Page 107 of Natural-Born Cullers

“Just saying.” Martin raised his hands. “Because I know you’re struggling to transcribe those adult certifications here.”

“That’s you, stepping too close again.” Light pointed at him as Gray roughly wiped away his tear.

“Bad habit.” Martin cocked a smile, but something else played in it. “Good to see you acknowledge yours now and learned to ask for help when it’s needed.”

Light shook his head, then shrugged Gray off before starting to head for the stairs. “The summerhouse remains mine for the duration of the training.” He glanced back over his shoulder at Gray, swiping at his nose with the cuff of his jumper. “Baseman stays with his teachings, as do you, but the electronic tags and locked doors? They go. Trust’s going to be low from Ray and Jan, so you have my word I’ll stay away from the manor until told otherwise.”

He took the walk, following after Simon.

“Light.”

He looked back Gray’s way.

“Trust is non-existent in the manor,” Gray said back to him. “So you remember… you ever poison Jan’s system again, stop him breathing, I’ll take you and yours down for it. That’s a line you won’t cross again.”

Light held his look for a moment, then eventually nodded and headed up to the hall.

Gray watched him go, then tensing his jaw, he looked over at Martin. A glance came his way, and Gray went over, backing him up against the wall. Martin tensed, body all defensive, but…

“You knew what would go down away from here.” Gray rested palm-flat on the wall, framing Martin, and he dipped his head, tracing the scent salting his neck, collarbone to jaw.

“Just needed your snout pushing in the right direction. Dog soldier and his master in training, and all that.”

Gray kissed at the perspiration. Licked.

“Oh down boy.” Martin let his hands come up to Gray’s hips, keeping him at a distance as he buried a smile. “Not Jack here.”

Gray ran with the draught playing down his neck off Martin. Real… imagined… he needed to know if Martin owned it as well now.

“Yeah,” Gray said quietly. “I know that, Mart.” He sighed into the curve of his neck, loving the line of perspiration and cologne as it acted like a line of coke on his senses. “Just saying thank you. For looking out for mine.”

“In the backdrop of bloodied driving licences on the floor over there that you’ve… fuck knows what you did with the bodies…?” Martin said into his ear. “You say the… sweetest things.”

Gray laughed quietly and shifted Martin’s touch off his hips and went back in, body against body.

“Just for clarity,” said Martin quietly, all play dropped from his tone. “Is that a thank you for poisoning you and Jan too? Because you’ve just threatened Light for that.”

Gray kissed at Martin’s jaw. “Light’s still learning boundaries. But you…” He smiled, nipped. “In the backdrop of bloodied driving licenses over there… no warning needed when it comes to you.”

Gray eased his look up to Martin’s, running a hand into his hair and eventually tightening his grip.

“Don’t, and I meandon’t, do it again,” he said softly. He kissed at his jaw, bit his neck…. It was there…. Did he really mind being Martin’s dog soldier in this moment?

Martin shivered, and Gray swore, he fucking swore it was Jack’s, all on the mention of the word…

Don’t….

Fuck. Gray dipped his head again, resting it on Martin’s shoulder. Yeah, Martin wasn’t Jack, and he missed Jack so badly in that moment….

“You really love him, huh?”

Gray looked up, then brushed a kiss at Martin’s jaw. “Both of you. Too damn much at times.”

Martin cocked such a slow smile, then a nod. “Rightly so, Welsh. Rightly fucking so.”

He shoved Gray back, and a foot slipped behind his, sending him to the floor. As Gray hit hard, the scent of blood and dust never closer, Martin straddled him a moment later, coming down and pinning Gray to the floor with grips around his wrists as Gray huffed.

“Too much feeling in you, Gray.” Martin smiled and nipped at his lip. “Always fucks you up. You need to be less you, more… me.” A lick. “Utter fucking perfection that I am.”

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