Chapter Ten
Eleven hours later
Ford
“I thought he was only supposed to sleep for twenty-four hours?”Chase glared at Ford over a bottle of beer.
Ford yawned and checked his watch.“That’s what I was told.”He wasn’t bothered, because the clash of OX and since Lucky had never had a heat the complex combination could be confusing Lucky’s body, never mind the influence of Fugue.Ford turned to give Chase his full attention, laying an arm across the back of the sofa.“What d’ya think about this bond business?”
Chase had been avoiding the topic and he was sick of being patient.They were running out of time.Lucky could wake up soon and Ford still hadn’t formulated a plan.
While Chase sipped his beer, Ford extended a finger to brush the shell of his ear.Chase tipped his head against the sofa, allowing another lingering contact before rolling his head to look Ford in the eye.“I’ve never heard of a three-way bond before.I never thought I’d have to compete with someone else for my mate.”
“Is that what you think’s happening here?”Ford cocked his head, surprised.“We ain’t competing.We’re like the chocolate fudge brownie on top of ice cream.We can be enjoyed individually, but we’re so much better together.”
Chase laughed, a loud, happy sound that made him want things Chase wasn’t ready to give.“You’re ridiculous.”
Ford shrugged off the potential insult, loving how warm and accepting Chase looked.He was curious if Chase felt the pull Ford did, tugging him towards an alpha who should have been out of bounds.Ford curled his free hand around Chase’s neck, drawing his full focus, and brushed a thumb across his Adam’s apple.Blue eyes flickered behind his eyelashes and he relaxed into his seat, releasing the tension.
Unable to resist that hot look, Ford leaned in and dropped a tester kiss to Chase’s jaw.He looked at Ford like he was scared of what might happen next, but was that because he wanted it or because he was afraid he couldn’t control himself?
There was only one way to find out.
Ford captured Chase’s lips in a kiss and straddled his lap.He didn’t want Chase running off before they’d given this a decent chance.
Ford kissed him over and over again until Chase grabbed his hair to hold him still and gently nipped his bottom lip.That was such a sweet move, something he imagined Lucky would melt at, but Ford was no omega and Chase didn’t need to be gentle.The second Ford’s lips parted, Chase licked his way inside, intensifying the kiss to the point where all Ford wanted was to ravish him.
Maybe when Lucky woke up, he would.
* * * *
Lucky
There was a funny taste in his mouth when he woke up, and he desperately needed the bathroom.He frowned at the chandelier above and sat up, his body weak and sore.Scratching his head, he found his hair lying loose, annoyed by the three knots he found.He always braided it before going to sleep, because his hair was so long.
Lucky slipped his feet off the mattress, searching for anything familiar.The room looked like a magazine—a bed big enough for five people to sprawl comfortably, a double-width window opposite with its curtains shut, cream and leather furniture, two separate armoires on either side of a door to his left that sat ajar.He’d never been in such a fancy hotel before.Once he could stand steadily, he’d take pictures for his papa.He’d love this place.
Ignoring the rest of the room, he stood, not surprised that his knees wobbled.He crossed to the bathroom, leaning on whatever furniture was there—a plush armchair, a console table and a plant table with an orchid.
Lucky pushed open the bathroom door, relieved himself, washed his face and hands and contemplated taking a shower, but he wasn’t confident that he could get in and out of the massive bathtub safely.
Leaving the bathroom, he walked to the double doors that must lead to the main hotel suite.Lucky brushed at his hair to hide how matted it was, and cracked open one of the doors.He could see a sofa with its back to the room, but his attention was on Ford, facing him but making out with Chase.
He contemplated whether to close the door and leave or interrupt.A yawn caught him by surprise, so loud that the two alphas sprang apart.Lucky shook off the yawn, stunned that Chase shoved Ford to the side, where he sank into the sofa, unbothered.
Ford beamed at Lucky like he was a sight for sore eyes.“Morning, flower.”He slowly untangled from Chase and rounded the sofa.“How you feeling?”
“Strange.”Lucky wasn’t sure what the right word was, but he remembered making the decision to take Fugue, which was living up to its name.“Is there water?”
Chase shot off the sofa and rushed to the left of the room, where a trolley sat with various food and drinks.He crossed to Lucky and handed him an uncapped bottle of water.“Take it slow.You don’t want to make yourself sick.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“Roughly thirty-seven hours.”
Lucky choked on a sip of water and stared at Ford in confusion.
“We were starting to worry somethin’ went wrong.I’m glad you’re awake.”He leaned in to kiss Lucky’s temple, then stepped around him.“I’ll run you a bath.”
