Bennett hit the lights for the basement and ripped his shirt off over his head as he prowled toward his locker, mind consumed with thoughts of his mate getting hurt. Of him not being able to protect him. 

​

Of losing what he’d just found.

​

“Bennett…”

 

He pressed his forehead into the cool metal and didn’t respond to Kieran, jaw clenched tight. He needed to wrap his head around what was happening and accept it. He couldn’t send Kieran off without him while being upset. That would only be a distraction and could end up getting Kieran hurt. Kieran needed his support.

 

More than that, Kieran needed to know that Bennett believed in him.

 

“Are you angry or scared?” Kieran’s voice was soft and just behind him, but he didn’t touch B. That wasn’t what Bennett wanted. He didn’t want space between them—especially since space was about to be a huge problem for them.

 

“A little of both,” Bennett murmured without turning. “But mostly I’m scared. Sweetheart, if something happens…”

 

Warmth seeped into the skin of his back as Kieran stepped up behind him, his chest also bare, and he wrapped his arms around B's waist tightly. "We don't have to do this right now. Why don't we go back to your house and—"

 

Bennett shook his head and dropped his shirt on the floor, no longer caring about storing it in his locker. He turned in Kieran's arms and cupped his face, bring it up and smiling softly at Kieran's squeezed shut eyes.

 

"Do you know what I thought the first time I saw you?"

 

That got Kieran's attention. His lids popped open, brown eyes looking big and a little apprehensive. "Probably something not so nice."

 

Bennett chuckled and pressed a quick, closed-mouth kiss to Kieran's pouty lips. "No, that was when I saw your sister. It took nearly two days of your group being here before I spotted you."

 

Kieran's nose wrinkled in a grimace. Fuck, he was adorable. 

 

"You were in the kitchen thanking Beth for something. I started to walk in but stopped so I could watch you for a moment."

 

"Creeper."

 

"Beth patted you on the arm, letting you know it was no trouble and then turned away, and the look on your face… It was like you were in pain. I almost went in to find out if you were okay, then your face cleared and you lifted your chin. It was so confusing but then your sister and her Enforcer stormed in from another room."

​

Kieran swallowed and tried to drop his eyes. Bennett peppered kisses over cheeks, chin, nose—anywhere he could reach. When Kieran was giggling and squirming, he pressed one more lingering kiss to his mouth.

 

"I realized then that you were very good at hiding even in plain sight."

 

Kieran's lips twisted a little. "A byproduct of being my father's son."

 

Humming, Bennett ran his eyes over Kieran's face, smiling a little. "Sure. But my point is… I've always seen you, Kieran."

 

Kieran sucked in a breath, eyes bright with unshed tears as he stared at Bennett.

 

"So even though I'm worried, I trust you to bring yourself back to me in one piece because I see your strength and your competence and your determination."

 

"Bennett…" Kieran's voice was raspy with emotions.

 

Bennett gave him one more kiss, then dropped his hands and nodded at the mats across the floor. "Let's do this, sweetheart. Let me see how amazing you are at this too."

 

Taking in a shaky breath, Kieran stepped back and pasted a smile on his face. "Too? What else am I amazing at, mate?"

 

The flirtatious tone hardened Bennett's dick immediately. Growling, he swiped at Kieran, but he just laughed and bounded away. His tiger snarled in his chest, ready to spar but also confident he'd come out on top.

 

And, man, did he want to be on top of his mate again.

 

“Everything, sweetheart. You’re amazing at everything.”

 

He stalked forward and grinned at the prominent bulge in the front of Kieran's pants even as his mate took a fighting stance. He opened his mouth to offer a wager—something along the lines of a blowjob to the winner—but Kieran didn't give him a chance, pouncing as soon as Bennett was within striking distance.

 

A part of Bennett held back, worried about hurting his mate as he matched him blow for blow.

 

Until Kieran raked his claws across Bennett's abdomen.

 

He stumbled a few steps away, snarling and flashing his eyes as he pressed a hand to his already healing skin.

 

"Stop holding back,” Kieran said, growling and resuming his stance.

 

They both let loose as they threw themselves into the fight. More blood was drawn, though not enough to slow them down or cause permanent injury. Bennett's tiger was reveling in the experience. He never lost sight that the person he was fighting was his mate, but he also pulled out all the tricks in his holster to make sure he won.

 

They were both breathing heavily and covered in sweat—and a little blood—when Kieran performed a move that landed Bennett on his back, Kieran's warm body on top of him a moment later, grinning.

 

Bennett grinned back, then threw Kieran off like he weighed nothing. His mate tried to scramble to his feet, but Bennett was on him too quickly, pressing him face first into the mat beneath them.

 

He held his squirming mate firmly and pressed his teeth into his exposed neck. Kieran stilled his movements and huffed out a breath.

 

"Fine. You win," Kieran grumbled.

 

Bennett rubbed his aching cock into Kieran's ass and smiled at the small gasp that caused. "I think we're both winners."

 

He licked the salty skin of Kieran's neck, then jumped to his feet and started backing toward the showers.

 

"Come on, sweetheart."

 

Kieran rolled onto his back and eyed Bennett's retreating form, then pulled his knees up toward his chest and was on his feet a moment later with a perfectly performed kick up. Bennett raised his brows, impressed, as his dick throbbed. His mate was so hot.

 

Laughing, Kieran jogged over and snagged one of Bennett's hands, tugging him into motion once more. "I'm claiming a rematch right now. Next time, instead of gloating when I take you down, I now know to go for the jugular."

 

Bennett's chuckles echoed off the tiled walls. Kieran stopped to gape at the luxurious space, but Bennett didn't hesitate, leading him to the farthest showering stall. He had a feeling that since no one had come to watch them spar that Rick had sent out directions to steer clear of the gym for the evening, but he wouldn't take the chance of someone walking in and seeing him with his mate.

 

He got the water running, then stepped back and turned to a smirking Kieran. A naked, smirking Kieran.

 

Eyeing the pants crumpled on the floor, he grinned. “Eager to get cleaned up, sweetheart?”

 

Without answering, Kieran reached for the waistband of Bennett’s pants, quickly removing them and his underwear. A moment later, Bennett was stumbling back into the hot water with Kieran pressed all down his front, kissing the hell out of him. He grunted when his back hit the cool tile.

 

The stall was filled with steam by the time they broke apart for air, and Kieran was rocking his dick against B’s thigh, their height difference just enough that they couldn’t line up well while they were both standing. 

 

B licked Kieran’s mating bite and nipped the hinge of his jaw. Kieran sucked in a breath and grasped at Bennett’s back, speeding up his hips.

 

Chuckling, B squeezed Kieran’s waist and separated them a little. He kissed the protruding lower lip Kieran gave him. “That’s adorable. Grab the soap.”

 

Kieran rolled his eyes but did as B asked. Accepting the bottle, he squirted some into his palm, lathered his hands, and twirled a finger for Kieran to turn around.

 

The moan Kieran let out when Bennett laid his hands on his shoulders and dug his thumbs into the muscle made B shiver. He carefully worked Kieran’s shoulders and neck, then moved to his upper back—paying careful attention to the knots of tension he found under his shoulder blades. Kieran whimpered and groaned over and over as B made his way down his body, dropping to his knees on the hard tile to rub his sudsy hands over Kieran’s firm ass and thighs.

 

“Fuck, Bennett.” Kieran’s hoarse voice made B grin.

 

“Yeah, sweetheart?” He paid special attention to Kieran’s crease and hole but didn’t push a finger inside him, even when he felt the tight furl soften and knew it would be easy as sin to slip into his mate’s body.

 

He palmed Kieran’s plump cheeks once more, then nudged him to turn again. He re-soaped his hands and started from the bottom, repeating his massaging cleanse. When he rose to his feet and skimmed the back of his fingers along the underside of Kieran’s dick, Kieran cursed again, his hands flying up to Bennett’s shoulders to hold on.

 

Kieran’s rolling hips and soft moans were a large incentive to move faster, but B made sure he still paid as much attention to Kieran’s front as he did his back. Especially his erect nipples. 

 

“Fuck!” Kieran exclaimed when B pinched both nubs, throwing his head back and clenching his jaw. Kieran shook his head fast. “B, I’m gonna come if you don’t stop, and I haven’t even gotten to touch you yet.”

 

He sucked on one of Kieran’s earlobes, then murmured, “You can touch me right now.”

 

Kieran’s body jerked and his eyes flew open. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

 

“Well,” Bennett said, hissing when Kieran went right for his dick and squeezed it, “your brain doesn’t have first dibs on your blood supply at the moment.”

 

“Funny.” Kieran palmed the back of Bennett’s head and pulled him down for a searing kiss.

 

Bennett somehow managed to get them both under the shower stream so he could sluice his hands over Kieran’s body and wash away the soap. He groaned when Kieran started pumping his cock and ripped his mouth away.

 

“Put your arms around my shoulders, sweetheart.”

 

As soon as he complied, Bennett grabbed the back of Kieran’s thighs and lifted him off the ground. Using the shower wall and his own body, he held Kieran exactly where he wanted him. Kieran grinned down at him and wrapped his legs around Bennett’s waist. Staring into Kieran’s warm brown eyes, Bennett rolled his hips, pressing his erection more firmly against Kieran’s.

 

Kieran nodded and bit his lip. “Harder, baby.”

 

He changed his grip on Kieran, digging his fingers in a little more, and thrust his hips. They both moaned at the feeling of their cocks rubbing against each other. Bennett did one more adjustment so their dicks were firmly slotted together and then went to town.

 

Kieran’s cries filled the bathroom and revved Bennett’s engine even higher. All he could think about as he worked his legs and hips was coming on his mate and marking him before he went out into the world without B.

 

He bit at Kieran’s mating bite, knowing it would be sensitive in his heightened state, and groaned when Kieran did the same to him. It felt like a bolt of lightning from his mark to his balls. 

 

“Ah, fuck! Bennett!” Kieran was suddenly coming between them, his cock spurting ropes of come.

 

Bennett leaned down and licked up a drop that had landed next to one of Kieran’s nipples and grunted as he sped up his hips, loving the slick feeling of Kieran’s spunk. He groaned when he came and bit Kieran’s pec, causing him to dig his nails into B’s shoulders and whimper some more.

 

He held Kieran’s body against his own for a long time, breathing in their mixed scents and the smell of their releases and coming to terms with what was going to happen.

 

“Feel any better?” Kieran finally murmured, his fingers sliding over the back of B’s neck and head, his thumb pressing for a moment into the spot behind Bennett’s ear that would hurt after a particularly long day. 

 

He nodded and raised his head to meet Kieran’s gaze. “Yeah. If you can almost take me, then you can handle any of those punk-ass McAllisters.” At Kieran’s frown, he added, “No offense.”

 

“Almost take you? Oh, we’re so going again.”