Page 45 of Eternal Light (Fated in the Stars #5)

Tipping the Balance (Jay)

“Leo wants to know if your waist size is still the same,” Finn asks, rolling onto his back so he can text back.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Jay runs a hand down his stomach, wondering if it feels softer. “Does it look like it isn’t?”

The phone beeps again, and then again.

“Shit, it’s Gideon texting now.” Finn sits up, causing the blankets to fall around his waist. It makes it easier for Jay to appreciate his very nice back.

While it’s not heavily muscled like Leo’s, Finn’s shoulders are broad, and they taper into narrow hips and an ass Jay had his hands on not fifteen minutes ago.

Of course, it could be the long scratches in various stages of healing that are inspiring Jay to lose track of the questions about his pants size.

Because Jay has done some damn fine work.

He wonders if the people who meet the buttoned-down Andrology expert would ever think that he fucks like a demon: raw, with a filthy mouth and stamina for days.

Jay has aches and pains in places that have nothing to do with being shot, and everything to do with being fucked into unconsciousness.

With that in mind, he rolls over onto his non-injured shoulder so he can watch Finn hold Gideon off via text.

No doubt he’s frustrated with the social niceties required to buy luxury brand suits.

They had little choice in who got sent on the errand, given Nix was a pregnant man sharing a soul with a magic user learning to use their soul for a magical showdown in the next thirty hours, and Jay is a celebrity who is supposed to be dead.

Neither of them could be cruising the aisles of the local department store for underwear and socks either. Just thinking it makes him snort.

What is his life now?

“There. Fuck. Luca finally wrestled the phone back. They’re on their way home, Gideon is done with a capital ‘D.’”

Finn sighs, lying back and turning on his side toward Jay.

All the better for Jay to enjoy the pretty flush in his cheeks and across his chest while basking in the memory of Finn’s belly muscles flexing as he hit Jay’s prostate over and over.

His own face flushes hot at the memory.

He’s listening to Finn talk about the pitfalls of sending a pissed-off Gideon out into the world with the two celebrities who are supposed to be mourning their alpha. He really is. But Finn’s lips are red where he’d kissed Jay senseless, and his pupils are still blown from his double orgasm.

“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m going to fuck you again,” Finn states conversationally.

It snaps Jay’s attention right back to where it had wandered as his belly swoops. “As much as that sounds amazing, my ass is not up for a repeat today…but maybe tomorrow?”

Finn laughs before becoming serious. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Anything. No secrets.” Jay will always answer questions about his sexuality with the people he loves.

He prepares himself to explain why he’s bottoming now, when he hasn’t in the past, except for a few times with Gideon.

Explanations about growing as a person and exploring his body.

Formulating compliments about Finn’s stroke game.

“Yeah, okay. What are we going to do if we can’t find Withers?”

“I’m exploring my sexu—wait.”

“You’re exploring what now?” Finn asks, with a Gideon-style tilt to his head.

Jay’s struck dumb at the sexy smirk, but he shakes it off and answers the question he’s actually being asked. “Shut it. We’ll find him even if we have to drive up and down the streets of Clearwater until Grayson can get a read.”

“That sounds like we’re leaving a lot to chance.”

“If that doesn’t work, then we’ll start at Carnell’s and do some asking around.”

By asking around, Jay means applying some pressure. Someone has to know something, and time isn’t on their side.

“That sounds more like it,” Finn frowns. “I wish Warden Paulis would let us know they have Winnie and Ansel. He won’t feel good after his stay in the hospital, and present company included, major trauma is usually best met with bed rest.”

Jay rolls his eyes. “Oh, I got some bed rest alright.”

It’s unbelievably cringey—and a good thing he’s been gifted fated mates, because he truly has no real-life rizz. Thank goodness his fans don’t notice, or don’t care.

“Stop. Seriously. I’m being serious. But for the record, who knew you were such a pillow princess?”

“Oh, it’s on, you shit. I’ll show you a pillow princess.”

Jay strikes fast, rolling Finn over on his back so he can try to get a leg over his hips—but Finn is stronger than he looks. Instead, it’s Finn who ends up sitting on Jay, his hand around Jay’s wrists.

They both know he could break free, but he just bucks his hard cock up against Finn’s butt.

Finn laughs and grinds down, moving his hips in a tight circle. “Isn’t that what I just said? I did all the work.”

“Your back says otherwise, puppy.”

“Those are just evidence of a job well done. Maybe you need me to show you again. I said I would if you didn’t quit it.”

He tips forward so their bellies and cocks can slide together, sending ribbons of pleasure from Jay’s cock to his toes.

Why Jay is still surprised by this version of a toppy-Finn, he doesn’t know. Especially after his last rut, when the alpha had settled firmly into this dominant persona.

Maybe it should have been Jay asking the sexual awakening questions.

With a squeeze, he lets Jay’s wrists go so he can slide a hand in under Jay’s thigh, slipping a single finger between his cheeks.

“Still so wet from me. And so soft.” Finn groans, pushing two fingers in past Jay’s softened rim and grazing his prostate.

Groaning, Jay pulls Finn down so he can moan into his mouth, “Yeah, puppy. Come on. Let me show you that I’m no pillow princess.”

The front door springs wide as Luca bursts over the threshold as if Jay’s words had summoned him. Already divesting himself of the borrowed yoga pants and hoodie, he takes one look at them and narrows his eyes accusingly.

“I knew it.”

When he’s finally naked, he flings himself on the bed, propping his head up on his hand, a sweetly innocent look on his face.

“As you were…don’t stop on my account.”

Gideon and Leo aren’t far behind, carrying bags from a few recognizable clothing retailers.

“Luca, you could have waited until the car came to a full and complete stop,” Leo sighs, his face tired and pale.

Finn dismounts with an apologetic caress to Jay’s thigh.

“Luca, if you do that again, you will be more sorry than you ever have been before. Am I clear?”

Gideon is furious.

“As it is, you will do without an orgasm—yours or anyone else’s—for forty-eight hours. Starting now.”

Wanting badly to add his own vocal disapproval at the mental image of Luca flinging the car door open and narrowly missing being dragged under the still-moving vehicle, Jay just frowns, and he lets Gideon do his thing.

“What?! No. I’m sorry. But…look! Come on, Sugar…you can’t blame me!”

He points, and Finn’s erection jerks at the attention.

“Please? I won’t do it again.”

Finn pulls his pants up, and Jay covers his own disappointed cock with the quilt.

“I hope not. Forty-eight hours isn’t going to feel as long as a month will. You scared me. You scared Leo. What if he had run you over? How would that make him feel?”

“Sorry, Leo. I didn’t think.” He rolls over, pulling the blanket up over his head, and effectively uncovering Jay.

Leo nods, but he doesn’t let Luca off the hook easily.

“You need to think, Luca. That was irresponsible. What about tomorrow night? You have to be on point. We all have to bring our A-game. Can you do that? If you can’t, I know Nimue or Ignatius would watch over you for the night.”

Luca flings off the blanket, so it falls to the floor.

“No. I’m not leaving Gideon. I can do it.”

“Okay, then. Let’s get this stuff washed and in the dryer, so Jaybird can cover his sore ass.”

Luca grumbles but drags the three bags of clothing into the restroom, where the stacked washing machine and dryer are located.

“Hey, you can’t know my ass is sore. My chip is offline,” Jay complains, rolling over so he can see his mates better and shield his dignity.

“I don’t need the chip to know your ass is sore. I’ve been there and been done like that.” He points at Finn, waggling his eyebrows.

“Why is my life so hard?” Finn sighs, thankfully following Luca into the laundry room—now maybe everything won’t be a singular shade of gray or pink.

Gideon flops onto the bed and puts his hand on Jay’s (yes, sore) ass, lifting a cheek and then letting it fall so it jiggles (a little bit).

He’s not even appreciating the squats Jay puts in, he’s just absently soothing himself.

“You okay, love?”

“Fuck no. I hate clothes shopping. I hate people. I hate that I’m taking them to kill my father tomorrow. I hate ball sports and applesauce.”

“Uh…”

Jay rolls onto his side, and Gideon lies down, too, sock-covered toes rubbing along Jay’s shins.

The width of the small bed is close quarters enough that Gideon avoids his eyes.

Instead, he slides that absent finger up Jay’s cock, before he stops and whispers, “Kids play sports, Jay. They eat applesauce.”

There is no way Gideon went from murder to pulverized fruit snacks with nothing in between.

Leo joins them at the foot of the bed.

“Luc put some baby stuff in the cart at Target. Gid’s been like this ever since.”

“Oh.”

Gideon slaps the bed. “Yeah, oh. You don’t get it. They need shit. They need to eat shit. Sometimes they actually eat literal shit. What do I know about feeding kids? Nothing. What if they cry? What if they puke on…stuff?”

Without another word, Gideon gets up and starts pacing the small space, thunderstorm scent rolling through the room.

“Gideon. We’ve got some time. There is nothing the eight of us can’t do. Nothing. If I know anything, I know that together, we can do this. Now tell me. What’s really bugging you?”

A heartbeat later, he’s frozen in front of the stack of mattresses.