Where There's a Will (19 page)

Chase looked him over while Will tried his best to stare a hole in the floor. “You want me to call Troy or Carlos?”

“No!” Will snapped, jerking his head up so fast he thought he jostled his brain. “I don’t want them to…to—” He shook his head. The understanding glint in Chase’s eyes made Will’s sting and he returned his gaze to the floor. “Just no, okay?”

“Sure.” Chase squeezed his shoulder. “Stay here on the couch and I’ll bring you some tea.”

Will slumped down once Chase was gone. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, trying not to let the tears burning behind his eyelids fall free. He’d acted like a completely crazy weirdo outside. Definitely not conducive to getting Xavier and Chase to hire him, was it? He was so fucked.

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WHERE THERE’S A WILL

Bailey Bradford

117

Despite The Xxchange being busy, the night dragged. Troy thought his shift was never going to end, and he knew the edgy, anxious feeling bubbling under his skin was due to the text he’d got from Will hours ago. ‘
Ur place 2nite. Need 2 talk 2 u n Carlos.’
Troy had sent back a ‘
K
’ quickly followed by a question about what was up, but Will had just replied with ‘
tell u
later’
. And time had slowed to a damn crawl.

Troy wasn’t the only one wondering, either, because Carlos had texted then showed up about an hour later. Troy hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to Carlos, even though the cowboy was sitting at the bar. And if Martine rubbed up against Carlos one more time, Troy thought he just might commit assault. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion he was used to feeling, and he damn sure didn’t like it. But he liked Martine all but humping on Carlos even less.

At least Carlos didn’t even seem to notice Martine’s fawning. Troy glared at the server, who merely winked and shook his ass as he walked away. Troy caught the other bartender’s arm. “Bernie, I’ll take this order.” He took the beer he’d seen Bernie open after taking another order from Carlos. “Don’t worry, you can keep the tip.” He squeezed around Bernie and muttered placating words to people demanding their drinks
now.
Geez, the nights of the first and the fifteenth were always a damned disaster here.

Carlos looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. Troy frowned and held the beer out of reach. “How much have you had to drink?” He hadn’t seen Carlos drink much more than a beer or two. Had something happened to upset the cowboy?

Carlos shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. “Just the one, and I nursed it for a good hour or so. Got this headache from hell.” His shoulders drooped as he closed his eyes. “Just one of those days, and then Will. I’m worried about him.” He peeked out from almost-closed lids. “How’re you doing? You’ve been busy here.”

Troy snorted as another customer hollered for a drink. “Yeah, and I’m about ready to start doing some shouting of my own.” He leaned over the bar and rubbed his cheek against Carlos’, feeling a little shy doing it but needing the contact. Troy thought Carlos might be www.total-e-bound.com

WHERE THERE’S A WILL

Bailey Bradford

118

needing it, too, and the soft sigh in his ear made him think he’d been right. “Just relax if you can, and tell Martine I’m gonna kick his ass if he lays a hand on you again.”

“Who?” Carlos asked, his forehead wrinkling as he frowned. “Oh. The waiter. Don’t pay him no mind, it’s not my attention he’s wanting.”

Troy would have disagreed but the customers had been waiting too long, and Bernie was glaring fit to kill. “Sorry, sorry,” Troy muttered. He plastered on a smile guaranteed to extinguish the customers’ anger and quickly set about getting orders taken care of.

By the time his replacement showed up, Troy’s cheeks ached from the fake smile and his temper was frayed to the point he thought he would punch the next person who made a pass at him. He nodded at Carlos. “Want to walk with me to clock out?”

In the break room, Troy clocked out then took off his apron. He set it aside and walked over to look at Carlos. His eyes were still bloodshot, and tiny lines around the outer edges seemed to be etched in deeper than usual. Troy took in the other signs of pain—the lines bracketing Carlos’ down-turned mouth, the tense way he held himself stiff, and the pinched look he wore. Troy just wanted to hold Carlos and wipe away the pain. He hadn’t thought of himself as the nurturing type before this thing with Will and Carlos, but like the jealousy, Troy was just learning a whole bunch of stuff about himself.

“Come here,” he said gruffly, reaching for Carlos. Normally the older man was the one in control, giving the orders. Troy didn’t think that was going to change, but he did know everyone needed comfort sometime, even strong, dominant cowboys. And when Carlos moved unhesitatingly forward, stepping into Troy’s embrace, Troy recognised the familiar warmth spreading in his chest, the emotion making his heart beat faster and his head spin a little. It was the same way he felt with Will, and it was as scary, at least until Carlos enfolded Troy in a sure embrace, leaving no doubt who was in charge.

Carlos might be hurting, and he might want comforting, but he also wanted control, and damned if it didn’t make Troy shiver as need welled in him. Carlos ran his hands down Troy’s back, firm strokes that pressed Troy tight against Carlos. The familiar sweat and leather scent Carlos wore like a second skin filled Troy’s nose and brought his dick to full, aching hardness. He rubbed his lips over Carlos’ jaw, then over to the soft lobe of his ear.

Troy sucked the succulent piece of flesh while Carlos clamped a hand to the back of his neck and held his head still. Carlos used his other hand to knead Troy’s ass, cupping it and squeezing, pinching and marking him up in a way Troy loved. He had a feeling Carlos knew www.total-e-bound.com

WHERE THERE’S A WILL

Bailey Bradford

119

he stood in front of the bathroom mirror afterwards, contorting in all sorts of positions, trying to check for bruises on his ass and thighs. Troy always waited until he was alone, but he knew Carlos was aware of how much it turned him on to be marked, otherwise Carlos wouldn’t do it.

Each spot served to remind Troy he was wanted, desired to the point where Carlos would mark him. Worth the effort. Those kinds of thoughts built up his esteem when Troy hadn’t even known it was low.
The way we blind ourselves.
Troy’s deep thoughts slammed to a halt when Carlos pressed against his hole, rubbing the inner seam of Troy’s jeans over his sensitive flesh.

“God,” he gasped, his eyes widening as his nipples peaked and his cock pulsed. “C-Carlos.”

“I got you, honey,” Carlos growled, not letting up on his spot. Troy’s mind exploded with images of him stripped bare, Carlos’ hand on his ass with nothing between them, no denim and no fear. He wanted to feel Carlos driving inside him, filling his hole over and over, pounding into him while he in turn fucked Will into oblivion.

“Yeah, that’s right, let me hear you,” Carlos encouraged, “let me know how much you want me here.” He tapped his fingers against Troy’s ass hole. “Think how it’d feel having me in your sweet ass while you’re taking Will, making him cry out like he does when he’s being fucked good and hard.”

Troy couldn’t even reply, and when Carlos withdrew his hand, sliding it up to Troy’s shoulder, Troy couldn’t hold back a whimper.

“Got to get to your place,” Carlos said, moving back a fraction of an inch. “Will texted me and said he was gonna be there at midnight instead of eleven-thirty, so I reckon we ought to get moving now.”

Troy’s need went from frantic to barely noticeable at that. He’d been so carried away for those few minutes, and he felt like a complete shit for that. How could he have—

“Hey now.” Carlos cupped his chin, forcing him to look at Carlos. “None of that. Will wasn’t there waiting, and he sure wouldn’t begrudge either of us a grope or two while we were waiting for him. You know our agreement.”

Troy nodded, some of his guilt easing. They all knew the agreement. Getting off without all of them together was allowed, but they all felt the how’s of doing so should be limited. Handjobs and rubbing off, yeah, if one of the three of them weren’t there. But the www.total-e-bound.com

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fucking and sucking, those things were for when they were all together. It might have been weird, but then again, they were in a ménage relationship, and they could and did set rules that worked for them.

“Come on, let’s get going.” Carlos took Troy’s hand and Troy looked at him closely.

The lines had eased around Carlos’ eyes and mouth. The whites of his eyes were still bloodshot, but other than those red veins, he didn’t look like he was hurting.

“How’s your headache?”

Carlos shrugged one shoulder. “Better, now, I think. Just had a bitch of a day. Nick’s momma sure wants to make his life hell. Nasty piece of work is what she is.”

Troy sidled up a little closer to Carlos as they walked. He sounded so tired, and there was a hint of anger in his deep, gruff voice. “She sounds like it. She refusing to sell?”

“Yeah, says she’d rather let the bank have the ranch.” Carlos wanted to kick her ass, but he wouldn’t. “Antonia said the bank would sell the ranch to a developer who’s planning on building a bunch of those cracker box houses. Won’t be a damn thing left of Nick, Rory or Annabelle’s inheritance.”

Troy stopped beside Carlos’ truck. “So even if it gets foreclosed on, y’all can’t buy it?

The bank already has plans for it.”

“Yep,” Carlos muttered, remembering the look on Rory’s face when he’d got the news.

Nick wasn’t happy about it either, but the ranch had been Rory and Annabelle’s home up until not too long ago. Nick, Ian Calhoun’s illegitimate son, had inherited the ranch because his daddy had been a spiteful bastard who had wanted to hurt his other, legitimate kids.

Well, he’d hurt Rory and Annabelle all right, and Carlos hoped the asshole was roasting in hell for eternity for it. “Drives me batshit not being able to do anything to help Nick and the others keep their place. I should have stepped up sooner.” There was an ever-increasing load of guilt he’d have to live with over not doing so. “You got any idea what’s going on with Will?”

Troy narrowed his eyes at him, obviously recognising a diversion, but since it was a legitimate one, he apparently decided to go with it. “No, and it’s been driving me crazy all night. I hope he isn’t…” He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough, right?”

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WHERE THERE’S A WILL

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121

Carlos didn’t care for the scared, hurting look flitting over Troy’s face. He cupped Troy’s square jaw and rubbed his thumb over stubbled skin. “You know he ain’t ditching us.

You know Will better than to even think he’d run out on us. Just listen to this,” he put his other hand over Troy’s heart. “Don’t listen to whatever makes you fearful upstairs.”

Troy closed his eyes and sighed. “You’re right, of course you’re right. I wish I could have as much faith in us as you do.”

Troy’s belief in him made Carlos’ chest ache, and if he’d been a thinner skinned man, it’d have probably even hurt his feelings, at least a little. As it was, he just appreciated Troy opening up enough to share his doubts. “I have enough faith for all of us,” he promised.

“Now we better head out.” Carlos kissed Troy and stepped back. “Meet you at your place.”

The drive over seemed longer than it should have, and Carlos parked behind Troy just as Will pulled in the drive. He took a steadying breath, surprised to discover his headache was totally gone. Maybe all he’d needed was to be with his lovers. Whatever was going on with Will, Carlos would fix it.
No,
we
will fix it.
Just because he needed to be in control didn’t mean he controlled this relationship.

With that thought in mind, Carlos got out and opened his arms up just in time to catch Will. The man had a habit of flinging himself at Carlos and Troy. Carlos laughed as he nuzzled Will’s cheek. Will had flung himself at Carlos and Troy sexually, physically, emotionally—in every way, and Carlos loved it as much as Troy did. He loved Will, and Troy, but didn’t think this was the time to say so, not when Troy was still suffering from the doubts that would keep him from believing Carlos’ words.

Troy joined them and Will squealed as he was sandwiched between them. “Ohhhhhh, yeah, baby! God, just strip me and fuck me already, we can talk later!”

Carlos peered at Troy over Will’s head. Troy shrugged, the worry over Will possibly ending their relationship seeming to have vanished under Will’s delighted moans and whimpers. Still, Carlos wouldn’t let those text messages go.

“You had us both worried for hours, Will. No fucking until you tell us why.” He kept his voice stern, and sure enough, Will picked right up on it.

“You’ll have to spank me for worrying y’all,” Will purred. “Troy, too. I’m sure you were worried, weren’t you baby?” Will craned his head around and rubbed against Troy when the bartender nodded. “I’m sorry. I would have said if it was something bad. Well, bad for us. It’s bad for me, though.”

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WHERE THERE’S A WILL

Bailey Bradford

122

The non-explanation earned Will a swat on his butt from Troy. Will squeaked and nearly jostled himself right out of Carlos’ arms. “Inside,” Carlos ordered, tempted to swat Will himself. “You freaked Troy out big-time,” he whispered to Will.

Will squirmed and rubbed his erection against Carlos. “Jeez, I didn’t mean to, but if he’s gonna smack me every time I scare him, then it was almost worth it. Think he’ll spank me hard enough to mark me when I don’t worry him?”

Carlos had no doubt, and said as much. He carried Will inside since Will’s legs were still wrapped around him and he clung to Carlos like a safety blanket. Once inside, though, Will slid down and, feet on the floor finally, he rushed over to Troy, leaping on him much as he did on Carlos. Troy caught him and grabbed a double handful of Will’s ass.