Until Forever

by Lynn Hagen

  Mike wasn’t used to seeing Moose this serious and commanding. The Moose he knew was a large teddy bear who always had a joke to share or a smile at the ready. This guy in front of him looked like a giant menace that wouldn’t hesitate to take you out.

  Mike turned to Deon, who’d pretty much stayed quiet the entire time except for his comment on their ability to keep Kester safe. “Why didn’t Darren call you a civilian?”

  Deon blushed as the side of his mouth turned up in a grin. “I wasn’t always a farmer. I have military training, just not in the black ops sector.”

  That just went to show that, even though you knew a guy for ten years, you really didn’t know him. Mike was surprised by the confession, and jealous. He was the only one in the room with no training. But he didn’t need that kind of background. He was a wolf shifter, and that alone made him deadly.

  But up against a Loup Garou? Fuck, Mike had barely survived Nunzio’s attack. Even if he’d been at full strength, he had a feeling he would’ve been killed if Darren hadn’t shown up.

  He was truly torn between leaving Kester at Darren’s cabin and taking his mate with him. If Kester stayed behind, at least Darren’s mate could watch over him. Lenox was a demon, but Mike wasn’t sure what powers the demon possessed.

  If Kester went with them, there was the possibility that Strabo could get his hands on his nephew. It wasn’t an easy call to make.

  Moose and Darren left. Deon went to his truck and slid inside to keep an eye on things until morning.

  Mike pressed his hands against his hips and stared out the lobby window, wishing the decision was as clear-cut as everyone made it seem. Take Kester or leave him with a demon babysitter?

  He sighed as he walked out of the office and headed to room four. Hopefully the answer would come to him sometime during the night. But until then, all Mike wanted to do was hold Kester in his arms. Just the thought of being with Kester again took Mike’s breath away. Those pretty blue eyes. The way he looked at Mike as if Mike were the only person in the world. There wasn’t anything Mike wouldn’t do for Kester.

  Include falling in love with him.

  * * * *

  Kester didn’t like being told to go to his room. This mission was about him, yet Mike had made sure Kester had locked the door before he’d gone off to play with the big kids. That was what it had felt like. Kester had been relegated to the kids’ table while Mike and the others had their grown-up talk.

  If he came back in here telling Kester that he wasn’t going with them, Kester would stow away in Mike’s truck. There was no way they were leaving him behind. Not when this involved his mother.

  Kester had been lying on the bed, clicking through channels with the remote, when the door opened and a cold breeze blew in. He didn’t care how many times he looked at the guy. Mike made his heart race and his body grow hot.

  The wolf shifter was over six feet of sex appeal, and the look he gave Kester said his mate wanted to feast on him. Thankfully Kester had just showered in the lukewarm water and was wearing nothing but his boxers.

  Mike’s eyes roamed over him, pure lust in those dark beauties. He tossed his Carhartt jacket aside and sat at the table to remove his boots. Kester’s gaze stayed riveted on him the entire time, like a soundless striptease was being performed.

  That was how Kester chose to see Mike stripping off his clothes. Like the guy was a professional, giving him a private show. Every nerve ending Kester possessed thrummed with anticipation as Mike walked over to the bed and climbed in.

  “Miss me?” He gave Kester an easy smile—a smile that did all kinds of crazy things to Kester’s body. It made his heart beat even faster, his cock hard, his stomach fill with butterflies.

  “Every second,” Kester teased. That wasn’t what he’d wanted to say. Kester wanted to talk to Mike about the mission, but the guy’s presence, his sheer size, all those muscles bunched up beside him had Kester focused on only one thing.

  Mike’s arm slid under Kester, surrounding him with warmth. He pulled Kester closer, and the kiss he gave was nothing short of heart-stopping. The kind of kiss that stole Kester’s very breath. His hands were everywhere, touching Kester as his lips devoured Kester’s mouth.

  As Kester became dizzy from lack of air, he slid his boxers off. Mike curled his hand around Kester’s cock, stroking him as Kester arched his back and moaned.

  Then his mate slid down the bed.

  “Oh fuck,” Kester moaned when Mike shoved his legs back and drove his tongue into his hole. His beard scraped along Kester’s skin, driving him crazy. Mike licked up to Kester’s balls, mouthed them, and then worked his way back down.

  It felt as though lightning had struck him. Kester’s entire body buzzed as he stroked his cock and his breathing hitched. He was so close to coming that he curled his toes.

  “M-M-Mike.” Kester threw his head back and shouted Mike’s name as his cum hit his chest and chin. What amazed him most was the fact that he was still rock-hard. That was how badly he wanted to feel his mate pounding into his ass.

  Mike looked up at him with an evil grin. He licked his lips and winked. Kester reached under the pillow where he’d stashed the lube and tossed it down toward Mike’s head.

  Kester might’ve just climaxed, but that didn’t stop Mike from still feasting on him. Only he’d added lubed fingers. Kester grabbed his boxers that he’d thrown aside and wiped his chest then let go of the underwear and cried out when Mike grazed his prostate.

  The guy was out to kill him. Kester wasn’t sure how much more he could take. The swirling tongue. The deep thrust of fingers. The moans vibrating through Mike’s chest.

  Fuck.

  Just when Kester thought he couldn’t take any more, Mike moved up the bed. He brushed his lips over Kester’s as the head of his cock kissed Kester’s hole.

  Mike looked him in the eyes and said, “I love you.”

  Kester sucked in a breath at those three words as Mike thrust deep inside him.

  “Shit!” Kester threw his head back as his nails dug into Mike’s biceps. Sweat beaded along Kester’s skin as Mike stopped moving. He cupped Kester’s face, smiling down at him. “Start moving. Please.”

  With a nod, Mike began to move, punching his hips forward then pulling back. Kester didn’t want to think about Mike’s declaration. Kester had never been in love, and to be honest, he was scared.

  But he was also excited. Excited that Mike had deep feelings for him. That his mate truly cared about him. He was just having a hard time saying those three words back. They felt as though they were stuck in his throat as Mike thrust hard and deep, rattling Kester’s brain.

  Kester wiggled and pushed at Mike’s chest until Mike’s cock was out of him. His mate looked at Kester in confusion. Kester turned onto his hands and knees. “I want you deeper.”

  Mike grabbed Kester’s hips and drove back in, pounding against Kester’s ass. It was easier to talk to Mike when he didn’t have to look him in the eyes.

  “I’m trying to say the words, but I’ve never said them before. They’re getting stuck in my throat.”

  Mike’s fingers massaged Kester’s hips. “I’ve never said them before, either.”

  Kester found that hard to believe. Mike was…all that. Men probably threw themselves at him. The guy had confessed to being over two hundred years old. How had he not fallen in love before now?

  Mike blanketed Kester’s back, his lips near Kester’s ear. “Just as long as I know you love me, take your time saying the words, sweetheart. I can wait.”

  He sank his canines into Kester’s shoulder, making Kester shout as a second, more powerful orgasm pulled him under. Mike snarled into Kester’s skin, his cock throbbing deep in Kester’s ass.

  And once again, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Mike eased out of him and cursed up a storm. Kester highly doubted it was Smitty but was curious to know who was banging so hard.

  Mike got up and threw his boxer briefs on. Kester looked at h
is boxers and grimaced. He chose to go commando, drawing his jeans up his legs and then pulling his shirt over his head.

  He felt like cursing, too. Why did people keep interrupting their snuggle time?

  Mike cracked the door open, but the stranger on the other side shoved his way in, his eyes wide as he looked around. Kester took a step back, unsure who the guy was.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mike snapped. “What the hell, Theo?”

  Kester relaxed. Mike knew the guy. Even so, barging in was rude. All Kester wanted to do was lie back down and go to sleep, but Theo looked on the verge of panic.

  “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.” Theo paced in front of the dresser as Mike closed the door. “Why did you keep ignoring my calls and texts?”

  “I’ve been busy.” Mike crossed his arms and glanced between Theo and Kester. “This is my cousin,” he said.

  Kester gave a small wave, but Theo didn’t look his way.

  “I got problems, Mike. I need your help, or they’re gonna kill me.”

  “Whoa.” Mike dropped his arms. “Slow down and tell me what’s going on.”

  Theo was a good-looking man, and Kester saw the family resemblance, although Theo looked like a younger version of Mike. He didn’t have facial hair, but the resemblance was striking.

  “I got in with some bad men. I thought it was a surefire thing. But now I owe them money, and if I don’t pay, they said they were going to have fun with me before I died.”

  Mike had a look that said this wasn’t the first time Theo had been in trouble. Kester sat on the side of the bed, keeping quiet. This wasn’t any of his business. If he had somewhere else to go, he would’ve given them some privacy.

  “What men are you talking about, and what was a surefire thing?” Mike asked.

  Theo stopped pacing and finally looked Kester’s way. His brows creased as if he’d just realized Kester was in the room with them. “Who’s that?”

  Mike growled. “Answer my questions.”

  Theo pulled his gaze away from Kester. “You don’t know them, and we invested some money in this real estate deal that went south. Now the Vida brothers are after me for their money back.”

  Mike arched a brow. “The deal was your idea and you talked them into investing.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “The plan couldn’t fail!” Theo rested his ass against the dresser, biting his thumbnail. “Now I have to come up with twenty grand by morning, or I’m a dead man.”

  “Twenty grand?” Mike curled his lip. “When are you ever going to learn, Theo? If it sounds too good to be true, then it’s usually a scam.”

  Kester nearly fell off the bed at the amount. Mike had already ordered a lot of the things they would need to remodel the motel. Kester had seen the bills, and they hadn’t been cheap.

  “Are you gonna help me?” Theo asked Mike.

  Mike slammed his hand down on the dresser. “How much money have I spent to save your ass over the years? Have you once attempted to pay back a single dime? First you wanted to start your own repair shop but gambled the money away. Then you wanted to open your own clothing store but lost the money to some slimeball who’d hustled you. You’ve owed money for gambling, your drug addiction, and being an all-around idiot when it comes to get-rich-quick schemes. Now you decide to get into real estate, which you know nothing about, and lose money you don’t have to repay them?”

  “At least I’m trying!” Theo matched Mike’s glare. “I can’t help it I have the worst luck in the world.”

  Mike pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. Kester strangled his boxers in his hands. He wanted to say something so badly but knew to keep his mouth shut. It was clear to him that Theo used his cousin. Mike was his safety net, and Kester didn’t want to think about how much money he’d given up over the years to bail Theo out.

  The fact enraged Kester. He wanted to tell the ungrateful prick to find his own way out of this mess, but that wasn’t Kester’s call to make.

  “I don’t have twenty grand lying around to just give away,” Mike said. “I’ve worked my ass off for what I have, and I’m not going to hand it over because of your bad decisions. I’m done, Theo. I can’t help you.”

  Theo’s rage seemed to boil over. “Are you fucking serious? You’re gonna let them kill me because you’re too much of a tightwad to help me out?”

  A shouting match ensued. Kester had never seen Mike this angry. The vein on the side of his head pulsed as the two yelled at each other. Kester slid off the bed and backed his way to the bathroom, but stopped when Theo said, “I bet you don’t have any problems spending money on your little whores. But I’m family, and you’re hanging me out to dry.”

  “I’m not a whore!” Kester shouted, allowing his anger to take over. But as mad as he was, he curled his lips in when Mike grabbed Theo by his shirtfront and shook him.

  “Call my mate a whore again and I’ll rip you apart myself. You’ve never taken responsibility for your own life. Everyone else is to blame. It’s never your fault. When are you going to grow up, Theo? When are you going to stand on your own two feet and make sensible decisions? I’ve been helping you out of tight spots for over a hundred years and have spent close to three hundred thousand dollars to bail you out of shit. I’m done. You’ve squeezed your last dime out of me.”

  He threw Theo toward the door. Kester watched as the guy stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. The silence in the room was deafening as Kester thought about the amount Mike had said he’d given his cousin.

  Mike ran a hand through his hair and cursed under his breath. Kester wasn’t sure what to do. Now was not the time to ask about their mission and whether he was allowed to go.

  “Are you all right?” That was a dumb question to ask, but it was a knee-jerk reaction to what had just taken place.

  “Just give me a minute.” Mike placed his hands on his hips and stared at the ceiling. “Theo is the only person who knows how to push my buttons.” He looked Kester’s way. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

  Kester shrugged. “It’s not like my family is the Brady Bunch. I have an uncle who’s a hundred times worse, and we just killed his son. Theo’s tantrum is mild compared to what Strabo is gonna do when he finds out about Nunzio.”

  “Let’s run away to the tropics.” Mike crossed the room and pulled Kester into his arms.

  “Seriously, though. What are you going to do about those men after Theo?”

  Mike led Kester to the bed, and they both sat. “I can’t be certain he’s telling the truth. More than once he’s made up a crisis to swindle money out of me.”

  “And you still talk to him?”

  “He’s family.” Mike scrubbed a hand over his beard. “Regardless, I’m done being his fool. Theo is gonna have to learn how to handle life on his own. I’ll give him moral support, but he’s not getting another dime out of me.”

  Kester squeezed Mike’s hand. “We’ll get through this, and then we can remodel this crappy motel.”

  Mike chuckled. “I like the way you think.”

  He leaned into his mate. “I love you, too.”

  “It just took a shouting match, harsh words, and cutting my cousin out of my life for you to say them.”

  Kester elbowed Mike. “No, the argument just made me realize what a really good man you are. Theo used you, and you knew he was using you, yet you still helped him time and again. You’re a rare guy, Mike.”

  “A sucker is more like it.”

  “You’re never a sucker when it comes to family. But I’m glad you’ve finally drawn the line.” He squeezed Mike’s hand again. “Did you really shell out that kind of money for him?”

  “And then some.” Mike sighed. “We need our rest, sweetheart. The guys will be here at the crack of dawn, and we have to be ready to hit the road.”

  Kester stopped himself from jumping up and doing a jig. Mike was taking him with him. Kester wouldn’t have to stow away in the g
uy’s truck.

  He slid his clothes off and crawled into bed. Mike did the same. He curled around Kester and held him tight as the two fought to get some sleep after the explosive argument and thoughts of what would happen tomorrow.

  Chapter Ten

  Mike woke to the sound of pounding. He cracked his eyes open and blinked into the dimly lit room. Someone was banging at the door. As his mind came into focus, he also realized his phone was ringing.

  The clock on the nightstand said it was after three in the morning. If Theo had come back, Mike was going to choke the bastard for this ungodly hour.

  “I’m coming!” he snapped as he slid his underwear on then made sure Kester was fully covered. He’d been asleep for only four hours and hoped it wasn’t Darren and the others. When they’d said the crack of dawn, he didn’t think they meant this early.

  Kester grumbled in his sleep and turned over, tossing the covers over his head. Mike turned on the lamp by the door to keep from having it lit too brightly by the bed.

  He started to open the door but used caution and looked out the peephole first. He didn’t need Nunzio’s father bursting in and trying to kill him. Not since backup wouldn’t arrive for a few hours when Darren and the others came to gather him and Kester.

  Too bad he hadn’t asked Deon to stay and watch over things while he and Kester slept. But the panther shifter had needed his rest before they’d made their trip to Arkansas. That wouldn’t have been fair of Mike to deprive the guy of his much-needed sleep.

  Mike furrowed his brows when he spotted Deputy Aaron Mills on the other side of the door, wearing a thick jacket and blowing into his hands. Behind the deputy was his cruiser, and Mike’s damn phone was still ringing.

  He opened the door and waved Aaron in before hurrying to the nightstand and snatching his phone up. The ringing stopped, but Mike saw he had six missed calls from Calhoun, the barback who worked at the tavern.

  Aaron closed the door behind him and looked over at the bed. He had an apologetic look in his hazel eyes. “I’m sorry to disturb you this early in the morning,” he said in a low voice.