Not for the first time, Low wrung his hands as he stared down at an unconscious Renzo lying face down on the bed. “What’s wrong with him?” He’d never been as scared as walking into Renzo’s office and finding him screaming on the floor, his skin cold, body rocking as he kept repeating, “Please! Please!”

Dax turned to him, worry creasing his brow. Low had used Renzo’s phone to call him, and when he’d shown up, Dax hadn’t seemed surprised at all to see Renzo like he’d been. He’d just called for one of the bodyguards to help him carry Renzo out back to the car. He hadn’t even stopped Low from climbing into the vehicle with them. Low had expected them to arrive back at the safe house. Instead Dax took them to this gated villa-style house along Lavista Road in North Druid Hills, not even ten miles from Low’s place.

Unlike the safe house, this one was homey, lived in. This was Renzo’s home.

“His story isn’t mine to tell,” Dax finally answered his question.

Low frowned. “But—”

“He’s been through some things,” Dax continued. “Worse than most.” He heaved a sigh, bringing his attention back to the still figure on the bed. “He doesn’t sleep, not unless I force him to take something. Most times I have to literally hold him in my arms to get his eyes to close.” His gaze jerked back to Low. “Get out. If you can’t handle him, then get out now.” His jaw hardened. “He’s a fool for you, he’ll let you hurt him, but I won’t. So if you can’t handle this—” He waved a hand at Renzo on the bed. “Then get the fuck out now.”

“I want to stay.” Low licked his lips, practically tasting the words he’d just blurted out. But he didn’t have to think. He wanted to be here, wanted to make sure Renzo was okay. “Let me stay.”

He hadn’t expected this when he went to the club, that was for damn sure. But he’d gone there to see Renzo, to tell him he wanted him. To tell him he was done running. The guard at the door had taken one look at him and opened the doors, letting him into the empty club in silence. Renzo had told his people about him. He’d told them to let Low in, and as he’d climbed the stairs to Renzo’s office, he’d promised himself he’d reciprocate.

He’d let Renzo in.

Dax watched him, brown gaze assessing Low. Low held that stare, refusing to back down. Finally, Dax’s mouth curved. The smile didn’t fully come through, but his eyes held approval.

Relief, too.

“Good.” Dax toed off his boots. “Get on the bed with him then. He needs body contact.”

Low removed his sneakers and tossed aside his hoodie and t-shirt, and got into the bed next to Renzo bare-chested, immediately curving against him. He touched a hand to Renzo’s head, stroking. Not the way he’d seen their first time in a bed going down, but he’d take it.

He lifted an eyebrow when Dax also climbed onto the bed, getting on the other side of Renzo and curling into him. Low levered himself onto his elbows to peer at Dax who shrugged.

“This is likely not going to be the first time we three end up like this.” Dax tugged the comforter up over them. “This is who we are, Low.”

Again, not something Low had ever foreseen, but he was here. And he was staying. “Just don’t take all the covers, eh?”

He settled against Renzo, inhaling the scent of his skin, worrying for him. What happened to him? The lights in the bedroom remained on, every single one. Even the en-suite bathroom, its door ajar, had its light on. Low had noticed the same thing at the safe house.

Damn sure he wasn’t leaving. He wanted to know what happened to Renzo and how he could make it better.

He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, a low keening sound was jerking him upright. He lifted his head. Beside him, Renzo tossed and turned, whimpering in his sleep.

A nightmare?

He slid a hand down Renzo’s back, lips at his ear, shushing him. Dax was there too, smoothing away the hair from Renzo’s forehead, fingers in his hair, murmuring to him. Low pressed a kiss to Renzo’s head, soothing him with that hand up and down his back. They worked together, he and Dax whispering to Renzo, calming him until his whimpers petered out, and he stopped moving, relaxing into their touch.

Low blinked moisture from his eyes as he held Dax’s sleepy gaze. Dax nodded to him once then settled back down onto his pillow. It took a little longer to fall asleep, but Low finally did.

With one hand on Renzo’s back.

* * *

The scent of coffee roused Low. He rolled onto his back and cracked one eye open. Renzo stood above him, chest all exposed, staring down at Low with an unreadable expression.

Coffee in hand.

“Renzo.” Low sat up, covering a yawn with the back of his hand. “Are you okay?” He glanced around. “Where’s Dax?”

Renzo’s mouth twisted as he got down on one knee beside the bed, holding out the coffee. “Dax left earlier. You’re finally in my bed.”

“Yeah.” Low fought a smile as he accepted the cup and took a sip. “Didn’t think it would be like this.”

“You and me both.” Renzo sat back on his haunches. “Thank you.” His eyes were careful, cautious where they settled on Low’s face. “Thank you for last night. For staying with me. For…” He swallowed, heat creeping into his gaze. “For looking so fucking good between my sheets.”

Low barked a laugh then sobered when Renzo stood. His naked chest was broad, covered with dark hair, his middle not as defined, sporting a little paunch. The bullet wound on his shoulder was healing well, and Low couldn’t help his gaze from straying to the large angry scar on his left side. When Renzo turned toward the bathroom, Low gasped.

Renzo’s back was even more fucked up than his front. Red welts, long healed, crisscrossed the entirety of his back. It looked as if someone had stripped Renzo’s skin away then tried to sew it back on. “What happened to you, Renzo?”

Renzo faced him, the sadness in his eyes, caution in his movements as he approached Low. “Why did you come to the club last night?”

Low blinked. “Um—” He had to take a breath to gather his thoughts. “I wanted to see you.”

Renzo got right back down on his knees, taking the cup from Low’s hands, making room for it on the nightstand crowded with stacks of paper and about half a dozen remotes. “Why? You left. You walked away.”

Low ached to touch him. Soothe the creases in his forehead. “Yes, but I keep coming back to you. I can’t stay away. So I wanted to ask…” He curled his fingers in his lap. “I wanted to ask you if you needed me like I needed you.”

“More,” Renzo ground out. He lurched up, trapping Low’s face in his hands. “I need you more.” His mouth slammed onto Low’s hard and punishing, taking him over immediately.

Not that Low minded that. He spared one thought to the fact that he might taste like morning breath mixed with coffee before parting his lips and inviting Renzo to come on in. Renzo’s tongue swept over his and Low shuddered. He’d missed that, the way Renzo stripped him with just a kiss. The way he mastered Low’s mouth, fingers gripping his face, groaning when Low clasped his nape and held him there.

Renzo climbed onto the bed and straddled Low without breaking the kiss, and Low released his nape to slide a hand down his fucked up back. Lower, grabbing on to his ass and squeezing.

Renzo rocked into him with a moan that melted onto Low’s tongue. He kisses were unlike anything Low had experienced. Deep and wet, aggressive and hungry. Almost an attack, one Low invited, matching him stroke for stroke, widening his legs so Renzo could settle between and grind on his dick.

Fuck. Behind his closed eyelids, his eyes rolled back.

Pleasure so raw he was shaking. On his back and he still felt as if he was falling. He reached up and grabbed on to one of Renzo’s wrists, shackling him, holding on as they rocked on each other. Hard-ons bumping, grinding.

“Unngh.”

Renzo tore his mouth away with a sharp sound. “Fuck, baby. Fuck.”

Yeah. But Low didn’t really have words, so he stared up at Renzo’s arresting face under heavy eyelids, dipping a hand under the elastic waistband of Renzo’s sweats to sink his fingers into a tight ass cheek as he wrapped his right leg around Renzo’s hips. He tried to remember to be gentle, Renzo still had those healing wounds and he didn’t want to hurt him, But Renzo didn’t seem to have the same worry.

Not with the way he surged against Low, sucking Low’s bottom lip into his mouth. Low humped him harder, yanking on Renzo’s sweats, struggling to tug them down his hips. Renzo helped him finally, removing his sweats before expertly unbuttoning and unzipping Low’s jeans and taking them off along with his briefs.

His large rough palm fisted Low’s dick and he arched, hips coming off the bed, legs falling open.

“Goddamn, Low. You’re beautiful, baby,” Renzo murmured against his throat. “Fucking beautiful.”

In answer, Low wrapped his legs around Renzo and locked his ankles above his ass, hips snapping forward as he fucked Renzo’s fist. He was moaning, groaning, sounded like he was sobbing, but he couldn’t be sure. He was out of his fucking mind with the pleasure. He’d waited for Renzo’s hand on him, thought about it so long, and now all he felt was high.

High.

Floating as Renzo kissed down his body. Lips on Low’s nipples, biting, sucking, fingers pinching him as he dipped lower.

Lower.

Tongue teasing his navel.

Hot breath singed his skin, burned him up. Mouth on his skin. Hot and eager. He guided Renzo down where he wanted him and Renzo went. Wet heat wrapped around the head of his cock and Low bucked. A sob bursting from his throat.

“Oh God. Oh fuck. Daddy, please.”

Renzo shuddered against him, sucking Low into his mouth, taking him straight to the back of his throat. Destroying him with a tight cup of his balls, tongue stroking his crown and sliding down his length.

Wet.

So much wet. Slippery. Making it easier to slip and slide in and out of that fucking throat. Low rose on his elbows to watch Renzo’s dark head bob on his shaft. Stomach contracting, ass lifting off the bed with each thrust into Renzo’s mouth, thighs quivering with the effort it took to hold back, to not bury himself down Renzo’s throat and stay.

Choke him on his dick.

“Daddy.” Low twisted his fingers in Renzo’s hair, anchoring him as he rocked into him. “I can’t—I can’t—”

Wet fingers pulled on his balls, twisting them before sliding lower, pushing at his hole.

“Ungh. Ungh.” He fell back onto the pillows, trembling, fisting the sheets, yanking on them as Renzo deep-throated him while shoving a finger up his ass. “Fuck!” He screamed as the orgasm slammed into him, thighs shaking uncontrollably, pouring his cum down Renzo’s throat. “Fuck.” He convulsed and Renzo stayed on him, with him, Low’s cock in his mouth.

Still sucking him down.

Still thrusting his fingers into him.

“Oh God.” He twitched, covering his face with his hands. He couldn’t feel his fucking body. Renzo had sucked him numb. “Daddy.” He whimpered. “Please.” His eyes burned.

Renzo finally lifted his head and kissed his way up Low’s body, straddling him, jerking himself off as Low grabbed him by the hair.

“Come on me.” He pushed Renzo’s hands away, taking over pulling on his thick shaft, hot and throbbing fiercely in his palm. “Come, Daddy.”

Renzo flinched, shoulders hunched and hot cum filled Low’s hand, immediately dripping onto his stomach.

“Shit.” He arched with a soundless cry. Renzo’s seed was flames on his skin, burning him up. Fingers pushed into his open mouth.

“Taste yourself,” Renzo whispered hoarsely. Low obediently sucked on those fingers, coated with his cum. Bitter, salty, and everything in between. Renzo’s eyes ate him up, wide in his face, the smoke gray darkened to gunmetal. “Good boy.” He pumped the digits in and out of Low’s mouth. “So good. You taste so fucking good for Daddy.”

Low pulled him down onto his chest, taking Renzo’s mouth. Giving him his tongue, letting Renzo taste him, tasting each other. Fuck. This was crazy good. Crazy hot. The orgasm opened something in his chest and he just felt like burying his face in Renzo’s neck and weeping. He broke the kiss, brushing his lips over Renzo’s jaw before putting his face in the crook of Renzo’s neck and just breathing him in.

He smelled so good. Always so inviting, but right now he also smelled like Low. Like their sex. It was the best scent. Low’s new favorite.

They held each other until the cum on Low’s stomach cooled then Renzo rolled off and helped Low off the bed. Side by side they cleaned up in the bathroom, a space almost as big as Low’s goddamn living room with an all-white everything theme. White tiles, white walls, white décor, white furnishings.

Damn.

But the claw foot bath tub, though. That shit was goals. It was off in a separate section by itself, also white, probably big enough to fit at least six grown men comfortably. Low eyed it with envy as he washed up in a shower with no fucking door. At least it had like a half dozen shower heads, water coming at him from a million different directions.

He tried not to gape, but he could get used to this. If he didn’t already want Renzo, he would now, on the strength of the bathroom alone.

Back in the bedroom, he put back on his jeans and Renzo redressed in his sweats.

“Do you have someplace to be this morning?” Renzo cupped Low’s face, thumb stroking his jaw.

Low shook his head. “No. Why?”

The cautious pensive look was back in Renzo’s eyes. “We should talk. About last night.”

“Okay.” Apprehension snaked a shivery trail down Low’s spine. “Let’s do that.” He motioned behind him to the bed. “You wanna lie back down?” Renzo nodded, so they did. Renzo settled his back, Low curled into his side.

The three windows in the bedroom were open, the blinds pulled back to let the early morning sunshine in. Low hugged Renzo close, stroking his chest.

Listening to his heart beat.