by Nikki McCoy
Hours later, Tailor went in search of his mate and found him in Adreanna’s nursery with Keenan. Both men were leaning over the rail of Adreanna’s crib, where the little girl and Sevrick were sleeping soundly. Their hushed words fell silent when he entered the room and they both looked up with eloquent expressions.
Tailor frowned in confusion, knowing he had missed something, until the yearning in Dhani’s eyes became all too clear. “Oh, no,” he groaned.
“I want to keep him,” Dhani said in a rush. “He’s an orphan now, just like I was. And he has darkness in him, just like I did. I’ll be able to understand him and help him when he’s growing up. He’s all alone now. We can’t just forget about him.”
Tailor glanced at Keenan who raised his hands in defense. “Don’t look at me. I tried to tell him Rowan and I can take Sevrick in, but he’s got his mind made up.”
“This is the right thing to do,” Dhani persisted. “I can feel it. Sevrick deserves a fresh start, and I can give him that. He deserves everything I was denied.”
As Dhani went on to name every reason he could think of to convince Tailor to accept the baby, Tailor stopped listening. All the reason he needed was the look of pure longing on his mate’s face to convince him. Nothing else mattered.
He walked to his mate and pulled him into his arms, shutting him up with a searing kiss. “If this is what you want, then it’s what I want, too. He’ll be our son. A beautiful baby boy that will grow with our love and know happiness, tears, diapers, two a.m. feedings, throw up, constant supervision, endless crying…” His voice trailed off with a new kind of fear. “I think I need another drink.”
“I’ll get the whiskey,” Keenan said simultaneously.
After Keenan left, Dhani beamed up at Tailor. “You won’t regret this. You’re going to make a great dad.”
Tailor hugged his mate then looked down at the sleeping form of his new son.
I’m a dad, he thought. Sweet Mother, kill me now or give me the strength to survive this.
Chapter Sixteen
One month later
Tailor ran to the front door of his cabin at the sound of the doorbell and opened it to find Manning and Quinn on his porch. Quinn was holding their son, Hael, and Manning stood beside him with a large box in one arm and a second on his other side that almost reached his full height.
“You got them both?” Tailor asked excitedly.
Manning grinned. “We picked them up today from the store. Are you sure Dhani isn’t going to mind?”
Quinn rolled his eyes. “Yes, he’s going to mind! Just like I did when Manning got our son the same things. I hope you’re prepared to sleep on the couch for the next week,” he said to Tailor.
Tailor shrugged before taking the larger box from Manning and hoisting it over his shoulder. “He’ll get over it. It’s for the baby.”
“Right,” Quinn drew out in exaggeration. “That’s why you’re doing this behind his back.”
Dhani walked in from the living room carrying Sevrick on his hip. “Doing what behind my back?”
Manning passed Tailor swiftly, patting him on the back. “All yours, buddy.”
Dhani narrowed his gaze on the box Tailor held, then glared at him. “You are not putting that in the baby’s room.”
“Of course not!” Tailor said offensively. “I would never put our son’s health in jeopardy by putting an inflatable castle in his bedroom, or a racecar bed. He’s too young for them.”
Dhani nodded slowly. “Good.”
“I’m putting them in his playroom.”
“With the collection of weapons you hung on the wall for him?” Dhani exclaimed.
Tailor strode to the guest bedroom he’d converted into a playroom for Sevrick with Dhani marching angrily behind him. “One day, he’s going to master those weapons. He’s a warrior, just like me. Last night, he rolled over to grab my weapons harness. By this time next year, he’ll be ready to start training. I thought I’d give him a little incentive for now.”
“With a racecar bed and a bouncing castle?”
Tailor set the box next to Manning in the playroom, then took Sevrick from Dhani. Pride swelled in his chest when his son grabbed a tiny handful of his hair and smiled around a gurgling noise. Since Deirdra had been a Bassen’kir at the time she’d given birth to her child, Sevrick had been born with a spirit. And his spirit called to Tailor’s own as though their paths had always been meant to intertwine.
Tailor couldn’t explain it, and he’d given up on trying some time ago. Sevrick was his as surely as Dhani was, and the knowledge was the most terrifying gift of joy he’d ever experienced.
He faced Sevrick to the wall he’d been designing over the past week and said, “You’re going to be a fierce, badass little warrior when you get older. Better than your old man. And I’m going to make sure I’ll always be there to protect you. Just like your dad,” he said, looking to Dhani.
On the wall, he pointed to the weapons he’d mounted, and underneath each one was a plaque that read, ‘Baby’s first shuriken’, ‘Baby’s first katana’, ‘Baby’s first nunchaku’ and more.
Dhani shook his head with a hopeless smile. “You’re pathetic, you know that? Our son’s going to have issues.”
“Yeah,” Tailor said, grinning. “But long after we’re dead, he’ll still be kickin’ ass.”
Dhani laughed and stepped into Tailor’s open arm, tilting his head back to meet Tailor’s kiss.
“You know,” Manning said thoughtfully, “This baby weapons room has some merit. We should make one for Hael.”
“Ugh!” Quinn groaned.
Also available from Pride Publishing:
Keepers of the Gods: Son of Death
Nikki McCoy
Excerpt
Chapter One
As soon as Jamie heard the spray of water hitting tiles in the bathroom next to their room, he sprang into action. It was a short trip to the kitchen where he filled and started the coffee machine, then prepared two mugs with just the right amount of sugar and cream.
Theirs was a small house, but shabby by no means. The kitchen was almost as large as the living room, and while that wasn’t saying much, they managed to keep them both free of clutter. This gave their home a cosy atmosphere instead of inducing the claustrophobia one would expect to feel in such small spaces.
There were two bedrooms—one they shared, and one which had been deemed Jamie’s office, although that was more of a title than a fact. A jumbled collection of decorations and household items that Loland had accumulated over his years as an interior decorator reigned supreme.
Every week, Jamie was forced to clear a path to his work station, consisting of a worn pine desk, chair, computer and fax machine, but he didn’t mind. He loved to imagine the kinds of homes that would eventually house each piece as he was working.
Jamie returned to their bedroom and began to rifle through the clothes inhabiting Loland’s side of the closet. Most of them had either designer tags or were close knock-offs. The significance of the names on the material went right over his head but he knew it was important to his partner.
He’d also been keeping tabs on the outfits Loland wore on his dates with his boyfriend. He knew exactly which shirt to match with which pants to give Loland a fresh look every time he went out.
It had been odd at first, helping his lover prepare to meet another man. No other Dom Loland had met had ever had him this flustered. For that matter, no other man had piqued Loland’s interest enough for him to want to engage in more than just casual scenes at the club. Jamie knew this one was special. The energy Loland gave off following each date was sizzling with love and lust, and somehow it only enhanced their own relationship.
Loland had informed him that this was another actual date, not a club rendezvous, so Jamie decided on a pair of dark greyy slacks and a long-sleeved, white button-up shirt that shimmered even in dull light. After laying the clothes neatly on the bed so as not to wrinkle them, he went in search
of Loland’s watch, cell phone, and wallet, lying in various places throughout the room, and lined them all up on the dresser.
He warily eyed his lover’s vast shoe collection and was tempted to pick out a pair to save Loland the hassle of having to choose, but he remembered the one time he’d made that mistake. Instead of the usual ten minutes it took for Loland to decide on his footwear, it had taken the man forty minutes to find the perfect outfit to match the shoes Jamie had chosen for him. That had been for the first date and since then Jamie had taken the liberty of dressing the man himself.
Not willing to go there again, Jamie instead walked to the living room and found a jacket for Loland that would go with his outfit and be appropriate for the weather outside. A peek out of the closed blinds covering the window showed that it was going to be a clear, if chilly, night. The perfect opportunity for Loland to try out the new lightweight leather long-coat he’d unearthed at Sears while shopping for a client.
With nothing left to do, Jamie retreated to the kitchen, poured coffee into both mugs, and sipped at his while waiting for the entertainment to start.
It didn’t take long. Two minutes later, he heard the shower turn off and watched with a bemused expression as Loland ran to the kitchen, dripping water everywhere, with only a hastily wrapped towel around his narrow hips.
“So I was thinking of wearing my blue sweater, but I don’t have any…”
“Bed.” Jamie pointed to their room and watched the taller man scramble in that direction. He heard a muffled, “Thanks,” and waited patiently for the rest of the ritual to play out.
Loland came hopping out on one foot, trying to walk and put on his trousers at the same time. “Have you seen my…”
“Dresser.”
The man hopped back into the room then reappeared five minutes later, asking, “Is that coffee I smell?”
Jamie handed him the second mug still sitting on the counter and tried to stifle his laugh as he watched his lover accept it with glee. Watching Loland enjoy a good cup of coffee was like watching a man in the throes of the best orgasm of his life. It never got old, and it was always as sexy as hell.
His prick swelled to life at the sound of Loland’s little added moans thrown in for extra effect. Jamie had to tighten his grip on his own cup to keep from grabbing Loland and swallowing those sounds in a thorough kiss. The quick peck on the mouth Loland gave him didn’t help matters at all. Loland raced back to the bedroom while Jamie took a seat on the couch.
“So he’s taking me to that new Benihana restaurant they opened up in Paradise Valley,” Loland yelled from down the hallway. “I can’t imagine how he got reservations there on such short notice. I heard there was a two-month waiting list to get in and that was weeks before they even opened their doors.”
“Well, you have been seeing him for three months.”
“Yeah, but that was just casual hook-ups at the club. This is our sixth date. It takes us to a whole new level on the relationship scale. Chukka or Memphis?”
“Memphis.” Jamie grimaced at the ease with which he had replied. He tried his best to avoid the fashion world like the plague. The fact that he could now make decisions on which style of shoe would fit an outfit best without even looking at them did not bode well for him. “So, you really like this guy, huh?”
It was a needless question. Loland constantly spoke of the man’s looks and actions with adoration. His past was still a bit of a mystery, but at this point, Jamie felt as though he knew him almost as well as did Loland. Truthfully, he sounded like the kind of guy Jamie could fall for as well.
But that would never happen.
“Yes,” Loland said as he came out and plopped himself down on the couch next to him. “And I know you’ll love him too. He has the cutest little dimple on his left cheek when he smiles and have I mentioned his ass? Oh man, I could go on for…”
“Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean ‘when I meet him’? He’s your boyfriend, not mine.” Jamie could feel the familiar sense of panic begin to rise and take root in his chest. He tried to hide the panic he knew was shining in his eyes, but Loland must have noticed before he could cover his face with his hair.
Loland reached out and placed a finger under his chin, then gently began to kiss him—the corners of his mouth, his nose, his eyebrows, the lines creasing his forehead. “I wouldn’t introduce you to anyone that would hurt you, baby. I’ve been a lot more careful since…well, since last time. You’re the most important person in the world to me. You know that right?”
Jamie finally looked up through his lashes and met Loland’s sincere gaze. There was not a hint of deception or anger to be seen in those soft brown eyes. There never was. He could feel the waves of bright, pure energy rolling into him from the other man that attested to his honesty. He didn’t want to rehash the reasons why it would be a disaster for him to meet any of Loland’s friends. There was no need to ruin his lover’s excitement for the evening.
“I know. And I know what happened before wasn’t your fault.” He decided to lighten the mood by kissing Loland’s mouth and grasping the bulge between his legs in a firm grip. He rarely let his aggressive side show, but every time he did, it was the perfect distraction. Loland gasped and swivelled his hips, silently begging Jamie to rub along his growing erection.
Jamie pushed forwards until his slighter frame was resting atop Loland’s across the couch. He ground his hard-on into the crevice between his lover’s cock and hipbone. The fabric of his jeans wasn’t kind to his sensitive flesh, but the friction felt amazing. He delved his tongue into Loland’s mouth and reached up to tweak his nipple with his other hand. Jamie was rewarded with another gasp and a fresh wave of sexual energy.
He nudged copper curls aside with his nose as he kissed his way down his lover’s jaw and found the erotic spot just beneath his ear. He bit into the soft flesh above Loland’s collarbone and gave the head of his cock a tight squeeze at the same time, drawing out loud pants and whimpers.
The power of taking control always hit him with a rush. It was what Loland needed, and what Jamie desired most in the world to give to him, but he could only keep up this act for so long. As much as he longed to be everything to his partner, he was no dominant.
With more than a little reluctance, he slowly eased back into his true submissive nature and whispered against Loland’s lips, “You’re going to be late.” The dazed look in Loland’s eyes almost made him change his mind about releasing him so he could go on his date. The temptation was there, clawing at him as it always did when Loland went out, but he knew that there were things the man needed that Jamie couldn’t give to him.
“I can stay home, baby. If you want to spend some time together, I’m all for that. Or I can take you with me. I know he wouldn’t mind. We could skip the fancy restaurant and go somewhere private. It would be just the…”
“No. I love you and I’m telling you to go on this date. I can see that this one makes you happy.” Jamie quickly kissed away the protest he could see building on the thinning lips of his lover. Loland would probably let him get away with murder in his bid to make him happy in any way that he could, and Jamie did his best not to take advantage of that through of his own selfishness. Loland needed to be dominated just as much as he did. He could tell by the satisfied haze his lover had been floating around in for the past several months that the man he was seeing met his needs.
“Go. Meet this guy, then come home to me so hot and horny you have to drill me through the mattress just to take the edge off.” Jamie knew he’d finally lessened his lover’s worries when Loland threw his head back and laughed. The sound reached into his soul and cleansed all of his worries about being left alone again in their small home for the night.
“Okay. Are you working a shift tonight?” Loland asked.
“Yea, but only a half one. I should be done by the time you get back.”
Loland stood up and straightened his clothes before donning his leather coat. “Do I look all right? T
hank you for helping, by the way. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’re welcome, and you look great. My sexy top. Now go have fun. I have annoying people to piss off.”
Loland chuckled as he leant down to give Jamie a chaste kiss, then headed for the front door. “Lock this. Keep your cell phone on you, and call me if anything happens, or even if you just need me to come home for…whatever. I’ll be back soon. Promise me you’ll call if anything happens.”
Jamie tried his hardest not to roll his eyes as the second part of their ritual played out. Loland had always been protective of him. Ever since the episode with the last man Loland had taken an interest in, his lover had become obsessively fussy.
It had taken him over six months to convince the man that he would be fine on his own. He may still get panic attacks and work extra hours just to keep the paralysing fear at bay, but there was no way Jamie was going to let Loland know about that. The man had already sacrificed enough for him.
“Yes, Sir. I promise.”
Loland paused in the doorway and bit his lip. The indecision on his face was somehow endearing and exasperating all at once. Jamie wanted to scream at him that he was wiser now. He could take care of himself. But at the same time, he was afraid of losing that special concern that no one else had for him. Loland was his ray of sunshine in a life soured by the ruthless desires of other people. He was a gift that Jamie would never take for granted.
He stood up from the couch and swung his hips in a sultry sway as he approached Loland. In a soft, seductive voice, he said, “I swear to be a good boy until you get home. After that, I promise nothing.” Loland groaned into his mouth as Jamie stole another kiss. Their lips met in a bruising clash and Jamie clamped his fingers around the hard sides of his lover’s waist. He borrowed confidence from Loland’s solid frame and poured as much assurance into his voice as he could muster.