Hostile(73)

When Rhett’s shift at the shop is over, he texts me to let me know he’s going over to Blair and Rhys’s for dinner and tells me I should come too. It’s a no-brainer, and when I get there, I’m greeted by Blair and a great big hug. “Hi, sweetie. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to bring dinner to you. I love your apartment, but it’s a little small for all of us.”

I smile because I’ve gotten to know her pretty well, and I know she’s serious. “We couldn’t have that.”

She pulls back and places her palm on my cheek, more maternal than anyone I’ve ever known. “You okay?”

I nod my head. “My dad was oddly okay with it all.”

She lets out a deep breath, her eyes closing and then opening as they shine with tears. “Good. I was ready to throat-punch him if I needed to.”

I laugh, and Rhett walks in, wrapping an arm around my side. “You don’t want to see Blair when she goes all feral mama bear.”

“Eh, I might have enjoyed that,” I say and turn to Rhett, giving him a kiss hello. A short, respectful one, of course, since his mom is right here.

“It went okay?”

I take his hand and walk with him and Blair into the dining room, where everyone else is waiting—Bree, Max, Ian, and Rhys—Fletcher is back at school. “Yeah. He didn’t seem to care that I’m with a guy at all. He was more concerned with my education.”

We sit down at the table, but I feel Rhett tense next to me. “What did he say?”

“He’s going to pay for me to go to college here. I even threw in art classes.”

“No. Way.” His jaw drops, and I chuckle.

Blair passes me the potatoes, and I scoop them onto my plate. “Good. And that’s what you want? To go to college?”

I look at Rhett and grin, then turn back to Blair. “Yeah. I want a degree in whatever area I choose to go into. I think it will help to have it. And he didn’t seem opposed to me taking over someday.”

“That sounds good.” Blair smiles widely as she fusses over how little Max has on his plate and plops more down.

His bruises are beginning to fade, but I still see red every time I think about him in that bed. Every time I hear Rhett’s angry cry in my head from that night. I know I can’t change the world, but I’d like to go into some sort of degree that will allow me to make it a little bit better.

Even if it’s just in my own way.





FIFTY





“Come.”

Rhett groans. His hands are pressed against the tile of the shower, his ass angled back at me as I pump into him. “Close.”

I reach around with my soapy hand as the water pours over my back and stroke his cock. “Now. We have to get going.”

“Ungh.” I love when he gets like this, desperate and needy as he thrusts his ass backward, riding my dick just as much as I’m pushing into him.

I bite the back of his shoulder, sinking my teeth into his flesh and fill his greedy hole over and over, stroking him with my hand. “Come for me, Rhett. Paint the shower wall.”

“You’re so fucking dirty.”

He loves it. His ass clenches around me so hard I see stars and push into him harder, knowing I hit the perfect spot when he cries out. Jet after jet of cum sprays from his dick, and I lose it, coming deep inside him.

We said goodbye to condoms as soon as we moved in together after I got tested and made damn sure I was clean.

I pull out of him, and he turns to face me, pushing us under the spray of the shower as he kisses me deeply.

“Blair is going to be pissed if we’re late.”

“Please never mention her name when we’re naked.”

I laugh and rinse off, smacking his bare ass before I climb out and dry off. “We need a bigger shower.”

“Someday, rich boy. I have no doubt you’re going to insist on a big-ass house.”

I wrap the towel around my waist and go to the sink to brush my teeth. “Maybe a cabin.”

I catch his reflection in the mirror and wink at him. “Now that I would like.”

“Me too.” He climbs out, turning the water off and wrapping a towel around his waist. He grabs his toothbrush and scrubs his teeth next to me.

It’s all very domestic.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. Was that my present?” He nods toward the shower, and I laugh, spitting the toothpaste into the sink and rinsing my mouth.

“Yup. Christmas cum.”

He snorts a laugh—he laughs so much more now—and then spits into the sink before turning to me and planting a kiss on my lips. “Couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

I laugh and grip his hips. “I want you later.”

He shivers visibly—apparently, I do that to him—then nods his head. “You’re on.” He nibbles on my neck, but I have to pull away and force him to get dressed, so we won’t be late for Christmas breakfast with his family, who has also become my family.

They’re everything I could have asked for. Even Fletcher, who’s started to like me, I can tell. Okay, or he at least puts up with me for Rhett, and I’ll take it.

I had no idea it could be like this. That a family could be so warm and caring and hell, not even share any blood, but it doesn’t matter. All of them are Rhys and Blair’s kids, and I’m pretty sure they’ve adopted me too.