Page 135 of Cohesion

“It will help relax your muscles,” Quinn said, stepping up behind him, his chest warm against Sebastian’s back. “And they’re nice.” He unbuttoned Sebastian’s top and gently slid it from his shoulders. “Soothing.” He kissed Sebastian’s shoulder, lips lingering. “Sexy.”

“Sexy?” Sebastian asked, twisting his head with a quirked smile.

“We’re all going to be naked. What’s sexier than that?”

Okay, he had a point. But they could have done that on a bed. Or on the couch. They could basically get naked in any room or on any surface they wanted in the whole house. No one could tell them no.

“When I renovated this place, I wasn’t going to put a bath in, and my sisters all united in protest. I came home one night, and it was already installed. I’ve never been gladder for that than I am right now.”

“Towels acquired!” Will said happily, sliding in behind them with a stack. He put them on the edge of the long sink and beamed. “Bubbles at optimum level. I’m ready.” He was already pulling his T-shirt up and over his head as he spoke and then shimmied out of his shorts and underwear.

Sebastian swallowed, checking out the long body on full display. Maybe he could get on board with this bath thing.

Quinn’s hands reached for Sebastian’s pants next.

Sebastian dropped his arms and gave Quinn free rein to get rid of his clothes. He didn’t need the help. It was mostly only his face that was in pain, with light throbbing behind his eyes that he didn’t think would be going away for at least a few days. The tension around the back of his head and his forehead was like a ring. That would take time to ease. And painkillers.

Quinn was a hair’s breadth away from falling apart, and he never wanted that. It wasn’t a hardship to give him what he needed. Whatever helped.

Quinn’s fingers trembled as he undid Sebastian’s pants and slowly eased them over his hips and down his thighs. When he stayed on his knees, forehead resting against Sebastian’s thigh, Sebastian stroked his hair, giving him as much time as he needed.

Sebastian couldn’t imagine what they’d gone through. He’d been confident that they’d find him, that they were coming for him, and he’d let that guide him, keep him from slippinginto total despair. Having Spencer with him had been another lifeline. A steady pulse to hold onto. What they’d done to Spencer had been worse, and that man had walked through all of it like he was taking an easy stroll in the park. His unwavering spirit had helped Sebastian remain calm.

The uncertainty on the other side of the fence would have been so much worse than that. Sebastian couldn’t imagine having any of them yanked away from him, not knowing where they were, or what they were going through. Even if he didn’t have any desire to repeat the experience, he could acknowledge that he’d gotten the better end of the deal.

Will skimmed a hand down Sebastian’s back and then over Quinn’s shoulder. Neither of them said a word, just stayed with Quinn and gave him all the time he needed. If Sebastian were being honest, he needed it too, that grounding from them all. Constant reminders that he was home and not in that room, awaiting more beatings.

He was with the men he loved.

The ones who had come for him in his darkest hour.

Sebastian’s eyes met Peyton’s as he came through the door. Their ex-soldier was already shirtless, his tattoo standing out on his pale skin. Fuck, it was beautiful. Would he get more? Sebastian wanted to see him covered in them. A few sleeves, something on his hip and across his chest like Quinn had. He might even be persuaded to get a few himself.

The scar on Peyton’s hip was dull, curling and running over his skin and then under his pants. Sebastian ran a finger over it. “Can you feel that?”

“Mostly. Some of the nerves are a bit shot.”

“How did it happen?”

“It’s not a very exciting story,” Peyton said wryly. He snagged Sebastian’s hand and kissed his fingers, then rubbed them against his cheek. From the moment that he’d come home, oneof them was always in his space or touching him, like they were taking turns to cement him there.

“I’d like to hear it anyway,” Sebastian said. He wanted to know everything about all of them, even the parts that hurt. Most of Sebastian hurt inside, and his past was littered with more bad than good. He needed to know that they were willing to share, so he knew he could too.

“I was on the wrong side of an explosion,” Peyton said. “Evacuating a building, and I thought I heard a kid crying, so I went back in. Building collapsed around me, and some shrapnel tore right through my hip. I almost bled out before anyone got to me.”

Quinn stood and slid an arm around Peyton’s waist at the same time he kept a grip on Sebastian’s, holding them both close. Will perched on the edge of the bath, a hand gliding through the top of the water. He didn’t look surprised; he’d heard this story before.

“Was there a kid?” Jericho asked.

Peyton glanced at Will, who smiled warmly. “Yeah. He’s thirteen now, and we keep in touch. He likes writing letters, so that’s mostly what we do, though he’ll call sometimes. His handwriting is getting better, and I’m teaching him Morse code, so I get to decipher half his voicemails these days.”

Jericho rubbed Peyton’s shoulder with his thumb and kissed the top of his head. “Little hero.”

“Who are you calling little?”

“You are the shortest one here,” Sebastian pointed out. He might have been a close second, but Peyton was a few inches shorter than even him. A tightly packed lethal weapon. And theirs. A fierce protector with a big heart and a short fuse.

“Let’s just get in the bath,” Peyton grumbled. “Story time is over.”

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