Glancing around the table, all the men are looking at me.
“What’d I miss?”
Thomas fills me in. “I asked about your new place and if you got rid of the one down Route 40?”
“Yeah, it was a rental.” I peek down at my phone and smirk at Ella, still playing with herself.
Zander: Dip your finger in. Just one.
“We gonna get back into it?” Ethan questions. “I know you’ve been busy with work and all. Is this more permanent?”
“I’m not sure yet.” With my phone in my lap so I can see, I decide to give her a few minutes to enjoy herself.
I’ve been vague with the guys about the details with Ella, and The Firm. Too much is still up in the air to get into a real discussion about it, and I don’t want to spend a poker night talking about it.
“Once a week sounds good to me. Or every other week.” I take a good look at Thomas. “You think every other week would be better with your ball and chain?”
I barely hear his answer as I text Ella to come like a good girl and then clean herself up.
“I like every week. The drive wasn’t too bad either.”
“Lindsey would binge-watch her show once a week,” Alex says. “Especially if you’re telling me that tricorn hats are hot now. I don’t know if I get the appeal of those kinds of hats.”
I offer a short chuckle, focused on my little bird’s lips making a perfect O as she finds her release on the bed. Fuck, that’s hot. I run my hand down my face. I’m hard as fuck.
“You’re going to have to if you want to keep up with her,” Tom jokes, and it’s another round of easy laughter.
“You all right?” Ethan asks.
“Just work,” I answer and when I look up, Damon’s brow is arched, his phone tapping on the felt surface.
“Yeah, sometimes,” he says. “It would be nice to get a heads-up.” His tone is dry and I force the humor to stay in my chest at the realization that Damon just got a scene he probably wasn’t prepared for. Or Silas did and informed Damon.
Either way, it’s one more reason that they need to leave her to me.
“Just don’t go being quiet and ignoring us,” Ethan says.
Thomas agrees and I have to reassure them that it’s not going to happen. My phone vibrates in my lap.
Ella: Did I please you?
Zander: Always, my little bird. I’m looking forward to fucking your pretty little pussy tomorrow.
Ella: That makes two of us.
Zander: If ever I’m not with you and you want to enjoy yourself, I give you full permission to do so, understood?
Ella: Understood. Thank you, Z.
Zander: Are you going to sleep?
Ella: Yes. I’m so tired.
Zander: Sleep well and dream of me.
Ella: You too, Z. xoxo
“I mean it. You’re being weird again. Moving and not telling us until after.”
“It’s a girl, isn’t it?”
“Tell me it’s a girl, fucking please. God, just tell me you’re getting laid again,” Thomas groans and the guys laugh at my expense.
“I’m not ignoring you guys. Just …” I contemplate my next words. “Just a bit busy with a client and I had to make some last-minute arrangements.”
“Is ‘client’ a code word here for something else?” Ethan questions.
Running my thumb down my jaw, I decide to admit it. “Possibly, yeah.”
“Damn.”
“Holy shit.”
“She has you moving and everything?”
The guys make their comments and I let them, not giving them much information at all. Damon’s the only one who’s aware of my preferences.
It feels damn good for them to know about her, though.
“I’m just glad it’s a chick and you aren’t avoiding us again.”
“Not avoiding you, and let’s aim for every other week?” I offer and after a few comments while Thomas shuffles, we all agree to keep game night going.
I pulled away from everyone the hardest after Quincy died, and that’s why the card games were so erratic for a while there. It felt fucked up to think about sitting around the table pretending like I was all right when she was gone. It still feels a bit wrong, if I’m honest. The fact that I get to enjoy this, and she doesn’t, it’ll always carry a certain weight. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that withdrawing from your whole damn life is as good as being dead yourself.
That’s no way to live. Not for me, and especially not for Ella. She has to have her life back, and not just with me. All of it. Friends at her house. Dinners out as often as I can take her. A life.
It doesn’t take long, maybe an hour or so before my stomach growls and I realize I forgot about dinner. “Anybody else want pizza?”
“You didn’t order the pizza yet?” Damon shoots me a look. “Order it. Now.” He points me out of the room with a stab of his finger, and Alex laughs.