He could hardly remember what his life was like before Kenneth Tanaka. Hardly believed he’d ever tried to resist him. His heart started beating the day he’d woken up in Ken’s bed with a hangover from hell and no memory of the night before. He’d teased Owen for his codependence on Jeremy, but if someone told him he couldn’t be with Ken? If someone tried to keep him away, even if Ken was that someone? Well, he already knew from experience he wouldn’t be worth a damn without him.
Ken was groaning into his mouth, arching his hips in a not-so-subtle plea. Brady reached for the lube by the bedside and coated his erection, rubbing the excess between the cheeks of Ken’s tight, tawny ass and slipping two fingers inside.
“What is it you want?” He wrapped long thick hair around his fist, tugging. “This?” The head of his cock pushed inside those tight clenching muscles and he made a raw sound of need. “What about this?”
Ken moaned. “Yes. All of it.”
That primal feeling that overtook him every time they were together was back, filling Brady with the need to possess. “All of it,” he snarled as he felt his lover’s muscles tighten around his shaft when he was all the way in. “This is what I spent the night imagining. Waiting to come home to.”
Ken’s laugh was ragged and broken. “Did the firemen get you hot, baby?”
“You get me hot and you know it,” Brady muttered, his jaw pulsing with restraint, his body focused on drawing this out. “Your mouth full of cock cake drove me insane. It reminded me of the last wedding we went to. Remember? You were on your knees, taking every inch of me down your throat.”
“Oh God,” Ken moaned when Brady’s hands tightened in his hair. “It was just cake. I’d rather have you. Harder, Brady. Please.”
Yes.
Brady heard the guttural sounds escaping his throat as he gave Ken exactly what he asked for. What they both needed every time they came together. More. They were perfectly matched in this, the way they were in everything. Better together. Stronger together.
More together.
He lost track of time, of everything but this—watching his cock disappear inside Ken’s tight ass and feeling that bruising grip around his shaft. Listening to Ken’s needy cries, the sensual sounds he never held back. They got Brady hot enough to combust. His skin was slick with sweat and his muscles ached with the effort to stay in control. He didn’t want it to end. Not yet.
Ken took one hand off the bed and reached for his erection, but Brady was ready for that, forcing it back to the bed. “We both know you don’t need help,” he murmured hotly in Ken’s ear. “Not when I’m fucking you.”
“You’re not fucking me. You’re teasing me and I need to come, damn it.” The plaintive admission tore at his control. Decimated it completely.
Jesus. Brady let go and the bed groaned with the force and speed of his next thrusts. Ken arched his back and let out a choked, “Yes” before pressing his head down onto the mattress and clawing at the sheets beneath him.
“Is this what you wanted?” His voice was thick with lust, all thoughts of control long gone. “Were you thinking about this when you knew I was in a room full of naked men without you?”
“Yes.” Ken’s throat was raw. “God yes.”
“Did you imagine me bending you over a table and showing them how it’s done? How much you can take? I know what an exhibitionist you are.”
“Yes.”
Brady reveled in the feel of their bodies coming together, hard and fast, but he wanted more. He pulled out, making them both groan out loud, then turned Ken onto his back and lifted his legs until his knees were pressed into his shoulders. One forceful thrust had him deep inside again and he stayed like that for a few gasping moments, trying to see Ken through the haze of need blinding him.
“Rope Master Tanaka thinks a few college boys who pump iron on the weekends can hold a candle to him? I don’t believe it.” He pulled back and thrust deep again, making them both shudder. “That’s not my super hacker.” Thrust. “That’s not my—Fuck.”
Ken squeezed his internal muscles and lifted his hips for the next thrust, making the fit so tight and deep there were dark spots behind Brady’s eyes. “Stop talking, Brady.”
“Yes, Master.” Brady saw Ken’s blown out pupils and knew he was close. He picked up the rhythm that would push them both over, holding him down with the weight of his big body so he couldn’t do anything but take it.
“Brady…God, baby. Yes!” Ken’s orgasm hit them like a wave breaking hard on the rocks. He was shaking, his come pumping out onto his smooth chest.
“Ken.” Brady jerked and shivered hard as his orgasm seized him and wouldn’t let go. Love you, he thought, filling Ken with his release. Love you…
***
It was late afternoon when Brady padded out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, searching for Ken and—when his stomach grumbled loudly—something to eat. They’d spent most of the morning wearing each other out, Ken more insatiable than usual. Brady passed out around noon and when he opened his eyes again, he knew he was alone in the bed.
He poured a cup of eggnog and grabbed a handful of mixed nuts from the bowl on the counter, looking around the living room. They’d decorated a few weeks ago, after Brady told Ken about holidays with Sol. Elder wasn’t that big on…well anything really, but he seemed to have an extra dose of hate for this holiday season. Brady used to think it was because he’d been a cop for so many years. Christmas wasn’t all carols and tidings of joy. There was generally an uptick in crime as well. Whatever the case he and his brothers rarely had a reason to look forward to December.
Ken hadn’t celebrated the holidays since he’d lived with Patricia and her sons, so they decided to go all out. Now the classy loft looked like the damn North Pole and smelled like a pine tree…and Brady loved it. He also loved that Ken had done this for him. The memory of them standing naked in the living room stringing lights and trying to come up with new lyrics to their favorite childhood carols would stay with him forever.
Ken’s phone and keys were on the coffee table and his shoes were by the door, which meant he was still in the building, just not the loft. What was he up to?
Not bothering to dress, Brady opened the front door and stepped across the hall to the newly renovated office. A few months ago Ken had trashed the large room filled with computers and hardware he’d used to create and improve anti-hacking software for the government. As a freelancer, of course. Ken liked being his own boss. And he wasn’t a stickler for rules or Keep Out signs.
Clad in a pair of boxer briefs, Ken was typing furiously on his keyboard, his hair tied back in a sloppy bun and his focus absolute. Or so Brady thought. “You’re finally awake. I thought I broke you.”
He walked in and grabbed a chair, setting it beside Ken’s. “I’m a fast healer. What’s up? Already starting the Finn Project?”
Ken’s lips twitched. “That’s happening in another window and already looks promising. I’m multi-tasking. This,” He nodded at the screen as a numeric message popped up. “This is your Christmas present. One of them.”
Now he was intrigued. “Feel like giving it to me early?”
“Hang on. I just have to… There.” He spun his chair toward Brady and took the cup, setting it on the desk beside his monitor and holding on to both his hands. “I think we did it. With a little help from Trick.”
Brady tensed, completely alert now. He knew what Ken was talking about. “Which one?”
“Your favorite. He’s alive, in custody and singing like a bird as we speak. They aren’t taking any chances this time. He says he can connect the others to everything. Terry’s disappearance. Cal’s death. Vargas. I’m verifying some of his information for the authorities now. Including an offshore account used specifically for their more nefarious purchases.”
They had Pony Boy. That was the name Brady had given to the youngest member of the Slaver’s Club—a group of mega-rich untouchables that Brady and Ken had been chasing for months
now. Ever since they’d teamed up to find Terry Wahl.
“I can’t believe it.” Brady shook his head, his fingers tightening on Ken’s in reaction. “This is—”
“This is one hell of a domino, Brady.” Ken’s eyes were molten. “If he falls…”
“He will. I know he will. And by this time next year it’ll be over. It was about time for the good guys to take home a win.” Brady frowned. “He’s already in custody? When did you find out this was going down?”
“A few days ago.”
“And you didn’t tell me because…?”
Ken tugged his hands away. “It was a Christmas present. I wanted to wait, to be sure, so I could tell you it was almost over and we could move on without this obsession between us.”
Brady’s eyes narrowed. His lover had pushed him away before when it looked like there was no winning this fight. Was he worried about the backlash that might come if they didn’t do everything right? Worried about Brady’s safety again? “This is a good thing, Ken. This is fucking-a-fantastic. It means Patricia and Terry won’t have to be in hiding forever. It means we don’t have to be on high alert and hire people to watch our family day and night. We can relax and focus on better days.”
He must have said something right, because one minute he was getting knots in his stomach, and the next Ken was climbing into his lap and savaging his mouth. Brady moaned and wrapped his arms around him. He wasn’t sure what he’d said, but he didn’t care anymore.
Ken pulled back, panting. “Our family doesn’t get to give you a bachelor party.”
Brady flinched. “What?”
“When I ask you to marry me,” Ken began, rocking his hips seductively against Brady. “And you say yes? Our plans won’t include separate bachelor parties and big receptions. We don’t have to be that traditional. Right?”
“Right,” Brady murmured absently, then stared at Ken, startled. “When you ask me to marry you?”
“And you say yes.”
His throat felt tight. “So, this is a plan you have? You’ve thought about it a lot?”
“To be honest, the ban on strippers just happened last night.” Ken shook his head. “I know, it’s unexpected. I’m in clubs where people walk around naked most of the time when I do demos. Naked is my favorite clothing trend next to rope. But,” He shrugged. “Those fireman bugged me. I wanted to drive down there, tie you up and drag you home.”
When I ask you to marry me. “Interesting.”
“Isn’t it?”
Brady scowled. Was he trying to be cute? “Did you have a timeline in mind for this proposal?”
Ken licked his lower lip, distracting him. “Well, it won’t be Christmas. Your cousin made sure of that.”
Fucking Owen. Brady lifted Ken enough to pull off his towel before pressing him down against his uncovered erection. “Makes sense. So, New Year’s then?”
Ken hummed thoughtfully, rubbing and rocking until Brady swore under his breath. “Ken?”
“I’m thinking. We’re still tying up a few loose ends on our last project, and we do have those single Finns to take care of.”
Was he serious? “So your plan is to wait until every problem is solved and every single Finn hooks up before popping the question? Even Younger and James?”
“And Seamus. It would be good incentive. And you’d have plenty of time to work on that positive response I’m expecting.” Ken lowered his head to Brady’s neck, scraping his teeth along the tense tendons. Was he smiling?
“Is this your sadistic side popping out? Another way to tie me up in knots?”
“Definitely.”
He wasn’t denying it. Brady picked him up, getting to his feet with ease. “Are you done here?”
“It’s going to take a half an hour for the—”
“So yes.”
Brady didn’t let Ken catch his eye as he carried him back to the loft and into the brightly decorated living room. He knew he was surprised when Brady dropped him on the couch and stepped away. Knew he’d been expecting him to head straight for the bedroom for round four.
But there were other things on his mind.
When I ask you to marry me…
Naked and still fully aroused, he walked over to the Christmas tree and bent down to find the package he’d wrapped last week. The one he’d hidden underneath all the rectangular clothing boxes that Ken had teased were, “Just black t-shirts, because that’s all you wear.”
So many thoughts were swirling in his head when he picked it up. How he’d almost lost it when Ken pushed him away for his own good. How wrong he’d been about the kind of person the wealthy and unapologetically kinky Master Tanaka was, and what he wanted from a man. About how many times he’d been thankful that he was only the best man, because Finn weddings were insane.
“Not that I don’t like the view, Marine, but you’re not supposed to be shaking the presents. That’s our rule.” Ken sounded hesitant. Curious.
Brady stood and moved to the couch, pulling Ken easily onto his large lap as soon as he sat down and handing him the small box. “Here.”
“But Brady—”
“You gave me an early Christmas present,” he insisted, noticing how dry his mouth was and how loudly his heart was thrumming in his ears. “It’s only fair.”
He watched Ken in silence as he carefully undid the wrapping paper. When he opened the box, they both stared at the contents in silence. It was a ring. A wide titanium band delicately engraved with an image of a koi fish swimming around a dragon. Brady had taken a picture of Ken’s back tattoo a few months ago for the jeweler. It seemed like a great idea at the time. The perfect gift for the man who had everything. A symbol to show him how serious Brady was about their relationship, in a way Ken couldn’t help but understand.
When he’d picked it up he’d had second thoughts because, well, it looked like a wedding ring, and he wasn’t sure Ken would go for that yet. It wasn’t something Brady let himself hope for back when he was serving in the military. In his heart, he’d never believed someone would want him enough to make that kind of commitment. He’d gone back and forth about it until he’d finally wrapped it and put it under the tree so he wouldn’t be tempted to take the damn thing back to the store.
Ken wasn’t moving. Wasn’t looking away from the ring or making a sound. It made Brady nervous. “It’s—do you see the design? You told me that to you it meant becoming more than you were yesterday. Moving forward.”
Ken reached for the ring and placed it on the tip of his forefinger, turning it so it glinted in the light. Brady couldn’t stand the silence. “That’s how I feel. With you, I’m more than I was. The nightmares are rare now. I’m not living in limbo or beating myself up about the past. I have my moments and I know I’m not perfect, but I’m happy. I wake up and you’re there and…”
Silence. Shit had he gone too far? “I know it’s early days and I wasn’t sure—it doesn’t have to mean—”
Ken gripped his face and kissed him. It was a soft kiss. Tender. It made Brady breathless. “So that’s a yes?” he demanded, pinning Brady with his bright golden gaze.
“I thought you wanted to wait.”
Ken made a sound of impatience. “Will you marry me, Brady Finn? I need to hear you say the word.”
“Yes.” Brady’s smile was impossible to conceal. He liked the ring. “After we tie up our loose ends and single Finns.”
Ken maneuvered him onto his back on the couch and straddled Brady’s calves. “I wasn’t married to that timeline.”
Married. Jesus. Brady bit his lip when Ken lowered his head and planted an open-mouthed kiss on his cock. “It’ll be an incentive. Your words.”
“You think I need it?” Before he could answer Ken was taking all of him down his throat and moaning against his sensitive flesh.
“Fuck.” Brady gripped the back of Ken’s head and pumped his hips up off the couch. “God, that’s the sexiest damn…” His words trailed off as he raised his head to watch. If he was
trying to suck him into submission it was working.
What Tanaka did with his mouth and the muscles in his throat was unfair. It made Brady want to beg. He’d do anything. Anything Ken wanted as long as he didn’t stop. When he paused to lick Brady’s shaft lightly he dug his fingers into Ken’s scalp and threw one calf over his shoulder, trapping him. “Don’t tease,” he rasped. “I need you.”
Ken instantly relaxed his throat and let Brady take the lead, groaning in pleasure as if he couldn’t get enough. The son of a bitch wants to marry me, Brady couldn’t help the amazement he felt at that thought.
When wet fingers slid inside Brady’s ass, stretching him and pushing against his prostate he let out a strangled cry. “Don’t stop.” Don’t ever stop.
One more thrust and he was shouting Ken’s name and shuddering with the power of his release. He felt soft lips kiss his damp tip, his stomach and then his chest, and he loosened his hold on Ken’s head long enough to wrap him in his arms as he draped himself across Brady’s quaking body.
After his heart rate returned to normal and he could breathe again, Ken wriggled in his arms and he smiled. “I’m glad you liked that present, because the only other thing I got you was rope.”
Ken laughed softly. “I have a lot of rope, Brady.”
“And I have a lot of black shirts. We’ll be more creative next year.”
Ken lifted his head, his expression difficult to read. “Every year from now on. I’m part of your family now.”
“Yes.”
“You agreed to marry me.”
Brady smiled. “Yes.”
“With you, I’m more than I was.”
God, this man had his heart. He nodded, for a minute too choked up to speak.
“But I can’t come with you to Owen’s tonight.”
Brady frowned at the sudden change in topic. “Why the hell not?”
“I’m Team Jeremy.” Ken shrugged helplessly. “It’s not a very big team. He’s an adopted Finn with no extended family of his own, so we have that in common. Plus he asked if I’d protect him from Little Finn and Tasha. Apparently they know exactly how to manipulate him and he’s too distracted to resist.”
Finn Again (The Finn Factor Book 5) Page 5