Page 27

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Wait, what ?

Ryden tried to wrap his head around what he’d just heard.

Holy shit. Jay did have a brother. Why had Jay never mentioned Finch?

Snapping himself out of it, Ryden glanced at the others.

The only one who didn’t look surprised was King.

Made sense. If someone was going to know anything about anyone, it was King.

“You have a brother?” Ace’s voice was tinged with disbelief as he blinked at Jay, his expression mirroring everyone else’s confusion.

How could Jay have known them for so long and never mention a brother? And a Marine. It was odd, considering where he worked. Everyone seemed to have the same questions in their eyes. There had to be a reason Jay had kept such a significant piece of his life hidden.

“I’m sorry I never talked about Finch,” Jay replied quietly. “It’s…complicated.” His gaze darted to Ryden before moving back to King.

“Are you sure?” King asked. “Because we can find another way.”

Jay shook his head. “We both know this is the best option. If anyone knows anything about what happened, it’ll be Finch.” He pulled his hand out of Ryden’s and moved it to his lap. Ryden had never seen this uncertain, vulnerable side of Jay. So much was starting to make sense now.

“You think he’ll agree to come in?” King asked.

“Are you kidding? And miss an opportunity to pick my life apart in person?” Jay grumbled. “He’ll be here.”

King sighed. “Jay?—”

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”

The room was silent, and Ryden figured they were all probably thinking the same thing.

Who was this guy, what had he done, and was there any ass to be kicked?

Okay, maybe the last part was just him, but still.

Considering how protective these guys were of Jay, perhaps he wasn’t the only one feeling the itch to kick Finch’s ass.

“Excuse me,” Jay said, standing. “I need to make the call.”

As soon as he left, Ryden stood and faced the others. “What the hell was that about?”

“Why wouldn’t he tell us he had a brother?” Ace asked King.

“That’s Jay’s business,” King replied. “He has his reasons, and we need to respect that.”

Ryden ran a hand through his hair. “And we’re supposed to trust this asshole? A guy we didn’t even know existed because of how badly he hurt Jay?”

“It’s Jay’s decision,” King said. “If Finch agrees to a meeting, we’ll be civil.” He gave Ryden a pointed look. Damn, King didn’t miss a beat.

Ryden crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll refrain from punchin’ him in the face. At least until we have the necessary information. After that, no promises.”

“Guess that’s the best I can hope for,” King muttered, though he didn’t seem too broken up about Ryden’s reply.

If King didn’t like this guy, there was a damned good reason.

A light knock had them all turning as Jay stepped back into the room.

The look on his face made Ryden want to wrap him up in his arms. Yeah, he really didn’t like this Finch guy.

“He’ll be here,” Jay said.

“Okay. Thank you, Jay.” King turned back to the others. “Everyone, take a break until Finch gets here. We’ll fill him in when he arrives and go from there. These guys are most likely going to regroup and move quickly.”

Jay nodded but didn’t say anything. He just turned and walked out. The rest of the men in the room whispered amongst themselves as King approached Ryden.

“Keep an eye on him, please. If we bring Finch into this, Jay will insist on staying involved no matter how complicated their relationship is. He’ll need someone to lean on, even if he acts like he doesn’t.”

“Got it.” Ryden left the room and searched for Jay, walking past his closed office door and doubling back when he remembered he’d left it open. Quietly, he let himself in. Jay sat on Ryden’s desk, lost in thought. “Hey, sweet pea.”

Jay gave a little start, showing how deep in thought he’d been, considering Ryden had been standing only a few feet away. His soft smile had Ryden closing the distance between them in two strides.

“I hope you don’t mind my hijacking your office for my sulking.”

Ryden held back a smile. He stepped up to Jay, his pulse rocketing when Jay moved his legs enough for Ryden to stand between them. Letting Jay take the lead, Ryden stood quietly and waited. Jay slid his arms around Ryden’s waist and leaned in to rest his head on Ryden’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Ryden asked, running a hand down Jay’s back.

Jay nodded. “It’s been years since we’ve talked. Part of me thought he’d laugh in my face when I asked, but he didn’t. He just reacted in true Finch fashion. ‘You were right to call me. This is too dangerous for you. Leave it to the real men.’ Ugh.”

Ryden stiffened. “ What ?” He paused, wondering if he should say more.

Fuck it. When did he not say what was on his mind?

“He’s why you feel insecure sometimes.” Maybe he’d pushed Jay’s buttons on purpose in the past, but Jay’s reaction to some of it had come from somewhere else that had nothing to do with Ryden.

Jay pulled back, and he studied Ryden’s face.

When he found whatever it was he seemed to be searching for, he nodded.

“Not all the time, but yes. Finch is four years older than me, which meant that eventually, we ended up at the same high school. I was a freshman when he was a senior. No one could believe we were related. I was the cheer captain, captain of the spirit club, drama club, and a member of the debate team. He was captain of the football team. All the girls wanted to date him, and all the guys wanted to be him. The whole year, he and his football buddies made my life hell. So not only did I have to put up with his bullshit at home, I had to deal with it at school, too.”

“What about your parents? Didn’t they know what was goin’ on?”

Jay shrugged. “Not really. I mean, they were very protective of me, and when they were around, Finch behaved. But they were busy working parents. My dad was a named partner at a prestigious law firm, and my mom ran a big charity. At first, I thought maybe it was typical sibling rivalry, but it got worse as I got older, especially since my parents knew I was gay before I came out.” His smile was wicked. “I wasn’t exactly hiding.”

“Is that why he was an asshole? Because he knew you were gay?”

“It certainly didn’t help.” Jay sighed. “We’d get into arguments all the time at school.

He and his friends would make snide comments or crack jokes whenever they walked by me.

One day, we were at a school assembly, and someone threw a dildo at me.

I knew it was one of his friends. I got sick of it, so I went over there and asked Finch what his problem was.

He said everything about me was his problem.

That just because I liked dick didn’t mean I had to act so gay.

I’d grown a pretty thick skin by then but having my big brother yelling at me and calling me a fag in front of the whole school…

.” Tears welled in Jay’s eyes. “I was hurt and so embarrassed. Then I got angry, so I punched him. It got ugly, and a couple of teachers had to pull us apart. The principal dragged us to his office and called our parents. We stopped talking after that. When he graduated, he joined the military, saying it was to get away from me.”

Ryden did his best not to grind his teeth, but it was hard. “Not gonna lie, I might punch him. Don’t care if he’s a Marine.”

Jay smiled softly. “You’re sweet.” He pulled Ryden down and brushed his lips over Ryden’s with a hum. “I can think of something way more fun you can do with all that pent-up energy.”

“Oh? What do you have in mind?” Ryden asked, taking in Jay’s warmth and softness.

Jay slid his hands up Ryden’s chest and wrapped his arms around his neck. With a cute little smirk, he leaned in and brought their lips together. Heat erupted through Ryden, and he gave himself over to Jay, letting him take the lead and tell Ryden what he needed.

Ryden moved his hands down to Jay’s ass, squeezing it and bringing Jay hard against him as their kiss turned hungry and almost desperate. Fuck, he tasted so good.

“We should stop,” Jay said, breathless, against Ryden’s lips.

“We should,” Ryden replied. They were in his office, which he hadn’t locked, so anyone could walk in at any moment. Yet neither of them stopped.

“What are you thinking right now?” Jay asked, breathless.

“You don’t wanna know.”

“I do. Tell me.” Jay moved his head to one side to give Ryden access to his neck, groaning when Ryden kissed the spot under Jay’s ear, loving how it made Jay shiver.

“I’m thinkin’ of what I’d do to you if we were all alone,” Ryden purred, sucking and licking at Jay’s neck.

“What would you do?” Jay whispered, as if speaking louder would make Ryden’s words come true. Would Jay want that?

“I would unbuckle your belt, shove your pants down, and groan at how wet you were for me, your cock just drippin’.”

“Oh fuck,” Jay groaned and shifted his position on the desk, making Ryden grin.

“Then I’d get down on my knees and swallow you whole, suckin’ your dick until you could barely stand, and just when you’re about to blow your load in my mouth, I’d turn you around and shove my tongue in that sweet little hole of yours.”

Jay gasped and shuddered in Ryden’s arms. “Fucking hell.”

“Darlin’, I would eat you out like you were my last meal, and when you start shakin’ from desperation, beggin’ to come, I’d stand up and bury my big fat cock deep inside this gorgeous ass,” Ryden said quietly, rubbing the hard bulge in his pants against Jay’s leg.

“I would fuck you so good; the only words that will leave these lips will be my name as you beg me for more.” He moved his fingers to Jay’s plump bottom lip. “That’s what I was thinkin’.”

Jay moaned and nipped at Ryden’s fingers. “Now, who’s the tease?”

“Oh, I ain’t teasin’, sweet pea. You say the word, and I will wreck you.”