“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Gryff grumbled and pushed his chair back, standing.
“If you want, I can hook you up with a couple of my teammates, I’m sure—”
“Trey,” Gryff growled. “You are not hooking my sister up with anyone.”
“But why?” she whined. “Why do you and Grae get to have all the fun?”
“If I remember correctly, you had problems with one boyfriend. Forget two.”
Trey decided to be helpful. “Oh, I doubt they’d want to stick around to be boyf—”
“Trey,” Rayne whispered. “Seriously, stop poking the bear.”
Trey just shot her a look and continued on his dangerous course. “Who said it has to be two guys? It could easily be you with another woman and a man. Right?”
Gia wrinkled her nose up. “I don’t—”
“Enough!” Gryff shouted. “Holy shit, I’m going to have a damn aneurism. Time for you to go, Gia. Rayne, can you walk her to her car? Trey and I will clean up.”
Rayne’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. They would clean up? Well, she wouldn’t question that. She pushed away from the table. “I’ll walk you out, Gia.”
“But I’m not ready to go,” she said with a pout.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Gryff assured her.
“You’re so damn stubborn,” she whined.
“Yes, I am.” He gave her a pointed look. “It runs in the family.”
At his sister’s noise of disgust, Rayne hooked her hand around Gia’s arm and escorted her out of the kitchen.
Trey looked up at Gryff. “You didn’t have to be like that. We were just playing.”
“You think she’s playing, but she’s not. She’s serious. She’s like a dog with a bone. She gets something in her mind and she doesn’t let it go.”
“You think she’ll go home and search for possible dating sites that are for multiple hookups?”
“I don’t doubt it.”
Trey snorted.
“Not funny.”
“You can’t be a hypocrite.”
“With my sisters, I can.”
“That’s precious, boss man, that you’re so protective.”
“Grae and I are the oldest. Gayle came next, then Gia. So, yeah, we tend to watch out for our little sisters.”
“She’s old enough to take care of herself,” Trey murmured, pushing himself to his feet and coming around the table to close in on Gryff.
“Gayle, yes. Gia, not so much.”
“Can’t wait to meet Gayle.”
Gryff pinned his dark eyes on him as he stepped even closer. “I doubt you’ll ever meet her.”
Trey pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Why? You won’t bring us home to your parents?”
Though he half joked, the thought Gryff only wanted them in his bed and not his life bothered him.
No. Not them. Him. Rayne, he’d have no problem bringing home to mommy and daddy.
“Would they have a problem with me being at your side?”
Gryff stacked some dirty plates and headed toward the kitchen. “No.”
Trey did the same and followed on his heels. “I don’t believe you.”
Gryff dumped the dishes into the sink and turned to face Trey. He took the dishes Trey carried and slid them onto the counter.
“They’re used to Grae’s relationship, right?”
“Yes. The keyword is relationship, though.”
Trey jerked his chin up and then tilted his head to study the man before him. The man he let top him last night. He never would have done it if he only thought this was a quick fling.
“You never answered your sister on whether this is a fling or not.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Is it?”
“What do you want from me, Trey?”
“The truth.”
“Why? Since when are you looking for more than a hookup in the back alley of a bar?”
Trey’s chest squeezed tight. “Ouch. That hurt.”
Gryff’s nostrils flared as he leveled his gaze at him. “Have you ever been in a relationship?”
“A serious one? Not really. Most of my partners have been off and on.”
“More off than on?”
“I travel for football. It’s hard to maintain a relationship. I didn’t want to be tied down, anyway.”
“But you want to be tied down now?”
Trey hesitated. Did he want to be tied down? Is that why Gryff possibly seeing this only as a fling bothered him so much? “I don’t know,” he finally admitted.
“I don’t know, either, Trey. I’m not ready to make plans to fly out to my parents’ place in Arizona with my two lovers because this is all too new.”
Gryff was right. It was too new. But, Trey knew what he felt. Or at least, he thought he did.
No matter what, Gryff couldn’t deny the connection between the three of them. Trey couldn’t either. Conventional or not.
“You’d consider taking Rayne out there for Christmas, though, wouldn’t you.” He didn’t express it as a question because it wasn’t. Trey was pretty sure he knew the answer.
“Maybe.”
“No maybes about it.”
“It’s different.”
“No, boss man, it’s not different. If your parents have no problem with Grae’s current relationship with another couple, a married one at that, then they wouldn’t have a problem with yours. Do they have a problem with it?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Trey nodded, then stepped between Gryff’s spread legs as the man leaned back against the counter. “Well, then…” He curled his fingers around Gryff’s bulky biceps and came chest to chest with him. “Then it’s you who would have the problem.”
Gryff stared at Trey’s lips, then lifted his gaze to meet Trey’s. “You need to stop calling me ‘boss man,’” he murmured.
Trey leaned in. “Why?”
“I don’t like it.”
“You like it.”
“I don’t, Trey.”
Trey pressed his lips to Gryff’s and whispered. “The fuck you don’t… boss man.” With that, he slipped his tongue between the other man’s lips while crushing their mouths together.
Trey felt Gryff’s deep groan vibrate through his chest. Yes, a connection existed that they couldn’t deny.
None of them.
“I see now why you wanted me to take your sister outside. You two just wanted some alone time.”
They broke the kiss, both swinging their gazes to where Rayne stood, hands on hips in fake outrage.
Trey stretched an arm out to her and she moved closer until he snaked it around her waist, pulling her tight against the two of them. “I was just getting him warmed up.” He took her hand in his and pressed it to Gryff’s groin. “See? Big boy is ready for brunch.”
“I see that,” Rayne said with a smile, her eyes darkening.
“You going to help me take care of his needs?”
“I can do my very best.”
Trey laughed, snagged Gryff’s hand in one of his, Rayne’s in another, and dragged the two of them upstairs.
Chapter 13
The three of them sat at a table once again. Though, this time it wasn’t the breakfast table. No. This one was a lot larger, less pleasant, and too many people sat around it for Gryff’s liking. Five of them on one side: Gryff, Trey, Rayne, Eli, their P.I., and one of Gryff’s senior associates, Grant. Then, there were all the others across from them. An ADA, a transcriber, and some other various people in conservative suits and skirts.
Gryff pulled at the knot in his tie and cleared his throat. “Let’s cut the bullshit, Charlie. You know and I know that this was a clear case of self-defense. We found not only one witness, but two that confirmed it. If you were smart, you’d dismiss the charges.”
Charlie Duncan, Assistant District Attorney, placed his palms on the table and leaned forward. “Ward, are you saying I’m not smart?”
“I’m not saying
that, but I can’t help it if you take it as such.”
Under the table, Rayne slid a hand over Gryff’s thigh and squeezed.
“We’ve got the two witness statements here,” she said. With her free hand, she slid the folder across the table toward the ADA. “We can bring them in for a deposition, if necessary.”
Duncan’s eyes narrowed as he glanced from the folder that sat in the middle of the table to Gryff. “I’m surprised you’re taking a personal interest in Holloway’s case.”
Gryff kept his expression neutral. “I always take an interest in gross injustice.”
“Gross injustice,” Duncan repeated and then barked out a laugh. “Do I need to show you the pictures of the guys he put in the hospital?”
“I’ve seen them.”
“He had every right to protect himself,” Rayne added. Her fingers tightened on his thigh. Probably more to calm herself than him now.
“He did more than protect himself,” Duncan reminded them.
“He was being jumped by four men. I’d say he did what was necessary to survive,” Gryff replied, low and slow, so there was no mistaking his words.
“The officers on scene didn’t think so. Nor did the DA.” Duncan shot a look toward Trey. “He’s lucky they didn’t tack on sexual assault in addition to the agg assault.”
Trey stiffened. “That guy wanted it.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Trey’s head spin toward Rayne. She was probably now squeezing his thigh, too, trying to keep him quiet and under control.
Duncan’s eyes cut to Trey and studied him. “Are you saying you’re gay, Mr. Holloway?”
“He’s not saying anything,” Gryff answered before Trey could. “And even if he was, it’s no one’s business.”
“Except the guy he tried to sexually assault.”
Gryff closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled a deep breath through his nostrils. He tamped down his growing temper.
“If you believed he tried to sexually assault the gentleman, why wasn’t he charged with that?”
Why not? Because they all knew it was bullshit, and the aggravated assault was easier to prove since physical evidence existed. That’s why they charged him with what they did. But Duncan would not admit that.
No, he certainly wouldn't.
Duncan steepled his fingers and leaned back in his overstuffed, overpriced chair, one of many that surrounded the long table. “So, let’s deal.”
Gryff pinned Duncan with a stare and said, “Let’s.”
“We’re willing to drop the felony charges to two misdemeanor assaults. This way he only does maybe six months or so if he’s a good boy. Plus, he pays a fine and their medical bills. It’s better than the year or two he might get if convicted of the felonies.”
Gryff pursed his lips pretending as if he actually contemplated that ridiculous offer. Though, he would never consider it. No way did he want Trey doing any jail time. Or taking a plea. His career with the Bulldogs would be over. Another team may pick him up eventually, but that was no guarantee. “No.”
Duncan didn’t look surprised. He heard a relieved sigh from Trey’s direction down the table. He ignored it.
“Okay, I get you want to play hardball. I’m willing to give a little bit. How about this? He pays the medical bills for the two men who ended up in the hospital. And he pleads to two counts of simple assault. He may do three months or so. He’ll be in and out before anyone misses him.”
“You insult me and my client,” he murmured, not breaking Duncan’s gaze.
“Ward, really. That’s a good deal. You should jump on it.”
“No.”
“Okay…” Duncan blew out a breath, leaned over to one of the suits that flanked him and they talked low to each other. When he straightened, he said, “He just pays for all the victims’ medical bills. And any future bills that stem from this assault.”
Victims. Assault. Gryff’s jaw tightened. His teeth started to grind, but he stopped them. He needed to keep his temper under control. This is why you don’t represent someone you have personal involvement with. Emotions become tangled and it gets messy.
Trey jumped in when Gryff didn’t answer right away. “Yeah, I can—”
Gryff shot him a look and Trey immediately shut up, lifting his hands slightly off the table in a half-assed show of surrender. Gryff had warned him before the meeting to keep his mouth shut unless Rayne or Gryff, or even Grant, addressed him.
“No.”
Duncan’s eyebrows spiked. “That’s my best deal.”
“I doubt it. You’re an ADA, what do you care about medical bills?”
“Just trying to get justice for the victims.”
“Justice.” Gryff snorted. “Right. The whole issue is that they got what they deserved. They weren’t victims. My client was the victim. You keep ignoring that fact.”
“Let me say this… Thompkins is chomping at the bit to preside over this trial. He hopes there’s no deal.”
“Why? That doesn’t sound like impartiality to me.”
“Why ask why when it comes to Thompkins? We all know he’s a bastard. He’d probably get a kick out of sending your boy to jail.”
Your boy.
If Duncan only knew how much Trey was actually his boy.
“So, half their expenses then.” At Gryff’s hesitation, Duncan sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Come on. I’ve got better cases to deal with. Bigger fish to fry. I don’t want to waste my time on a trial in this case, either. Work with me here.”
“No.”
“Jesus, Ward. What the hell do you want from me?”
“What I’ve been clear about from the beginning. A complete dismissal of charges.”
“You’re crazy. You said yourself, you’ve seen the photos of their injuries.”
“Yes.” Gryff stood up, sliding the untouched folder that still sat in the center of the table to directly in front of Duncan, and said, “I’ll give you time to read the witness accounts. Fifteen minutes should do it.”
Then he spun on his heels and left the conference room. His gaze sliced through Trey, Eli, and Grant as they scrambled to get out of their seats to follow him. Eventually, Rayne followed, shutting the conference room door firmly behind her.
He ignored the sparkle in her eyes and the pleased look on her face, and kept walking until he hit the glass double doors in the lobby and he stepped into the sunlight, sucking in fresh oxygen. Or somewhat fresh oxygen, since they were in the city and mid-day traffic filled the air with exhaust fumes. He studied the cars all trying to get somewhere fast, but getting snarled in traffic instead.
Grant stepped to his side. “Why are Eli and I here? You seem to have things under control.”
“I’m beginning to wonder that myself.” His voice sounded a little harsher than it should be so he softened it before saying, “Why don’t you two head back to the office? They will dismiss the charges.”
Trey squeezed between Grant and Gryff, bumping into Gryff’s side. Gryff curled his fingers, resisting the urge to touch him. It wouldn’t do to be standing on steps of the downtown District Attorney’s office, clinging to his male lover.
“What?” Trey’s fingers brushed against his. Just slightly and only knuckle to knuckle. Nothing too obvious. “How do you know?”
Their gazes locked. “I know.”
Grant whacked Trey on the back and said, “This is why he’s the best, Holloway. Right, Eli?” He looked up at the black P.I. who was just as large, if not larger than Gryff.
“He certainly is,” Eli confirmed.
Then, with Eli by his side, Grant walked away, shaking his head with a smile.
Trey spun and gave a questioning look to Rayne, who only shrugged and wandered over to a nearby low concrete wall to perch on it. She lifted her face to the warmth of the sun.
Suddenly, Gryff’s gut twisted as he watched her take a deep cleansing breath and close her eyes, her face still upturned. The sunlight made her hair glow ar
ound her. Her lips parted and slightly curved at the corners.
The shoes she wore had to have three or four inch heels and made her legs look endless, especially in those damn stockings of hers. Her skirt rode up slightly and he wondered if the stockings were thigh-highs. He couldn’t imagine her wearing anything else. He had the feeling the traffic would become more snarled if drivers caught a glimpse of her basking in the sun. She may even cause some rear-end collisions.
A whisper came close to his ear, “Stunning, right?”
Just then Rayne turned her head toward them, saw them standing close together, and gave them a warm smile. One that turned his blood to lava as it flowed through his body and landed in his balls.
He realized it wasn’t just a sexual reaction. No, it was more.
He wanted more.
Not just now. Or later. Or even tomorrow.
He wanted forever.
And that thought hit him hard. So hard his knees almost buckled, his heart raced, and a bead of sweat popped out on his forehead. He swiped it away with a shaky hand.
“You don’t look so well,” Trey observed.
“I’m fine.” Just a little shaken.
He finally peeled his eyes from Rayne and plastered them on the man standing next to him.
Trey should be considered competition.
But he wasn’t.
He shouldn’t be attracted to Trey. Not with a beautiful feminine specimen like Rayne only feet away.
But he was.
He shouldn’t be wondering when the next time Trey and he would be naked, exploring each other, satisfying each other’s needs.
He shouldn’t, because all he had to do is suggest getting together and both of his lovers would be willing. More than willing.
Trey did not have to steal moments in the back alleys of bars. Not any longer, at least.
No. He had woven himself into their lives. Made them want him. Made them care.
Gryff thought about the decision that was being made inside that conference room at that very minute.
They might lose Trey either way. Either he’d go to trial and he may end up in jail, which would pull him away from them for a time. Or the charges would be dismissed and the team would take him back, which in effect would put Trey back on the road for training, preseason, regular season. Not to mention everything else that went with being a star quarterback. That would actually last a lot longer than the jail sentence he would be handed if found guilty of aggravated assault.
A Daring Desire (Dare Menage Series Book 4) Page 15
