Chapter 17 Brotherhood & Love
•Duke's POV•

  I spend the next two hellacious weeks moping around the apartment, and failing to get any work done from missing Mel. Each day that passes I grow even more desperate for any type of physical, or verbal contact, no matter how small, with her. With only Drake's New Years Eve Party shining like a beacon in the distance for me to focus my mounting need toward. Thankfully mine and Dean's wait is over, because today is New Years Eve.

The afternoon Drake called Dean to invite both of us to the party the sly bastard talked us into coming over early to help set up for the party. Neither Dean or I have a clue what to expect from Drake once we get there, but I'm down for anything as long as it takes my mind off of counting the seconds until My Love arrives.

With that sobering thought ringing through my head Dean and I stick to our word, and leave our shared loft a little after 10 AM. We casually make our way down to the parking garage under the converted warehouse, and into Dean's truck. Then through the rapidly filling streets of the city, until Dean pulls up outside of Drakes Brownstone about an hour and a half later around noon.

As Dean and I walk up the steps leading to the front door I feel strange for some reason. Like I shouldn't be showing up empty handed, or something like that. At the orphanage while I was growing up I always heard the Sisters say it's polite to bring the host a gift when that person has taken the time to invite you. I've never actually been in a situation that called for that random piece of knowledge, and I hope it's ok that I didn't bring anything now.

Dean and I come to a stop side by side on the top step. Dean has a small leather gym bag, with our party clothes inside, in his hands resting in front of his legs, so I'm the lucky one who knocks on the front door. Amazingly we don't have to wait in the cold, windy weather for long before Abbie swings the door wide open, and smiles brightly at us.

"Hi Guys! C'mon in!" Abbie says waving us inside, and giving both of us a quick hug as we walk past her.

I just wrapped my arms around Abbie's body as Drake comes bouncing down the stairs two at a time. When he notices how close I am to Abbie he begins to scowl at me, and stomp across the room toward us. He comes to a stop directly behind Abbie, and pulls her body out of my embrace into his chest. I give him a smirk as my arms drop to my sides, and use my foot to close the front door behind me.

"How many times must I remind both of you, especially you Duke, to keep your hands, arms, and body away from My Woman at all times?" Drake growls at Dean and I before kissing the hollow spot on the right side of Abbie's neck, and leaving a clearly defined bite mark behind for everyone to see his claim.

Abbie starts laughing at the caveman's pissing contest, and pats the top of his head as she starts to speak condescendingly. "Down Boy! I'm the one who gave your cousin, and best friend a quick hug hello. No need to mark your territory, and piss on my leg. I promise!"

Drake sends a swift, hard, resounding spank to Abbie's ass cheek before letting her go, but keeps her close enough to whisper his next words directly into her ear. "Don't tempt me Angel! I'll see you in a bit sweetheart." He places a final kiss to her cheek before letting her go completely, and taking a few steps back.

"This way guys." Drake waves Dean and I forward as he walks back toward the stairs. We follow him up to the third floor, and down the hall into his office. Drake goes straight to the tall leather chair behind his desk while Dean and I sit in matching lounge chairs in front.

For the next three hours the three of us go over the details for several different assignments the company has coming up in the first couple of weeks into the new year, and finalize all the details. Until neither of us can think of anything else to add, and agree it's time to move on.

For the rest of the afternoon Dean and I become Drake's lackeys. Doing any and everything Drake ask us to do to get ready for the party and it's many guests. And of course, that to-do list of his is hella longer than he first made it out to be!

I knew I should have told Drake go fuck himself. (All out of love mind you!)

The three of us walked back into the hallway, and Drake locks the door to his office after he walks out of the doorway. Then we start working our way from the end of the hallway toward the staircase. Picking up, cleaning, moving things to a more secure place, then locking the doors to certain rooms along the way, and finally checking behind each other to make sure absolutely nothing got missed.

Dean and I wait for Drake to give the final all-clear before moving down the stairs to the second floor, and starting all over. Paying each room on this floor the same amount of attention, until the three of us finish it completely. Then make our way down the last flight of stairs to the main floor, and doing the same to it.

It takes us several hours to finish everything on Drake's list, but thankfully it's just under two hours before the first guests are supposed to arrive. Drake and I decide to sit on the couch in the living room, and rest for a moment while watching some tv.

Dean decides to walk off in the opposite direction from the couch. He comes back a minute later holding a stack of clothes in one arm, and the duffel bag in the other. He tosses the duffel bag into my lap before giving Drake and I a two finger salute, and walking up the stairs.

I'm filthy, sweaty myself, and in desperate need of a shower. I take the duffel bag in my left hand, and stand up from the couch. I follow a few steps behind Dean up to the third floor again, and down the hallway. We split up before reaching the end, and go into different rooms to the en-suit.

I toss the bag on the ground watching as it slides across the tile floor, and comes to a stop against the bathroom cabinets. I strip out of my soaked sweats, and walk into the shower as I turn the hot water all the way on. I stand perfectly still for awhile under the multiple shower heads sending alternating pulses of water across my tense muscles.

Until I can say I've wasted too much time, and start to actually wash my body. Eventually I turn the water off, and get out to dry my body off. I walk over to the vanity placing the damp towel on top of the bathroom counter, and get dressed.

In the spirit of starting new things I decide to go commando, and pull on a pair of black designer dress pants buttoning them up. I add a tight fitting royal blue button down shirt over my chest. The shirt is definitely not my usual style, but Dean kept nagging me to wear it until I finally gave into the overgrown kid.

I run my fingers through my drying hair leaving the locks in a messy style, and then brushing my teeth. I make sure to add extra deodorant to help with my unusually large amount of sweat, and a splash of my favorite cologne. 'Aqua Di Gio For Men'. I give myself one finally once over in the mirror hanging on the wall, and nod. Before stepping back to slide on my only pair of expensive Italian leather dress shoes I own finishing the look.

I ball my dirt sweats up then place them inside the duffel bag, and zip it closed. I hide the bag in the back of the cabinet under the bathroom sink. Before leaving the bathroom, and gently closing the door behind me. As I make my way back downstairs to join everyone else in the living room.

Music is playing softly through the hidden speakers along Drake's home. A projector is on, and set-up now taking up the entire outer wall of the open living space. On one side of the wall is a football game, and the live Pre-Show going on in Time Square right now is on the other side.

Drake has Abbie surrounded on top of his lap in his embrace while the two love birds take up the only lounge chair in the room. Dean is beside them on the couch, and I joined him on the opposite end. I quickly join in their conversation laughing and joking around with each other in the last few minutes we have of peace and quiet.

Which is cut short with the first group of arrivals just after 9PM. The first time the doorbell rings it seems to open the flood gates! People start arriving to the Brownstone in bigger and bigger groups. Soon the first floor is standing room only crowded, and the people slowly start making their way up the stairs.

Dean and I decide to take our spots on the second floor landing against the banister early on with the flood of people. This way we both have a clear line of sight to the front door, and that's where our eyes stayed glued. As we desperately scan each person walking through the door.

My body registers a shift in the environment before my eyes notice the blond bombshell walking through the door. My eyes greedily scan every inch of her beauty from head to toe. The amazing barely there dress, down to the thigh high boots covering her legs, until my eyes snap back up finally noticing what else she's wearing.

Dean and I must notice the hopeful sign at the same time. We turn facing each other with matching predatory looks on our faces. Like two bloodhounds catching a scent we turn around together, and start pushing our way down the stairs toward her. Neither of us bother with pleasantries as we use our massive frames to push through the people.

Only before Dean or I can reach the bottom of the stairs Abbie comes out of nowhere taking Mel's hand, and pulling her behind her toward the kitchen. Both women quickly get swallowed up by the ever growing crowd. We wait at the bottom of the stairs for a few minutes hoping to catch sight of them, but nothing.

Frustrated Dean and I make our way back up to our original spots against the banister on the second floor landing. We resume scanning the crowd of people for any sight of them, but after an hour of scanning every face more than once I can't take it anymore! I turn to face Dean, and lean in closer toward his ear so he can hear me over the noise.

"Fuck waiting around any longer, man! I say we split up, and go find her. You check the main room, and back hallway on the main floor. I'll go to the right to check the kitchen, and the hallway leading to the garage. Whichever one of us finds Mel's carry her upstairs to the last guest bedroom on the third floor, and wait there for the other person. If neither of us spot either one of them after making the loop completely we rendezvous back up at the bottom of the stairs in twenty minutes, and we'll go from there."

Deans shoulders seem to lose some of their tension with the new plan. "Thank God! I can't take another second of standing around either. Let's go."

He turns around, and gives me a two finger salute over his shoulder as he walks down the stairs. When Dean reaches the last step he turns left, and cuts through the crowd of party goers until he reaches the outside wall. He starts sliding along the perimeter of the living room before getting lost in the mass of people himself.

Once I can't see Dean any longer I step off of the last stair, and turn right into the kitchen area. I make my way to the walk in pantry without any luck, and next to the back hallway. Checking behind the three doors lining the hall, except for the one at the far in that leads to the garage.

I swing the first door open slowly revealing an empty powder bathroom. I let the door swing closed as I walk across the hallway to the next door, and open it. It's a closets crammed full with so much stuff a child couldn't even hide inside. I close the door quickly, and make my way back across the hall to the last door.

I open the door to a laundry room, and the room I just so happen to find My Love in. Mel is sitting on top of the dryer swinging her stiletto boot clad feet back and forth. While staring at her circling thumbs, and mumbling incoherently to herself under her breath. Completely unaware of anything going on around her while she's off in her own little world, but stunningly gorgeous all the same.

Mel's long blond hair is bone straight, and cascading down around her face hiding it. The crystal clear blue of her eyes, and the blood red stain on her lips is the only color I can see on her porcelain face.

She's wearing an indecently short, for anyone's eyes except for Dean and myself, black halter dress. The bottom barely covers her ass, and on the bottom front hem of the skirt in the middle is an angled slit ending just below her cunt. The black satin thigh-high stiletto boots covering her legs came directly from my childhood fantasy!

I don't even bother closing the laundry room door as I rushed inside, and take the mythical creatures preoccupied body into my arms. Our lips connecting together instantly like two magnets being pulled together as I ravish her mouth. Leaving My Love deeply gasping for breath once I'm done a few minutes later, and release her.

"Hello Beautiful." Is all I say before waiting for her to talk.

The Goddess opens and closes her mouth like a fish several times trying to say something, but I place a finger over her moving lips after a while stopping her. In the next second I move both of my hands to her hips, and throw the top half of her body over my shoulder in a fireman's carry. I rush out of the laundry room as Mel screams, and starts hitting me in the back repeatedly.

I continue steadily forward through the crowd of people toward the bottom of the stairs, and up to the third floor. The spitting mad Goddess I'm carrying makes it difficult to maneuver through the crowd at times, but I finally made it to the spare bedroom at the end of the third floor. I leave the door to the room slightly ajar as a signal to Dean, and stand her up in the middle of the room beside the end of the lavishes king size bed frame dominating the room.

I wrap my left arm securely around her body, and slide the fingers of my right hand across the forever locking collar around her glorious neck. My smiling face seems to grow bigger the longer my fingers trace the white gold band. Until finally I can't hold my excitement in any longer, and I let it free.

"My Love, I absolutely LOVE what you are wearing tonight, and so does Dean. It's all the two of us have been talking about since we saw you walk in. Am I right to assume this means you agree to ours now, am I right?"

Her fiery blue eyes immediately drop to the floor, and her body starts to fidget side to side nervously. I wrap my right arm around her waist so I can pull her body tighter into mine. I place a kiss to the hollow spot at the base of her throat that drives her wild. Then release the skin with a pop, and take a step back.

I stand there anxiously waiting for her to say anything to me, but she just remains quiet. Finally, after several more agonizing minutes of rapidly growing awkwardness I can't take it, and break the silence again.

"My Love, please tell me what's wrong."

Her tear filled blue eyes snap up to mind instantly then catching my attention immediately. Her gaze is full of doubt and insecurities that sends a strong shot of fear into the pit of my stomach to take root.

I try to hide the scared feeling running through me, but I obviously must fail. I'm not sure what emotion comes across my face, but whatever it is makes the unshed tears start falling down her face breaking my heart even more.

"It's ok My Love just tell me. The three of us can, and will work whatever it is out together."

"Do you really believe that?" Her words are barely louder than a whisper making me strain to understand them.

I nod my head yes, and give her a look filled with determination. "The three of us have to learn to listen, and work things out together if we want to make this relationship work. That is one thing I can promise not to do."

"Even if one of us chooses to leave the group later on? From the very first night we started this you and Dean have made it very clear to me it's the three of us, or nothing at all when it comes to this thing between us." Her words come out a little more confident, but for the life of me I have no idea where any of this is coming from.

I place my hands on top of her shoulders, and bend down until I'm looking her straight in the eyes. "Please, just tell me exactly what's got you so bothered. You, myself, and Dean will fix it together. Trust me."

The Goddess squeezes her eyes closed tightly, and lets her head fall backwards as she faces the ceiling to speak. "I've fallen head over heels in love with you Duke. I've dreamed and fantasized about you for years, and even though it's only been a few months we've been exploring this thing between us. My feelings only seem to grow deeper for you the more time we spend together." Her head comes back up, and her eyes open with a snap to look directly at me while she finishes. "But, I'm not in-love with Dean."

Two very strong, but vastly different emotions hit me square in the chest from her words. The first being pure elation at finally hearing her say she is in-love with me too. Followed by a searing stab of betrayal from her last confession. Except I see the way she looks at Dean when she thinks no one else is looking, and I know she's wrong.

"I know I have no right to tell you how you feel My Love, but you're wrong. Even though you have only known Dean for a few months, I want you to tell me how you really feel about him right now."

My wicked little spitfire starts to blush at that. "Really?"

I just silently shake my head yes in answer.

"Fine!" She says while rolling her eyes behind her closed eyelids. "Dean is insanely hot, with a sculpted body, insanely perfect smile, and heart of gold to match. He always goes out of his way to make me laugh. He's funny, caring, loyal, compassionate, thoughtful of everyone around him, and an even better listener if that makes any sense! Last but certainly not least, he's a kinky sadist that is a God in the bed that rivals only you, Master." She ends playfully giving me a wink.

"Hmm..If I remember correctly that seems to be exactly how you thought of me until very recently it would appear. What makes you so certain your feelings for Dean can't, or won't turn into love?" I keep digging until she finally gives in, and tells me everything.

"I don't know! Maybe the fact that I've never been woman enough to handle one man for an extended period of time. Let alone try to keep two very dominant, alpha males satisfied at the same time!" She finally blows out sarcastically throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.

I can't stop myself from chuckling at the lunacy of her thoughts running through her mind. "Ok My Love. You really have no clue how wrong you actually are! It's Dean and I that are constantly on our toes trying to come up with new and exciting games to play on and with you."

"But what if my feelings for Dean don't develop into anything like what I feel for you? Or Dean gets tired of waiting for me to love him back, and instead finds someone else that makes him happy? Or he realizes he doesn't love me? Can you see yourself with only me while Dean lives the rest of his happily ever after somewhere else?" She ask me full of hope.

I don't even need time to think about my answer. "I'm sorry My Love, but the answer is no."

"What?" She asks in disbelief pushing away from my embrace, and wrapping her arms around her shaking body.

"I don't mean for my answer to hurt you My Love, but there is a much deeper meaning behind that. Even though we are both big strong Alpha men who can handle anything without showing emotion, Dean has been there for me more than he or I actually like to admit. A hell of a lot more! I owe that man my life, and everything good that comes along my way while living it, and one of the only ways I know how to do that is to share everything with him." I tried to explain as gently as I can to the fiery tempered Goddess in front of me.

Unfortunately The Little HellCat as Dean calls her, recrosses her arms high on her chest defiantly while giving me her best eat-shit-and-die stare. "What exactly do YOU mean when you say you owe Dean your life?"

I fight to remain calm, and speak slowly and clearly as I tell her my deepest darkest secret. "Because it's as simple as it sounds, I owe Dean my life. It's only right after he stepped in front of a bullet that was meant for me, and almost lost the ability to ever walk again along with his life as the result."

The Little HellCat gasp in shock, and quickly covers her mouth with the palm of her hand. "What?" The word came out muffled, but equally as horrified.

I reach up taking the hand covering her mouth in mine, and weaving our fingers together. Before resting our joint hands over my rapidly beating heart. "Come on My Love. Let's sit down for this. This isn't a pretty story." I guide the both of us around the end of the bed frame to take a seat along the edge of the mattress. Then I pull her glorious round ass peeking out underneath her dress down onto my lap hard, and wrap her body up in my arms. Finally I let my mind go back and relive the memories of that God awful day.

"Dean and I were a month into our final tour the day it happened. Drake had already retired the year before, so he could begin building his private security firm. The both of us already decided we were going to get out of the sandy dunes of Hell, and join him working in the private sector to get the business off the ground. We both figured it was past time to finally give civilian life another try."

Mel burrows her head in my chest making me pause, and look at her with a fond smile before continuing. "It was just another hot day in the dry, sandy desert. Our entire team was on a routine patrol of the city. Searching for any one, or thing that looked suspicious as we moved. Dean and I were partners, and walked side by side while on patrol together. We were talking and laughing like always about something I can't even remember now. My focus was on Dean and the story I was telling him as we went around the corner of another building, and turned down a new street."

"While our team was on this routine patrol there was a group of men about a minute in front of Dean and I walking the same path, and another team behind us the same distance. The team that previously came down this road one minute before called the 'All Clear' over the coms, so neither of us were expecting something to be there in less than a minute later. But thankfully Dean saw it first."

I look down at my hands laced together around her body as I share my deepest shame with her. Even now I can still see the blood covering my hands from what happened next. No matter how many times I tell myself it isn't real, or scrub my hands clean.

"At the other end of the building Dean and I were walking along was a small alleyway before the next red clay building. A little boy that couldn't have been more than nine years old at the time was kneeling down inside the opening to that alley holding an AK-47 straight at us. And even with all that 'special training' I received didn't mean a damn thing then, because I didn't even know anything was going on until I heard the little boys gun fire right at me."

"Dean stayed alert the entire time though, and just reacted. He spun around in front of me putting his back toward the bullet at let it hit him instead. It tore into his flesh just below his Kevlar vest millimeters away from his spin. I watched in complete horror as blood started gushing out of the wound down his back, but thankfully seeing the blood broke me from my shock. In mere seconds, I had my gun in my hand firing a kill shot straight to the middle of the kids forehead, and also manage to catch my brothers body as it crumpled to the ground."

"I tried to put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding, but it kept bubbling out between my fingers. I frantically called in for an extraction team to come in and get Dean to the Medics, but the heilo wouldn't be able to reach us for fifteen minutes. I screamed and cussed Dean out demanding he stay with me, and not die. By the time the extraction team got there Dean's heart had stopped beating. The team loaded him up into the helio, and left without even sparing me a single thought."

My Love wraps her arms around my shoulders rubbing her fingers across my shoulders, and back in sympathy. "I'm so sorry you and Dean had to go through something so horrendous Duke."

"Save it, there is no redemption for me. I'm the one who almost got my best friend killed, and also killed an innocent kid! Dean is the one who died twice while the doctors were trying to save him. The surgery almost cost him the permanent use of his legs, because the bullet was so close to his spinal cord. Since the day he almost gave his life for mine I promised myself I would repay him with my life anyway I could. Dean is more than just an amazing friend to me My Love. He truly is my brother, and life long partner as well."

I place the palm of my right hand under her chin, and cup it inside my palm as I move her face up to look at me. I look deeply into her eyes, and whisper my next words not wanting to interrupt this moment. "Now do you understand where I'm coming from? If I'm blessed enough to receive love and compassion from a woman in my life, I won't go without sharing that same loving feeling with Dean."

Mel tried to nod her head while still in my grip as best she can answer me. "I do, and I'm sorry if I've upset you by making you re-live such a terrible memory Master."

I place a lingering kiss to her forehead leaving my lips there for several seconds before pulling back slightly, and looking back down at her with a smile. "Trust in me, Dean, and the love we share between us My Love. Everything will work out just fine in the end. I see the way both of you look at each other, and how your body unconsciously responds to his touch already. It might take you a little more time before you admit it, but one day in the not so near future you will realize you love the big dope even more than me!"

"I trust you Duke, and in Dean." My Love tells me full of pride, but whispers the last three words hoping I wouldn't hear them. As she snuggles back against my chest.

We sit in a loving, comfortable silence just holding each other after that. I thought Dean would have already joined us by now, but I guess he's still stuck in the crowd. So Mel and I continue to bask in this stolen moment of love and acceptance among the raging party going on the other side of the door.

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Soo would anyone like to guess on where Dean is?
Or how sweet the stolen moment was between Duke and Mel at the end of the chapter!
Well until the next chapter my lovelies!!
Callie

Text Copyright ©Callie Sumner ™ 2019