His hand slid up Rain’s bare torso as their tongues played. He adored every line of Rain’s body. While Austen understood these past weeks of lounging around wasn’t what their life would normally look like together, he had loved every second. He wished it could be like this forever. In reality, they had jobs they couldn’t avoid forever. Rain wouldn’t let Austen keep him tied between the bed and doing physical therapy. At least Austen knew he had given Rain the tools he needed to go back to the stage without being in constant pain. He provided for his man. Austen wanted to keep doing it.
Things turned heated. They hadn’t made love since Rain’s surgery. That was Austen’s fault. He had almost lost Rain, and Austen needed to keep him safe. Rain had to be in perfect health again, or Austen just couldn’t risk it. Unfortunately, his dick was beyond hard and had taken charge. He would stop if Rain wanted that, but Rain wasn’t complaining and Austen needed him. He massaged Rain’s cock through his thin pajama pants. Rain moved restlessly against his palm. Before he could stop himself, Austen had Rain’s dick out and in his mouth. Everything about Rain made him hot as hell.
Rain tugged his hair. “Please? Oh, God. Please? I want to feel you stretching me wide.”
That was all Austen needed to hear. He was on his feet, stripping and finding a condom. Rain scrambled from his clothes and lubed his asshole. They came together like it had been years since they touched. Rain bit Austen’s bottom lip and held on as Austen thrust his way inside. The moment bordered on violence, except their fingers were linked and it felt like an act of love. That didn’t mean he didn’t have Rain folded up like a pretzel while he pillaged his ass. Austen had lost all hints of being gentle. He took Rain. Every sound Rain made proved he loved it. The way Rain blew within minutes also said a lot.
With his eyes squeezed closed, Austen savored every sensation. He burned the moment into his memory. Austen wanted to remember every second they were together. The tension built and stole his focus. His thrusts got even harder as the coil tightened. A cry tore from him as he came unglued. It was like he flew. There was so much freedom in the experience. He feltaccepted and loved in a way he never had. They were so fucking perfect for each other.
“I love you.”
Austen’s throat unexpectedly swelled at the sweetly whispered words against his shoulder. No one understood how badly he wanted to live like this forever. “I love you too.” God help him. He wished he could stop there, but he was too in his feelings. “You have no idea how much I’d give to live like this forever. It’s wrecking me, thinking about you not sleeping in my arms. You’re supposed to be with me.”
Rain kept lightly kissing his shoulder, but he didn’t respond. Austen swore he wouldn’t say the words again. He shouldn’t have said anything to begin with. Admitting his love had already been insane enough for such a short time dating. He would stop there and be happy. That was what being an adult meant, accepting hard truths. Rain Agafonov would never fully be his. Austen had to be okay with that. No matter how much it sucked.
Chapter Eight
Thebig,adorabledudein combat boots toed the ground and smiled sweetly while Austen spoke to him. Edge couldn’t hear what was said. Regretfully, he hadn’t set up full surveillance yet on Austen’s home. Rain hadn’t stepped foot from it before today in the last six weeks and he knew Rain would bust him in seconds if he did anything. He could sit here, though. Edge could keep watch. It was a good thing he did. The moment Rain went to his rehearsal, another dude was on Austen’s doorstep. Granted, Austen didn’t invite him inside. He held the six-pack the guy had brought him and smiled as they talked. It was obvious they knew each other well. It was equally apparent the young one had a crush. His body language said it all. He kept tugging at his shoulder-length blond hair and shifting his feet. The guy was a mixture of nerves and happiness. Edge was enraged.
How much could Rain actually know about this doctor? While even Edge had to admit it was obvious the guy genuinely caredabout Rain, what did he know? Like who was this guy that had waited until the exact day Rain left to show himself? Had he been watching the house, waiting for his shot? Maybe Austen had called him the moment Rain left to let him know the coast was clear. Austen still hadn’t invited him inside and the more Edge thought about it, the more irritated he became by Austen’s guest. His jaw ticked. He felt himself turning into the stalking predator he was. The moment Austen went inside, and the blond jogged down the steps, Edge was out of the van. He kept his gun and knife hidden as he slipped into position. The moment he could, he struck. With the gun’s barrel at his nape and a knife at his kidney, he took control.
“Head for the van.”
A low, deadly-sounding chuckle met his demand. “Oh boy, are you going to regret this.”
Edge was too in his feelings. This guy was trying to take Rain’s man. They weren’t people who found happiness. Rain had. No one would take it from him. “I don’t ask twice.” Even Edge heard the truth to his words.
With a shrug that got under Edge’s skin, he headed for the black van. Edge quickly secured him in the caged back before jumping behind the wheel. He double-checked to make sure no one played witness before pulling away from the curb. Eerie silence filled the back. Edge had to check the rearview mirror to make sure he still had a hostage. The most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen stared back at him. They swam with laughter. Edge had never been more fascinated.
“What’s your name?”
“Why would I give you that?” The guy paused. “Better yet, why would you abduct a total stranger?”
“I’m Edge,” Edge said, rather than answering.
“Well, that was dumb, Edge. Almost as idiotic as choosing me as your victim. We don’t have to talk.”
He sat back, stealing Edge’s occasional glances into the mirror to see those eyes.
Truthfully, this was one of the dumbest things he had done in a long time. He didn’t act unplanned. Edge didn’t go off script. He was the script. Edge had no clue why this whole Rain and Austen thing was so under his skin. He didn’t think he was jealous. Edge took a steadying breath. He was scared. Their team had always been their team. It felt like Rain slipped away, and what were they without each other? It wasn’t a fate he had ever considered. They had sworn not to leave one another. Yet Rain was already as good as gone. This guy wouldn’t steal that chance from Rain. No matter Edge’s feelings. Rain deserved a shot at real freedom. Edge just wasn’t sure yet if he would let him have it. They were too vulnerable apart, especially Rain. Everything had always been about him. He was too beautiful. Rain had made high-ranking men feel things they didn’t want. Not wanting those desires hadn’t stopped them from acting on them. If not for that, they might not have ended up here, living together and thriving. Rain would get his happiness.
At the house, Edge chose the door they always went through when they had a visitor in tow. He knew Tracker would see them on the cameras and have the team gathered before they made it inside. They would find out who this guy was and why he had sought Austen with beer in hand and looking like a man on the hunt for a date. He slid open the back door, and the blond stepped out, completely calm to the point of cockiness. In fact, he seemed to find the entire experience amusing. Edge motioned toward the door with his gun. With a smirk, the guy headed inside. Just as Edge knew there would be, the team was armed and gathered. A chair already waited for interrogation. The guy sat like he had been here before.
Edge didn’t bother explaining. He knew the team would roll with whatever. That was what they did.
He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed their visitor. “I ask again, what’s your name?”
Nothing. Just a silent, smug stare.
Edge sighed dramatically. He motioned around the room. “Welcome to casa de Agafonov.” It didn’t matter what he admitted. Blondie likely wasn’t leaving there. “As I’ve already said, I’m Edge.” He waved Tracker’s way. “The guy manning the cameras is Tracker.” He started pointing at people. “Ridge, Field, Shadow, and Crisp. We’re missing some people today, but I wasn’t expecting company.”
The guy’s amazing eyes flickered to each person as they were named—like he took notes and made a list for later. He didn’t speak. It was almost unnerving.
Edge opened his mouth, losing patience, and ready to notch things up. The door exploded inward. A huge guy with salt and pepper hair and cold brown eyes stormed into the room. With a gun in each hand, his gaze stayed on the move, watching for attacks.
“How in the fuck?” Tracker sounded baffled and horrified, proving the guy had somehow avoided their full security setup.
The new arrival tossed a look Blondie’s way. “You good, Mickey?”
