10. Fake Endings

TEN

FAKE ENDINGS

NICHOLAS

"I promise I'll never make you cry again." Jason wiped the tears from my face just as his own eyes welled up.

"We went way too far, didn't we?"

"We did," he sobbed. His eyes met mine, pleading not to be mad at him.

"This is so us." Even though my legs were shaking, I couldn't stop smiling. I was on them, standing somehow, but it felt like they could give way at any moment. I wrapped my arms around Jason. Having his chest pressed against me, his lips on mine, was what I needed. It was the only thing I knew that could help us both find peace.

After a minute of wet kisses and reassuring hugs, we finally calmed down enough to look at each other again.

"How did you find out?" I asked. There was no way he had just had a hunch, or someone had accidentally blabbed today. This had to have been planned long in advance.

"Jack told me. Please don't be angry with him. He thought you were crazy and I would hate it. He was just trying to warn me."

"Poor Jack," I laughed. "Little did he know."

"I have a surprise for you." He carefully spun me around and pointed to the corners of the ceiling.

I squinted my eyes and then noticed small electrical devices.

"There were cameras everywhere. I thought you might like the footage for your channel." Jason pointed to another corner and the shelf behind the desk by the entrance, revealing even more. "We also had some in the woods and your car."

"I have so many questions."

"Your car is safe if this is one of them."

"It… is, but that's not the most important one."

The room was still lit by the alternating blue and red lights of the police car. He had gone to so much trouble. Much more than I had. The second killer, the fake knife in Jack's back, getting rid of my van, a police car with an officer, the cabin, and the cameras? How could I not see that as the declaration of love that it was? I had to get an answer to my question.

I turned to him. "I hope it's okay that I'm doing this without the ring. It's still out there somewhere in the forest."

"I'm to blame for that?—"

"It doesn't matter." I dropped to my right knee again and took his hands. "Jason Jonathan Taft, you crazy son of a gun, do you want to scare me for the rest of my life? Do you want me to scare you for the rest of yours? And do you want to spend eternity with me, haunting everyone else together?"

Jason's lips curled. "If there's one thing I want, Nicholas Burns, it's for me to be right there with you through it all—through every dark night and every sunny day, through every scream of fear and every cry of joy. I want to be there when it all goes down in flames, just as I want to be there when we rise from the ashes. I can't imagine ever being without you again. Not in this life and not in whatever comes after. So, yes, my love, my answer is and always will be yes ."

Blood rushed to my ears. I jumped up, engulfing him in my arms. "We're so weird."

"I love being weird with you." Jason pressed his lips to everything he could reach: my cheeks, my neck, my shoulders, my forehead.

The sound of the door next to us being unlocked didn't interrupt our togetherness. We kept kissing as if we would never get the chance again once we left this cabin.

"Everyone still alive?" Jack asked as he kicked open the door.

Jason and I shared a last kiss before I turned my head to Jack. "He said yes ."

The smile on Jack's face could have lit up the night sky. "Congratulations." He looked like a mess. His clothes were covered in blood, his hair disheveled as if he'd been fighting with the wolves—which wasn't that far from the truth. "I'm so happy for you guys."

He pulled his hand out of his jacket as he walked over to us, revealing the ring box I had lost earlier. "Here, man. I think you'll need this."

"Oh, hell yeah. You're awesome, my man." I took the box and turned to Jason, opening it to reveal the simple silver ring I had wanted to put on his finger an hour ago.

Jason extended his right hand to me, ready for what was about to come. As we touched, an electric jolt shot through my body to the back of my neck. I slid the cool silver onto his ring finger.

He held up his hand, inspecting it as if he had just received a new one. "Guess my biggest fear is gone now."

"Did you know I was going to propose?" I asked.

"No," he laughed. "This took me completely by surprise. Jack only told me about the fake blood and stuff." He eyed Jack. "If I had known it wasn't just a prank but the plan to propose, I wouldn't have interfered with it."

"I couldn't spoil the whole thing, man," Jack replied with a shake of his head.

"I seriously considered calling off everything we had planned for you," Jason said. "And, hell, I didn't think it would make you cry."

"No, no! It was perfect. And I can't believe you even filmed it all." My whole body wanted to move, jump up and down, run a thousand miles, and touch Jason everywhere and with every part of my body. I turned my head to the ceiling because I had to scream it out to the world. "I'm going to be a married man."

My scream was followed by cheers from the people waiting for us outside the cabin.

"Oh, that's right," I said. "Should we go say hello?"

I turned toward the door, but Jason stopped me. He pulled me into a kiss. His arms moved up and down my back until they reached my ass, squeezing it tightly. "This has been the best night of my life so far." He moved his mouth to my ear. "And just so you know, it's not over yet. I have another surprise for you when we get home."

"Please let it be your dick," I whispered back.

"Can I go now?" Jack asked to remind us he was still there and had probably heard everything.

Heat rushed to my head, and Jason blushed as well. I let go of him as if we had just been caught in the act and took a step toward Jack.

"Thanks, my friend. For picking up the ring after you fell on me, pretending to die, and everything else."

"You're welcome." Jack held on to the door handle as if he needed some support. "In return, I only have one favor to ask. Please, never make me a part of your weird pranks again, okay?" He looked at Jason. "Both of you." With a last tired smile, he left the cabin.

Jason gave me a look, and after a second, we both burst out laughing.

"I guess he heard that," I said.

"What do you think was more shocking to him? All that fake blood or hearing us talk about sex?"

"Definitely the latter."

Jason wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Come on, let's relieve the others of their burden." He kissed my cheek before leading me out of the cabin.

Jack was waiting by the police car with the other two, and when they saw us, all three of them applauded. We spent the next half hour revealing every little detail of everything that had gone into making this happen. I was in for a good shock when the old man pulled off his mask to reveal the short brown hair and youthful face of Alex. Who would've thought he was a double agent too?

I hadn't seen their plan coming. I hadn't even considered the possibility of being double-crossed. When Jack suddenly fell to the ground, blood everywhere, just as I was about to propose an hour ago, I just accepted what was happening as real. My survival instincts took over, and I tried to save myself and, more importantly, Jason.

Knowing it was just a giant prank was a relief. The trouble they all went through so that Jason and I could celebrate our relationship only made it more obvious that Seastone wasn't just the place I wanted to call my new home. It had already become home.

This was single-handedly the most exciting thing I'd ever experienced.

I had never felt more alive.

As I parked my minivan in front of Jason's grandparents' closed hotel, the smell of burned wood and cold sweat still hung over us.

Jason leaned his head against the window, searching for my gaze. "Are we evil?"

His shirt, which had still been as clean as it could be when we left the cabin, was now covered in fake blood as well. Once we were back in my car, I showed him the blood capsules. When I told him they were edible and tasted like mint, he wanted to try them and popped one in his mouth. Of course, he let it drip all over him just like I had done. This wouldn't have been a problem if we hadn't gone to the bonfire with Jack, Alex, and Dany. As soon as we arrived, Jason couldn't help but use almost all of them to scare the people around us.

"I think they all thought we were hired actors," I replied to put his mind at rest.

A smile crept across his face. "Yeah, when you pretended to hit me…"

The image flashed through my mind. He had asked me to fake punch him, and when I did, he stumbled forward and pulled out his prosthetic. The screams from the people around us were hilarious. "Okay, maybe we are evil."

"Evil together." He smiled at me, his lips still red with fake blood.

I leaned over and kissed him because what the hell did it matter ? He still tasted like mint.

When I pulled my head back, Jason couldn't stop beaming. "Shall we go inside?" he asked. "We still need to fully seal the deal."

"Fuck, yes. Finally." I pulled the door handle and jumped out of the car.

As soon as we entered the foyer, I stripped naked and got down on my knees. Jason's clothes came off so quickly that, for a moment, I felt like a Witcher who had cast a spell on him. His hard dick was sticking out from behind the waistband of his boxer briefs. The fake blood had seeped through his shirt, staining his chest red as well, and, fuck , the sight made my cock twitch.

If I had told my old self from a year ago, I would end up naked in a closed hotel, staring at my fiancé's hard dick after we'd both hired fake killers to chase us through the woods, I'd have patted myself on the back for having such an incredible life.

Jason stripped off his boxer briefs and stepped in front of me. His dick was only an inch away from my mouth, and his musky scent made me take in an extra breath, even though my lungs were already full of air. He stared down at me, his cock partially blocking my view of his face. The ring on his finger flashed at me as he reached out with his right hand to stroke my cheek.

"Don't think I've forgotten how you tried to protect me," he said. His thumb trailed over my lips, pulling them apart. "You deserve a reward for that, but unfortunately, I have to keep you waiting a minute longer."

He walked down the hall past the reception desk, motioning for me to follow him. I was back on my feet in a hurry. He led me into our bathroom. He turned on two adjacent showers and jumped to the side to avoid being hit by the ice-cold water. I've made the same leap many times myself. As nice as it was that the water was always cold up here in the mountains in the summer, it was terrible in the colder seasons.

Jason came over and wrapped his arms around me, trapping our hard dicks between us as he pressed his stomach against mine. "The minute's almost up."

It was only now that I realized he would not wait until after the shower to fuck me.

He led me to the water, holding out his hand to check the temperature. A grin appeared on his face as he stepped back, pulling me with him.

When the stream hit me, I inhaled sharply. The water wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. The tiles beneath us turned red as the fake blood was washed off our bodies.

Jason pulled me against him, his warm skin making up for the cooler water. He grabbed my head and pulled me into a kiss. His tongue searched for mine before his teeth found my lower lip and playfully bit into it.

When the water finally enveloped us in a blissful warmth, he spun me around so that I was facing the tiles. His hands moved over my back, arms, chest, and ass, making sure that every inch was wet.

He rested his chin on my collarbone, his teeth teasing my earlobe. "Imagine if it had rained today." He pressed his dick against my ass. His fingers moved down my stomach, grasping my erection. "Us, out in the woods, alone in the rain." He ran his fingers up and down my shaft. "What do you think of the idea of us fucking in the woods?"

My knees buckled. "Risky."

"Should we put it on the list?" He let go of my dick and leaned toward the handle, turning off the shower I was standing under. The plop of a soap bottle being opened echoed through the bathroom. He squeezed some of it into his hand and rubbed it until it lathered.

Starting at my shoulders, his hands took their time, soaping every inch of my back as if that alone satisfied him. His hands moved over my shoulder blades, down my spine, and between my legs. As his fingers worked their way to my junk, I turned to face him so he could explore my front as well. He slid up and down my shaft, getting soap everywhere. After another thirty seconds of massaging my dick, I knew where this was going. It was never about the soap.

Under his curious eyes, I reached for the shower gel. He watched my every move, never taking his hands off my dick.

I squeezed the gel into my hand, following his lead. "Same rules for everyone."

Without complaining, he turned around, presenting me with his back while his hands continued to work on my dick.

My fingers traveled down his shoulders and over his butt, exploring him in the same way that he had explored me before.

Feeling him up like that, watching him stroke my hard dick right over his ass, I couldn't deny that this was an image to remember. "Damn, that makes me want to be the top for once."

Jason glanced over his right shoulder, a mischievous grin on his face, as he pressed his butt against my dick.

Unprepared for that, I laughed. "You better not dare me."

"It's probably only fair. You've already been stabbed today. I guess it's my turn now." He reached for the handle and turned the shower back on with a quick flick.

The water washed away some of the soap while his hands remained on my cock, working it to prepare me for something I hadn't done in years.

I pressed my stomach against his back, resting my chin on his collarbone. "Is this a trick or a treat?"

"Only one way to know for sure."

My hands slid down to his hips.

If he wanted it, I would give it to him, but I couldn't just barge in there like my dick was a battering ram. His last time must've been at least a year ago, if not longer.

I squeezed his firm butt cheeks and spread them apart.

Water ran down his hole, which pulsed as if it were ready for me. I brushed my thumb over it, massaging it for ten seconds before pushing in. My finger slid in more easily than I'd expected. The moan this exuded from Jason reverberated through the bathroom. I moved my thumb in and out of him just as his hands moved up and down my cock, increasing in speed and grip. The whole thing must have made him want more.

"You okay?" I asked.

"It feels good."

"Not afraid of the real thing?"

"I'm terrified. Your dick is at least four times thicker than your thumb. But as they say, it's best to face your fears." He pushed his ass deeper into my finger. "So have a go at it."

I moved in and out of him for another thirty seconds, trying to gauge his readiness. I pulled my thumb out and inserted my index and middle fingers to get a better feel, and they went in smoothly. I didn't know how he did it, but he seemed relaxed enough even after only a few minutes of stretching.

I pulled my fingers out and grabbed his hips tight while he was already aiming my dick at his hole to guide me inside. A brief pause as my glans poked at the entrance, but then he pushed his ass onto me.

Being welcomed inside him made me close my eyes. The warmth of the water on my skin, combined with the warmth of him, his moans echoing around us—I could've lost myself in it.

I wanted to move, but Jason took control of that. He pulled his hips forward and then back, slowly, at a pace he could handle. After four careful attempts, he was wide enough to take me in completely.

He picked up the pace. His ass bobbed up and down my dick as if I wasn't the one fucking him . He stayed true to the promise he made a year ago. He was the one in charge of my orgasms—in every way.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"I like everything we do," I replied, panting harder than when we ran through the forest two hours ago. If he kept going like this, I would cum within a minute.

He leaned up, making sure my dick stayed inside him, his hands reaching for my cheeks as his mouth searched for mine. He couldn't turn his head enough for our lips to meet, but our tongues made up for the distance.

Since he couldn't move his hips as fast as before because of our kiss, I took over and thrust my dick into him.

"Do you want to cum inside me?" Jason asked.

"Can I?"

"You're my soon-to-be husband. You can cum anywhere, on or in me."

I loved it when Jason talked dirty like that. What had surprised me the first time we made out was now something I couldn't get enough of. Nobody but me knew this side of him, and… damn , it made me feel special.

"How about a deal?" I said. "I cum in you now, but you'll cum in me in round two."

The grin on his face was huge. "I like where this is going." He leaned forward again, giving his ass to me. His hand worked on his dick as he let me take him as if he had never done anything else in his life.

I thrust in and out of him as if my entire existence depended on it. My jaw clenched as his moans mixed with my grunts. I wasn't holding anything back anymore. I wasn't trying to be gentle, and neither was he. The harder I went, the more he seemed to enjoy it.

I closed my eyes, letting the water run over my face. I went back to the image he had planted in my mind earlier. Us, in the dark forest, fucking in the rain. I opened my mouth wide and inhaled deeply as the first spurt of cum shot into his ass. His moans caressed my ears. I thrust again, shooting another spurt. And another.

As his muscles tightened around me, I opened my eyes and looked at his dick, watching him shoot his load as well. It only made me hornier. I thrust again, shooting the last of my cum into him, before I leaned against his back, holding him tight, as our chests rose in unison.

"Damn, Jason, I can see why you like to cum inside me so much," I said.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get your Jason dose today." He pulled his ass forward and my dick out of him. He turned around and kissed me again, his hands rubbing over my body. "But let's finish up here before we run out of hot water."