Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Matt
I was shivering, but I wasn’t cold. How could I be? I was in a hot bath with Nick’s arms wrapped around me.
This person, this…monster had broken into my home, my safe place, gone through things I owned, and was basically pissing on my leg, claiming me as theirs. I wasn’t property. I was angry, but more than that, I was terrified.
Nick tenderly kissed my shoulders as he washed my body with slow, relaxing movements. I felt so lost, with no idea what was going to happen or how to fix it. Would this person snap and kill me if I refused them? Would they kill Nick? What about the others?
“Hey,” Nick whispered in my ear. “You’re spiraling, and I get it—I do. I told you I’d keep you safe. I meant it, Mattie.”
“Don’t call me that,” I mumbled. It was a reflex at this point. He always called me that, no matter how many times I asked him not to.
He chuckled. “Just wanted to see if you were listening.”
I spun until I faced him, my legs overlapping his. “You make me promises you can’t guarantee, Nick.” I pressed a finger to his mouth when he went to speak. “Listen to me. Your intentions are genuine—I believe that. You are going to do everything in your power to keep me safe.”
“I will.”
“But you can’t promise me that.”
“I can, because?—”
“Nick, stop,” I snapped, and his eyes widened in surprise. “I’ve talked to JJ and Mason, and they told me their stories. You and I both know Gabe and Shep promised those men they’d keep them safe too. We aren’t always in the kind of control we think we are. Bad things happen sometimes, no matter how tough we think we are.”
Nick sat back against the tub, and I pressed my hand over his heart.
“You’ll never be alone, Matt, not until this is dealt with. Whoever is doing this, they won’t be dumb enough to do something with others around.”
I sighed. “You don’t know that.” I leaned closer. “We have no idea what this person is capable of.”
Nick held my face in his hands, his eyes like fire. “They have no idea what I am capable of, Matt. If they touch you again, they will live to regret it…The only saving grace they will have is that their life won’t last very long.”
“Oh, Nick.” I turned and kissed his palm. “Don’t tell me things like that.”
“You need to understand, Matt. I won’t lose you. I will burn the world down for you.”
I smiled, warmth blooming in the pit of my stomach. “Careful there, Nick. It almost sounds like you might love me.”
“Well, that’s because I do.”
I stared at him, really looked. “What?”
“Strange, right?” He released my face and laughed. “I don’t know when it happened, but when you said that just now, I knew.”
“Have…have you ever been in love?”
“If it feels like this, never.” His gaze met mine. “The thought of you not here, though, not with me, in this life? I can’t imagine anything more horrifying.”
This man . I pushed forward and took his mouth, kissing all my love into him, hoping he’d feel it before I told him. He wrapped his arms and legs around me, and it was as if we were one being. The perfect moment tucked away within the chaos.
“I love you too, Nick,” I panted into his skin.
Nick had to go to Greg’s, but we had time and we weren’t going to waste a second of it.
We stumbled out of the tub, barely drying ourselves off as we tumbled onto his bed, all limbs and tongues. It was as if neither of us wanted to let a hair between us. He pressed his cock against mine, and a spark of lust shot through me.
“I need you,” I begged. If Nick didn’t fuck me, I was sure to fall apart.
He reached into his nightstand and pulled out lube and a condom.
“No.” I covered the condom. “We were both tested; we don’t need this.”
“You’re sure?”
I grinned at Nick; his kind eyes were shining at me. “I’m sure.”
He rolled me so that I was under him and grabbed the lube as he kissed down my chest right to where my very hard cock was praying for attention…He was a multitasker for sure.
I arched off the bed as he took me in his mouth. “Yes,” I hissed, loving the way he knew exactly how to touch me. I’d had sex before…plenty of it, but with Nick it was different. We connected in a way I’d never had with anyone else.
Slick fingers pushed inside me and I gripped the sheets, holding on for fear I’d fly away. Nick’s hand rested on my stomach, holding me down when I arched up…I felt him everywhere. My body was singing and when I was about to beg for more, he lifted up so his face was hovering over mine, smiled sinfully, and slowly slid his cock inside me.
“You feel amazing,” he moaned.
“Fuck me, Nick.”
He didn’t hesitate. He pulled back and slammed into me relentlessly as if he were chasing more than just an orgasm, as if this release would fix the world. I was sure we were loud, but I didn’t care. I wanted to stay in this moment, in this feeling, forever.
I came with a shout and Nick followed a few thrusts later. Neither of us moved, just breathed and held each other until our bodies calmed down.
“I think the whole house heard us.” I chuckled.
“Nah, the rooms are soundproofed.” He lifted up and grinned. “We all got tired of listening to Shep and JJ.”
I laughed…and damn, it felt good.
“So Gabe is at Greg’s. I think it would be smart if someone parks outside,” Angel said as he scooped a heaping amount of mashed potatoes onto his plate.
Shep had made dinner for everyone before Nick left to go back to Greg’s. It was cute that he’d packed a Tupperware container for Nick to take to Gabe.
“Not a horrible idea,” Noel agreed.
Nick pursed his lips, appearing unsure. I wasn’t sure why until Mason spoke up.
“Matt will be safe here if the three of you are there. Me, JJ, Four, Noel, and Shep are all here and this house is secure. You’ve made sure of that.”
I reached over and placed my hand atop his. “I’d actually feel a lot better if you had more backup with you.”
Even though Lenny was one person, and maybe Greg too, three against two were way better odds.
“Okay.” Nick squeezed my hand.
After dinner we all cleaned up; then Nick and Angel left to go to Greg’s. Lenny was supposed to arrive early in the morning, and hopefully, all of this would end. I had faith in these brothers.