Layers: Book One (25 page)

“Well, you’re here now, and Henry and I will take care of you, Princess. Let’s take your things up to the guest room, and then we’ll have a little sit-down.”

A little sit-down with Marco means we’ll talk and get smashed.

We arrange my things then sit in the front room. He goes to the bar and pours us a drink, my favorite whiskey—Black Label.

I love this man. I met Marco years ago when we were both living in London. It was love at first sight, for me. When he told me he was gay, I cried for days. I know what you’re thinking—got gaydar? It wasn’t my lack of gaydar, it was his lack of obvious gayness. We touch glasses and sit on a soft overstuffed leather sofa.

“I’m so sorry, Marco. I would have stayed at Jules’, but she already subleased her apartment. That bitch.”

“Yeah, didn’t see that one coming…our Jules moving in with a guy.”

“I know, I think the earth must have rocked off its axis. Tell me your true—first impression of Nick.”

“Ken—specifically Malibu.”

I laugh. “Ditto.”

“So how long will Jules and Nick be living in Miami?”

“Three or four months. She wants us to fly down next week.

“I‘m game if you are,” he says, then taps his glass to mine.

“Are you sure? You just got back from Italy.”

“You know me, I never pass up a trip.”

“I’m sorry I missed your anniversary, but I’m happy that you two had such a wonderful stay at the villa.”

“I can’t thank you enough for letting us stay there. You know how much we love Florence. It was the perfect anniversary.”

“I haven’t been to Villa Lex in over four years. I’m glad that you and Henry are able to stay there several times a year.”

“One of these days, you’re going to have to give it a proper name.”

“You don’t like La Villa Lex?” I say with a pout.

He rolls his eyes.

“I’ve fuckin’ missed you,” I say as tears fill my eyes.

“Princess, I’m worried about you. I’ve never seen you cry so much.”

I wipe my eyes. “I know…I can’t stop them. It’s so not me.”

He refills our drinks. “Okay girlfriend, let’s hear it.”

“Marco, I’ve fucked everything up, and I don’t know what I’m going to do about it.”

“Have you talked to Jaxson since we talked this morning?”

“No, I sent him several texts and voice mails, but he hasn’t responded.”

“He’ll call back. He just needs time. His whole world is whacked right now.”

“I know, and believe me I don’t want to add to the mess. I’m just so damn mad about this leak. They all signed a freakin’ contract.”

“Princess, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think its time you took care of things. You can’t let your relationship with Jaxson go on until you do.”

“I know, I shouldn’t have let things get so serious until after I’d settled things. When I signed off on the house arrest, I knew it would be hard for us to remain just friends, but I wasn’t planning on us getting so involved. I have a hard time breathing without him. God, Marco, what if he wants to end us?”

“Jaxson Ryan is head over feet in love with you. He just needs some time to get his life in order.”

“I need to get on with my life, Marco. But I’d hoped that I would have a bit more time. I don’t think I’m ready yet. Fuck the fucking press and the Ryan partners.”

My stomach growls

“I think I need to feed you before that happens again. ”

We eat a wonderful meal. I push my plate away.

“That was the best meal I’ve had in months. I can’t eat another bite.”

“Well, you know I enjoy cooking for you, Princess.”

“I know I lost weigh over the last couple of months. Lester is a wonderful man and an incredible baker, but he’s a god-awful cook. A couple of weeks ago he made meatless Shepherd’s pie.”

“Good God, I don’t even know what that is, and I’m a chef. Anything with ‘herd’ in it can’t be good.”

“Exactly. I had that very same thought. Uncanny.”

Two hours later, Henry joins us.

Now remember I said I’d cried when I found out Marco was gay. Well, the entire city of New York wept when Henry married Marco—and not happy tears.

The man is so virile—pheromones weep from his pores. A person could have multiple orgasms from just being near him.

I’ve never participated in a threesome, but if they asked me, I’d run to the bed and spread my thighs. I’ve had this on-going fantasy—that they asked me to bear them a child and It takes months—no years before I get pregnant. A girl can dream.

“Hey, beautiful,” Henry says in greeting and pulls me into him.

I breathe him in, as his muscular arms surround me. I moan internally, and let me tell you, this took years of practice to master. We part, and again I moan—internally. Then he pulls Marco into his arms and they kiss—hard and long. I moan—externally. Okay, so I haven’t completely mastered it. They are just so fucking hot. I get dizzy with need just watching them.

I drop back down onto the sofa before I pass out.

Henry picks up an empty bottle of Black Label. He raises his brow. “It looks like the party started without me. You two do realize it’s only half past four?”

Marco and I look at each other. “And that’s a problem?” we ask simultaneously. Then we crack up.

Henry rolls his eyes. “You two must have been twins in another life.”

“I’ve always thought so,” I add.

Henry hands me the ‘Times.’ “Marco said you already knew about the paper.”

I look at my picture on the second page of the business section. “You’d think they could have found a better picture. My ass looks huge. What do you think?” I hand the paper to Marco.

“Definitely…not very flattering.”

“Marco,” Henry scolds.

“What? If Lex didn’t want the truth she wouldn’t have asked me.”

“He’s right, Henry. I count on him to be completely honest with me. If he doesn’t, I’ll know he’s not telling the truth, because I can all but read his mind.”

“Freaky, if you ask me,” Henry replies.

“Whatever,” Marco and I say simultaneously again.” We laugh.

Henry rolls his eyes again. “Dinner?” he asks Marco.

“Leftovers in the fridge.”

Henry rubs his hands together. ”Yippie, leftovers.”

Marco gives him a stern look.

“Okay, leftovers it is,” Henry says and walks into the kitchen area.

“Hey, let me look at that picture again.” Marco hands the paper back to me.

“I’ve seen this exact photo before.”

“Where?” he asks.

“Remember I told you about the pictures and e-mails that were sent to me at Ryan?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, this is one of the photos.”

“How did it end up in the paper?”

“Good question. Jaxson told me he’d locked them in the safe in his office.”

“Is he the only one that has access to it?”

“That’s what I had assumed. ”

“You don’t think he leaked it do you?”

“I don’t know what to think Marco. I’m so confused over the whole thing. Something about the whole embezzlement set up just seems off to me. I haven’t been able to shake this feeling that Jaxson’s not telling me everything.”

Marco raises a brow.

“Okay…I know, the pot calling the kettle black and all that. Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

“Okay, we don’t have to.” He stands and takes a bottle out of the liquor cabinet.

“Another Black Label?”

“Yeah, let’s get smashed.”

“Let’s,” I answer.

Henry soon joins us and an hour later one of us is smashed, the other two—still working on it.

“I’zz never knownz twoz peoples thatz can drinks likes yuv twozz,” he slurs.

Marco and I smile at each other. Henry’s a bit of a lightweight, but we still love him.

“One morez of yuv weird connectionesses,” he slur-pouts.

“I’m not sure about our connectionesses, but we do have a weird connection,” I say with a smile.

“I love yuv guys.” He drunk-pouts.

“We love you too.” Marco smirks.

“Oh, I almost forgot your anniversary gift. I better show you before one of you passes out. And you know who you are—Henry.”

I go to the entry closet and grab my bag and take out an envelope. I walk back into the front room and hand it to Marco. “Happy anniversary. I wanted to give it to you in person, so it’s a bit late.”

Marco gives me a half smile. “Lex, what is this?”

“Go sit next to your man and open it.”

Marco sits next to Henry and opens it and removes the documents. They both look at it, or at least Marco does. I watch, as their eyes grow big. Marco looks up with tears in his eyes.

“Princess you can’t do this.”

“Hey, I’m a princess and I can do whatever the hell I want. Marco, you and Henry love the villa. And I love you, so the deed is yours. Besides, it’s about time it gets a proper name.

“Fucks mes.” Henry adds. And we all laugh.

A week later…

“Are you okay?” Jules asks me as I rejoin her and Marco by the pool.

“You’ve been puking your guts out all week.”

“Better, now that I have no more guts.”

“Do you think you have the stomach flu?” Marco asks with concern.

“I don’t think so. I think I just have a bad case of food poisoning. I ate a spinach salad at the airport and I haven’t felt well since. Where did Nick and Henry go?”

“Golfing,” Marco answers.

“I didn’t know Henry could golf.”

They both pull down their sunglasses and give me that
duh
look.

“Is there anything he can’t do?” I ask.

“I haven’t found one yet, “ Marco smirks.

“Did you tell Lex, that you…”

Marco cuts Jules off and shakes his head.

“Okay, tell me what?”

“Jules, you have the biggest mouth,” Marco huffs.

“You are the only guy that’s ever complained about the size of my mouth.”

I roll my eyes behind my sunglasses—for sure Marco, joined me.

“Just tell me—I’m a big girl.”

“Jaxson came into Polo yesterday—for lunch” Marco answers.

“Well, the man does eat and he likes your restaurants.”

“But, there are like thousands of restaurants in the city” Jules adds.

I bite the baited hook. “So how did he look?”

“Good.” Marco answers.

“Of course he did.” I pout. “And I know he didn’t ask about me. I must have left him twenty message and texted him fifty times. He doesn’t want anything to do with me, and I don’t blame him. He said he didn’t know about us, so he’s done.”

“Well, then he’s the stupidest and biggest asstard ever.”

“Thanks Jules. But I’m the asstard.”

“I said he looked good—I didn’t say happy,” Marco adds.

“Let’s just not talk about him. This is the first morning that I haven’t woken up without a cry hangover, and if we continue to talk about him, I’ll be crying all day again.”

“Okay princess, we won’t talk about him unless you want to.”

“Thanks, Marco.”

“Jules, my dear,” Marco says. “Thanks again for having us. Nick has a beautiful home.”

“Well it’s not Villa Marco and Henry, but I guess it will do.”

“Jules,” I huff.

“I’m not jealous or anything,” she teases.

She so is.

We lounge by the pool for a while. By noon we’d had enough of the sun so we move our little party to the veranda and read our Kindles.

“Uggggg” Jules cries, as she snaps the cover of her Kindle shut.

“What?” I ask.

“This damn book it’s so frustrating. The man is the biggest asswad.
Ever
. The woman is all but begging him to fuck her. But does he? Nooo! He won’t even kiss her. If I wanted to read a Austin novel, I would have downloaded an Austin novel.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

“It is” she says and picks up her Kindle and turns it on. “Listen.” Jules reads from her Kindle.

“I’m so mad at you I can barely see straight,” he says as he clenches his fists and paces like a caged bull.

“I’m so sorry John. Please forgive me. Please. John, I love you.”

“You love me!” he shouts.

“John, please, I need you. Please just hold me,” she whimpers.

He gives her a look filled with hate and disbelief. “I can’t believe you just asked me that.”