Page 68 of Hidden Desires
Currently, Ace was lying curled up into him, resting his head on his chest, as Blade gently caressed his back.
He could get used to this.
The intimacy, the warmth, the feel of the boy’s gentle heartbeat pressed up against his chest.
Somehow, this twenty-five-year-old twink with an attitude had wormed his way into his heart.
He wanted to blame it all on the boy’s smile. Those perfect lips and those cute-ass dimples… Fuck, Ace could easily win every argument they would ever have by simply smiling.
Fuck, he was in so much trouble.
He finally understood why Caden had been so protective of Lucas.
Even the idea of someone wanting to hurt Ace had him seeing red and planning out burials.
Once they had solved Steven’s murder, he was going to have a sit-down talk with Marcus. Lay it all out for him and hope thatthe man sees reason. Because there was no way he could ever go back to not wanting to be with Ace.
The man was his rock. They belonged together. It was clear now.
Blade’s head snapped toward the door as the sound of a key sliding into the lock caught his attention. He barely had time to tap Ace before Marcus burst into the room.
“I knew it!” Marcus growled, lunging at the bed and grabbing hold of Blade’s foot.
He yanked Blade so hard that he and Ace both went flying off the bed and onto the floor.
“What the fuck?” a sleepy and confused Ace mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his hands as he struggled to see what was going on.
“Marcus—” Blade began before he was pulled to his feet and shoved up against the small table.
“Hey!” Ace shouted when he realized what was happening.
“Marcus, please,” Blade said before stumbling backward when Marcus’s fist connected with his jaw.
“He’s my little bro! How dare you take advantage of him!” Marcus shouted, yanking Blade up once again and then body-slamming him down onto the floor.
Fuck, the guy was a tank.
Blade didn’t want to fight back. He didn’t want to hurt his friend and the older brother of the guy he loved.
“Marcus, it’s not what you think,” Blade began, throwing his arms out in front of himself in self-defense.
“Marcus! You ass!” Ace shouted, jumping onto his brother’s back and punching him in the back of his head.
His brother spun around and flung Ace down onto the bed.
Did Marcus even feel Ace’s body against his?
The guy reacted like a tiny fly had just flown into him. It would’ve been comical if the man didn’t have murder in his eyes.
“Stay out of this, Ace! I’ll deal with you later!”
Marcus turned his wrath back on Blade. He grabbed him by the arm and shoved him toward the door. He yanked it open and shoved Blade outside in nothing but his underwear and good looks.
“Marcus, please,” Blade tried, allowing himself to be manhandled by the man he considered a friend and mentor.
“Get the fuck out! I don’t ever want to see your face again!” Marcus snarled, standing in the doorway, breathing heavily.
“What’s going on?” Caden asked, jogging toward them with Lucas following close behind.
