He’s intense. Watching me like I’ve already said something important, even though I haven’t uttered a word.
“You were unreal today.” He squints like he can see inside my brain. “The way you bare your soul, I have no idea how you do it.”
I know I should be used to compliments, especially from the McGloughlin twins, but increasingly Liam’s words don’t feel casual. They land somewhere low, between my ribs, and unfurl.
He leans back, beanie low, curls escaping the sides. His black tee clings to his pecs, tattoos crisscross over thick, veined forearms. He looks like memory and prophecy at once.
Liam’s held Linus’s heart for years. We’ve shaped our bodies and desires around the space he left. Now he’s in front of me, flesh and breath, unaware he was never erased.
Only missed. Only waited for.
I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, trying to will myself to stay in the moment with him.
“You weren’t stealth.” I take a bite of salad. “I saw you watching.”
“You always catch me.” He smirks.
It’s true. Every time we play the same bill, I find him in the crowd. Face unreadable. Posture tense like a held chord. Scrutinizing me with singular focus, like he wants to memorize my breath patterns.
You caught me first, I think to myself.
He spears a piece of chicken. “You’re easy to watch.”
“Oh yeah?” I laugh. “So are you.”
Our flirtation has been building for weeks. A look. A compliment. The way he always finds a reason to hovernear my sound check. I’m not naïve to the effect he has. Liam doesn’t throw himself at people. He doesn’t charm. He observes. Broods. Draws you in by holding back.
God, does it work.
Linus noticed before I did. How often Liam came up in conversation. How my gaze always drifted toward the stage when he was near. He isn’t threatened. He understands. Encourages it. He knows Liam and I forging our own bond is important if we’re gonna pull this off.
About a week ago in Paris, Linus had me on all fours, a vibrator pulsing deep in my pussy while he fucked my ass with his cock.
“You think about him when we fuck?”
My wail was the only answer he needed.
He thrusted deeper. “Me too. I see the way he looks at you when he thinks no one’s watching. Do you know how hard I get knowing you’re spending time together while I’m handling business. I’m not jealous, baby. I’m counting down the days until this is real.”
“When it’s all of us?” I whispered, pushing back against him.
“Aye.” His hand snaked around to stroke my clit. “I want to see you ride him. Want to be buried in your ass while he fills your pussy.”
“Yes,” I squeezed around him, coming intensely. “I’ll give you everything. I want him to see how good you fuck me. I want to watch him fuck you. I want it all.”
“He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s ours.” Linus grimaced as he erupted inside me.
Good gravy. I’m soaking wet. So aroused I consider running to the bathroom to make myself come.
Liam stabs another bite, then sets his fork down. His hand slides across the table. Hesitates. Then closes around mine.
It’s warm. Rough. Callused.
I don’t move as he studies our hands like they’re something familiar. My heart races. I bite my lip until it bleeds,pretending I don’t want to climb into his lap and ride him until we both forget our own names.
“Can I ask you something?” I say, mainly to distract myself.
He nods, thumb stroking along the inside of my wrist.
