Page 25 of Martyr

Breaking their fourth wasn’t in the cards.

He paused with his hand reaching for the sink, his own thoughts momentarily catching him off guard.

It wasn’t a lie that Nix would technically be named their fourth, but…He’d yet to acknowledge that in his brain. Before, it’d held a different meaning. Now that Lake had claimed him, things were far more complex.

West had never wanted a fourth. None of them had. They’d agreed to allow the title to be given simply so they could pass the Order’s stupid test. The plan was never to keep whoever that unfortunate soul ended up being around them permanently. As an underlying, maybe, fellow club member, sure. But as anything more than that? As a true fourth?

No way.

Now…

“Should I punch Lake,” West grumbled to himself as he flicked the water on and tested the temperature, “or high-five him?”

Anyone outside of them might fear Lake wouldn’t share now that there’d been an official claim, but West, despite how much he liked to complain about his best friend, knew better. He trusted Lake, trusted their bond. On some level, he also understood his pettiness and childish reactions were due to his issues with his father, and less so with Lake himself.

If only West could remember that in the moment, when his temper flared and the insecurities sprouted their ugly thorns, hooking into his chest. He felt almost like a puppet then, like a slave to his base nature. Half the time he acted out, he hated himself after.

He didn’t want to hurt Lake. Didn’t want to fight with him.

And yet…

“Asshole makes it so damn hard by doing shit like this.” He’d returned to the bedroom and glared at the bandage on Nix’s neck with a huff.

Nixie was still dozing when he settled down on the edge of the bed, but he shifted and twitched the second West brought the warm washcloth to his tender skin.

“What are you doing?” Nix groaned and tried to roll away, but West clicked his tongue and pushed him lightly back into place on the center of the bed.

“Cleaning you off,” he replied, wiping the washcloth down the inside of Nix’s thighs. “As hot as you are like this, you can’t shower on your own for the next couple of days thanks to Lake.” West would leave him wearing their come all night if he had his way, but knowing Nixie, the first thing he’d do after waking would be clean off anyway.

West took care of the dried spunk on his stomach and chest, then lifted Nix’s ass to slide the cloth beneath him. He shushed him when the other man grumbled the second he corkscrewed a finger into his entrance. “Have to clean you out, babe. Give me a minute.”

Nix’s dick twitched and he started to grow hard the more West fingered him, and while it was tempting to go another round, it was obvious by the way his eyes remained shut he was exhausted and spent.

“I’m not the type to go easy on people,” he mumbled, speaking too low to be overheard. Once he was sure the job was done, he moved to check the bloodied bandage at the side of Nix’s neck. “Yejun did a shit job.”

Didn’t help that he’d been so rough he’d reopened the wound in a couple of places, but since Nix wasn’t complaining…West sighed and stood, tossing the soiled cloth into the hamper on his way to the bathroom, where he grabbed a clean bandage and some ointment. He paused when he came back to find Nix hadn’t moved a single inch in his brief absence.

He was so pretty. Soft looking, but still firm in all the right places. There was no fear that West would accidentally break him, and the thrill of knowing that, of knowing he could be as rough as he pleased and still get them both off, had his balls tightening.

“Nope.” He shook his head at himself and dropped down onto the bed. The bloodied bandage came off easily and he was in the process of applying ointment when Nix moaned and turned his head, eyes blinking up at him.

“What’s going on?” his voice was low and thready.

“Go back to sleep,” West said.

“Okay, I—” He tried to sit up, frowning when West pinned him down by the shoulder.

“Sleep here,” he reiterated. “Lake is currently avoiding you out of guilt, but that never lasts long. By tomorrow, he’ll be back to his abrasive, controlling self, so you may as well enjoy the space from him while you can.”

“But…” Nix’s eyes focused a little more. “This is your room.”

“Yeah, and I’m telling you to stay in it.” He peeled open the fresh bandage. “What, did you think I’d fuck you and kick you out after?”

“…Kind of.”

He chuckled. “I’m tired. You’re tired. Let’s just sleep.”

West dropped down at his side and pulled him flush against his chest, tugging the blanket over them shortly after.

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