Jack walked through the playroom thinking about climbing into bed. He had high hopes that he would sleep through the night. He wasn’t even contemplating sleeping in the room he’d taken out. Sam was right. If he woke up in a cold sweat, Abby and Sam would just hold him until he came down. It was selfish to hold back his fears and problems from them. His troubles were theirs. They were a family.
As Jack walked into the bar, he saw Matthew Slater pulling Lucas Cameron out of his chair. Lucas’s eyes were slightly dazed. His body was slack, and Slater seemed to be having trouble with him. A brown-haired sub in a collar pulled on the other side of Lucas, and together they managed to get the young man up.
“He’s heavier than he looks,” the sub said.
“We just need to get him out to the car I have waiting. I’ll take him back to my hotel,” Slater promised.
Jack didn’t like the look in Slater’s eyes. There was something there beyond a desire to help his boss’s son out. Jack sighed. Stupid karma. He realized what Julian had been talking about. He wasn’t discussing the fact that he’d blackmailed his father, and it was karma that Lucas blackmailed Jack. Julian, the sneaky bastard, was referring to how he had mentored Jack at a time when he was lost. Jack had never met a person more lost than Lucas Cameron.
“How much did that boy drink?” Jack heard himself ask.
Slater almost lost his footing when he startled at the sound of Jack’s voice. The sub immediately averted his eyes. Slater stumbled, and Lucas slumped back down. “He’s a terrible drunk.” Slater struggled to keep Lucas upright. “I was just going to get him back to my hotel where I can look after him.”
Slater didn’t seem like the paternal type. Jack doubted Lucas would get any sympathy from the campaign manager. Maybe he didn’t deserve any, but then there were times when Jack hadn’t deserved what he had been blessed with. Perhaps it was time to take his brother in hand.
He walked over to Lucas and looked down. His eyes were glassy, but there seemed to be a plea there. Jack reached down and hauled Lucas up and over his shoulder without breaking a sweat. The boy needed to put some muscle on. “Don’t worry about him. I’ve got an extra room. He can sleep it off there. I’d like to have a talk with him in the morning, anyway.”
“Wait!” Slater practically shouted. He pulled at Lucas’s shirt as though trying to force Jack to put him down. Jack took a step back, placing a small but needed distance between them. “I don’t think he should be alone with you. I am standing in for his father, Mr. Barnes. I doubt his father would want some stranger taking off with his son.”
Jack shook his head. “Face facts, Slater, dear old Dad wouldn’t give a shit. And I’m not a stranger. I’m his brother. He’s going to know what that means in the morning. Buck up, man. Once he realizes what I have in store for him, he just might hightail it back to DC with you. Good night.”
Jack started toward the elevators, ignoring the further protests of Matthew Slater. He strode into the elevator and pushed the button to take him to the seventeenth floor. Lucas pounded slightly on his back.
“Go to sleep, Lucas,” Jack commanded. “You’ll be fine in the morning.”
His brother grunted. “Thank you,” he slurred.
Jack sighed. He wondered if his brother would be thanking him in the morning.
Chapter Twelve
Lucas Cameron came out of his daze to the sound of two people talking. It was all hazy at first, but they seemed to be arguing about something. The whole world seemed thick and heavy, but their voices were light and filled with warmth.
“What’s wrong, Sam?” the feminine voice asked. “You seem to be struggling with something.”
Lucas felt the bed shift as though someone was wiggling.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Abigail.” Sam’s voice was deep. “I love it. It’s very comfortable.”
“Is it? I’m glad to hear that.” There was a wealth of amused satisfaction in the female’s voice.
“It’s the best day of my life,” Sam said with a little bite in his tone. “I don’t know why you complained about it all this time. You must be a wimp, Abby.”
Abby giggled. “Or maybe I’m just better at insertion than you are.”
Sam snorted. Lucas tried to open his eyes. If there was something being inserted somewhere between those two, he wanted to see it.
“I’m a master at insertion, baby. Just tell me one thing, Abby. Why pink?”
Abigail’s laughter seemed slightly maniacal to Lucas. “You love pink, Sam. Turnabout is fair play. Remember all those times you told me how cute I looked with a little pink plug?”
“You just could have picked something more masculine, baby,” Sam complained.
“Next time I’ll see if NASCAR has a line of licensed butt plugs.”
Lucas forced his eyes open. He definitely wanted in on this conversation.
“Oh, look he’s awake.” The lovely redhead peered down at him. Her hazel eyes were full of mirth, and she was wearing pajama bottoms and a tank top that showed off her breasts. Even with a massive hangover, Lucas could appreciate them. “Hello, Jack’s brother.”
“Hello, Jack’s wife,” he managed to mumble. Sam helped him sit up. The sheet slipped down. Someone had stripped him down to his boxers. He held his head. “What happened?”
“Apparently you can’t hold your liquor.” Sam pressed a cup of something warm into his hands. “Coffee. It should help.”
Lucas brought it to his lips. He didn’t really like coffee, but he didn’t want to disappoint Sam. He was surprised to find it smooth and rich. It wasn’t horribly sweet like the lattes he’d had before. He took another sip. Maybe it would clear his head. “Where am I?” The last thing he remembered was talking to the guy named Jeremy. He’d been planning on spending the night with him. How had he ended up in the middle of his brother’s ménage?
“Jack brought you up,” Sam explained. He shifted as though he was slightly uncomfortable. “He said you passed out in the bar downstairs. You’re in a room in the hotel over the club. We’re in the suite next to you. Abby wanted to come in and stare at you while you slept.”
Abby slapped at Sam, looking horrified. “I did not. I wanted to come in and take care of him. Besides, Jack won’t let us leave until he comes back from whatever it is he’s doing. Now, I ordered breakfast. I hope you like bacon and eggs.”
He nodded. He did like them. He hadn’t had them in months since he’d been playing the vegan for his Hollywood friends. His stomach rumbled. He couldn’t remember anything about last night. How much had he had to drink?
Abby put a tray in front of him, and the heavenly aroma hit him. He was suddenly starving. He shook slightly as he held the fork.
“So, you’re going to blackmail Jack?” Sam asked.
Just like that, his appetite took a nose dive. He stared at the two people sitting on his bed. His eyes slid down, unable to meet the faces of the people he’d inadvertently threatened. They would have been hurt, too. Now that he thought about it, he’d threatened them just as much as he had Jack. “Sorry about that. You’re safe. I’m not going to say anything.”
“Really?” Abby sounded upset. Lucas looked at the redhead. She was pouting slightly. It was really sexy on her. “That is very disappointing, Lucas.”