*Catch up on OFF THE RECORD’s previous chapters Parts 1-9 here at the OTR MASTERLIST
Word count: 5167
OTR Part 10 Notes & Warnings: Pixelberry Studios owns these characters, not me! I just have fun playing with them :)
Notes: This chapter because of the length & scope needed to be split into 2 parts.
*OTR Part 10.2 is still in the works, thanks for being so patient! ;)
Warnings: This will be 18+ NS*W, !, erotica, polyamory, marital angst, discussions of group sex, recreational [legal]drug use, swearing,
If you click ‘Keep Reading’ you are acknowledging that you are 18+
*OTR Part 10.1
……….
“We’re here!! Max, take the road to the left of the gates. Ellis will let us in the back way to the cabin.”
“I’m so excited babe, I can’t wait to see it.”
Once past the security gates, Maxwell drove his Jag (a new purchase from his book advance earnings) down the newly paved road to the far end of the Valtoria estate.
“I know, I’ve only seen it in pictures so far and whenever Drake has FaceTime’d me when he had to come here for the building inspections. It’s going to be so perfect for the four of us! I can’t wait to show it to you in person!”
He parked in the side driveway and turning the ignition off, pivoted off the side of the driver’s seat and winced. “ohh. Almost forgot that was there” Maxwell brushed his hand lightly against something hidden underneath his shirt.
“Max, are you sure you’re ok with these new rules of Bastien’s? I know you don’t like guns.”
“You’re right. I don’t. Hate ‘em, in fact. Don’t get me wrong, I love swords and daggers and crossbows, mostly for their awesome champagne cork-popping potential. But firearms make me nervous, even after all those weeks of training I had to go through to be able to travel alone with you.”
“I know, Bastien made it so Drake has to carry one when he travels alone with Liam, too.”
“Y’know, the target practice training with Mara and Bash was actually pretty fun. But three full weeks of studying all of those security protocol books was really stressful. It made me feel like I was back at University again, and not the fun parts of University with the coed parties. Plus, reading through all of those scary possible scenarios was really…intense…”
“Maxwell, I know you said you’d do this for me, but if you’re ever uncomfortable with the responsibility just let me know, please? We can always ask one of the royal guards to escort us on our trips. I don’t want you to ever feel like I’m forcing you to do this.”
“I don’t. Tabitha, I love you so much. I would never let anything happen to you if I could help it. And if I have to get all ‘John Wick’ on some assassin’s ass to protect you and our ba—I mean your baby…”
Tabitha squeezed his hand. “It’s okay.” she whispered, “You can say it to me, babe.”
“Well, statistically speaking, the chances that the baby’s mine are pretty low…”
“That doesn’t matter. You are going to be the most wonderful ‘Uncle Max.’ The best. And your little niece or nephew is going to be so blessed to have you in their life every day. I know I’m blessed to have you every day.” She beamed at him with eyes sparkling with tears.
Maxwell blushed. He squeezed her hand back and sighed, carefully patting the hidden SIG Sauer pistol holstered under his shirt. “Anyways… I’m looking forward to locking this thing up in the safe when we get inside.”
“I know, right? Inside our very own private cabin!! Look! There’s Drake and Liam on the porch!”
She walked carefully up the wood porch stairs; Maxwell followed behind her pulling their suitcases. Liam and Drake were outside busying themselves staining the wood porch deck that surrounded the cabin.
“Hey boys! We made it! Ooh, you both are looking sexy working hard out here in the sun with your shirts off. Mama likes. Need any help?” She tilted her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose and raised her eyebrows suggestively at them. Drake looked up, beaming at her with a big goofy grin, looking like he was about ready to hand her a paintbrush, anxious to get her involved. Liam, on the other hand chuckled dismissively, shaking his head. He paused to wipe sweat from his brow and lean over the deck railing as he replied,
“Thank you, love, but… I’m afraid that’s not the best idea. Even outdoors, the chemical fumes from the deck stain might be harmful for the baby. You should go ahead, unpack, and relax indoors.”
She shrugged, “Okay, if you insist?”
“I do.”
Liam wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and bent down to kiss her sweetly. Tabitha got up on tiptoes to kiss him back, then turned ‘round to grab Maxwell by the hand.
“C’mon, Max! I want to show you your room.”
She went inside with Maxwell trailing behind her, whereupon he found himself denied entry as Drake braced his bare muscled arm flexing in front of the door frame.
“Slow your roll there, Beaumont. You aren’t pregnant. So go on, pick up a brush and get to work.”
“Nah, I’d better go in with her. Y’know? ‘Queen’s Retinue’ duties and all that...” Maxwell shrugged, smirking before he pushed Drake’s arm aside. “Have fun, fellas!”
Drake seethed as he watched them go in, muttering under his breath,
“Lazy-ass motherfu—“
Liam grabbed his shoulder to hold him back, scolding, “Drake, we promised we’d be civil out here, for Tabitha’s sake. ‘Circle of Trust’ Remember?”
They both watched them through the window and heard Tabitha squeal as Maxwell picked her up and carried her bridal-style up the stairs.
“Look at ‘em, Lee. Fuckin’ ‘Romeo & Juliet’ in there...”
“She needs him now. And I need you...”
Liam came up closer from behind and slipped his hands into Drake’s front jean pockets as he bent his head to kiss the side of his neck. Drake reached his hand around to cup the backside of Liam’s head, threading his fingers through Liam’s hair and arching his back into him, closing his eyes as he let out a low moan. Liam finished his sentence in a low whisper at Drake’s ear, before he playfully nipped it with his teeth.
“...to finish helping me stain this deck.”
“Ughh, fine. You win.”
“I always do.”
He slapped Drake’s ass, causing both of them to laugh as they went back to work.
...
Tabitha woke up from her nap in her room to the sounds of Maxwell and Liam laughing outside. She rolled gingerly off the bed and peered out the window, smiling. They had turned the riverbank into a makeshift driving range, hitting golf balls off of the dock. Tabitha felt utterly content and at peace at sight of the two of them having fun and enjoying each other’s company and it warmed her from within. The sharp kick she felt when she stood up startled her, and she held her belly as she spoke to it, “That’s right, baby. That’s your father down there…” The uncertainty of paternity that once seemed like it would be a cloud over all of their lives, here, all together where they could be together without expectations and restrictions, felt like a non-issue. It didn’t matter, because everyone who mattered to her was here with her, exactly how she wanted it to be. She went downstairs to go watch the boys' outdoor activities up closer.
Drake was on the porch, standing by the railing. He wasn’t watching the other two gentlemen as they horsed around by the river. Golf wasn’t his thing. He was facing the mountain range just beyond the cottage grounds seemingly lost in thought. He held an ornate looking brown beer bottle as he stood and took a swig. Tabitha approached him.
“That looks good.”
“Oh this? Yeah, it is. It’s a small batch Belgian Lambic I picked up at the bottle shop on the way over. Hazy, not too fruity, which is how I like it. It’s got a nice, rounded malt mouth feel to it though.”
“You’re making my mouth water. I can’t wait‘till this baby comes and I can finally drink beer again.”
Drake grinned and took another drink without breaking eye contact. Nothing sexier than a hot chick who can drink with the guys. She’s perfect. As an idea crossed his mind his eyes darted around towards the river, then back to her with a conspiratorial smirk.
“...I could… give you a sip. I won’t tell Liam.”
“I shouldn’t...”
“Why not?” he whispered back “Women around here drink in moderation when they’re pregnant. Hell, all of our moms probably did, and we turned out just fine. It’s Lee who’s gotten all paranoid after reading one too many American books on pregnancy to get ready for the baby. I don’t think one sip is going to hurt anyone.”
“Shhh...” She looked around to make sure Liam and Maxwell weren’t watching. “Ok give it here, quick before I change my mind.”
Tabitha took a swig from the bottle, and it was every bit as flavorful and complex as Drake had made it out to be.
“Mmmmm! that is good!”
“I told you.” His arms crossed over his broad chest satisfied at this small victory in their little secret. Drake was staring at her in awe as she took one last sip. A wide grin crinkled the corners of his eyes.
“What are you smiling about?” she asked
He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and leaned in towards her.
“I’m just so… so goddamned happy.”
Drake set the bottle down on the porch rail and beamed at Tabitha, clasping her shoulders and rubbing in affectionate circles as he beamed from ear to ear.
“We did it, Carlisle. This is what we’ve been talking about since, god... since we first hooked up, right? You and me, and Liam. We’re actually doing this crazy thing tonight. I never, ever thought we’d be able to convince him, but I should never have doubted you. You just have this way of bringing people together. Carlisle, I lo—“ his voice trailed off and his smile faltered for just a moment as he weighed the meaning of the words he was about to say,
“What?”
Drake’s expression became reverent. “I love you, Carlisle... Tabitha, I love you.” he spoke with such gentleness it was almost whispered. His hand stroked up the base of her neck and cupped the back of her head underneath her hair, pressing gently against the sensitive spot just under her ear, causing her breath to stutter.
“Drake...”
He smiled as his eyes searched hers, cupping her face in his warm hands, “What? Is it that much of a surprise to you?”
“No, I know you do. It’s just so nice to hear you admit it to me, finally.” Her arms snaked around the small of his back, “I love you too, Drake. So damned much.”
He pulled her by her hips to press against his own, then skimmed the back of his knuckles against her cheekbone as she closed her eyes and inhaled, savoring his touch in the charged moment they were sharing. “Well, I think that means I’m going to have to kiss you now.”
Tabitha opened her eyes again with a wry grin up at him, “You’d better.”
Drake wrapped his arms around her and looked animatedly over his shoulder as if to check to see if either of their lovers were watching them, “Nah, I don’t care who sees us anymore.”
Tabitha had just a short moment to get lost in the heated stare of longing in Drake’s eyes before they closed, half lidded, and his lips found hers, fitting together before she skimmed his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue to coax it open. It had been so long, too long, since Drake had allowed himself to kiss her like this: sure of his love for her, and sure of Liam’s blessing in this place of refuge they had created & built for this very purpose. Her knees went weak just as his arms braced around her torso and they melted into each other, breathless, desperate and hungry for touch. And all too soon, their embrace was interrupted.
“Oi! Cut that out!” Maxwell came bounding to them up the back-porch stairs, possessively pulling Tabitha’s torso away from Drake and tickled her as he playfully kissed the side of her neck. “Tabz! I’m here to save you from this random vagrant! He looked like he was about to devour your face off!”
“Maxwell! stahp!” She protested through fits of giggles. “You’re incorrigible.”
Maxwell’s arms wrapped round her with his fingers laced together under her belly from behind, and he bent down, resting his chin on her shoulder as he rocked her, gloating to his old friend. “Sorry, Drake. You know how it is. ‘Queen’s Retinue’ duties and all of that.”
“I know where I’d like you to shove your ‘Queen’s Retinue duties’ right now...”
Maxwell stepped in front of Tabitha scowling, momentarily emboldened by Drake’s challenge, “Fight me.”
Tabitha pulled back on Maxwell’s shirt collar to no avail “Max, please. This is ridiculous. Stop.”
Drake cracked his knuckles in fists at his sides.
“You asked for it...”
It took Maxwell all of 30 seconds after he challenged Drake for him to regret it. “Wait! No, don’t! seriously? Liam just asked me to bring you two inside for lunch. And we have to make it ourselves since you both insisted there should be no staff working on site while we’re here! Ha! Great idea, guys.” Maxwell put his thumbs up as his voice dripped with sarcasm.
“No staff means no outside witnesses when I decide to wipe that smirk off your face.”
“Um... How about we wait ‘till after lunch?”
..........
The crew of four had lunch and spent the remainder of the day relaxing at the cabin. Four o’clock came around, and Tabitha rose to her feet. “All right boys, I’m going to go take a nice hot shower, maybe a soak in the tub first, then a shower, and get myself ready. For tonight. For us.” She stood up and winked, and they all stood up to bid her farewell.
She went to Liam first, he wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head before hooking a finger under her chin to tilt her head up to him. Her blue eyes sparkled at him, smiling crinkled the corners. “God you’re beautiful. I look forward to meeting with you again, soon, my love.”
“Liam” she whispered, “darling, I love you. So much. I’m so happy. Thank you, for everything. I want you to have fun with the boys relaxing tonight, ok? It’ll help your nerves. “ She could feel his hands trembling slightly as he cupped her face.
“Right, I know you’re right. You always are.” He bent down as she raised herself on tiptoes to kiss her softly on the lips, letting the kiss linger and open softly, grazing her tongue lightly with his before he pulled back and clasped her shoulders. “I love you too,”
Tabitha squeezed Liam’s hand before she let it drop as she moved to Drake, reaching for his hand hooked in his jean belt loops. “Drake, this house, this moment, everything, it’s perfect. None of this wouldn’t have been possible without you. Thank you.”
Drake wrapped her in a strong bear hug, pulling her tightly to his chest as he kissed her head and whispered in her ear, “I think you have that wrong. You’re the reason we’re all here. You made this happen. It’s your magic that set everything in motion.”
“So, a team effort then?” She smirked and winked at him, making Drake weak in the knees. He pulled her in for one last embrace before she pulled away, saving her Max for last.
Maxwell and Tabitha reached out for each other’s hands. He pulled her to him, and their hips met as flush as they could get with a nearly five-month pregnant belly separating them both. His hands took hers and rolled her arms in a dance and he met her gaze with raised brows, “Do you need any help drawing your bath? Or getting anything else in the room ready? I’m happy to help.”
“You are too good to me Max, no, I’ll be fine. These two will need you to get them relaxed. You brought the good stuff right?”
“You know it, I’ve got that under control.”
“If you’re sure then…” Maxwell kissed her hand and twirled her, giddy under his arms as her body curled up against his back. He bent down and caught her top lip in his before her mouth opened and his sighed into her. She pulled away reluctantly and dragged her hand down his arm before she squeezed his hands one last time.
“Ok. Have fun boys, and behave. I love you all. And remember,” she laced her fingers together as she turned around one last time before heading to the master bedroom “Circle of Trust!” Her shoulders fell as she sighed audibly one last time before turning on her heels and heading towards the master suite.
……….
“It’s not working.”
“No, see… you have to click it five times fast, like this.”
Liam inhaled deeply, he never liked the smell or taste of marijuana and the sooner he got high enough to not care about either of those things, the better.
His hand holding the vape pen fell to rest on the white Turkish cotton spa towel covering his knees while the smoke billowed out of his mouth and nostrils as he spoke.
“I don’t feel anything yet.”
Maxwell clucked his tongue as he helped himself to the pen resting on Liam’s lap to take a hit. “Geez, don’t be such a noob. It doesn’t take effect the moment you start smoking. Give it a few minutes.” Maxwell leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as he took a drag and blew it out in a large, dense cloud.
“Check out the expert over here.” Drake snatched the pen from Maxwell’s hand, took a long drag for himself and then passed it back to Liam. “It’s true though. Apparently you’ve had more experience at all of this than either of us.”
“Experience at what?”
“Party drugs... Group sex...”
“Well yeah, when you’ve been to the kind of parties I have, the orgies are pretty standard.”
Drake coughed purposefully to hi-light his mocking.
“‘standard’... ‘orgies?’”
“Well, yeah... I mean...”
Liam and Drake both stared at Maxwell pointedly, waiting for him to finish the thought. He was sweating profusely as he began to understand how the casual tone of the words falling out of his mouth must sound to them. ‘Circle of Trust’... shit...
“I always got tested regularly!”
Drake’s brow furrowed and he sneered at Maxwell, “You just used the past-tense.”
“That’s because I never...” Maxwell’s voice trailed off and he mumbled the rest, clearly too embarrassed to be speaking about such intimate issues in front of his two old friends.
“What was that, Beaumont?”
“I meant to say that I haven’t slept with anyone else since we met Tabitha. The last rager-party I went to where I hooked up with someone was before your first bachelor party, Liam, before we met Tabitha... and I haven’t...”
“You haven’t had sex with anyone else since we met Carlisle? I don’t believe it.”
“It’s true! I wouldn’t lie about that. I know what’s at stake.”
“I believe him.”
“Wait a damned minute, Maxwell. I remember seeing Tariq strutting out of your hotel room the night we met Carlisle in New York. You’re telling me that was ‘nothing’?”
“Exactly, because I turned him down. Nothing happened, swear to god.”
Drake turned towards Liam, “You believe him?”
Liam looked Maxwell square in the eye and could sense the sincerity he projected. “I do.”
Maxwell continued replying to Drake, “Just because someone walks outta your hotel room, doesn’t mean that you’ve hooked up with them. You should know that. With Tariq in particular. You were there the night he tried to assault Tabitha.” Maxwell could feel himself getting angrier. He stared pointedly at Drake, hoping he’d drop the matter, and if he didn’t, Maxwell had half a mind to bring up that time in Paris when he saw Drake leaving Kiara’s hotel room late at night. I’ll bring it up, right in front of Liam, too. I don’t care. Just try me.
Drake persisted,
“So why, then? Was it because you were hoping to hook up with Carlisle? Was that your plan all along when you decided to sponsor her?”
“Fuck… no! Stop trying to think you understand my motives. ‘Cause you clear as hell don’t.”
“Yeah, but I know you, Maxwell.”
“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do. Tabitha, she changed me. When we were going through Social Season I saw her with you, Liam. The connection you guys had was magical. I don’t know a better way to describe it-- it still is, and I realized that’s what I wanted to find someday, too. So I decided I was going to stop partying and stop sleeping around. But I never dared to imagine that we’d all end up like...” Maxwell’s thought trailed off. This was a getting lot heavier than most subject matters he was used to discussing while getting high.
Liam could sense Maxwell’s discomfort and attempted to change the subject, as he himself started to feel too buzzed to discuss such pressing matters, “Look, what’s done is done. I harbor no ill feelings towards you, Maxwell. And you,”
He turned re-directing his comment at Drake before he finished the sentence,
“need to... fucking, relax...” Liam’s shoulders shrugged, and he started giggling with an uncharacteristically wide goofy grin. The smoke poured out of his mouth and nostrils as he passed the pen to Drake, putting his hand on the inside of Drake’s thigh so that it began to push up the towel covering his lap, his head bent towards him as he looked down at Drake’s lips.
“Damn, Lee. You’re so high right now.”
“I know how to get you to shut up.”
“Then fuckin’ do it.”
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
Liam growled, “You know…” His eyes flickered back and forth from Drake’s lips to his dilated pupils and back again as he leaned in closer with a hand on Drake’s lap. The towels covering them both fell as they angled their heads and leaned into each other
“Yes, sire…”
“Fuck…”
Liam lips captured Drakes and their tongues began to twist together. Drake groaned in Liam’s mouth as his arms wrapped around his shoulders and he dipped him down on the wood bench.
Maxwell’s vision seemed to get cloudier. Did someone put more water on the rocks? It suddenly felt stiflingly hot and overwhelming as the sauna seemed to shrink before his eyes. Was he just really high? Or was the act of watching two of his oldest friends making out in front of him turning him on more than he had anticipated it would do to him? Their hands were all over each other, moaning just a bit too loudly for Maxwell’s taste. He felt like he was intruding on their privacy.
“Um… hey, you guys?” he spoke in a whisper under his breath, thinking out loud… but Liam and Drake were too wrapped up in making out to hear him “What’s the saying? ‘If you can’t join ’em… beat it?’ Heh-heh…”
Maxwell clicked the vape pen five times fast to start it up again and closed his eyes while blowing out the smoke out his nostrils as his hand reached down for his dick, already nearly erect at half-mast. His thoughts took him back to the shower in the Royal Chambers with Tabitha, how she rode him so slowly it made him ache. He remembered how the water droplets raced down her breasts as they bounced against his chest, how smooth her back was as he held her, the soft sounds she made as she neared climax…
“Bloody hell, Maxwell?! where have you been hiding... that—?”
Maxwell startled from his trance and he looked down, realizing he now had an audience as he jacked off. Drake and Liam were both back to sitting on the opposite bench, wide eyed slack jawed, staring at him and all of his 9 and a half inches. He stopped pumping his cock abruptly and gulped as his knees reflexively shut together, pulling his towel back over them.
“Um...in... my pants?”
“Clearly you are... a man of... hidden depths?” Liam fought an attempt to keep a straight face but failed when he couldn’t keep from snickering.
Drake snorted, “That’s one way to put it!”
“I’m going to take that compliment and run with it, Liam, thanks.”
Drake had been laughing so much he had to wipe the tears from his eyes and catch his breath before he spoke again, “Goddamnit, Maxwell, I’ll admit I never could understand what Carlisle saw in you before today, but... now?...I get it.”
“Oh fuck you. That’s not the only reason!”
“Pffft...Isn’t it?!?”
“Shut-the-fuck-up!”
He snapped his wet towel at him
“HAHahahaHA! Fuuuuck this is some good shit, I am... so high right now? I take it back, Maxwell. Your dick is huge, and every now and then you come up with some fan-fuckin’-tastic ideas. Like this weed vape. We definitely need to do this more often, Lee.” He leaned in to press his lips against Liam’s smile and ran the tip of his tongue against his teeth before taking another drag of the vape and passing it back to Liam
Maxwell took a big sip from his water bottle. “It’s nice to see you finally appreciating me, Drake. Thanks, man.”
Liam blew his toke out the side of his mouth, finally getting the hang of it, as he attempted to return to serious conversation. “So, are we really going to go through with this?”
“Damn right we are. And we better get started before I think better of including Beaumont, here.”
Maxwell scoffed, “Good thing it’s up to Tabitha and not you then, assmunch”
“You’d like it if I ‘munched’ your ass, wouldn’t you?”
Maxwell wiggled his eyebrows “Not as much as you’d enjoy ‘munching’ it”
Liam let out a loud groan, rolling his eyes and dragging a hand over his face in dramatic disgust while the other two dissolved into fits of giggles. Drake broke his laughter, wheezing, to say, “Nah, that’s never going to happen.”
.........
“So I’ll be taking Tabitha from the front, first. I am her husband and I am king after all. That ought to count for something.”
Maxwell took another long toke, and winced, squinting thoughtfully. “Seems fair.”
Drake guffawed, “no it isn’t! But that’s the whole point of the monarchy isn’t it? To not be fair.”
Liam gritted his teeth, “So that’s how you really feel?”
Drake closed his eyes and covered his face, only trying halfheartedly to keep from laughing more. Liam continued grilling him
“Tell me? What’s next? Are you going to start running around shouting ‘Eat the Rich!’ and spray-painting anarchy symbols all over the Palace walls?”
Maxwell giggled, “Heheheh... That’d be pretty funny.”
“Nah, Lee. If I end up painting giant letter “A”s on anything, it’s gonna stand or “Ass” “‘cause I fucking love yours. And Carlisle’s, for that matter... damn that’s a good piece of ass… But not yours, Maxwell.”
“Shuddup!”
“Enough! You two. Jesuschrist. Drake: Tabitha discussed wanting you to take her from behind for the entire duration. I believe that’s best…”
“I already talked about this with her before we came here y’know… you don’t have to-- "
“Did you, now? Fine, then Maxwell, after I’ve had her, you’ll take my place.”
“I’m down with that, but… why does this feel like you’re coaching us on plays before the big game or something Liam? It’s just sex…”
“ ‘Just sex’ Is that how you’d define it? Didn’t you have to plan out the details before your past ménage trysts?”
“Umm… nope? They kinda just, happened?” he winced and covered his eyes, the memories were making him blush, desperate to move the subject on from his past.
“Well I do feel, if we’re going to make this work, we need to have this planned out. Perhaps you’d be well advised to bring some more planning into your life for once, Maxwell…”
“Dude, dude… you’re going off… She’s gonna get mad if you’re in a pissed off mood when we start.” Drake chuckled, “Damn, Lee. Never figured you’d be an ‘angry stoner.’”
Max rolled his lips together in an attempt to keep from laughing. It didn’t work. His shoulders heaved as he spoke, “Pfft! Yeah, he’s pretty intense at micromanaging everyone when he’s sober, but this is some next-level shit”
Drake leaned forward wide eyed towards Maxwell, laughing with a side-five slapping his hand in agreement, “Right?”
“Would you two just--” Liam pouted, leaning against the wall. He was not amused.
Drake and Max both choked on their laughs as they tried to get serious again. “Nah, Liam. It’s cool. I’m down for whatever makes you guys happy; whatever makes Tabitha happy. We both love her, and I want us to make this work just like you do.”
“That’s good to hear from you, Maxwell. I’m glad it appears we’re on the same page.”
Drake leaned his arm on Liam’s shoulder, leaning down to kiss and murmur against his neck, “But I think you’re gonna have to relax a bit more before we go in there, Lee…” His lips captured Liam’s as they moved in a slow, licentious dance together.
Maxwell took another hit off of the vape. He was past the point of feeling awkward in front of the two lovers now but being high didn’t do wonders for his tact. “Hey,” he called out to them from across the bench, “So, who’s the top and who’s the bottom?”
Liam broke away from Drake, only slightly incredulous at Maxwell’s question before he answered, “That’s a bit personal, don’t you think?”
“I mean… I think it’s a pretty valid question… considering what we’re about to all do— hey!”
Drake reached over and grabbed the pen from Maxwell to take a drag of his own. “We’re switch, verse. I dunno, whatever you ‘kids’ call it these days.” Liam nodded once silently, looking slightly uncomfortable and trying not to blush. Drake continued, “What about you, Beaumont?”
“Kid?” His nervous laughter belied more than the incredulity of someone less than a year older than him calling him ‘kid’, “I…I only ‘top’ now… I had a bad experience years ago…” his voice trailed off to almost a whisper.
Liam held his hand out to pause the need for explanation. “You don’t need to elaborate, Maxwell. It’s good that we’re being open about this though.”
“Yeah… I—” Maxwell felt his iWatch vibrate with the text notification scrolling across the tiny screen from Tabitha:
Tabitha 👑🌸
Babe! It’s time! Where r u boys? Don’t make me come in there!! 😘😘😘
Saved by the buzz.
............
TO BE CONTINUED !!!
Thanks so much for continuing to read and for all of the feedback, reblogs and support <3 :)
It has been almost a month since I posted the last OTR chapter (😩!!) I feel so guilty! Things have been crazy with kids end of year school & activities, computer issues, plus major writers block, plus me wanting to skip ahead to Part 10 for *ahem* reasons... ;) I haven’t forgotten Tabitha & Liam though! I’ve been trying to write and tweak a little of it every day, & think I’m nearly finished. This is going to have lots of marital angst plus NS*W smut - Hopefully will be finished & posting sometime in the coming week. Here’s more of a sneak peek until then...
*OTR Part 9 Sneak Peek:
They sat waiting in their motorcade vehicle that had picked them up only a half an hour or so earlier from the jet tarmac on Sardinia. Tabitha rolled her window down to get a better look of the private costal beach view that they’d be enjoying for the next few days on their scheduled mini-break. The sun was setting, creating the most gorgeous purple and orange sky, and the only sounds they could hear apart from the shorebirds, and the waves crashing against the rocks were the faint sounds from inside the villa of Bastien & Mara’s security team communicating on their radios.
Tabitha sighed, enchanted at the sight. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Isn’t it?”
She looked back at Liam, who was looking straight at her, rather than at the sunset at the horizon. She groaned, rolling her eyes at him and slapped his shoulder, laughing, “will you ever stop doing that?”
“What? Stop thinking you’re the most beautiful sight I’ve ever laid eyes upon? Doubtful.” He winked and laced his fingers through hers, bringing her hand up to his lips to kiss the back of it. She blushed, turning to rub his shoulder as she returned her gaze back out the window, both touched and embarrassed by his flattery.
Bastien opened the door the the villa and Mara followed with the rest of the team, signaling for the Royal couple to make their way out of the vehicle.
“All clear. Enjoy yourselves tonight, your Majesties.” Bastien winked at Liam and the security team bowed before the newlyweds before leaving to man their posts outside the building.
Liam moved to lock the door behind Bastien and Mara as they left. He spun Tabitha around pinning her wrists together above her head against the door, almost too eagerly.
“Liam?!”
He groaned “I’ve been aching for you, my love. I can’t wait any longer.”
Liam pressed into her, his body urging her legs apart. She could feel his erection insistent against her, separated only by their thin layers of clothing.
“Liam...”
He dipped down his head to suck at the side of her neck, his free hand roving over her every curve. Liam pulled down her neckline to free her left breast, tweaking the nipple until it peaked before he took it in his mouth. Her breath caught in her throat and she bit her lip to suppress the pain.
*gRrrrrrrrrdddddNnnnn...*
“What was that?” Startled at the sound they pulled away from each other, both panting with ragged breaths.
“Was that... you?”
“Omigod, so embarrassing. I guess I’m hungrier than I thought?”
Liam chuckled softly. Effortlessly switching modes, he helped Tabitha straighten her dress. With the doting care of a man who truly adores his wife, he smoothed down her hair and kissed her forehead, “Well then, we must feed you. Both of you.” His eyes twinkled and he let his hand rest on her stomach. For a second, it seemed as if a cloud passed over his gaze making his expression momentarily unreadable, but his face softened again quickly afterwards.
.......
Thank you SO much for continuing to read & for all of the feedback & support! Keep your eye out next week for the rest!
*Catch up on OFF THE RECORD’s previous chapters parts 1, 2, 3 & 4 here at the OTR Masterlist
OTR Part 5 Notes & Disclaimers: Pixelberry Studios owns these characters, not me! I just have fun playing with them :)
Pairings: Maxwell x MC (Tabitha Carlisle), Liam x MC, Drake x Liam - Rates T for teen - extramarital affairs discussed. Some swearing.
Word Count: 3312
*Author’s Note: any time you see text underlined, it’s a link to screenshots from Pixelberry’s Choices TRR scenes, or other chapters referenced from *OTR- click them!! :)
.........
*OFF THE RECORD
by Jo ( @tabithacarlisle ;)
“Oh... great! I love camping... but, what about Drake and Tabitha? Ooh! I know! Maybe we could call up Hana too and ask her to come with us and do, like, a reunion camping trip? Get the ‘Fab Five” back together again for another night of shenanigans? That was so much fun—“
“Perhaps, another time, Maxwell. This time, it’s really imperative that it’d be just the two of us.” Liam walked closer to Maxwell to enable him to speak in a more hushed tone that only Maxwell could hear “We have much of importance to discuss, you and I, that cannot be put off a moment longer. Away from prying eyes.”
And no witnesses... Maxwell shuddered thinking to himself. He took a moment to compose his thoughts to try and find a way out of having to go tonight.
“Oh, damn. Y’know, I just remembered? I didn’t bring my hiking shoes with me. That hike to the campsite is pretty brutal, I don’t think these ‘kicks can cut it.” He held up the bottom of his shoe for Liam to see and steadied himself as he balanced on the other foot.
Tabitha walked by them just then, “Hiking shoes? Liam has plenty of shoes that would fit you, Max. You’re both a size 44, I’m sure he has extra pair of boots that would work out well for you.”
Damn it, Tabz he muttered under his breath.
“I’d be happy to lend you anything you need to make the trip, Maxwell. First, I need to wrap up a few ‘loose ends’ before we depart. Then I’ll see you back down here shortly afterwards, and then we can get going.” Liam smiled and squeezed Tabitha’s hand, waving to them both before he set off in the direction of his offices.
Once he rounded the corner of the hallway, Maxwell let his smile fade as he grabbed onto Tabitha’s arm to pull her into an empty room and closed the door behind them with his back pressed up against it.
“What’s happening now, Maxwell?”
“Oh, nothing?” He whispered loudly back with a scowl “Just that your husband is taking me out alone in the wilderness so he can murder me and get rid of the body without any witness? No big deal! It’s been nice knowing you, Tabz...”
“Wait? Drake isn’t coming with you? That is odd.”
“I know right? Please, don’t let us go alone? There’s got to be some way you can convince him to let you come with us?”
“There’s no way Liam and Mara would let me make that hike in my condition. They’re much too protective of me.” Her hand rested a top of her small ‘baby-bump’ to emphasize her point. “And Liam invited Bertrand and Savannah to stay at the palace tonight for Savannah and I to spend time together. But, you know Liam would never hurt you Max. I know him well enough to know that he cares too much for his oldest friends to let any harm come to you.”
Maxwell whelped, “Oh, sure, ‘no harm,’ not so obviously, anyway. But a quick “accidental” shove off the cliff into the ocean below and he’ll have a convenient excuse to explain away my untimely demise! This is not going to turn out good, Tabitha! Didn’t you see how he snapped at Madeleine’s earlier? And the dirty look he gave me when your nurse said— He’s been holding it all in and he’s just been waiting for just the right time to unleash his real anger on me!”
Tabitha steadied Maxwell’s arms at his side “Maxwell! Breathe.” She reached up to smooth his hair and cup his jaw, looking intensely into his eyes before she spoke again. “I’m sure Liam just wants to talk over... things ... with you, but let me go talk to him first so I can make sure you have nothing to worry about? All right?”
She could feel him begin to tremble underneath her hands. “But what if it’s not that he wants to hurt me physically?” Maxwell’s voice cracked in a soft whisper “What if he’s taking me there to demand that I leave and never see you again?” His eyes welled up with tears as he spoke.
“No, no. No, he wouldn’t do that. I told you I wouldn’t let him. He can’t. Maxwell, I’ll go talk to him now. Go pack your things, it’s all going to be...” she took a deep breath before speaking again, “We, are going to be fine. You and I, we’re a team. Remember? You said that yourself. No one can keep me from my best friend. Liam has to see that we’re as inseparable as he is with Drake.
“Being kept from you forever would be as close to death as I anything I could imagine, Tabitha.”
She shook her head emphatically. “Not going to happen. I’ve got you, Max” she leaned into him on her tip toes and kissed him desperately to comfort his fears. He let out a quiet sob before kissing her back, clinging to her back. They held each other in a silent embrace like this before she let him go.
“I can talk to him. It’s going to be ok. All right?”
“...Ok...”
“I love you, Maxwell. Breathe. Have faith that we’re going to get through this.”
“I love you, too.”
Tabitha left the room in the direction of Liam’s office.
.....
She found Liam standing behind his large desk in the study, paging through a stack of briefing notebooks when she came to the door. He put them down and smiled at her when he noticed her entry.
“Tabitha, my love. Have you been enjoying spending time with Savannah and Bartie? I’ve been wanting them to come for a visit so that you could talk to someone who’s been through becoming a parent recently and get her perspective.”
“It’s been great to see Savannah and Bertrand again. And Bartie is growing so fast. But I wanted to talk to you first before you leave for camping with Maxwell.”
“Yes I wanted to speak with you before we leave tonight as well. Close the door, would you?”
Liam came round to the front of his desk and leaned against it. He beckoned her to come closer, and wrapped his arms around her. Liam’s hands rubbed her stomach softly and he breathed her in with his eyes closed, savoring her presence so close to him before he gazed intensely into her eyes and spoke again.
“Tabitha, my queen. I... feel as if I already know the answer to this question, as your heart and mine are inextricably linked forever. But, I need to hear it from you directly. Do you love Maxwell? Truly?”
“Yes, He’s become family to me Liam. I don’t know what I’d do without Maxwell being in my life. In our lives. With all my heart, I love him as I love you; as you love both me and Drake.”
He studied her eyes and measured her words in silence before speaking again “I feel as if I’ve known this, for awhile now, but it’s good to hear you say it. There’s been, mistakes, I’ve made, we’ve all made...” he reached “I understand that, our story is unique. And I hope you know I love you more than even my words can ever adequately express, Tabitha. When I said I’d give you the world, I meant it. You have given me, so more than I ever could have expected or hoped from a wife, from a life partner, your understanding and love, and compassion for me, and my friends, knows no bounds. We’ve been though so much together. I want to make this work, I need to make this work,” he paused to rub her belly again “for all of us. There’s only one path that makes sense, and I’m willing to take it for us.”
Tabitha searched his eyes. She knew Liam so well she could feel the deeper meaning behind his words even without him having to clarify his intentions. Still his statement shocked her,
“Do, you mean—?”
“Yes. I, want to discuss these matters with Maxwell first, one-on-one, but we all should talk about the details soon. I’m asking you to trust me.” He took her hand from his shoulders and kissed her knuckles. “If I talk to him about it first, hopefully he’ll understand that this isn’t something that I’m entering into unwillingly, only at your insistence. Will you let me do this for us?”
Tabitha began to weep “Oh, Liam! you always know the right thing to say, and exactly what I need before I even know it myself. This is all I ever could dream or hope for.” She kissed him passionately unable to believe her luck in feeling once again at home and safe in his arms at a meeting of the minds they had been lacking since she had told him about the pills weeks before. He broke the kiss to rest his forehead on hers. “We’re all going to be Ok. We have to be.”
There was a knock at the door. Bastien announced Drake and Maxwell to see them,
Liam called over Tabitha’s shoulder “Send them in, Bastien.”
The two men peeked inside assessing the room before entering
“Drake, I’m going to need you to take care of my darling wife while Maxwell and I are gone.”
Drake scoffed. “You don’t have to ask, Liam. You know I’ve got Carlisle. We’ll be fine here. The real question is if you can handle Maxwell?”
Maxwell’s brow furrowed “What’s that supposed to mean?” he looked suspiciously at Liam and then Tabitha. When he searched her expression for any warnings he found none. Only a tear stained face smiling back at him with undeniable happiness. Her demeanor couldn’t help but begin to set him at ease.
Liam got up to give Drake a quick hug and whispering something to him before letting go. Drake nodded in agreement with his hands in his back pockets.
“I just have to change into my gear and I’ll be ready when you are, Maxwell.”
I don’t think I’ll ever be ready...
.....
“Not much further now.”
“Hey, Liam? You... wouldn’t happen to have anything stronger than water in that backpack of yours, would you?”
“I have a steel growler full of beer for when we get to the campsite. Stick with water for now, Maxwell. Wouldn’t want you to get dehydrated before we make it there.”
Maxwell gulped. Oh, that’s a relief. He wants to make sure I’m healthy and hydrated, before he slits my throat...
“Beer... sounds good! Heh. I was beginning to think that Drake had converted you all into strict Whiskey drinkers. I can’t stand that stuff.”
“You’re funny, Maxwell. Come then, we’ve only got about two and a half more kilometers on this trail before we get there, but I’d like to make it before nightfall.”
...
About an hour or so later when the campsite had been set up, sandwiches had been eaten and the campfire had been lit, Liam and Maxwell sat fireside, with Maxwell waiting anxiously as Liam poured them both drinks into steel tankards from his growler.
“Lythikos’ finest ale. ‘Thanks to Olivia.’ Salut.”
“Salut...”
“Care for a cigar? They were a gift from the Cuban ambassador.”
“Oh, no thanks. Cigars aren’t really my thing? If I were going to smoke anything right now it’d be a joint. Heh. I don’t suppose you packed any of those.”
Liam struck a match and lit his own cigar, taking a drag before he extinguished the match between his fingers. “No... But I‘ll make a note to the palace staff to supply us with some Cannabis for next time.”
Maxwell swallowed hard and coughed, almost choking on his beer as it went down. “‘Next time’?”
“Well, certainly. You and I are going to have to spend a lot more time and get to know each other even better now. For the baby’s sake.”
“Yeah, um... about that... I—”
“Yes. ‘About that?!’ Would you care to explain your thinking to me, Maxwell? What could have ever possessed you to have sex with my fiancée, the future Queen, no less, mere days before her wedding night, without any bloody protection?!”
Maxwell’s last nerve had boiled over. He surprised both Liam and himself with the bravery he was able to muster in response to make his defense.
“Wait... hold up here, your majesty, but you’ve got to understand something! Ever since we brought Tabitha here to compete for your hand in the Social Season, Bertrand put me, directly in charge of procuring her birth control prescription every month. So if I couldn’t get one of the staff to do it, I’d go to the local pharmacies, wherever we were, to pick them up and hand deliver them to her, myself! We’d been doing that for months, the whole time! Through the Engagement and Unity Tours, that was my job on the 15th of every month. I never missed it! How the fuck was I supposed to know that she’d decide to go ‘cold turkey’ right before your wedding?! If she had just told me—”
“I thought she told you EVERYTHING!”
“Well it looks like that one must have SLIPPED HER MIND!”
...
You could hear the sound of the fire crackling and the waves crashing against the cliff. They were both staring each other down. Maxwell was sweating even in the cool night air. His chest heaved as he tried to interpret Liam’s unreadable expression.
“I see...”
“What do we do now?”
“Maxwell, when I told Tabitha that first night in Valtoria about my desire to start our family together as soon as possible... I want you to understand where I was coming from. My father was murdered, not a month before. I’ve now lost both of my parents to assassinations at the hands of political dissidents. Anton and the Sons of Earth weren’t the only ones out there who thought my rule illegitimate. There have been several others. The people of Cordonia have been on edge this last year after Leo’s abdication and my rise to the throne, and marriage to a commoner, and an American at that. It wasn’t a wholly selfish desire to want to have children with her so soon. An heir to the throne would give all of us the piece of mind and added security we need to put our people’s minds at ease. It would help them accept Tabitha as their Queen. The majority of the public love Tabitha.—“
“Who wouldn’t?”
“My opinion, precisely. But in hindsight, I suppose I shouldn’t have put so much pressure on Tabitha to think about needing to get pregnant even before our wedding. There was so much else going on with the stresses of planning the ceremony, gaining support of all of the Noble Houses, and tracking down Anton, and... that was, unfair to her. I’ll admit that. And I was rash to get so upset with her when she told me about how she stopped the birth control before her time with you in Vegas.
“...it’s understandable...”
“What’s done is done now. I can’t help but feel partly responsible for this conundrum. So, I’m prepared to offer a solution that should be beneficial for us all.”
“...What are you saying?”
“Maxwell, Tabitha and I would like for you to ask for Bertrand and Savannah to have personal effects sent from the estate at Ramsford to The Palace.”
“...You mean, just until there can be a paternity test?”
“No, there’s not going to be any paternity tests. Not for a long, long while, at least.”
“Wait, what? Why?”
“This is the type of scandal that would rock all of the Cordonian tabloids and history books for ages, Maxwell. The monarchy right now is much too fragile and there’s too much at stake, for all of us, to trust this information to any doctors or nurses or lab technicians. We can’t risk anyone leaking to the press that the Royal Baby’s paternity is in doubt. It would give the dissidents even more fuel for their cause, and I’m not about to let my pride fan the flames of rebellion.”
“So what does that mean?”
“Maxwell, it means that you are coming to live with us. You will be instated as a member of the King’s Guard, just like Drake. Regardless of whom this child shares his or her DNA with, I intend on raising him or her as my own, together with Queen Tabitha. The Prince or Princess will inherit the throne, no matter what laboratory testing will be able to tell us down the line. You in particular, will play a key role in the raising of this child. You, and Drake, will both become Godfathers and you, Maxwell, will officially be named ‘Lord Protector’ of Cordonia. Should anything happen to the Queen or myself while this child is still a minor, you shall rule as Regent until they reach the age of eighteen.”
“Um... wow. I’m... I—That’s a— that’s a lot to take in. I’m not sure what to say?”
“I’m not quite finished yet, Maxwell. In your role of Kings Guard, you shall bear the special distinction of Royal Advisor and companion to The Queen, traveling in her Royal Retinue at the highest position, much as Drake accompanies me on my official engagements. I know Tabitha has a big heart. It’s one of the many reasons that made me fall in love with her so hard and so fast. I’d like to think I know her better than most anyone, besides you, and Drake, of course. I can see how deeply she loves you. Your loyalty to her and Cordonia has never been in question.”
“Except for—“
“No, we’ve all made errors in judgment. Your devotion to Tabitha however, is of no doubt. And, it makes me happy, when she’s happy.”
“Liam, I am... beyond shocked. I don’t know what to say? I told Tabitha I was sure you brought me out here so that you kill me without any witnesses.”
Liam smirked, “Are you mad? Don’t tell me you really believed that?”
“Well, maybe only half believed? Heh. I’m... I’m really speechless though, Liam, I don’t know how you could be so forgiving, I—“
“Just say you’ll be there for us, for Tabitha and this child, with everything you have.”
Through rolling tears of genuine emotion and his voice cracking, “Yes. With everything in me. I will.”
“Thank you, my friend.” Liam pulled him into a bro-handshake and slapping hug. “It’s settled then.”
“You know, I think I could go for that cigar after all.”
“Absolutely. Tonight, we celebrate. Cheers.”
Later, Maxwell zippered up his personal tent and settled into his sleeping bag with more peace of mind that night than he had had since arriving at the Palace earlier that week. He believed, or hoped rather, that he had made the best decision, but was much too exhausted to let it worry him any more.
What happened back at The Palace while Liam and Maxwell went camping
*Catch up on OFF THE RECORD’s previous chapters parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 here at the OTR Masterlist
OTR Part 6 Notes & Disclaimers:
Word Count: 3378
Pixelberry Studios owns these characters, not me! I just have fun playing with them :)
Pairings: Drake x MC (mentions: Liam x MC | Drake x Liam | Drake x Liam x MC | Maxwell x MC)
Warnings: 18+ NS*W, 🍋, marital angst, SMUT/erotica, polyamory, swearing, jealousy and blunt discussions of sexual behavior.
*Author’s Note: any time you see text underlined, it’s a link to screenshots from Pixelberry’s Choices TRR scenes, or other chapters referenced from *OTR- click them!! :)
OTR Part 6:
......
*Hungry*...
Why am I hungry?! It’s - (checking the clock) - 1:30 am? Ughhh...
She must have tossed and turned at least twenty minutes before giving up on trying to go back to sleep. The attempts to ignore her rumbling stomach were in vain.
Tabitha didn’t want to bother the Palace night shift staff to have to bring her something to eat at such an ungodly hour. She tied on her robe and made her way down to the kitchen.
This particular kitchen had a separate sub zero refrigerator that was completely stocked with nothing but Lemon flavored Greek yogurt. It had been the only food Tabitha could keep down at the very early stages of her pregnancy when “morning sickness” was still plaguing her. Liam had rather comically overreacted & had the kitchen stocked with what seemed to be a year’s supply of Lemon Yogurt for her once they had discovered it was the only thing she could eat. There was still quite a bit left.
She stepped gingerly on the tiles and opened the fridge with a spoon ready at hand.
“What are you doing up so late?”
“Aaah! You scared me!”
“Sorry Carlisle, wasn’t expecting I’d have to announce myself to anyone in the kitchen at this hour.”
She grabbed the yogurt and pulled off the foil top. “I’m up because this baby doesn’t understand anything about proper meal time hours yet. Heh. What’s your excuse?”
“Couldn’t sleep, and this was empty.” He held up his flask. “I came down for a refill.”
“Predictable. I should‘ve guessed. Why can’t you sleep though, what’s on your mind?”
“If I told you, we’d be up all night.”
“Ok then, maybe later. Drake, you’re practically family to me now too, you know? You can tell me anything, I’m here when you’re ready.”
“I... I do know. Thanks, Carlisle.”
“I mean it. Since you’re not ready to vent to me right now, can I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“How upset was Liam after I told him about stopping the pill before I slept with Max? You know, he left for Davos without speaking to me after I told him.”
Drake took a sip from his silver hip flask and winced. “He was pretty messed up.”
“How bad was it though? Did he ever question you about us?”
“Of course.”
“So what did you tell him? That except for that one time you only ever—”
“Fucked your tits and ass?” “Yeah, I made that pretty clear.” He took another long sip, his eyes locked on hers.
“And, what did he say?”
“He said he wished that Maxwell would have had my ‘good sense’.”
“Ha! Really? ‘Good sense’?” Well that’s rich, coming from Liam. He was the one who gave me that damned pass in the first place. Not even a week after he made clear how important it was for Cordonia’s security that we start trying for a family right away. What did he expect?”
“You don’t need to convince me. I’ve hashed out this argument with him enough already. He feels guilty.... He— he thought that, you would have chosen me.”
There was a long, awkward silence after Drake spoke.
“Drake...”
Drake spat over his shoulder into the sink behind him. “I’ve had enough talk. I’m gonna go shoot some darts.”
He stopped at the kitchen door with his hand on the doorframe, tossing the empty flask carelessly into the waste bin before he spoke over his shoulder.
“You coming, Carlisle?”
“In my maternity robe and night shirt? I should probably go change first.”
Drake smirked, “I’ve seen you play in less than that.”
“Touché, Walker. You’re on then.”
......
They had played a couple rounds of darts and Tabitha lost them both, horribly.
“It’s the robe! These kimono sleeves are ruining my game!” She nearly doubled over giggling at her attempt to make an excuse as she pretended to beat up on Drake’s (non-injured) shoulder. “Can’t throw for shit in this! I told you I should have changed!”
Drake laughed back at her as he swatted away her fists. “For a Queen, you sure don’t know how to lose gracefully. Just admit defeat!”
“Hmph. I’m gonna just take it off then. Best three out of five?”
“No don’t—”
Tabitha hoisted herself to sit at the edge of the pool table, loosening the ties of her robe. Holding his rapt attention, she continued slowly unbuttoning the top buttons of her nightshirt.
“What?”
He swallowed hard at the sight of her on the edge of the wood framed green felt billiards table. It triggered memories of the last time they had been in a game room alone together; that night in Paris after she had come back from going to the Opera with Liam. They nearly would have gone all the way right there if not for the Hotel staff coming back to lock up for the evening. At the time, it was the closest he had let his inhibitions go with Liam’s favorite suitor. Drake remembered later having to wait for the telltale sounds of Maxwell snoring on the bunk above him in their shared train car before he could finally jack off and relieve his horrible case of blue balls.
Tabitha’s mischievous smile revealed that she knew exactly what she was doing on that pool table in front of him.
“Remember this?...”
“Do I...”
“We had some good times, you and me...”
“What‘re you trying to do to me, Carlisle?”
She smiled with satisfaction before her face became more serious.
“Have you talked to him more about... y’know...?”
Drake shook his head “He’s still dead set against it...“ He held up his hands in mock surrender, chuckling, “Don’t give me that look, Carlisle! It’s not like I haven’t been trying!”
“But you still want to, right?”
“... Absolutely.”
“I thought if anyone would be able to convince him, it’d be you.”
“You know as well as I do how private Lee gets... he told me he doesn’t like the idea of having to ‘share’ us.”
“I think I have a solution. Let’s even things out for, symmetry’s sake? I want to make it a party of 4. Let’s bring Max.”
“No. God, no. NO. I never signed on for that.”
“Four heads are better than 3?”
Drake scoffed,
“—said no one, ever?”
“Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it!”
“Jeezus, Carlisle. This was never a part of the plan. He... just. no. It’s just not going to work. Maxwell? That’d be total boner kill for me. Not gonna happen.”
“Drake, I love Max. You of all people should be able to understand what that’s like. We’re all in this together now, for better or for worse.”
Drake’s disproval continued to manifest bodily as he shivered with disgust. “Listen, Liam loves both of us and he’s still been dead set against a threesome with you & me. What makes you think that he’s say yes to that now including a fourth... ‘head’?”
“If you were able to get Liam to come home from the Davos Summit, when he was so angry at me before, you can use your powers of persuasion on him again, Drake. I know it.”
That look in her eye she gave him gave him butterflies. It always did. He let out a low growl “God, Tabitha, how can anyone say ‘no’ to you?”
“Well, you just called me ‘Tabitha,’ I must be good”
“Yeah, you are...”
Drake slowly stepped closer to Tabitha. Her magnetic pull turned them all into satellites in her orbit.
“Drake, I’ve missed you. I don’t think I can wait for Liam to make up his mind to have you again. We both have someone else, but tonight, it’s just you and me. You told me to let you know whenever I needed an escape. I want you, now.”
Her legs spread out before him and she unbuttoned her nightshirt below the open robe, leaving little to the imagination. His eyes lit up at the sight of her and he walked over with a mischievous smirk on his, face shaking his head. “As much as I‘d like to, I’m not gonna fuck you tonight Carlisle.”
“Why?” she pouted
Drake kept walking closer to her, a smolder in his eyes. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. He whispered to her in a hoarse voice
“Because, this...” never breaking eye contact, he pushed aside the lace crotch of her underwear and smoothly inserted two fingers inside of her, simultaneously rubbing her g-spot in a ‘come hither’ motion and brushing his thumb against her clit in a combo move that made her shiver so hard, she had to grip the edge of the pool table to hold steady, “...belongs to Liam.” Drake pumped his fingers in her a few more times, making her mewl softly and need to close her eyes to savor that pressure and keep from falling off the edge of the pool table. He leaned in to purr in her ear “jeeezus, Carlisle, you are so . fucking . wet.” Drake withdrew his fingers and held them up now glistening for her with an invitation in his eyes, cocking his eyebrow and biting his lower lip, waiting for her command. She batted her eyelashes at him and seductively enveloped his fingers with her mouth all the way down to his knuckles, letting them slip out slowly from her lips, and making his cock involuntarily twitch in his pants at the sight.
Liam had warned Drake ‘Anything but....’” But he must think I’m a damned saint to have to restrain myself around her.
“Your cunt feels... different? Guess it’s ‘cause you’re been ‘rearranging the furniture’ in there” His hands caressed her pregnant stomach in wonderment and his throat caught as he spoke.
“You... you remember how I felt? After all this time?”
“Carlisle, you are extraordinary. I could, never, forget anything about you.”
He could almost sense the wheels turning as she weighed the meaning of his words by the look she gave him in her searching eyes. Driven by raw instinct he bent down and angled his head to the right, wanting to feel her lips on his again for the first time in what seemed like so long. He stopped himself when they were close enough to share the same breath, and instead dove behind her ear to suck at the sensitive spot below the hairline on her neck.
Tabitha surprised herself by how loud her guttural moan was as it rose from her mouth. “Drake,fuck me, please...”
A wolfish smile crept across his face as he shook his head slowly again. “I said I can’t fuck you... but, I’ll watch you fuck yourself.”
::pant:: “Fine, you can watch,... but I want to watch you, too. it’s only fair.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
......
The intimacy of locking eyes with someone you care about while you both touch your own genitals was something that was almost too overwhelming for Drake. It was not his first time ever with anyone, he had jerkoff sessions with Liam countless times, and especially when they were younger. His dick was rock hard and red from all the pounding. It was unbelievably hot to watch her do the same. His trance was lost when she broke eye contact and closed her lids, bending back slightly on the pool table and letting out a soft moan.
Wait a minute, who is she thinking about right now? The veins in his neck began to protrude in a mind-meld cluster-fuck of arousal and anger. He had to break her private rapture that no longer seemed include thoughts of him.
“Who’s bigger?” He panted, still jacking off at open throttle.
“Wh-what??”
“Who’s... bigger... me?... or Maxwell?”
“Don’t ... don’t do this to me... right now... Drake?... you’re gonna... ruin it... for both of us!”
“I... want... to know..:”
“::gasp:: But... why does it matter?”
“I...want to know... what... you ... see in him.”
“::tchh:: who? Liam?!”
He growled at her “‘ofCourse not Liam!... Maxwell! Why... did you choose... him? Is his dick... that big?”
“Wh-wh-That... that-doesn’t-matter to me?! Where—“
“Bullshit!” he snarled, “...Just... tell me...”
There’s no good way to answer this that will make him happy... she snapped her retort back to him as her fingers began to rub angrily at her clit.
“I... plead ‘the Fifth’”
“Ha!” He shook his head while still pumping his cock at full speed “You’re not on Manhattan any more... Cordonia doesn’t ...have a Fifth amendment... Or... if we did... it’s... ‘probably some... ridiculous law about... fuckin’ Apple harvests or... something?!”
Tabitha stoped pleasuring herself. This was getting unbearable. She squinted and groaned in exasperation, her natural high almost completely gone now. Scoffing incredulously she whined back at him in a low whisper:
“Damn it, Drake?! What’s gotten into you?? Making me laugh is not going to make me cum!”
“Just tell me then for fuck’s sake, Tabitha?! Whatdoyouseeinhim?!?”
Drake rarely called her by her first name but whenever he did let it slip, it was almost always because he had let his emotions get the best of him.
She responded back to him through her own gritted teeth, “Listen here, Walker. We’re not going there tonight. Max’s... anatomy, is not the reason why I fell in love with him!! And I’m insulted that you would even suggest that! You know me too well for—“
Drake pinched his face in a hurt scowl as if to call her out with his disbelief
“Yeah, I do know you well...”
“Well you should know then that it’d never be the only reason!... Ok, maybe one of many! I resent you not respecting my judgement and I refuse to give you any private details right now because of it. I expected us to both go to sleep soundly in our beds tonight, completely satisfied. And I’m not going down this irrelevant, juvenile ‘rabbit hole’ of “who’s bigger?” with you; So you’ll just have to wait to find out when you can finally convince Liam to join the three of us for our tryst. I’m changing the subject now!”
“To what?”
“To what I usually imagine when I’m alone in my bed at night, when you take Liam away from me. Come closer and I’ll tell you. Let’s start over.”
“So what do you think about?”
“That first time I walked in on you with Liam. I was shocked but I was so turned on by watching you both kissing. I saw your tongue go in his mouth and thought it was so hot.”
“Mmm... go on...”
“And it caught me by surprise, but really, really what I wanted to do was join both of you, and be in between you while you made out and dry humped each other in the library at the gala.... And then I imagine us all going to the bedroom, and the two of you lubing each other up while I watch...”
Drake groaned and increased his speed pistoning up and down his cock, his fist rubbed against her own hand as she continued whisper dirty nothings at his ear
“And we’re all naked and sweaty and you fuck my ass while Liam takes my pussy,... and you both are grinding your hips into me back and forth, and back and forth, like you’re a saw blade I’m the fucking tree... and all we can feel is each other! and we kiss and neck and i can’t tell whose lips and hands are whose and—“
“Nghhh... fuckk!”
His inhale stuttered and caught in the back his throat before he muffled a groan, letting his breath explode heavy against her forehead. Drake came undone in thick ropes of cum over her mound, up the slight lower curve of her belly, and falling down into her lace panties that still clung precariously about her knees.
He heaved still short winded and smiled sheepishly giving her a hard kiss on the neck, and smoothing her hair before stepping back to pull his pants back on.
“... Did you...?”
She sighed breathlessly, pouting, “not quite. I don’t do well with stopping and starting.”
Drake pulled his pants back on, zipping up the fly. “Shit. My bad. Sorry?”
Grabbing for a clean bar towel just within his reach, he handed it to Tabitha, who promptly threw it on the floor, while she stared back defiantly at him.
“Drake, Liam asked you to take care of me while he was gone... You promised him.”
She gave him that look.
“You’re right,” he admitted. Then Drake got closer. He twisted a lock of her hair out of the way, all the better to whisper with a growl in her ear
“Who am I to deny my king?”
“Drake...”
Drake crouched down to kiss between her breasts, pushing open her robe and already unbuttoned nightshirt as he squeezed them. His sucking and kissing progressed lower, past her navel, tasting the tart combination on her body of his cum made mixed with the salt of her sweat. Tabitha grabbed a handful of his hair and bucked softly beneath him as he made his way lower, mopping up her landing strip with his tongue. She bucked harder and he gripped her thighs tight to keep her from falling as he painted with his tongue in slow swirls, down to her clit before he began to suck on it.
“Drake...”
The friction he created sparked electricity lighting up and down her spinal column, causing her back to arch. Drake’s fingers sunk deeper into her hips to brace her as he hunkered down, increasing the speed of his mouth. A minute or so more of attention was all that was needed before her legs began to quake. Tabitha fell backwards onto her elbows on the pool table, panting heavily. She smiled, “I forgot how good you were at that.”
Drake wiped his lips off with the back of his hand and smirked with an eyebrow cocked, “...better than Maxwell?”
“Oh shut up, you’re impossible!!” They both laughed. “You’re lucky there aren’t any billiards balls left in the pockets or there’d be one in your face right now, Walker!”
............
Drake didn’t sleep much that night. After he walked Tabitha to her room he headed straight for the Palace Library to sketch out some plans, keeping him up for an hour or so more. The next day, after finally waking up around half-past noon, he dragged himself out of bed to walk to Liam’s office, a roll of drafting paper tucked underneath his arm. Liam, who had just arrived back at the Palace with Maxwell not long before, was now alone, reading through some documents at his desk. He looked up at Drake and smiled.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey. Good trip?”
“Yes, actually. It was, very productive? We’ve come to an understanding now, Maxwell and I.”
“Good to hear. I’ve got something for you.”
“Oh?”
Drake shoved aside some of the binders on the desk and unrolled the paper for in front of Liam.
“What’s this?”
“Plans. For that private cabin Carlisle’s been asking for on the estate in Valtoria. 4 bedrooms/3 baths. A hot tub, sauna. And the best soundproofing money can buy.”
Liam surveyed the plans and looked up at Drake quizzically. Drake propped both of his fists on the desk and stared directly at Liam, grinning at him with a wicked glint in his eyes,
