by Black Deja
“What. The. Fuck,” Anthony growled then looked at Creed.
“Not me, bro.” Creed held his hands up to fend off Anthony’s rage. “I’m the one who made him call you.”
Anthony reached out, touching his fingers against the bruises. Lucas felt the phantom grip of Ira’s hand on his throat, and he shivered. The look on Anthony’s face was glacier. “Ira?”
Lucas nodded, and he couldn’t help it, a tear escaped, trailing down his cheekbone.
“Tell me.”
Lucas told him, not forgetting one detail describing the way Ira entered the office, how he locked the door, his threats, and the attack. He informed him of the promise Ira made when he left.
“I could kill him. No one would ever find the body, Lucas.”
Anthony could do it, too. His military background experiences were unknown to most of the family, but Anthony shared some of that history with Lucas, memories that caused him to wake up in cold sweats when he first came home. And, that still did while Lucas was there. The fact he’d chosen to go into law enforcement was not a surprise to Lucas, but he often worried about him. Anthony walked a thin line most times, and he was afraid one day, he’d veer to the left, nothing able to hold him back.
The way Anthony looked, this was one of those moments.
“No, Anthony. Please. I’ve never seen Ira like this before. I can’t explain it.”
Anthony’s palm rested against Lucas’s face, his thumb tracing his cheek, wiping away another tear. “Luca Luca, there’s no explanation for crazy. It appears out of nowhere. Leave this to me. You, too, Creed. Let me handle this the right way. I’ll keep you updated.”
“What will you do?”
“Everything in my power. I’ll try it your way first. Screenshot me the fucker’s messages. Then, I want a detailed narrative of all that’s happened. Also, I don’t want you alone.” Anthony looked at Creed, the two sharing a silent message.
“No, you can’t watch over me, Creed. You have to work. For that matter, I have, too. I can’t change my life around because of Ira. This will get better.” Lucas had no idea if that was true, but he wouldn’t allow Creed to try to act as some type of bodyguard. “Maybe if he and I talked, figured out why he’s doing this? I almost feel sorry for him, like there’s something wrong.”
“Oh, there’s definitely something wrong with him, and you don’t need to be figuring it out. Lucas, the man tried to rape you.”
Lucas glanced around quickly, afraid someone may have heard his brother. “Anthony.”
“No, Lucas. You can’t sugarcoat this shit,” Anthony said.
Lucas put his face in his hands.
“I’ve never heard it said like that before, but you know he’s right.” Creed placed his hand in Lucas’s hair, pulled gently at the strands. Lucas almost sighed into the touch. “You want to help fix Ira, solve this, but maybe you should look in the mirror. You need to see the wild, frightened look in your eyes, the traces of his fingers still around your neck.”
“You can’t go to work with me, Creed.”
“No, he can’t.” Before Creed argued, Anthony said, “But, I’ll put eyes around you, place some guys who wouldn’t make themselves too obvious. Will that work for you, Lucas?”
Lucas shook his head. Ira and his messages, the stalking. So much had happened in a few weeks, and he was afraid he’d explode. But then he nodded because the truth of it was Anthony would do what he felt was best regardless of whether Lucas agreed or not.
“Okay, now that’s out of the way, tell me what the fuck is going on with you two.”
Lucas told Anthony about the dinner at Magnolias, and their trip to Creed’s family ranch for the weekend. They laughed at Lucas overcoming his fear of horses.
“So, you’re happy, then?” Anthony asked, his eyes looking deeply into Lucas’s own. “Been keeping the folks updated since you won’t.”
Lucas had spoken to everyone again since the initial upset but kept his conversations limited to expectations for the holidays, work and family, avoiding questions on Ira and even Creed.
Lucas nodded, and after a moment, Anthony smiled. Turning to Creed, he said, “Don’t have to tell you what I’d do to you if it turned out otherwise?”
Creed bent and kissed Lucas’s temple. “Man, I now have everything I have ever wanted. Nothing will hurt that, even me. It’s a promise.”
Lucas’s face warmed, his heart fluttering in his chest as Anthony looked at them both.
“Good. That’s good.” Anthony cleared his thoughts. “All right then. Feed me.”
Lunch ended hours later with Lucas having only moments to make it to his last class of the day. He felt better, though, like a solution was on the horizon.
Anthony was thrilled for the two of them. He’d nodded when Creed mentioned wanting Lucas to live with him. Anthony joked that he couldn’t live with him forever, but Lucas knew Anthony would do whatever Lucas needed.
∞ ∞ ∞
When Lucas made it to class, he saw several familiar faces, students who’d chosen to take another class with him as the professor. He figured he’d take that as a compliment, smiling when a few waved at him. Putting aside all the drama he’d been experiencing, he opened class and began.
When he finished, he reminded them of their tasks to find the classics in the contemporary. He believed in leaving topics open, forcing his students to think for themselves and anticipated what they’d bring later that week.
At the sound of a throat clearing, and he looked up from packing to see Amanda Hope standing off to the side.
“Yes, Amanda.” The little pixie blushed at the use of her name, but then he’d never forget her. For such a tiny body, she had an amazing presence and was chief among the students he felt would pave the way for future thinkers. She held a few notebooks tightly to her body, a messenger bag slung over her shoulder.
“I just wanted to say you seem better, happier.” She looked up at him over her notebooks, her expression earnest.
Oh, Lucas looked down. He realized it wouldn’t escape many of his department’s and their students’ awareness that he and Ira were no longer together. “I do?”
Amanda nodded. “A few of us think Dr. Feigenbaum is an ass and were wondering what the hell you were doing with him. I mean, if it’s okay to say so, sir.” She covered her words with a shy smile, but Lucas laughed.
“It would be unprofessional for me to comment on that, Amanda, but thank you.”
“Well, yes, but I felt it important to let you know we’re happy for you. You deserve to be loved.”
Lucas cleared his throat. “Uh… thank you, Amanda.”
“You’re welcome. So, I’ll leave, let you finish up here, and get to work on our assignment.” Nodding first to the professor and then over his shoulder, she turned to leave.
Lucas looked back to see what captured her eye. Ah, Anthony worked fast. An officer smiled back at him. He wasn’t wearing a uniform, but Lucas had been around Anthony’s brothers in the force enough to pick them out, uniform or no.
“Hello,” Lucas said. “Anthony?”
“Yeah, he called me and filled me in. My name’s Marshall. You ready to go?”
Lucas sighed and supposed he was.
∞ ∞ ∞
That evening Creed stayed with him at Anthony’s house. Lucas lay next to Creed in bed, his fingers drifting over Creed’s skin, enjoying the sighs he made as he touched him.
“This bed’s pretty small. My bed’s bigger,” Creed said. They were lying in a queen-sized bed in the guest room Lucas had been using. The room was nicely furnished because his brother believed in making a home and taking care of those under his protection, but the room wasn’t made for two.
“While that may be true, Anthony lives closer to the university than you do.”
Creed sighed. “That’s why we have cars, Lucas. Why are you fighting me on this? You said we’re together. Why not stay with me?”
“Creed, it’s been two weeks. I can�
��t just move in.”
“You’re the only one thinking that’s a problem, Lucas,” Creed growled. “I need you with me.”
“I am with you.”
“Don’t try to play with words, Lucas. You know exactly what I mean. I need you in my home, living with me, in my arms when I wake up in the morning and when I go to sleep at night.”
Lucas sighed. He’d be lying to himself if he tried to say he didn’t want the same things, but the smart thing to do would be to step back, turtle things down.
“Creed.”
Creed slammed his beautiful head against the pillow, and Lucas laughed. “This bed’s fucking uncomfortable, too. How are you even sleeping in here?”
Lucas felt distraction was the key, and he was walking on cloud nine to be the source. They were naked, Creed’s gorgeous skin warmed by the closeness they shared.
Lucas pulled the covers down, revealing Creed’s lovely cock, the flaccid member still large even at rest.
“What are you doing?” Creed asked as Lucas slid down his body, his legs falling open to give him room.
“What I’ve been thinking about most of the day.” Creed smelled so good, the scent of his arousal appealing to Lucas’s own hunger. Lucas was hard, impossibly so, but he wanted to taste Creed first.
“And that would be?” Creed said before he groaned loudly as Lucas’s mouth closed around the head of his cock. Creed was delicious, the taste of his pre-cum better than any ambrosia from the gods as Lucas took him in deeper, relishing the sounds of Creed’s pleasure. “Oh, Lucas. Shit, baby.” Lucas smiled around the mammoth dick in his mouth then slid his body along Creed’s legs, spreading him wide. “Lucas?”
Lucas lifted, took in Creed’s questioning gaze as he licked delicately at the tip of Creed’s glands. “Yes, Creed.”
“Baby, I need.”
“What do you need, Creed?” Creed’s voice was silenced as Lucas took him in again sucking harder this time, trying to get as much of Creed down his throat as he could. Pushing his thighs harder, he slapped the muscle on the underside of Creed’s legs making Creed open wider.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Creed chanted, his fingers grasping at the sheets around him. Releasing Creed’s hard dick, Lucas shifted until he gained enough support to get in just the right position.
“Keep your legs open for me, Creed.”
“Oh, God. Yes, Lucas,” Creed moaned then gasped when Lucas pressed his thumbs on the outside of Creed’s muscular hole, forcing his thumbs inside before he bent and sank his tongue into the salty depths of Creed’s body. “Oh.” Creed panted as Lucas fucked into him with his tongue, swiping over the furled edges to push inside again. “Shit, Lucas, baby. So fucking good.”
Lucas slurped at his ass, making sure it was good and wet for what he needed, laughing gently as Creed rocked his ass toward him, trying to get more of Lucas’s tongue inside.
“You want more, Creed, want me to put my dick inside you?”
“Oh, God, yes, Lucas. Want that so fucking much, baby. Want to feel you fucking me, claiming me. Do it, Lucas.” Lucas had fantasized about this, about being inside of Creed, and now it was happening. Creed wanted him, wanted all of him and it was the greatest treasure he’d ever received.
Lucas rose, took his cock in his hands and looked at a writhing Creed.
“I want to fuck you, Creed.” Creed’s eyes opened, his golden stare intense as he focused on Lucas, his dick in his hands squeezing and pulling, his legs spread wide and waiting.
“I need you to fuck me, Lucas.” Lucas looked around for something—condoms. “No, Lucas. I need you to put your fucking cock in me, to feel you, skin to skin, then have your cum fill up my ass. That’s what I need, Lucas. Can you give me that?”
Lucas stopped breathing, just held his dick that was hard enough to hammer nails and looked at Creed. “Are you sure?”
Lucas wanted to claim Creed, to fuck the man deep and pour his soul inside of him. He wanted to reach places he’d never been, and have all of Creed as his very own. They’d both been tested, were both in the clear. He wanted, no needed this.
“Baby, please.”
That was all Lucas needed to hear as he leaned over reaching until he grabbed the lube. Returning he squeezed until he had enough to ease the way, then used his fingers to spread it around Creed’s hole.
“Come on, Lucas. I want to feel you inside me, feel you stretch me.” Shit, Lucas wanted that, too, fucking shook with the need to have it.
He moved faster, inched forward on his knees, used his hand to press his dick against Creed’s opening, almost coming from the touch of the man’s ass. Barely breathing, he reached for the necessary control so he didn’t embarrass himself the first time, he gripped Creed’s thighs and sank the head of his dick into Creed, moaning with the pleasure of being inside the man’s body.
“Oh, God, Lucas,” Creed cried. “More, dammit. More.” Lucas was helpless to the waves of feeling overwhelming him, a boat in the tempest of a storm as he sought to do just that. He pulled back, his dick nearly popping free and rammed himself forward stilling as Creed rocked his ass for more. “That’s it, Lucas. Shit. Never felt so good, so damned good.” Creed stared into Lucas’s eyes. “I need you, Lucas. Need you now and forever.”
“Need you, too, Creed.” Then, Lucas lay over Creed’s body and fucked him, thrust into his ass, again and again, savoring the tight walls of Creed’s muscles as they massaged his dick. Pleasure was pouring through Lucas like he never experienced before, all of it so new and all-encompassing. He bent down, took Creed’s mouth, and swallowed his cries, his whimpers. Lucas angled his dick just right, smiling against Creed’s lips. He was loving this, loving Creed.
“Lucas,” Creed screamed as his dick spilled, his seed making the two of them slick as Lucas continued to fuck into Creed, his balls boiling with the need to come. When Creed’s head fell back, his body still slamming back with the thrusts of Lucas taking him, Lucas bit into his neck, marked him as his dick exploded, flooding Creed’s ass with his seed.
Lucas fell against him and sighed when Creed’s hand reached around to palm the back of his head.
“Love you, Lucas.”
Lucas let the feeling of those words wash over him. When Lucas said nothing, Creed pulled him closer. Lucas tried to get up, but Creed held him tight.
“No, Lucas. Stay.” Creed sighed. “Stay.”
The two of them fell asleep, sticky and wet and covered in each other with Lucas never saying the words that burned inside his chest.
Chapter Nine
Months passed by with Lucas and Creed living between his brother’s home and Creed’s family home. Lucas became a fixture in the Hamasaki kitchen even helping to prepare the meals, ones that were healthy and delicious enough to fool a gruff Maddox, who’d pat Lucas on the shoulder when he popped in to steal a pepper or two.
He enjoyed learning Creed’s favorites, spending time with Creed’s mother, and taking riding lessons from all three men who were determined to overcome his inability to ride.
Kiku began asking him for suggestions, insisting he come home day after day and bring his work with him so they could try a new dish. He’d agreed unable to resist her and before he realized it, more of his life was on the ranch than in his brother’s home. He hadn’t even been to Anthony’s in weeks after Kiku and he started cooking together.
It always amazed him how lovely it was here. It felt natural to wake up in Creed’s arms and get ready for work. Lucas settled into a rhythm, feeling safe and cared for.
He barely even noticed the men who guarded him at work anymore or worried over whatever had gone awry in Ira’s life. Ira hadn’t approached him again, not even a call.
He was comfortable and content.
Then, one day as he stood looking out of the bay window taking in the view of the Hamasaki family property, he realized something else.
“I live here,” Lucas said, almost to himself.
“Yes, you do, darling,” Kiku respond
ed while she peeled potatoes. Today they were trying a new au gratin recipe she’d found on Pinterest.
“No, really, Kiku.” He turned to face Creed’s mother who looked at him warmly and went back to neatly skinning the potato in her palm. “I live here.”
Everyone on the ranch called him by name from Ragland, the ranch hand who worked the horses in the arena, to James, who kept the grounds. He’d spent time organizing events with some of the families who stayed on the property. He was often greeted with hugs and invited to stop by one home or another.
He graded papers here, had actually started grocery shopping and even added the address to his online shopping accounts. It was just easier that way.
He lived here.
“Yes, Lucas. You do. You have been for months now, and Creed has been jubilant, his smile brightening the entire home. My son is happy. We all are.” Kiku stood and took the bowl to the sink, using her elbow to turn on the faucet.
Lucas looked at her, noticed the knowing twinkle in her eyes.
“Lucas, stop overthinking before you hyperventilate. Get the seasonings from the table. Creed and Jareth will be back in town soon, and it would be best to have this in the oven before Creed traps you off in a room somewhere.” Her smile was sweet as she glanced at him.
Lucas’s cheeks flushed with warmth. Both Creed and Jareth had traveled to Texas for a few days and were due to return today. Lucas missed him, looked forward to his calls late at night—especially the way Creed was so able to bring him off with a few words while Lucas wrapped his hand around his own dick, panting with need. He missed making love to his man and wanted him home.
Home.
“He’ll be back soon enough. Let’s finish this.” Leaning over, she kissed a numb Lucas on his cheek, and the two of them continued preparing dinner. But the thought of this being home never strayed far from his mind.
Dinner was quiet, to say the least. Instead of the usual conversation, Jareth and Creed discussed the horses they were considering as well as opening a new store in North Carolina along the coast.