Page 27 of Bonds of Fate

“Hmmm? What? Oh. No. Not mad.” Jay thinks he’s not really paying attention until his mate’s gaze locks with his own with laser focus. “But don’t hide shit from us, Jay. Now kiss me and get out before Rowan is awake for good.”

He does as he’s told and climbs out of the nest, walking around the outside so he can press a kiss to Luca’s head and blow one to Finn, who is concentrating on his veryoneroustask. With one last look at the stirring Rowan, he grabs his phone and heads downstairs, intent on checking in with Leo first…even if Gray’s room is right there.

Leo’s room is in the other wing of the house, across the common room, and it doesn’t take nearly long enough before he’s knocking on Leo’s door. Not that he’s procrastinating about seeing Grayson and Nix.No sirree.

He doesn’t get an answer but hears the shower, so he enters and announces himself. “Leo? It’s me. Can I come in?”

Leo is beautiful in the shower. When they’d mated, Leo had been so lean and since has grown the most delicious bits of softness alongside his well-earned muscles. Under his jaw, around his tummy, the insides of his soft thighs, under his ass where his thigh meets his ass cheek. Jay loves to nip and suck these parts, and even though it makes his mate blush, he loves to worship the piece of art that is Leo Costas.

“Leo? It’s me.” The beta almost drops the large slippery butt plug he’d been trying to work up to while the hot water rained down from a rain-style shower-head. The shower itself is gorgeous, with dark stone and tiny shelves for living green jungle plants. There’s a handheld attachment, too, and it’s all behinda transparent, nine-foot-high wall of glass attached to the floor and the ceiling only.

Grayson’s design brilliance strikes again, but it’s not nearly as beautiful as his mate, flushed red, the plug still halfway in.

“Shit, you scared me. I didn’t hear you come in. Is Rowan awake?” He turns the water off and stands naked, beautiful cock hard, crown almost to his belly button. It’s pink, and Jay thinks he could have it in his mouth. “Jaybird! Hey, big boy, my eyes are up here. That’s not for you today, sorry.”

Jay’s wolf whimpers and Jay wishes he could actually smack him on the snout.Down, boy.“Stirring when I left,” he rasps, clearing his throat when Leo raises an eyebrow. “What, can you blame me? You are a vision. I need to write another song about you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can’t get this in by myself, and I’m not heading in there without it. Rowan was in the zone. Can you give me a hand?”

Jay washes his hands, takes a warm towel from the warmer, and dries Leo’s broad back. There’s a mole on his shoulder beside his birth pack’s tattoo, and he gives that a kiss, too. “I can, but I want to tell you two things first.”

“Jay, I have a butt plug half in and half out of my ass; the only thing keeping it in is my sheer force of will and the hours of Kegels I do every week. Not to mention the leg presses. Do you think you could multitask?”

Jay snorts, making a twirling motion with his hand, and he hears Leo mutter, “And they say I’m the one who can’t multitask.”

After a satisfyingly loud smack to the perfect ass in front of him—both for the sass and just to see it jiggle—he reaches for the lube and coats the plug more thoroughly. “Foot on the toilet lid and ass out, please.”

There’s a snort because there’s no way he needs that much visual to insert the plug, but Leo goes anyway and puts a supporting hand on the wall beside the toilet. What a sight. Fuck.

“Now you’re just doing it on purpose.”

His mate chuckles but doesn’t readjust his stance, either.

“You are a troublemaker.” Pulling aside his lush butt-cheek, he twists it while pushing the plug in.

His mate pushes back, and it slides right in—smoother with help. “Ah ah ah.” His broad back glistens with more than water now. Jay leans in to lick a stripe up his spine and takes a single step in behind, intending to rub his clothed erection on Leo’s perfect ass.

Leo breathes out, cock leaking precome down his shaft; Jay can’t help but reach out a finger for a taste. “Ya! I’ll be no good to him if I come for you, Jay.” He waddles endearingly out into his bedroom and, unsurprisingly, doesn’t sit.

Sucking his finger, Jay follows raptly and tries not to smile as spicy cinnamon bursts on his tongue.

“Now tell me what’s so urgen–fuck, Jay.” Leo’s eyes are wide in surprise as he leans in for a closer look at Nix’s bite. “Is that what you’ve been hiding under that bandage? Nix claimed you?” His beta has come in for a closer look, and he feels Leo’s hard cock brush his own through his sweatpants; it sends a zing of pleasure down his spine. “Jay! Focus.”

Procrastination and distraction are not working. Fine.

“Leo. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. It was a lot all at once. I felt the bond snap into place, and then I was helping him get his instincts under control at the hospital. I thought it was just wishful thinking on my part. I’d wanted it for so long, ya know? And then I thought maybe I’d stolen it from him.”

“What do you mean you’dstolen it? Our omega is in love with you.Love. Tell me you know that.” He tries to sit on his bed andthen thinks better of it at the last minute. “Fuck. Remind me again why I thought I needed the biggest one?”

“Based on what Gideon says, you chose wisely. The biggest one is the way to go. The boy has only gotten bigger.” It’s just like them to be having two conversations at the same time. Jay is so lucky that Leo gets him. “You think he loves me, too? Gideon says he does, but it’s been so long.”

“You told Gideon?” He’s hurt, his cinnamon-bark scent burning.

“What? No! I mean, yes, I did, plus Finn and Luca, but only right before I came up here to tell you.” He pulls his mate into his arms and kisses his forehead, pumping out his own pine scent until he feels him relax.

“Did Grayson tell you about him and Nix?”

“That Nix claimed him, too? Just now. Nix is asking for me.”

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