Hidden Depths

by L. M. Brown

  “She refused to come,” Medina reminded him.

  Kyle sighed. “Then I guess I’m going to be making plans to go there and bring her back myself.”

  Kyle’s words hit Finn in the gut. He didn’t want to return to Atlantis, but he knew he’d never let Kyle make the journey alone.

  Chapter Two

  Medina disappeared in a flurry of perfumed robes, wishing everyone a happy love day.

  “What’s a love day?” Jake asked.

  “It’s Medina’s personal equivalent of Valentine’s Day,” Fabian explained. “Her powers are increased today, and her priests used to get extra horny. If we were still in the era where she was at the height of her glory, she’d never have answered our call to come here. She’d have been far too busy having her harem of men attend to her.”

  “Her powers increase?” Jake questioned. Could that be why I heard Finn’s thoughts this morning?

  “Yes, though whether they still do now is another matter. They used to increase because of Atlanteans celebrating her day. Now that there are none to remember her, it may be that her powers don’t grow either.”

  Kyle pressed up against Jake, rubbing his hard cock against Jake’s thigh.

  “Kyle, we’ve got company,” Jake said, trying to put a little distance between them.

  Finn snickered.

  “Is Kyle’s behavior something to do with Medina, too?” Jake asked.

  “No, that’s because he took a drink of her aphrodisiac potion,” Fabian explained. “Depending on how much he drank, he’ll be extra horny for an hour or two.”

  Jake disentangled himself from Kyle, who did nothing to assist, merely continued to hump his leg.

  “Or maybe longer,” Fabian amended. “It may be the effect on the mer is even stronger than on humans.”

  “If alcohol is any indication, I suspect you could be right.” Jake tried again to put some distance between himself and Kyle. “Kyle, for fuck’s sake, get yourself under control.”

  Finn laughed. “Maybe we should take him to bed and let him wear himself out before dinner tonight.”

  “Good idea,” Jake muttered. “If he’s still acting like this when it’s time for us to go to dinner with your parents, I swear I’m leaving him at home.”

  * * * *

  After several hours in bed, as well as on the floor, in the shower and over the kitchen table, Kyle seemed to be more his usual self, and Jake and Finn decided perhaps it might be safe to take him to Finn’s parents’ anniversary dinner.

  They arrived at the best restaurant in town, where Finn’s family was already gathered. Every person at the table gave them knowing looks as they took their seats. They were quite used to the three men arriving late, and no one had any doubts as to why.

  “And how can I help you?” the waiter purred at Jake, while completely ignoring the rest of the table.

  Jake picked up the menu. “If you could give us a bit more time to choose, please.”

  “Of course.” The waiter leaned in a little too close for Jake’s comfort. “I’m Tim, so ask for me personally and I’ll be at your service for anything you want.”

  Finn glared at the waiter’s back as he retreated. “What a wanker.”

  “Finn!” his father, Malcolm, snapped from the other end of the table.

  Malcolm’s sister, who everyone called Aunt May, shook her head with disappointment, too.

  “Really, Finn,” his mother added. “Your language was never this bad back in Atlantis. The young man was just doing his job.”

  “He was hitting on Jake,” Finn replied, sulking.

  “Just ignore him,” Jake said. “I don’t want another man in my life. You and Kyle are all I need.”

  Across the table, Finn’s twin brother Alex snorted. “Are you sure about that? Kyle’s looking kind of tired. Maybe you’re wearing him out.”

  Alex’s wife Summer smacked her husband on the arm. “Shut up. You’re embarrassing them.”

  “Let’s order,” Malcolm said. He passed the menu to his wife. “What would you like, Coral?”

  “You can order for me,” Coral replied with a smile. “You know what I like.” “Hmm, whipped cream, now that brings back some memories. You, licking it off me.”

  Jake choked on the sip of water at Coral’s words. No one else seemed to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. Maybe I imagined it?

  He glanced at Finn, recalling hearing his lover’s thoughts earlier that day. Hearing Finn’s secret desires had been a shock, but it hadn’t bothered Jake too much. Finn should have been talking to them about his needs and now that things were out in the open, Jake hoped he would in the future.

  Hearing Finn’s mother’s private thoughts was a whole different matter. Malcolm had been like a father to Jake, and even though Jake and Finn weren’t married, he and Coral were very much the in-laws. Jake did not want to hear private thoughts about their sex life, now or ever.

  Jake hoped it had been his imagination and went back to studying the menu.

  Kyle’s hand on his thigh took him by surprise. His mermen lovers were very sexual beings, but they tended to avoid public displays of affection, particularly in front of Finn’s parents. Jake stilled as Kyle moved his hand higher on his leg, dangerously close to Jake’s groin.

  At his other side, Finn moved his chair closer and leaned on Jake’s shoulder. To the others at the table, it might appear as though Finn were reading the menu. Jake could tell he was doing nothing of the sort. A few more inches and Finn would be crawling onto his lap.

  Then, even more disturbing than having his two lovers getting very up close and personal in public, Jake felt a foot rubbing his ankle.

  The angle was wrong for it to be either of his lovers, which meant it must be someone else at the table. Directly opposite Jake, Alex smiled at him and winked.

  Jake jerked his foot, delivering a sharp kick to Alex’s leg.

  “Fuck!” Alex swore and reached under the table to rub his ankle.

  “Alex!” Malcolm snapped.

  “Jake kicked me,” Alex muttered.

  “It was an accident,” Jake replied easily.

  Alex glared at him for a moment before his face transformed and he offered the table a bright smile. “I’m sure it must have been. Jake would never want to hurt me, would you, babe?”

  Babe? What the hell has gotten into Alex tonight?

  Finn growled beside him and shot his brother a venomous look. “Did you call my boyfriend babe?”

  “A slip of the tongue,” Alex said.

  “Alex, are you drunk?” Summer asked.

  “I’ve not touched a drop.” Alex smiled at his new wife.

  “Then stop winding up Jake and your brother.”

  “What about me?” Kyle asked. “You think it isn’t annoying me when your husband calls my boyfriend ‘babe’?”

  “Sorry, Kyle,” Summer offered. “You didn’t seem as angry about it as Finn did.”

  “Well, I am,” Kyle snapped. “Jake’s my boyfriend, too, even if you all seem to forget it half the fucking time.”

  No one bothered to scold Kyle about his language.

  “Okay, let’s calm down everyone,” Malcolm said. “We’re disturbing the other patrons, so let’s order our food and try to enjoy the evening.”

  Jake nodded and searched for the waiter. Tim hovered right behind him, pad and pen in hand.

  “What would you like to eat?”

  Since Tim seemed to expect it, Jake chose what he wanted first. Finally, everyone had placed their orders and Tim, somewhat reluctantly, went to put them in.

  “Would you like anything else, darling?” Finn mumbled under his breath.

  Jake wrapped his arm around Finn’s shoulder and gave him a quick hug. “There’s no need for jealousy, so stop worrying.”

  Finn kissed him in response and Jake had to restrain himself from deepening the connection. He reminded himself they were in public and not everyone was comfortable with seeing two men kissing each o
ther.

  “I guess I’m not going to be getting a kiss while we’re here.”

  Jake knew, without looking, that Kyle had not spoken aloud the words he had heard.

  “Finn’s the public boyfriend and I’m…the other one, I guess.”

  Jake frowned as Kyle’s words sank in. Is that how Kyle sees himself? He thought back on the times he had been out in public with Kyle and Finn and he accepted that Kyle might have a point.

  He wasn’t sure how or when it had happened, but somewhere along the way, Finn had become the more traditional boyfriend. When the three of them were out together, Finn’s hand was the one he held as they walked down the street. When he introduced his lovers to someone, he referred to Finn as his boyfriend but occasionally had stumbled a little with what to call Kyle. People simply didn’t expect there to be more than two people in a relationship.

  Jake realized he had been so busy trying to reassure Finn that he wanted him and that he wasn’t simply a substitute for Alex, he had been neglecting Kyle.

  They pulled out of the kiss and Jake resolved in that moment to change the way he acted when he was out with his two men. Kyle’s place in Jake’s heart was as secure as Finn’s, and it was about time Jake made that clear.

  Jake turned to Kyle and drew him into a kiss of his own, just as deep and long as the one he had shared with Finn.

  When they parted, Kyle gaped at Jake for several long seconds.

  “No jealousy,” Jake murmured, “of anyone.”

  Kyle raised his fingers to his lips. “You heard me?” he whispered back.

  Jake nodded. “You’re my boyfriend, just as much as Finn is, and I’m sorry if anything I’ve done has made you feel as if you weren’t.”

  “You have two boyfriends?” Tim appeared at the other side of Kyle. “Got room for a third?”

  “No!” Jake snapped. “Is our food ready yet?”

  Tim pouted. “Not yet. Would you like the wine menu?”

  “That’d be great,” Aunt May interrupted. “I hope you have some non-alcoholic options on it. We’ve quite a few people here with low tolerance.”

  Jake knew she referred to the mer, who all got drunk faster than anyone else. One drink and they were pretty much wasted.

  “And one of us who can’t drink right now,” Summer added with a shy smile and pat to her flat tummy.

  Coral squealed. “Really?”

  Summer nodded. “We’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you.”

  “Congratulations,” Jake said. “When are you due?”

  Summer glanced at the waiter. “I’m not sure of the exact date yet.”

  Jake guessed it might be difficult to estimate in her unique circumstances. From what he had learned from his lovers, mermaid pregnancies lasted five months. Summer was human, but her husband was a merman. Of course, this was something they couldn’t discuss in public.

  Malcolm clapped his hands. “We’ll have to drink a toast to my future grandchild.”

  Everyone offered their congratulations, and by the time the food arrived, everyone seemed to be happy and content—everyone except Jake, who felt penned in by his two possessive lovers, as well as annoyed by the return of Alex’s foot nudging his own.

  By the time they had finished the main course, Jake needed to escape for a few minutes.

  “I’m going to pop to the gents,” Jake announced while they waited for their desserts to be served.

  He practically ran from the table and into the loos. He sought sanctuary in the farthest stall from the doorway.

  What the hell is wrong with Alex tonight? His best friend since childhood had always been straight, something that had broken Jake’s heart as he’d watched Alex and Summer slowly fall for each other.

  Alex trying to play footsie with him all evening was totally out of character, even without Alex’s wife, his parents and Jake’s boyfriends, one of whom was Alex’s twin, sitting right there at the table.

  “Are you all right in here?”

  Jake jumped at the sound of the vaguely familiar voice. He had a horrible feeling the waiter had come to track him down. “I’m fine, thank you.”

  The footsteps drew nearer instead of moving away. “Are you sure?”

  “Very sure.”

  “Okay.”

  Jake listened for Tim leaving, and when he heard the click of the outer door, he emerged from the stall.

  “You don’t look okay,” Tim said, from where he stood leaning against the door, trapping Jake inside the men’s room.

  “I thought you’d gone,” Jake said as he washed his hands.

  “I know you did.” Tim smirked at him. “But it’s my job to make sure all our customers are completely satisfied.”

  Jake dried his hands and stalked toward the door. “I’m fine. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to return to the table.”

  Tim trailed a finger down Jake’s chest. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay here a while?”

  Jake smacked Tim’s hand out of the way. “Don’t you have work to do?”

  “I am working,” Tim purred. “Now, how can I ensure you have everything you need?” Tim grabbed Jake’s cock and squeezed.

  “Get your fucking hands off me, right now,” Jake stated.

  “But you’re so hard for me.”

  Jake pushed Tim’s wandering hand away. “I’m hard because I’ve had my boyfriends sitting up close to me all night. It has nothing to do with you. Now let me pass or I’ll report you to the manager.”

  Tim pouted but didn’t move.

  The door to the bathroom opened, forcing Tim to step aside. “Jake, are you still in here?”

  Jake had never been so glad to see Alex in all his life.

  “What’s going on here?” Alex asked. “Jake, you’re not seriously cheating on my brother with this sleazy waiter, are you?”

  Jake pushed Tim away. “Of course not.”

  Alex stepped closer. “I would hope not. If you’re going to fuck anyone besides your two boys, it’s going to be me.”

  Jake had heard enough. “Alex, have you lost your fucking mind?”

  Tim, who couldn’t seem to take a hint, even when his job was in peril, plastered himself to Jake’s side. “Jake and I were getting to know each other. But I might be willing to share him with you, if you ask me nicely.”

  “I don’t share,” Alex replied.

  Alex swung his fist at Tim’s head, but the waiter ducked just in time, and Alex’s punch caught Jake squarely on the jaw.

  Pain burst through his face and Jake stumbled toward the nearest sink.

  What the fuck is wrong with everyone tonight?

  Behind him, Alex and Tim were fighting, each cursing and swearing that Jake was theirs.

  The door to the bathroom opened again, this time to admit Kyle and Finn.

  “Alex, what are you doing?” Finn asked.

  Kyle ran to Jake’s side. “What happened to your face?”

  “Alex punched me,” Jake mumbled. It hurt to talk and one of his teeth felt loose.

  “You punched my boyfriend?” Finn shouted.

  Jake stared in horror as Finn and Kyle dove into the fray. He didn’t know what Tim was usually like, but this was definitely not normal behavior for the other three men.

  When the door opened once more and Malcolm entered with a woman wearing a badge reading ‘Manager’, Jake breathed a sigh of relief.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Malcolm roared.

  “They’ve all lost their damn minds,” Jake muttered.

  The arrival of the manager seemed to bring Tim to his senses and he raised his hands in surrender.

  Kyle stepped back as well, but Finn landed one more punch on Alex before he, too, stopped.

  Malcolm glared at each of them. “I think we’re going to call it a night. Alex, your wife would like you to take her home. Jake, I suggest you get Kyle and Finn out of here until they’ve calmed down. If the manager here agrees, I’d like to stay for dessert with my wif
e and sister, and we’ll continue our anniversary dinner alone.”

  The manager nodded. “You’re most welcome. I must insist, however, that the rest of you leave and don’t come back here again.”

  “What about me?” Tim asked.

  The manager shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tim. You’re one of the best waiters we’ve ever had, but I can’t condone this sort of behavior. I’ll have to ask you to leave, too.”

  “I’m fired?”

  The manager sighed. “I’ll have Kathy cover your tables for the rest of the evening.”

  Jake almost felt sorry for Tim, especially when he considered the way everyone else had been acting all night. Maybe Tim was also affected by whatever had the rest of the young men in the room behaving so oddly.

  Something else was happening here and Jake had a horrible feeling he knew who might be responsible.

  “Medina,” he muttered under his breath. Having men throw themselves at him without any real control over their actions was right up her alley. He hoped the damage could be repaired.

  * * * *

  By the time Jake arrived home, Kyle and Finn were getting on his last nerve.

  They had argued about who would sit in the front passenger seat until Jake had told the pair of them to get in the back while he drove.

  Then they had been playing with his hair, distracting him from the road and making Jake wonder whether it might be prudent to get his head shaved.

  His two boyfriends squabbled for most of the—thankfully, short—journey about which of them loved Jake the most, almost as if it were a contest.

  Jake called for Medina as he walked through the front door, but the goddess didn’t appear. He shouted louder and Fabian appeared in the doorway.

  “She’s probably found someone to share her bed tonight,” Fabian said. “If she doesn’t appear the first couple of times you call, she has no intention of doing so.”

  Jake tried to discourage Kyle from pulling out his cock in front of their house guest. “I really need her to answer me. Everyone has gone crazy.”