“I want to know why Kisho thinks of you as his.” Jules's quiet voice settled over the group and stopped Tersch's raised fist. “Like you belong to him.” Fallon and Jules exchanged a long look. Damned telepath.
“Just say out loud whatever the hell you're thinking. Freak,” he added to annoy Fallon.
It worked. Fallon bared his teeth, long-ass incisors that should have threatened Morgan, except seeing them made him think of Kisho and Kisho's beast.
“Yep, he keeps flashing to thoughts of Kisho.” Fallon nodded to his teammates. “Tersch, you owe me.”
“Fuck, no.” Tersch glared and dived at Morgan again.
Except this time, Morgan was through playing. These men meant something to Kisho. He knew that. It was vital they accept him. Taking their crap had gotten him nowhere. He dodged Tersch's clumsy attack and spun around with a swift kick to Tersch's gut.
He didn't move the man back but a few inches, but he'd landed a blow. Tersch's gaze narrowed. “Finally. Started to think you were a real pussy. Good to know I'm not wrong.” Morgan bared his own teeth in a smile that didn't match his eyes. “I didn't know the word
'think' was in your vocabulary.”
Tersch growled. “You know, I didn't like you the minute I laid eyes on you, and I don't like you now. This if for Ava.” He lashed out so quickly, Morgan could do nothing but take the blow.
He jerked back as what felt like a cement truck lifted him off his feet. He landed on his ass, his cheek throbbing as he slowly healed. But he knew he deserved that.
“And this is for Alicia,” Tersch followed and tried to kick him in the groin.
Morgan moved to save his dick and ended up with a solid blow to his hip. “Shit. Ease off. I apologized for that.”
“But I still don't know how you did it.” Fallon leaned close and tugged Morgan's head up by his hair. “I don't trust you, Morgan. Too many secrets, and you're way too obsessed over Kisho.”
Morgan saw Jules's eyes narrow.
Fallon continued, “Olivia swears you're jonesing for him. How do we know you're not using him for some other reason?”
“What exactly does Olivia know?” Tersch asked.
Fallon let him go and straightened.
“Yeah, Fallon. What exactly does Olivia know?” Jules asked as well, a whisper of meanness lacing his words.
Fallon flinched. Good. Let them turn on each other and leave me alone. Morgan rubbed his jaw and tried not to moan. He slowly rolled to his knees.
Jules yanked him to his feet and shoved him at Tersch, who locked an arm around his neck and refused to let him go.
“Fallon,” Jules warned and bared his teeth. He walked right up into Fallon's space, a clear show of dominance that seemed to daunt the easygoing Circ.
“Shit. Okay, okay. Easy.” Fallon held up his hands and backed away. “Olivia thinks Morgan is in love with Kisho.”
“So? Olivia wants all of us to mate. Not gonna happen,” Tersch said through gritted teeth and tightened his arm around Morgan's neck.
Fallon shook his head. “Yeah, but there's more. Remember when we found Kisho at the Sunfield building? He was broken and bruised, should have died?” The three of them quieted, and Morgan felt a surge of rage, recalling what Montaña's men had tried to do to his lover.
“Morgan saved him. Kisho kept seeing green eyes, watched Morgan lift him from the ground and take him into the building. That's who put Kisho on that table and saved him. And man, sometimes when we're deep in the mating heat, Kisho has these visions of green eyes. Big-time lust, man.” Fallon's cheeks flushed.
Everyone stared at Morgan.
“What?”
“None of us have green eyes.” Jules didn't speak with the same bite he'd had before. “So Kisho mated you, hmm?”
“What?” Tersch squeezed so hard, Morgan feared he'd break his neck.
Jules snorted. “Tersch, let him go. Hell, Morgan, I told Kisho to find out what you were up to, but I never thought he'd whore for the answers.”
The minute Tersch gave him the space, Morgan dived at Jules and took him to the floor in one smooth glide. He nailed Jules twice before the others dragged him back.
“Shit,” Fallon gasped.
Morgan fought like a man possessed. It was all Fallon and Tersch could do to hold on to him. “Kisho did nothing wrong, asshole. And if you even try saying—” Jules held up a hand as he rose. “Enough. Nice tackle. I knew you were a lot more lethal than you'd shown us.”
Morgan blinked, not sure about Jules's calm.
“Tersch, Fallon, let him go.”
“But Jules, he messed with Kisho. He hit you!” Tersch tightened his grip.
“I said let him go.” The rumble of authority made both Circs release Morgan and step back. “Morgan, my team is tight, a cohesive unit. But you're not a part of us. You want my Kisho, hmm?”
Morgan couldn't help himself. “He's not yours. He's mine.” The gym was so silent that only the echo of their breaths could be heard.
“What's that?” Jules asked.
Morgan didn't want to alienate the team, but he had to make them understand. “Kisho is mine. He's always been mine.”
“Explain the fox,” Fallon said.
“What fox?” Tersch asked.
Morgan didn't want to answer any more questions. He wanted Kisho. “He means the jade fox in Kisho's bedroom, the one that matches mine. My aunt gave me that years ago, when I was just a kid. She told me to hold on to it, that when I found my kitsu, I'd know. And I found him.”
“Huh?” Tersch stared from Morgan to the others, clearly confused.
Fallon nodded. “Guys, that small figurine in Kisho's room, the one Tersch makes fun of?
Kisho's grandmother gave him that. Told him to hold on to it, that when he found its match, he'd know.”
“How do you know that?” Morgan didn't like the idea Kisho would have shared something so personal with Fallon.
Tersch frowned. “Yeah, how do you know? Because Kisho never says shit about his family.”
“Because they treated him like crap.” Fallon sighed. “Look, I didn't want to betray a confidence. And I never meant to look into Kisho's head, but sometimes he doesn't shield so well. I couldn't help it,” he said to Morgan in apology.
Jules growled, “Explain.”
“Kisho's dad met and fell in love with his mom in Japan, where she lived. Except his mom came from a very conservative family. So when an American sailor knocked up his daughter, Kisho's grandfather forced her to hide her pregnancy and break off with her lover. Kisho's dad didn't even know about Kisho until he was sixteen.”
Morgan's heart broke anew for his lover. He didn't like hearing the truth from Fallon, but since Kisho had yet to share, he'd take whatever he could get. Just how much more did Fallon know?
Fallon continued. “Kisho spent a few years with his mom's family. She died when he was two. His grandmother tried, but the grandfather was a real SOB. Kicked Kisho out when he was still a kid. Our buddy spent his childhood in the streets learning to fend for himself.”
“Shit.” Tersch blinked, stunned. “That royally sucks.”
“Yeah.” Fallon blew out a breath. “Look, don't tell Kisho I told you. He's really private, and I don't want him to think I was prying, when I wasn't.” Jules nodded, his gaze glued to Morgan's face. “Finish it, Fallon. Tell us the rest.”
“Yeah, ah, well, so Kisho's dad finally returned on his last tour of duty to Japan. I'm not sure about details, but somehow, his dad found him and brought him home. Raised him right, loved him, and all that. Kisho eventually joined the navy, and the rest is history.” Everyone remained silent.
Morgan couldn't stand it any longer. He wanted Kisho. He turned to go, but Jules stopped him.
“Where do you think you're going?”