“To bring us back to the point of this conversation, I wasn’t lying about having money. My uncle’s fortune was left to my sister and me, which is why my parents don’t talk to me anymore.” Quinn rolled his eyes, which told August all he needed to know about their relationship. “My nieces have a fund that Eren doesn’t know about yet, so they’ll never have to worry about money after they graduate from university. But since Esme isn’t here anymore, I’m the sole inheritor of my uncle’s will, his legacy, and his memory.”
August placed his hands on Quinn’s hips. He wanted to ask, but he also didn’t want to pry. It was hard to tell where the line was sometimes.
“Are you…” August hesitated on the word, and Quinn’s eyes widened.
“Intersex? No.” Quinn looked down at the mess of cum drying on August’s chest and chuckled. “Esme and I are genetically identical, but instead of being born male, she skipped a step.”
He had no idea how biology worked, but August wouldn’t have cared either way. Quinn’s personality had drawn him before he stopped to think about what his gender was during high school, and he would have been on board regardless.
“So yeah, you bet your ass you’re signing a prenup,” said Quinn. “Not that I’ll let you leave me this time, but I hear the illusion of freedom is healthy.”
August’s jaw dropped. “You won’t even agree to be myboyfriend,and you’re talking aboutmarriage?”
Quinn’s nonchalant shrug was too much for August to handle for his current spiral. He would end up with another fucking nosebleed if he wasn’t careful.
“My one hard rule, and this will be written into our marriage contract—”
“You and your goddamn contracts—”
“Is that our first child will be named after my uncle,” Quinn finished, his green eyes practically shimmering with mischief. “And yes, children are non-negotiable, but we’re waiting until the girls reach an age where they can be left alone without destroying the house.”
August sighed and dropped his head onto the edge of the tub for the third time. “Tell me the name so we can get out of the jizz water, please. Apparently, I have a cup to win for mybillionaire sugar Dom, who won’t agree to be my boyfriend, but has no problem threatening me with confinement if I attempt to leave him.”
Quinn’s laughter bounced off the walls of the room, and because August was trying to be grumpy, he tried not to smile, but he probably looked constipated.
Quinn pulled the plug out of the bathtub to drain the water, and then he returned to kiss August’s frowning mouth until it turned into a smile.
“Our first child will be named Charlie,” said Quinn. “You can pick the next one.”
The next one? August was still reeling over the potential first.
“Let’s wash the cum off, and I’ll take you to the store so you can pick out a pretty ribbon to wear,” Quinn said in a tone that didn’t set off August’s danger alarms in the slightest. “Do you want to drop in and say hito Eren and the girls after that? We’ll have enough time for a short visit before you need to be at the arena.”
August wasn’t sure if he truly had a say in the decision, but hedidwant to see Eren before the game and check on Alara and Emira.
So, instead of panicking over his symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome, August got out of the tub and followed Quinn into the shower. It wasn’t like he wanted to be anywhere else, so he surrendered to Quinn like he always did and let him take the lead.
“You know I’m teasing you about not letting you leave, right?” Quinn asked. “And the money doesn’t change anything. I’m not like my parents.”
August lifted Quinn onto his hips and pinned him to the wall. “I’m not worried about anything, my sexy puppet master. Now, shut up and kiss me.”
“Oh, you must have gotten laid,” Arlo Killinger said as he knocked shoulders with August for the puck drop. “Look at you—you’re glowing, Gusty.”
The ref shot Arlo a warning glare and bent low for the drop, which wasn’t surprising because the officials all seemed to dislike Arlo.
Because he was a shithead.
Niko, who was now wearing the new C on his jersey, met the captain of the Montreal Basiliques at center ice. The two men had identical serious expressions as they faced off: Étienne’s frown and Niko’s scar-tugging scowl.
“Let’s have a good game, guys,” the ref said, and then he dropped the puck.
Montreal and Vancouver weren’t rival teams, but that wasn’t to say they didn’t play hard when they went up against each other. Both teams used technique and finesse over hard hits and aggressive forechecks, but with August back on the line, Montreal would have to bring out some muscle to make sure they didn’t get run over.
That’s where Arlo came in.
While he wasn’t as big as his cousin, Harrison Killinger, he had the same play style as him, which was speed, amazing puck handling, great defensive plays, and grit. He didn’t care how big August was when he slammed him into the boards and manhandled the puck away, just to passit to Étienne, who had arguably one of the best backhand shots in the league.
Nollan got a tap on the puck, but it still went into the net, and Dax let out a growl of frustration as the crowd booed.
