Calum grabbed Bryn by the shoulders and brought him to his feet. "You are Bryn Keith of Clan Keith of the Shetland Dragon Circle, and you are on a quest set forth by your King. You are the best of our kind, and you will never again speak of yourself as less." Calum's voice boomed as he set down the law and Bryn immediately rose to meet the virtue of his Chieftain's words. He was filled with hope, vitality and a drive to meet his goal.
“Yes brother, I know who I am and I will not fail you or my King.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Cameron!” He recognized the shrill tones of Liz Pauli from across the silent library. He tried to hide in the shelving but she spotted him and started a fast stomp towards him. “Come outside.” She demanded and grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him out a side door that took them to a deserted stairwell and then outside.
Once outside, Cameron tried to pull away from her because her nails were digging into his arm. "Let me go." He finally demanded. She released him but then stepped up and pointed a finger in his face. Cameron stepped back and put his hand out in front of him to keep her back.
“What the hell is your problem?” He wasn’t usually so forceful with Liz but she was acting like a crazy person and he had no time for it. He would put up with her insults and self-centeredness but she was not going to start any physical shit with him.
"What did you do at the party last night Cameron?" She yelled in a strange sing-song voice.
"Nothing. I drank a little and then walked home, as usual." He wasn't going to bring up the biker, no he didn't want to talk about him with her.
“What about that man who was following you when you left. Did he follow you home? Tell me the truth, are you two together?”
“No one followed me home.” Cameron started to wonder if the sexy biker had followed him. It was sort of thrilling to think so even if he did give Cameron an unsettling feeling. Bryn Keith had made a serious impression on Cameron even though he tried to discount the feelings. Cameron had no desire to be a notch on the guys bedpost and that was all a guy like that was after.
Cameron just couldn’t put the sounds of the bathroom out of his mind. They haunted him and echoed in his brain. Nothing had bothered him as much as hearing them and then seeing them together. He couldn’t forget the look of satisfaction on the little man’s face when he exited the bathroom.
"His name is Bryn Keith; he's part of the Dragon's Blood motorcycle club that lives out in that renovated lodge. He followed you out of the party Cameron so don't play dumb with me." Liz once again grabbed his arm and tried to shake him. Cameron wasn't a large man and definitely very little muscle mass, but he was surprised at how strong Liz was as she pushed him against the brick wall behind him.
Cameron started to laugh and it caused Liz to take a step back. “You think some biker dude is going to follow me home. Does that make any kind of sense to you?” Cameron splayed his arms in a ‘take a look at me’ gesture. “I’m a geek and definitely not the biker dude’s caliber of lay. Get real Liz, besides, why do you care?”
“Because Bryn and I have been seeing each other. Last night was just an unfortunate mistake. I thought he was following you, but that is ridiculous.” She stopped her tirade and looked him over and laughed. “You are definitely not Bryn Keith’s type of guy. He likes them small and beautiful just like he likes his women. You’re too, ordinary and fat, face it Cameron you are one fat son of a bitch.” This was more the Liz he expected and understood, mean and hateful.
Cameron had enough of her bullshit and visualizing Liz with Bryn was getting on his nerves. He made to walk past her and back into the library when she grabbed him by the wrist and began to dig in her nails. He tried to pull away and she just dug her nails in deeper. “Get your fucking hands off me.” He yelled.
“Don’t get in my way, don’t ever get in my way.” Her meaning was clear. He’d known Liz for several years and had never witnessed such behavior. He had put up with her shit long enough this was the end. He could feel the marks on his upper arm left by her long nails and could see the damage they’d done to his wrist.
He wanted to hurt her by telling her that when he met Bryn, the guy was openly having sex with another guy, but he didn’t. For some reason to say such a thing and make it more public than it already was, bothered him and not for Liz’s sake. He didn’t want to put Bryn in an unnecessarily bad light.
Cameron finally shook loose of Liz's stinging grip and left without comment. Never again would he be Liz's lackey. He shouldn't have put up with her for as long as he had. Dr. Malport was right; tolerated abuse never lessens, it always gets worse.
He decided to go home rather than finish his research. He needed some obscure references for his thesis which existed only in the library. Why couldn’t everything be online he thought as he rounded the corner of the building and ran straight into the star of his filthiest dreams.
"Hello, Cameron. I've been looking for you." The voice was deep and sexy as hell and melted him on the spot. Cameron was sure that he must be still dreaming. He felt Bryn holding him and it didn't bother him as it should. His hands were gentle and warm.
“Why?” It was the only response that made sense to Cameron. Why on earth would Bryn Keith be looking for him?
Bryn was shocked for a moment that Cameron would end up in his arms so easily. He didn’t seem to realize that Bryn was holding him after they collided and Bryn was not going to bring it to his attention. He slipped his left arm around him a little further as his right held him gently by the upper arm. He was getting a little closer to heaven.
“Why, because I want to apologize for last night. I also want to ask you to have coffee with me. There’s a shop just over there. Don’t say no, I just want to talk, no hidden agenda.” Bryn kept talking because he could see that Cameron was fighting with himself over accepting. Just a little bit of a push and Cameron would agree. He was interested but didn’t want to appear to appreciate being the second course. The kid had ethics and morals and right now Bryn looked a lot like a dirty dog.
“Just coffee, give me a chance to show you I am not the dog you think that I am, please.” He could see the wheels turning and they turned in his favor.
"Okay, but please understand that I will not be taken in by your charm. If there is an ulterior motive to your sudden interest, you might as well spell it out from the get-go." Cameron gave him the side eye that put him in his place.
“No ulterior motive, I just want to get to know you.” Bryn smiled that smile he knew was a winner.
Cameron toyed with asking why once again but resisted. “I’ll have coffee with you, but I’m busy so I won’t be able to stay long.” He had plenty of time but he wanted to give himself an out in case things got uncomfortable or just awkward.
"I'll take whatever time you can afford me." Cameron was once again the recipient of the brightest of teasing smiles. They started walking towards the coffee house and Bryn kept his arm around him loosely. It was a ‘he's with me' move but not too brash. Cameron accepted it and allowed the arm to stay. For now.
He took a quick glance behind him wondering if Liz was still there, but thankfully she was nowhere to be seen. He was in no mood to continue dealing with her outbursts. Besides, she didn’t own Bryn Keith, and Cameron could have coffee with him if he wanted to.
They sat at a table in the front by the windows but also against the far wall. Cameron got the feeling Bryn didn’t like people sitting behind him and he liked to have a clear view of his surroundings.
Bryn held Cameron's chair for him and had him sit down while he went and ordered their drinks. When he returned, he ran his hand across Cameron's shoulders before sitting next to him. Bryn seemed to like touching him or maybe it was a game he was playing.
Bryn was a player of the first order, Cameron knew that. He was also drop dead gorgeous and Cameron never used that description on anyone before. His flashing emerald green eyes and silky long black hair were a combination so striking that Cameron found himself
staring more than once. But there was also a feeling of deadliness that lurked just below the gorgeousness that scared him.
Bryn Keith was a dangerous man but had a side of sweetness, it was hard to describe but even the sweetness seemed lethal. He’d never encountered such a man and certainly never had such a man feign interest in him. There was more to this whole infatuation than appeared on the surface and Cameron only hoped it didn’t get painful and messy. He didn’t have the time or the desire for drama.
He noticed Bryn watching him carefully and didn’t say anything until their coffee arrived. Cameron offered to pay for his own coffee but Bryn waved him off.
“What’s weighing so heavy on your mind, Cameron?” Bryn finally spoke and it was a question Cameron wasn’t sure how to answer.
"I can't imagine why you are trying to charm me. I'm not your type. You have a boyfriend already if you recall, I met him outside the bathroom last night. He was tiny and perfect with model good looks. So why are you here with me?" There they were, all his thoughts out in the open for Bryn to consider. Cameron wasn't good with people or idle chit-chat. He lacked that ability to easily converse or play with the meaning of his words, so he just told him the truth.
Bryn was pleased with his mate’s truthfulness and saw it as an asset to his future efforts. He took Cameron’s hand in a bold move that paid off. Cameron did not pull away, Cameron held his hand and finally looked Bryn in the eyes as Bryn answered him.
"I don't have a boyfriend. I've never had a boyfriend. I don't even know the name of the man I was with last night." He saw the shock flash in Cameron's eyes so hurried to explain further. "I met him about five minutes before I took him into the bathroom. It was just sex, nothing else and that was all I ever wanted, until now." He pulled Cameron's hand to his lips and placed a light kiss to his knuckles.
“If I was someone else, someone beautiful, accomplished, elegant, someone people flocked around perhaps I might believe you, but I’m not.” Cameron surprisingly did not let go of Bryn’s hand, as Bryn had expected he would. He gripped tighter and leaned in closer as if to find the lie in his eyes.
"I've never met anyone like you before, Cameron. When I walked out of that bathroom to all the cheers and catcalls I was playing the game I always play. It had never been fulfilling but it was entertaining and sometimes exciting. I made a move on the guy in line because I could see he was willing, no other reason than that.” Bryn paused for a moment to gather his words and dropped another kiss to Cameron’s knuckles. He was impressed with the softness of Cameron’s hands and captivated by the sweet scent of thistle that surrounded his mate.
“Men like him are not my preference, but they are easy for me. They are all about looks and that is all they require of me. I’m big, dangerous, not bad looking and not sticking around. It’s sort of a non-verbal understanding. What I’m saying is, the sex was easy so I took it.” Bryn stared into the deep hazel eyes of his mate and prayed he was doing this right.
"You, on the other hand, were a complete surprise to me." He smiled at the memory of first recognition and then sobered at the memory of the situation. "When I saw you standing there and looking so out of place, so disgusted by what you'd witnessed I just felt sick. Up to that point in my life I never apologized for my choices but that moment, all I wanted to do was beg you to forget what you just saw and heard."
Cameron’s eyes never left him and he could see him processing what he’d told him and unfortunately it didn’t look as if he were being believed. Cameron did not trust easily. Bryn wondered as to his background and what lead this beautiful young man to be so isolated.
Kyle had given him a brief background this morning and promised more later. Kyle was a genius with computers and nothing stayed hidden when he was on the hunt. Bryn was confident that he would have a deeper understanding of his mate before the day was over. For now, he knew that Cameron was exactly what he presented himself to be, a sweet, innocent, guarded intellectual.
Any surprises would come with a deeper dive into his personal life. He had parents but they were not close and he had few friends. It wasn't all social awkwardness; he deliberately kept himself apart from others. There was a story there that Bryn looked forward to learning.
“What do you want from me?” Cameron stated softly. “Do you want to take me to a party, show me off to your friends? I really doubt it. Tell me what you want from me.” His tone was sarcastic and filled with suspicion.
“I want you to give me a chance.” Bryn leaned closer and was aware that his dragon was flashing in his eyes. He hoped it gave him the extra push he needed to have Cameron agree to another chance. They were mates and even without a complete bond, Cameron would be drawn to Bryn’s dragon. It was how nature intended it to be.
“What does, giving you a chance entail?” Cameron was hooked but he wouldn’t admit it. No one could deny a dragon shifter and Bryn was not opposed to using every trick in the book to attract his mate. Bryn smiled and slipped his free hand to Cameron’s back and held it there in a half embrace as he leaned in closer as if he had a secret to tell.
“It entails taking you to parties and showing you off to my friends and letting me take you to dinner tomorrow night.” Bryn was gifted with the most beautiful smile he’d ever set eyes on. It was the first time but it wouldn’t be the last. All of Cameron’s smiles belonged to him now. It was a crazy possessive thought but he was allowed because this was his mate and he was smiling at him.
“Alright, we’ll give dinner a try.” Cameron relented, he didn’t know why but he just didn’t have the heart to turn the guy down. He couldn’t resist the playful heartfelt plea. Bryn seemed sincere and even if he weren’t Cameron had a feeling he would have agreed. It was a chance to see how the other half lived. He wanted a taste. He hadn’t taken a risk in years so maybe it was time.
This biker was way out of his league but what did it matter if the guy was offering. It could turn horribly bad, as in humiliation-bad, but nothing ventured nothing gained. Cameron held no delusions that Bryn Keith wanted him for anything more than what he wanted those twinks for. Cameron was a challenge and Bryn seemed in the mood for a challenge.
Bryn was looking for dinner and a quick fuck. Cameron was up for dinner but nothing more. He had more self-respect than to fall into bed with a guy he met outside a public bathroom after said guy had finished giving it to a twink.
Damn that memory would not go away and it did not bode well for their future. Cameron nearly laughed when the thought of them having a future crossed his mind. Cameron Hayes and a member of the Dragon’s Blood in a committed relationship, too ridiculous to consider.
"I'll pick you up at your place at seven, be ready," Bryn said with more confidence than he was feeling. The expressions crossing Cameron's face were troublesome. One-minute Bryn thought he was in the driver's seat and the next he was feeling kicked to the curb.
"You don't know where I live," Cameron commented.
“I know where you live.” Bryn saw no need to lie. “I followed you last night just to make sure you made it home okay. You were upset and had a couple of drinks, I was worried.”
“I didn’t know. I’m surprised that I didn’t notice someone like you following me.” Cameron’s words hit Bryn wrong.
“Do you fear me?” Bryn’s look was incredulous.
“A little.” Truthful as ever.
Bryn leaned closer and placed a chaste kiss on Cameron's cheek before pulling back to regard him fully while rubbing the area he had just kissed with the pad of his thumb.
“You are safer with me than anywhere in the universe. Don’t be afraid of me baby.” Bryn continued to rub his thumb on Cameron’s cheek and then dropped it to glide erotically across his bottom lip. Cameron maintained eye contact and followed the path of Bryn’s thumb with his tongue.
Going by his dazed expression, Bryn was pretty sure the guy didn’t realize he’d done it. It was out of this world suggestive and it took all of Bryn’s control not to throw the
lovely man over his shoulder and head for the mountains.
“See you at seven.” Bryn stood and dropped another kiss to Cameron’s cheek before leaving the coffee house. He had to leave before he took it too far. He didn’t want to come on too strong. It was difficult for someone like him to take it slow but Cameron needed space and time to process the encounter. He would keep an eye on his mate and tomorrow they would have dinner. Things were progressing and Bryn had plans to make.
CHAPTER FOUR
Cameron went straight home after his coffee date with Bryn Keith. He had to think about it. Dinner was a big risk, but he agreed so now he had to go. He considered Liz for a moment but dismissed her; she no longer had any hold on him. He'd put up with her because it was easier than denying her but that had changed the moment she put her hands on him.
She’d been right about Bryn following him out of the party, but it did not give her the right to touch him. He looked at his wrist where her nails had broken the skin and it pissed him off. He wondered if he agreed to dinner simply because he knew Liz was interested in the guy. He hoped he wasn’t that shallow, but all evidence was pointing to the fact that he was.
He put the entire thing out of his mind and got back to work; he had a thesis to prove and a degree to attain and little time for much else. He needed to keep a clear head and keep his focus on what was important. He'd worry about Bryn Keith and dinner, tomorrow.
…
Bryn rode home with renewed expectations. He feared all was awash but Fate and the persuasive powers of his dragon lent a helping hand in bringing his mate around. He was having dinner with Cameron tomorrow and he couldn’t wait. He burst into the great room with a big smile and announced to all his good fortune.
"Well, you look a lot better than you did yesterday," Calum said with a slap on his back. "Things must be working in your favor."
The Bad Boy Page 3