Clad in a pair of boxer briefs, Ken was typing furiously on his keyboard, his hair tied back in a sloppy bun and his focus absolute. Or so Brady thought. “You’re finally awake. I thought I broke you.”
He walked in and grabbed a chair, setting it beside Ken’s. “I’m a fast healer. What’s up? Already starting the Finn Project?”
Ken’s lips twitched. “That’s happening in another window and already looks promising. I’m multi-tasking. This,” He nodded at the screen as a numeric message popped up. “This is your Christmas present. One of them.”
Now he was intrigued. “Feel like giving it to me early?”
“Hang on. I just have to… There.” He spun his chair toward Brady and took the cup, setting it on the desk beside his monitor and holding on to both his hands. “I think we did it. With a little help from Trick.”
Brady tensed, completely alert now. He knew what Ken was talking about. “Which one?”
“Your favorite. He’s alive, in custody and singing like a bird as we speak. They aren’t taking any chances this time. He says he can connect the others to everything. Terry’s disappearance. Cal’s death. Vargas. I’m verifying some of his information for the authorities now. Including an offshore account used specifically for their more nefarious purchases.”
They had Pony Boy. That was the name Brady had given to the youngest member of the Slaver’s Club—a group of mega-rich untouchables that Brady and Ken had been chasing for months now. Ever since they’d teamed up to find Terry Wahl.
“I can’t believe it.” Brady shook his head, his fingers tightening on Ken’s in reaction. “This is—”
“This is one hell of a domino, Brady.” Ken’s eyes were molten. “If he falls…”
“He will. I know he will. And by this time next year it’ll be over. It was about time for the good guys to take home a win.” Brady frowned. “He’s already in custody? When did you find out this was going down?”
“A few days ago.”
“And you didn’t tell me because…?”
Ken tugged his hands away. “It was a Christmas present. I wanted to wait, to be sure, so I could tell you it was almost over and we could move on without this obsession between us.”
Brady’s eyes narrowed. His lover had pushed him away before when it looked like there was no winning this fight. Was he worried about the backlash that might come if they didn’t do everything right? Worried about Brady’s safety again? “This is a good thing, Ken. This is fucking-a-fantastic. It means Patricia and Terry won’t have to be in hiding forever. It means we don’t have to be on high alert and hire people to watch our family day and night. We can relax and focus on better days.”
He must have said something right, because one minute he was getting knots in his stomach, and the next Ken was climbing into his lap and savaging his mouth. Brady moaned and wrapped his arms around him. He wasn’t sure what he’d said, but he didn’t care anymore.
Ken pulled back, panting. “Our family doesn’t get to give you a bachelor party.”
Brady flinched. “What?”
“When I ask you to marry me,” Ken began, rocking his hips seductively against Brady. “And you say yes? Our plans won’t include separate bachelor parties and big receptions. We don’t have to be that traditional. Right?”
“Right,” Brady murmured absently, then stared at Ken, startled. “When you ask me to marry you?”
“And you say yes.”
His throat felt tight. “So, this is a plan you have? You’ve thought about it a lot?”
“To be honest, the ban on strippers just happened last night.” Ken shook his head. “I know, it’s unexpected. I’m in clubs where people walk around naked most of the time when I do demos. Naked is my favorite clothing trend next to rope. But,” He shrugged. “Those fireman bugged me. I wanted to drive down there, tie you up and drag you home.”
When I ask you to marry me. “Interesting.”
“Isn’t it?”
Brady scowled. Was he trying to be cute? “Did you have a timeline in mind for this proposal?”
Ken licked his lower lip, distracting him. “Well, it won’t be Christmas. Your cousin made sure of that.”
Fucking Owen. Brady lifted Ken enough to pull off his towel before pressing him down against his uncovered erection. “Makes sense. So, New Year’s then?”
Ken hummed thoughtfully, rubbing and rocking until Brady swore under his breath. “Ken?”
“I’m thinking. We’re still tying up a few loose ends on our last project, and we do have those single Finns to take care of.”
Was he serious? “So your plan is to wait until every problem is solved and every single Finn hooks up before popping the question? Even Younger and James?”
“And Seamus. It would be good incentive. And you’d have plenty of time to work on that positive response I’m expecting.” Ken lowered his head to Brady’s neck, scraping his teeth along the tense tendons. Was he smiling?