Page 108 of The Other Side

Osian’s voice was entirely subdued, and Drum didn’t need to ask why. The reality of what they were doing was settling into the room like frost.

“What sort of jewellery?” Drum asked, keeping his tone intentionally light and brisk. “How much are we supposed to spend per piece? The cheap stuff is just going to turn his skin green or someone else’s. Only silver, right? Tell you what, I’ll scroll, you say stop when you see something he’d like.”

Within ten minutes, the digital basket total clicked past two hundred pounds. Drum took a quiet breath. “Now let’s see if we can get the rest of it on here too.”

Osian stared at the screen, his posture stiffening. “I don’t want to buy it.”

Drum turned in his chair to face him. “I know you don’t. I hate the thought of you giving him any of this. But this is a charm offensive, remember? Let him think you’re cooperating perfectly. Let him think he’s won. It’ll make him complacent.”

Osian gritted his teeth, a muscle jumping in his cheek, before he finally gave a curt nod.

Drum clicked back into the search bar. With a practised, clinical detachment, he began adding the remaining items to the cart: butt plugs, a set of medical sounds, two cock cages with locks, a leather ball gag, heavy-duty nipple clamps, a tentacle dildo, a high-grade vibrating dildo, a matching collar and cuff set…

The digital cart updated, ticking up the price of their survival.

“It can all be delivered tomorrow,” Drum said and clicked buy now.

Osian put the money Belem had given him on the table. Drum slipped it into a mug in the cupboard. He remembered what Osian had said about Belem needing to pay for it. Osian tucked the list into his pocket.

“I ought to leave once it’s arrived. The sooner I go, the sooner I can come back.”

“I think I’m going to buy a motorbike.”

Osian gave a choked laugh. “Where did that come from?”

“I’d been thinking about buying a bike, but why not a motorbike? We can go further afield together.”

“Can you ride a motorbike?”

“I can ride anything.”

Osian smiled. “A T-rex?

“Why not? And how do you know about dinosaurs?”

“I did a lot of reading when I was over here hoping to stumble into you.”

Drum pulled him to his feet and into his arms. Osian made a deep, closed mouth sound into Drum’s ear.

“T-rex,” Osian said.

“How do you know?”

“Educated guess. Reptiles and birds, which are the closest living relatives of the dinosaurs, don’t roar. A T-rex would probably make a low guttural thrumming sound that would travel for miles. You’d feel it rather than hear it.”

“Wow.”

“I’ve also watched all the Jurassic Park films with Will. Twice.”

Drum laughed. “Better run, little T-rex. I’m coming for you.”

Osian bolted up the stairs and Drum followed. Drum leapt on him in the bedroom and knocked Osian onto the bed. Within a moment, they were play-fighting, laughing and fooling around until their lips met and they dissolved into the kiss. And what was running through Drum’s head was that this time together had to be the best, it had to last and last, he had to sear himself into Osian’s brain so that he’d never forget him, because they couldn’t lose each other again.

They shed their shorts. Osian lay on his back looking up at him and Drum’s heart almost broke. He was all elegant lines and smooth skin, not a mark on him. The most beautiful man in any world. The most precious to Drum.

“Turn over,” Drum whispered.

Osian turned and Drum positioned himself behind, bending Osian forwards onto his arms and knees, then put his mouth between the cheeks of his arse.