“Hmm, maybe,” Noah says, “Maybe, maybe not. It could’ve been to see how you would react.”
“Then he’s an idiot. He should know not to try and play games, not with a man he hoped to be in a relationship with. I may love my boys cute and fun, but I’m still a Dom. I don’t put up with that kind of crap.”
The conversation changes when Dad and Pops load the table with our roast, and we migrate to the large table and sit down. Within minutes, our plates are full, and the conversations start again.
“Are you looking forward to the end of term?” Dad asks me.
As much as I love my job, the holidays are always welcome, a time to destress, to not have late night marking and lesson planning to think about. And the chance to get away somewhere hot is an inviting thought. “I am. I’m thinking of going away. I could do with lying under the sun on an overpriced sun-lounger.”
Drake looks up from his food and grins. “Where do you fancy going? I’ve got some time off coming up, if you fancy some company.”
“And me,” Knox joins in.
“Bloody hell, anyone else want to gatecrash?” I grumble. The doorbell rings, interrupting anyone else wanting to join the party. “I’ll go,” I sigh, wanting to leave the table.
I yank the door open and stop still, no words spring to mind. Memphis stands on the step, not quite up to the door. He must’ve stepped back after ringing the bell. “What are you doing here?”
“Um, I was invited,” he says, lifting his chin up and looking me right in the eye. Nope, no boy would do that to me, not even a brattiest one. It would be a coy smile as he looks up through his thick eyelashes.
“You’d better come in then.” I turn, walking back to the kitchen. The door clicks shut. I don’t know if he follows me or if he’s closed it and walked away.
“Who was it?” Pops asks me, then lets out a happy squeak and jumps up to hug him. He leans away, looking him up and down. “Memphis, you made it! Look at you, you look great. Come and have a seat; there’s plenty of food.”
“Thank you,” he says, and I notice how hard he hugs Pops back. He must have missed him more than I thought. He has as much right to sit around this table as the rest of us. So, I let out a long breath and pick up my knife and fork and eat.
“It’s good to see you, son,” Dad says with a nod.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” He sits down next to Knox, who gives him a pat on his shoulder. Why is he always the peacemaker? “It’s lovely to see you again. I missed you.”
Of course, this sends Pops into a full-on gush about how much he missed him too. Even Dad has a soft smile for the return of the long-lost son.
Fuck this for a game of soldiers.
I’m outta here.
After watching Royal fuck up into the beautiful boy I’d met at the gym, I knew my bridges were completely burnt and the remnants washed away down the rain-drenched, stormy river. And honestly, it doesn’t feel like the end of the world. I thought that maybe we would be a forever thing, but I didn’t factor in how much we’d change. So, as he catches my eye, I try to look blankly at him, but I can’t do it, and pain tears through me until he turns his face away and gets back to kissing the boy on his lap.
The invitation for Sunday lunch from Dad surprised me, mainly because he doesn’t have my number. He probably got it from the gym, but I don’t mind. I should’ve been to see them by now.
When Pops finally lets me go, I sit down. In seconds, there’s a plate and cutlery in front of me. “Thank you.”
It stays quiet enough to hear a pin drop until a chair scrapes over the tiled floor, and Royal is up on his feet. “I’ll see you all later.”
“Royal!” Pops calls out as Royal stalks off down the hall.
“I’ll talk to him,” I say, standing up and walking around the table.
I find Royal in the hall, his head down as he seems to be drawing in a heavy breath. “Royal,” I say, quietly. He spins around and pins me to the wall, his body pressing up against mine, his hands caging my head. “You’re fucking everywhere: my club, my house, my gym. For someone that doesn’t want me, you seem to be all over my life.” He’s not loud, but there’s so much deep-rooted pain in his voice, in his eyes.
I’m speechless, lost in the blaze of his stormy eyes. I’ve never had anyone look at me this way. I can’t decide if it’s anger or lust. Maybe both. He stares, unblinking, at me until my tongue flicks over my bottom lip. He follows the trail, his eyes now fixated on my mouth.
Then his mouth hits mine, all hard and angry, teeth nipping and biting on my lip until I open for him. His tongue sweeps across mine, demanding my acquiescence, the same way his hips rock into me. His dominance is so fucking hot. Maybe this is the side of him I need, because my resolve to be a mature adult has disappeared, leaving only my submissive side, and damn, I want to give him everything he demands.
“Let’s go,” he growls against my lips, then bites the top one. I moan as a shudder runs through me. “I need inside you, and my parents’ hallway isn’t the ideal place.”
He snatches my hand and tugs me away from the wall and towards the door. When we step outside, he curses. “You drove, of course you did.” He looks at me. “We’ll take yours. I’ll drive.”
I try to protest, but the look he gives me has the words drying up. I close my mouth and dig the keys out of the front pocket of my jeans.
