Page 31 of Borrowed

Head tilted wrong.

I couldn’t move.

Toby turned to me, cock still half-hard, blood on his neck from where Leo scratched him in the end.

“Here you go, Tabby,” he said, stepping closer, voice dark with pride.“Now he’s yours forever.”

My breath hitched.

My thighs clenched.

My heart squeezed.

He cupped my face, smeared with Leo’s sweat and steam, and kissed me so gently I broke.

“This,” he whispered into my mouth.“Is what love looks like.”

It sounded like rain in a hollow place, like the house under the floorboards where Toby and I used to play.

Leo was sleeping funny.His neck bent like the dolls I broke by accident.He looked peaceful.

Except for his eyes.

They were open.

Staring.

Not at me.

Not at anything.

I wanted to close them,but my fingers shook.

Toby stood behind me now.I felt him more than I saw him.He didn’t speak right away.

Just watched.

Like he always did.

Like the shadows followed his orders.

Like the butterflies.

“You’re shaking,” he said.

I nodded.Or maybe I didn’t.I couldn’t tell anymore.

“He liked you watching,” Toby whispered.“Didn’t you see that?He was so fucking hard for us.”His laugh was soft.“I love our play toys.”

I looked at Leo.His mouth was open a little like he was about to say my name.

I wondered if he ever would have.

“I didn’t touch him,” I said, barely above a whisper.

“No,” Toby said, lips brushing my ear.“But you wanted to.”

My hands.