Neither of them said a word, just pushed, shoved and bit at each other until they were naked. Somehow or other they ended up on the floor rolling around and wrestling to be on top. Even as small as Payton was, it was no easy task. He gave Simon hell. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this savage, almost-blinding passion for anyone else. All he knew was his need for this man. It was rough and lacking finesse, but was one of the most exhilarating things Simon had done in awhile.
Eventually, he relented and let Payton be on top. As fun as the tussle was, he was tired of the wait. He tugged on Payton’s hair again, making him arch his neck, then captured that long pale throat with his teeth. Payton keened and thrust his hard, hot prick against Simon’s.
Simon shoved back until they were both rubbing against each other in a race for completion. The sweat of their bodies and the precome slicked their way. “Oh fuck, Pay.”
Jerking his head free, Payton peered down at Simon with burning yellow eyes and a smear of blood on his chin. Whether the blood was Payton’s or Simon’s, Simon didn’t know but it was sexy as hell. He grabbed two handfuls of Payton’s delicious arse and moved them together faster.
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Payton’s eyes went wide and his movements grew erratic. Staring into Simon’s eyes, he shuddered and stilled. Heat poured over Simon’s stomach as a ragged cry tore from Payton’s lips and his pale muscles tensed. It was incredibly sexy. Payton shouldn’t look so lovely with his face strained, but he did.
Mine.
Balls drawing tight and a flutter in his stomach, Simon stared, absolutely awed by the vision above him. He thrust up against Payton once more, then his own orgasm poured from him. It was amazing and scary at the same time—he felt like he was going to fly apart. Adrenaline surged through him along with his orgasm, seeming to draw it out.
When the last of the tension left him, he marveled at Payton. After all they’d done together, Simon shouldn’t be surprised his consort was capable of such unrestrained passion, but he was. Pleasantly so. He cupped Pay’s cheek, his eyes fluttered, lethargy pulling at him along with contentment. He had everything he needed right here. Together there was nothing they couldn’t do.
Grunting, Payton swooped to capture Simon’s lips. The kiss was still savage and more teeth than lips, but it was also full of feeling. Payton may be upset, but he loved Simon, he couldn’t hide that, not from Simon.
Simon rested his hand on the back of Payton’s neck, gentling the kiss. Sighing, Simon closed his eyes, relaxed and feeling at peace. Payton was here, in his arms where he belonged, safe.
He must have slept, because the next thing Simon knew he was lying in the middle of the gym with a blanket over him instead of Payton. It was a sorry substitute and Simon mourned the loss. “Pay?”
Feeling like someone had beat him with a stick, he sat up and stretched. His muscles ached, his lip hurt and he had semen flaking off his stomach, but he smiled anyway. That had been amazing and just what he’d needed. Hopefully it had been what Payton needed too. Squinting, Simon glanced around. Where was Payton? He’d obviously covered Simon up, but he and his clothes were nowhere to be seen and they still needed to talk.
Simon stood, bringing the blanket with him to wrap around his waist. The palace seemed awfully quiet. Of course, it always did because it was way too big, but something 258
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was…off. The hair stood up on the back of his neck and his stomach flip-flopped. Trying to push the feeling aside, he made his way down the hall toward the stairs. His and Payton’s room was on the floor below this one. Well at least until the master suites were ready.
When he reached their open bedroom door there was no sign of Payton anywhere.
“Pay?”
Simon stepped on the end of his blanket on his way into the room and had to tug it back up. Payton better not be on the balcony in the cold. It was too dangerous. He hitched up his slipping blanket again and went to the French doors. Pushing the curtains open, Simon realized not only was Payton not out there, but it was dark. How long had he slept? “Dunston, where’s Payton.”
“He’s not here, Colonel.”
What does he mean Pay isn’t here?
Wherever he was he damned well better have taken a guard with him. Simon frowned. “Where is he, Dunston? And did he take guards with him? When will he be back?”
“He didn’t say where he was going, but I got the distinct impression he wasn’t coming back. I’m not sure if he took guards with him. He did leave you a message on the nightstand and he uploaded several files for you that he retrieved from Lord Markham’s computer.”
Shock set in first. Payton hacked into Markham’s computer? Then a wave of sorrow hit him and he flopped onto the bed, staring at the note. Payton was gone. Simon’s stomach fell to his feet and bile rose up his throat. He’d known something was bothering Payton, but he’d never thought…
The slip of paper blurred before his eyes, and a pain lodged in his chest. For the first time in years, a tear streaked down his face. Helplessness overwhelmed him as he stared at the note. He didn’t want to read it. If he didn’t read it then it wasn’t real, only that wasn’t how Simon handled things. He dealt with problems as they arose. He was good at taking charge and solving problems, that was what the Marines had trained him for. How could he have been so wrong? Funny he could handle his parents’ deaths and the sudden www.samhainpublishing.com 259
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burden of power thrust on him, even the realization that the IN wanted a weapon of mass destruction that Englor had, but Payton leaving… He couldn’t handle that.
~ * ~
“What? What do you mean I’m under arrest? For what?” Markham spat out, struggling against the Marine Police holding his arms. A lock of dark hair fell over his forehead, covering one glaring eye, making him look like a deranged madman.
Simon felt hollow inside as he watched. He should hate this man, but he felt nothing but impatience. He’d wasted two days having guards watch Markham. Two days and Caldwell hadn’t shown up. Simon wasn’t willing to wait any longer. “For treason. You’re being charged with the murder of the King and Queen of Englor as well as the murder of the former Earl of Markham.”
Markham laughed, still tugging his arms, trying to get free. “You have no proof.”
“I have all the proof I need, Vretial.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Markham went suddenly still, allowing the Marines to turn him toward the townhouse and press him against the wall. Simon had to give him credit. He never batted an eye or gave any indication that he knew the name.
Motioning to two other guards to advance on the steps, Simon glanced to make sure the guards armed with fragger rifles were out of reach of Markham. Cornered Markham may be, but he was an IN spy and dangerous, which was why Simon had brought ten marines, arming four with fraggers.
“I’ll be out in a matter of hours.” Markham’s face was mashed against the brick wall as the policeman cuffed one hand.
A crowd was beginning to gather and Simon sure hoped the people stayed back. He didn’t want anyone else hurt. He didn’t trust Markham. No one made it to the esteemed position of IN intelligence without having a few tricks up his sleeve. Simon half expected the missing Caldwell to intervene. Simon wasn’t going to feel safe until Markham was locked up.
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“Will you leave now? You look like hell.” Roc came up beside him, dressed in uniform. “Not only do you look like you haven’t slept in two days, it’s dangerous for you to be out in the open like this.”
He hadn’t slept, not since Payton left, but that was beside the point. He’d see this through. “I am a Colonel in the—”
“You are also the King of Englor.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Simon saw a flash of blue as one of the marines went down. Markham swept the other marine’s feet and vaulted over the front porch railing.
“Shoot!” Simon rushed forward just as the shots were fired. His heart pounded. The sound of the crowd screaming and Roc yelling seemed far away.
Markham went down with a sickly thud against the pavement and an armed Marine police officer beat Simon to him. The soldier landed on Markham, wrenched his hands together behind his back and cuffed him.
Roc came up beside Simon. “Get out of here.”
“Not until he’s cuffed, shackled and the armed outriders are in place to escort him to the tower.” Simon looked down at Markham, who was coming to from the stun setting on the fragger. It should feel good to have this man in custody finally, but somehow without Payton here, the victory fell flat.
The marines wrenched the spy to his feet, and he let out a strangled cry. As he passed Simon and Roc with guards surrounding him, he snarled. “You’ll never get away with this. I’m going to make your life a living hell.”
It already is with Payton gone.
Markham and the IN could do their best, but they couldn’t hurt him more than that. For a split second, Simon let that sink in and considered leaving Payton on Regelence, thinking maybe he’d be safer, but that was ridiculous. It didn’t matter where Payton was, he’d always be in danger.
Simon watched the marines load Markham into the armed lift and motioned to his bodyguards. Before he got in his own lift he looked back at Roc. “Turn him over to General Davidson. He and his men will get him to talk.”
Roc nodded. “Are you going back to the palace?”
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Simon climbed into his lift without looking back. “I’m going to get my consort.”
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“Your Majesty, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to the parlor. Lord Plagu—uh, Payton, Lord Payton is in a meeting with King Steven and King-Consort Raleigh at the moment, but Jeffers will inform them of your arrival as soon as they’re done.” Thomas—
at least that’s what Simon thought the man had said—handed Simon’s hat, gloves and coat over to a small man who stood silently behind him. “Rickles here will take your guards downstairs to get something to eat.”
Lord Plague
. A grin tugged at Simon’s lips despite himself. The nickname was said in such a fond manner. Which wasn’t at all surprising. Anyone who knew Payton… The truth in the name seemed to hit a little too close to home though. Galaxy knew Simon had been plagued since he left.
“That’s fine.” Simon nodded to the two armed guards, giving his permission. He wasn’t likely to encounter any assassination attempts here from anyone other than Payton. Simon winced as he watched the guards leave with Rickles, then turned his attention back to the under butler. “Thank you, Thomas.”
Finally.
After a hellish nine days, he was going to see Pay. On the way to Regelence he’d gotten the call from Roc saying Markham was safely locked away but there was still no sign of Caldwell. It only increased Simon’s need to get to Payton. Caldwell wasn’t likely to turn up on Regelence, but with Markham in custody, the IN was liable to start suspecting something. For some reason Simon had convinced himself that if he were with Payton, Payton would be protected better, even though he knew that wasn’t true. The cold reality of the situation was that maybe Payton didn’t need him.
The ever-present butterflies he’d had since Payton left intensified along with his doubts and worries. He’d never been a man to doubt himself, but then maybe he’d never had anything as important at stake. It was an odd feeling. One he didn’t particularly like, www.samhainpublishing.com 263
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but…
What if Pay refuses to come home?
No, he wasn’t going to think like that. Simon was going to do whatever it took to get Payton to come back to him. He’d grovel, beg, plead…anything. And if that didn’t work, he’d resort to kidnapping. It would probably negate an alliance with Regelence, but as long as he had Pay he didn’t care.
As Simon glanced around he found himself impressed and missing Payton even more. This place was Payton. It was beautiful. Massive, powerful and masculine with its stone walls and dark colors. If not for the modern conveniences, Simon would have sworn it was built a millennia ago. The place obviously honed Payton’s own likes and dislikes, because Hollister Palace, under Payton’s direction, was beginning to resemble it.
With any luck, by the time they got home, the palace would be finished.
As they passed a narrow corridor into a larger area, Simon’s heart dropped to his feet and back up again.
Pay.
There at the foot of a massive staircase, looking up, stood Payton with his back to Simon.
Simon’s breath caught. Damn, Payton was a sight for sore eyes. He wore a light gray morning coat, charcoal trousers and black riding boots. His shoulders looked wider. Had he been working out? It actually hurt a little to think of Pay working out without him, but it was a miniscule feeling compared to the relief of seeing Payton again.
Without thought, Simon found himself drawn forward. He reached out, but right before he touched Pay, he froze. What if Payton didn’t want to see him? What if he—?
Simon wrapped his arms around Payton, buried his face in Pay’s neck and inhaled.
Payton stiffened.
Simon did too, fearing rejection. His heart pounded so hard it hurt, his vision clouded over. What would Payton do?
Inch by inch, Payton’s tension bled away and took Simon’s doubts with it. As Pay leaned back into Simon’s embrace, the stranglehold on his chest released, allowing him to breathe again.
He smells different.
Simon wrinkled his nose. No he didn’t, it had just been so long.
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was near. Simon brushed a kiss over his neck. “I missed you,” he whispered into Payton’s ear.
“You just saw me five min—”