Page 76 of Emeric

“Are there any things you really want to have? You had a lot in the other home, and if you want those same things in the new one, I will either find it or have it built.”

At my current place, there was nothing special. It was clean and more sterile than a lived-in feeling. I could leave most of it behind and not give a shit. We could start over together.

“I’ll make you a list. It’ll keep my mind busy, so I don’t have too much anxiety tomorrow when this settles in that I’m going to live with you both. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. Change can trigger my panic. I want to live with you. Never doubt that. This is way more me and my mind than anything else.”

Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to his lips as I reached for Oleander’s hand. We’d take this at whatever speed Sylvan needed, and we’d give him the world while doing it.

35

OLEANDER

God, it felt good to sit around the gym and bullshit with the other guards, not having to worry about who was out there, what they’d do next, and if the men I loved would be in danger.

It was over, all of it. Sylvan and Emeric were still staying at my apartment. With Sylvan unable to return to the home he used to live in, Emeric decided to stay too. Our next step would be moving into a new home for the three of us. Emeric had been working on finding a place over the past week, even hiring a top-named realtor to help with the search.

Since having them in my home, the reasons I meditated changed. It used to be to get my head in the right space when I needed to do something for Jordan. Or to calm my mind after a particularly tough day, just center and ground to find my peace. Now, I did it because I loved to, but also to reconnect with myself and my environment. I didn’t need to calm myself. The men I loved helped me do that. Just by seeing them, I immediately relaxed.

Someone kicked my foot, jarring me from my thoughts. I glanced over and saw Sheldon grinning at me.

“I know that look,” he said.

“No, you don’t.” Of course he did, but it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t fuck with him.

“Asshole.”

“Yup.”

The door to the gym suddenly burst open, Vincent filling the space with murder on his face. “Sheldon, Ollie, conference room now.” It wasn’t out of the ordinary for only some of us to be called in, depending on the threat. With me guarding Vail and Sheldon’s ability to defuse situations, we were summoned often.

We stood and rushed out the door after Vincent. The others would be filled in if or when they were needed.

As soon as I stepped into the conference room, my eyes swept the space, bouncing from Barrett to Reghan to a very angry Jordan. The way his fists were clenched let me know murder was on the horizon. Then there was Lawson. That was what drew me up short, to the point that Sheldon ran into me, cursing once he bounced off my back.

“The fuck, Ollie?” He stepped up alongside me. “Ohhhh. Lawson, here for a lunch date with us? I was planning on peanut butter and jelly, but maybe we should order out.”

“Shut up, Sheldon,” Jordan growled. “Close the fucking door.”

“Yes, sir.” Sheldon shut it.

“Lawson just told us the guy we killed wasn’t the fucking person threatening us.”

There were moments when I could feel a shift in my body. Right then, all the blood drained from my head. It was as if ice was being poured over me, slowly altering the reality of our situation. Not only ours, but Sylvan’s and Emeric’s too.

“What?” I whispered.

Sheldon returned to my side, his hand on my shoulder, grounding me, knowing exactly what I needed to keep me in the present. “What happened?”

“I received a text to the phone I use for Jordan.” Lawson lifted his phone and read from the screen. “You couldn’t even figure out the man you killed wasn’t the person threatening you. I thought you were better than this. I guess it’s time for me to reveal myself.”

“When are they planning to?” Sheldon asked.

“I’m not sure. That was all I got. It came from a burner, not that I’m surprised.”

“Shit.”

“You can say that again,” Jordan growled. “No one gets in or out of this building unless it’s under my command. My family is not to leave. They are to be guarded at all times. That includes Emeric and Sylvan. They’ve been a part of this all along. And you too, Lawson.”

“Excuse me?” Lawson asked and stood. His dark hair wasn’t as neat as the last time I saw him, and he wasn’t wearing a suit. He seemed more average in a pair of athletic shorts and a T-shirt with finger-combed hair. “I don’t need to be babysat, Jordan. You’ve never treated me like this before.”