Guard

by Charity Parkerson

  “Yes, sir,” Cal said without hesitation, and proving his suspicions correct. “But she doesn’t need me to fix her. She needs someone to love her.”

  “Do you?”

  Cal blew out a breath. “Does it matter? I can’t be fixed.”

  A chuckle escaped Kieran before he could stop it from happening. “You’re just a little bent. That’s nothing Mara can’t handle. I’ll see you in fifteen,” Kieran said, disconnecting the call before Cal could argue. He’d left his husband on his knees and needed to fix that.

  Kieran tossed the phone aside. “Cal’s on his way.”

  Henley’s eyes looked half crazed, but he still sounded focused. “I heard.”

  “You let that Mike kid eye you like he wanted to fuck yesterday.”

  A line appeared between Henley’s sexy eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  Kieran hated repeating himself almost as much as he hated the jealousy eating away at his stomach. “Mara’s assistant. You knew he had lust in his eyes, but still you took your sweet-ass time putting a shirt on.”

  Henley stood, as if he wouldn’t have this conversation from his knees. Anger boiled in the man’s gaze. “First off,” he said, ticking fingers. “He wasn’t looking at me. His hunger was for Gavin. Hell, they spent over ten minutes in the driveway, chatting after I got out there. Secondly, fuck you. How many times have people watched us together in this club? Not once have I given anyone an ounce of my attention. I’m always all about you. Maybe I should walk out that door,” Henley said, pointing toward the door to their private room inside The Rabbit Warren. “And give you a reason to look at me the way you are now.”

  Kieran swiped his tongue over his teeth. He wanted to fly to his feet and tackle Henley, but he didn’t budge. “How am I looking at you?”

  Henley’s face transformed from anger to hurt. The devastation was in his eyes. Kieran took it like a kick to the gut. “Like you don’t trust me. All I have is your belief in me. If you stop…” Henley shrugged. His throat worked, as if he swallowed down words he didn’t want to say. When Henley spoke again, his voice came out scratchy. “I can’t fight you and me too.”

  Kieran had never felt like a worse husband. Henley was an addict. A recovering one, but it would never leave him, and that was the whole reason they were there. Pain play kept Henley level. Kieran would be as kinky or as tame as Henley needed. They could go home now and never return to this place, and Kieran would be fine. They could take this to the main floor, and Kieran would fuck Henley in front of everyone if he asked. There was no length too far for Kieran when it came to his husband.

  Unfortunately, Kieran realized too late, his anger wasn’t about Henley or Mike. It was him. It was Henley’s speech about not pleasing him with witnesses. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Henley’s confession since he’d given it. Failing wasn’t in his blood, but he felt like he was failing Henley.

  Kieran did something he only ever did for Henley. He apologized. “I’m sorry.” He stood. “You deserve better from me.”

  Henley blinked. “Did you just apologize?”

  Kieran nodded. “I’m looking for issues that don’t exist because I’m scared.”

  The line between Henley’s eyes deepened. “Wait. Did you just say you were sorry and admit to being afraid?”

  The space between them disappeared as Kieran nodded. “I’m terrified of failing you. Of not being enough or giving you everything you need. I don’t want you to go looking elsewhere for everything I’m lacking.”

  Without warning, Henley went back onto his knees and wrapped his arms around Kieran’s waist. He pressed his face to Kieran’s stomach. “No one could replace you. If you wake up tomorrow and decide you don’t want me, no one will ever touch me again until death comes for me.”

  Kieran ran his fingers through Henley’s hair, while wishing he hadn’t let his mind get the best of him. His only excuse was—he’d loved Henley from the first moment he set eyes on the man, even before the man knew Kieran existed. The idea of being without him killed Kieran. “Cal will be here soon. Is it okay if I ask you something before he gets here?”

  Henley lifted his gaze to Kieran’s. “Anything.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you anymore tonight. Can I make love to you instead?”

  Henley’s gaze moved over his face, as if assessing his seriousness. “Don’t do this just to make me happy.”

  Kieran’s mouth pulled at the corners. “I love you. Everything is about making you happy, but that’s not why I’m doing this. Well, that’s not entirely true,” Kieran said with a smirk. “I intend to make you very happy, but I want you.” He took Henley’s hand and led it to the bulge in his pants. Henley moved closer. His nostrils flared, as if barely keeping himself in check. Kieran sucked in a breath at the sight. Henley massaged Kieran’s erection.

  “Cal will be here any second. If you want to back down and go home to our bed, I’m okay with that.”

  Kieran unzipped Henley’s pants. He’d said everything he needed to say. His heart needed for him to get as close to Henley as possible. He couldn’t go on feeling like something was wrong between them. The next time his jealousy got the best of him, Henley might not take it as well as he had tonight. He needed to fix them now. Something this beautiful shouldn’t have cracks. Kieran pushed Henley’s jeans down his hips, taking the man’s underwear down too. He dropped to his knees, stripping Henley bare. His gaze never wavered from Henley’s. Kieran’s intensity never ebbed. Henley’s hard cock looked delicious coated in pre-cum. Kieran licked it. Henley moaned.

  “There’s never been a husband more loved than you,” Kieran swore as he came to his feet. As Henley tore at the front of Kieran’s jeans, Kieran found a sample packet of lube among the goodies provided by the club. Once Henley set Kieran’s erection free, Kieran ripped the packet open and coated his cock. He tossed the foil package aside and tugged Henley forward. Kieran captured the man’s lips as he walked backward. When the back of his legs hit a wooden-backed chair, Kieran sat, leaving Henley no other choice but to straddle his lap. There was nothing sexier than Henley showing off his strength, clinging to the back of chair while easing himself down onto Kieran’s waiting dick.

  Henley’s heated gaze locked onto Kieran’s as Kieran pushed his way inside Henley’s hot tight ass. Kieran’s balls immediately drew up tight. He’d been on edge from the first lash tonight. No one could make him hotter. Kieran’s body begged for release. His mind pled for the moment to never stop. Henley rode him. The man’s muscles bunched and flexed with every move he made. Kieran couldn’t stop touching him or watching him like a hawk. He was mesmerized by the sexy man he’d sworn to share his life with. There was so much love in Kieran’s heart when he looked at or thought of the man in his arms, Kieran thought his emotions would explode from his chest sometimes.

  Kieran was so close to the edge, he worried he’d come first. He reached between them and palmed Henley’s cock. He stroked, keeping time with Henley’s motions. Henley’s lips parted on a pant. Kieran could barely breathe. Henley’s motions sped, and Kieran knew he was close. He pulled out every trick he had to make Henley come as fast as possible. When hot cum coated his stomach and chest, Kieran cried out as Henley’s ass tightened around his cock, nearly crippling him. An orgasm slammed into Kieran without warning. One second he reached for pleasure and the next the air was gone from his lungs. He couldn’t see or hear. His eyes fell closed. There was nothing except the sensation of Henley, taking what he wanted. When Kieran opened his eyes, he found Henley staring at him with his heart in his eyes.

  “I think I’m done.”

  Kieran’s heart dropped to his stomach. He would rather die than lose Henley. “What?”

  “With this place,” Henley said, making things slightly better. He stroked Kieran’s face. He looked scared, making Kieran want to rip his own heart out and give it to Henley. “When we started coming here, I was fighting a lot of shit. Now the withdrawals are farther apart all the time. F
or a while now, I’ve known something wasn’t right, and I thought maybe it was this. It’s not. The problem is me. I don’t want to do this any longer. That’s not fair, I know. You married someone different.” Henley swallowed, looking like every word he spoke tore at his throat, or he expected Kieran would be done with him after this. “I don’t want to share any part of us any longer, Kieran. I’m exhausted with playing hockey, being the recovering addict, and with this place. Can we just go home?”

  As Kieran listened to Henley speak, he realized the man said all the words he’d been waiting to hear since they said their vows. The only reason they were here was for Henley’s sake. “I thought you’d never ask,” Kieran said, never meaning anything more.

  Cal’s phone rang the second Kieran ended their call. He checked the face. It was Mara. He nearly drove off the road trying to answer as fast as possible.

  “Hello?”

  “Cal, I think someone’s been in my house.”

  Cal’s foot eased off the gas when his brain stuttered to a halt. His mind fired back to life and he whipped a U-turn without bothering to check if the road was clear. The road was always clear. No one drove down this back stretch. “Go back outside. I’m on my way.”

  “Okay.”

  “Don’t hang up,” he ordered.

  “I won’t.” Mara sounded scared. The knowledge fueled his panic, but his training kicked in, and Cal’s heart slowed.

  “Tell me what happened. I’m almost there.”

  Mara took a breath. He heard the harsh gasp through the phone. Damn, he hoped she wasn’t crying. Cal hated her tears. “I went to the den to take my wine glass to the kitchen. Your empty water bottle was still there, but my glass was gone. So I went to the kitchen, hoping maybe I’d carried it there earlier and forgotten, even though I know that’s not the case. I clearly remember draining the glass and leaving it on the table. Anyhow, no glass.”

  That was fucking odd. “Did Michael come by?”

  “No. That was my first thought too,” Mara said, dashing his hopes something fucked up wasn’t happening. “I called him and he said it wasn’t him. So, at this point, I’m still thinking it’s no big deal. It’s just a missing glass, but then, I went to my bedroom, and one of my dresses was spread out on the bed. In my spot. Like it was me.” Mara’s voice broke. Cal’s foot pressed harder on the gas. The house came into view. His training went out the window. If anything happened to Mara...

  “I’m here,” he said, tearing into the driveway. He caught sight of Mara standing outside the glass French doors by the garage. As he looked on, she disconnected their call. He jumped from his truck and was headed her way before the phone left his ear. Even in the dark, he could see how pale she was. He didn’t hesitate pulling her into his arms and holding her against his chest.

  “We need to call the police,” he said, speaking against the top of her head. It wasn’t until his lips brushed her skin with each syllable that he realized he’d been kissing her head. His heart raced from the fear and other things he didn’t want to admit. “They need to dust for prints and have a look at your surveillance cameras.”

  Mara nodded against his chest. “Okay.”

  “I’ll take care of everything.”

  “I know.”

  The trust in her voice was undeniable. She was the only person Cal didn’t know how to let down. He could and probably would fail the rest of the world, but never her. Even after the police arrived, Mara never moved from his hold. She answered every question from his arms. No one batted an eye. To the rest of the world, they appeared normal. Cal realized something as he rubbed Mara’s back and waited for the police to finish doing their part. Mara had spent the last few months taming him like a wild animal. His revelation came at the worst moment. He tried not to laugh at the train of his thoughts. While she’d been protecting him from other people’s touches, she’d been brushing and stroking his skin every chance she could. Now, in her time of need, he couldn’t stop holding her, trying to keep her physically safe. Before Cal could find the words to express how she impacted his life, the police officer who’d responded to her call reappeared.

  “I’m not sure how to classify this one, Miss King,” Officer Davies said after searching the house and checking the surveillance. “Is anything missing other than a wine glass?”

  Mara shook her head. “Not that I noticed, but I didn’t look too closely. Cal told me to get out and wait for you.”

  The officer nodded. “That was the smart thing to do.” He wrote something on a card and handed it to her. “If you notice anything else missing after I’m gone, call that number and let me know. I’ll add it to the police report. Otherwise, I’m not sure what to tell you. There’re no signs of forced entry. Your alarm didn’t go off, and your cameras didn’t catch anything. It seems kind of strange to me. Are you sure you didn’t just set the glass down somewhere and forget it?”

  Cal felt Mara’s muscles tense, as if she fought the urge to snap. “Yes, I’m sure.” The way she said the words through clenched teeth spoke volumes about her level of irritation.

  Officer Davies scratched his chin. “Well, I could swing by here a couple of extra times tonight to check on you, if you’d like.” Even though his tone didn’t change, Cal saw a glint in the man’s eyes he didn’t like.

  Cal steered Mara toward the back door. “That won’t be necessary. Miss King won’t be staying here tonight. Go get what you need for the night,” he told Mara, giving her a small push toward the door. He turned his attention toward the cop, ready to send him on his way.

  Mara didn’t budge. He glanced her way. The way she chewed on her bottom lip ripped at his heart. “Will you come with me?” There was no resisting her plea.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Even Cal heard the affection in his tone. He focused on the cop once more. “Thank you for your assistance. If anything else is missing, Miss King’s assistant, Michael, will send you the list.”

  The man didn’t look happy about his contact being downgraded to an assistant, but he nodded. “I’ll keep an eye out. You two have a good night.” With a nod, he walked away.

  Cal walked Mara inside, keeping one hand pressed to the small of her back. The house had been searched by the police, but Mara was still spooked. He would do whatever she needed. As he watched her pack a bag, and dip in and out of the bathroom, brushing her teeth and washing her face, he couldn’t lie to himself. His need to protect her had nothing to do with his job. The way he felt about her extended way beyond that. They were friends, but he wanted more. He’d already admitted as much to her back at the club. Filming was almost at an end. Soon she wouldn’t need him any longer. The problem was, he didn’t know how to stop needing her. Someone had been in her house tonight, he was sure of it no matter what the police thought. If he’d gone home earlier, rather than inviting her out, he couldn’t think about what might’ve happened to her. Cal couldn’t leave her here and go home. She was his responsibility. Not because of a job, but because she was his, even if she never really was. He’d do anything for Mara, even if it meant walking away from this bullshit job so he could be what she really needed.

  Chapter Seven

  The bed Kieran shared with Henley had never felt so good. They hadn’t wasted any time skipping out of the club once Henley had made his confession. Now, cuddled in the bed they slept in every night, Kieran felt full for the first time in a while. All doubts had been erased by only a few words. He felt like he had his husband back. Kieran never wanted to leave their bed or stop holding Henley ever again.

  “It just occurred to me that Cal never showed up and we never called to let him know we were leaving.”

  Kieran bit his bottom lip at Henley’s observation. He was glad it was too dark for Henley to see his guilt. In the end, Henley was the one person Kieran would never lie to. “I knew he wouldn’t show.”

  Henley lifted his head from Kieran’s chest. Even in the dark, he could feel Henley’s gaze on him, searching for answers. “What did you do?�
�

  Kieran shrugged. “He needed a little push.”

  “What did you do?” Henley repeated. He didn’t sound angry, only certain Kieran had meddled, because Kieran always did. To be fair, Kieran was always right. This was no different.

  “He’s had a few months with Mara. They should be doing more than holding hands by now, which is all they did at the game tonight.”

  Henley swiped his hand over his face. “Jesus. How do you know they’re not fucking in every corner of her home?”

  “First off, he wouldn’t have called us tonight if they were. Secondly, I saw his face tonight when she took his hand. He was surprised.”

  “You know they’re both one heartbreak away from never recovering,” Henley said, sounding more resigned than angry.

  “It was a carefully calculated move. Nothing too horrible. Just enough, that even if they don’t end up together, it’ll definitely highlight that Mara needs to stop pretending she doesn’t need security. For Cal, it’ll kick his need to be needed and to protect others into gear. Plus, he needs to be reminded he’s strong.”

  “Shit,” Henley groaned, dropping his head back to Kieran’s chest. “I don’t even want to know the details.”

  Kieran smiled into the dark as he brushed his fingers through Henley’s hair. “That’s probably for the best, even though you’re my husband and can’t be forced to testify against me in court.”

  Henley’s groan was long and loud, making Kieran’s smile grow. “I’m convinced—if I didn’t keep you busy—you’d take over the world.”

  “I already have it,” Kieran admitted, needing Henley to know he was everything. “When I won you, that was world domination for me.”

  Henley’s lips brushed Kieran’s throat. “Funny how that hasn’t stopped you from meddling,” he said between placing kisses against Kieran’s neck.

  “Interfering in other people’s lives is just hobby to keep me distracted while you’re working. Speaking of which…”