24. Reghan
24
REGHAN
“He should feel better soon,” Alton said when he joined Barrett and me in the living room. “I gave him a medication to help get rid of the pain as well as a prescription for it. What he was taking before is good, but there are better out there. I also gave him a prescription for a once-a-month injection.”
“Our insurance won’t cover it,” Barrett said. “If it’s what I think it is anyway.”
Alton’s eyes briefly strayed to mine, and I gave him a short nod. “It’s taken care of.”
Barrett turned my way. “What did you do?”
“Your brother won’t have to worry about his medication any longer.” I didn’t care if I had to go down to the pharmacy and prepay for it, Marshall would get what he needed.
“How much?” When I ignored him, he asked Alton. “Tell me.”
Alton sighed. “Without insurance, the out-of-pocket total cost for both is roughly three thousand a month.”
“What?” Barrett yelled, which caused his brother to groan in the other room, so Barrett lowered his voice. “That’s more than my rent by a long shot. You’re not paying for it, Reghan. I’ll figure it out, take on more jobs, whatever I need to do.”
“You already work day and night, plus the hours you put in when Jordan needs you,” I stated the obvious. “You’re not going to jeopardize your job by working so much you don’t sleep.” The more he did for Jordan, the more money he brought in, the less he’d be able to hide it.
“He’s my brother. You don’t get to come in here and just take care of everything.”
Alton clapped my shoulder as he walked by. He knew enough about what Jordan did that nothing we said here would leave his lips.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Barrett was too pissed to even notice Alton leave. He was practically breathing fire. The moment the door shut, he started again, this low whisper-yell. “You’re not paying for it. Not now. Not ever.”
I kept my voice even and calm when I spoke. “I’m not doing anything for you, Bear. I know damn well you won’t let me, but I can help your brother.”
“I don’t want your pity.”
“Seriously? You think that’s what this is? I hate to break it to you, but I know all too well the pain your brother is in. I know what it feels like to be bedridden with my head throbbing so badly it feels like it’s in a vise grip. I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone, especially someone who doesn’t deserve it.” Once Marshall came out of this migraine, Barrett would see just how good he felt and want him on the medication. Right now, Barrett was too busy fuming at me for helping.
“I’m going to pay for it. I don’t want your money.”
“I’m not giving it to you. I’m giving it to your brother.”
“Jesus fuck, Reghan, you just can’t help yourself.”
I stepped closer to him, thinking he’d back up, but he didn’t. “I don’t give a fuck about money. I go nowhere and do nothing. Everything I own is paid off. My brother and parents are all taken care of, thanks to them earning their own way. What am I supposed to do with what I have? Why not use it to help Marshall?”
Barrett stabbed me in the chest with his finger. “This isn’t your business.”
“That’s what you’re going with now? It is my business because you care about him, and I care about you, so shut the fuck up and deal with it.”
His hand fisted in my shirt as he pulled us together, toe to toe. “Fuck. You.”
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”
“You’re an asshole,” he lobbed back.
“Uh huh.”
“Motherfucking asshole who shouldn’t put his ass where it doesn’t belong.”
“Are you done?”
“I hate you,” he bit out, but the anger slowly receded. I wasn’t backing away. I wasn’t letting his words cut through me. Barrett was reacting to the situation and that was okay. I honestly expected it. But this wasn’t about him. It was about his brother, and he’d do anything for Marshall, even if it meant letting me help him.
“No, you don’t.”
Barrett leaned closer, his breath puffing against my lips. “I don’t know why I let you into my life.”
I smirked, taking a page from his cocky playbook. “I’m fucking irresistible. You didn’t stand a chance.”
“Asshole.”
“You already called me that.”
“I meant it.”
“Sure, you did.”
And then he kissed me.
He didn’t wait for me to catch up before he pried my lips apart with his tongue so he could gain access to mine.
There was bound to be a point where I’d let him take over, where I’d let him lead. This was that time. When he pushed me back, I went until my spine hit the wall next to the door.
Barrett lined his body up against mine, one fist still in my shirt while his other reached around to roughly grab my ass through my jeans. “You’re a dick,” he muttered against my lips as he continued to taste me. “Heavy-handed motherfucker.”
I brought my hands to his ass, palming his cheeks, and pulled him roughly against me. “I want to be inside you again.”
“Marshall’s here.” I wasn’t worried about his brother. Alton wouldn’t have left if he thought Marshall was going to be in agony. If I had to guess, he was sleeping off the pain he was in while the medicine did its job.
“You have a door on your bedroom. Your brother’s probably asleep.”
Barrett tore his mouth from mine and spun, walking up the hallway to check. I heard him pull Marshall’s door closed. He faced me, crooking his finger so I’d go to him. I would, any time he wanted me to.
The moment I was in his room, he closed the door and I was on him. My lips pressed to his again, my tongue sweeping in. I was running the show now and Barrett let me.
I gripped his shirt, roughly pulling it over his head as he did the same to mine. We each took care of our own clothes from the waist down to speed this up. He was done before me and grabbed the lube from the nightstand, popping the cap and slicking his fingers. Barrett put one hand on the bed, bending at the waist, and pushed two fingers into his ass, biting back a curse as he did so.
My feet were frozen to the floor, unable to move. The sight before me had me at a loss for words. Barrett was beautiful stretching himself open.
“Are you going to watch or do something about it?” he asked
That got me moving. I stepped forward, slicked my cock, and wasted no time sliding into his hot hole. I was too wound up to go slow. Barrett didn’t protest when I pulled out and slammed back in. He moaned low as I did it again and again.
I’d been apart from him too long. Sure, I’d seen him, but not like this. My skin wasn’t against his. My hands weren’t claiming the man who was mine. No one would ever get Barrett as I did. There was a fire between us. One that couldn’t be extinguished. It was alive and writhing, drawing us in, until we had no choice but to come together.
This wasn’t enough though. I didn’t get to see his face or touch him how I wanted. Pulling out, I gripped his hips and turned him to face me before pushing him onto the bed and crawling over him. I gripped the backs of his thighs to lift his legs until he took the hint and held them up, and then I slid back in. Once there, I leaned over him, putting our faces close. My hand went to his throat, not to choke him but to remind him who was with him.
“No more of your bullshit,” I ground out, my lips near his. I snapped my hips forward.
“Fuckkk yes.”
“No more telling me I fucking pity you.” Another withdrawal and thrust.
“Reghan…”
“You don’t get to run your mouth with me. You should trust me.” Out and in. “You don’t get to tell me what I’m doing and who I can and can’t take care of.” Push and pull. “You’re mine, Bear,” I growled. “I will do as I please with you, with your ass, with your whole fucking world. Do you hear me?”
“Oh god, right there.”
I stilled.
His eyes popped open. His fingers clawed at my back. “What are you doing? Why the hell did you stop?”
“I want to make sure you’re listening to me.”
“Jesus Christ, of course I am. I’m yours. You don’t pity me. You own me. Will you make me come now?”
My lips met his in a punishing kiss, our teeth hitting, our bodies heaving from being strung so tight. My hips started moving again but not at the same speed. Barrett urged me to go faster. I refused.
“I want to hear that you understand me, Bear. Not like you’re just saying what I want you to, so I’ll get you off.”
Gorgeous hazel eyes held mine. “I heard you,” he whispered, and my hips stilled again. “I heard every word. It’s not easy for me to give up control, especially when it comes to my brother.”
“I’m not taking him away from you. I’m just giving him more access.”
“I know.” He bit his lip as tears pooled in his eyes. “What if this doesn’t work out? What if you leave and Mars doesn’t have what he needs?”
I brushed away the tear that fell. “I would never take away what I’m giving him. It’s there for life. I promise. But you and me, we won’t ever be done. Can’t you see it? Can’t you see how you own me too? I’d do anything for you.”
“Reghan…”
“I know, Bear.”
Our touching and kissing turned gentle. Our bodies came together like we needed each other to breathe.
I slid a hand under his ass to hold him to me, not wanting space between us as I fucked into him with care rather than anger. Words circled my mind, big ones that would change everything. I wasn’t all the way gone for him yet, but it was close.
Barrett would buck like a damn bronco to keep everyone at a distance, even people who wanted to help him. I had to prove to him I wouldn’t release the reins, that I was in this for the long haul. Words would only do so much. My actions would matter more.
“Please,” he whimpered.
“I’ve got you.”
My hand moved between us and took hold of his cock. He was leaking enough where I could collect it and use it to slick him, stroking along his hard flesh.
“Come for me,” I told him. “Show me what I do to you; how much you want me.”
His back arched off the bed as he cried out and came. It triggered something deep inside me, this validation that he listened and did as I said. A few thrusts and I came with him, trying to drag it out as long as I could for us both.
Once we came down from our highs, I wrapped my arms around him and rolled us to our sides. Our legs hung off the bed, the angle was terrible, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was having him in my arms. Having his lips against my neck, his sweat-slicked body along mine.
There was no way I was ever letting this man go.