Page 37 of Cueball & Double-Z (Alpha’s Rejects #5)

It was Friday night as I slowly climbed the steps up to my apartment, listening to The Black Keys in my earbuds.

My body and brain were exhausted. Work had been long today when one of our trucks careened on the highway after slamming on the brakes because of traffic and rain, and hit several cars.

Thank fuck no one died. Regardless, it was a logistical nightmare to clean up, and there was always the possibility of being sued.

Then there was salvaging the product in the truck if we could.

Regardless, we would likely lose a client after destroying most of their products in transit.

So yeah, I was tired as hell. But I looked forward to coming home.

As I climbed the last steps to my apartment, I paused at that thought.

I was happy to come home. When was the last time I’d felt that way?

It was a strange feeling after years of just moving through life with no hopes and dreams. Before the chaos brothers had stressed me out.

Now, I wanted to see them, hold them, and kiss them.

Well, Gio was still at work, but Cole was supposed to be home.

After I told them my story the other night, I felt strangely good.

Mentally tired, but good. It had hurt like hell, but I was free in a way.

Lighter. Not completely, but it was enough for me to move forward with my life, including Gio and Cole.

With time, perhaps I could find true happiness and love without looking back in constant pain.

Still, the last thing I wanted was to harp on my past, continuing to trauma dump on them. They deserved better than that.

I unlocked the door and stepped inside to find Cole looking under the couch with his ass in the air. And… there went my tired brain to inappropriate thoughts about said ass. It was small, cute, and round in those black gym shorts.

“Did you lose something under the couch?” I asked, taking off my coat and hanging it in the closet before turning back to him.

His face was beet red, and he was gnawing on his cute bottom lip, shaking his head before signing, ‘Don’t be mad.’

I raised a brow and walked over to him. “Cole… Whenever someone says that, you know they’re going to get mad.”

He put his hands in a praying motion, then gestured, ‘Please.’

With a tired sigh, I nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

‘She was cold and hungry.’

“She?”

‘A cat.’

Jesus. I was too exhausted for this. “Cole, we can’t just bring home strays that cross our paths.”

He snorted a laugh and eye-rolled before he pointed at me and signed, ‘You did. Two of them.’

I smiled at that. “True enough.”

He made a begging motion with his hands again, then asked if we could keep her. He didn’t want to send her back out into the cold with no food.

I dropped to my knees and peeked under the couch. Wide, mirror-like eyes stared back at me. She was clearly terrified of her new surroundings. It was hard to tell what she looked like in the darkness .

Well, it wasn’t like this apartment complex cared about anything, let alone pets. I knew right then I’d give in. I probably always would when it came to my Double-Z.

“We’ll have to take her to the vet on Monday, make sure she’s got her shots and that she’s been spayed. But you have to take care of her, change her litter box, feed her, and all that.”

His large blue eyes went even larger as he smiled and lunged at me. I held him back and chuckled. “You’re welcome, sweet stuff.”

There was a small meow, so Cole and I let go of each other and looked down to find the cat’s head peeking out. It was one of those gray-and-brown tiger cats. A tabby. Her eyes were a desaturated blue-green color.

“Well, hello there, young lady, or old lady, since we have no idea how old you are,” I said to her.

‘I already named her,’ Cole signed.

“Already, huh?”

He nodded and smiled, a blush pinking across his face. ‘Nada.’

“You named her… Nada?”

‘Like Zero and Zilch. She’s Nada.’

I chuckled at that. It was kind of a cute name. “Nada it is, then.”

‘She came up to me on my way home from work,’ Cole explained.

“I suppose you were supposed to find her, then.”

Cole and I sat still on our knees as Nada crawled out from under the couch. She was skinny, but not emaciated. And she didn’t look sick, but we needed to be sure. I’d find a vet close by if I could. That meant I’d have to take off work to do it.

Cole sat still on his legs as the cat inched closer to him, sniffed, meowed, then butted her head on his knees. He smiled up at me before he slowly reached for her and scratched behind her ears.

I used to have cats growing up, so I had no problem with Nada. And it made Cole happy. And that right there was the most important thing. He and Gio deserved happiness and stability.

It was just after nine when I got out of the shower, needing to wash off the day and the stress.

Cole and I recently returned from the store after buying pet supplies for Nada.

Fucking expensive was what it was. Over two hundred bucks to buy a litter box, litter, food, treats, toys, and a cat tree that I had to put together. Spoiled cat.

Gio had yet to come home, but I’d left Cole sitting on the couch, playing his game with Nada sleeping on the back of the sofa, half her body draped over his shoulder.

It turned out she was quite affectionate, which was unusual for a stray, suggesting that someone had possibly owned her.

I suppose I should set up some fliers to see if anyone claimed her.

I hadn’t seen any around, looking for her.

After showering and drying off, I wrapped the towel around my waist and stepped out of the bathroom, nearly colliding with Gio as he headed to their bedroom.

“Whoa,” he gasped, with wide eyes, which soon turned black as he scanned my body since I was more than half naked. “Whoa,” he said again, this time more breathy as his hand reached for my chest. His reaction suddenly had my cock stirring awake. And here I thought I was tired.

Gio’s hand hovered just above the damp skin, looking uncertain, so I helped him along. “You can touch me, Little Thief,” I said.

His eyes met mine before they pinned back onto my chest, where he rested his hand on me before his exploring fingers grazed over a nipple, sending waves of chills through me.

Fuck, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d reacted like that.

“I hate that name… You’re so… smooth. You have hardly any chest hair. ”

After my trauma dump the other night, none of us had done anything sexual except kiss. And fuck if I didn’t enjoy watching Gio and Cole kiss.

Gio continued to explore my skin, his fingers landing on one of my nipples again, turning it pebble hard with his touch, and my cock followed suit, tenting through my towel.

His hands were calloused from washing dishes all day, several times a week. So much so, I had to buy him some good hand lotion because areas of his skin had cracked and bled.

Then his fingers pinched my nipple, pulling out a small groan from me.

His eyes met mine for a second, looking out from under a thick band of dark lashes, before he continued his exploration.

I looked down between his legs, to where his cock tried to punch through his jeans, which only made me harder.

I’d been so hyper-focused on Gio, I hadn’t noticed Cole coming up to us until he also touched me, his fingers trailing along my biceps.

It should’ve been awkward, standing in front of the bathroom door, having these two beautiful men touch me wherever they could, but it wasn’t. I liked it. So did my goosebump-covered skin.

Gio looked at his brother, then back at me, his palm now resting flat between my pecs. “Can we fool around?” he asked me, and Cole nodded eagerly.

I was eager too. It’d been so fucking long since I’d let anyone touch me like that, let alone do anything sexual.

I’d been celibate for over seven years. Now all I wanted to do was feel, taste, and fuck.

But my gut was also twisting with nerves, worried if I’d be any good at it anymore, or if I’d get hit by my trauma.

For now, Shane was silent, as if giving his permission for me to proceed and find some happiness.

“Yes,” was all I said, suddenly no longer tired. “But so you know, it’s been a while.”

“And I’ve never been with a dude, so… I’m sure you know more than me. First, let me also shower, and I’ll be right out.”

I stepped aside as Gio rushed in to clean up.

Cole’s face was red, but he was smiling and biting his bottom lip, no doubt eager for some fun as well.

“Have you ever had any sex or fooled around?” I asked him.

He shook his head, turning redder. ‘Just kissing,’ he signed. ‘You and Gio were my first kisses.’

I smiled, liking that Gio and I were the first to kiss him. Really liked… It felt right.

I suddenly grabbed him by the hips and tossed him over my shoulder.

He weighed practically nothing, so I needed to be more gentle with Cole.

He squealed and giggled as I carried him to my bedroom and tossed him onto my bed.

He bounced a few times before sitting up to watch me pull on a pair of boxer briefs underneath my towel with my back turned.

I could’ve just dropped the towel first, but I felt being naked should happen with Gio in the room, too, at least for this first time .

I glanced at him over my shoulder. “We’ll take things slow so you’re comfortable.”

Cole rolled his eyes and smiled. ‘I know about sex and stuff.’

I chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure you do, but watching or reading about it isn’t quite the same as doing it.”

We wouldn’t fuck tonight, but we could definitely do some touching and sucking. Honestly, I’d love to watch Gio and Cole do it to each other. In fact, they should do it together first. They deserved that much. I’d get involved, too, but them first.

“Where’s Nada?” I asked.

‘Sleeping on her cat tree,’ he signed.

“What does Gio think about her?”