“Yeah. I owe him,” Mark says seriously.
“Ronan was arrested?”
“Yeah.”
“Chris beat him up?”
“Black and blue,” Mark confirms, yet his tone of voice suggests that he doesn’t think it’s enough.
“Where is Chris?”
Mark glances towards the door. “He was here when I fell asleep. He probably just stepped out. Do you want me to find him?”
“No.” I tighten my hold on him. “No, stay here with me. Can you lie down next to me?”
Unease fills Mark’s expression. “Babe, they told us not to move you at all. I don’t want to jostle you by accident if I fall asleep.”
I hum. “I do usually wake up with you squishing me…”
“Are you sleepy? Don’t fight it, Kyle, you need rest.”
“I want a kiss first,” I murmur, doing what Mark advised against and fighting the tiredness.
Mark exhales and bends to me, warm lips pressing chastely to my forehand.
“Mark,” I complain. “Not my forehead.”
Mark plants an even more chaste kiss to my pouting lips.
“Babe,” I complain. “My dick, too.”
Mark blinks in surprise, his dark eyes widening. Then he groans, leaning away from me. “Oh god, you’re high.”
“Babe.”
Mark stands up.
“Babe.”
“Nope, I can only withstand so much torture.” Mark opens the door to the hall. “Chris, come mind your brother.”
“Babe, come on,” I grumble.
“I’ll be back once you pass out,” Mark tells me. “I love you.”
“Come love me then.”
Mark walks out, but I hear that groan. Hear that, ‘he’s torturing me,’remark.
Chris appears in the doorway. Like Mark, he’s dressed for a party; smart trousers and shoes, and an unbuttoned vest over a white dress shirt.
“You look good,” I tell him with a dopey as hell smile. I don’t really care what I look like right now. Chris approaches, taking the seat Mark vacated. White bandages cover both hands. I reach out, poking them. “You always tell me not to fight.”
“You should never need to,” Chris says. “That’s what I’m here for.”
I hum. Each blink is heavy, but I force my eyes to stay open. “Are you okay?” I ask. Chris is never very expressive, but I can tell he’s upset.
“I’m fine, Kyle. Just worried about you.”
