Page 38 of Vail

“That you’re his and he’s giving you the cabin, putting it in your name. I have the letter if you’d like to read it.”

I immediately began shaking my head. “No, I don’t… No, please.” Tears welled in my eyes. How many nights did I spend at the cabin with Gil? Good nights where I suspected nothing? Years later, when he took me there under the guise of us getting a weekend away, when in reality it was a way to keep me from everyone and focused solely on Gil and what he wanted. It was never about my desires. Only his.

“Vail,” Jordan said, not cruelly, but hard enough to get my attention while his hands gently cupped my cheeks. “He won’t come near you. Once the cabin is legally in your name, I’ll have it bulldozed. You can sell the property, donate it, I don’t care. By the look on your face, nothing good happened there. Let me erase the physical building. Let me get rid of it.”

“Yes.” I didn’t have to think about it or debate what I should do. If I could tear down every place he hurt me, I would. But that still left the property. It was in a quiet area, a big parcel of land. There were people in need there who could use it. “I’d like to donate the property so a home for someone in need can be built on it.”

“I’ll handle it. Lana will need signatures, but we’ll get it taken care of.”

My arms went around his waist to pull him close, so I could tuck my face against his neck. Breathing him in helped settle me, chased the memories away. “Thank you.”

“Never thank me, baby,” he whispered, his hand soothing up and down my back. “I’ll do anything for you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, more than you know.” If the way Hartley and he had become my world was the same for Jordan, then I knew how he felt. If I had them, everything would be okay. Would it really though? Fuck if I knew. I could hope. “Let’s go upstairs and lie down for a bit.”

I went with him, wanting to stay by his side. Jordan didn’t have to tell me about Gil’s letter yet. He could have waited or kept it from me all together. I appreciated him being honest. It went a long way.

Oleander followed us upstairs, a shadow who didn’t say a word. Raiden and Reghan were visiting their parents today, so they weren’t working. Instead, Oleander and Sheldon would cover us in the building. Rory was with Hartley at the studio.

Back in the space that quickly became home, Tahoe greeted us at the door. I wondered if he had sat in front of the elevator the whole time. Jordan could check the camera feed, but I didn’t want to bother him with it. I petted Tahoe, then we climbed the stairs with him on our heels. Jordan and I kicked off our shoes and climbed into bed fully clothed, where he put his arms around me and simply held me. Tahoe curled up on the floor, knowing better than to jump on the bed. It was one of Jordan’s rules I didn’t push. Not everyone wanted a dog in bed with them. Plus, with the three of us sleeping here, there wasn’t much room left for Tahoe.

“I’m sorry,” I said as I pushed closer to Jordan, burrowing against him. I liked to think I was pretty damn strong when need be, but in the face of my ex or, hell, anything to do with him, I crumbled, unable to handle it. Too many years of abuse took place.

“Don’t apologize. I will spend every day with you, making sure you understand that you and Hartley are important to me. My businesses can run without me.”

“Except when they can’t.” There was a lot Jordan handled on his own. More for his illegal side than his legit one.

Jordan rolled us so he was on top of me, his gaze piercing mine. “Unless the world is on fire and I’m asked to help put it the fuck out, I will always be here when you and Hart need me.”

I ran my fingers through his beard. He kept it on the shorter side, but it was still enough to tug on when I wanted to. “We’re here for you too. When it feels like it’s too much, you have us to lean on.”

His forehead dropped to mine. “You have no idea how grateful I am for both of you.”

“Ditto. You don’t have to be the strong one all the time.”

“It’s difficult for me to be vulnerable, but I can be with you two.”

“We love you so much.”

Jordan let out a shuddering breath. His lips feathered over mine. It was comfort, nothing more. With his full weight resting on me and his arms caging me in, Jordan moved down a little to rest his head on my chest. I wasn’t trapped, nor did I have the sudden urge to run because he was keeping me in place. Here with him, when Hartley was with us too, that was where I belonged.

Eventually, Jordan rolled to his side, taking me with him so we didn’t part. We lay like that for over an hour, being with each other in a way that felt more intimate than when we were naked and making love. It didn’t have to be about sex. While I enjoyed when it was, this was perfect too.

Later, when we were out of bed, Jordan gravitated to his office and I sat at the dining table with my laptop in front of me, thinking of what I would like in the new kitchen. It was easier to ignore my problems and focus on the good in life. Although, my only genuine problem was I didn’t know where Gil was. Jordan would take care of the cabin. Lana would handle the legality of it. At least the cops were no longer on Jordan’s ass about Gil. If they needed more proof Gil was alive, I could show them the letter, which I still didn’t want to see. I could show them the deed changing the cabin into my name. There was plenty of proof.

I returned my focus to my laptop. Jordan had sent me his contractor’s information, so I reached out to him via email. At least the wheels were in motion. This would be good for me. I could stay at home. I could cook for the people who worked for Jordan without Irene shooing me out of the kitchen. And I could do what I loved for the people I cared about. Not just Jordan and Hartley, but everyone who worked in the building. If I could give them the comfort I found in food, I’d consider it a win.

17

HARTLEY

There was an excellent possibility no matter which way I turned in bed, I’d connect with a very naked, very hot body. They were easy to tell apart. Vail had little hair on his chest while Jordan had enough for me to run my hand over without being too much. There were also the small scars on Jordan, which I felt now and then as my fingers continued to glide over his body.

Vail rolled, putting his arm around me from behind. He pressed a kiss to the back of my neck while Jordan captured my fingers and dragged them down until they were on his dick. He already had precum leaking from the tip.

Most mornings we were hard and ready to go. Sometimes it was me getting up before them, so I didn’t get to partake in the fun. Jordan was usually the first one up, always having something to do, somewhere to go. Vail rarely rushed out of bed. Though, lately, he’d been getting up with us so he could work on the space Jordan gave him in the building.

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