by Lynn Hagen
Phoenyx forced them aside as he pulled out, flipped Edward to his back, and thrust back inside. Phoenyx was deeply craving the connection, wanting to get closer to the human. Not just sexually but emotionally as well. He’d never belonged to anyone, and nobody had ever belonged to him.
“Mine,” Phoenyx snarled. He grabbed Edward’s ankles and shoved his legs upward, watching as his cock disappeared and then reappeared.
“I feel it,” Edward whispered.
“I fucking hope so.”
Edward shook his head and tapped his chest. “Right here. This strange connection to you.”
“We’re mates.” Phoenyx let Edward’s legs drop and bent for a kiss. It was sloppy, heated, and filled with pleasurable moans. God, as much as he wanted this to last, Phoenyx felt his orgasm cresting once again.
He wouldn’t be able to hold back. Edward’s ass felt too good squeezing his dick, jacking him off.
Edward threw his head back and shouted, ribbons of cum spurting from his cock. The scent drove Phoenyx over the edge. He buried himself deep and cried out Edward’s name.
Chapter Six
Edward was so not into work right now. His mind was still stuck on the sex he’d had with Phoenyx. Even now, two hours later, he was blushing as he thought about the things they’d done. Holy crap! He’d had sex with a demon. More mind-blowing was the fact they were mates.
Truthfully, he hadn’t put too much stock in the whole mate thing, but he couldn’t deny what he’d felt. It was like a slam to his chest but not in a painful way. Like a warmth that had spread through him and clenched his heart.
And now Phoenyx sat at one of the tables, nursing his healthy Mean Green juice with almond milk instead of yogurt and a double shot of wheatgrass. He was focused on his phone, but Edward felt the warrior’s eyes on him even though Phoenyx wasn’t looking his way.
It was crazy busy today, with the temperature outside climbing. Edward thought most people were coming in just to cool off. Whatever the reason, Edward and Oliver were mixing drinks and trying to get orders out as fast as possible.
Even Keaton was behind the counter, working the register. Edward’s boss reminded him of a surfer guy. He had blond hair and wore a bunch of wristbands, some made of plastic, others made of leather. He also had a leather necklace that he always wore around his neck.
He was smoking-hot, with eyes so blue Edward swore he had purple mixed in the irises. He was also very open-minded, a free spirit kind of guy.
Though he was a stickler for the rules.
Oliver was the complete opposite as far as looks. Goth, with dark eyeliner, black nails, and chains around his waistband. He was the coolest guy Edward knew.
“Why do you keep staring at Phoenyx?” Oliver tossed sliced mangos into the blender.
“You know him?” Edward damn near sliced off his finger cutting the strawberries when he tossed a look over his shoulder.
“Careful!” Oliver grabbed Edward’s hand and examined it. “He’s a family friend.” He let Edward’s hand go as if satisfied Edward would live. “You got the hots for him?”
Edward worked with Oliver a lot, and he was a nice guy, but he had his own group of friends, which included his brother. Edward and Oliver were more like work friends. They’d never shared anything personal, and Edward wasn’t going to start now.
“He’s nice-looking.” Edward would admit that much. He felt bad for denying the whole truth, but it wasn’t as though he could come out and say that they were mates.
“He must have the hots for you.” Oliver bumped his shoulder. “He can’t stop glancing this way.”
Which, of course, made Edward look over his shoulder again. He inwardly sighed at just how gorgeous Phoenyx looked seated at the table. His sexy red hair, those amazing jade-green eyes, and that banging body, which Edward remembered thrusting into him as Phoenyx fucked him like a dream.
That mouth. Those lips had been wrapped around Edward’s cock, bringing him off until Edward thought he was losing his mind.
“Earth to Edward.”
Edward blinked several times and realized Keaton was standing right in front of him. “You’ve been working on that drink for five minutes.”
Edward had sliced the strawberries down to mush.
“Is there something we need to talk about?” Keaton grabbed the cutting board and discarded the wrecked mess. His boss sliced another one so fast that Edward feared he’d lose a hand. “I’m here if you need to talk, but if you don’t, then I’d appreciate you getting your head out of the clouds.”
That strawberry wasn’t the only thing that was wrecked. Edward’s concentration was for shit, and he was working with a half-hard dick. He kept thinking about walking over to Phoenyx’s table and throwing himself onto it, letting his mate make a meal out of him.
“Edward,” Keaton said with a little impatience in his voice. “You’re still not here with us. Where is your mind?”
In the gutter.
In the raunchy-ass gutter.
“I’m sorry.” Edward cleared his throat as he tried to purge the image. He was so over himself this evening. He needed to tell Phoenyx to leave before he messed around and got fired. “Give me one second.”
He hurried around the counter and walked over to Phoenyx’s table. The closer he got, the more Edward’s body reacted to his mate’s presence. Now he was fully hard, his cock aching as Edward tried to think of anything that would make his erection go away.
“What’s up?” Phoenyx looked up from his phone, a dashing smile on his handsome face. Edward struggled to recall why he’d come over here.
“I’m strawberry mush.”
Phoenyx’s red brows furrowed. “Is that code for something?”
“No, no.” Edward shook his head. “I mean I’m sliced fingers.”
Oh hell. Now his mouth wasn’t working properly. Clearly his brain wasn’t either.
Phoenyx stood, and Edward had to look up to see his face. Fuck. He loved how tall the guy was. It was a huge turn-on. No. Stop thinking about being turned on. Tell him to leave so your brain cells can start working again.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Phoenyx tucked a knuckle under Edward’s chin, and that only ignited Edward’s body. He sucked in a breath and held it, staring into Phoenyx’s eyes.
“What’s going on?” Keaton had come from around the counter and looked between them. “Are you the reason Edward’s mind is all over the place?”
The side of Phoenyx’s mouth curled into a smile. “You can’t concentrate?” he asked. “What’re you thinking about, kitten?”
Edward didn’t have to tell him. His face exploding into nuclear heat said it all, which made Phoenyx chuckle.
Without taking his eyes off Edward, Phoenyx said, “We’re newly mated, and it seems Edward has only one thing on his mind.”
Edward smacked Phoenyx’s hand away, his brain finally rebooting. “I can resist you. You’re not some god who I think about constantly.”
He was totally a god that Edward thought about constantly.
Keaton groaned. “That means he’ll have the next two weeks off, and right now we’re slammed.”
“I can help.” Phoenyx strode away, and Edward’s gaze zeroed in on his butt.
Keaton smacked Edward’s arm with the back of his hand. “Go have a seat since your brain seems to have short-circuited.”
“Wait.” What Keaton said finally registered. “I can’t afford to take two weeks off, and why am I taking two weeks off?”
He could barely afford his grandma’s meds as it was. If he missed two paychecks, he’d be screwed.
“You’re newly mated, which, by our laws, gives you two weeks for a honeymoon period. And you don’t have to worry about your pay. Your time off is covered.”
“But…” Edward looked toward the counter. The people kept coming in. “I can help until my shift ends.”
Phoenyx towered over everyone else, slinging drinks while Oliver worked the register. How the heck did
he know how to make the juices and smoothies? Edward pulled his attention back to Keaton and whispered, “How do you know about mates?”
Keaton whispered his answer right back, “I’m a shifter, a snow leopard, and I’ve been mated for quite some time.”
That blew Edward away. He’d had no idea his boss wasn’t human. A snow leopard? Wow.
“As long as you can keep your mind and hands off Phoenyx, I’d appreciate the help. I’ll have to call someone in to cover your shifts while you’re gone, but your job will be here when you get back.”
Edward wasn’t sure he could promise not to drool over Phoenyx, but he would try to keep his mind on work. Keaton was being awfully generous, and Edward would help out.
He’d started toward the counter when he spotted a tall, lithe man walk in. Edward’s heart kicked up a notch when he recognized Lyle. The fairy he owed ten grand.
Shit!
Lyle hadn’t seen him yet, so Edward took off toward the bathroom, hoping no one would come looking for him while he waited for Lyle to leave.
Worse, Edward hadn’t thought to get Phoenyx’s phone number, so he couldn’t call his mate. Now that he knew the truth about the demon, Edward had no problem telling him about the fairy. Maybe Phoenyx could help get the guy off Edward’s back.
It wasn’t as if Edward didn’t want to pay the money back. He did. He always paid his debts, but he’d thought Lyle would be reasonable and let him pay in installments.
Nope. Lyle had wanted the full amount, which Edward obviously didn’t have or he wouldn’t have gone to the bastard in the first place.
Edward slipped into one of three stalls and sat, crossing his arms over his midsection. Ten minutes should be enough time for Lyle to do whatever he’d come there to do then leave.
When the bathroom door opened, Edward held his breath and yanked his legs up in case whoever it was looked under the stalls.
“There’s no use hiding from me. Stop acting childish and come out, Edward.”
Edward’s heart hammered in his chest as he held back a squeal. He was isolated in the bathroom with Lyle, and there was no telling what the fairy would do.
“Don’t make me come in there, Edward.”
Letting his breath out, Edward lowered his legs and stood. He was sweating bullets and wished he could haul ass, but Lyle was by the door and there was no way he could get past him.
Edward gasped when the stall door opened on its own.
“Come on out.”
With a shuddering breath, Edward walked forward, each step feeling as though he was walking to his doom. Regardless of how evil Lyle was, he was also mind-blowing beautiful. His purple hair fell past his shoulders, the top portion tied back, showing off his pointy ears. His eyes were the color of sunsets, his cheekbones high and regal.
If Lyle weren’t such a shark, Edward would be enamored with him.
“I see you had help with Anton.” Lyle leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and ankles. “I know I used drastic measures, but you agreed to pay me back, and you didn’t.”
“Not all at once,” Edward argued. “I thought you would break it down into payments I could afford.”
Lyle scoffed. “Honey, I’m not running a charity. You had an entire month, interest free. You reneged, and I take that personally. But I’m a fair guy.” He pushed away from the sink and jammed Edward up against the wall, his hand around Edward’s throat. “You have twenty-four hours, or I’ll unleash something on you that no one can save you from.”
The door to the bathroom opened. Edward wasn’t sure who it was because he was trying his damnedest to pull Lyle’s hand off his throat. He felt blood being trapped in his head, which made it pound, and Edward couldn’t breathe.
An ear-piercing snarl erupted seconds before Lyle was pulled off Edward and slung across the room. Edward dropped to his hands and knees, fighting to get air into his lungs.
Edward struggled to get to his feet and saw that it was Phoenyx who had barged in. He wore a mask of cold fury on his face as he slung the fairy against the large stall door and then went in for a slug to the gut.
But Lyle was fast, zooming out of the way just in time as Phoenyx’s fist dented the door.
“Now I know how you got away from Anton,” Lyle said as he flew toward the bathroom door. “A demon warrior. How unfair. Remember what I told you.”
Lyle escaped as Phoenyx turned, looking as if he wanted to give chase but moved to Edward instead. The anger drained, replaced by deep concern and, if Edward wasn’t mistaken, a deep agony, too. “Are you hurt?”
Edward rubbed at his throat. It felt as if he’d swallowed a lit match. “Just sore.”
Phoenyx lifted Edward’s chin and looked at his throat. He let out a curse. “You’re going to have bruising. What the hell is going on, Edward? Why is an unseelie after you?”
“A what?” Edward had no idea what that word meant.
“A fairy who practices dark magic.” Phoenyx kept turning Edward’s head from one side to the other, as though looking for undiscovered injuries.
Dark magic. Edward wanted to faint. He had no clue there was a difference with fairies. That had been a misstep on his part. Edward hadn’t stopped to learn about Lyle. All he saw were dollar amounts and a way out from under his grandmother’s piling debt.
What an utter fool he’d been.
“Look, I’m not judging,” Phoenyx said. “It’s not as though I don’t have things in my past I’m not too proud of. Just tell me what’s going on and maybe I can help.”
The weeks of anxiety, his worry about paying the money back and taking care of his grandmother, his own bills mounting, was enough to make Edward crack.
Shame of what he’d done brought tears to his eyes. He tried to turn his head away, but Phoenyx had a firm hold on his jaw. He was looking Edward dead in his eyes, which made it harder for him to confess his stupidity.
“Do I have to kiss the truth out of you?”
Before he could answer, Phoenyx lowered his head, brushing his lips over Edward’s. Edward was frozen in time, unable to move as Phoenyx kissed him so softly, so sweetly that Edward’s head spun. His mate must’ve been snacking while he worked, because his breath was pure strawberries.
Delicious.
Tempting.
Wringing all logical thought from Edward's mind. He curled into Phoenyx’s body, desperate to get closer, an insane need to have Phoenyx’s hands on him.
His mate kissed Edward’s jaw, his neck, and nipped his earlobe. “We can do much, much more if you tell me what I want to know.”
Edward wanted much, much more. He didn’t even care if they were in a public bathroom. He’d have sex with Phoenyx on a crowded street.
“I borrowed money to pay my grandma’s mounting debt, and now Lyle wants it back.”
Phoenyx slid his tongue over Edward’s bottom lip. “How much did you borrow?”
Edward hissed and writhed against the wall, pulling at Phoenyx’s shirt. He was so hard that his dick ached. “Ten grand.”
“That’s it?” Phoenyx said those two words as though ten grand wasn’t a lot. That amount of money was astronomical to Edward.
“He told me I better have it in twenty-four hours.” Edward looked away, too embarrassed to keep eye contact.
Phoenyx chuckled and circled his arms around Edward. “And here I thought you were in serious trouble.”
“I am!”
“Babe, I can give Lyle ten grand right now.”
Edward didn’t want to believe his mate could make his problem go away. Even so, he didn’t want to seem like he was using him. “I can’t take your money. Then I’ll owe you.”
Which was a way better prospect than owing a dark fairy. Edward’s stomach twisted at the thought of what Lyle would’ve done to him tomorrow if he didn’t have the cash.
“You’re my mate, and it’s my job to take care of you.” Phoenyx’s tone brooked no argument. It was low, deep, and held a slight snarl. “You won’t owe me
a damn dime. I’m paying Lyle, and you won’t ever deal with him again.”
As badly as Edward didn’t want to take Phoenyx’s money, what other choice did he have? It was either swallow his pride or take his chances with Lyle.
Edward’s pride flew out the window.
Chapter Seven
Phoenyx had come close to losing his shit in the bathroom, of ending that fairy’s life. He would’ve gone after him, but his first priority had been his mate.
But fuck. He wanted to hunt the bastard down and take his anger out on the prick. He was trying his best not to leave Edward with Keaton and hunt Lyle down. It was tempting, but he couldn’t trust that Anton wouldn’t show up and create chaos.
Phoenyx was a man of his word, though. He’d told Keaton that they would help out, and as much as he wanted to leave, to take Edward away from here, since there wasn’t an immediate threat, he stayed put.
“You’re slinging those drinks with a little too much anger,” Keaton said to him. “Careful or I’ll have to buy a whole new set of cups.”
Phoenyx took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing the pent-up energy to subside. Once they were out of there, he would leave Edward with Drake and Casey and hunt the unseelie down.
Oh, Phoenyx would give the guy the money owed, but he’d also leave him with a lesson the prick wouldn’t soon forget.
“Things have slowed down. Why don’t you and Edward take off?” Keaton shook Phoenyx’s hand. Thank fuck, because Phoenyx wasn’t sure how much longer he could stand there and contemplate Lyle’s beat down.
Phoenyx hung the apron up and grabbed Edward’s hand. Not only was he still pissed and ready to get out of there, but his mate had been giving him heated glances all evening, and Phoenyx was ready to take the male back to his apartment and fuck his brains out.
He was cautious when they left, checking the street for Lyle or Anton or any threat he would have to put down. He’d never had anyone to protect that meant this much to him, and he felt like a fierce bear, ready to tear apart anyone stupid enough to come near Edward.
Phoenyx’s head was in a red haze, and he wasn’t pulled out of it until Edward slapped at the hand Phoenyx had on his upper arm.