Good Things

by April Kelley

  “I can’t help you.”

  “Help me do what?”

  “Grieve. I can’t take that on too. I just... it’s too much. Rico’s is too much. Your’s is too much. Virion’s and Team Five’s. It’s all... heavy.” Jalen pulled away, and Markie let him.

  He took Jalen’s face in between his hands, cupping his cheeks, forcing their gazes to meet. Jalen’s blue eyes and dark skin tone gave him an exotic appearance and always had. It was one of the reasons Markie had found him so attractive. With the sheen of tears and water from the shower making his skin glisten, he was even more remarkable. “This relationship is not one sided. Not with three of us, and it won’t work unless you let go enough to let us shoulder some of your problems.”

  Jalen searched his face. For what, Markie didn’t know, but Jalen took a deep breath at the same time he nodded. “I’ll try.”

  “To stop thinking you need control of every situation, you mean?” Markie pulled Jalen toward him until their lips met. He kept it quick, then gave Jalen a pointed look. “I know you, Jalen Etters. Better than you think. You think you need to have control of everything and everybody you love. It’s okay if you let go sometimes.”

  Jalen shook his head. “That’s how I am.”

  “And how’s it working for you? Not well, considering you scared the crap out of your brothers and your mates.” Markie let him go and picked up the washcloth again. He reapplied soap to it and rubbed it in until he worked up a lather. “I have a question.”

  Jalen watched him as he touched him with the cloth. His gaze grew in intensity. It was like their nakedness was finally hitting both of them and the pheromones seeped around the room, surrounding all three of them, including Rico, who still stood close by.

  Markie cleared his throat, then handed Jalen the cloth. “You’ll have to do it, because if I do we’ll end up fucking and I have a point to make.”

  For the first time since Markie arrived, Jalen smiled at the same time he took the cloth.

  “How did your mother die?”

  The question knocked the smile right off Jalen’s face. “Cancer. She knew she was dying even before she told me.”

  “But eventually she did tell you, right?” Markie waited for Jalen to nodded and then continued. “How did that conversation go?”

  “She told me to take care of Uri and Casey. That she loved us.” Jalen ran a hand over the top of his head as if just talking about it was difficult enough to ramp up the stress. Still, he didn’t shut down again the way he had before.

  Before Jalen could continue, Rico said, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want too.”

  Markie put a hand over Rico’s mouth, shutting him up. When he took it away, he poked him in the chest. “I’ll tell you when it’s time to coddle him. Not right now.”

  Rico raised his eyebrows but didn’t speak.

  Markie waved at Jalen to continue. “What else did she tell you?”

  Again, Jalen lost the smile that turned up the corners of his lips. “Just for us all to stay together. She said for us not to separate.”

  “And you haven’t. You’ve taken care of them. Correct?”

  “Yeah. Until Casey leaves for basic.”

  “But Casey’s coming back here.” Rico cupped the back of Jalen’s neck. “I made sure of it. One thing you didn’t have to do alone, by the way.”

  Markie smiled. “Exactly.”

  “Yeah, I get your point, I guess.”

  “Actually, that wasn’t the point I was trying to make.” Markie swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “I just have one more question.”

  “What is it?”

  “Did Hamid ask you to take care of Rico and me?”

  Rico cursed under his breath. “That’s enough, Markie.”

  Markie just looked at Jalen pointedly. “Well. Did he?”

  “You know I didn’t know Hamid when he died.”

  “Exactly. Rico and I are not your brothers. We’re your fucking mates, if you’d just let us in. Mates means partners in life. And that means we take on your crap and you take on ours. Hamid didn’t ask you for anything, but I’m asking for an equal measure between all three of us. Not you taking on all of our shit by yourself.”

  Chapter Ten

  Jalen couldn’t believe he was agreeing to a relationship with not one but two shifters. His experience with romance could be summed up with quick fucks in a tent with some random person. Some of the time it wasn’t safe sex, which was stupid and dangerous. It also left him feeling a little bit less like a person and more like some mindless robot bent on fucking his way through Tent City.

  Being with Rico and Markie wouldn’t be like that. With Markie’s fingers laced through his and Rico’s arm around his waist, it felt more permanent than ever.

  God, he needed the commitment. He didn’t even realize he did until they stepped out the door.

  The sun hung high and burned down. He had to blink to adjust his eyes when the rays proved to be too strong. He turned his face toward Rico, pressing his cheek against his wide chest.

  Markie chuckled beside him. “Good thing I came when I did. You would have turned into a hermit and evolved into some sort of cave creature.”

  “You’re the shifter mutant, not me.” A second later he felt pressure on his nipple. The sensation was overwhelming, so he moved away from it, letting go of Markie’s hand in the process.

  Jalen turned and met Markie’s gaze. He chuckled at Markie’s expression and moved to the other side of Rico, using him as a shield. His eyes were narrowed, and his smile looked menacing.

  “I’ll show you mutant shifter,” Markie said right before he disappeared underneath a mound of his clothing. Something wiggled around underneath Markie’s shirt.

  “That wasn’t thought out,” Rico mumbled under his breath and bent down, lifting up each article of clothing and handing them to Jalen. When Rico handed over Markie’s very small, very red underwear, he couldn’t help imagining what Markie would look like in them.

  “Yeah, I’m picturing it too.” Rico picked up the cutest little creature Jalen had ever seen. The otter had a permanent smile on his face that resembled Markie’s human smile in a strange way. Rico ran a hand down Markie’s back and kissed him on the top of his little otter head before handing him off to Jalen.

  As soon as Jalen had him in his arms, nestled on the bed of clothing he held, Markie ran up Jalen’s chest and around his neck, making Jalen chuckle.

  “That’s a nice change.” Rico took his free hand and began walking again, Markie lying draped like an otter scarf around Jalen’s shoulders.

  Jalen was still smiling when he asked, “What’s a nice change?”

  “You laughing. You scared the hell out of me back there.”

  The smile died from Jalen’s face, and he hung his head. “I’m sorry. I just knew if I spoke or even moved at all, I’d be a bawling mess. I guess I thought not feeling anything was better.”

  Markie rubbed his head against Jalen’s cheek, providing comfort the only way he could.

  “Guess I don’t need to tell you how wrong you were.”

  Jalen smiled. “Nope.”

  “Well, I just want to say one thing, and then I’ll shut up about it.”

  “What?”

  Rico turned to Jalen. “Whatever crisis one of us has, we all go through. Doesn’t matter if you want it that way or not. I love you. Have from the first moment I smelled you in that construction office. You haven’t been alone since that moment, and if you’d take a minute and really think back, you’d see that.”

  Jalen stopped them long enough to put his arms around Rico. Markie came around Jalen, settling just under Jalen’s chin so he could touch them both.

  “I’m willing to give this thing between the three of us a chance. But I’m not going to change my whole personality. I’m a controlling asshole sometimes, and this is the only warning you guys will get from me. And I love you
, too. Both of you.”

  Jalen could be an overbearing asshole sometimes, which annoyed the crap out of Uri and Casey. It had kept them safe while they were singles, and maybe he could let some of that go, because he wasn’t a single anymore, but he still wouldn’t be able to change it completely, and he wouldn’t try, because it was his way of showing how much he cared.

  “Deal. Can we bond now? My hawk has been going nuts since we met.”

  Jalen practically dragged Rico along behind him. He couldn’t be more grateful that Markie was in his otter form and draped all over him. It meant they’d get to Markie’s bed faster.

  Markie shifted back even before they got to the café. Markie’s weight grew heavier, and his body seemed to fall down Jalen’s back, which startled him enough that he reached a hand behind him to keep Markie from falling. The fact that hands gripped his shoulders didn’t register until after he’d palmed warm flesh and Markie’s long legs came around his waist.

  “Shit.” Jalen’s blood heated when he realized which part of Markie’s body he held. His middle finger pressed into the crack of Markie’s ass. “You need to put your clothes back on. No one needs to see you naked but Rico and I.”

  Rico chuckled. “I’m close enough to cover most of him.”

  “But not all. Get down and put your pants back on, at least.” Jalen walked to the side of a building, giving them some semblance of concealment before stopping.

  “Shifters are used to being naked. It’s no big deal.” Markie kissed him on the neck.

  “Markie’s right, baby. Shifters don’t have the same hang ups as humans do about nakedness.”

  “Well, you both just agreed to mate with a human, and I have a problem with others looking at my man, so get off me and get dressed.”

  “Wow. You weren’t kidding about the bossy thing.” Markie’s weight lifted from Jalen’s back and a second later Markie was standing in front of him, grinning at the same time he held out a hand in a silent demand for an article of his clothing.

  “I said controlling, not bossy.” Jalen traveled his gaze over Markie’s body, taking in all his lean muscle and the semi-hard cock that hung between his legs. Markie’s cock was proportionally sized to the rest of him. He’d give Jalen a nice mouth full or a nice ass full. Jalen would be happy with either.

  Then Markie’s cock filled, visibly plumping up, startling Jalen enough to meet Markie’s gaze. “Okay, you tell me to get dressed and then look at me like that. So not fair.”

  “Right.” Jalen handed Markie his underwear, which he put on. They were the bikini type and looked more like swimwear rather than underwear. They also didn’t do anything to bring Jalen’s dick under control.

  Rico must have been having the same problem, because he didn’t wait for pants but picked Markie up, fireman style and started toward the café. Markie let out a little squeak, his hands bracing himself on the small of Rico’s back.

  Jalen stared after them for a second, watching the muscles play in Rico’s arms and back as he walked. He also couldn’t help but notice Markie’s ass in the air and how the red material stretched across the perfect roundness.

  “Keep up, Jalen.” Rico’s words brought him out of his stupor, and he ran to catch up with them.

  They went through the front of the store and had to stop to knock when the closed sign was up. Uri stood on the other side, glaring at Jalen with his arms crossed at his chest. “You’re an asshole,” Uri yelled from the other side of the glass.

  “Let us in, Uri. Now.” Jalen would so find some sort of fitting punishment for Uri just as soon as he thought of one.

  “No. Not until you explain to me what the hell you’re doing shutting down like that. It’s not fucking fair to just not talk or even move, Jalen. You can’t just do that.”

  Jalen gave his best dad look, which usually was effective. “If you don’t let me in, there will be consequences.”

  Markie, who was still upside down and running his hands over Rico’s jean-clad ass, chose that moment to speak up. “What consequences?” Thankfully, he spoke quietly enough that Uri couldn’t hear.

  A defiant look crossed Uri’s face. It was the one he’d used the time he wanted to play with some older kids, and Jalen wouldn’t let him because they were into some criminal shit. He’d thrown a fit then, too. “Virion isn’t going to let you punish me. Plus, I’m an adult.”

  “Then act like it and let us in. Yelling through a door is pointless.”

  “You have to promise not to do what you did again first. Virion said there are people you can talk to that work out of the infirmary. Promise you’ll go.”

  “I don’t need therapy, Uri.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  Jalen sighed in frustration. “Open the fucking door, Uri. You’re starting to piss me off.”

  Uri’s lips thinned out. “No.”

  “You’ll train with Virion if you don’t let me in. I know he’s been asking you to, and I know he knows that I can make you, so he’ll be on my side.” If Jalen had Virion on his side, Uri was toast, and he knew it.

  Uri visibly paled and moved to open the door. His fingers were on the deadbolt about ready to flip it. “Why won’t you go to therapy just one time?”

  “I don’t need it. I have Markie and Rico, and I plan on sticking close to both of them. Markie’s just like Casey and won’t let me stew for very long anyway.”

  “I still think you need to see someone.”

  “If my mates think I need to go, then I will. I promise. I’m fine at the moment, so just open the door.”

  Uri looked through the glass, his chin wobbling. “You’ve never been like that before. Casey and I didn’t know what to do.”

  Jalen put his hand on the door. Maybe pretending he always had his shit together didn’t do Uri or Casey any favors. Maybe it made them think he was indestructible. “I’m just a little bent right now. That’s all.”

  Uri clicked the lock and took a step back when Jalen opened the door. He drew Uri into a hug the second he got close enough. Uri’s arms came around him, and Jalen rubbed his back the way he used to when Uri had been a young child.

  Rico carried Markie inside and set him on his feet.

  “You guys go on up. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  “And give you an opportunity to change your mind? You aren’t leaving my sight until we’ve mated.” Rico was the one that looked defiant, and Jalen realized then that Rico in all his quiet strength had just put his alpha nature to use. It wasn’t the first time, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. They’d probably butt heads in the future, but the particular battle set before him he’d chosen not to engage in, so he just nodded.

  He focused on Uri instead. “I’m sorry.”

  “You didn’t do that because of me, did you?”

  Jalen sucked in a breath. “Not at all. It had nothing to do with you. I love you and Casey more than my own self. You two are the reason I breathe, and you always will be.”

  “Well, I think you have two more people who would like to hear you say that.” Uri pulled back and let Jalen go.

  Jalen looked from Rico to Markie. “I’m already most of the way there.”

  “Yeah, I know. I can tell by the look on your face. You get all moon eyed around both of them.” Uri batted his eyelashes and cocked his head to the side as if mimicking the way Jalen looked.

  “I don’t look like that.”

  Uri chuckled. “Yes, you do. You’re in love.” Uri started singing about it then, making up his own rhythm and singing off key.

  He didn’t shut up until Jalen put a hand over his mouth. “Thanks for covering for Markie. Come back tomorrow morning so my mate can sleep in.”

  “I’m not on the schedule for tomorrow morning,” Uri mumbled past his hand.

  “Come anyway.” Jalen took his hand away.

  “Let me just hang up my apron, and I’ll be out of here.” Uri turned to go back into the room b
ut stopped short when he saw Markie. “Why are you in your underwear, and where can I get a pair? Virion would flip a gourd if he saw me in a pair like that.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The sexual tension between the three of them had been building up since the shower. Markie certainly didn’t do anything to help relieve the tension. Why would he, when what he really wanted was both of his men to finally take the damn plunge and mate already. All three of them had been moving around the mating issue instead of addressing it directly, and all that would end tonight if he had anything to say about it.

  Dropping his underwear seemed to help, especially with the way Jalen palmed his dick through his pants. Jalen sat on the edge of the bed, waiting to see what would happen. He’d looked nervous until the moment Markie was naked, so his lust was an improvement.

  Markie wondered at the nervousness and wondered if it had something to do with the intimacy of the moment.

  Rico had zero patience when it came to the situation. He stood next to Jalen and crooked his finger at Markie. He pulled off his shirt, not waiting to see if Markie followed his direction.

  Markie chuckled and closed the distance between them. Rico wrapped him up in his arms and palmed Markie’s ass cheek, rubbing slow circles in his warm flesh.

  His cock was so hard he needed some relief. The hard muscles of Rico’s thigh that it pressed against only made him ache more. He didn’t demand, because he could tell Rico had something to say first.

  “I need to bite you first. Before I bite Jalen.” Rico’s voice grew huskier as he studied Markie’s face.

  Markie would have responded, but wet lips touched the side of his ass cheek, making the flesh just under his skin tingle. As those lips moved closer to Markie’s hips, his blood heated. Then Jalen turned Markie, and his dick was in Jalen’s face.

  Jalen’s warm hand gripped his shaft right before his tongue licked at the precum.

  “Holy fuck.” Markie just about shouted when wet heat completely surrounded the head of his cock, then sank down slowly.