Chapter Thirty-Three #2
Hal stared at him in pale-faced surprise. Austin’s anger began to swell again. Connor had really just come in here and caused a mess, hadn’t he? Made Hal lose face in front of his delegations, in front of Desor, and knocked him onto the ground. Stupidly, for nothing.
“Would you wear this, Austin?” Hal shrugged off his finely embroidered jacket. “Before Tristan tears someone’s eyes out.”
Austin looked over his shoulder. Tristan was at his back, examining each and every person in the room with pointed intensity. Nobody dared lift their head.
“Did you just…win? Against the monarch?” Kas asked. He was staring at the throne, where the octopus was making elaborate curling shapes with her tentacles. She knew she was sitting on a throne. Perhaps all female octopuses thought themselves rulers.
Austin slipped on the jacket, folding up the embroidered sleeves. “We used to date. I know him very well.”
Kas helped Hal get shakily to his feet. Tristan watched his brother closely before stepping up to Austin’s side and placing his hand against his lower back.
“Will you make sure she gets back into the tunnels okay?” Austin asked Hal, indicating the octopus. “And thank her for me. She guided me through them.”
Hal nodded.
Austin turned to Tristan. “Is your work done here? My arm is very tired from bringing Eli with me.”
Tristan nodded.
They left the hall, and everyone kept their eyes pointedly averted.
Even the king and queen didn’t dare lift their gazes.
Austin noted that they stood very close together, their guards mixed together to protect both monarchs.
Desor, though staring between his feet, had a thoughtful look on his face.
His mouth moved, quiet words muttered to himself.
A carriage was already waiting at the steps of the palace, and Tristan offered his hand to Austin, guiding him in ahead.
It was only as they sat that Austin’s adrenaline began to fall.
“I bet he came looking for me over that issue with Laurence and Kit. Probably to give out to me for kidnapping them.” Austin’s hands curled in Hal’s borrowed jacket. “I’m sorry that happened to Hal. And of course it had to happen in front of your father!”
That Hal might have looked weak in front of Desor was infuriating.
Tristan’s long legs stretched into his space until his knees were on either side of Austin’s, bracketing him. “You did not want to keep the throne for yourself?”
“You think I’d steal your brother’s throne from him?” Austin demanded sharply.
“It had already been taken.”
“It wasn’t taken yet. You were there,” Austin pointed out.
“You hesitated because Adonis had a hold of Hal’s throat, but you wouldn’t have lost to them.
” Not if he could keep his head up in front of all that pressure billowing off Connor.
Pride spiked again at Tristan’s strength.
“You wouldn’t have lost,” Austin repeated.
“Even with the two of them working together.”
Tristan’s jaw clenched. “Desor was holding me up on the other side of the room. It all happened so fast. I didn’t get the chance to take more than a step before he had Hal pinned.
” His eyes moved down Austin’s half-exposed form, the tension in his jaw easing as desire burned in his eyes.
“And yet your victory was even faster and more decisive.”
Austin hmphed. “Figures it would be Desor’s fault. Why bother talking to him at all?”
“Why bother indeed?” Tristan’s gaze was on Austin’s legs. “Did Eli massage you?”
“He’s not as skilled as you, but yes.” Austin lifted his leg and slid his foot down Tristan’s thigh. “I think, with all the hard work I’ve done, I deserve another one.”
Austin hadn’t even finished speaking before Tristan’s hands were warming his calf.
He bowed to kiss the top of Austin’s knee.
“I agree,” he said. More warm kisses pressed into his skin, and their short time together in Austin’s territory rose to the forefront of his mind with a glimmer of heat, and annoyance.
Austin slid his foot further down Tristan’s lap until the sole pressed into his crotch.
He found Tristan’s cock through his cotton trousers and caressed the bulge into a rigid outline.
Tristan clutched Austin’s calf, his breathing growing laboured as Austin continued to tease him.
Austin reached beneath the jacket to stroke himself, but the precum wasn’t enough.
Half aware of what he was doing, Austin simply focused on his need. He shifted just enough inside to—
“Ah, I’m quite good, you know?” Austin laughed.
Tristan raised his head, a question in his heated gaze.
“I changed just in here, so it’s slick enough for you to slide in,” Austin said, pushing two fingers into his ass to feel.
He hummed. “It’s still a bit tight, though.
Help me.” He moved onto Tristan’s lap but seated himself with his back to Tristan.
He twisted to peer over his shoulder. “Do you have enough room?”
Tristan stared at Austin with naked adoration.
“Yes,” he said. He caressed Austin’s buttock, a low groan humming from Tristan’s throat as he slid two fingers easily inside.
Austin braced one hand on the roof of the carriage as they rocked their way through the city and tried to relax as Tristan worked on stretching him open.
He clasped Austin’s waist with his free hand, holding him steady.
Austin grasped himself and stroked lightly, breathing out hard as Tristan nuzzled the back of his neck.
The collar of Hal’s jacket was getting in the way.
Austin shrugged out of it and tossed it aside, then twisted back to peer at Tristan.
His erection strained against the confines of his trousers, a wet stain growing at the tip.
He was so focused on Austin that he didn’t seem to notice.
Austin faced fully forward and felt around behind him, purposefully squeezing here and there as he got Tristan’s trousers undone. He tugged down the band of Tristan’s underwear, and his erection sprang up, wet against Austin’s forearm. And big.
Austin glared straight ahead, letting out an agitated growl.
“We do not have to,” Tristan murmured. He wrapped an arm around Austin’s waist, pressing forwards against his back.
His voice had a dreamy, dazed quality to it as he peppered Austin’s neck with kisses.
“My cock is too big for you. We will find pleasure without penetration; there is no need to get upset.”
Tristan’s cock was slotted between his cheeks, pushing them apart. With each little thrust, Tristan trailed precum up the column of Austin’s spine. The arm around Austin’s waist tightened. “I will come just as easily from getting to rub against you.”