Blackmailing Benjamin (Full Trilogy) (7 page)
Read Blackmailing Benjamin (Full Trilogy) Online
Authors: Ophelia Bell
Belonging to Benjamin: Chapter 5
I
t had to be the craziest scheme Ben had concocted in his entire life, rivaling some of the pranks he’d pulled on Kat when they were kids. He couldn’t imagine the two of them would say no—at least not with the speech he had in mind.
The plan had taken him a week to work out once he’d made the decision to go through with it. But he intended to do it right, so he went all out. The easy part was getting the money without asking Andre. He still had access to the rainy day fund he and Kat had saved while living with Andre after they’d first gotten together, so he dipped into that, just about cleaning it out. Money mattered less to the three of them than staying together, so he felt little guilt over spending such a sum on his plan. The two of them were worth it.
The expensive restaurant was easy, too, along with the few palms he had to grease to ensure everything went smoothly once the three of them were there.
The tricky part was coming up with a ruse to get them dressed up and agree they deserved a night out together. Ultimately he relied on Andre for that. It was Kat’s birthday, and the first time the three of them would be together for a birthday of theirs.
Andre had started asking Ben for gift ideas weeks earlier, but Ben brushed him off with the excuse that his gifts for Kat over the years had usually been for the purpose of revenge. Eventually, he dropped the hint that Kat might like to really celebrate with a fancy dinner like her dad used to have for her when she was younger. Planting that small seed was all he needed to do, along with offering to handle the reservations in Andre’s name if Andre handled the bill and agreed to take care of surprising Kat.
The night couldn’t be going any better if he’d tried, either. Kat looked dazzling in a slinky silver cocktail dress, her dark curls sweeping over her pale, bare shoulders. He and Andre were both in designer suits, which Andre had insisted on paying for. Ben was grateful for that, since he’d spent just about all he had available already.
They were all a little tipsy from their drinks. Kat and Andre were the happiest he’d seen them since they’d moved back in together at the beginning of the summer. The last few months had been the happiest of Ben’s life, too. There was just one more thing he had to do to make sure it stuck this time.
His heart pounded as he made the subtle signal to their waiter. He scooted a little closer to Kat, pressing his lips lightly against her shoulder to try to calm himself enough to get the words out that needed to be said.
Her laugh tickled his eardrums as she cupped his chin and kissed him back. “This is the best birthday ever,” she said, smiling brightly.
“It’s not over yet,” he said.
The waiter arrived as though on cue, setting down three bubbling flutes of champagne and leaving the bottle in a bucket at the edge of their private booth.
Kat was too giddy to notice, but Andre’s sharp gaze rarely missed a thing. His blue eyes widened when he picked up his champagne, his brows raised in a question.
Ben quirked his lips and squeezed Kat’s thigh to silence her.
“There’s something I need to tell you guys,” he said in a serious tone.
Kat’s expression clouded. Her gaze remained fixed on him while she toyed with the stem of her glass, still unaware of what was transpiring.
“You’d better not be leaving,” she said.
“Nothing like that. The last few months have been a dream come true for me after being apart. All my fault, of course.”
“I disagree,” Kat said. “All
Linette’s
fault. I stopped blaming you months ago, Ben.”
“Fine, but I think we all agree that we don’t want something like that to happen again, right?”
He paused, trying to remember all the words he’d so painstakingly rehearsed over the last week, but they’d deserted him entirely. The moment was upon him now.
And they were looking at him, expectant. Andre’s smile widened as he caught on, but Kat only looked at him like he’d just said the most obvious thing in the world.
“Ah, Christ, you guys. I think we should get married. Be careful drinking your champagne, Kat.”
Kat’s mouth dropped open in shock and she finally looked at her glass. She held it up to the light. “Holy shit, Ben. Boy does this ever make up for all those lumps of coal you put in my Christmas stocking when we were kids.”
She tilted the glass back and swallowed its contents, until the ring clinked against the rim and she caught it neatly between her teeth.
“What about Andre?” she asked.
Andre raised his own glass in a silent toast to Ben and tossed it back. Ben was worried he’d actually swallowed the ring, when Andre grinned and opened his mouth, the large, shining band hooked on the end of his tongue. He plucked it off and slid it onto his finger.
“That’s a ‘yes’, in case you were wondering,” Andre said. “But I think you’ve forgotten a key detail regarding legality here. You might get yourself kicked out of law school if you’re not careful, babe.”
Ben waved a hand. “Not worried about that. I just want you guys to have no doubts about my commitment in this. I think the two of you
should
make it legal at some point, but these rings are my way for all three of us to have a constant reminder of that commitment. Like you said when I first got to D.C, Andre—you two make me whole. I’m never giving that up again.”
He swallowed his own drink and fished out his ring, a perfect match to theirs. The jeweler had crafted the rings from layers of three different metals, the swirls of the pattern mesmerizing to him in the candlelight. He’d tell them the story of commissioning the rings later. Tonight, he just needed to be with them.
Kat stared down at her ring with a frown. “This is nice, Ben, but I won’t say yes until you do something for me. Both of you, actually.”
“Anything,” he and Andre said simultaneously.
“If you’re going to make a commitment, it needs to be more permanent. Matching tattoos should do it. And I get to choose where they go.”
“Put that ring on and you have a deal,” Ben said.
“Gladly.” Kat grinned at him, and a bubble of laughter rose up in her chest. She threw her head back and nearly howled with mirth over something.
Ben and Andre both stared at her like she’d gone nuts.
“Oh, your mother is going to
hate
this!”
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About Ophelia Bell
From fantasy erotica to sci-fi and contemporary, exploring the baser urges of the human psyche is what gets Ophelia Bell going. There’s nothing more beautiful than two people (or three, or four… or more!) lost in the throes of ecstasy. Skin on skin, urgent whispered pleas, the scent of sex and the salty taste of sweat. Nothing is more yummy than a good, juicy erotic story. If you have the same mindset you’ll love reading these books as much as she loves writing them.
Ophelia Bell spends her time in sunny Southern California with her very supportive husband and four attention-whoring cats.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.
Blackmailing Benjamin Trilogy
Copyright © 2014 Ophelia Bell
Cover Art Designed by Ophelia Bell
Photograph Copyrights ©DepositPhotos.com
Published by Animus Press
UNITED STATES