"If you two would let me explain." Jory walked around Val's tall form, dodging the hand put out to block him. Linking his arm with Tor's, he brought him forward. "This is my cousin, Tor."
The tension in the room plummeted with his words.
"I don't kiss my cousin," Rai muttered, shooting him a glare.
"I only kissed his cheeks."
"You're welcome to kiss whatever you want, love," Tor said in a purposely seductive voice.
Jory laughed. "Shut up, cuz, you're getting me into trouble here."
Val examined Tor carefully. "You don't look much like our Joriah."
Tor stepped forward, sliding his stick with him as he walked. "We're cousins by marriage," he said in the same silky tones.
Jory smiled at his cousin. He adored him, always had. Tor never lost his cool. Tugging on their linked hands, Jory led Tor away from the frowning pair. "Come with me, Tor; we've got tons to catch up on." With a final glare at his lovers, Jory walked away, taking his cousin back towards his room.
Val watched the two men walk off before approaching the king. "What do you think?"
Rai shrugged. "Could be a cousin. There wouldn't be any similarity if they aren't blood related."
"Do you think he's only here for the wedding? What if he thinks he's going to drag Joriah back home?"
"Then we kill him. No one takes our Jory."
Val nodded. "Agreed."
It was the one thing they were in agreement on. Jory was theirs.
* * * *
"Tor, what are you doing here?" Jory asked as he closed his bedroom door in his bodyguard's face. "I know you're not here for the wedding. You hate these kinds of events."
His cousin settled onto the overstuffed sofa by the door. "Your father was worried. I'm sort of the scout to check out things before he comes tomorrow. He felt I was the least offensive person." A wry smile crossed his handsome face. "Apparently your mates don't see me as harmless as I planned."
Jory sighed, throwing himself on the floor beside his cousin's feet. "They are a bit possessive."
Tor gave a snort. "That's like saying I'm a little blind."
The cousins laughed together. "How I've missed you, cousin. Come lie on the bed with me and tell me what you've been doing lately."
Tor reached out to stroke his head like he'd done when Jory was a little boy. "Nothing much. Still working as ambassador for your father. I have an appointment with the southern king in a few days to discuss ore sales. They have access to a rare ore that another planet needs. Your father thought it would give me a good excuse to drop in and visit without setting off any alarms."
Jory looked at his stunningly gorgeous cousin, remembering the entourage Tor always travelled with. "Yeah, you blend right in."
Jory rested his head on his cousin's chest, taking comfort in the strong heartbeat he could hear beneath the fine material. His cousin felt good in his arms, like home. The love Jory had for his cousin was a pure, glowing force, pouring out of him like a burst of sunshine. It was a rare event to just be held with affection. Although his lovers held him, it was always after a bout of sex. He'd forgotten what it felt like to just cuddle with someone you loved even if it was just in the family way.
"I missed you, Tor."
"I missed you too, cub. You know your father loves you very much."
"I know." They might have a tumultuous relationship, but Jory knew his father loved him. It was an overpowering, smothering kind of love that compelled him to fight and escape, but it was the only way the strong-willed king knew how to show it. "I just need to do this on my own. I can't be his baby boy forever."
Tor laughed again. "Face it, Joriah. You will always be your father's baby boy. You just need to show him that you can make some of these decisions on your own. I'll report back that you are healthy and happy, and you will report to me if the situation changes and I need to get you out of here. Deal?"
"Deal."
Jory lay quietly for a moment. "I saw Detrius's bodyguard in the market. He was the one who shot me and killed the servant."
