Page 87 of Killing Me Softly

He leaned back into Kenny, allowing himself that security too. The quiet reassurance of being held. Beingkept. Kenny ghosted his lips along his neck, planting leisurely kisses, a silent grounding, his breath warm. But Aaron knew, without a doubt, that Kenny’s gaze would be fixed on Jack and Fraser, watching the subtle shifts in their embrace, reading the unspoken between them like a book he’d once memorised.

For a fleeting moment, jealousy surged.

The thought of Kenny having once known Jack that way, that intimately and entirely, twisted inside him. But it passed just as quickly as it had come, because this was different. Because Kenny was kissinghim.

Nuzzling into him.

Holding him.

In love withhim.

Across the room, Fraser blinked his eyes open. He gave Jack a subtle nudge, and Jack hesitated, then turned in Fraser’s arms, but neither of them moved apart. Either Jack refused to let go, or Fraser simply wouldn’t allow it. Those solid arms draped around him, holding him tight.

It was strange, really. Or maybe it should have been.

Two couples, standing there wrapped up in each other in different ways. Kenny behind Aaron, arms looped around his waist, chin resting on his shoulder to keep him grounded and pliant, while Jack stared at his ex while still enveloped in his husband’s unwavering grip.

And yet, it wasn’t strange at all.

Not when there were far bigger things to be broken over.

Jack scrubbed a hand down his face. “Hey.” His voice was rough, the exhaustion dripping through. “Sleep okay?”

Kenny lifted his chin from Aaron’s shoulder. “Yeah. Fine. Considering. Thanks for the room. How are you?”

Jack scoffed. “Exhausted.” He motioned toward the door. “I went to your place. Forensics will finish by this afternoon. So I picked you up some clothes. Whatever Aaron had on the floor. Shoes, too. His bag. Figured you wouldn’t want to be walking back to campus in that.”

Aaron frowned before glancing down, suddenly aware of the fabric stretched across his chest.University of Ryston, 2005.Kenny’s graduation shirt.

“He not given you a drawer yet?”

“Don’t need a drawer when I can just toss my shit on the floor.”

Jack tutted. “How things have changed.” He turned back to Kenny. “Wasn’t sure if you needed a suit for work, but I picked up the one you had wrapped in dry cleaning plastic, anyway. It’s hanging up on the living room door.”

Kenny blinked. “Uh… thanks.”

“He’s been fired,” Aaron cut in.

“What?” Jack frowned. “Since when?”

“Not fired. Compassionate leave.”

“Orderedcompassionate leave,” Aaron corrected. “But mostly because they know about me.”

Kenny sighed, removing his arms from around Aaron as Jack’s stare hardened with quiet understanding. After a tense beat, Jack let out a long, knowing breath.

“I suppose it was going to come out anyway, right?” He twisted toward Fraser. “Could we get some coffees, please, bear?”

Fraser peeled away to make them, but never fully. He kept his hand on Jack’s back, steady, ever-present, like he knew that if he let go, Jack might just collapse. Aaron cocked his head at the pet name.Bear. Yeah. That made total sense. He was a big, fuzzy ginger bear. And for a moment, Aaron wondered what Jack might have called Kenny when they were together. Then he recalled what they’d spoke about last night and decided he didn’t want to go there.

Kenny tapped Aaron, a silent nudge, and Aaron took the cue, stepping fully into the kitchen while Kenny followed, leaning against the counter. Aaron hopped onto a stool at the breakfast bar, watching Jack as he took up position near the opposite counter, one ankle crossed over the other.

“What’s the latest?” Kenny asked.

Jack exhaled. “Well, we haven’t caught her.”

Aaron stiffened. “Did you not trace Taylor’s phone?”

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