Night is Darkest Read online

  She moaned around Ty’s girth. The wrinkled sac of his balls drew taut against her upper lip.

  “Oh, yeah.” He threw in a light lick on the tip of her clit for good measure. “You like that, don’t you? You’re such a naughty girl—loving being fucked by a turkey baster in the middle of your kitchen. Aren’t you? The blinds are open, you know. What would Mr. Anderson think if he caught a peek?”

  Her hum of acknowledgement inspired another curse from his direction. The taboo component of his actions ratcheted her arousal even higher just as he must have planned. The dual penetration of his finger and the cooking utensil filled her to bursting. In desperation, she attempted to urge him to match her increasing tempo as she continued to massage his cock with her tongue and her oral muscles.

  The tapered section of the implement tunneled deeper, enlarging her rings of muscle to accommodate it. When it lodged fully in her pussy, Ty dipped his head then feathered a light breath across her clit.

  She tried to beg but the bulk of his throbbing erection overflowing her mouth garbled her request. It didn’t matter. Ty knew what she needed. His tongue traced the valley of her slit, circling the tight bundle of nerves at the top, nearly launching her into orgasm. A moment later his lips surrounded her clit. She had to squeeze her eyes shut to concentrate on keeping her teeth away from his shaft.

  Her nails dug into the backs of his thighs as she grabbed for an anchor in an attempt to force her aching flesh closer to the source of her overwhelming pleasure. Lights danced behind her lids. In her mind, angels sang the hallelujah chorus when his amazing tongue flicked across her clit in the perfect counterpoint to his rhythmic nibbles.

  When she thought she couldn’t stand another minute stretched tight on the rack of desire he’d transformed the kitchen island into, he began to thrust his finger and the baster in harmony with the delights provided by his mouth. She writhed beneath him, relishing the press of his ribs and the way his abdomen teased her nipples.

  The veins in his cock bulged as it grew even harder, longer, in her mouth a moment before she tasted the seductive musk of his precum. When he attempted to withdraw she refused to let him retreat, instead redoubling her efforts to make him erupt first.

  “Shit! If that’s the way you want to play, baby…” Tyler twisted the plastic barrel until it undulated against the rough patch just over her pubic bone, trapping it between the two hard surfaces. She didn’t stand a chance. Pleasure washed over her, bathing every nerve ending in her body with delight. The reflexive swallows of her throat matched the spasming muscles in her pussy as her climax crashed through her.

  Tyler chanted her name against her clit as his seed flooded her throat.

  When Lacey came to her senses, he was layering butterfly kisses along her thighs. She stroked his powerful flank. In response, he stood then smiled down at her as he tucked himself back in his jeans and finished arranging his clothes. He hopped over the shards of pottery on the floor, came to stand between her knees and pulled her upright until her head lay on his shoulder. Lightheaded, either from the intensity of her orgasm or from her reclined position, she welcomed his solid embrace.

  “You know, I’ve probably imagined being with you more than a million times.” His husky whisper fanned his breath over her ear. “But I never came close to understanding how phenomenal it would be to finally have you. Would it freak you out if I dropped the L-bomb right now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, then I won’t. Yet.”

  She didn’t expect his reaction as he reached around to hug her.

  “What the hell?”

  Curious, she turned to see the palm he held out for inspection. Covered in red sauce after touching her back, she realized they’d made quite a mess when they had each other for dessert.

  “Oops.” She chuckled. “I guess we have some cleaning up to do.”

  “It looks like you took the brunt of the damage. Why don’t you head upstairs and shower while I get things in order down here?” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “Make it a long shower. Maybe I’ll catch up with you.”

  “Deal.” He placed a sweet kiss on her lips with easy familiarity that meant more to her than a hundred orgasms. Even the earth-shattering kind. Being with Tyler like this felt right.

  He set her on the floor away from the unfortunate bowl then gave her ass a light smack. “Don’t get me started again. Go on. I’ll be up as soon as I take care of this and plug in the call catcher.”

  The reminder of trouble caused her to flinch.

  “Shit. Sorry, Lacey. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’ll only take me a few minutes then I’ll help you get to sleep.” She had no doubt about how he intended to do that. Looking around one last time, she hoped the hot water lasted. Sauce had flown everywhere. It puddled on the counter, smeared on the wall and splattered across the floor.

  At the far end of the hallway, she spotted an oversized gym bag abandoned in the middle of the floor. She flicked a glance over her shoulder as they made their way toward the front stairway.

  “You presumed I’d invite you to stay?” she teased.

  “Well, uh, Mason sort of kicked me out.”

  “You’re fighting?” The guys never argued for longer than it took to land a few blows. Then they’d move on like nothing had happened. “Over what?”

  He didn’t answer.

  Oh, shit. “Over me?” She stopped dead and pivoted to face him.

  “Now who’s being presumptuous, little one?” He tweaked her nose with his index finger.

  Heat rose to her cheeks.

  “I’ll sleep on the couch if I’m not welcome in your bed.”

  Was it her imagination or was his teasing an attempt to cover his wounded tone? She placed her hand on his biceps then squeezed. “Of course you’re welcome. I’d love to snuggle with you. The truth is, Tyler…I’m so glad you’re here.”

  He turned with brisk efficiency to gather his belongings, but not before she saw the moisture in his eyes. What was going on?

  “I’m glad I am, too. Now, go ahead. This should be a quick job. I just need to plug it in then activate the device on the department’s website. It’s alright if I use your computer quick?”

  She wondered if he had latched on to any excuse to stall in order to prevent questions about his reaction. “Actually, the stupid thing got hit with a virus this afternoon. But I suppose you could start up Rob’s if you disconnect it from our network first. Hopefully, it should still be clean. My mind was on…other things. I must have clicked something I shouldn’t have.”

  “What do you mean?” His instant focus singed her with its intensity.

  “There’s a reporter who keeps leaving me messages. She must have been pissed that I haven’t called her back. She seemed kind of desperate. I opened an email from her and, next thing I know, my hard drive is whacked.”

  “How do you know the message was from this woman?” Tyler’s cop face masked the vulnerable features of her lover.

  “It had the same subject. We need to talk.”

  Mason tried to convince himself the current situation warranted the perimeter check he conducted on the Daughtry house but, deep down, he admitted his late night stroll had a lot less to do with security than his need to catch a glimpse of Tyler and Lacey. He didn’t expect to find anything out of place. The more he and Ty dug, the more it seemed Rob’s murder had really been a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, no matter what their guts insisted.

  Maybe suspecting foul play had helped them rationalize the tragedy. Hunting leads might have been his equivalent of Lacey’s frantic funeral arrangements. He’d never doubted his intuition before, but every place they’d looked for clues had turned up exactly nothing.

  Helpless, he accepted that he’d failed Rob. Now, he missed Tyler after just hours apart and the invitation he’d seen in Lacey’s eyes the past few days haunted him. He paused to kick a rock out of the path into the trunk of the oak where they’d built forts in elementar
y school.

  With a sigh, he braced his shoulders against the bark then dropped his head back to stare up at the stars. Why did bad shit always happen to good people? Rob had been the best of them. Generous, rock solid and fun to be around, he’d never have begrudged his best friends a relationship. Even if it left him the odd man out.

  But that was just another example of how Rob had been a better man than him.

  He had to quit moping and focus on something useful. There were more places he could canvass for witnesses. Some of the seedier nightclubs near the crime scene would be hitting their peak soon. If he hurried, he could make it across town to interview anyone willing to talk. For the right price.

  Mason shoved off the tree—intending to cut across the backyard—when he noticed the kitchen light beamed like a beacon in the night, exposing anyone inside to prying eyes. He flipped open his cell to call Ty and give him hell about leaving the curtains open when a crimson smear sent terror spinning through his guts.

  Dropping to a crouch, he snuck from cover to cover until he’d made his way close enough to discern a trail of blood on the wall. A large splotch at the top continued with streaks beneath like someone gushing blood had slammed against it then slid down when they could no longer stand. Broken dishes littered the floor. Two of the stools had been knocked over. There had clearly been a struggle inside.

  Instead of panic, or fear, ice cold rage honed his instincts. Whatever bastard had done this would not get away with hurting another one of his friends. He couldn’t stand to lose someone else he loved. Please let them be okay.

  If the attacker still occupied the far side of the kitchen, he’d never make it up to the back door without being spotted. Especially since the top stair had creaked for years.

  Mason ensured he remained out of the line of sight, tucked close against the house, staying below the windows. He had to act fast. Gun drawn, he swung over the banister on the side of the porch then crept to the front door. After a quick sweep below the mat, he cursed his luck. The one time Lacey had actually listened to their advice and removed the key, he needed it.

  Fuck! So much for stealth.

  He wrapped the knuckles of one hand in his shirt, took a deep breath then punched out the front door’s sidelight. In a flash, he’d reached around, flipped the lock and stepped through. A muffled curse from the office drew his attention like a neon sign. He swung around, gun aimed at the moron attempting to hide under Rob’s desk. God help him if he was the one who’d hurt Ty or Lacey.

  Please let them be okay.

  Mason rushed into the study and yelled, “Don’t move! Police!”

  The man under the desk banged his head hard as he straightened in alarm. “Have you lost your fucking mind, Clark?”

  Ty backed out from beneath the desk with a network cable clutched in his hand. His face screwed into a mask of disbelief as he massaged the knot that must have been forming there.

  Uneven thumps echoed on the stairs behind him as Lacey joined the ruckus. “Oh my God. Ty? What happened to the door? I thought I heard something from in the shower!”

  She stood dripping all over the hardwood floor, dressed in a scrap of terrycloth. Caught between them, Mason nearly got whiplash looking back and forth. They were definitely not injured.

  He addressed Ty. “You’re okay?”

  “I was until you charged in here like a maniac! I’m getting damn sick of people pointing guns at me today!”

  A delicate hand landed on Mason’s forearm, pushing until he realized he still aimed at Tyler. He flipped the safety on, then tucked the gun in his waistband. While Mason waited for the ringing in his ears to fade, Ty made his way over to their sides. Mason caught the bewildered glance the other two exchanged.

  “What the hell happened to the kitchen?” he demanded.

  “Um…” Lacey blushed.

  Tyler put his arm around her soaking wet shoulders and said, “We got a little carried away during dinner.”

  “Carried away?” Mason strode through the doorway to have another look at the carnage. “Do you know what it looks like in here?”

  They crowded up behind him to peek at the wreckage. Remnants of adrenaline pumped through his system, heightening his senses. He detected the scent of Lacey’s vanilla shower gel as well as the familiar scent of sex from Ty.

  He strode over to the wall to drag a finger through the thick crimson goo on the paneling before bringing it to his nose to smell it. The zesty tomato aroma along with the tiny noodle ring finally sank in. He whipped around fast enough to catch Ty’s satisfied grin.

  Before he could say anything, Lacey stepped between them and wrapped her arms around Mason’s waist. “I’m sorry we frightened you.”

  Mason had to separate them fast before she detected his instant erection through the thin towel surrounding her. His imagination played through a whole new scenario. When he thrust her away, she flashed him a hurt look. “I’m going to run upstairs and throw something on then I’ll get this mess cleared away.”

  She fled up the stairs before he figured out how to erase her misconceptions.

  “Way to go, asshole. You have a real knack for making people feel like shit about genuine affections, you know that? She didn’t do anything wrong. If you have a problem with this, take it out on me not her.”

  “Shit. It caught me off guard, Ty.”

  He nodded. Then the little fucker had the nerve to beam without even attempting to hide his amusement.

  “Someday, this is going to be mighty funny.” Ty clapped him on the shoulder.

  “I doubt that. Let me board up the window then I’ll get out of your way.” The flare of jealousy overtaking him now that his rage had worn off sickened him. He couldn’t have his cake and eat it, too.

  Could he? He’d banished Tyler from their home though it immediately felt foreign without the laughter and the easy camaraderie they shared. He knew exactly when their boyhood friendship had morphed into something deeper but, on that pivotal day, he never could have foreseen the lasting implications of such an innocent act. And, once he’d realized the dangerous lure, he’d shut the other man out of his sex life.

  Of course, that hadn’t lasted long.

  The dingy corridor of one of the seedier BDSM clubs they’d frequented in the early days popped into his mind. He’d never forget the things he’d driven Tyler to with his harsh words and lack of understanding. It had taken just that single glimpse—in the flashing multicolor lights that illuminated the secluded area in debauched freeze frames—of the man abusing Ty in full view of anyone who dared to look, to get him to capitulate to his friend’s plea for experimentation. As long as they were careful. Discreet.

  Mason had fulfilled Ty’s darker desires. He just hadn’t realized that somewhere along the way, they’d become his own as well. He wasn’t gay, even thinking of himself as bi rankled since it’d only ever been Ty that attracted him, but he couldn’t deny he craved Tyler in the same primal way he hungered for Lacey.

  Mason had thought he could push the other man away, though he knew he’d suffer for it. The power exchange, the rush, and the wild way he could let go with Ty had addicted him but Tyler’s patient, carefree love would be perfect for Lacey. He loved them both enough to be grateful they’d have each other. Neither would betray a bond this strong. Had he stolen years from them by being selfish, keeping Tyler separated from her in the name of her innocence?

  He could only be sure of one thing anymore: he’d set the two people he loved most in the world on the path to happiness. If he made a clean break, they might have a chance at making it work.

  “Wait, Mason.” Heat blossomed from the spot where Ty’s restraining hand rested. The same place Lacey had touched earlier. “I want you to take a look at this with me. I think I might have found something.”

  Chapter Seven

  As Lacey scrubbed the wall then swept the shattered bowl into the dustpan, she wondered what the guys were debating in the office but some part of her dreaded a
sking. She’d stalled facing them about as long as possible when Tyler appeared in the doorway.

  “Are you okay?”

  Hell no… Well, maybe just a little bit better. “Yeah, just finishing in here.”

  “You up to hanging out for a few? We’d like to walk through this with you.”

  “Sure.” She discarded the evidence of their indiscretion while she tried to ignore the ember of lust that had been smoldering in her belly since her shower—and the promise of more—had been interrupted.

  Tyler caught her hand, tugged her close then enfolded her in his arms. When she burrowed into the taut muscles covered by thin cotton, he brushed a kiss over her temple then whispered in her ear. “You didn’t do anything wrong, little one. It’s nobody’s damn business what you do in your own home. Least of all his since he chooses not to join us.”

  “I know.” She smiled up at him then sighed. “I just hate the distance I feel between us. I want things to be easy again.”

  “If you’re tired or don’t want to deal with this shit, sneak upstairs to bed. I’ll come tuck you in after he goes.”

  “Thanks, but I can handle it. I want to find out who this bitch is. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep at this time of night anyway. I’ll wait until you can come entertain me.” She tossed him a wink.

  “Did I tell you yet how amazing you are?”

  “I’ll never get tired of hearing it.” She rose onto her tiptoes to peck his cheek before sauntering into the adjoining space.

  Mason occupied more than half of the loveseat tucked along the inside wall next to the radiator with his masculine sprawl but, other than the desk chair where Ty had set up shop inspecting her computer, there weren’t any civilized options.

  She refused to plop onto the floor like a vagabond just to avoid him. Instead, she squeezed in next to his splayed, muscular thigh, feeling awkward about where they touched for the first time in her life. She shifted until the arm of the sofa dug into her ribs but she managed to maintain a miniature rift between them. The insulation did nothing to block the alluring scent of his delicious woodsy cologne.