by Flynn Eire
Lloyd nodded. “What if it is worth more than the other one?”
“I don’t care. You can pay me quarterlies until the difference is met or something.” Theo shrugged. “But if you know of anything illegal my father’s been up to, now is the time to come clean. I’ve known you to love a good killing in business but you don’t cross that line. I don’t want to be involved in any of that crap so don’t leave me holding the bag.”
“Agreed.” Lloyd winced then. “Okay, I don’t know, but I had some suspicions for a while about the cruise ships. They use a noticeable amount more fuel coming back from international waters and some of their stops in South America than they do getting there.”
“And why would they need to do that unless the ships are that much heavier as if carrying a larger amount of goods or people than when they left,” I muttered, glancing at Roarke who nodded.
“Exactly,” Lloyd agreed.
“What are you thinking?” Theo asked, rubbing his hand over his hair. “Drugs? Guns? What?”
Lloyd shrugged. “With your father? Who knows?”
Wow, Theo really did have one hell of a mess to clean up.
3
That night I woke in one of the guest room beds when I heard the knob of the door turn. My eyes shot open and I slowly reached for the gun I’d put on the nightstand. Lloyd had left on good terms and Roarke had installed some security cameras and sensors while I’d been tasked with being a vampire heating blanket but there was no such thing as being too careful.
But I froze when I saw Theo’s blond head poke in. His eyes met mine and he had the same reaction I did.
So far this was going well.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I lowered my arm.
“What were you reaching for?” he whispered as he glanced in the direction. His eyes went wide when he saw the gun. “I should go.”
I was out of the bed in a flash. “Theo, no. I didn’t know it was you.” I yanked open the door, not realizing he was still holding onto the handle and he came stumbling into the room. I caught him before he hit the floor and then closed the door so we didn’t wake anyone. “I heard a noise and reacted. I’d never hurt you. You have to know that.”
“I do.” He nodded as he found his feet, his hands tightening on my forearms. “That’s why I’m here.”
“Because I won’t hurt you?” That didn’t really make sense to me.
“Yes—no.” Theo blew out a frustrated breath and let go of me, so I mirrored the move. “Nothing, it’s stupid. I’m sorry I woke you.”
“Please tell me why you’re here,” I murmured, not moving from in front of the door.
He rubbed his arms and stared at his feet. “I feel safe with you. I couldn’t sleep without Sam knocking me out, and he offered, but I don’t want that stuff. It gave me nightmares when I started to heal.”
“Cold?” I waited until he nodded before grabbing the afghan from the foot of the bed and wrapping it around him.
“Thanks. I can’t seem to stay warm. Sam says it’s going to take my body a while to catch up that I’m out since it was so cold in the bomb shelter and whatnot. So it’s physical and mental.”
“Would it be easier for you if we went to your room or do you want to stay here?”
Theo glanced around and nodded. “Here’s nice. I’ve already woken you up and I’m crashing your sleep, so don’t worry about me.”
“But I do.” I smiled when he blinked up at me. I didn’t push it, moving my hand to his lower back and leading him over to the edge of the bed I’d just climbed out of. “Hop in. I’ll watch over you from that chair.”
“Evan, that’s not what I’m asking,” he murmured as he lowered the afghan and sat on the bed. I raised an eyebrow as he lay down and pulled off the night shirt he’d come in wearing. He tossed it at my feet and I stared at it before glancing back at him. Theo started shivering again, so I pulled up the covers but he caught my wrist in his hand. “Not until you come back to bed too.”
Oh, hello! I’d totally missed that part. I nodded and climbed over him, sliding under the covers, making sure he was all tucked in before pulling back to the other side.
Apparently that wasn’t what Theo had in mind either. He scooted towards me until his ass was pressing against my hip. I stared at the ceiling, knowing that if I just turned, I could wrap my arms around him and he was welcoming me to do it.
But was it the right thing to do after all he’d been through?
“Did I embarrass you too much yesterday with what Wally said happened?” Theo whispered, snapping me out of my racing thoughts. “I got the impression from him you might sort of have been interested in me—kinda. Should I go?”
Fuck it. I wasn’t losing out on a chance to hold him when he needed it, I wanted it, and he felt bad for what happened. I turned on my side and pulled him closer so he was pressed against me.
“Don’t leave.” I buried my nose in his soft hair and inhaled. “Yes, very interested. You didn’t remember though and you sounded mortified when you heard what happened as if you wouldn’t ever have made a move just because you thought I was good-looking. You’ve been through so much—I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to make it worse.”
“I remembered parts, I think, when I started to fall asleep tonight,” he admitted. “You thought I was going to bite you but you didn’t freak or shove me away. You were so kind to me.” He turned in my arms and I melted when those soft blue eyes found mine. “When you showered me, disgusting as I was, all I kept thinking about was if there was any chance you could ever see me as anything but the nasty, beaten creature you pulled out of a prison.”
“Yes.” I didn’t even have to think about it. That was an easy question. “Yes, Theo. That’s not who you are, it’s what was done to you. Who you are is the man who cracked jokes when it was a miracle you were alive because you’re such a fighter. You’re amazing.”
“Saffron,” he breathed, smiling. “I remember talking about saffron. Your eyes. They are so gorgeous.” He reached up and touched by my temple, letting his fingers run down my cheek. “I remember now. I wasn’t trying to claim you. I didn’t get how bad I was. I just felt kind of drunk. I wanted you to move past how you found me, like you could ever want to fuck me, even as thin and bruised as I was then that I was throwing myself at you.”
I cleared my throat as I moved my hips away so he didn’t feel that my semi-hard cock from being that close to him went complete stiff at just the mention of fucking him. “You had an effect on me even as we were worrying about how bad of shape you were in, I promise.”
“I remember,” he chuckled, licking his lips. “You just pulled away. Why?”
“I think you know why,” I drawled, seeing the lust and joy in his eyes.
He shook his head and blinked innocently at me. “No, I can’t even imagine.” I moaned as his hand slid under the band of my boxer briefs and he grabbed my cock.
“Theo, please don’t play with me if you’re just looking to play,” I mumbled, closing my eyes. “I couldn’t take it again right now. I’ll keep you safe, hold you at night so you can sleep, whatever you need, be here for you, but please don’t cross this line if it’s just for fun.”
His hand froze and I thought he was going to blast me for offending him or assuming he was an asshole. “Who hurt you, Evan?” My eyes snapped open and I saw him studying me with sadness in his own. “How long ago?”
“Not hurt really,” I admitted, sighing when he removed his hand from my underwear. Way to ruin the mood, right? “There are casualties in people finding love and I was just one of them.” He raised an eyebrow and I realized that answer wasn’t going to cut it. “I had a thing for Wally and I told him. We went to dinner and he was still tied up with Roarke. The guy claimed Wally right in front of me.” I gave him the short version of that and the way everyone had been treating me since, wanting to melt into the bed at how stupid I probably sounded.
Theo worried his lip a moment but then nodded.
“Do you still like Wally?”
“No. I just want everyone else to move on and let it go. Doesn’t mean what happened still doesn’t smart a bit and having them both here when I took the assignment to get space from the whole thing makes me want to groan.”
Again he nodded. “Do you want me?”
“Yes,” I gulped.
“Am I just fun to you?” I shook my head. “You’re not just fun to me, Evan. If Jay Ryan were on the other side of me in this bed, I’d still be facing you.”
“Couldn’t we just play with him too?” I asked, my eyebrows shooting to my forehead. Jay Ryan was fine after all. Theo smacked me in the chest and let out a soft chuckle. I stopped laughing when his hand moved back to where it had been before I opened this conversation.
Then nothing was all that funny. I slipped my hand behind Theo’s head and kissed him as he stroked me. I kept it gentle until the little minx squeezed my cock, then I pushed my tongue in his mouth and practically mapped every centimeter of it. He gasped and moved his hand faster.
I used my free hand to push down my boxer briefs and then down the back of his pajama bottoms. “You’re making it hard to be a gentleman and go slow after all you’ve been through.”
“The IV’s out and I’m drinking blood on my own,” he panted, kissing my chest. “Tomorrow, I start solids. There’s lots to do before you can fuck me.”
“Jesus, Theo,” I hissed, grinding against his hand.
“If I thought it would be okay, I’d suck this massive cock I saw in the shower.”
“Jesus, Theo!” My eyes just about rolled into the back of my head at the dirty mouth on him. God, that was hot. In no time, I was blowing all over him, moaning against his lips. When I came back down from the orgasm, I moved my hand around to the front of his pants.
“We probably shouldn’t until Sam gives me the okay,” he admitted, frowning.
I studied him a moment. “You knew that and still started this. Why?”
“Because I’m not playing or just having fun, Evan.” Theo leaned in and brushed his lips over mine. “You’re wonderful. You saved me, took care of me, and like nothing, offered to help me without expecting a thing, only asking I not mess with your heart. There’s no one like you in the world. I would give you anything I could to make you happy. A hand job to show I’m in this and want you, even if I can’t do more yet, was satisfying for me too.” He winked as he wiped his hand off on his bottoms. “Besides, it got you to kiss me.”
“You’re so fucking sexy,” I groaned, wanting more and everything from him.
“Glad you think so,” he chuckled as he snuggled up against me. “Just wait until you watch me ride your cock. I love bouncing on fat cock. I’m a screamer. Hope that’s okay?”
I swallowed loudly as I squeezed his ass, picturing it vividly. “Yeah, more than okay.”
“Good.”
* * * *
I woke not only alone, but with cold sheets next to me. Talk about a way to wonder if the night before had been all in my head. Could I seriously have dreamed the whole thing up? I didn’t have my shorts on, but that wasn’t proof. I could have kicked those off in the dream.
The pros and cons of both arguments spun in my head the whole time I showered and got ready. By the time I stepped out into the hall and headed to the kitchen, I was no closer to an answer to how to act when I saw Theo. I mean, I had been pretty tired and there was a lot of stress going around.
But that wasn’t something new to me or I hadn’t dealt with before.
Seriously, my head hurt by the time I reached the kitchen. I just about attacked the coffee and poured myself the biggest mug that was sitting out there, adding lots of milk and sugar.
“Theo, stop pacing while you’re on the phone. You’re going to wear yourself out. Don’t make me threaten to sit on you again,” Sam bitched from the dining room.
“What’s going on in there?” I asked Wally before gulping down half my mug. Then I made a face. I hated regular coffee. I was an espresso/latte guy.
“Sam’s about to blow a gasket,” Wally chuckled, shaking his head. He moved over to the stove and pulled lids of pans and I saw there was a massive amount of food being kept warm there.
Score!
“I figured that out and Theo’s pacing while on the phone,” I drawled. “I didn’t just wake up. I did shower so I’m not still asleep. What’s really going on?”
“Right, sorry.” Wally cleared his throat and shot me a quick glance. I rolled my eyes. Oh for fuck’s sake. Would everyone just drop it already? I hadn’t been pining after him for years.
“Wally, you gotta let this go, man. We had dinner. You held my hand. That was it. I’m fine. You mated Roarke and you guys worked things out. I’m glad for you.”
“Thanks, it’s just—”
“No, it’s just,” I growled, slamming down the mug. “Stop acting like I’m heartbroken and unable to move on. Everyone’s weird around me now as if waiting for me to go postal because Roarke claimed you. That’s what’s been hard on me. I need—”
“You need what from my mate?” Roarke asked as he walked in from the dining room.
“Oh for the love of fuck,” I groaned, slapping my hand to my forehead. “Nothing. Just nothing. What’s going on in the dining room?”
“Theo was up before we were,” Wally blurted as if worried what Roarke was going to do. “He’s awesome. He’s talked to the council and been handling more stuff than I could in a day before I got coffee. I don’t know all the specifics because I didn’t want to be rude and listen in, but Sam’s just trying to keep him still because I guess he gets animated when he’s making deals or something.”
“So he’s feeling better then. That’s great.” I smiled as I grabbed a plate and moved over to the stove.
“What were you going to ask Wally for?” Roarke demanded.
“Let it go,” Wally argued. “I’ll tell you later.”
“He was probably asking your mate to get over himself,” Theo chuckled as he strutted into the kitchen. I turned around and almost dropped the plate. “Wally’s not even Evan’s type. I am.”
“So last night did happen,” I murmured as he walked right up to me and put his hands on my chest. “I didn’t dream it up.”
Theo’s eyebrows shot up. “You thought it was a dream?”
“The sheets were cold.” I shrugged. What else was there to say?
Theo smiled widely. “Would you have dreamed of me if I hadn’t snuck into your bed?” I nodded and his hands moved to my belt. “Nice that I could leave an impression. Why didn’t you come kiss me good morning then?”
“You snuck out of my bed,” I reminded him as I set the plate down. Then I moved my arms around his waist and brushed my lips over his. “Even if it did happen, wasn’t sure what that meant.”
“I meant what I said last night, Evan,” he swore to me. “I woke and freaked about all there is to do and the mess that’s now on my shoulders.”
“Promise you’ll wake me next time?” He nodded and I kissed him again. “Then all’s forgiven.”
“Maybe I have something to be upset about?” I raised an eyebrow at that one. “What were you asking Wally?”
I hated to answer with an audience but I didn’t want any issues with Theo and what we were starting. “To stop treating me like I was moping and destroyed he mated Roarke. I can’t stand everyone following his lead and being weird around me, pitying me for something that doesn’t need to be an issue.”
“That’s what I thought,” he chuckled. “Go you for saying something.” He stood on his toes and kissed me again. “Kids. I tell you. They don’t know what to do with men.” My eyes went wide. He was being pretty brutal to Wally but I wasn’t going to say anything because I appreciated the backup for once.
“I’m pretty sure I’m a man,” Roarke drawled. “And several hundred years older than you.”
“Good for you. Your actions weren’t the ones in question though. Nice way to make it all abou
t you though.” Theo didn’t even bother to spare him a glance before turning to look at Sam who was watching the whole thing with his mouth hanging open. “What am I cleared for?”
It took the medic a few tries to get his mouth to work and by then I’d moved back by my coffee as Theo fixed me a plate for breakfast. I’d started to, but he took it from me. I couldn’t help but smile at how sweet he was being.
“What do you mean?” Sam asked as he finally focused on Theo.
“Really? You want me to spell that out given the conversation?” Theo chuckled. “Okay then. Can I blow Evan now that I ate solids?” I spit the coffee I’d just drunk all over the counter. “Got that one?”
“Apparently not.” I reached for a towel and mopped up my hand before working on everything else.
“What about sex?” Theo went on. “I promised Evan I’d bounce on his cock all night as soon as you gave me the go ahead. Oh, and I’m vocal. Is there any worry about my throat or—”
I cleared my throat. “I think he gets it, Theo.”
“You sure? I could go on,” he offered as he set my plate in front of me, his eyes shining at me. I was so hard I had to move my hips against the wood island so it wasn’t obvious. “There you go trying to hide that you got a stiffy again, Evan. I’m telling you, you can’t. I saw your dick in the shower. It’s so big that when it gets hard, Japan can see it.”
“Oh for the love of god,” Roarke grumbled. “We get it. You’re over Wally. So you really have to play these games and—”
Theo’s face fell, and if Roarke’s words hadn’t already pissed me off, that would have. “Fuck off, Roarke. Not everything is about you two. Theo’s been to hell and back. If he wants to have some fun and try and make me spit my coffee or focus on getting better, which means sex, then I think that’s a win he gets don’t you?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Plus, let’s not forget we’ve fucked, since I lost when you challenged me. So just get over it already. You fucked Sam. You’ve fucked Wally. Great. Can we move on now?”