Luke. I told you I think they'll be good for you. But I had no idea it would have progressed this far already.”
“I know. I mentioned needing a new place to live, and he asked me to stay for a few weeks. Then Matthew said he'd move in too. I don't know how it happened.”
“How long can you make this work?”
“You mean how long until my father finds out? Or how long until I mess it up?”
“I meant your father.”
“I don't know. Until I find a new apartment. I can't risk it for long.”
“Decent of him to offer. Surprising, though.”
“Yeah. I couldn't have hooked up with a guy who wanted to date for years before becoming exclusive, could I? No. I have to get with someone who not only asks me to keep it in my pants unless I'm with him and the kid but also wants me to move in with them.”
“He asked for exclusivity?”
“Oh, yeah. And I agreed. We'll be getting tests and everything.”
“You play it safe until you get those results, you hear?”
“I'm not an idiot. I won't be doing anything bare until I say it's okay. Forget any tests.”
“Good for you, but... don't hold back on everything. The sex is one thing. That's your physical safety. But the emotional shit— getting to know them. Open yourself to some of it. Don't make it all about the sex. It isn't why he asked you there.”
I knew that. And it had me reeling. If it was him being a nice guy and giving me a place to stay, or about a guaranteed, live-in fuck buddy, Richard's invitation wouldn't have concerned me, at least not as much. It was something else.
“Walter, I've agreed to give it a try. Yeah, mostly I've agreed to because I don't want to give up sleeping with them, but I'm at least going to try. That's all I can do.”
“Yep. Just don't forget to try, Luke.”
Asshole. I needed to find a friend who didn't know me so well.
The next call came Tuesday night.
I carried a stack of briefs and socks from my bedroom into the living room and set them on the couch next to the ragged suitcase with duct tape securing its corners and clothes piled high inside. Another suitcase, in worse shape than the first, sat empty on the floor. I should've splurged on new bags, but I couldn't bring myself to give that much import to the move.
I went into the kitchen and removed the leftover pizza from the oven. My cell rang. I chucked the pan onto the stovetop. “Yeah.”
“Luke?”
“Hi, Richard.” I headed back to the living room, my dinner forgotten.
“I guess it's a good start you can recognize my voice with just your name.”
“I haven't known anyone with a voice as deep as yours. It sort of does something to me.” Flirting. I was flirting.
“I can talk all night, Luke.” He laughed when I didn't respond. “I hope you don't mind, but I've already called Matthew. If you haven't noticed, he has a bit of a self-esteem issue. I thought it'd be good for him to know I called him first.”
I plopped onto the couch next to the suitcase and draped an arm behind my head. “Very perceptive of you. Of course it doesn't bother me.”
“I knew you'd understand. I have an early dinner meeting on Friday. I should be home by eight. I told Matthew to come at nine. Will that work for you?”
“Sure.”
“Have you packed anything yet?”
“No.”
“I thought not. You sure you don't want me to rent a truck?”
“I don't have much. I'm going to stash most of it at a friend's.” I didn't bother to tell him I'd spent thirty minutes earlier convincing myself to take more than one change of clothes to his house. I considered the two suitcases a huge step.
“Matthew said he'd just
