by Lynn Hagen
Then again, if Noah had stayed inside, the person who’d broken in might have hurt him.
Justin sat up, brushing his hand through his disheveled hair, and yawned. “Have a seat and I’ll explain things to you.” He patted the space next to him.
If Noah sat next to the naked god, he was dead certain he wouldn’t be able to concentrate. “I’m fine where I am.”
Justin stood, and Noah took a step back. Not because he was afraid but because he didn’t trust himself not to touch Justin. Then they would have sex, and Noah would be distracted from getting his answers.
“Do you fear me, Noah?” Justin actually looked crushed. “I think I’ve proven to you that I’m here to protect you, not harm you.”
“Tell me about mates,” Noah demanded.
“Our souls are tied together.” Justin sighed and raked his hand through his hair again as he walked to the window. Noah turned away, refusing to stare at Justin’s naked ass.
“How?”
Justin shrugged. “I don’t know the how or why, but it’s been like that for my kind since forever.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I felt it here when I laid eyes on you. I just didn’t know what that feeling was until we started spending time together.”
As Noah tried his best to absorb what Justin was saying, Justin leaned an arm on the window frame and looked out onto the street. “Talk about bad timing. With what you just went through, I had to step carefully, but I also… There’s this feeling… It’s hard to explain.”
“You could have told me what was going on.” Noah looked around for his clothes. He found his underwear under the couch, his pants behind it, and he still couldn’t find his shirt.
“Really?” Justin looked away from the window, one brow arched. “I’m Detective Justin Grace. I’ll be handling your assault case. By the way, I think we’re mates, but the only way to know for sure is to sleep together.”
Noah’s brows shot up, and he suppressed a smile. “I get your point. I would’ve run screaming from the station.”
“Exactly.”
“Any other surprises?” Where was his damn shirt? Noah had searched the living room but still hadn’t found it.
“I have three kids.”
Noah stopped dead in his tracks as his jaw dropped. “Come again?”
Not that he had anything against children, but Noah never wanted any of his own. Being gay, he’d never even entertained the idea.
Justin crossed the room and grabbed his boxer briefs, covering his gorgeous body. “I was in denial at the time. My wife and I had triplets, and then she realized what was going on with me, so we separated. We divorced when she found her mate.”
Why was that more shocking than finding out Justin was a wolf? Noah wasn’t ready to become a parent. He could barely take care of himself. “So, if we’re mates, then…”
“You’re their stepfather.”
“No fair!” Fuck his shirt. Noah would walk home without it. He’d been thrown into parenthood against his will, and that was so fucking unfair.
He’d even walk home barefoot because he couldn’t find his shoes, either. He just had to get out of there. He felt as if there wasn’t enough air in the room for him to breathe.
“Hey.” Justin grabbed his arms and made Noah face him. “I’m not asking you to jump right into this, Noah. I know you need time to adjust, and you’re still dealing with your assault and now the break-in. That’s a lot to handle, and I’m not expecting you to suck it up and deal with it. That wouldn’t be fair of me.”
“Drop me off at my best friend’s house, please.” Noah looked away. This was too much, and he needed Mikko. His best friend had always been his anchor, and he needed Mikko now more than ever.
Justin studied him for a long moment before his hands fell away and he nodded. Noah watched him leave the room. When Noah’s life fell apart, it didn’t do it subtly.
A mate.
Kids.
Noah dropped onto the couch and scrubbed a hand over his face. Things were getting crazy, and he didn’t know what to do. Getting drunk as fuck sounded damn good.
When Justin returned, he was fully dressed. Justin was the one who’d dropped multiple bombs in Noah’s lap, yet Noah felt guilty for the look of disappointment on Justin’s face.
Noah shouldn’t feel guilty.
“Justin…” He wasn’t sure what else to say. Noah needed time to work things out in his head, and he couldn’t do that with Justin so close.
“I’m not mad.” Justin cupped Noah’s face, and Noah had to stop himself from melting from the touch. “Take as much time as you need.”
Noah’s feelings were too jumbled. He needed space. “Thanks.”
The drive to Mikko’s was made in complete silence.
* * * *
“I need someone to watch over Noah while I do my job,” Justin said. He wasn't going to lie to himself. It hurt that Noah had rejected him, but how was his mate supposed to act when Justin had laid all that on him?
He knew he shouldn’t have slept with Noah until they’d talked, but he’d been unable to resist the human. And look where that had gotten him.
“Overt or covert?” John asked.
“Covert.” He didn’t want to piss Noah off by sending a babysitter to Mikko’s.
“All right. Give me an address.”
Justin rattled it off. “I’ll be by a little later to see the boys.”
“Take your time,” John said.
It was great that Trish and John were so understanding, but Justin wanted to see his triplets. He missed them like crazy. They were eight years old, and having their biological father in their lives was important to not only them but to Justin, as well.
“He freaked out.” Justin sighed as he looked at Mikko’s brick house. He had parked a few houses down, unwilling to leave Noah unprotected. Once the person John sent showed up, Justin would go to work.
“About finding out that you’re a shifter?”
“He was okay with that. He freaked out when he found out he was a stepfather to three kids.”
John chuckled. “Can you blame him? That’s a lot to take in, Justin. He’ll come around. A mate can’t resist being around their significant other. Trust me, he’ll miss you just like Trish misses me when I’m away.”
Justin was glad Trish had gotten so lucky. She deserved to be happy. “Thanks, John.”
“Anything for family. I’ll send Fang over to keep an eye on things.”
Fang was John’s beta. “I appreciate it.”
Justin hung up and waited until Fang pulled to the curb and got out. He looked at Justin and nodded, telling him he had this. Knowing Noah was being watched, Justin pulled away and headed to Noah’s apartment.
He had to figure out how the person knew to cover his or her scent. The only reason they would do that is if they knew Justin was a wolf. Now he was beginning to doubt the two cases were connected. If Noah had been a random victim of sexual assault, his attacker had no idea about Justin and what he was.
Nothing made sense, and Justin was determined to get to the bottom of things before something else happened to Noah.
* * * *
Mikko sat on his sofa, a glass of red wine in hand, his jaw sitting on his chest. “A wolf shifter with a bunch of rug rats?” He gave a low whistle.
He’d yet to tell Mikko about the break-in. There was already too much on Noah’s plate, and he didn’t want Mikko flipping out or worrying about him. “What the hell am I supposed to do? I’m not ready to be a father.”
“Are you sure he’s telling the truth about this mate thing?” Mikko took a sip of his wine. “Farron never told us about that. How do you know it’s even real? What if he’s lying to you?”
“What could he gain from lying to me?” Noah wasn’t sure if what Justin said was true. He was attracted to the detective, more than anyone he’d been attracted to before. But that was lust. That was all. It didn’t mean they had some soul-deep connection.
Noah ha
d no idea what to think.
“Well, maybe he’s looking for someone to take care of his kids.” Mikko slurped as he sipped his drink. “He’s single, so—” Mikko shot forward and gasped. “He is single, right? Please don’t tell me he gave you some bullshit line about leaving his wife someday. Because if he did, we’ll go to wifey and let her know what’s going on.”
Noah knew cheating was a sore spot for Mikko. He’d fallen for a guy who had been buried deep in the closet, and the guy kept promising they’d be together and that he and his wife were already separated. It had all been a lie, and Mikko had been crushed when he discovered that not only had Brad still been with his wife but they had five kids.
“No, they’re divorced. She’s remarried.”
There was no reason to go into too many details, and Noah really didn’t want to talk about it right now.
Mikko pointed his wine glass at Noah. “You better make damn sure. Meet her, Noah. That’s the only way you’ll know for sure.”
“I’m more worried about becoming a father.” Noah got up and poured himself a glass of wine. “I don’t know shit about raising kids.”
“Well.” Mikko smacked his lips. “If Justin is telling the truth, the ex-wife and her new hubby are raising them. Co-parenting. You’ll probably just have to deal with the kids on the weekend, and depending on their ages, they could be fun.” He wrinkled his nose. “Just as long as you don’t have to change any shitty diapers.”
Noah hadn’t bothered to ask their ages.
“What would you do in my situation?” The longer Noah stayed at Mikko’s, the more he started missing Justin. That was crazy since he’d known the guy just a little over two weeks. Yet there was an ache in the center of his chest, and Noah was tempted to call his detective.
Two hours. That was how long ago Justin had dropped him off, and Noah felt like crying to see the guy again. Fuck, maybe they truly were mates. No one should feel this way after knowing someone for such a short amount of time.
“Oh, honey.” Mikko got up, set his glass aside, and took a seat next to Noah. “You looked miserable. If you really don’t want to be a father, then break things off with Justin.”
“I’m not miserable because I don’t want this,” Noah admitted.
“You got it that bad?” Mikko’s brows shot up. “Is his dick that good?”
Noah burst out laughing. That was just what he needed. He leaned into Mikko and wiggled his brows. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Hell yes.” Mikko shoved at him. “Give me details.”
“Let’s just say he left me gasping for breath and wanting more.” Noah drained his wine and went for another glass.
“You’re a cruel bitch,” Mikko complained. “Fine, don’t tell me. I do have an imagination.”
Noah narrowed his eyes. “Don’t be replacing me with yourself in that imagination of yours.”
“Why not?” Mikko gave him an evil smile. “Detective Grace is smoking hot.”
Jealousy ripped through Noah, and he was seconds away from smacking his best friend.
Mikko clucked his tongue. “Look at you, sweetheart. I can see the green-eyed monster in your eyes. Get your panties out of a ruffle. I’d never poach.”
Not after what Brad had done to Mikko. Besides, Noah knew his friend would never betray him. Still, Noah took a few deep breaths to calm that monster swelling inside him.
“I still don’t know what to do.” Noah was starting to feel the effects of the wine.
“Honey, if you want him that much, then get to know the rug rats. Maybe it’s not that bad. You won’t know until you meet them. Just be careful. They’re wolves, which means they might bite you.”
Noah hadn’t thought of that. With the way he felt right now, he’d deal with just about anything to see Justin again. Maybe Mikko was right and the kids wouldn’t be that bad.
“Have another glass,” Mikko said. “We’ll get wasted, and when you sober, you’ll know what to do.”
Noah doubted that, but he was already on his way to getting drunk. He lifted his glass and smiled. “We have two bottles.”
“That’s the spirit.” Mikko laughed. “Forget your problems right now. That’s why you’re here, to let Mikko drown all your problems in alcohol.”
“I knew we were best friends for a reason.” Noah hugged him. “Thanks for being here for me.”
“You would be lost without me.” Mikko kissed his cheek. “Now give me those details, or I just might strangle you.”
Noah downed his second glass. “Not a chance.”
They turned when they heard a strange noise in the kitchen. Mikko looked at him while Noah stared at Mikko.
“I’m not going in there,” Noah whispered. “You go check it out.”
“I might have a strong personality, but that doesn’t mean I investigate noises.”
“Then what are we going to do?” Noah set his glass aside, wishing he hadn’t drunk so much. His head was a bit fuzzy as he took a step toward the kitchen. “We can’t call the cops if we don’t know if there’s real trouble.”
“Okay.” Mikko nodded. “But you go first. I’m right behind you, and I have my cell phone in my hand.”
After he’d been attacked, going first was the last thing Noah wanted to do. He’d tried his best not to think about that night, to forget that hot breath on his face, those grabby hands, and that sneer as the guy had tried to take advantage of him.
“Oh shit.” Mikko hugged Noah. “I’m sorry. How the hell could I have forgotten about that so quickly? See, this is why I shouldn’t drink. I’ll go first, and you take my cell phone. Call the cops if it’s a burglar.”
“We need a weapon,” Noah whispered. He looked around and hurried toward a fireplace poker, grabbing it and handing it to Mikko. “Swing for his head.”
Noah swallowed roughly as they tiptoed toward the kitchen.
Chapter Seven
“Who breaks in, cleans, and then proceeds to trash the place?” Detective Rueben Benton had his hands on his narrow hips as he looked around. “What kind of shit is this guy mixed up in? First he claims he was assaulted, and now someone broke in and tore the apartment apart?”
Justin had been kneeling, looking at a framed photo of a younger version of Noah and Mikko when Benton’s words sank in. He stood, telling himself not to slug his partner. “What exactly are you saying?”
Benton held his hands up, palms out. “All I’m saying is look at the neighborhood he lives in, Justin. For all we know, the assault could’ve been an argument with his boyfriend, and now the boyfriend is getting revenge.”
Justin didn’t like Benton’s tone. “Is that what you’re putting in your report?”
The anger in Justin’s voice couldn’t be hidden. At least now he knew his partner’s true feelings. This was why he preferred to work alone. Justin had dealt with this kind of prejudice his entire life, and every single time it disgusted him.
“I just think this is a big waste of time,” Benton said. “Shit like this happens in this part of the city all the time. Assaults, break-ins, theft. We leave the case open for a little while, say we exhausted every lead, and then close it.”
Justin refused to get into an argument. There were a few who thought that way, a few men in his department who didn’t care about people like Noah.
Justin cared. He cared deeply. Not just because Noah was his mate but because he truly believed that justice mattered no matter who the person was or where they came from.
Then he smelled it. The scent of wolves, which meant pack members were somewhere close by.
“I have other things to do after this,” Justin said. “You can go ahead and take off. I’ll wrap this up here and call you tomorrow.”
Benton rolled his eyes and gave a long sigh. “One of these days you’ll see my reasoning, Justin.”
Justin prayed that wasn’t true. He didn’t want to develop a thick skin or become someone who disenfranchised others. He wanted to keep his finger on the
pulse of this city, unlike Benton.
His partner touched his arm. “I’m not heartless, Grace. I’m really not. I guess I’ve been doing this job way too long and have become jaded.”
Justin watched him walk out of the apartment. He wasn't going to give Benton another thought. Less than a minute later, two men who Justin recognized walked in.
Rayne and Tyler. They nodded at him before Rayne spoke. “John already told us what was going on.”
Rayne McGavin was a tall guy, muscled, with piercing green eyes that seemed to see everything. He’d been a part of the pack under the old alpha but had never given Justin any grief.
Tyler Bennett was lean with an athletic build, facial hair, and assessing brown eyes. He never said much, ever. Justin had known the guy for decades, and at most, Tyler had spoken a full sentence only a handful of times.
Rayne sniffed the air. “Pine cleaner.”
The smell was giving Justin a headache. It was overpowering, fucking with his senses. “I’m just trying to find a clue as to who did this.”
They went over every inch of the place. Aside from Noah’s, Justin’s, and Mikko’s prints, no others were found. Whoever had done this knew how to cover his or her tracks. Justin wasn’t going to rule out the possibility that a female could have wrecked the place.
Why? That was a damn good question that he didn’t have an answer to.
By the time they were done, Justin was no closer to discovering who had torn up Noah’s apartment, which frustrated him. He had no clue who had attacked Noah, and nothing in the apartment told him who had broken in.
Until he found out, Noah was staying with him. The two left, and Justin packed a bag. It was presumptuous of him, but he didn’t want Noah coming back here until the perp was caught and the place was cleaned up.
If it were up to Justin, Noah would never return.
He grabbed some clothes and personal items and was about to leave when his phone rang.
It was Noah.
“Hello?”
“I just wanted to tell you that we’re okay.”
Justin’s brows furrowed. If anything had happened, Fang would have called him. “What’re you talking about, sweetheart?”