Following a few minutes of contemplation, he pulled out his phone and turned it back on. He wanted to call Justin and confront him on the information he’d been given earlier. Rafe told him that Justin and Jamison were brothers and that seems like something Justin should have shared with him. He supposedly was talking with the police and trying to get them to reopen the case when in actuality his own brother was the detective that closed it.
Noah rubbed his hands down his thighs and thought about what he would say. He opened his phone and as he was about to hit Justin's number, his phone began to ring. "Hello, Justin."
“You turned your phone off? I’ve been trying to reach you all night.” Justin sounded so genuinely concerned, as usual.
"Why were you trying to reach me?" Noah tried to play it cool, but his temper was rising.
“Why, because you hung up so abruptly that I thought they’d found you.” Justin waited for a response, but Noah didn’t feel like filling the dead air with explanations. “What’s wrong, Noah?”
Other than running from the jackals that your brother hired to kill me, nothing. But Noah couldn't say that. He considered saying nothing but the need to have Justin explain for a change overcame his resistance to confrontation. "Why didn't you tell me that Jamison was your brother? You knew he was seeing Joe and you were aware that I knew him, so why didn't you tell me?" Would he lie and pretend Noah's information was false, or would he come up with a lame excuse? Noah waited silently as Justin went for the lame excuse.
“We’re half-brothers and not close.” Justin began with a tightness to his tone that spoke loudly of his discomfort. “I never said anything because I didn’t want to make either you or Joe uncomfortable.”
“Jamison closed the case and left it that Joe died as a result of the fire. You know that’s not true just as I do. Why is he so eager to put this away and why so eager to ignore me and what I’m going through? You told him I’m being hunted.” Noah tried to remain calm, but thoughts of Joe and that day were spiking his emotions all over again.
"Yes, Noah, I told him everything, but he doesn't believe you or me. He thinks you're imagining things due to stress and grief and believes that I'm going along with it because I'm your friend." Justin was suddenly sounding surer of himself and it pissed Noah off.
“Are you, Justin?” Noah snapped at him.
“Am I what?”
"Are you, my friend?"
"Of course I am, don't talk crazy. I'm all you have right now." Justin reminded him. "I'll talk to Jamison tomorrow and see if he will at least look at the possibility of others present prior to the fire and I'll ask him to review the cause of death again."
"Joe loved him, tell Jamison that," Noah interjected.
"I will," Justin spoke softly. There was so much more Noah wanted to say, but he couldn't discuss the information the Dragons had discovered without speaking to Rafe first.
“Are you still in Laramie?” Justin asked after a few moments of silence.
“How did you know I was in Laramie?”
“You told me last night.”
“No, I didn’t.” Noah had been tired, but he was certain he hadn’t told Justin his location.
"You were tired and before you hung up on me, I asked you where you were and you said, Laramie. How else would I know?" Justin was getting defensive.
“I don’t know, but I don’t recall telling you. Oh well doesn’t matter. I’m going to be moving on shortly.” Noah lied.
“Where are you headed, or do you know?”
“I don’t know.” Noah was growing tired of the lies.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.” Justin closed the call.
Noah closed his phone and stuffed it back into his pocket. He sat there for a while and thought about the call. As usual, Justin talked a lot but said very little. Had Jamison hired the jackals? He wanted so badly to throw that into Justin's face. He wanted to scream and demand answers, but in the end, all he could do was continue to play this game at least until he figured out all the players and whose side they were on.
“Hello, are you awake?” The voice came through the door along with a soft knock.
"Yes, come in." Noah wasn't sure who it was, but they sounded nice, it was a soft tone with positive energy. A dark head peeked around the door and was accompanied by a warm smile. He introduced himself as Dane and explained why he was there. Noah felt odd being in Rafe's room when Rafe wasn't there.
“Can I get you anything, are you hungry?” Dane asked and walked over closer to where Noah sat on the edge of the bed.
“Coffee if it’s no bother.”
"No, bother at all." Dane left the room and Noah headed to the attached bath and washed up before joining Dane in the outer room. Dane handed him a cup along with a warm cinnamon roll. They sat down together at the small table beneath the large window that looked out upon the forest and the mountain beyond.
“You need to eat something.” Dane defended the necessity of the roll.
“Thanks, it looks delicious.” Noah smiled. Dane was a sweet guy; Noah could see that clearly. They talked and got to know one another but didn’t go too deep into Noah’s issues. The conversation was kept light for a reason and Noah knew that was to make him comfortable and help him relax.
Noah looked around and took in the basic stark masculinity of the room. Rafe was not a decorator and seemed partial to a minimalist style. Although the place was bare bones, it still gave off a warmth and security that confused Noah. The weapons on clear display upon the end table and counter and the leather items here and there should have caused mild alarm at the very least. But it all cumulated into a ‘yeah, I'm safe here feeling.'
He turned his attention back to Dane. “Did Rafe say when he’d be back?” He’d just gotten the words out of his mouth when the door opened and Rafe strode in. He walked over and without a word bent and placed a kiss to the top of Noah’s head before going over to pour himself a cup of coffee.
The unexpected ease of intimacy the guy was showing with him had Noah just staring and basking in the attention. Rafe’s touch was everything and Noah feared for a moment that he might be falling into a sort of hero worship.
Rafe came back to the table just as Dane was getting up and excusing himself. “I’ll let you two have some privacy.” He said.
"Thank you for staying with Noah," Rafe said as he sat down next to Noah and draped an arm across the back of Noah's chair.
"No problem," Dane assured him and waved to both of them as he was leaving. Noah felt himself actually leaning into Rafe and seeking the warmth and comfort he knew was there for him. It was confusing as hell, but he could not resist. Rafe wasn't a big teddy bear, he wasn't someone you would normally run to if you were scared, he was the opposite to both of those assertions and yet Noah craved his nearness and his care.
“Did you sleep well?” He asked and watched as Noah answered. He looked at him as if he were truly concerned, and he wasn’t the type of man who would fake such a feeling.
“Yeah, I slept well, thanks.” Noah shifted his gaze to his cup and took a sip before looking around the room and then back at Rafe for just a glance and then back down to the cup in his hand.
"You have questions," Rafe stated and moved his arm so that his hand could caress Noah's upper arm. Noah nodded and after a deep breath, looked at him out of the corner of his eye and spoke.
“Where did you go?”
“I joined the search for the jackals that were tracking you.”
“Did you find them?”
“Bryn and the others had them cornered when I arrived.”
"Did you make them go away?" Noah was feeling his hands shaking, so he set his cup down.
"Yes," Rafe answered in just one word and it said so much. Noah turned and looked at him directly searching his gaze seeing a finality in their depths. He felt no sadness for the beasts that killed Joe and terrorized him for weeks. Noah struggled for empathy and guilt, which did not come and then struggled with the fact t
hat he felt nothing except relief at their deaths.
“There is no other way to deal with jackals, Noah. They are inherently corrupt and depraved. It is a factor of their genetics and no amount of talk will ever alter who they are, simple, dark and soulless creatures.” Rafe must have felt his emotional strain or read it on his face.
"I know. They were merciless when they attacked Joe and me. They took a lot of pleasure in causing us pain. It invigorated them and they smiled and laughed while they beat us.” Noah spoke slowly as the memories came back. But he told himself he wasn’t going to cry this time and took another shaky drink from his cup. The coffee was good, he would focus on the coffee.
"You survived, Noah," Rafe stated and reached up and cupped Noah's cheek and turned his head towards him. "They tried to finish you and they failed, and they continued to fail for the next two weeks. You are the conqueror and you will continue to be such because you’re stronger than they are in all the ways that matter.”
The next move should have been expected, yet it still took Noah by surprise. Rafe pulled him in for a kiss that started soft and explorative with just the lightest of touch. Then with a loud guttural groan, the kiss turned hungry and demanding as Rafe's fingers tangled roughly in Noah's hair turning his face upward and holding him fast.
Rafe had intended to comfort his mate, but the minute he held him in his arms, all thoughts of having just a simple, heartfelt discussion flew out the window. All that remained was a desperate need to embrace and taste those plump red lips.
Rafe was a soldier and for centuries he schooled his emotions so severely that they all but atrophied. Needs and desire were nonexistent in relation to duty and the necessity for rigid self-control. He found the effect that Noah was having upon him and his ability always to stay separate and detached to be disconcerting in some ways and edifying in other ways.
It was the mate bond that drew them together and connected their lives, but it also succeeded in opening Rafe's eyes to pleasure and wonder that he had never experienced and never knew he could experience. He never knew that such richness and depth of existence existed until Noah.
Hundreds of years upon this earth and he’d never known these feelings of joy and delight in just being near someone and holding them. Such feelings were incomprehensible to him just a few days ago and now he would do anything, give anything and go anywhere just to keep Noah with him. This human was a part of him now and he was not even the least bit unhappy about that.
He deepened the kiss and pulled Noah closer until he had him flush against his chest and fully engaged in the kiss. He loved his red hair and his blue eyes they contrasted in a way that made his appearance striking. It was one of the first things he noticed about him. But nothing was as good as the touch of his lips and the warmth of his body.
Rafe felt his dragon skimming below the surface of his skin aching to get out and claim their mate. They were on the same page in that regard, but Rafe still held enough of his senses to know that Noah may need time. For now, he would take whatever was offered and hoped he wasn't made to wait much longer.
Noah let down his defenses and just leaned into the affection Rafe was providing. He wanted to let go and slip completely under the spell Rafe was weaving with the taste of his lips and the security of his large and muscular arms. Noah wanted to hold forever the peace that was stealing over him and calming his soul.
He moved closer and threw his leg over Rafe's thighs, seating himself wantonly upon his lap and wrapping his arms around his neck. It had been so long since he'd held anyone and never had a man felt so perfectly suited for him as Rafe Adair. He was so far out of Noah's league but for right now he was here and willing and Noah was not going to lose this chance to feel great and to feel normal.
Rafe gripped Noah’s round ample bottom in his two hands and pulled him up close. Noah’s forwardness in declaring his own need was setting Rafe and his dragon on fire. On those rare occasions when he’d reflected upon a future mate, this was exactly what he’d envisioned. A mate who took what he wanted and didn’t have to be coaxed and persuaded. Rafe could see that Noah's desire matched his own he could feel it in his kiss and in a heedless manner, he pressed his hardening cock against him.
Rafe had many lovers over the centuries, but not a one dared to push for dominance or made demands regardless of their size or strength. Rafe's sheer presence without a word put others on their guard no matter the setting or circumstance. People feared Rafe just on sight and he had always considered that just a fact of life. He was a Dragon Knight the most fearsome of creatures, second only to the Dragon King.
Now to have someone, a human no less, fearlessly touching him, taking from him and demanding his attention was exciting him beyond description. It was time to move this interaction to the bedroom. He stood and Noah immediately wrapped his legs around Rafe's waist, refusing to let go or even break from the kiss. Rafe continued to hold that delicious ass in the palms of his hands and headed for the bedroom.
CHAPTER SIX
Noah was taking liberties the likes of which he'd never before dared. There was just something about Rafe that gave him the courage to be forceful and go after what he wanted. He wanted Rafe naked and in bed and by the looks of it, his wish was coming true.
Rafe had moved from his lips to sucking provocatively on his neck and the sensation was titillating. Noah ran his hands across Rafe’s broad shoulders and down his arms feeling the muscles ripple beneath his touch. Noah soon found himself once again placed gently into the center of the large bed. All thoughts of anything apart from this the here and now fled from his mind and it was such a relief.
He hadn’t yet released the grip he had with his legs and Rafe seemed to have no trouble following him down and maintaining the sweet pressure of their bodies. Noah wanted so much more. Nothing in his past had prepared him for such a man and the level of heat he was able to generate with just a touch and a kiss.
"We need to get out of these clothes." He said while rubbing his hard cock against Rafe. The move and the statement were both so reckless, but there was no going back for him now. If Rafe denied him, Noah would most certainly shatter into a million pieces his nerves were strung so tight as he waited.
Rafe raised his head to stare down into Noah’s lust blown pupils and saw his own raw need reflected in his gaze. Noah was a man and he knew what he was asking, there was no room or desire to be coy. This was his mate and Rafe would deny him nothing.
Without speaking, Rafe locked his gaze with Noah and reached down to grab the hem of Noah's t-shirt and gradually raised it up further and further. He took the opportunity to glide his knuckles along the smooth, warm surface of Noah's marvelous chest. He watched the pleasure and anticipation play out in Noah's expression.
Noah released his hold on Rafe’s upper arms long enough for him to slip the t-shirt over his head and off. Rafe tossed it to the side and then straightened slightly to grab his own t-shirt from the back and haul it off. He tossed it on top of Noah’s and then settled himself back down on Noah and took his lips once more.
His mate was passionate and so eager, pulling at him and demanding more. Rafe opened his own jeans and pulled the sides apart, freeing his hard member and rubbing himself against Noah's rough jeans. Noah's reaction was immediate.
He groaned wantonly into Rafe’s ravaging mouth and let go of his arm to reach down between them and embrace Rafe’s hard heated cock. The touch was searing in its intensity of sensations. Rafe felt his heart tighten and his breath catch when Noah increased the pressure and took delight in his impatient enthusiasm. He felt his dragon come forward as the shift rippled across his features and the settled. After a few minutes of excited foreplay, Rafe decided it was enough. His dragon was becoming aggressive in its need to move things along.
Rafe abruptly sat up and kicked off his boot and removed his jeans, leaving him completely naked to Noah's adoring stare. It was a heady feeling to be so appreciated and Rafe was eating it up. Others had compli
mented him on his looks and size, but no one ever looked at him the way Noah was looking at him. This is what the elders had meant when they said it was important for him and his brothers to find their connection in the world. Noah was his connection.
Noah reached for him trying to pull him back down, but first Rafe moved to his left to take off Noah's boots and then opened his jeans and in one fluid motion took off both his jeans and his briefs and tossed them off the side of the bed. It was now Rafe's turn to marvel at the beauty of Noah's perfect naked body. Like Rafe, he had plenty of scars, but they just made him more magnificent. His strength and endurance were there in every mark that lay upon his gorgeousness.
He stretched out upon his mate and felt Noah return his hand to minister to his hard member stroking and rubbing the sensitive skin and bringing him contentment and satisfaction beyond measure. Rafe rutted against his grip glorying in his mate’s touch.
"Our clothes are off now, so what do you want to do?" Rafe teased expecting his mate to blush a little, but instead, his mate told him exactly what he wanted to do, and he did it with fervor.
"Everything, Rafe, I want to do everything," Noah stated while still keeping a grip on Rafe, a grip that tightened with each word. That opened the gates and Rafe would not be able to stop if the world itself came to an end around him. This was his mate begging for a passionate finish, and he would gladly deliver.
Noah wasn’t sure of what he said or how he said it, but the words set Rafe on fire. His movements and behavior had been intense but measured always watching and gauging Noah’s reactions. But now the gloves were definitely off and intense had turned to wild, a mouthwatering ferociousness of desire. He witnessed the shadow of the dragon in Rafe’s eyes and saw the scales rise and shimmer and then disappear. The excitement was tangible.
Rafe: The Dragon Knight (Dragon's Blood M.C. Book 10) Page 5