He hoped.
Because while Beckett was being tender now and showing that deep sweetness that Jack had always suspected lay deep inside him, it didn’t mean he was going to be happy about Arden’s presence in their lives.
Jack had written to him, warning him about Arden’s impending arrival. He’d written again, with a more detailed explanation of why he’d married Arden so suddenly—or at all—without ever having mentioned him to Beckett before. He’d written a third time, asking Beckett for forgiveness for sending Arden ahead when Jack was forced to return to Sevennis. He’dasked Beckett to watch over Arden until Jack could explain. To wait for Jack, and to trust him.
Beckett hadn’t responded to any of his letters.
In all honesty, Jack wouldn’t be surprised if he hadn’t even opened them.
And yet here he was, taking care of Arden anyway.
Arden was lost in Beckett’s arms and Beckett was fading, but for these last few moments, he was staring right into Jack’s eyes.
There, right there, was the fierceness that had captivated Jack from the very start.
Beckett’s eyes were dark, his pupils dilated fully. He was curling his hips up with devastating regularity, thrusting in and out of Arden slower than Jack knew he preferred. Fierce and tender, all at once. He kept his challenging gaze on Jack’s as he threaded his fingers through Arden’s hair and tugged his head to the side, exposing Arden’s neck. He licked him, from the very base up to his jaw, then caught his earlobe and bit.
Arden gasped, and whatever that did to him inside affected Beckett because Beckett’s thrusts sped up. He set his teeth to Arden’s neck and dug in, but gently. Gently.
Beckett was growling and panting steadily, his lovely sounds twining with Arden’s soft cries. He was losing focus.
Now, Jack thought, a little sad. It was time for him to let them finish alone. He wouldn’t go far. He’d promised Arden, and he would stay within reach even though Arden wouldn’t know it if Jack walked out of the room.
Beckett was sucking on Arden’s throat at this point, his lids heavy, drugged by the pheromones. Jack caught his gaze and held it.
They stared at each other until Beckett’s eyes fell closed and he was as lost as Arden.
Jack moved off the bed. He could have pulled up a chair, but kneeling beside the mattress, though humbling, made him feel more connected.
He didn’t mind that it was humbling, anyway. There were only two people in this world he would humble himself for, after all, and he was looking at them.
Beckett had an arm tight around Arden’s narrow waist. He’d been using it to help Arden, lifting and lowering him, but now he released it. Arden wobbled, and Beckett pushed him down, flat to his back.
Arden let out a soft gasp as his back hit the mattress, and then a louder gasp as Beckett withdrew, caught Arden by the hips to flip him, and shoved himself back inside. He stretched his beautiful body out over Arden’s, covering him. He grabbed Arden’s hands and stretched his arms over his head, he braced his knees to the outsides of Arden’s legs, and he fucked him like the world was ending and Beckett was in a race to shove Arden and himself over the edge first.
CHAPTER 6
ARDEN
Arden didn’t feelbad. He just felt…different.
His body had a low-level hum to it, as if he’d been outside on an endless, hot summer day. Running through the fields to the woods, perhaps, and roaming until dusk. His limbs were heavy and tired, weighted with satisfaction. His skin tingled, a little tight, as if burned by the sun.
It had rained yesterday, though. Hadn’t it?
Yes. It was overcast all day, and?—
He was thirsty. He swallowed with effort and caught his breath at how sore his throat was. He hoped he wasn’t coming down with anything. He frowned, struggling to drag his eyes open. Strange. They were dry and prickling, as if he’d been crying, but he didn’t remember crying, and?—
Arden’s eyes snapped open when someone made a low rumbling sound behind him and a heavy, hot weight was slung around his waist.
He’d been lying on his side. The weight—an arm.It was an arm—scooped him closer and tucked him tight against a long, hot, solid body. A knee nudged the back of his top leg and pushed it up. Hips fidgeted against his arse before thepersonbehind him went still.
Arden was already still.
Arden was frozen in horror.
Who was in his bed?
