Page 49 of Fatal Temptation

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Diesel sneered.

Akio slid off the counter and squared off with his brother, his voice loud and clear as he spoke. “We’re together. Get over it.”

Lucas tried to keep his smile hidden behind his fist, only so Diesel wouldn’t lose his shit completely. The expression on the man’s face was near comical. He made the mistake of meeting Maggie’s gaze and had to call upon his FBI training to remain as stoic as possible.

“He’s not with me to spite you,” Akio said, that conviction in his voice making Lucas’ heart soar. There was nothing better than a confident Akio. He was so fucking proud of him.

Diesel’s brows snapped together, and he opened his mouth, but Akio cut him off.

“I know about the whole ‘Ooh, Akio’s got a crush on Lucas, and it pisses Diesel off’ thing.”

Lucas winced.

Fuck. That was not where he thought that was going.

Akio looked over his shoulder at Lucas, his eyes warm and filled with affection.

“The second he saw me as more than that, he stayed away from me.”

He took a step forward, bringing Akio against his front, arm wrapping around Akio’s waist. The man leaned against him, and it felt like his soul was singing in joy. Akio looked up at him, warmth shining in his eyes.

“You callthatstaying away?” Diesel snapped, motioning at them.

Akio rolled his eyes, making it hard for Lucas to keep from laughing. Maggie, however, had no qualms about laughing. Loudly.

“He was being respectable until I told him what I wanted.”

“I think that might’ve been a bad choice of word,” Lucas said with a wince.

“Agreed,” Chris said as he stepped up behind Diesel. The mischievous look in his eyes had Lucas steeling himself for his next words. “Lucas is always very respectable. Until you bite him.”

Something dark flashed in Diesel’s eyes as he turned his head to look at his husband. No words were said between them but when Chris walked back out of the kitchen, Diesel instantly followed, throwing a, “We’ll continue this later,” over his shoulder on his way.

Akio’s choked laughter had Lucas pressing his lips together.

Maggie said something under her breath that may have very well been, “Men,” as she passed them, turning to take a few steps backward and winking at them before she left the kitchen.

Lucas watched her with a shake of his head, a wry smile on his lips. He turned his attention to the man in his arms and couldn’t help himself.

“That was hot.”

Akio turned and before Lucas could wag his eyebrows at him, he had a fist in his stomach. He grunted and grimaced at Akio.

“What was that for?” he wheezed out.

Akio raised his brows and said, “You know what that was for.”

The deeper Akio’s glare got, the wider he smiled.

Oh, he knew.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Akio

HE LEFT Lucas in the kitchen and the second he stepped into the living room, he had Maggie’s arms around him. He felt a sigh rock through his body as a tightness in his chest loosened.

“Consider this your temporary birthday gift,” Maggie said and squeezed tighter. “The real one is back in my room.”

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