Page 112 of Covenant

Mine.

I guess he always was, I just didn’t realize it. Didn’t know what those feelings I had meant.

Now he’s mine, and I don’t want to let him go. Not again.

I clean him up as best I can and then move into bed with him, exhaustion pulling me toward slumber. My head sinks against his chest. Fuck, I’ve completely given up using a pillow now. It’s not as comfortable as he is.

But despite closing my eyes and feeling that inevitable tug toward darkness, I can’t sleep. I can’t stop thinking about the rush I felt as Matthias came, strangling my cock. It wasn’t just lust. It wasn’t fake.

It’s feeling real. That’s what scares me.

Because, if it’s real, am I going to be walking away from this? Do I want to?

I don’t think I do.

But to stay…shit, we need to talk about everything we’ve been ignoring. A new house built on a rotten foundation is destined to fall.

We need to revisit it, strip out the rotten material so we’re left with something long-lasting.

And just hope that the rot isn’t too deep. That it doesn’t poison this fragile thing we’re building.

That’s what terrifies me.

Because what if we can’t? What if we can’t save this?

25

WYATT

I don’t bring up my revelation from the other night, but something seems to change between us nonetheless. Our touches become more frequent, our kisses more desperate. I catch Matthias watching me longingly on more than one occasion.

I hate to think how often he catches me doing the same.

Neither of us is saying it, but I think we both know we’ve stepped over some invisible line. I’m not even surewhenwe crossed it. Was it at the gala? The honeymoon? Or was it at game night, when Matt promised me I’d always be a part of his family?

This isn’t fake. Not anymore. But the unspoken past hangs between us, clogging our lungs until we choke.

We can’t move forward until we look back. I wait for him to bring it up. Formeto bring it up.

I’m too much of a fucking coward though. Too selfish to rock the fragile life we’ve built.

But the real world isn’t content to wait until I’m ready.

It’s a Friday night. Matt and I are lying on the sofa, watching a movie—some action flick that’s more CGI than plot, but that suits us fine. Neither of us is really paying attention. Instead, we’re chatting or just touching each other. Not with the intent of sex. Well, not yet at least.

Just because we can.

Icanrun my hand down Matt’s chest, toying idly with his happy trail, feeling his cock perk up with each touch. Hecantug at the hairs at the base of my skull before nuzzling my Adam’s apple, listening to the soft groans I give him.

We’re operating like we think someone’s about to snatch us apart. In reality, it’s the truth that’s going to do that. That’s why we avoid it, and talk about anything and everything else. The number of random things I’ve told him, trying like hell to avoid the elephant in the room.

Matt’s phone rings on the coffee table and he groans. “Fuck off.”

“Don’t answer it,” I say, tugging his ear lobe between my teeth. “Ignore them.”

The ringing stops, then within a second, starts again. Matt sighs. “Sorry. Shit. If it’s one of my brothers, they’ll keep calling until I pick up.”

I grumble but pull myself into a sitting position so he can get to his phone.

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