Page 15 of Lane (East Dremest Mafia #5)

LANE

“Fuck him,” I muttered, wrapping my arms around myself. My leg hurt, but not as much as it would once the meds wore off.

It was freezing outside, the ground covered in snow. And here I was with no coat on. Whatever. I had anger coursing through me. That would keep me warm for a bit. One of them would come after me and drag me back inside.

I’d be damned if I was going to be in a relationship with someone who wanted to dictate what I did.

I lived under my pretend father’s thumb for far too long, doing what he wanted, letting his words sink into me.

I’d finally broken free and was happy. Living the life of a criminal wasn’t exactly something I could openly brag about, but I knew this world.

I’d been around Jordan and his men long enough that I saw how he took care of the people who worked for him, even if he didn’t readily admit it.

I couldn’t forget Raiden and Alton. Finally, I’d gotten them together.

They’d had fun and kissed. I was bridging the gap between them, a place where I fit as well.

Raiden saying that to me, how he’d rather I do something else, made me realize he didn’t have the confidence in me that I did in him.

He could get hurt as easily as I could, yet I didn’t tell him to stop working for Jordan.

“Asshole,” I said to no one. My breath puffed out in a cloud. Fuck, it was cold.

I rubbed my arms, wondering if I should go back inside when the door opened behind me. Staying where I was, I looked out over the backyard as I limped on the small porch.

“Lane, come inside,” Alton said gently. “You need to get off your leg.”

I spun, facing him. Pain shot through me, but I refused to wince.

His blond hair was ruffled, not neatly combed back as usual.

There was a shadow of stubble over his face, and his eyes weren’t as bright as they were the last time I’d seen him.

Light-gray sweatpants hung loose on his hips, which was really a shame.

In the right pair, I would have had a bulge to look at.

Goosebumps broke out over his arms, causing the hair to stand. He only had a thin T-shirt on.

Sighing, I reached for his hand and took him into the house. “It’s too cold for you.”

“I’m fine. You’re the one who shouldn’t be out here.”

We entered the house into the kitchen, the warmth wrapping around me. Alton shut the door and locked it.

“Expecting someone to try to break in?” I asked.

“With you and Raiden here? No.”

“Lane,” Raiden said, leaning against the doorway leading to the hall. His voice was remorseful, although it wouldn’t sway me. “I’m sorry.”

I crossed my arms. My leg throbbed, but I refused to sit yet. “For?”

“Trying to tell you what to do.”

“And?”

“Thinking you can’t handle yourself.”

“You’re not going to bring it up again and trust I know what I’m doing?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t promise not to say anything.

If you get hurt again, I’ll try to persuade you to do a different job.

It’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s because the thought of something happening to you is a fucking knife to my heart.

Do you know how scared I was when blood seeped into your jeans?

It took everything in me not to drag you from there. ”

Goddammit. He voiced what I would have done if the roles were reversed. “Fine. Whatever. You’re forgiven.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Well, we’re not in a relationship yet, and you’re already trying to tell me what to do.”

“No?” He cocked his eyebrow. Damn, he must have learned that from Jordan. All of them had a mastery of facial expressions. “You think by taking us on a date, by kissing Alton and me, showing us how we can be together that we’re not in a relationship? I think you need to reevaluate what you said.”

I glanced at Alton, wondering what he thought of Raiden’s words.

He shrugged. “He’s not wrong.”

“We need to be exclusive,” I told them. The idea of either of them with anyone else didn’t sit well with me. It also meant me not fucking around with other men, not that I wanted to when I had the two gorgeous people in front of me.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Raiden said.

“Al?” I asked.

He cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing over my facial hair. “There’s no one else for me. Now, will you please go sit on the couch?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, but you’re both coming with me.”

“My furniture isn’t big enough.”

“Is your bed?”

His eyes went wide. Alton would have to get used to me saying shit he didn’t expect. “It’s a king.”

“Good enough for me.” I started limping toward the stairs. I had no idea where I was going. It was a best guess that Alton’s room was upstairs.

Only, I didn’t even get to the bottom step before Raiden swept me up into his arms. His intense gaze held mine. “You’re hurt. I’m going to take care of you.”

“We both are,” Alton said, stepping behind Raiden.

My grin couldn’t be restrained. “If this is the kind of treatment I get when I’m shot?—”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Raiden growled.

“What? I was just going to say I love the attention.” I wasn’t, but it soothed out the tension in Raiden’s shoulders.

He carried me up the stairs with ease. I wasn’t a small guy, and he climbed the steps like he wasn’t even holding me.

“On the right at the top,” Alton said. “Ignore the mess. I didn’t plan on having visitors.”

Raiden entered the room sideways, careful not to jostle me.

The curtains were still closed. There was an open closet with clothes spilling out of a hamper.

The blankets were pulled back on the bed.

Alton must only sleep on the side facing the door.

The other side had hardly been touched. When I slept, I was all over the place because I was alone.

Put me in the middle of these two men, and I’d cuddle with them and sleep peacefully.

I was gently eased onto the bed, Raiden being extra careful with my leg.

“I’m fine, Ray. You don’t need to treat me like I’m fragile.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Hold on,” Alton cut in. He went to his dresser and pulled out sweatpants and a T-shirt for me. “Put these on. I don’t care about blood on my bed, but you can’t be comfortable with your jeans cut up the leg with dried blood on them.”

“Good call.” I took the offered clothes and quickly undressed. Both Raiden and Alton turned away. “You’re going to make me doubt myself.”

“We’re giving you privacy,” Raiden supplied.

“In a bedroom with my two boyfriends, apparently. You should want to fuck me, not turn away.”

“Don’t mistake this for more than it is.”

I dressed, hating their backs to me. I understood why, but I didn’t like it. When I was settled on the bed lying down, I asked, “Do you have anything that will fit Ray?”

“Downstairs in the closet in the hall, there are clothes in a range of sizes, just in case.”

Raiden nodded. “I’ll be right back.” He ducked out of the room, his feet lighter than I would have thought over the stairs.

Alton stood near the door like he wasn’t sure what to do with himself.

“Lie with me,” I told him and patted the bed on my left.

“We’re not doing anything. You need to rest.”

“Whatever you say.” I’d at least get a kiss from them. Although, if their tongues entered my mouth, all bets were off.

When Raiden returned, he didn’t hesitate to lie on my other side. His arm went under my head as a pillow, and I could nuzzle into his warmth.

I reached for Alton. “Get in on this.” He slid over to lie down too, facing me.

“We need rules for our relationship,” Raiden said.

Being in the middle, I went first. “We’re exclusive, so no getting cock from anywhere else.

We’re only doing dirty things to each other when it’s the three of us.

” This was Raiden’s must-have, but I didn’t want to point that out to Alton.

In the end, it didn’t matter whose rule it was because I wanted to make Raiden comfortable. “And open communication.”

“Agreed,” Raiden stated.

“Ditto,” Alton murmured, his mouth stretching with a yawn.

Raiden reached for Alton. I already had Alton’s arm around my waist, and my head pillowed on Raiden. It didn’t get much better than this. Wait, it could if we were naked and fucking, but I couldn’t do that with my leg, apparently. I’d try to convince Alton later for more than cuddling.

“Any rules you two want to add?” I asked.

“We see each other as much as possible, given our schedules,” Raiden offered.

“Alton works a lot at his practice. My hours vary due to what Jordan needs. Who knows when you’ll be called upon, Lane?

If we’re going to make this work, we have to spend time together when we’re all free, even if that means it’s just to sleep. ”

“I don’t live with you,” Alton stated.

“No, but you have access to the building. It’s not a farther commute to your work than here.”

“How much have you been thinking about this?”

“More than I care to admit to. Will you stay if our schedules line up?”

“I will.”

Raiden nodded. “Good.”

How often we’d get to see Alton, I wasn’t sure. Raiden and I would see each other more, but we’d both want Alton there too. We’d make it work.

That was when the realization hit me. I sat up quickly, pain shooting through me. “Holy shit.”

“What?” Raiden asked, sitting up, going on alert.

“We’re fine. It’s just… This is my first relationship as an adult. I didn’t exactly have time for more than fucking, given who my family was, especially when we were in hiding, and my mom was sick.”

“There’s been no one else for me for a long time,” Alton admitted.

Raiden agreed, “Same.”

“Well, aren’t we a bunch of fun,” I laughed and lay back down against my men. That was what they were, weren’t they? My men? A badass bodyguard and a compassionate doctor. How I got this lucky was anyone’s guess, but damn was I happy about it.

I nuzzled into their warmth as they both laughed. My ass wiggled against Raiden while I held on to Alton. This was more than nice. This was everything .

Reality would creep back in soon. For now, I was going to soak in as much of these two as I could.

Never had I been someone who needed to be cared for. I was good on my own and confident in what I did. With them, I didn’t mind if they wanted to help me or pay more attention to me because I was shot. I was going to enjoy their company while I could.

Raiden was right. We didn’t know how often our schedules would sync. With us only being together when all three were there, it was going to be interesting. We’d make it work though. I didn’t doubt it one bit.