LOST CHAPTER
(This chapter would appear right after Baer brings Wiley to the plantation for the first time and then leaves to fetch Wiley’s things so he can temporarily move in.)
Clay waited until the door shut behind him before he and Dane quickly crossed to the kitchen. The Soul Weaver was not making a damn bit of sense, but it was clear he was very adamant about Wiley staying at the plantation. Did he think Wiley might know something more about the pestilents than he was letting on? Did he read something interesting in his mind that Baer didn’t know about?
Grey was pulling hazelnut creamer out of the fridge when they found him. He poured some into his mug of coffee.
“What’s going on?” Clay demanded. “Who’s Wiley?”
“Yeah, why are you so determined to keep him here?” Dane added.
Grey’s lips spread into a wicked grin before he lifted his mug to his lips and took a sip. “You didn’t guess?”
“What?” Dane’s eyes darted frantically from Grey to Clay. “I thought you both agreed he wasn’t a Weaver.”
“He’s not,” Clay said and looked at Grey. “Right? He’s not a Weaver.”
“Not a Weaver. But Jo is freaking sneaky. She definitely sent Baer to the bakery for more than just doughnuts.”
“Oh my God, Grey! Just spit it out. You’re driving me crazy!” Dane moaned. Clay couldn’t agree more. He was ready to strangle the man.
“You haven’t figured it out?” Grey teased.
“Fuck!” Clay snarled.
“He’s Baer’s soul mate,” Grey announced before Clay could continue shouting.
Clay and Dane froze for several heartbeats and just stared at the smug Soul Weaver as he sipped his coffee.
“Are you joking?” Dane whispered.
“Nope,” Grey said, popping his “p.”
“Holy shit,” Clay breathed. Baer had found his soul mate. He was driving around with him right that second and he had no idea.
“Are you sure?” Dane asked, earning him a dark, narrowed gaze from Grey.
“Yes,” Grey said a little sharply, but to Clay’s surprise, that was it. No barbs or cutting comments. But then, Grey didn’t usually direct those at Dane. He preferred to save them for Clay and Baer. “When Wiley and Baer are standing next to each other, I can see a sort of red ribbon looping around them, binding them together. It’s the same thing I see on you and Clay.”
That was enough to convince Clay. In the blink of an eye, without even trying, Baer had located his soul mate.
Holy shit, Baer has his soul mate.
“We can’t tell him,” Clay declared in slightly horrified tones.
“What?” Dane screeched. “How can you not tell him?”
“No, Clay’s right. We can’t tell him.” Grey placed his mug down on the counter with a solid thud. “I won’t betray Baer’s trust, but I can say that his head is a fucking mess from his past dating experiences and old memories. He deserves a chance to fall in love with Wiley without all the added weight of forever, bonding, magic, and saving the world.”
Dane frowned. He didn’t seem sold at all. And while Clay rarely saw eye to eye with Grey on anything, he agreed with him on this point. “He can’t know. At least not yet. We can buy them a little time to get to know each other.”
“That means we can’t talk about me wiping minds or playing with memories,” Grey instructed, pointing at Dane and then Clay. “It’s a shit cover story, but right now Baer isn’t looking too closely at it because he’s already attracted to Wiley.”
“Yeah, I thought that was all bullshit,” Dane muttered. “You’ve tinkered with plenty of minds already.”
Grey shrugged. “I had to think of something. Baer needs to stay in contact with Wiley, so they have a chance to fall in love.”
Dane smirked. “I never would have pegged you for a romantic.”
Grey sniffed at Dane and picked up his coffee. “Readers like when you include a romantic subplot in a book, even if it is a thriller.”
“Well, maestro,” Dane teased. “Since we can’t tell them, are we allowed to help? Maybe give them a little nudge here or there in the right direction?”
Grey’s smile returned. “I think that could be useful. Make sure they sit together at dinner or run errands together if we need something. Just keep putting them together, preferably alone. I don’t think it’ll take much. It was clearly lust at first sight for both of them.”
Clay chuckled. Baer was definitely going to have his hands full with Wiley. He seemed like a sweet, energetic guy. It was a shame he wasn’t a Weaver, but being a soul mate to a Weaver was just as good in his book.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Grey said, “book edits are calling my name.”
Dane sighed. “Yeah, I need to grab my wallet and run to the hardware store to pick up some supplies.”
“I’ll run with you,” Clay offered. The reappearance of the pestilents meant that none of them should be traveling alone, but that wasn’t his only reason for wanting to accompany Dane.
He followed Dane into their shared bedroom and closed the door behind him, giving them privacy. With Grey retreating to the apartment over the garage and Baer running Wiley to his apartment, they had the house to themselves. Clay was not one to ignore an opportunity.
Dane walked over to the long waist-high dresser and picked up his wallet. “Can you believe Baer found his soul mate? And apparently living right here in Savannah. That’s just crazy.” He opened his wallet, double-checking to make sure he had adequate cash and likely the Circle’s bank card.
Clay walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around Dane’s waist. He nuzzled his face into his neck while thrusting his hips forward to rub his hardening cock against Dane’s crease. “I’m glad he’ll have the chance to get to know Wiley like I was able to connect with you. Getting the chance to fall in love with you, it was an amazing gift. Baer should be that lucky.”
A low groan rumbled up Dane’s throat, and he pressed his ass back into Clay’s dick while bracing his hand against the mirror in front of him. Clay lifted his head to look at their reflection, loving the pleasure etched into Dane’s handsome face.
“You’re ready to go again?” Dane asked, his voice hoarse. His man had woken him with a blowjob, and Clay hadn’t gotten the chance to reciprocate. Dane had been so close that he merely kneeled over Clay and jerked off until he came on Clay’s chest.
“Oh, yeah. Want you right here.” As he spoke, Clay thrust against Dane’s ass, earning a sharp whimper of pleasure.
“Yes. Hard and fast,” Dane panted.
Clay slid a hand down the front of Dane’s jeans, tugging the pants open. He slipped his fingers inside of his lover’s briefs and wrapped them around Dane’s leaking cock, stroking him slowly. “I want you to see yourself when I’m balls deep inside of you. I want you to see yourself coming.”
Dane’s eyes snapped open, shock filling his face as if he’d suddenly remembered the mirror right in front of him. A shiver ran through his body, and Clay could feel his cock swell even more in his hand.
“That’s right. My sexy man wants to watch as he gets fucked hard,” Clay growled in his ear while holding Dane’s gaze in the mirror.
“Fuck, Clay,” Dane moaned. “Get the lube. Hurry.”
Reluctantly, Clay released Dane’s dick and crossed the bedroom to his nightstand. He grabbed the bottle and rejoined his lover. He slammed the bottle on the dresser next to Dane and started to attack his own jeans while Dane shoved his jeans and briefs down around his thighs. Clay just barely got his cock free when he saw Dane pick up the lube and squeeze some onto his fingers. There was no tearing his eyes away from the sight of his lover pressing two fingers inside of his body while a long moan left his parted lips.
His eyes flicked up to find Dane watching his reflection in the mirror as he stretched himself. Clay could see his own stark hunger in the mirror. No, this was not going to last long. Hard and fast was definitely the name of this game.
Grabbing the lube from where Dane had dropped it on the dresser, he squeezed some into his hand and stroked his dick.
“Need you in me, Clay,” Dane said between clenched teeth.
“You’re ready for me?” Clay stepped closer and ran his free hand over one smooth ass cheek. Dane had a fucking gorgeous body and the most amazing ass. If he had his way, he would live inside of Dane.
“God, yes.” Dane withdrew his fingers but grabbed the cheek Clay wasn’t touching, holding himself open. Not that Clay needed any further enticement.
Clay brushed the head of his cock over that pink opening, wringing another moan out of Dane before pressing inside. Any hopes of going the tiniest bit slowly were destroyed in a heartbeat when Dane used the hand he had braced against the mirror to shove back onto Clay’s dick. Clay was buried deep inside that tight heat so damn fast, it was like the air was knocked out of his lungs.
“Oh, fuck!” Dane gasped.
They held still for a moment, their bodies pressed together. Only their chests quickly expanded and deflated with their rapid breaths. Dane’s tight passage massaged Clay’s cock, coaxing him closer and closer to release.
“Clay,” Dane cried, and Clay started to move. His thrusts were short and shallow to start—he wanted to enjoy being gripped inside this perfect body. He wanted to revel in all the little sounds Dane made as they fucked. But his orgasm was barreling down on him.
He wrapped his arm across Dane’s chest and placed his hand around his throat, forcing Dane’s head up so that he had to look in the mirror. “Open your eyes and look at the sexy man I get to be inside every night,” Clay commanded.
Dane’s eyes flicked open, and Clay was lost. He was gorgeous with his flushed face, bright eyes, and damp lips parted in a moan.
“You are so perfect,” Clay growled. “So fucking perfect.”
From the mirror, Clay could see Dane frantically jerking himself. Clay picked up his pace so that all they could hear was their ragged breathing and the sharp slap of skin on skin. Muscles tightened and Clay gritted his teeth against the orgasm that was fighting to break free.
“I love you!” Dane choked out before he started coming.
Clay didn’t get the chance to reply. He wasn’t sure if the words or the sight of Dane coming tipped him over the edge, but his own orgasm slammed through him like a freight train. The world whited out, and there was only sharp pleasure streaking along every nerve ending in his body. He shouted, emptying himself deep inside of Dane.
Dane braced both his hands on the mirror to hold himself upright while Clay sprawled across his back. Cum was smeared across the glass, and they were both panting like they’d run a marathon.
A little sigh left Clay when his dick softened enough to slip free of Dane’s body. He needed to move, but he didn’t want to.
“Oh, fuck you, Clay,” Dane said suddenly, but there was no heat behind it.
Clay looked up at their reflection to see Dane looking at himself. “What?”
“I have to take another shower before I leave the house.”
Clay hummed happily, pressing a kiss to his neck. “Why’s that?”
“Because I look like I’ve been fucked up against a wall.”
Clay smiled at Dane. “You can go out like this. I don’t mind the world knowing you’re taken.”
Dane shook his head, an answering smile on his lips. Clay lifted off Dane enough that his lover could turn in his arms. They kissed slowly, reveling in the sweet afterglow. He would never get enough of Dane. An eternity wasn’t nearly long enough, so Clay was determined to treasure every second they had together.
“I love you,” Clay whispered against his lips. “You shower. I’ll clean up the mess you made.”
Dane snorted as he pulled away from Clay’s lips. “I’d say it’s your mess since you made me do that.”
“Go,” Clay urged, reluctantly releasing Dane. “I’ll join you.”
“No, you won’t!” Dane called halfway to the bathroom. “I need to do something with my day besides sex and matchmaking.”
Clay smiled at Dane’s retreating back. They would see about that.