Page 103 of Fourplay & Fatalities

The closet was the size of Zane’s old apartment, yet it was so stuffed full of clothes, bags, and shoes that Felix had taken over the sixth bedroom as his overflow closet.

The whole room.

There were enough designer labels in here to bankrupt a small country…but not a Mulvaney.

“You cannot be serious,” Zane said, sinking down beside him.

Felix immediately scooted closer until their shoulders touched, seeking comfort without even seeming to realize he was doing it.

He gave Zane a bleak look. “This is the Fashion Institute. My alma mater. They hated me there. They probably still do. Most of the people who show up will just be haters who think I got where I am by sleeping with a Mulvaney. I can’t walk in wearing just anything.”

Felix fell back onto the mountain of clothing dramatically, one arm draped over his forehead like a tragic Victorian heroine while looking like a Renaissance painting.

Zane briefly forgot what they were talking about, lying beside him and propping himself up on one arm to look down at Felix, picking up one dark curl. The soft strand wrapped around his finger easily. “You’re so pretty, Lixie.”

Felix’s brown eyes went wide, his full lips parting. “I love you.”

Zane’s heart did a little dance behind his ribs. “I love you, too.”

Zane dipped his head, his mouth finding Felix’s. Felix made a soft little sound from his chest, hands coming up to wrap around Zane’s neck, pulling him in. They lay there like that for a few minutes, just kissing softly, the world narrowing down to warm mouths, tangled limbs, and the faint sounds of chaos drifting from the kitchen.

When Zane pulled back, Felix’s lips were swollen and his pupils blown.

Zane flopped onto his back. “What do you care what a bunch of students think? Or even the faculty? You’re Felix Navarro-Mulvaney. You’re a fucking legend in the fashion world. That’s why they invited you in the first place. No matter what you wear, they’re all going to try to emulate it. You’re always iconic.”

“You’re the only one who thinks that,” Felix said around a sigh.

Zane snorted. “Your fourteen million Instagram followers would beg to differ.”

“That’s the company, not me,” Felix said, waving a hand dismissively.

Zane threaded their fingers together. “You have just as many followers as Felix Navarro-Mulvaney as the FNM brand does. You just never bothered to look. You’re constantly on magazine covers. You’re a celebrity stylist on dozens of talk shows. Millions of people tune into your feed every day to see what you’re having for breakfast or what Oscar and West are wearing to pre-school.”

“You have more to do with what they wear than me. You handle everything in the house,” Felix said, snuggling closer. “You do it all and manage a massive career as a journalist.”

“You’re the only one who thinks I’m a journalist and not a mediocre podcaster,” Zane said wistfully.

“Not true. You’re amazing. You take such good care of us. All of us. Including our babies.” Felix squeezed his hand. “We’d all fall apart without you.”

The words settled heavily in Zane’s chest. It was easy to forget sometimes that the things he did mattered. The lunches packed every morning. The appointments scheduled. The birthdays remembered. The groceries magically appearing in the pantry. Most of it happened quietly, behind the scenes, while everyone else was busy living their lives.

“You would be just as good as me…probably better. But it just makes more sense for me to do it since I work from home all day,” Zane said. “Besides, I like taking care of all of you.”

He really did. He liked knowing what everyone’s coffee order was. He liked making sure Oscar’s favorite cereal never ran out. He liked reminding Asa where he left his keys and making Avi eat lunch before three in the afternoon. Taking care of them never felt like work. It felt like loving them.

Felix climbed on top of Zane, straddling his hips to pepper his face with kisses. “You’re so good to us, baby.”

Zane laughed, trying to dodge the assault. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Nope. Just correct.”

Zane giggled at Felix’s statement, then winced.

Felix’s face fell immediately. “Did I hurt you?”

The concern was instant and genuine, his hands already smoothing over Zane’s sides, like he could somehow fix it.

Zane grimaced, then laughed. “No, Asa did. Last night. He got a new belt. I was…excited. I let him off his leash for a bit too long, I think.”