by Lynn Hagen
Chapter Eleven
Malik and Derek, along with the demon warriors, were heading toward the gates of Hell when Malik spotted two small figures emerging from the right side.
“Is that…” Derek grabbed Malik’s arm. “Is that Emilio and Steven?”
Malik took off running, racing toward his mate as his heart thundered. Pure fucking joy wrapped around him and made him want to shout in victory. When he drew closer, Malik noticed his mate had scratches and a ripped shirt, as well as a bruised eyed. He damn near tackled Emilio and pulled him into a tight hug.
“Please tell me you still have your soul,” Malik said, although he knew his mate had to have it or he would have been a walking zombie. Also, Calvin had been taken to the underworld before he’d been able to get to Emilio. But Malik didn’t know what had taken place in Hell and needed to reassure himself that Emilio’s soul was still intact.
“I still have it.” Emilio hugged him so hard that Malik found it hard to breathe.
Beside him, Derek was holding Steven and peppering him with kisses as Steven hollered about being owed some candy bars. Malik looked heavenward and sent up a prayer of thanks that Emilio had been returned safe and sound to him. He’d already known just how much the little human meant to him, but he hadn’t realized he’d fallen in love with the guy until he thought he’d never see Emilio again.
“How did you get out of there?” His hands trembled as he cupped Emilio’s face. He nearly broke down into a sobbing mess as he stared into his mate’s gorgeous blue eyes, eyes that he never thought to see again.
Emilio’s expression grew soft as his warm eyes glowed. Clearly his mate was just as happy to see Malik, and fuck if that wasn’t the best feeling in the world. “Man-bull helped us, but I’m not entirely sure he was real.”
“What?” Malik asked as he laughed, unable to stop touching his mate to make sure he was really there. This felt like a dream, as though Malik would wake up from his healing sleep and find himself still in the office, his mate still gone.
“I’ll explain later.” Emilio buried his face into Malik’s neck and inhaled deeply. “I just wanna go home.” He pulled back and stared wide-eyed at Malik. “What about Calvin? Garrett said we got separated. Did you find him? Is the demon still after me?”
Malik gave Emilio a thorough kiss as his mate snuggled close. “Calvin has been dealt with. You don’t have to worry about him again.”
Emilio sagged. “Thank fuck.”
“Who’s Garrett?” Malik led his mate to where Panahasi stood talking to some of the warriors. Clearly the rest had bailed since they weren’t needed.
“I’m glad to see you’re okay,” Panahasi said to Emilio, who simply stood there staring up at the demon leader with enlarged eyes.
“Uh…thanks?” Emilio turned to Malik. “Who’s the big guy?” he whispered.
“Panahasi,” the demon leader whispered right back. “And I’ll be the one getting you four home.”
Malik didn’t care who took them, just as long as they got out of the demon realm. He was glad to see Phoenyx and the others were okay from their last fight, but Malik didn’t want to come back here for a very long time.
If ever.
* * * *
“Have you lost your mind?” Emilio asked as he looked around their apartment. Some kind of plant war had been waged, and they were winning, taking up so much space that the apartment looked as though nature had exploded in there.
Malik had bought not only a new living room set but a new bedroom, too. Although Emilio had to admit the bed was soft as fuck.
His mate pulled him into his strong arms and shook his head. “You don’t get to argue about sprucing the place up.”
“This isn’t sprucing,” Emilio said. “You’ve totally furnished the place. There’s even a new kitchen set, pots and pans, dishes, and what alien technology is that on our counter?”
“It’s a latte machine.” Malik winked. “If you’re good, I’ll show you how to use it.”
Emilio’s walls had been transformed into works of art, and there were accent figurines and other decorations strewn about the shelves and on coffee table. It no longer looked like the apartment Emilio had lived in for so many years.
And there were workers in the kitchen installing a dishwasher, garbage disposal, and replacing the old countertop with a marble one. The material had been set aside, so the latte machine wouldn’t be sitting there long. Emilio didn’t care. He’d put the damn thing up on the porch if he had to because he wanted a cup.
“Hey, stop looking so freaked out.” Malik led him to the porch. “See, the rickety old chairs are still out here, as well as your table/milk crate. I didn’t change everything.”
Emilio scowled. “I happened to like our old couch.”
“It was held up by books,” Malik reminded him.
But that had been the beauty of it. The couch had had character, and the mistake of the leg had reminded Emilio how hard Malik had tried to fix it.
“Do you really hate the changes that much?” Malik asked. “I can dig that old couch out of the dumpster if it means that much to you.”
Emilio didn’t like change, but if he was to share his life with Malik, he knew he had to ride the waves. If his experience in Hell had taught him anything, it was that life wasn’t guaranteed.
Besides, Malik had kept his promise and hadn’t left Emilio. And day by day, Emilio was overcoming his fear. He even had a date with Steven to go see a movie. Having a friend was the best feeling in the world.
Too bad Steven insisted on bringing Kenny. Emilio wasn’t sure he would have a good night, but he would extend another olive branch and hopefully Kenny wouldn’t snap the branch in half.
“I don’t hate the changes. I just have to get used to them. You know I’m not used to people spending money on me.”
Malik enveloped Emilio into his arms. “I’m not spending money on you, per se. I’m making an investment in our future.”
Emilio rolled his eyes. “New furniture is not an investment.”
“No, but you are.” Malik brushed his lips over Emilio, and Emilio felt lightheaded at his mate’s words.
“I love you, Emilio,” Malik whispered against his lips.
Emilio’s heart quickened. “What did you just say?”
With a smile, Malik led him to their bedroom, closing out the noises from the kitchen. “I said I love you.”
“But…” Emilio was struck stupid. His brain couldn’t wrap around the fact that someone actually and truly loved him. “I…”
Malik’s smile was devastating. “Go ahead. I know you can say the words.”
With a thundering heart, Emilio said, “I love you.”
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” He led Emilio’s hand to his throbbing cock. “But I am.”
Emilio snatched his hand away. “One, there’re workers in the kitchen. Two, you told Lynda that we would come by today.”
He was nervous as hell to meet Malik’s niece, but his mate had reassured him that Lynda would love him. Emilio wasn’t sure about that, but he’d agreed to go.
The most she could do was hate him.
“We can meet her for dinner instead of lunch.” Malik pulled out his phone. “I’ll just send her a quick text.”
“And the workers?” Emilio glanced toward the door. There were three guys in the kitchen, and even with the amount of noise they were making, Emilio was sure they’d hear them having sex.
Malik tossed his phone onto the dresser and yanked Emilio’s shirt off. “They’re grown men. I’m pretty sure they know what it’s like to need someone this badly.”
Malik tore his shirt over his head, bent and undid his boots, tossing them aside, and then relieved himself of his jeans and underwear. He stood there like a sex god who had come to earth to play with Emilio.
And Emilio wanted to play.
A sizzling, predatory glimmer sparked in Malik’s green eyes as Emilio finished undressing. As soon as he tossed aside the
last piece of clothing, Malik was on him. The man picked Emilio up, and he had no choice but to wrap his legs around Malik’s lean waist. The desire in his mate’s eyes was beautiful, and Emilio wanted him so badly it was physically painful.
He ran his hand over Malik’s upper back and shivered uncontrollably when his mate responded with gentle touches and soft caresses over his hips. He moved until he had Emilio’s back against the wall, his lips ghosting over Emilio’s naked shoulder.
Emilio’s head hit the wall, not hard, as he moaned and let his head tilt to the side to give Malik more room to play. The man’s cock was wedged between his cheeks, hot and throbbing as his fingers gripped Emilio’s waist.
“I want to be inside you so badly.” Malik almost growled the words against Emilio’s shoulder. The man reached into the nightstand and pulled out the bottle of lube.
His lover set the tube aside, and the next thing Emilio knew, slick fingers were probing at his hole.
His desires renewed as his fingers gripped Malik’s shoulder’s, his body gyrating as his mate slipped a long, thick finger inside him before he recaptured Emilio’s lips.
“Perfect.” There was a dangerous purr to his voice that sent a shiver through Emilio. He could feel the stretched muscles and Malik’s hard body. The man smelled richly masculine, wild, and delicious. Emilio was falling under the man’s spell, deeper with every kiss, every thrust of his mate’s finger.
He gasped as Malik inserted a second finger, stretching the two apart and moving them around in the most provocative way.
“You feel so fucking good,” he said as he bit down gently on Emilio’s shoulder.
Emilio melted into his strong chest, his body going lax as Malik pulled him impossibly closer and traced Emilio’s vein in his neck with his tongue. It was throbbing wildly at what Malik was doing to him.
His mate caught Emilio’s earlobe between his teeth as he inserted a third finger, making Emilio groan louder, filling the room with the sounds of his needs. His mate’s chest rumbled deeply as he pulled his hand free and then adjusted Emilio a little higher before Emilio was lowered onto Malik’s thick cock.
The breath rushed from his lungs as his hands tightened around Malik’s neck, his head lolling to the side as they both groaned in pleasure. Malik sealed his lips over Emilio’s, giving him a lush, wet kiss as his hips began to move, to thrust upward, driving his cock deeper and making Emilio lose his goddamn mind. He gave Emilio’s lips a slow, savoring lick as Emilio ran his hand through Malik’s short, silky, black hair.
“So perfect,” he murmured. His hands cupped Emilio’s ass, squeezing his cheeks as his cock pulled back and then slid forward. The slow fucking was driving Emilio mad.
He arched his body into Malik’s, amazed at how skilled and sensual the man was when it came to sex. His mate was so intense, yet his lovemaking skills were the extreme opposite. Well, the man was still intense, but there was nothing brutally savage about the way he was moving inside Emilio, kissing him, or touching him.
Malik had strolled into Emilio’s life, saving him from loneliness, even though Emilio had thought the man a stalker. He was glad he’d been wrong and given Malik a chance.
His mate was a dream come true, and Emilio would never take that for granted. He would never doubt Malik’s love for him or fear his mate would leave him. Not anymore. Not since he’d seen Malik outside the gates of Hell, not when he’d seen the look of relief and love in the man’s eyes.
Malik’s cock continued to deliciously stretch Emilio as he held on, trying his best not to fall over the edge so soon. He didn’t want his time with Malik to end so quickly, to be over…ever.
Even if there were workers in the kitchen, who no doubt had heard every cry Emilio gave. Fuck it. He really didn’t care. Emilio wanted Malik to know just how good it was.
Malik mouthed Emilio’s Adam’s apple, his lips working wonderful magic on his skin. Emilio swallowed hard, rocking in time to his mate’s rhythm as he murmured, “I’m so glad you’re mine. I love you, Malik.”
One hard thrust sent Emilio closer to the edge as his mate’s fingers gripped him tighter, pulling him closer. “I love you, too, babe.”
Throwing his head back and letting out a long, salacious moan, Emilio found it hard to speak. His emotions were all over the place, creating havoc inside of him. Malik bit down gently on his chin.
“Harder,” Emilio cried out. “Fuck me harder.”
Malik planted his hands against the wall, making Emilio hold on tighter as the man’s hips began to move quickly, making Emilio bounce as Malik did as Emilio begged. Malik’s lips were searching out Emilio’s until Emilio turned his head, giving the man what he had been looking for. There was so much fire and passion in that one kiss that Emilio felt like he was being branded, claimed, and owned.
And thankfully, he already belonged to his majestic lion shifter.
The friction of their bodies rocking together was finally too much. Emilio threw his back into the wall, shouting Malik’s name as his cock exploded between them. Before he knew what was happening, Malik bit into his shoulder with a primal growl. The sensation shot his orgasm higher, making him feel as if he were careening out of control. Their bodies writhed against one another, slick with sweat and Emilio’s release.
Malik gave his hips a few more heavy thrusts before Emilio felt his ass filling with Malik’s seed. The man’s growl grew deeper, more savage as his body rocked upward, his cock only slightly softening as Emilio gasped for breath.
As his mate licked the wound he had created, Emilio shook with tiny aftershocks.
“Do you still care about the workers?” Malik chuckled against his lips as he eased out of Emilio’s body.
“What workers?” Emilio rested his head on Malik’s shoulder. He was boneless and ready for a long nap. The men in the kitchen could let themselves out when they were done. Emilio planned on crawling into bed and sleeping the rest of the day away.
He might even ask Malik to reschedule their dinner with Lynda because Emilio was right where he belonged.
In Malik’s arms, safe and protected. Emilio didn’t think his heart could hold all the love he felt toward his lion. But he would try since Malik had saved him in more ways than the guy would ever know.
THE END
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Table of Contents
A PROMISE KEPT
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven