Steel 7 (Multiple Love)

36

ASHER

I wake, feeling disorientated, surrounded by my friends in various states of nakedness. Connor is on one sofa by the window and Mo on the other. The bed is big enough to fit the rest of us if you don't mind finding yourself getting inadvertently spooned by your burly friend. We really need to get the bed situation sorted. I'm pretty sure that between us all, we could fashion a bed frame that would be big enough to sleep us all, but what about a mattress?

Google is going to get called upon later to help me find out.

Luna is snuggled between Hudson and Ben, as naked as the day she was born and as pretty as a maiden from a fairy tale. I mentally picture a drawing I could do of her, with ethereal wings and hair so long it could wrap around her calves like tendrils of ivy. I could create a series of Luna-inspired fairy-tale drawings. For a second, Luna with snow-white skin and pouty red lips enters my mind, and then I chuckle, realizing that if Luna was Snow White, then we would be the seven dwarves.

When Connor’s phone rings, it disturbs us all from the blissful peace that descended over us after the most awesome sex ever. He has to get out of bed to find it in among his discarded clothes, and his expression when he looks at the screen is enough to tell me that he's not going to relish the conversation.

"Angelica," he barks, impatient before she has a chance to utter a word. If she's in a bad mood, Connor's attitude isn't going to improve it.

Angelica's voice is audible from across the room, but rather than sounding angry, her pitch is high and excited, or maybe it's frantic.

"Fuck," Connor growls. "That asshole. Are they sure?"

Connor shakes his head. "He's gone?"

I'm struggling to my feet at his point, frustrated that I can't hear what Angelica is saying, but by the time I'm across the room, Connor's already hanging up.

"It's him."

"Marcus?"

"Yes. The fucker's been touring with us this whole time and trying to terrorize Luna. He's supposed to be on her team."

"Mo was right." Ben pats Mo on the arm, a gesture that is more awkward than it should be because we're all still naked.

"Marcus. The lighting guy?" Luna's mouth hangs open in shock, and I realize that she had no idea about our suspicions and that this is all news to her.

"Yes. That's how the issues have followed you around on tour. Blueday has been paying the stalker to follow you from city to city."

"And the police have him?" Luna asks Connor, clutching the bedsheets high around her neck as though the very thought of him has her wanting to protect herself. Hudson senses that she's feeling vulnerable and throws his big arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his chest.

"No," Connor says. "He refused to give his prints, and he's AWOL."

"But they're looking for him?"

We all focus on Luna, who has watery eyes and a tremble to her chin. Gone is our fierce girl, and when her hand drifts down to her belly, I realize why. She was okay when she was just fighting for herself, but now she's pregnant, things are very different. She needs us to step up and deal with this It might not our professional responsibility anymore but there is no one she trusts more than us.

"We'll find him," I say. "We'll make sure he's put away."

Connor reaches down and tugs on his underwear and pants, leaving his belt undone. "Mo, Hudson, Asher, and Jax, let's go."

He doesn't have to say another word. We're dressed and ready to leave in less than five minutes. In that time, Luna pulls on a robe and perches on the edge of the couch, flanked by Elijah and Ben. Her fingers twist together in her lap as she watches us tying shoelaces and throwing on jackets. "Be careful," she whispers. "This guy…he's not right in the head. Who knows what he might be capable of?"

"Don't worry," Elijah says, resting his hand on her thigh and squeezing. "These guys have dealt with a whole lot worse and lived to tell the tale."

"We'll be fine," I say, crossing the room and dropping down on one knee to kiss her. Even after everything, I don't think she realizes just how much she means to us or how much we will fight to keep her safe. There is no way one psycho fuck is going to interrupt of our future happiness. With a soft kiss to her lips, I stand and give Elijah and Ben a look that conveys that they’re responsible for looking after her while we're away, and for the first time, it crosses my mind that this is such a major benefit of a poly relationship. There is never going to be a time when I need to leave Luna alone. With seven of us, she's always going to have someone close who she can rely on.