“You’ve stated your piece. Anything else?”

“No,” Leyton grumbled, and the line disconnected.

“Problems?” Jase asked.

“Not at all. Just my brother’s bodyguard stickin’ his nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Jase jerked when the man on his knees placed the measuring tape too close to the family jewels. “Keep it up. We’ll see how much of a workout your jaw can handle.”

Ashlynn laughed, meeting Jase’s amused gaze. It was in that moment that she knew this guy was going to somehow be important to her. She just didn’t know how exactly.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Without loyalty, what else is there?

Present day

Saturday, November 7th

“Did you hear from Marco yet?” Jase asked as soon as Leyton appeared in Ashlynn’s kitchen several hours later. The sun was peeking in through the wood blinds, brightening the room.

“No.” At least he didn’t think he had, but before he could do much more than exist, he needed coffee. He’d slept for shit last night, lying in Jase’s bed, using Jase’s pillow, thinking about Jase.

And Ashlynn.

And how they’d been in the next room and he wasn’t.

Rather than following his gut and going into her room to join them, Leyton had battled his needs for most of the night, tossing and turning while he ached to be with them. It was the right thing to do, he knew, but he still felt like shit after getting very little sleep. And Jase’s appearance, what they’d done … although fucking spectacular, it hadn’t helped Leyton’s exhaustion any.

He hadn’t expected Jase to come to him, but Leyton had welcomed him with open arms, never once second-guessing the opportunity that had presented itself. His mind still whirled when he thought about their encounter. Hell, he wanted a replay right there in the fucking kitchen, but he also knew that wouldn’t happen. Not yet.

“If you’re lookin’ for coffee, it’s over there.” Jase nodded to the far side of the kitchen.

“Thanks.” Sparing a quick glance in Jase’s direction, Leyton took him in from head to toe. He was wearing jeans and a faded, navy blue Henley, his hair still wet from his shower. He immediately thought about Jase on his knees, peering up at him while he’d sucked Leyton’s dick like a pro last night in the garage, followed closely by the memory of being lodged deep in Jase’s ass, fucking him until the pleasure had been more than he could bear.

Pouring coffee into a mug that was conveniently sitting on the counter, Leyton tried to scrub the mental images from his brain by thinking about Moroso and the fact that Leyton had to reach out to him again if he hadn’t already returned his call. Cup in hand, Leyton turned and leaned against the granite counter. “Where’s Ashlynn?”

“Getting ready. She’ll be down in a minute.”

“I’m here,” she announced as she stepped into the room.

Leyton glanced over at her.

Lord. Help. Him.

She was wearing a red dress that looked as though it were painted on. She was covered from neck to wrist and down to mid-thigh, but her long legs were the first thing his gaze strayed to. Another image popped into his head, this one of those long legs wrapped around Jase’s lean hips as the two of them made love in Ashlynn’s bed. He’d been mesmerized by the sight, watching Jase’s ass as he thrust into her over and over and… Leyton had wanted to be Jase, to have the pleasure of being buried deep inside Ashlynn. So deep.

“Will you be ready?”

Leyton snapped out of it, only to find Ashlynn looking at him. Her eyes reflected amusement, but she wasn’t smiling. Yep, she’d busted him.

“Ready?” he questioned.

“To talk to Max? We need to get this figured out. I’ve got another meeting to get to this afternoon.”

“With who?” he asked, sipping his coffee and stepping out of the way as she approached.

His eyes slid down to her ass, and he wondered whether or not she was wearing panties beneath that sexy dress.

“Erik Roberts. Not that it’s any of your business.” She poured coffee into another mug, then turned to Jase. “We’re meeting with him at two.”

“Not sure that’s a wise idea,” Jase said, drawing Leyton’s attention.

“It’s nonnegotiable.” Ashlynn regarded them both warily. “I’m not puttin’ my life on hold for this. If I show any fear whatsoever, I’ll be as good as dead, anyway. That’s why I suggest we go to Moroso, get this shit handled once and for all.”

Leyton didn’t want to argue with her. Not now. Max had a way of persuading Ashlynn to do what he wanted her to do, so he’d leave it up to the boss to talk to her. But first, he needed to have something to relay to Max before he called him with an update.

“We’re not goin’ to visit Moroso,” he stated firmly.

“Then I’m ready when you are,” Jase said, getting to his feet.

“For what?” Leyton peered between the two of them. “I just said—”

“We’re goin’ to your place, remember? Or that’s what you said last night, anyway.”

Right. His place. To figure this shit out.

“Or did you forget?” Ashlynn asked, her tone sweet. “I can see how that could happen. Fucking Jase’s ass and all. Throws you off course, doesn’t it?”

At the sink, Leyton rinsed his coffee mug and placed it in the dish drainer, his dick hardening at those words. Ashlynn didn’t move from her position, and he didn’t bother to answer her. She was toying with him again. Had she watched them together? Or had Jase told her what had happened?

Either way, she didn’t sound upset, which he was grateful for.

When he looked up, he noticed she was eyeing him speculatively. “Somethin’ wrong?” he asked.

She smiled, but this grin put Leyton on edge. “Not at all.”

Great. Just what he didn’t need … Ashlynn in a mischievous mood.

After last night, he hadn’t expected her to simply pretend that nothing had happened between them, but he was hoping they’d go about their business and not make a big deal out of it. It had been a moment of weakness, one he didn’t intend to repeat. Not until he could work through what they wanted from one another and how he was going to broach the subject with Max. If it came to that.

Which reminded him… “One thing,” Leyton said, glancing between the two of them. “What happened last night… It’d be best if Max never knew that happened.”

“Which part?” Ashlynn’s eyes glittered with mischief. “You licking me? Or you fucking Jase?”

Leyton narrowed his eyes at her. He didn’t think he needed to dignify that with an answer.

The corner of Ashlynn’s mouth tipped up, her eyes narrowing. “Fine. He won’t hear it from me.”

Ashlynn rinsed her cup in the sink, then proceeded to move past him. When she reached the door, she tossed him a glance over her shoulder. “But don’t think it won’t happen again. You’ll be wastin’ your time if you do.”

With that, she left them both in the kitchen.

“I agree with her.”

Leyton flinched when Jase’s voice sounded so close to his ear. The man was standing directly behind him, and Leyton hadn’t even seen him move. When Jase’s hands landed on Leyton’s hips, he sucked in a breath. There was something about the man’s touch, something that unhinged him. It had been unexpected earlier, when they’d been together. It stirred something deep inside him, and it wasn’t mere lust, either.

“We’ll be doin’ that again real soon.” Jase pressed up against Leyton’s back. “Only next time, my dick will be in your ass.”

Leyton didn’t respond as Jase shuffled past, going in the same direction Ashlynn had gone.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath as he resigned himself to being tormented by these two.

He smiled to himself. He guessed it could be worse.

Although he wasn’t exactly sure how.

An hour and a half later, Leyton was in his home office, perched on the corner of his desk. Ashlynn was sitting on the sofa, Aidan and Madison each in the matching chairs, Jase and Rock standing at the door, while Max, Brent, and Victor joined them via telephone. For the first time in a long time, everyone was intently interested in the topic, concerned as to how they were going to handle this.