by Alex Silver
Bold Move
Psions of SPIRE
Book 1.5
Alex Silver
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2019 by Alex Silver
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected]
Contents
Bold Move
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
About the Author
Psions of SPIRE Series
Hauntastic Haunts Series
Chapter 1
Aaron
“So, dinner?” I asked. Jake sat impassive beside me. He had parked the sedan we borrowed from the tower outside Caleb and Elliott’s apartment. There were advantages to working for SPIRE. Access to their fleet of cars was one such benefit.
“Yep.”
“Tonight.”
“That’s right.”
“And they know I’m coming with you?”
“Yes, Aaron, I told Elliott and Caleb I was bringing you to meet them,” Jake assured me.
I fidgeted with the zipper on my hoodie. Well, Jake’s hoodie. I wore it more for the comfort of having a reminder of him around me. The balmy early fall weather made it superfluous if I hadn’t been treating it as a talisman for his presence.
“They’ll love you.”
“Like you do?” I was fishing, but I needed to hear it. Jake got that, he always read me well. Our link bond, grown strong over the past several months since our reunion, only intensified it.
“I love you. No matter how tonight goes, I will still love you. All right?”
“Yeah,” I said, taking a deep steadying breath and ceasing my nervous movements. “I love you too. So. Let’s do this.”
Jake kissed me, gentle and sweet. The contact reassured me and I clung to Jake a touch too long. He let me nerve myself up before disengaging his hand and opening the door to the sedan.
I rubbed at my jaw, still finding the smooth skin there strange. I’d gotten in the habit of shaving while we were in DC. The lawyers and PR people we worked with during the corruption hearings said it was better for my image than the scruffy beard I’d kept through college.
SPIRE didn’t have an official policy on facial hair, but I was subtly encouraged to keep with the clean shaven look. So I did. Easier than fighting about something so trivial.
This was our second day off in the two weeks since we began their training regimen as SPIRE’s newest agents in training. The first day Jake had spent with Caleb and Elliott alone. Today, Jake planned to introduce me to his other boyfriends.
It was weird. I fidgeted for the entire drive to their apartment and I worried they wouldn’t like me. Or Jake would be our only common interest. My first impulse was toward avoidance.
But it was important to Jake. So I set aside my doubts and got out of the car. Jake led the way into their apartment building. He let us in using his keys.
His keys. Because he used to live here with them. Still spent a couple nights each week here since we had returned from DC. Braving rush hour traffic despite his exhaustion at the end of each day. Did he plan to live here with them again, perhaps? We hadn’t discussed that yet.
I wanted to ask. But the exact moment the apartment door swung open was a terrible time to broach the subject. Later. I would ask later.
“Jay! Hey, you guys are early, come in,” Elliott greeted from the hallway, “And this must be the famous Aaron.”
I recognized him from the pictures Jake had shown me. He was taller in person. Tall and willowy and graceful. None of which were words people used to describe me.
“Hey, hun,” Jake said.
“Hey,” I waved to Elliott, self-conscious. Jake and I kicked off our shoes. Then Jake pulled Elliott into a hug, kissing him. Jake and I had discussed what to expect as far as PDA tonight. And it was the strangest thing because I had expected it. Fortified my nerves against the warm welcome. But it didn’t feel like the blow I had expected.
Rather, it was hot. Elliott broke the kiss, but stayed close to Jake, touching him. The way a psion touched their link. Curled into his side. I probed at my emotions, still no jealousy. Huh.
“Come on in. Make yourselves comfortable,” Elliott said. He swept his arm toward the living room in invitation. We migrated into a cozy living area. A large well-worn sofa dominated the space, flanked by two overstuffed easy chairs. All arranged around a massive television set mounted amongst a tangle of cords and stacks of video games.
“So, Caleb’s finishing up in the kitchen. Jay said you like lasagna, right?”
“Yeah, I love me some Italian.”
Elliott scowled. Jake rolled his eyes. From the half wall separating us from the kitchen, I heard a bark of laughter and looked up to see a face which bore a certain resemblance to my own. Caleb.
“I think I’ll like you,” Caleb said. He presided over a loaf of bread, applying a liberal slathering of garlic butter to its surface.
“Do we have time for a round of Mario Kart before food?” Jake asked, changing the subject.
“Ten minutes until food is on the table,” Caleb said.
“Cool, throw that in the oven and join us,” Jake said.
Elliott went over to the entertainment center and grabbed four controllers, which he distributed to us. Jake got the game ready. Soon Caleb joined us too, sitting beside Jake and giving him a peck on the cheek in greeting.
I was awful at video games. But it turned out, so was Elliott.
“Man, I’m getting lapped by everyone,” Elliott groaned.
“Sure, but even you lapped me, so that makes me the grand champion of fail.”
Elliott snorted. “And now I’m going the wrong way, just a sec, there, unlapped you, feel better?”
“First place!” Caleb crowed, shoving Jake in triumph. Jake shoved him back.
“Whatever, dude, I had you until you used your cheater mushroom to finish first.”
“That’s what she said,” Caleb retorted at the same time I snorted a laugh, “Ha! Cheater mushroom.”
Elliott groaned, “rule one, don’t encourage dick jokes. It’s up there with no feeding the trolls and not reading the comments on the internet.”
“Yeah, about that,” Jake said, looking sheepish, “I might have neglected to mention Aaron appreciates Caleb’s sense of humor.”
“Really?” Caleb brightened, “so, have you seen that animated film featuring food as a clever subtext for dick jokes? And, to follow-up, on a scale of one to epic, how do you rate the caliber of the jokes?”
“I have not. Jake refuses to watch it with me.”
“Oh, does he? That movie was our first date. Did he tell you that?”
“No.” And that hurt. First date. Because he was dating them. And he didn’t want to share the memory with me? Was that why he refused to watch it? Jake put his arm around me, hugging me tight.
“I refuse to watch it again because the humor was so…”
“Juvenile?” Elliott suggested.
“Far over your head?” Caleb filled in.
Jake sho
ok his head, “bad.”
“Well, I vote we let Aaron decide for himself. Better to begin your fresh start with Jake with your eyes wide open about his terrible taste in movies, we’ll play it after dinner.”
“No!” Jake and Elliott groaned.
“Oh, come on, please? I wanted to see it.”
“Yeah, please?” Caleb made puppy dog eyes at Jake and Elliott. He looked ridiculous pouting. But I could see the appeal. “I’ll make it worth your while,” Caleb added with a suggestive lilt. Jake relented with a heavy sigh.
“We can watch it. Once. And only once. If the two of you start a terrible joke fan club, you’re leaving Elliott and I out of it though.”
“Deal,” Caleb agreed, then he turned and fist-bumped me.
Caleb’s aura bumped against mine at the touch and it was fine. He had an aura that seemed like it could adapt itself to match with anyone. Not the way an anchor could, but Caleb’s aura appeared malleable. Ready to readjust and put others at ease. I liked it. He didn’t seem to mind mine either since he followed up the experimental first contact by ruffling my hair.
Elliott scowled at the display of affection though, crossing his arms and quitting out of the game. No one else seemed to notice how put out he looked. And the kitchen timer ringing heralded dinner before anyone could comment on his shutting off the game system.
The lasagna was phenomenal.
“This is amazing!” I said
“Thanks,” Caleb said.
“It reminds me of your mom’s, Jake,” I said.
“It should,” Elliott said, “it’s her recipe.”
“Well, with some adaptations to be vegetarian and lower fat,” Caleb said.
I hadn’t even registered the lack of meat until Caleb drew attention to it. Right. Because Elliott was a vegetarian. And Caleb followed a strict diet plan. Jake had mentioned that.
“Wait, so you got the recipe from Mrs. Moretti?” I asked.
“Yeah, Jake said it used to be your favorite, right?” Caleb asked. And yes. It was. I loved Mrs. Moretti’s lasagna as a kid. And it was a thoughtful gesture for Caleb to make it for me. But ouch.
There was the sharp jealousy I’d been bracing for all evening. I envied Caleb’s connection to Jake’s family. The sense of permanence in him sharing recipes with Jake’s mom.
Caleb was part of Jake’s family. Not just somebody Jake slept with. And Mrs. Moretti liked him enough to give out her family recipes. Not something she did for just anyone.
Jake’s hand landed on my back, rubbing a soothing circle, “you okay, love?”
“Yeah,” I forced a wan smile. “It’s wicked nice of you to go to all this trouble for me, Caleb. Thanks.”
“No problem,” Caleb said. “I like to cook.”
“You’re good at it,” I said.
“Thanks,” Caleb beamed at the praise. “Do you cook?”
“Nope, he does not,” Jake said for me, rude.
“Hey! I can cook.”
“Babe, you cannot cook.”
“Can too! Remember, in tenth grade I made you that fudge for Christmas?”
“You left out the butter. It was rock hard. Luca chipped a tooth on it and Mom made me throw it out.”
“You said you loved it!”
“Well, I mean, I loved the effort and thought you put into it—just not the results.”
I sulked. Elliott lowered his gaze, a smile playing at his lips, but Caleb guffawed.
“Oh man, you should have tried the stuff I made in high school,” Caleb said. It was a blatant effort to make me feel better, but it worked. “One time I made cookies with salt instead of sugar. So gross. The time I got the cocoa powder mixed up with Mom’s coffee grounds turned out not too bad though. If you could ignore the gritty texture.”
“Coffee cookies?” I asked.
“Yep, with chocolate chips.”
“That sounds amazing. Perhaps it might be too much caffeine though, Jake mentioned you have a sensitivity too?”
“Yep. Last time I got my coffee order switched I had to cancel the lab I was TAing because I kept sending my whiteboard markers flying. And every other item not bolted down.” Caleb rolled his eyes at himself and shrugged in a what-can-you-do gesture. I chuckled, because it was an experience we shared as telekinetics.
“Oh, man, that sounds like me after my first week at Riverton. I almost knocked out my roommate with a textbook. It was swooping around the room like a manic attack bird. Well, it was all our textbooks, so a flock of attack birds. And pens, pencils, shoes, everything we owned.”
“Oof, sounds rough,” Caleb commiserated.
“Tell me about it. That chocolate cake was so worth it though. That’s the worst part of being grade A now. Having to cut back on chocolate.”
“I hear you, but that’s why we keep Jay around, right? Nothing like a powerful anchor to deal with caffeine boosting your abilities,” Caleb gave Jake a fond look, caressing his forearm in a familiar gesture. Jake turned his palm over and held Caleb’s hand, giving him an affectionate squeeze before reaching for another slice of garlic bread.
I watched the physical exchange, placid. Nope. I didn’t mind it. Weird.
And the more time I spent with Caleb the more superficial the similarities in our features appeared. It made me feel better. Like he wasn’t my newer better—taller—replacement. Just someone Jake loved.
I liked Caleb. He was easy to talk to. Flirtatious without taking it too far. Companionable.
“Finished?” Caleb asked, gesturing to the empty plates in front of everyone. I resisted the urge to make it into a sex joke. A good first impression mattered, and I needed Caleb and Elliott to like me.
“More garlic bread, El?” Jake offered the serving plate to Elliott. Elliott grinned at him and snagged two more slices.
“Can’t say no to that. You know garlic bread is my weakness,” Elliott said.
“Or you guys are stalling because you can’t handle the level of epic that is your fate once dinner is over,” Caleb cackled with glee.
“That too,” Elliott agree with a nod.
“Put that way, I might need more lasagna,” Jake teased. Caleb gave a put-upon sigh.
“If you guys don’t want to see it, maybe Caleb and I could set up a time to watch it together instead?” I offered. And the words surprised me. But I found I meant them. It seemed natural. If Jake wanted us to get along, then I needed to build a rapport with Caleb and Elliott. And that meant having a relationship, a friendship, with them outside of him.
“Sounds good. What do you say, El?” Caleb agreed with an expansive shrug.
“Sure, maybe next Friday? After you guys finish your sessions. We can go to Vibe. And Caleb and Aaron can bond over terrible dick jokes.”
“It’s been ages since you took me dancing,” Jake smiled at Elliott. “You good with that, Aaron?”
I considered and then nodded, “Yeah. Um. Yeah. Just… would you be staying here after?”
They exchanged glances.
“You are welcome to stay over too, we can watch movies or play games until they get home,” Caleb said. “And we have a guest room you can use if you get tired.”
“We stay out late when we go to Vibe,” Elliott said.
I swallowed hard. Because that wasn’t quite what I meant. I mean. The three of them slept together. I got that. But could I handle them doing it in the room down the hall from me?
“That sounds good.” I said.
“You don’t have to agree to anything, Aaron,” Jake said.
“No, it’s fine. I mean. I want to spend time with Caleb and Elliott. So it’ll be like a friend-date, right?”
“Just like,” Caleb favored me with a lopsided grin.
“I can always go home early if there’s a problem, right?”
“Right,” Caleb said. Jake grinned at me, like I’d made his night. I couldn’t read Elliott’s expression as he stuffed himself with garlic bread though.
“Okay then. Friday. It’s a d
ate. Ish.” I said.
Chapter 2
Caleb
Elliott spent the entire evening fussing over what to wear to the club. It was, well, exhausting. He looked like walking, talking sex no matter which of his club clothes he donned. And the makeup he added as a final touch only intensified the effect.
“You look gorgeous, El,” I assured him for the thousandth time. I kissed him and he let me. But his excess of nervous energy kept him from getting into it.
“Stop,” he slapped my hand away when I touched his hip, a tentative move, to scope out whether he would welcome touch at the moment. So that was a no. Too bad, he looked edible. And sometimes it helped to ground and settle him. Tonight was not one of those times.
“Sorry, El.”
“You’re fine. Just. I’m nervous.”
“Why? It’s Jay. You guys go dancing all the time.”
“Not all the time.”
“What about tonight is making you nervous?” I asked.
“Aaron will be here.”
“Right, here with me. So, it will just be you and Jay getting down and dirty on the dance floor,” I said, and I rolled my hips in an exaggerated, crudely executed dance move. Elliott rolled his eyes at my antics, but he cracked a smile too. Mission accomplished. I loved his smile.
“It’s just… he’ll be here when we get home,” Elliott’s frown returned.
“And you don’t feel comfortable fucking with him here?” I guessed. It wasn’t a huge leap of logic. A night at the club with Jake often served as the prelude to epic sexcapades for the three of us. And Elliott didn’t trust Aaron. Not enough to feel vulnerable in his presence, anyway.
Elliott nodded.
“You two could fool around at the club instead,” I said. It was a stupid suggestion, and I realized it as soon as the words left my mouth. That was not Elliott at all.
Elliott shot me a poisonous glare, “that’s even worse!”
“Okay, sorry. Well, what about it bothers you? Because if Aaron is sticking around for the long haul we need to figure out living arrangements.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t like Jake commuting to see us a day or two each week, do you?”
“But I thought… shit.”
