Page 38 of Ravaged Devotion

Starting with why the hell he’d ever thought sneaking into the other man’s room and coming all over him was punishment enough. Who suffered the most in those instances, really? It wasn’t Rue.

It was Ryker.

Jerking off over his stepbrother like some freak.

Ellery was right.

Ryker had lost the plot these past three years. Had become cowardly, backing down and allowing his father to bind their two families, despite knowing what Rue meant to him.

What he’d always mean to him.

Yes, the guy had fucked his twin, but they’d work on that. Work past it.

They had to.

Had to, because Ryker couldn’t live like this. Couldn’t handle this separation a moment longer.

Rue thought he could run? He could leave?

No.

No, he didn’t get to do that.

People didn’t just get to abandon him. Not anymore. Not ever again.

Ryker would show him. Would burrow so deep inside of him, Rue couldn’t disentangle them if he tried. Would carve a path straight to the man’s heart, pour himself in, and live there.

It was time to get them back on track.

Once his fingers were nice and wet, he pulled them out, reaching between them, finding that spot between Rue’s firm ass cheeks. He hissed as he pressed two inside at once and the man jerked beneath him in response, a moan slipping past Rue’s parted pink lips.

Even asleep he was so responsive. He’d been like that the first time. The only time. So cute and pliant for Ryker. Opening up for him like a flower, like one of the roses they’d been surrounded by, blooming just for him.

“Not so delicate now,” he breathed as he finger fucked him hard and deep. The goal wasn’t to cause injury, just ensure Rue would feel it in the morning. “You won’t break, no matter how many times you take my cock. Remember how you gave yourself to me?”

Before.

Before, their first and only time together—where they were both conscious—Rue had held Ryker’s face gently between his hands and sworn himself to Ryker. He’d become his that night, even if he wanted to pretend it never happened.

Even if he’d run when Ryker had needed him the most.

All of Ryker’s messages had gone unanswered.

“Were you really that hurt that my brother didn’t want you?” he asked, anger spiking through the drunken haze that had been guiding Ryker up to this point. He shook his head, tried to clear it to no avail. “You left me because of him, isn’t that right? You both left me. Selfish bastards.”

If Rue had merely stood before him and explained, even partially, Ryker would have eaten up the apology, pulled him in close, and reassured him that he was still his.

But Rue hadn’t done that.

Rue had run.

Had left him on read.

Ghosted him.

Like their time together had meant nothing.

Like Ryker meant nothing.