Vengeance (The Protectors 5)

“Get dressed,” I said, ignoring the look of hope that filled his gaze.

I doubted hope would be enough to fix the cluster fuck we had somehow found ourselves in.

* * *

Phoenix was standing by the apartment door when we arrived. His dark eyes held mine as Brennan and I approached, but before I could say anything he said, “I’ll be in the car.” His dismissive tone should have bothered me, but it didn’t because I deserved it and more. And I was glad he’d sided with Tristan on this. Because after all was said and done, Tristan had been the one who’d gotten hurt.

I heard the sound of a piano long before Brennan opened the door. I remembered Tristan’s comment about the piano helping him forget. I hated knowing I was one of the things he now wanted to forget.

I followed Brennan into the living room and stilled at the sight of Tristan sitting behind a huge piano that was on an elevated section of the living room and against the floor to ceiling window. I kept my eyes on Tristan as I went around one side of the piano and Brennan went around the other. We met up so we were each standing on one side of the piano and I stood there just watching Tristan play. Tears were streaking down his cheeks and while he seemed focused on the music, I could tell he wasn’t lost in it completely because his playing became almost frantic the longer we stood there. I also suspected he was struggling to play with his splinted finger and even to my untrained ear, I knew he was missing some notes here and there. But even with all he was going through, the music was still beautiful and him even more so.

I watched as Brennan approached the bench and reached out to run his fingers over Tristan’s hair. Tristan squeezed his eyes closed as more tears fell and I heard him suck in a harsh sob. Brennan lowered himself until he was straddling the bench next to Tristan and he put his arms around Tristan’s shoulders. I barely heard his whispered apology above the music, but a moment later, Tristan stopped playing and brought his hand up to close around the arm that was resting against his collar bone. I watched the two young men press their heads together and I felt an invisible pull drawing me forward until I was straddling the bench on Tristan’s opposite side.

Even though Tristan clung to Brennan’s arm, his eyes opened and settled on me and I felt completely lost.

I wanted so much in that moment…too much.

I wanted to take Tristan’s pain away. I wanted to beg Brennan not to choose Tristan over me. I wanted him not to choose me over Tristan.

Tristan was sucking in deep breaths as he tried to get control of himself and I could hear Brennan murmuring in his ear that everything was going to be okay. Part of me felt like an interloper as I watched them hold on to each other and part of me never wanted to stop. They were so beautiful together that it made me ache deep inside.

But I saw the moment the comforting shifted to something more intense and I felt a shiver of excitement run through me. The only place I was actually touching Tristan was where my knee was pressing against his leg, but I still felt everything that was happening between the two young men. And I wanted it…

I wanted it just as badly as I wanted to be touching them myself. So when Brennan’s eyes shifted to me and I saw the unspoken question there, I didn’t hesitate to give him my permission. His eyes clouded over with lust and I felt my cock harden in response.

How many times had I been in this same exact position with Drake? Me watching him and whatever toy he’d brought home for the night. But he’d never once asked my permission before taking what he wanted. And I’d certainly never been excited at the prospect of watching him give to someone else what he should have only wanted to share with me.

I didn’t even realize I’d shifted closer to Tristan on the small bench until I felt his outer thigh brushing my leg. I watched as Brennan pulled back from Tristan enough so that their eyes met and I sensed the instant Tristan realized things had changed from comforting to more. Tristan’s right hand was resting on his leg, but just as Brennan leaned in to take a taste of him, his hand found its way to my thigh. I covered it with mine, careful not to put any pressure on his injured finger. I hadn’t expected to be included in their first kiss, but it was almost like I felt what Tristan was feeling, because his fingertips pressed into my leg when Brennan’s mouth brushed over his.