Page 48 of Fatal Temptation

The only thing he could think of doing was flip them both off and as they laughed, he tugged his blanket off the back of the couch to wrap it tight around his shoulders and then glared at them from his cocoon on the couch.

Lucas

Chris’ teasing told him the man was on board with Akio and him dating. He hadn’t realized just how much that would mean to him. He still felt responsible for how their relationship had ended. He knew Chris had left him without a lot of options to check up on him, but he should’ve tried harder. Chris deserved that much.

The past was not his to change. He could only learn from his mistakes and do better now. With Akio. He wasn’t about to lose him. They’d have to pry his cold dead fingers off him because he wasn’t leaving willingly.

He heard soft footsteps behind him and knew it was Akio before he entered the kitchen. He looked up from the coffee maker he’d just started, a smile already on his lips before he laid eyes on his boyfriend. He was still slightly pink in the face and rolled his eyes at Lucas who let a low laugh loose.

“I can’t believe you two,” Akio grumbled and hoisted himself onto the counter next to Lucas.

He stepped between Akio’s legs, hands on either side of him on the counter. Akio grinned at him and chuckled when he stole a kiss. He moved to pull away but hands on his face kept him firm against Akio’s lips. Teeth scraped his bottom lip and the sound that escaped him had Akio responding with a delectable gasp.

A creaking floorboard had him jerking back, gaze snapping toward the doorway. Ryder was grinning like a fucking devil as he took stock of them.

“A fed with a death wish. Are you trying to make me like you?”

“Definitely not,” Lucas said under his breath.

A light slap to his shoulder had him smiling at Akio.

“Be nice.”

He felt a wicked smile spread on his lips. “Oh, I’ll benice.”

Akio dropped his head into his hands before his face could turn red.

“I can’t with you,” Akio mumbled.

“I’ll gladly take him off your hands,” Maggie said as she shouldered past Ryder into the kitchen, her tone teasing though she threw Ryder a scathing glare over her shoulder.

Ryder didn’t look the least bit bothered, his stance relaxed and his smile still wide.

“I’m heading out. I’m needed at the club. You’re welcome to stay here, of course,” Ryder said gaze moving from Lucas to Akio though he didn’t look at Maggie.

“Thanks, Ry,” Akio said.

“You’re welcome, sweet?” Ryder cut himself off and, with a gleam in his eyes, he threw Lucas a wink before turning and walking out of the kitchen.

Lucas grumbled under his breath, earning himself an elbow to the stomach.

“So,” Maggie said, leaning against the counter next to them, a teasing smile on her lips. “How wasyourmorning?”

Akio groaned and dropped his head against Lucas’ shoulder, pinching him when his silent laughter shook his shoulders and therefore also Akio’s head.

“Happy birthday to you, good sir,” Maggie said, laughter in her voice.

Lucas raised a brow at her and said, “I didn’t know it was your birthday, too.”

Maggie gasped and flipped him off, rolling her eyes at having been caught. He’d heard somesuspicioussounds coming from upstairs during the night and they certainly hadn’t come from Chris and Diesel’s room.

“I thought you were mad at him?” Akio said to her.

Maggie’s only answer was a shrug. She pushed away from the counter to open the fridge, staring into the sparse assortment of food. He hadn’t found much in there, either, but at least Ryder had coffee. He figured they would need a lot of it.

He met Akio’s gaze and found himself grinning at the exasperated look on his boyfriend’s face.

A throat clearing had them all snapping their heads toward the very angry-looking man standing in the doorway. Diesel was glaring at the hands Lucas had on Akio’s thighs and Lucas stepped back, a pang of guilt hitting him.

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