by Ophelia Bell
“Hurry if you want to fuck her before she makes herself come,” I tell Leo. He growls around my cock, speeding up, and I help him by thrusting to meet his bobbing head and holding tighter to his hair until I’m pretty much fucking his face. But to give him credit, he doesn’t protest. He squeezes my ass harder, delves his fingers between my cheeks, and fingers my asshole.
When Celeste pulls the plug out and starts fucking her own ass with it, I lose it. Seeing that tight ring flex and stretch around the object inside it sends me to the edge. I barely have enough time to warn Leo that I’m coming before I’m flying over, my balls constricting and letting loose a torrent of cum straight down his throat. He seizes up for only a second in surprise before relaxing again and swallowing every drop.
Then we’re both of one mind when we turn to her. She sees us coming and lets go of the plug. I move up beside her and curl my fingers around the back of her head, kissing her savagely for the little show she just put on, and Leo doesn’t waste a sliver of time either. He slams into her pussy bareback and fucks her in several hard, quick thrusts. Then he pulls the plug out of her ass and his cock replaces it an instant later, sliding into her like a hot knife through butter.
Celeste’s mouth flies open against mine, her silent cry one of pure pleasure. “Yes, oh God, yes! Fuck me. Come in me. I want you both to come in my ass tonight, please!”
My eyebrows lift and my cock rises to half-mast. For someone who was so gun-shy about anal a couple weeks ago, she’s sure come around, especially if she’s willing to take us both bare. But then I’ve been way too preoccupied consoling my grieving mom and siblings to think about sex these past few days, and I don’t know whether they’ve both gotten in a little more practice since we were together.
It doesn’t take him long at all. Only a few minutes of fucking while I kiss her and tease her clit. Then he lets out a loud groan, digs his fingers into her hips, and plunges deep one last time.
“More lube,” I say as he pulls out and I catch the wince on her face. He hands me the bottle as I get into position. I’m so hard again it hurts. Celeste’s still stretched wide from his cock and I coat myself and squeeze an extra measure of the cool liquid onto her because I know how good it feels after being ravaged the way she just was.
I glide into her ass like I was meant to fit inside her and she shudders, struggling to hold herself up. She finally gives up, burying her face in her pillow and moaning. I reach beneath her and find her clit.
“Harder,” she demands and I don’t know whether she means rub her clit harder or fuck her ass harder, so I do both, pulling out and ramming in deep as I rub her clit, then shove my fingers into her pussy and finger fuck her until she screams my name. She bucks beneath me and I haul her up and back, impaling her on my dick. Leo dives between her legs as if it’s imperative for him to be part of this. He takes her clit between his lips and sucks as I keep fucking, holding her up against my chest and taking full control of her body.
“This hard enough for you?” I murmur against her ear, but she’s too far gone to answer, her body awash in jittering spasms and her gorgeous tits bouncing under the red lace as we both make her come over and over.
I’ve already come once, so I could go a lot longer, but I decide to put us both out of our misery. Leo must be on the same page because he reaches between our legs and grabs my balls, tugging and squeezing just enough to send me over the fucking edge. I cry out and curl my body around Celeste’s, spilling inside her ass just like she wanted, and it’s the most cathartic sensation. The world outside this room no longer exists. It’s just me and the pair of them and the pleasure we can give each other.
The three of us recover for a moment, simply breathing and holding each other. After we come down from our high, Celeste disappears into the bathroom and we leave her to her own devices for a few minutes. Music comes on in the bathroom as water runs. She must be filling a bath.
Leo’s hand finds mine on the comforter between us and he squeezes. I squeeze back and look at him. The unexpected tenderness that surges up compels me to roll toward him.
“I just can’t get enough of you,” I say, touching his face, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. “Both of you. Goddamn, Leo, I love you both so fucking much it hurts. I know what losing that feels like. Losing J.J. hurts, but it’d fucking kill me if I ever lost you or Celeste.” My voice cracks and I clench my teeth against the flood of fresh grief.
His hand comes up to the back of my head, his fingers squeezing. “Then hold on as hard as you can, brother. And trust that we love you and we’re holding on too. Because what’s coming is going to be a bumpy ride, but I have a feeling she’s going to make it worth every fucking second.”
Celeste calls us to join her in a bath, which I can’t actually enjoy as much as I’d like, what with the day-old tattoo and the still-healing bullet wound on my side. But it gives me the perfect taste of what life has in store for me with the pair of them. I sit on the side of the tub and they insist on giving me a sponge bath that eventually devolves into me bending Celeste over the edge of the tub and fucking her from behind while Leo tests his skills at anilingus on me.
He’s really taking this bi-thing to a whole new level, but I will never complain to a man willing to shove his tongue into my ass. He’s already a master at prostate massage, and when his tongue gets tired, he fingers me until I come so hard I see stars.
They insist I take the middle of the bed because even though I should be happy I’m alive, the entire experience of the past week has left me raw. The rest of my family is safe, and my sister will be able to realize all her dreams with a dad as dedicated to his own blood as Arturo Flores. The jury’s still out on whether the rest of us will weather the coming storm.
I have no idea what Arturo has planned for me, but I’m positive it’s something I won’t like. I also doubt I have any influence over what will happen. I do know that one way or another, Leo and I will find Gustavo and destroy that fucker once and for all.
As I drift off, it occurs to me that this path I’ve chosen to travel now is probably not the path of a righteous man. But Leo’s words echo in my head as his and Celeste’s breathing grow deep and steady on the pillows on either side of me.
This is just another skin to wear—another persona to put on to survive the world around me, to protect the secret face I only show the ones I love. And I have zero reservations about donning whatever skin is needed to hold on to them both.
Epilogue One
Maddox
Christmas Morning
For the seventh morning in a row, I wake up certain that I’m the one who died and I’m now in heaven. It’s a ridiculous thought. Chances are slim that I’d make the cut, if heaven even exists.
The pillow to my right is vacant, but Leo’s dark head still rests on the other side of me. He’s huddled beneath the comforter with only a swath of tangled black curls visible above the white cotton. The curve of his earlobe peeks out, and I can’t resist. I lean up on one elbow and bend down, sliding my tongue along the shell of his ear before sucking the fleshy part into my mouth. He twitches and jerks, then jacks up, throwing the covers off and pinning me to the bed. I could easily fight him, overpower him, and sometimes I enjoy that, but this morning I’m in the mood to let him have the upper hand.
His sleep-softened features and unfocused eyes sharpen when my hard-on brushes against his naked hip. He shifts and lowers himself over me, our hot cocks pressed tight between us, and my breathing quickens.
“Merry Christmas,” he says with a wicked smile, lips brushing against mine and our stubble rasping. Every inch of my flesh comes alive with the press of him, from my feet all the way to my mouth. He plunges his tongue deep and I slide my hands up his back to tangle my fingers in his hair.
We’re hot and heavy and I’m ready as hell to take it further when a pillow smacks into my arm from the side. The mattress bounces and Celeste’s clean ginger scent pervades the air. Leo relinquishes my mouth and we both
turn to see her fully dressed, kneeling beside us and looking mildly irritated.
“Get up, you two. It’s Christmas!”
“Yes, it is, and I’m ready to unwrap my present.” Leo reaches for her and manages to pull her down against us both. He’s off me and on top of her, pawing at her breasts. I turn to help, but Celeste smacks him on the chest and rolls out from under him in a huff, refastening the buttons of her silky silver blouse.
“I’m not your gift! At least not yet.” She shoots us a coy smile. “But Papá and I do have something special for Maddox. You two need to get ready. Meet me in Papá’s office when you’re dressed. And hurry!”
With that, she disappears out the door, leaving us both rumpled and turned on. Leo gives me a baffled look. I shrug. “We probably shouldn’t make her wait,” I say as my gaze drifts down his torso. Maybe there’s time for a quick BJ?
“It’s not her I worry about as much as Papá.” He sighs and clambers off the bed. He disappears into the bathroom, calling back, “We’ll take it out of her ass later.”
He’s already out of the shower and brushing his teeth when I make it in, following in his footsteps. We’re bathed and dressed and headed to Arturo’s office within fifteen minutes.
The route is familiar to me now, though it’s still strange to walk the halls of this mansion on a daily basis. There are priceless pieces of art around every corner, and an entire gallery wing is filled with the things. It’s a little like living in a museum, but I hesitate to broach the topic of moving back to my drafty apartment. I’m not ready to face the place yet, but it’ll have to happen soon.
It isn’t until we reach the door to Arturo’s office that it occurs to me to wonder what the hell this special gift is that he has for me. I’d expect something from Celeste, sure, but not him. He’s already planned an elaborate Christmas dinner and invited my entire family to attend, which is more than I could ask.
Dad still hasn’t shown his face, but Mom says she spoke to him and he apologized for missing the funeral, making some excuse about being stuck at a remote installation and unable to return home. For the first time, I sensed true disappointment in her voice when she mentioned him, so maybe she’s finally getting ready to leave the bastard.
Celeste meets us at the door to her father’s office and grabs my hand, shooting me the strangest smile as she pulls me in. She looks almost elated to sit me down in her dad’s office, a place I’m sure has been privy to some pretty dark schemes.
Even Leo seems perplexed, giving me a confused look as he strides in behind us.
“What the hell is Papá up to?” he whispers to her.
“You’ll see.”
Like the rest of the house, Arturo’s office is decorated in warm colors with heavy, handcrafted wooden furniture and a fireplace beneath an enormous portrait of a woman in a red evening gown with a striking resemblance to Celeste. He’s at his wet bar, pouring drinks, and hands me a glass before sitting behind his desk. That he’s handing out scotch this early in the morning doesn’t settle my nerves. This feels more like a business meeting, and I’m suddenly conflicted. If he wants me to start laundering money through my shop, am I allowed to turn him down? He has the two things I want and I wouldn’t put it past him to leverage Leo and Celeste to make me do his bidding. I’m not a bad person but I’m not above the kind of compromise I’d need to make to keep them, and I still owe him for some as-yet-unknown favor.
“Maddox Santos,” he begins, as if testing my name. “Mad Dog. What would you do to protect what’s yours?”
I’m sure it’s a trick question but there’s really only one answer: “Anything, sir.”
He nods as if my answer is acceptable to him. “Did you know how deep your brother was with the cartels? His little gunrunning business caught a lot of attention. Thinking he could keep it going after betraying Amador was a foolish move. He signed his own death warrant that day, and added more nails to his coffin when he turned around and sold the same guns to the Zavala cartel. It was only a matter of time before Zavala learned of his original deal and accused him of still working for Amador. He did take Amador’s money, after all.”
Boy, he just dives right in, doesn’t he? I grit my teeth, then take a swallow of the amber liquor to try to buy time so I can choose my words. “What’s the point of this, sir? Other than rubbing salt in the wound. He’s been dead for two weeks. The cartels can go fuck themselves.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. Because if you were considering picking up where he left off, we would have a problem.”
All my Christmas joy disappears. This isn’t a gift. This is an interrogation. “Listen, the guns were his idea. I hated the entire plan, but he promised half the money would go to our sister’s college fund. You remember Elle, don’t you?” I emphasize her name and pause, giving him a challenging stare.
He raises his eyebrows and offers a genuine smile. “I do, and you can stop worrying about her education. I am also a man who will do anything for family. There are several gifts for her and the rest of your family underneath our tree this morning.”
“No offense, sir, but what the fuck am I here for? You gave me some cryptic threat or promise or some shit in the hospital, and I really just wish you’d quit fucking around and tell me what it is you want. I’m not going anywhere. I love Celeste and Leo. I’d die for them, so can we just get this over with? What do you want from me?”
Celeste rests a hand on my arm and squeezes. Leo leans on the back of my chair and says, “I’m pretty damn curious too. The pair of you are being really cagey about something, and I’m not usually out of the loop like this. What gives?”
Arturo lifts a finger, then pulls out his phone and dials. “Is he ready?” he asks whoever answers on the other end, then nods and picks up a remote control resting on the corner of his desk. He swivels in his chair and aims it at a flat screen that hangs on the wall of his office.
The TV comes to life, showing the cold blue eyes and blond hair of Arturo’s fixer, Amon, larger than life. Behind him is a bank of windows looking out onto an oceanscape.
“You can hear me and see me well enough, yes?” Amon says in his Slavic-accented, slightly broken English.
“Yes,” Arturo says. “We’re all here. Put him on.” Then he turns and looks at me. “Maddox, I’d like to introduce you to Mason Black, the newest employee of my organization.”
Amon’s face disappears as he flips the perspective of his camera and I’m looking at a figure in a hospital bed. I blink, convinced I’m seeing things, but the sharp gray eyes and shit-eating grin are apparent even through the mottled mess of half-healed bruises.
“Merry Christmas, brother! I heard my funeral was off the hook. Wish I could’ve been there. Actually, scratch that. I’m happy I wasn’t because, you know, I’d actually be dead.”
The camera flips around again and J.J. protests as Amon’s face reappears. “Good enough?”
“Thank you, Amon. You’ll hear from me soon.” Arturo switches off the TV without giving me a chance to recover my senses. Leo’s hands are on my shoulders now, squeezing.
“He’s alive?” Leo asks.
I’m still too stunned to speak and just stare at the blank screen for several more seconds before turning my baffled look to Arturo. “How . . . Why?”
“I protect what’s mine, Maddox, and Celeste has made it clear that you and Leo are now family.” He shoots a tender but long-suffering look at his daughter, then smiles. “Thanks to your relationship with my daughter and . . . other factors, your siblings fall within the sphere of family as well. But make no mistake, J.J. Santos is dead. The man you just saw on screen is someone else. And both of you are going to help me continue my efforts to destroy Amador.”
“This is what you wanted?” I ask, still confused because sign me the fuck up. I still don’t trust him though, so I feel compelled to ask, “What do I have to actually do?”
“For now, nothing more than be the strong, positive influence you always were on y
our family. Help me keep them safe. And when the time comes, I may ask more of you.”
I’m not crazy about how open-ended this arrangement is, but I wasn’t lying when I said I’d do anything for Celeste and Leo. If that means protecting the rest of my family by keeping us all under Arturo’s wing, then I’m not about to argue.
“Does J.J. know what you’ve just volunteered him for?”
“Mason has only been well enough to speak to us for a couple days. He still has to recover from his wounds. He barely escaped paralysis, so it will be some time before he is in a condition to do anything besides recuperate. The important detail is that he’s no longer on the radar of either the Amador or Zavala cartels, yet has intel on both of them, which will put him in a unique position to help when the time comes.”
I tilt back my drink and realize I’ve already emptied the glass but have no recollection of doing so. Leo takes it from my hand and refills it, and I take a big gulp as I try to process all this.
“Your brother’s alive,” Leo finally says, squeezing the back of my neck. “Does anything else really matter right now?”
I look up and meet his eyes, then my gaze catches on the chain around his neck and the mangled bullet that hangs against the front of his shirt. I shake my head, because he’s right, and if anyone understands how monumental that is, it’s him.
My brother is alive.
Epilogue Two
Mason
The call with Maddox ends and I close the laptop. “Thanks for that. What happens next?”
Eerie, pale blue eyes assess me. This Amon fucker is creepy as hell, but I can’t argue that he knows what he’s doing. The night he helped us clean up the two bloody cars in my brother’s garage, I got a firsthand look at his skill and how coldly efficient he is at carrying out whatever task Arturo Flores sets for him. “You heal.”
