Page 55 of Bonds of Fate

Before he leaves, though, he grabs Gideon by the throat and kisses him hard, all heat and intent.

“I love you, Gideon Carnell. Remember what I said.”

Chapter Fourteen: Gideon

Gideon

When the door closes softly after Jay and Nix, Gideon picks Luca up and carries him into the en suite bathroom. It’s rustic, like the rest of his space, and harkens back to his youth in its simplicity. The room is on the compact side, as he’d had to forgo the expansive designs the others had for space for his chimney. He doesn’t mind, though, because it is cozy and welcoming, with its cedar-walled shower and rainfall shower head. There’s even a large skylight that opens inside the shower proper, so he can let in the scents from the outdoors during the warmer months.

Tonight, he turns on the under-floor heating and leaves the lights on low. The rain is still thundering down, and it hits the skylight in sheets. It’s the perfect night for a bit of debauchery, but first, he needs to get Luca to come around and feed his mates.

Then, he can be theArchitect of Pleasure—is that his superhero name? Maybe.

“Gideon, Luca is bad.” His sweet soulmate is crying silently at having disappointed him by disobeying a direct order.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I tried. But I’ve been waiting all day, and he’s—he’s so hot.” His lips press together, eyes glassy, desperate.“And he smells like ‘fucking’ all the time.” The last words are whispered like a confession.

Gideon gathers him close again, one hand steady on Luca’s back as he reaches for the shower dial, turning it on warm.

He tugs Luca’s soiled shirt over his head and flings it into the hamper. A stray, inconvenient thought follows—who’s on laundry this week?

Shit. Probably him.

Shaking it off, he rubs his hands up and down Luca’s arms, slow and soothing, guiding him backward into the shower.

The moment the warm spray hits them, they both groan.

The heat, the steam, the fresh green scent from the wall-set plants—it’s their slice of heaven.

“Are you mad?”

Gideon realizes he hasn’t said anything, and it’s making Luca more anxious than is good.

No, he’s not mad—he couldn’t be about something like this. But how to handle it?

Yes, Luca disobeyed a direct order. But it was under extreme extenuating circumstances. This is a tenuous situation, and Gideon has to do what’s best for Luca, who has always needed consistency and consequences to match his ‘crime’ for the good of his mental health.

Pouring shampoo into his hand, Gideon begins washing Luca’s hair and then his own.

“I’m not mad—how could I be? You are right that Nix is hotter than the sun. It would be almost impossible not to let the entire day affect you like that.”

Luca doesn’t relax, and Gideon knows why—because he needs a consequencenowto be able to predictfutureoccurrences, and should it happen again, he will know what to expect.

“But?” He’s smart, his Luca.

“But you still disobeyed.” He expects push-back because that’s part of it, too.

“But you just said it would be impossible! I can’t be in trouble if it’s impossible. You said that, Gideon.” He rubs body wash over Gideon’s belly and down over his semi, around over his butt, and up his back, while rubbing his chest on Gideon’s, subconsciously enjoying the slip and slide.

“I said,almost. You disobeyed, Luca. You’ve come twice without permission today, and that’s not okay. Do you understand?”

Luca shivers at his tone and nods. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are.”

Once they’re rinsed off, he takes a bath sheet out of the towel warmer and wraps it around Luca’s chest, and it’s large enough to hang down past his knees. Gideon uses a smaller towel on Luca’s fluffy hair and then wraps it around his own hips.

There’s a sad mocha scent permeating the small space, and Gideon already knows—before a single word is spoken—that his beloved is genuinely remorseful.

---