Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 100545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
The words hung in the air and made Clover unsure what to think, but Drake wouldn’t even blink, so in the end Clover lost the silent battle of wills. His gaze swept over a plate of sandwiches in the middle of the table, and he helped himself to one when Tank pulled them closer.
“So, who are those New York friends of yours?” he asked, petting Clover’s naked thigh.
Clover shrugged. “Just these friends I met when they were visiting California. We spent an intense summer together. I’m more interested in you guys. I’m very plain, really.”
Tank smiled and grabbed a strand of Clover’s white hair. “Hardly so.”
“Fucking humble-brag,” Drake muttered, and the threatening sound of scraping made by the sharpened blade got faster.
Pyro and Boar burst into the kitchen through a door on the other side, both flushed and smiling.
“I need a drink,” Pyro announced, and walked toward the fridge after capturing Boar’s lips in a final kiss. His shoulders were relaxed when he produced another bottle of beer, but before his lips could meet the glass, he squeezed Clover’s cheeks with one hand and gave him a loud smooch. His skin smelled of fresh cum, making Clover hyperaware of his presence. The kiss ended with a nip on his lips, and he had to stifle the reflex to follow the older man.
“Such a little hottie. Good thing we searched the house. Would have been a shame if he died,” Pyro said, winking,
Clover groaned and put his arm around Tank’s neck. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.”
Pyro snorted. “Feisty too. Saw us kill two people and doesn’t seem much bothered. You a secret assassin, sweets?” He pinched Clover’s cheek. “Nickname: Ghost.”
Clover rolled his eyes. “Very creative.”
Drake shook his head. “ASSassin more like.”
Boar opened a cupboard and pulled out a large pan. He’d changed into a plaid shirt in a cheery blue color, and where Drake was a storm cloud, Boar’s demeanor was all sunshine. “Give him a break. Both of you. Boy’s been through a lot of shit.”
Drake took out another knife for whetting. “No, he hasn’t. We saved him.”
“You don’t know that. How long have they kept you there?” Boar asked, grabbing a whole box of eggs next.
Clover grasped at the opportunity to play up the victim game. “A while. I don’t wanna talk about it, okay?”
The room went silent for a second, but then Boar approached him, pushing his warm hand into Clover’s hair. “You wanna help me make the eggs?
Clover leaned to the touch of the big hand. “I can barely boil water for instant ramen.”
Boar snorted and urged him up. “Then it’s about time for you to learn the basics, come on.”
Pyro sat next to Drake and nudged him with his elbow, grinning. He pointed to Clover with his chin, but Drake just squinted and shook his head.
“No.”
On one hand, maybe it was for the better Drake wasn’t interested in fucking him when all their interactions were so tainted with antipathy, but on the other hand, it unnerved Clover to not have all the guys on his side. “Take your time, I’ll be sticking around for a while.” He winked at Drake, but didn’t wait for an answer, afraid of teasing the devil too much.
Boar put his arm around him in a manner that was friendly rather than a prelude to sex. “Come on, I’ve got some nice add-ons in the pantry.”
“You know what the other guys like? You’ve known each other long?”
“Don’t tell him,” Drake said in a voice that could have come from a man with a pre-death onset of rigor mortis.
Tank shrugged. “It’s fine. We’ve known each other a while. Not many gay bounty hunters out there. Works well for us. We take on jobs as they come and get to live life how we choose to.”
Boar shook his head and walked Clover into the small room, closing the door behind them. The setup the cramped space full of shelves provided was kinda hot, but Boar didn’t push him to his knees, letting go instead.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a gentler tone, his proximity drowning Clover in the scent of cum and chocolate. Such a weird combination.
Clover stared, unsure how to interpret the question. “Huh?”
Boar chewed on his lips and placed his hands on his hips, looking like a flustered teddy bear, his fluffy mane strengthening the aura of cuddliness. “Look, none of us is good at this kind of shit. I’m not asking what happened to you if you don’t want to say, but if this arrangement you made with Tank isn’t really what you want, you can tell me.”
Heat crawled up Clover’s neck, and for a moment he was too shocked to speak. This was really sweet. “N-no,” he choked out in the end. “It’s okay. I’m a bit shellshocked, so thanks for asking, but I’m wrapping my head around it. I’ve never done anything like this, but it’s hot. You and Pyro… I’m not a problem for you, right?”