Aftermath (23 page)

Five months and three days. That was how long he'd been in that basement.

"Don’t bullshit me." Cam took a final pull from the cigarette before stubbing it out under his shoe. "Not
me
, Austin." He shoved the butt down in his pack, then pocketed it. "Talk. What's up?" He placed a hand on Austin's shoulder.

Austin swallowed, feeling awkward and out of place. "Nothing's up. I'm all right."

"Yeah." Cam's mouth formed a small smile. "I can see that."

"His name was Ben," Austin blurted out. He exhaled harshly and dragged a hand over his clean-shaven face. "Ben Stahl. That—that was his name." And he, that psychotic madman, had been counted as one of the victims. In the papers, he had been reported missing around the same time Cam was. His mother had gone to the police, stating that she hadn't heard from her son in days. Like the rest of the guys, Ben Stahl had had his fifteen minutes of fame while the police searched for clues. "They've done pieces on him—interviews with his family, honorable shit about what a kind man he is…was."

"I know." Cam had heard about it, too.

"It pisses me off," Austin whispered, looking down. "I'm so fucking angry, Cam."

"Whoa, dude. Did you just drop the f-bomb?"

Austin smiled weakly.

Cam sighed and stepped closer, his other hand touching Austin's elbow. And Austin felt how the fingers curled to fit the shape of him. He closed his eyes, battling an indescribable yearning inside of him. He didn’t get it. He didn’t understand a thing of what was going on.

"We'll make sure everyone finds out he's not so innocent," Cam reasoned and closed the distance between them. He hugged Austin to him, who in turn hugged Cam back fiercely. "There's no way we'll let the world think he's a victim, all right?"

Austin nodded into Cam's neck, allowing himself a moment where he didn’t even try to be strong. Sooner or later, he would return to Jade and Riley, and he would put on a mask. He'd be father of the year and husband of the…well, he was decent, anyway.

Too soon, Cam was angling away from Austin, starting with his hips and then loosening his arms around him. Austin took that as a cue to man up and move away.

"Sorry," he muttered, averting his eyes.

"Don’t mention it." Cam's voice was oddly husky.

*

A lot had changed. A lot had been explained. Almost every truth had come out.

It was time for the last of Austin's. "I want you to meet her as the man I love."

He definitely wasn’t expecting anything in return, and he had a feeling Cam needed a minute or two to let this settle, so Austin stopped talking for now and just focused on the beautiful body beneath him. He kissed his way down to the cock he'd had inside him countless times since the first time a couple months ago. He sure as hell never thought he'd become addicted to a cock.

"Austin…" Cam mumbled.

Austin hummed and sucked Cam's cock into his mouth, feeling it hardening with each stroke. They'd had sex this morning, Austin being the top, and now he wanted it the other way around. Because Cam as a lover…Christ, he was intense. He was ferocious, rough, yet focused on Austin's reactions and needs.

The minute Cam was done thinking, their roles reversed. Austin ended up on his back and watched as Cam's dominant side surged forward.
Damn sexy
. Reaching for the lube on the table, Cam returned to Austin, who spread his legs and pulled his knees up like a wanton slut.

"I need to fuck you," Cam muttered into Austin's neck. His long fingers soaked Austin's hole and pushed inside, immediately finding his prostate.

"Oh, Jesus." The level of pleasure always blew Austin's mind. He fisted the sheets and watched helplessly as his dick thickened and grew longer without even being touched. Cam kept rubbing that spot inside him with the pads of his fingers until Austin was panting and bucking his hips. "Please, Cam," he gritted out. "
Fuck me
."

Cam slowly pulled out his fingers, then lubed up his hard cock. About a month back, they'd gotten tested, and there was no better feeling than fucking raw. It had only been a formality, an end to all the tests they'd gone through, but the results gave them the chance to feel
everything
now. Supporting himself on one hand next to Austin's head, Cam guided his cock to Austin's ass and filled him in one thrust.

"Fuck," Cam exhaled harshly, dropping his forehead to Austin's collarbone. They were still for several heartbeats. And when Cam began to move, Austin was even more helpless than before. With their foreheads touching, Cam shoved his cock in and out of Austin's tight ass, and for once, Cam maintained eye contact. His silver eyes darkened with lust, and Austin found the gaze fucking scorching.

Cam slid his fingers into Austin's hair, fisting it, and angled them for a deep kiss. He spoke quietly with their warm lips touching and the tips of their tongues teasing. "I love you." He thrust in harder and groaned. "I love y-you so fucking much, Austin."

Austin hissed and pushed back, his face contorted in extreme pleasure and relief. "God, I love you." The burn Cam's cock caused only intensified everything that was amazing, and to add love to that mixture proved to be almost too much for Austin. Grabbing Cam's face, he pulled him down and kissed him hungrily. "Make me lose it."

"I will." Cam sat up slightly and placed Austin's left leg on his shoulder. Then they both watched as his slicked-up cock disappeared into Austin's ass. "Stroke yourself," he commanded huskily. "Stroke that thick cock—let me watch you."

"Cam," Austin grunted. He fisted his aching cock and stroked it to match Cam's pace. "I need more."

Cam smirked faintly, a bead of sweat trickling down his chest. "I know what you need."

After several minutes of hard fucking, Cam replaced his cock with his fingers. At first, Austin started to protest; he wanted that cock inside him, but when his prostate was being massaged again, he shut his mouth. His head swam, the ecstasy assaulting him from every angle.

"You're so close, baby," Cam murmured.

Austin nodded minutely, his eyes locked on Cam's cock. They were both stroking harder and tighter with every second that passed. Perspiration made their bodies glisten. Every straining muscle showed.
Oh, yes, yes, yes
. Austin let out a low moan as his insides coiled up.

When Cam applied pressure to Austin's prostate again, he lost it completely. His back arching, Austin gasped out a curse as his cock pulsed out streams of come. At the same time, Cam's orgasm hit, too. Moans and groans mingled, and they both released onto Austin's body.

Despite being physically healthier than ever before, Austin was exhausted. Right now, the only thing he wanted was to feel Cam pressed up against him and relax. Cam luckily had similar plans, and after they cleaned off, they snuck under the sheets and just enjoyed each others' bodies.

"I'll try," Cam said after a while as he lazily traced his fingers along Austin's spine. "The bedroom thing—I'll try."

Austin smiled and kissed Cam on the forehead. "We can always have the door open when we sleep. And if it doesn’t work…we can buy a pull-out couch for the living room." That way, they could have their privacy in the bedroom, and then when it was time to sleep, Cam could do what felt best.

Three times in the past two months, Austin had accidentally startled Cam awake, which had led to him attacking Austin. For those reasons, he knew it was good they still had time to adjust.

He didn’t want to imagine someone else waking Cam up and receiving the same treatment. Austin could handle it; he understood it and had a way of calming Cam down quickly. But Riley? Austin would never risk it. However, if Cam at least slept in the bedroom, Austin could tell Riley to never disturb Cam.

"I like this," Cam whispered, averting his gaze to Austin's shoulder. "Um, when you talk like—I like when you say things as if you live here. I like it."

Even though Cam had just said he liked it, Austin suddenly felt like a fucking idiot. His thoughts were way ahead. Sure, when you had children you needed to plan ahead, but he'd barely started to let Cam in on those thoughts.

"No rush," Austin promised. "We have time. And if you're not ready in four months—"

"Why are you backtracking?" Cam's eyes slid to Austin's, and he scowled. "Don’t be an idiot. I don’t like idiots." He said it so matter-of-factly that Austin wanted to smile. "Just 'cause we haven't talked a lot about this doesn’t mean we haven't been heading in this direction for a long time now."

Cam was right. From the first night they'd been intimate, they had been devoted to each other without a single word uttered about it.

"I barely use the second bedroom," Cam said cautiously. "I mean, if Riley likes me…"

"She will love you." Austin's chest expanded. A million thoughts rushed through him, but first and foremost, it was the relief that made him feel damn near giddy. He could never forget when Riley said she had no desire to watch Mom and Dad meet others, but Austin remained hopeful. She was handling the divorce better now, and because Austin and Jade made sure to put Riley first without spoiling her, Austin was confident that she would come around.

"You can't know that." Cam glared and lay back, facing the ceiling. "I'm no good with kids. I don’t know any kids. I don’t have any social skills."

"With Riley, you won't need any," Austin reasoned. "She's easy to please. And not to make her sound like a materialistic brat, but you have a cute dog and a pool; she will love you." Even in late October, it was in the higher eighties, and they didn’t exactly have a pool at their apartment.

"You gonna bring the rat over, too?" Cam had met Nacho once when Austin had taken him for a walk, and while Bourbon thought the little thing was a cool toy, Cam wasn’t impressed. Neither was Austin, but it was what it was. "I'll sit on him, and then Riley will run away screaming." He threw an arm over his face. "Fuck."

Austin couldn’t help it; he laughed. He laughed
hard
.

A week later, Cam was under Austin's command. It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and that was good. It meant Riley could use the pool.

Cam figured he needed all the help he could get, 'cause he was a fucking wreck. Which was why Austin was in charge. He handled that shit better than Cam.

Cam liked it, though. He wasn’t being coddled; sometimes Austin pushed Cam, but he didn’t pressure. There was a difference. He knew Cam's limits, and if anything, he made Cam feel stronger and more confident.

To make things easier today, Cam and Austin had invited their parents and Landon and Jules, too, but Cam wasn’t sure that was a good thing. Now he had to impress Austin's folks, too, and Cam just didn’t do that. He didn’t impress people. He didn’t suck up or mince words. Instead he fumbled awkwardly, had a knack for coming off as hostile, and he fidgeted.

The five minutes their families had met at the hospital right after the kidnapping wasn’t enough for this to be a "nice to see you again" kind of scene. This was a "nice to meet you" occasion. Without beeping hospital machines, drugs, IVs, sluggish minds, and distress.

Much to Cam's relief, Jules and Landon were first to arrive.

"You look like you're about to shit your pants, little brother." Landon smirked.

"They're shorts, dickwad. And fuck you." Cam looked down at his board shorts, then looked at Jules. "Shouldn’t you be at a hospital somewhere?" She was about to pop. Her belly was fucking huge, and there were two in there.

"You Nash boys always say the sweetest things," Jules said dryly. "Now, let me in. I need to sit down."

Cam moved out of the way just as Austin joined them in the hallway. "Right. This is Austin. Austin, my brother Landon, and Jules, my sister-in-law."

They were dressed pretty much the same—in board shorts and Tshirts—but Cam was sure Austin looked like a model while Cam came off as a homeless surfer. There was a handsome smile on Austin's face, his hazel eyes crinkling in the corners behind his glasses, a few strands of silver in his light brown hair, and he had a body that made Cam's dick perk up.

"It's nice to finally meet you—
officially
," Austin said, shaking Jules's hand. Like a suave bastard, he even kissed the top of it, which made Jules blush. She never fucking blushed.

"Oh, you too." Jules giggled like some schoolgirl. Landon and Cam exchanged a look; the older Nash was slightly peeved, and the younger was amused. Austin probably shouldn’t bring out Landon's possessive side. "He's so handsome, Cam."

"Very funny," Landon said gruffly and stepped forward. He shook Austin's hand, too, with unnecessary force, but Austin didn’t seem to notice. The two men had the same build and height; they were even the same age. "So, you're with my little brother now, huh?"

"I am." Austin nodded and motioned for Jules to go to the patio. "And you should put your feet up." Of course, Austin had experience with pregnant women. "Anything you want to drink? Cam has stocked up on decaf iced tea."

"That sounds perfect." Jules was beaming. "Cam, don’t let this one go." That said, she waddled toward the patio.

Landon grunted and followed.

"I'm not sure that was smart." Cam's mouth slanted up in a lazy smile. "Now you don’t have my brother on your side."

Austin didn’t appear threatened. "I have a feeling the way into Landon's good graces is by earning Jules's approval."

Damn. He was probably right. "Well, you have that and more," Cam huffed. "All right, gimme somethin' to do."

"You can bring Jules her iced tea." Austin squeezed Cam's ass, kissed him chastely, and returned to the kitchen. "And I suppose my parents will be here with Riley any minute," he called over his shoulder.

Cam muttered a few curses and followed him to the kitchen, where he knew Austin was about to call Jade. Maybe not the most opportune moment, but it gave Austin a reason to cut the call short if needed.