27. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

C ycle sisters. Ulises couldn't get it out of his head. As he sat next to Todd on his couch watching Brooklyn Nine Nine, he thought about how neither of them had hesitated with their choice of chill material, because they had a similar sense of humor.

Ulises itched to touch Todd. His T-shirt was soft. Ulises knew that because he'd accidentally brushed against it on their walk back to his apartment.

"Thanks for agreeing to stay here, I guess." He wanted to feel some type of way about it. Something bad. Like put out by Todd's presence or maybe jealous because he had the one guy Ulises was sort of halfway in love with, but all he felt was relief.

Todd smirked. "You're welcome ‘I guess’ . "

"I know Seryn's guest house is way nicer."

Todd drew his eyebrows together. "Your apartment is nice. It's very cozy. Plus, it smells like you. The best part is that you're here, though."

Shit. Ulises heart did a little flip as if it were trying to wiggle its way out of Ulises' chest to get to Todd. If it were just a few pretty words, Ulises might not have had a response at all. At least not a strong one. But Todd meant every word. He'd spoken in a matter-of-fact way as if all the guesthouse was missing was Ulises.

Ulises should use his big brain but the one in his dick took over his thought process and he found himself straddling Todd's lap.

Todd gripped Ulises' waist as if stabilizing him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but his eyes held heat. It didn't take him long to get with the program.

He pulled Ulises closer. When their lips connected, they still had the same problem as before. Neither of them was dominant so the kiss was tender, but they didn't hesitate. The chemistry between them helped push things along but not fast enough for Ulises’ liking.

It felt like forever since someone else had made him come. Jacking off in the shower was fine, but he wanted to feel a connection with another person. Sex always made him feel as though he belonged to someone, and it like it. But in the moment where skin touched skin, he could pretend the person touching him cared about him.

Ulises was delusional. It didn’t matter that Todd said what he had and was willing to stay with him. Todd was Izzy's mate, not Ulises' boyfriend.

Ulises ended the kiss and sighed. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see Todd's kiss-stung lips and the way he gazed at Ulises with equal parts want and confusion.

"Why'd we stop?"

Ulises shook his head, not wanting to answer. He started to climb off Todd but then his front door opened, and Izzy entered the apartment. Ulises flew off Todd as though he were a teenager caught making out by his parents.

He tried to make himself as small as possible, but he couldn't sink into the couch cushions enough.

Izzy filled the room with his presence, larger than life itself.

It didn't help that wore his cut and his jeans that hugged his body in all the right places. The chain from his belt to his pocket made him seem badass.

Ulises’ cock was still hard and his blood, while not as hot as when he'd been kissing Todd, was still warm in his body.

It didn't help that Todd had moved closer to Ulises. Ulises had nowhere else to go. He already pressed into the arm of the couch. If he stood, Izzy would see how hard he was. It would also be the same as admitting guilt. Maybe his delusional state of mind was a constant problem but if he sat there, still and stiff, maybe Izzy wouldn't kill him.

Ulises sighed and shook his head. You kissed Todd. Izzy's mate. A dragon shifters mate. Way to go, idiot.

Ulises was just about to tell Todd and Izzy to leave when he felt Todd's hand on his thigh. He opened his eyes and looked at it, then at Izzy, who had reptilian eyes and fangs. He sniffed as if he were a dog trying to catch a scent.

Ulises picked up Todd's hand and moved it off his leg only to have Todd put it back. "You're gonna get me killed."

"I'm not going to kill you, baby." Izzy took a step toward him but when Ulises shrank way, he stopped.

Izzy fell to his knees. It was such an odd thing to do. He knew they'd been making out right? That Ulises was on top of Todd with his tongue down Todd's throat? Todd, Izzy's mate. He had to know all that because Izzy might be a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. And he undoubtedly smelled their arousal.

Ulises held his breath, waiting for the moment when Izzy either said why he'd put himself in such a vulnerable position or he attacked Ulises for daring to put his hands on his mate.

"All I want is to protect you. To take care of you." Izzy held out his hand.

Ulises looked at it. "Why are you lying?"

"I'm not, baby. I swear it."

"You want something." That had to be it. "Whatever it is, I don't have it. You can ask anyone in the club."

Izzy sighed. He put his arms down to his side. "You think this is a ruse."

Ulises shrugged. "What else could it be?"

"Maybe that I'm fucking in love with you. I don't speak for Todd, but I'd say based on the way his lips are red and the smell of his arousal he's at least in lust. Am I wrong?" Izzy met Todd's gaze.

"No. You're not wrong." Todd tried to take Ulises’ hand, but Ulises pulled away. "It's more than that. I like you a lot, Ully."

"Why do you think we've been here for the past week, baby?" The sincerity came through, but Ulises wasn't sure if he could trust it. Izzy had sounded sincere when he'd said Ulises was just a pity fuck too.

Ulises shrugged but he wanted to believe Izzy. He wanted every word Izzy said to be true. "You said you didn't really want me. Before."

"That was the lie, baby." Izzy pleaded with his eyes. "I promise to never use your illness against you again. It was a dirty move."

"I don't want your promises, Izzy." But he did. He wanted Izzy to promise forever but he hadn't said that yet. He probably never would. Izzy didn't do forever. At least not with someone like Ulises. "I'm broken. Or are you forgetting that?"

"Is that what Easton told you? That you wouldn't get better?" Izzy hung on the answer.

"No. He gave me a shot of vitamins and a dose of the drug that will shrink the tumor. He's hopeful. But it might not work. Or the side effects will be too much for me. Or maybe the tumor will finally wrap around my brain and kill me. Or maybe I'll get run over by a truck. Or killed in a flood. Any number of things could happen. Who knows? I don't come with a guarantee, Izzy."

Todd frowned and sat back on the couch with his hands in his lap. He seemed to deflate a little, as if something about what Ulises said struck a chord within him. "I don’t come with one either."

"How did this become about me? It's about you starting without me." Izzy growled and boxed them in on the couch with a hand on either side of them. Izzy made sure to include Ulises. "Continue where you left off."

Izzy's command fanned the embers inside Ulises, making the fire burn again. It was stupid to trust Izzy, but maybe Ulises and Todd having sex would prove something to all of them.

Ulises hesitated but he straddled Todd's lap again. Todd wrapped his arms around Ulises and pulled him forward. When the kiss started, it was a press of the lips. Nothing more. But then Ulises opened his mouth, letting Todd take the kiss deeper.

Todd licked Ulises’ bottom lip before sucking on it.

Ulises moaned, pressing closer to Todd, wanting to feel more of him. The kiss made him desperate. He wanted more. He'd take his body heat if he couldn't get skin to skin.

He itched to put his mark on Todd, and he’d never felt that way before. If it wasn't for Todd's T-shirt, he would have pressed his hand to Todd's chest and marked him with magic. But Todd wasn't his. They were fucking around with Izzy's permission, but it still meant nothing beyond making each other feel good. He had to remember that, or he'd end up giving away his true feelings.

As much as he wanted to keep it casual, Todd touching Ulises with tenderness and moaning as if he were desperate for more, made Ulises’ resolve melt away.

Ulises was aware of Izzy watching them. His presence made a difference. It seemed to give them permission to become bolder.

The couch dipped next to them. Izzy's thigh brushed his leg. And Izzy gripped the back of Ulises’ neck. His touch was gentle but firm when he pulled Ulises away from Todd.

Ulises met Izzy's gaze. He found nothing but lust there. It was the same expression he'd worn when they'd fucked before. Nothing had changed except maybe Ulises was a little broken because of Izzy.

But he wasn't confused.

"This is just fucking. Like before." Ulises should have moved away, but he didn't.

Izzy growled. "It's making love."

"Fuck you, Izzy." Ulises kissed him and when he didn't kiss back, he tried to pull away, but Izzy's hold tightened. Going from turned on to pissed off didn't make Ulises’ cock less hard. "Fuck you. Fuck you!"

Ulises could feel the tears in his throat before they spilled down his cheeks. He wanted to rail against Izzy and demand to be let go, but he let Izzy lift him into his lap.

"I hate you." Ulises held on to Izzy's vest, gripping it as if it was the thing that would keep him tethered to him. "You broke my heart, and I hate you for it."

Todd leaned into them, rubbing Ulises’ back. "It's okay, Ully. Just let it out."

Ulises pressed his forehead to Izzy's chest, breathing in his cinnamon scent. "I just want to forget you."

"No you don't, baby." Izzy's hold tightened. "No you don't."

"I know." But he still wanted it to be true.

"I deserve your anger."

Ulises lifted his head, wiping his tears. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't know what to say to that, so he repeated himself. "Fuck you. I hate you."

"No you don't." Izzy cupped Ulises’ cheek and smiled. "Don't say 'fuck you' again. If you do, I'll punish you. Got it, boy."

Ulises sucked in a breath. "Got it."

"I really do love you, baby. And I'll take care of you, but you have to let me." Izzy moved his hand to Ulises' neck where his tumor was. It was as if he was loving its existence too. "You don't want to love me. That's it, right?" But maybe he did anyway. If he did then Ulises wasn't sure what to do with the information. It was what he wanted but what about Todd?

Ulises met Todd's gaze.

Todd smiled as he leaned into them.

"I don't want to lose you. I’m messed up because of my sister dying." Izzy held up a hand, stopping Ulises from speaking. "It's not an excuse for hurting you, but an explanation for my behavior."

"Can I trust you, Izzy? Are you gonna flake on me again?" His heart couldn't take it a second time.

Izzy sighed. "I have to earn your trust."

Ulises shrugged. "I want to believe you mean forever."

"I do mean it. I can prove it, baby."

Maybe it was wrong to test Izzy, but Ulises needed something more. "Then prove it. Daddy."

There was only one way. That was for Izzy to give him the mating bite. Something he'd never done with anyone else before, not even Todd, his fated mate. The ultimate test. Ulises expected Izzy to fail.