Bryce forced himself not to crane after him. Instead, he glanced around once more to find thatstillno one had left. Jason and Tristan had joined Riley in running interference for Jesse, ensuring no one else could get near him, and Bryce could see why. Jesse’s breathing was ragged, his pupils wide. He hadn’t seen Jesse this twitchy since he’d first come to them, and it twisted something in him. Jesse deserved his peace. His home should’ve been quiet and safe, not full of grabbing hands and politics.
Bryce had to get these assholes out of here before Matt’s need to protect his mate swamped his tenuous diplomatic attempts and he ended up throwing the Leader of the National Council out on his tailor-clad ass in the dirt.
So Bryce made a few more enemies as he peeled Thompson and Hart away from Matt’s side, where Bennett was explaining pompously that while he appreciated Matt’s inclusive approach to running a pack, it might not beappropriateto have random low-ranked pack members present at their next meeting. Bryce’s anger at that gave him the impetus he needed to practically shove the two councilors through the front door.
Their drivers started the car engines the instant they showed. And hell, had no one thought to offer them somewhere to sit in the warm? It hadn’t occurred to Bryce they’dhavedrivers. He hadn’t realized that when people got to high office, they lost the ability to drive.
He turned to go inside, stepping back briefly to let Steadman out. She gave him a glittering smile as she swept past, but it didn’t reach her eyes. And then finally Bennett was out, too.
And Tom hadn’t gone with them. Which meant…
He walked back into the living room and Tom met his approach with a wide smile. Bryce felt the tension in his shoulders ease as he returned Tom’s smile. He knew Tristan was smirking, but he didn’t care. “You’re staying then?”
“Given my ride just left, I hope so.” He hesitated, catching movement across the room. His voice dropped, the warmth replaced by concern. “Although—should I go? Jesse looks as if he’s had enough of strangers.”
Bryce looked around and found Tom’s observation was right. Jesse looked like he was about to shift in the middle of the living room, clothes be damned, and even Matt’s touch wasn’t calming him down too much. Bryce watched as Matt guided him out the door and along the hallway, away from the overly warm room that still seemed to ring with the sound of too many conversations being held at once.
He looked back at Tom, who was obviously ready to go if he was told to, and something in his chest squeezed. Because Tom was not only hot and intelligent but observant andkind.
“He’ll be fine. He and Matt will probably run out in the wilderness a while, and once he’s settled, Matt will take him to bed. And then he won’t know anything except for Matt. But thank you.” He looked deep into Tom’s eyes to underline his last words.
Tom smiled, slow and certain, and Bryce didn’t need any clearer invitation. He stepped in close, his hand rising instinctively to Tom’s jaw. His skin was warm, faintly rough with the beginning of stubble.
Their mouths met with no hesitation, just heat and certainty. The first brush of lips lingered, and then Tom opened to him. Bryce deepened the kiss with a slow slide of tongue, tasting the warmth of coffee and something sharper underneath—want, maybe—and felt Tom respond with a low hum in his throat.
It wasn’t hurried or frantic with need, though that thrummed through it. For Bryce, it felt like coming home.
When they broke apart, their breath mingled between them, unsteady but not unsure. Tom’s eyes were darker now, and Bryce felt something shift in his chest, like a piece had just clicked into place that he hadn’t even known was missing.
“Yeah,” Bryce murmured, a little hoarse. “This is… yeah.”
His wolf was pressing close inside him, watchful and quiet, as if the world had just changed and it was the only one who’d noticed.
TOM
The house had emptied slowly after the councilors left, their cars disappearing into the dark like beetles scuttling off into the night. Even after they were gone, the air inside felt too full, tooloudwith the echo of insistent conversations.
Tom found himself drifting into the kitchen. He’d loosened his necktie and taken off his jacket, opting for comfort over presentation now his boss was gone. Bryce had disappeared a few moments ago, saying he needed to check in with Karl andColby. But before he left, he’d given Tom a long look that held a promise.
Tom slung his jacket over the back of a chair and poured himself a coffee. The rest of the pack had scattered, which he was grateful for. Normally, he’d have welcomed Tristan’s questions about how Washington really worked—he was well-informed and smart as hell—but he was glad Tristan had been tactful enough to make himself scarce after the kiss. Because tonight he wanted to be with Bryce, and for nothing to get in the way of that.
The clock above the stove read half past ten. The moon had climbed high, silvering the yard, and undoubtedly Jesse’s coat, wherever he was out there. With Matt, steady and sure. But even Matt Urban might not be enough to protect Jesse once the eyes of the world were upon him. And Tom was going to be part of the machine that used Jesse, that made decisions which would affect the rest of his life.
The back door banged open, tearing him from his less-than-happy thoughts. Bryce’s smile of greeting swiftly turned into a look of concern.
“You okay?” he asked, crossing the kitchen to Tom.
And the touch, his hand on Tom’s arm, drove all other thoughts from his mind.
* * *
It was the same when they were in bed together. The only thing that mattered was Bryce, pressed warm against him, kissing Tom like he wanted to learn everything about him.
Tom arched up as Bryce settled over him, their legs tangling, breath catching. The way he looked—flushed and open, eyes dark—nearly undid Tom then and there.
“Tell me what you want,” Bryce whispered, lips brushing Tom’s jaw.
“You,” Tom said softly, truthfully. “Just you.”
