Page 9 of Lane (East Dremest Mafia #5)

LANE

There was no way I could play off the comfort I found in Alton’s arms as the germs raging in my system.

I didn’t get the flu as bad as the others.

I’d heard some were throwing up and barely able to get out of bed.

I had made it to the couch and could move around a little.

The body aches sucked. The coughing was brutal.

Of course, I’d get a two-for-one deal and have the flu and bronchitis.

Was it twisted that I was kind of glad for being sick? It brought Alton to my home. A man I hadn’t gotten to know before and had only seen briefly. Now, he was lying on my couch, cuddling me. It was of my own doing. I couldn’t help but gravitate toward whoever slept near me.

I remembered once falling asleep after a mind-numbingly good round of sex. I woke up as the man I was with was trying to shove me off him, but I clung to him like it was my damn job. I apologized and hadn’t slept in the same bed with anyone since. They didn’t sign up to be my personal pillow.

That was why it was so amazing Alton gave in and let me burrow against him. He tried to leave at first. In my sick fog, I told him to stay. I said to lean into it. Okay, so that probably wasn’t the virus talking. I’d still use it as an excuse if this went sideways.

“I didn’t want you to get the idea I was trying to initiate something you didn’t want,” Alton said.

“I latched on to you like a squid, not the other way around.” I still wasn’t sorry. I probably should have been.

A knock on the door had Alton tensing, but I refused to move.

“Enter!” I yelled, then covered my mouth with my shirt so I didn’t cough all over Alton.

He leaned back to give me space to cough and try to suck in air. Fun times.

“Sorry,” I said when I was done.

“Maybe I should give you a breathing treatment.”

“I’m okay.”

“Lane, I have your…” That was all Raiden said. He stopped next to the dining table with a prescription bag in his hand. He dropped his eyes to his feet. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come in like that. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

Alton tried to move again but I put my hand on his hip and squeezed. I was a persistent fucker when I wanted to be.

“Ray, look at me,” I said.

His eyes slowly raised to mine, sweeping over Alton and me.

“I told you to come in. What you see is all there is.” I thought about adding so far, but kept it to myself. “Thank you for bringing my medication.” I released Alton’s hip and held out my hand.

Raiden walked to us, handing me the bag. He turned to leave.

“Stop, please,” I pleaded. “Can you hand me my water? I really don’t want to choke this down dry.”

“Sure.”

I tore open the bag and popped the top of the prescription bottle, taking a pill out and placing it on my tongue, then took the offered water. The sooner I could get rid of this cough, the better. I handed him the glass after I swallowed it.

“Are you done working?” I asked, not wanting him to leave.

There was obviously tension between Alton and him.

If I could help bridge the gap between them, I’d consider it a win.

Where did I fit into all of this? Probably in the middle of them.

That was where I’d love to be. The question was if I fit at all.

I could only insert myself so much before I became a third wheel.

Although Raiden had said he didn’t like me going out and sleeping with other men. Maybe I wasn’t a third wheel after all.

“Barry took over for me. Jordan and his family are in for the night. With some of the guards down, others are stepping in who usually don’t.”

“Do you want to stay for a bit?”

“Raiden can get sick too,” Alton said.

“I was around everyone before they developed symptoms.” He shrugged. “It is what it is.”

“Move your legs, Al,” I told Alton. “Make room for Raiden.” I brought mine up, slotting them with Alton’s.

“I’m not Doc anymore?” Alton asked with a smile.

“I’ve upgraded your nickname, seeing as how you’ve let me cuddle with you.”

“Ah.”

“Ray, couch,” I told him.

“I don’t think it’s the best idea.”

“Al doesn’t bite. If he does, and I haven’t had the privilege of it, we’re going to have words.”

Alton coughed and spluttered. Man, it was easy to fluster him. I was going to have so much fun.

Raiden still didn’t move.

“Fuck’s sake,” I muttered and sat up, taking the blanket with me.

“Slide over, Al. Apparently, Ray forgot how to move.” After positioning myself in the middle of the couch with Alton on my left, Raiden finally took a seat to my right.

They were both tense, hands on their laps like they were waiting to be scolded by a teacher. I had my work cut out for me.

So, in my typical fashion, I gave zero fucks and sprawled out on both of them. My legs moved to Alton’s lap. My head went on Raiden’s, who sucked in a breath when my cheek met his thigh.

“If I’m too much for either of you, the door is that way.” I pointed to it, knowing full well neither of them would leave. I had to give them the option once I was on them. It would have been rude not to.

Alton sighed and brought his hand to my socked foot. He coasted his fingers along my arch, causing me to stretch toward him like a cat.

I was a literal bridge between them.

To get Raiden to relax a little, I wrapped my arm around his other thigh. “I’m not going to break you, Ray.”

“So you say,” he murmured.

Rolling to my back, I peered up at him and coughed because, why the fuck not? Alton lifted my feet off him to get my water and handed it to me. “I can send in a prescription cough medicine.”

“I’m fine.” I handed the glass back. My head met Raiden’s muscular thigh again. “Sorry I coughed on you.”

“It’s okay,” Raiden said. “Reghan almost puked on me. I had to jump out of the way.”

“Are you sure you feel okay?” Alton asked him.

“Yes.”

I debated whether I needed to stage an intervention. They had unresolved issues. I could either bring it out in the open or let nature—me—take its course and see if they found their way to each other with my nudges.

Rolling my head from side to side on Raiden’s thigh brought his attention to me.

“You’re nothing like I’d thought you’d be,” he said, his dark eyes watching me.

“And you’re everything I expected, but I’m ready for some surprises too.”

A smile formed on his sexy lips. Raiden shaved every day. It allowed me to see his face up close now. If only I wasn’t sick, I might push for feeling his skin against my lips. It was probably better this way. Raiden seemed like he had to be eased in.

Raiden’s fingers went to my hair, brushing it off my forehead. It needed to be cut. I’d slacked in that department. My hair fell into my eyes if I didn’t style it back.

“Mmm,” I hummed as he threaded his fingers through my hair, lightly raking his nails over my scalp.

“I’m surprised you’re not purring.”

“Touch me in the right spot, and maybe I will.”

Poor Alton wasn’t faring well on the other end of the couch.

He kept squirming beneath my legs. My foot brushed over his cock.

Oops. It was so bad of me. He was plumping up, and oh did I want to stretch my foot and really feel how big he was, but I resisted.

His body shifted just enough that his cock wasn’t touching any part of me. Such a shame.

Having both of their hands on me was nice, better than I could have imagined for it not being sexual. I’d never been with two men at the same time. The idea had a hell of a lot of appeal, especially given who the two men touching me were.

Raiden, with his solid thighs, massive arms, and a smile that made me want to lick it, I could only wonder what he looked like beneath his clothes.

He was uncertain about being on my couch with Alton.

With me, he was slowly giving in, relaxing a bit.

Buried beneath the surface, Raiden had a huge heart.

I’d spotted it when he was with his brother and how much they cared about each other.

Then there was Alton, who was more restrained.

He didn’t want to do anything that would upset me.

Pushing his own boundaries seemed difficult for him.

And he was just as handsome as Raiden but in a different way.

Alton wasn’t stacked with muscles, but his stomach was flat, and his arms had enough definition that his sleeves didn’t hang loosely around them.

His jawline drew my gaze when I looked at him.

The sharp, shaven edge of it, the more refined look he had.

Rolling to my side, I kept my body touching both of theirs while I let the feel of their hands on me lull me to sleep.

Why the hell was I sweating? Jesus, it was a sauna in here.

I threw the blanket off me and tried to move my legs but couldn’t. A firm band was around my waist, anchoring me in place. I patted around and met a wall of muscle. What the hell?

The day and night came rushing back. Alton on my couch snuggling with me.

Raiden entering my apartment with my medicine.

Me convincing him to sit down. Now I was lying on my side with my body pressed to the very hard length of Raiden’s.

And I meant very hard. His cock was pressed to me as if it could fuck into me where it was.

Raiden moaned and held me tighter, his hips thrusting against me.

“Holy shit, Ray,” I whispered. My hand clutched his waist, unable to stop the raw need pulsing through me. My cock started to harden.

He slid down, his lips pressing to my throat. Oh my god, I was going to die right here. Why was it so hot that he was kissing me in his sleep? If he was awake, this wouldn’t be happening. He was far too timid with me. Yet, I couldn’t stop him. It was wrong, but felt oh so fucking good.

“Goddamn.” I hiked my leg up over his hip, needing more friction. “Yes, Ray.” My hand moved to his hair to hold him in place on my neck. If there was ever a question if I was a good person, this proved I wasn’t. I should have woken him. I should have stopped him.

But my hand and words must have finally awoken him because he stilled.

“Don’t,” I pleaded. “Don’t pull away.”

“Lane…” His voice was roughened from sleep.

I leaned back enough to look into his eyes. It was still dark but the small nightlight I kept in the kitchen was just enough to see him. I cupped his cheek, brushing my thumb along it. “If I wasn’t sick, I’d ask if I could kiss you.”

“We shouldn’t.”

“We’re grown men. There’s nothing stopping us.”

Raiden turned his head toward the other end of the couch. That was when I noticed Alton was gone. When I looked around the rest of the space, he was nowhere to be found.

I dropped my forehead to Raiden’s. “Fuck.” There went any bit of fun. My cock was already deflating.