“Not yet, but it hasn’t been long. Give him time.”
“I don’t have time!” Jude yelled.
“Whoa.” Snow held up his hands. “Of course you do. What the hell, Jude?”
Jude turned and slammed his fist into the wall. “Jordan’s just lying there and he can’t tell me anything and I wish I knew who shot that video.”
“Hey, hey,” Snow whispered, moving toward Jude. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. Let me see your hand.”
“No. It’s fine.”
“Let me see your goddamn hand. Shit, that stucco is tough.” Snow grabbed his wrist and winced at the scrapes on his knuckles. “You could have broken your fingers.”
“I didn’t hit it hard enough.” He yanked his hand away. “It’s fine. I don’t need to be coddled.”
“Then what do you need?”
“Fucking answers!”
“Well, you’re not going to get them tonight! So let’s go to bed and try to sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep.”
Snow blinked at his boyfriend, feeling at a complete loss as to how to help him in this volatile mood. This was such a role reversal, he wanted to smile, but he was too worried about his man. “If you don’t want to sleep, then I’ll make you something to eat.”
“I don’t want anything to eat either.”
Snow threw up his hands. “Then what do you want?”
“Fuck, General! Will you stop? I don’t need you taking care of me. I’m a grown man. Stop coddling me. Stop acting like I’m about to fall apart with every damn breath I take. I don’t need to be wrapped in fucking cotton and protected by you or anyone else!”
“Then what the fuck am I supposed to do when you’re not taking care of yourself and walking around like your world is ending!” Snow shouted back. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. The week of ceaseless worry, horrifying revelations, and never knowing if Jordan was going to have another setback had left his nerves frayed, but he should never have lashed out at Jude. His lover had it so much worse.
“There! I can see it. You feel guilty about what you said.”
“Of course I feel guilty.”
“My general wouldn’t feel guilty about losing his temper or telling me the truth.” Jude stepped close, getting right in Snow’s face. “My general would just say what he’s thinking and not treat me like I can’t handle shit. Since when have you ever censored anything when talking to me?”
“Fuck you! I’m not always a total asshole.” Snow placed his hands on Jude’s chest and gave him a shove back. This almost felt like they were about to come to blows. If that was what Jude needed to let off a little steam, that was fine, but Snow wanted to have enough room to maneuver.
“No, but you at least treat me like I’m a capable human being. Not someone who needs to be taken care of at all times.”
“Fine. Then you take care of this.” Snow grabbed the back of Jude’s neck, holding him in place as he slammed his mouth down on his. There was nothing pretty about the kiss. Lips crushed, teeth scraping, and tongues fighting for control. It was angry and hungry.
But Jude didn’t melt into him like he usually did. He pushed against Snow’s chest and Snow immediately released him. Backpedaling, Snow stopped when his spine touched the hall wall, his breathing short and fast. A wicked grin flashed across Jude’s mouth before he crashed back into Snow, his mouth covering Snow’s.
A laugh nearly bubbled up Snow’s throat. Jude hadn’t wanted to stop. He just wanted to be in control. Jude’s hand slid up his chest and snaked around his throat, sending blood surging straight to Snow’s cock. This was his Jude.
Almost as quickly, Jude was pulling away, his worried gaze going to the hand around his neck. Snow knew he was thinking of the video, wondering if what they were doing was right.
“Don’t!” Snow snapped when he started to move his hand away. Jude’s gaze instantly jumped up to his face. “Don’t compare what we do to that fucking video. You and me—what we have blows my mind. I never felt like this with anyone before you, and I’ll never be with anyone after. It’s you and me, Jude.” He grabbed Jude’s hand and brought it to his throat. “And I like it when you hold me down. When you push me into walls. I like your force and your passion. There is nothing about you I don’t love.”
Jude snarled and turned him around and pressed him into the wall. “Like this, do you?”
“You know I do. Now fuck me.”
Jude latched on to Snow’s neck and bit down. He scraped his fingers over Snow’s skin, his raw passion flaring through his touch. He kissed down Snow’s back, then shocked him when he dropped to his knees and yanked Snow’s pants down to his ankles and off. He split Snow’s ass wide with his hands. His tongue came out to flick and Snow’s asshole clenched.