Epilogue #3
Augustine huffed. “So instead of bossing Dorian and me, you’ll be able to boss around an entire country.”
Hugo groaned. “Thanks so much for your confidence in me.”
His brother shoved a hand through his blond hair, making it look even more chaotic, and stared a bit befuddled at Hugo, as if he was still trying to convince himself that Hugo was happy with his choices.
Stepping closer, Hugo placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “I am happy. Everand is everything I have ever dreamed of in finding a mate. Even if he weren’t a prince, I would still marry him in a heartbeat.”
Augustine’s face smoothed, and he wrapped Hugo in a tight hug. Hugo’s heart melted. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d hugged his brother like this. He spent most of his time wanting to strangle him.
“I’ll still get the horses ready. Just in case,” Augustine murmured against Hugo’s shoulder.
Hugo shouted, “Menace!” and shoved his brother away. Augustine cackled and ran for the doors, dodging Hugo as he took a swing at him.
Hugo walked out of the stables, crossing to the castle while contemplating whether he had time to warn Captain Ryze to watch out for Augustine.
At the very least, he needed to keep his younger brother away from King Victor and some of their other foreign dignitaries, or they’d be facing another threat of war.
As he entered one of the main corridors, he glanced up at the grand ornate clock ticking away and sighed.
His wedding was an hour away. There wasn’t enough time to track down his husband-to-be.
Not that it made much sense. They’d be seeing each other soon enough and have an entire lifetime together.
It was just that he wanted one more stolen moment, one more kiss as fiancés before they took this enormous step.
Hugo trudged up the stairs, heading to the room he’d been using the past few days.
The queen had demanded that he be moved out of Everand’s wing because they didn’t trust them not to sneak together on the day of the wedding.
That morning, servants had barged into Everand’s room and hustled Hugo out, barely giving him enough time to wrap up in a sheet. He hadn’t even gotten his morning kiss.
As he reached the floor where his rooms were located, he heard a strange hissing sound coming from the wall on his left.
He paused and glared at the spot, but there was only a large portrait of one of Everand’s ancestors.
He was about to continue when the wall opened and a hand shot out, grabbing him by the wrist. A yelp escaped him as someone hauled him into the darkness.
The wall closed, and his captor shoved him against cold stone.
“What the—”
“I’ve been searching everywhere for you!”
“Everand!” Hugo cried in relief. Soft lips cut the name off as they covered his own.
Hugo moaned, welcoming Ev’s tongue inside while wrapping his arms around his lover.
At last. They kissed again and again, ravenous kisses where their tongues tangled and teeth hit.
There was no getting enough. It was as if they’d been separated for years rather than hours.
Strong hands stroked along Hugo’s chest before attacking the fall of his pants.
Hugo gasped and broke off the kiss as Everand’s fingers grasped his soft cock, stroking it.
“What are you doing?” he demanded in a harsh, low voice.
There was only a thin bit of light in the secret passageway, thrown by a tiny lamp burning a distance away.
Hugo could barely make out Everand’s features, but he could feel Everand’s smile into his cheek.
“I want to fuck you one last time. As my fiancé. My boyfriend. My secret love.”
“But…here? The servants use these passageways, right? We’ll be caught.”
Everand shook his head, rubbing his lips on Hugo’s neck. At the same time, he continued to stroke his dick, stirring it to life. His other hand slipped into the back of his pants. Those long fingers dug into his ass, inching closer to his hole. Fire licked through Hugo’s body, and he nearly moaned.
“Not today,” Everand whispered. “The secret passageways have been closed, locked, and guarded to protect all the guests. Can’t have anyone putting all those foreign rulers and ministers in danger.”
Hugo opened his mouth to ask how Everand could use the passageways, but all that left his throat was a low, needy moan. He was hard, and Everand was sucking on his earlobe. As crazy as this was, Hugo wanted it too, this perfect stolen moment they would remember for the rest of their lives.
“Yes,” Hugo hissed.
Everand pulled his hands free of Hugo and stepped away. “Turn to face the wall and shove your pants down.”
Hugo followed his orders as quickly as possible, his hands trembling.
Fear of being caught mixed with the excitement of having Everand fuck him in a nearly public place left him lightheaded.
The sound of clothes rustling reached his ears and a second later, two slick fingers pressed into his hole, stretching him.
He should have known his deviant boyfriend would have oil on him for such an endeavor.
“Skip it. I’m ready enough,” Hugo gritted out, swallowing a groan. Even if the secret passageways were closed off, there was still a chance of them being discovered. Not to mention, they both had to get ready for their wedding. There was no time to dillydally.
“Are you saying that you’ve been having too much sex?” Everand teased, removing his fingers.
Hugo inhaled to say there was no such thing as too much sex, but that air rushed out of him as Everand entered him in one long, smooth thrust. In the blink of an eye, he was stretched and filled.
All the air in his lungs had been pushed out, and his entire body was focused on the thick cock that filled him.
“Oh, fuck,” Everand groaned, and his head hit Hugo’s shoulder. “You okay?”
Hugo sucked in a ragged breath and nodded. It took him another second to get his tongue working to mumble, “Yes,” in case Everand didn’t see his nod. “Hurry.”
Everand moved slowly at first, withdrawing and plunging into Hugo with great care, seeming to savor the deep, slick slide that was driving soft whimpers out of Hugo.
One hand slipped under Hugo’s shirt and smoothed up his back before fingers gripped his shoulder.
The other hand held his hip, pulling Hugo to adjust the angle so that he was hitting Hugo’s prostate with each thrust.
Hugo clenched his eyes shut and lost himself in the feel of Everand moving inside him.
The smack of flesh against flesh echoed down the stone corridor, almost covering the sounds of their low grunts and broken pants.
Pleasure streaked through him like fire racing through a dry field in summer, burning up every bit of him.
Muscles constricted while sweat slicked his skin.
Everand consumed him. His hot, strong touch.
The catch in his breathing. The feel of Everand filling him so completely.
“Harder,” Hugo begged, his forearms braced on the wall in front of him. His cheek rested on the cold stone, but it did nothing to cool his body. “Harder. I want to feel you with every step I take down the aisle.”
Everand moaned and sped up, his body hammering into him harder and faster.
He was getting close. Hugo dropped his hand to his leaking cock and started stroking it. There was no point in trying to make it last longer. They were on borrowed time now and needed to get out of this secret passageway before someone caught them. That edge of danger wasn’t helping him to last.
“Close,” he choked out.
“Here,” Everand growled. The hand under his shirt fell away and grabbed Hugo’s chin, jerking his head as far as it could go.
Everand covered his mouth in the messiest kiss, tipping Hugo over the edge.
He shouted into Everand’s mouth. A second later Everand joined him, crying out and coming inside him.
Hugo caught his spend as best as he could, not wanting it to spill on all his clothes or the wall. Everand’s desperate kisses morphed into something languid and lingering as if they had all the time in the world.
“Handkerchief?” Hugo murmured against his lips.
Everand smiled and pulled away. A moment later, a pristine white handkerchief dangled in front of his face. However, Everand didn’t pull from his body. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Hugo’s waist and rested his head on his shoulder while they tried to catch their breaths.
“Gods, I love you.” Everand exhaled. He rubbed his face between Hugo’s shoulder blades as if nuzzling him.
“Why? Because I let you fuck me in a secret passageway an hour prior to our wedding?”
“Well, that’s part of it.”
Hugo wheezed and choked on a laugh. “Incorrigible.”
“I am. Yet, despite how incorrigible, lazy, reckless, and possessive I am, you still love me.”
“Not despite. Because you are all those things and more, I love you.”
“Will you still love me if…if I tell you I’m terrified?”
Hugo stiffened and cursed himself, knowing Everand could feel his reaction. He struggled to keep his voice even as he asked, “You’re terrified of us getting married?”
“No! Of course not!”
“Everand, I need to face you, but it’s difficult as we are.”
His lover grumbled but pulled free so they could both get their clothes appropriately settled. Hugo stuffed the soiled handkerchief into his pocket and pulled Everand into his arms.
“Why are you terrified?” he demanded, holding Everand.
Everand rested his head on Hugo’s shoulder, pressing his face into Hugo’s neck so that his lips brushed his skin as he spoke. “Not because of you. I want us to be married. I want us to build a long, happy life together more than anything in this world.”
Relief unfurled in Hugo’s chest, but not enough that he could breathe easier. “Then what is it?”
“It feels like getting married marks the true beginning of my march to the throne.”
“But your father is still so young and in remarkable health. Surely, you don’t think you’ll inherit that soon?”
“Not from his death, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided one day to step down and hand things over to me so he could enjoy a few years without the burden of wearing the crown.
I know he plans to train me in earnest to take his place after we marry.
The idea of one day running the country, making decisions that will affect the lives of millions of people…
it’s terrifying. What if I’m horrible at it?
What if my people starve or we lurch from one war to another because the other kingdoms see me as weak? ”
“You are not weak,” Hugo stated in a tone that left no room for argument.
“But—”
“But nothing,” Hugo snapped. He grabbed Everand’s arms and pushed him away enough to look at his handsome face.
“You are intelligent, compassionate, and brave. More than that, you are not alone. Your father has never ruled alone. He’s had ministers and advisors at his side always, as well as your mother to lean on.
You will have the same. Your reign will see you surrounded by wise people to offer you advice.
I will be there through everything. We will both train and learn what we have to so we can guide Branem to greatness.
” Hugo lifted his hand to cup Everand’s cheek, drawing him in close so that their foreheads touched.
“The important thing you must remember is that you will never be alone again. I will always be at your side for whatever you need.”
“Fuck, Hugo,” he moaned. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Hugo could feel him relaxing into him, all the old tension melting away. “When I’m with you, I feel like I can do anything.”
“I believe you can.”
“I love you,” Everand whispered.
Hugo’s heart squeezed, and he spoke roughly past the lump in his throat. “I love you, too.”
“Let’s go get married and live a life that people will write stories about.” Everand laughed, and Hugo’s spirit soared. He couldn’t wait to take this next step with the only man he would ever love.