Mateo finds his voice and grabs my arm, staring at me, eyes searching. “You want to mark me?” he whispers, voice trembling. We had already spoken of it before, so why is he shocked about it? I told Kat I would mark him after her. I said it in front of him, for God’s sake.
“Yes, Mateo. You’re my mate, too,” I assure him with a growl.
“But you’re straight,” he objects.
I roll my eyes. After what we’d already done together, marking him is what tripped him up? “Yes, Mateo, I am straight, but you are mine. I am not exactly going to start checking out other men or anything, they do nothing for me. Only you do.”
“But do you want me, or are you doing it for Kat?” He argues, waving a hand toward her. He genuinely thinks I am doing this just for her.
“No, I am doing it because I want to, Mateo. I may not be gay or bi, but I still want you and Kat.” The thought of being with other men disgusts me, yet he is different. I don’t know what that makes me.
“Confused,” Maddox suggests, the thought of being with a man repulses him too, but even he feels the attraction to Mateo now that we recognize the bond.
“Why are you questioning this? I just kissed you. I wouldn’t have kissed you if I didn’t want you,” I point out.
He turns to Kat, looking for confirmation like he thinks I am about to burst out laughing and tell him it is a joke. I step closer, and Mateo leans away from me, hands gripping the sheets.
I snarl at him before straddling his lap and jerking him closer by gripping his neck. “But just so we are clear, nothing is going near my ass. It’s off-limits,” I warn, and he gives me a weak chuckle.
I press closer, my erection rubbing against his abs. “Is that enough proof I want you?” I growl next to his ear. Mateo shudders, and I run my tongue over Kat’s mark on his neck. I smile before I sink my teeth into him, and even though I bite down until I hit the bone, he groans lewdly and grips my thigh, making my cock twitch. His blood runs into my mouth, and I savor the taste. He tastes like Kat, just as enticing as her, when I feel his emotions rush into me, nearly taking my breath away.
A weight lifts off him, and I understand how heavy a secret it had been for him to carry. How much it killed him to love me from afar, and the guilt smashes me. He is always so energetic and full-on that I never realized he was hiding behind a mask. I have always known he was bisexual, but living through every feeling I have made him feel over the years was a lot to carry. I deprived him of his happiness, all because I couldn’t accept him as my mate. But, on the other hand, I get to experience how much he loves Kat with every fibre of himself, how she awoke the hope of being happy in him.
I pull my teeth from him, running my tongue over his mark before gently kissing it. I try to swallow back his emotions rushing through me. “I’m sorry,” I whisper thickly to him, and I truly am.
For years, I only saw him as my best friend, yet staying stuck by my side, loving me secretly, has been destroying him. He doesn’t feel worthy of me, but now I don’t feel worthy of him, after understanding the damage I’d done. Every day to him was like being rejected, making me wonder how he endured it.
I inhale his scent, mine mingling with his, it feels right, like I belong with him, just like I do with Kat. I just regret not realizing it sooner, and by how quiet Maddox has fallen, he does too.
Mateo drops his head against my shoulder and lets out a shaky breath. My fingers tangle in his hair, and I tilt his head back, forcing him to look at me. His eyes are glassy, and he tries to turn his face away, averting his gaze to Kat.
Gripping his chin, I force his gaze back to mine. My lips crash against his, tongue forcing its way through his lips as I kiss him deeply. My tongue sweeps through and dominates, trying to show him just how much I want him, accept him, and love him; all the things I can’t put into words. Pulling away, I tug on his bottom lip with a soft nip before letting go.”Your turn,” I offer, baring my neck to him.
Mateo continues to tremble but slowly leans forward, sweeping his nose down the slope of my neck. In doing so, his shaking stops as if he is gaining confidence from being so close. He sniffs where Kat’s mark is and a deep purr escapes from him before he kisses the spot, it is my turn to shiver under its effects. His canines press against my skin, and his teeth sink into me, sliding through flesh and muscle until they hit bone. His tongue laps at the newly formed mark, and I shiver, pressing closer to him as he seals it.
Relief floods through both of my mates at the same moment. I suppose, despite all of my assurances, they were both worried Maddox would flip out on them.
Mateo gently kisses the mark before pulling away and taking another shaky breath. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” he whispers, as if confessing. A tear trails down his cheek.
He’s so vulnerable, all I want to do is hug him and tell him that everything is going to be okay. I brush the tear away with the pad of my thumb. “I know.” I put a palm to his cheek and pull him toward me, my lips softly kissing him this time. My tongue skates across his lips, and he moans beneath me, kissing me back harder.
The bond is filled with sparks from both of my mates as our excitement feeds into each other, and Kat’s sweet scent of arousal perfumes the room. I will get to her later, right now, my other mate needs me. I nip gently at his questing tongue, and he flashes me such a hurt look, I laugh against his lips.
“Ezra,” he whines.
“Relax,” I scold. “We’re making up for missed time. I promise, Kat isn’t going anywhere.” As if to emphasize my point, she came up behind Mateo, gently kissing his back and rubbing his shoulders. “See? Let us spoil you for once.”