“Too bad he’s outnumbered by the assholes trying to burn the world to the ground,” Austen muttered before taking a sip of his drink, releasing a hum. Damn, Mama Bear made one hell of a hot chocolate.
“Do you know how we met?”
Austen shook his head.
“I was a freshman in college. He was a junior already enrolled in the THIRDS recruitment program. It was the early nineties, so the THIRDS had only opened their doors a few years before. The organization still faced a lot of hostility. Humans were in an uproar that the government was training Therians and putting weapons in their hands. When Unit Alpha became operational, the bigots lost their minds. They took to the streets, protesting against the violence they believed apex predator Therians in uniform would bring to the city, completely ignorant of their hypocrisy when their protests quickly escalated to violence.” She shook her head in disgust.
“Anyway, some assholes from one of the Human-only frat houses decided they were going to target the THIRDS recruits on campus. I was sitting on the bleachers with some friends while a small group of Therians trained on the football field. I’d seen Colin around campus a few times and remember thinking how handsome he was, but I was too scared to go anywhere near him. I mean, the man was huge, even at twenty-one. I’m not proud of it, but I feared him. My parents were not Therian allies. I grew up thinking Therians were dangerous. That at any moment, they could shift to their feral form and kill.”
Austen was stunned. “But you’re, like, on every Therian ally committee at your kids’ schools. You march for Therian rights and volunteer at the Therian youth centers. You do more for Therians than anyone I’ve ever known.”
Sheena smiled, her eyes filled with warmth and love. “Because of Colin. He didn’t just change my world, he changed how I saw it. That day on the football field, he showed me how wrong I was, how wrong and ignorant we were. The frat guys outnumbered the THIRDS recruits. They showed up with baseball bats, and I remember thinking how cowardly that was. The recruits hadn’t done anything. I also remember being scared for the frat guys. The THIRDS guys were huge Therians, a mix of Ursids, Felids, and Canids. They could easily tear the frat boys apart. Colin stepped forward, his hands up in front of them, and I could tell he was trying to defuse the situation, to talk them down. When nothing seemed to come of it, Colin shook his head. He motioned for the rest of the THIRDS guys to follow him. They were going to leave when one of the frat guys raised his bat to swing it at Colin’s head, and my first instinct was to scream and warn him.”
Sheena’s whole body trembled, and Austen found himself moving closer, wrapping an arm around her as she stared at nothing in particular, tears in her eyes.
“Colin spun around, and the bat got him in the arm instead. He could have crushed that guy, punched his lights out with one hit, but instead he kept trying to talk to the guy, but the asshole wasn’t listening. He kept swinging at Colin. I remember running toward one of the security guards, crying, telling him he needed to do something. The guy looked at me like I was crazy. Then he sneered at me in disgust and said, ‘Those animals have it coming.’”
Sheena shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. I ran back, and two of the guys had ganged up on Colin. The rest of his friends were busy with the others, and Colin was there on his knees, trying to shield his head. I don’t know what came over me, but I lost it. I marched up to one of the guys, took the bat from him, and shrieked like a crazy woman, swinging it at anyone who tried to get close to Colin. One of the guys grabbed the bat in my hand and backhanded me across the face, splitting my lip.”
Austen cringed. “Ooh, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Colin did not take that well.”
She shook her head, her smile dazzling. “There he was taking a beating so he wouldn’t hurt anyone, but the moment they hurt someone else, he was on his feet, towering over everyone, muscles bunched, fists at his sides, and fangs bared. He pulled me behind him, faced those guys, and the roar he let out, oh my God! Those frat boys practically pissed their pants. Pretty sure one of them did. They couldn’t get out of there fast enough.” She wiped at her eyes and let out a soft laugh. “When Colin turned around and asked me if I was okay, I burst into tears. He was the one bruised and bleeding, but he was worried about me. I should have been terrified, but I wasn’t. The way he looked at me, the tender way he took my chin in his hand to check me over… I’d never known someone so big could be so sweet and gentle. He walked me to my room, and I invited him in, insisting he let me clean up the nasty gash he had on his forehead. While I was patching him up, I asked him why he hadn’t kicked their asses, and he smiled this beautiful smile at me and said, ‘Because then you’d still be afraid of me.’”
“He’d noticed you around campus, huh?”
Sheena nodded. “Yeah, but he knew I was scared. He said that’s why he joined the THIRDS. To show people that Therians weren’t the violent animals everyone thought they were. He wanted to bring justice to Therians, and show the world that Therians only wanted what Humans had. Rights. They just wanted to be treated as equals.”
They were both quiet, but it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was nice.
“Do you know why I told you this story?” Sheena asked quietly.
“So I’d think twice about punching Colin in the face the next time he annoys me?”
She chuckled. “No. Maybe,” she teased, bumping his shoulder playfully. “If I hadn’t listened to my heart, I would have missed out on the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She kissed Austen’s cheek, speaking softly. “You’re a better man than you give yourself credit for, Austen Payne. Don’t let fear rob you of something wonderful.”
“Hey, baby.”
They turned to find Colin approaching the couch. He covered a sleepy yawn, his hair sticking up in all directions.
“Hey, tough guy. I was just hanging out with Austen.”
Colin looked from his wife to Austen and arched an eyebrow at him. Austen smiled and waved. His first instinct was to ruffle Colin’s feathers, and by the frown on Colin’s face, he clearly expected it. Instead, Austen nodded toward Sheena.
“Your wife’s kinda awesome.”
Colin’s expression went from wary to completely smitten as he turned his loving gaze on his wife. His smile softened his features, and the complete adoration in the man’s eyes squeezed at Austen’s chest. What would it be like to be on the receiving end of such a look? To be loved so wholeheartedly they’d take on an army to protect you?
“Yeah, she’s pretty amazing.”
Sheena stood on the cushions and turned, wrapping her arms around Colin’s neck. “Let’s go to bed, baby.”
Colin pressed his lips ever so gently to hers before scooping her up in his arms like she didn’t weigh a thing. She sighed dreamily, nuzzling her face into his neck as he murmured something in her ear, making her blush. They gazed into each other’s eyes, and whatever Sheena said had a low rumbling chuckle rising up from Colin’s expansive chest.
“Good night, Austen,” Colin threw out over his shoulder as he carried his wife toward their room.
“Night,” Austen said, watching them until they disappeared. After several seconds ticked by, he stood and took his mug into the kitchen. He washed it up, his heart messing with his head. Damn it, he really didn’t have time for any of this nonsense. This whole situation was screwing with him. He was here to do a job, yet with every passing hour he spent around Zach and his family, the more the line between what he should and shouldn’t want blurred.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were down here.”
Austen turned, holding back a smile at Zach standing in the archway, his face flushed.
“I wasn’t, um, following you.”
“Relax,” Austen said, leaning against the island counter. “I didn’t think you were.”
Zach nodded, and his black T-shirt stretched across his bulging biceps as he absently rubbed his arm. He was
wearing loose, dark gray pajama bottoms that sat low on his hips, so when he scratched his head, his shirt rode up, revealing the delicious skin of his hipbone. Fuck, but he was something else.
“Can’t sleep?” Austen asked. Despite Zach’s disheveled hair, it didn’t seem like he’d just woken up.
Zach shook his head. “I thought some of my mom’s hot chocolate would help. That and if I wait until morning, there won’t be any left.” He walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a mug before searching the utensil pot. When he didn’t find what he was searching for, he checked the drawers, then the dishwasher.
“Looking for this?” Austen purred, holding the ladle up.
Zach turned, his eyes landing on the ladle in Austen’s hand. His lips quirked in a smirk. “Yes.”
Austen held it out, but when Zach reached for it, he moved it away. “Ooh, you gotta be quicker than that, handsome.”
Zach’s lips curled in a wicked grin, and he lowered his head, his amber eyes darkening with predatory focus. It sent a delicious chill through Austen. If he wasn’t careful, he’d come in his pants just from that look. He felt a thrill in baiting Zach, something he had never—would never—do with a large Therian.
Austen bolted around the island counter, and Zach chased him. Bear Therians were often underestimated, seen as huge lumbering beasts, especially since so many of them worked in security. They were actually quick-witted and just plain damn quick. However, Austen was quicker.
When he wanted to be.
Austen spun to face Zach and stumbled. He laughed when Zach wrapped his beefy arms around Austen’s waist and lifted him off his feet. He swung Austen up and set him on the counter, pinning him there, one hand to each side of Austen.
“Gotcha.”
Yeah, you did, didn’t you? Austen pushed that thought aside. “Only because I tripped.”
Zach laughed softly, the sound a deep rumble. “Hm, that was convenient.”
“You complaining?”
Zach smiled sweetly. “Me? Never.”
“Unless the vending machine in Unit Beta is out of cheesy doodles.”
Zach lowered himself to his elbows and let his head fall against Austen’s chest, his shoulders shaking as he laughed. Austen couldn’t help but inhale his sent. He smelled so good. Woodsy and cool. Like sandalwood, mint, and something else. Before Austen could stop himself, he slipped his fingers into Zach’s soft thick hair. It was getting long, and the perfect length for Austen to run his fingers through.
“That feels nice,” Zach hummed, slipping his fingers beneath Austen’s T-shirt to run his thumbs soothingly over Austen’s skin. The gesture was painfully intimate. Fate was a cruel bitch. How could she put someone as good and gentle as Zach in his path? Why did she insist on taunting him with visions of a future that could never be? He couldn’t keep Zach, no matter how much he wanted to. It was past time denying he wanted it more than anything.
“Dudes, seriously?”
Austen gave a start. Shit. He’d been so caught up in Zach he hadn’t sensed or heard Bram approach. Not good. He had to keep his wits about him. Austen blinked at Bram, ready to tell him to fuck off if he had a problem, but Bram marched right past them to the Crock-Pot. He opened the lid and let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank God. I thought you assholes finished it off.”
Wait. He was pissed about the hot chocolate? Austen shook his head in disbelief. “You Zacharys are a strange, strange bunch.”
Zach laughed, pulling back, and Austen congratulated himself for not whimpering at the loss like some lovelorn sap.
“I was just going to have some. There’s still half a pot left,” Zach said. He picked the ladle up off the counter and handed it to his brother. He turned to join Bram, and the sudden panic that swept through Austen was irrational, but he didn’t care. He threw a hand out and caught Zach’s wrist. Zach tilted his head, his smile questioning.
Tugging him close, Austen leaned in to whisper in Zach’s ear, “I need you inside me.”
Zach sucked in a sharp breath, and Austen nibbled on Zach’s earlobe. When he pulled back, he managed to stifle a moan, his cock growing hard at the way Zach’s pupils dilated, leaving only a sliver of molten amber.
“Good night, Bram,” Zach said roughly, ignoring his brother’s puzzled expression.
“What about your hot chocolate?”
Zach smiled wickedly at Austen. “I’ve got something much better.”
Austen wrapped himself around Zach, and Zach lifted him off the counter, his hands squeezing at Austen’s asscheeks before bringing their mouths together in a frenzy of lips and tongues.
“Don’t run into any walls,” Bram called out after them with a chuckle, and Austen flipped him off without removing his mouth from Zach’s. They left Bram in the kitchen cackling, and moved through the house. They had a close call when they reached the stairs leading up to the bedrooms and Zach tripped over the bottom step. He managed to throw a hand out and grab the handrail, steadying them. He laughed breathlessly against Austen’s lips.
“I should probably watch where I’m going, huh?”
“As long as I don’t have to stop tasting you,” Austen replied, nipping at Zach’s jawline and relishing the low groan that came from Zach. He chuckled at Zach’s mumbled curses as he carefully, and quickly, hurried up the stairs with Austen clinging to him like a spider monkey. By the time they reached Zach’s room and had the door closed behind them, Austen was desperate to have Zach’s naked body over his, despite his pounding heart. Austen hopped down and shoved Zach’s shirt up his torso so he could run his tongue up Zach’s deliciously defined abdomen. The sound of Zach’s gasp was music to his ears, and Zach’s muscles tightened and flexed beneath his hands and tongue.
“You are so fucking hot, Z.” Austen allowed himself to be walked back toward the bed, but he didn’t relinquish Zach’s shirt. “Take this off.”
Zach obliged, pulling the T-shirt over his head and dropping it to the floor. Austen scraped his fingernails down Zach’s chest, and a visible shudder went through Zach. Damn, no one had ever responded to his touch the way Zach did, as if the sensation was so great he was ready to come apart.
“You need to get your clothes off. Now,” Austen growled.
They tore desperately at their clothes, their moves frantic as they tried to undress while keeping their lips on each other. Austen’s body was on fire, his rigid cock jutting up against his stomach once it was free of the confines of his underwear. He didn’t know what the hell had gotten into him, but suddenly he needed Zach inside him like he needed his next breath. His head was trying to take over, warning him not to give Zach that kind of power, but Austen promptly told his brain to fuck right off.
Once they were naked, Zach hoisted Austen up in his arms, and Austen wrapped his legs around Zach’s ass, rutting against him, the sweet friction of their dicks rubbing together making Austen’s eyes roll to the back of his head. The anticipation of having that monster cock inside him both thrilled and terrified him.
Zach walked them to the bed and gently laid Austen down in the middle of the mattress before following him down, his delicious lips feasting on Austen’s before he moved his mouth to Austen’s jawline, trailing kisses down his neck to his chest. Austen stretched his body, his arms raised above his head, and he moaned as Zach explored every inch of him with his mouth. He nipped at Austen’s skin before he sucked on Austen’s neck, then licked the spot. He continued to travel south, his lips leaving a blazing trail of scorching heat in their wake. He flicked his tongue over one of Austen’s nipples, and Austen arched his back up off the bed, stifling a curse. Fuck, he was rock-hard, his cock already leaking against his stomach as Zach drove him crazy with his feathery touches and soft lips.
“Zach,” Austen breathed, grabbing fistfuls of the duvet as Zach moved lower, placing kisses on his hipbones. He slid down the bed, and Austen gasped when Zach poked his tongue out to lick the inside of his thigh. A shiver went through Austen, a
nd he bit down on his bottom lip, willing himself not to come like some inexperienced teen. His entire body hummed with electricity as Zach ran his hands up Austen’s thighs before flicking his tongue out to lap up the bead of precome on the tip of Austen’s cock.
“Fuck!” Austen jolted, and when Zach swallowed him down to the root, Austen unraveled. “Please.” He didn’t care what it took to get Zach inside him. He’d get down on his knees and beg if that’s what it took. Austen writhed as Zach sucked him off, hollowing his cheeks or pressing his lips tight around Austen’s cock, adding to the delicious pressure. Suddenly Zach popped off him and moved away.
“Get your bear Therian ass over here,” Austen growled.
Zach chuckled. “Just getting the lube and a condom.”
The words slipped from Austen’s mouth before he could think about it. “No condom.”
Zach blinked at him. “What?”
“We both just got tested last month at work. I have the results on my phone if you want them. Negative.” Austen did his best not to squirm under Zach’s intense gaze. What was going on with him? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He wanted to feel all of Zach.
“Me too.”
“Okay. No condom, then. Unless you’d rather use one. It’s fine. I mean—”
“No condom.” Zach’s huge smile had Austen’s heart pounding in his ears. He quickly grabbed the lube from the nightstand before crawling over Austen and kissing him breathless. They were both panting when Zach pulled away, and Austen groaned wantonly when Zach’s mouth returned to his cock. The sound of the lube cap being opened reached Austen’s ear, but he was too busy trying not to die from the pleasure of Zach’s wet, sinful mouth to pay attention until he felt a finger press to his entrance. Austen stilled, his body going rigid when Zach doubled his efforts, distracting him from the slick digit pressing against his hole. Despite Zach’s gentleness, it still burned, but Austen did his best to focus on Zach’s mouth and not the finger pushing inside him.
Love and Payne Page 14