a quick jerk, Qhuinn wrapped his arms around the single most important person in his life. It was not Layla, although he felt a pang at that denial. It was not John, or his king. It wasn't the Brothers.
This male was his reason for everything.
And even though it killed him that Blay was in love with someone else, he'd fucking take this. It had been too long since he'd touched the guy...and never like this.
"I'm sorry."
Palming the back of Blay's head, he urged the male closer to him, tucking that face into his own neck. "I'm sorry."
As Blay went with it, Qhuinn shuddered, turning his own face inward, breathing in fully, pulling all of the sensations deep into his brain so he could remember this forever. And while his palm rubbed up and down, soothing that muscled back, he did what he could to make amends for so much more than his cousin's infidelity. "I'm sorry - "
With a quick shift, Blay shook his head. Shook himself free. Pushed back.
Pushed away.
Qhuinn's shoulders dropped. "I'm sorry."
"Why do you keep saying that?"
"Because..."
In that moment, as their eyes met, Qhuinn knew it was time. He'd blown so much with Blay; there had been so many missteps and deliberate misunderstandings, so many years, so many denials - all on his part. He'd pussied out for so long, but that was over.
As he opened his mouth to speak the three words on his tongue, Blay's eyes grew hard. "I don't need your help, okay? I can take care of myself."
Pound. Pound. Pound.
His heart was thumping so loud, he wondered if it was going to explode.
"You're going to stay with him," Qhuinn said numbly. "You're going to - "
"You don't pull that shit with Saxton - not ever again. Swear to it."
Even though it killed him, Qhuinn was powerless to deny the guy anything. "Okay." He lifted his palms. "Hands off."
Blay nodded, the deal sealed.
"I just want to help you," Qhuinn said. "That's all."
"You can't," Blay countered.
God, even though they were once again at odds, he craved more contact - and abruptly, he saw the pathway to exactly that. Tricky proposition, but at least there was some internal logic to it.
His arms lifted, his hands seeking, finding, latching on. Blay's shoulders. Blay's neck.
Sex surged in him, hardening his cock, making him pant. "But I can help you."
"How?"
Qhuinn edged in close, bringing his mouth right to Blay's ear. Then he deliberately put his bare chest against Blay's. "Use me."
"What?"
"Teach him a lesson." Qhuinn tightened his hold and tilted Blay's head back. "Pay him back the right way. With me."
To make things crystal clear, Qhuinn extended his tongue and ran it up the side of Blay's throat.
The hiss in response was loud as a curse.
Blay punched into him, shoving him back. "Have you lost your fucking mind?"
Qhuinn cupped his heavy, hard sex. "I want you. And I'll take you any way I can - even if it's only to get back at my cousin."
Blay's expression played table tennis between utter disbelief and epic anger.
"You fucking asshole! You turn me down for years, and then all of a sudden do a one-eighty? What the fuck is wrong with you!"
With his free hand, Qhuinn played with one of his nipple rings - and focused on what was doing at Blay's hip level: Underneath that robe, the male became fully erect, that terry cloth no match for the likes of that kind of hard-on.
"Are you out of your goddamn mind! What the fuck!?"
Usually Blay didn't curse or raise his voice. It was a turn-on to see him lose it.
Locking his eyes on his friend's, Qhuinn slowly sank down onto his knees. "Let me take care of that - "
"What?"
He leaned forward and tugged at the bottom of the robe, pulling it toward him. "Come here. Let me show you how I do."
Blay grabbed the tie that kept the two halves together, and yanked it tighter. "What the hell are you doing?"
God, the fact that he was on his knees, begging, seemed only appropriate. "I want to be with you. I don't give a shit why - just let me be with you - "
"After all this time? What's changed?"
"Everything."
"You're with Layla - "
"No. I'll say it however many times you need to hear it - I'm not with her."
"She's pregnant."
"One time. I was with her once, and just like I told you, it was only because I want a family and so does she. One time, Blay, and never again."
Blay's head