Kai paused at the living room couch, his stormy eyes raking over Spike’s face. “We’ve been over this.”
They had. Seven grand a month, thirty-five grand if Kai played the entire five-month season. It was more money than Spike could even begin to comprehend. With that kind of money, Spike wouldn’t have to worry about his own college tuition.
“It’s just a trial,” Micah murmured, squeezing Spike’s arm. “It’s not forever.”
“He’s gonna miss the birth,” Spike said, glancing at Micah’s belly. Micah was five months along. “What kind of dad is that?”
Micah gave a wan smile. “That’s if everything goes well with the pregnancy. We don’t know if it will.”
That was one more problem Spike didn’t need to worry about. “What about the ruts?”
Kai looked away. “I got a silicone tube thing. Should help.”
You’re using that to replace Micah and me? Spike looked at the duffel bags by the door. Kai was in a light jacket, a long-sleeved shirt, and pants. Colorado was a lot colder than Meadowfall in the spring. And Kai was leaving.
Spike’s eyes burned. He’d never been without Kai this long.
“Hey,” Kai murmured, sliding his fingers against Spike’s nape, hauling him in.
Spike shook out of his grasp, anger and heartache twisting together in his chest. “You’re leaving us.”
“I’m coming back,” Kai said, but he didn’t look so sure.
“Stop fucking lying to me,” Spike muttered, his throat too tight. If he kept talking, he was going to start crying, and he didn’t want to do that in front of anyone. Especially Kai.
“We should get going,” Micah said, glancing at the time on his phone. He looked sad, resigned.
“Get out of my sight,” Spike hissed at Kai, turning to the couch where York was sitting, watching TV. “I’m just gonna sit here with York and—”
“Spike.” Kai grabbed Spike’s arm, yanking him back. His eyes flashed.
Spike shook him off. “I don’t fucking give a—”
Kai hauled him forward, and kissed him hard on the lips. It was a rough kiss, Kai biting on Spike’s lower lip. Pain shot down his nerves. Kai tasted like coffee and dinner, and, gods, Spike would miss tasting him, being inside Kai’s mouth, their tongues tangling, Kai’s fingers pulling tight in his hair.
When Kai broke the kiss, his gaze burned. And Spike couldn’t look away.
On the couch, York said, strangledly, “I didn’t know you guys were—”
Kai ignored him. He snagged the front of Spike’s shirt and hauled him down the hallway, to the bedrooms. Spike’s stomach flipped. “You’re gonna miss your flight—”
“We have some time,” Kai growled. He flung open the door, hauled Spike in, and slammed the door shut. Then he shoved Spike toward their bed, the mattress smelling like juniper and elm and gardenia, and so much musk.
Over the past couple weeks, once the three of them had realized Kai was leaving, they’d spent more time in bed. Spike had shied away from spending time alone with Kai, because it felt final, because he wanted Micah to distract Kai so Kai wouldn’t see how much Spike hurt.
But now it was just the two of them, Kai crowding up behind Spike, and this... How much had Kai already seen of him?
“I can’t do this,” Spike choked, his throat closing.
“I’m not leaving forever,” Kai muttered, sliding his palm up Spike’s chest, up his collarbones to his neck. Then he curved his hand against Spike’s throat, holding him there, Spike’s pulse pounding against his skin.
Spike felt vulnerable, letting Kai hold his throat, letting Kai have all the control over him. But Kai had always had that control over him. Spike had ceded it willingly. He’d ceded his heart, too.
Kai nosed at the scent gland on Spike’s neck, pausing there. Spike’s heart stopped. “You gonna bite me?”
Kai hesitated. “Can’t.”
And Spike’s heart cracked. “Then why are you even—”
Kai shoved him down against the bed, pinning Spike with his weight. “I’m claiming you a last time before I go,” Kai growled in his ear, rocking his hips against Spike’s ass. “Wanna make sure you know you’re mine.”
Spike’s blood shot down between his legs. Gods, he wanted that. But he didn’t want Kai to see him give in so easily, he didn’t want Kai to think of him as weak.
So Spike shook Kai off, aiming a glare over his shoulder. “Fuck you.”
“Fuck me, or fuck you?” Kai’s lips pulled into a dark smile. Then he anchored his arm around Spike’s chest, grasped Spike’s waistband and yanked it down, baring Spike’s ass.
Spike hadn’t intended on going to the airport with Kai and Micah. So he’d dressed simply, underdressed compared to Kai’s sweater and pants, and damn if this didn’t make his pulse quicken.
He shoved Kai off, yanking his shorts back up. But his cock jutted up against the material, betraying his arousal. When Kai spun Spike around, his gaze dropped to Spike’s hips, his eyes darkening.
“Doesn’t mean anything,” Spike muttered, stalking toward the door.
Kai grabbed his arm and slammed him up against the wall, his eyes blazing. “Mine.”
“I’d be yours if you fucking stayed,” Spike hissed. And yet his cock throbbed.
Kai kissed him anyway, hard and rough, biting on Spike’s lip until it swelled and hurt, until Spike’s cock fucking ached for him. Kai shoved his hand down Spike’s shorts, closing his callused fingers around sensitive skin. Then he tugged, and Spike’s hips bucked up, pleasure shooting down his nerves. I shouldn’t want him this much.
“Fuck you,” Spike growled, shoving so hard at Kai that Kai stumbled back. But Kai wasn’t surprised. Just watched Spike, waiting for a reaction.
Spike leaped at him, tackling Kai onto the bed. Kai landed with a grunt; Spike clambered onto Kai’s chest and straddled him, keeping his brother down with his weight.
Try as he might, there was no way Kai could get Spike off his chest now, unless
