The Manx Cat Guardians Boxed Set

by J P Sayle

  Though they hadn’t had the chance to talk about Aaden’s ability to read his thoughts with Brody arriving straight after him, this new change was something he could totally get on board with, and he would have to talk with Max to see how it worked. They’d all talked extensively about the bond that was growing daily between them, but the differences seemed to upset Max’s applecart, and he didn’t know why.

  Aaden quickly fired back some similar pictures of him in place of Greg’s fingers, making Greg grip the underside of the table. He willed his body to behave, attempting to keep a coherent thought in his head, when all he wanted to do was strip and bend over the table so Aaden could make those images a reality, right now.

  His eyelashes fluttered while he shifted, breaking eye contact with Aaden, whose smirk was unrepentant.

  Please stop that. You’re not playing fair, Aaden.

  The begging had him receive a nod and a big arse grin while Aaden chuckled. Only then did Greg notice the sudden silence in the kitchen.

  “What did you say?” Greg avoided looking directly at Aaden, who’d flushed and ducked his head down to hide his laughing eyes when all eyes had turned to Greg.

  Greg almost sighed in relief when Aaden broke the silence, letting him off the hook.

  “So, do you want to talk about what happened with Greg today? I don’t believe he could fuck up so monumentally. It’s just not in him not to work hard and give his best.” Aaden stopped in midflow when Martin raised his hands.

  “I know, and when I finally calmed down enough for Stuart to talk some sense into me, I put two and two together and came up with eight. When Greg mentioned about how he’d checked the spreadsheet before our trip to London, it got me to thinking. I’m not as green as I’m cabbage looking, as some may think.”

  Greg couldn’t help the chuckle at Martin’s weird arse saying.

  “I started to put the facts together, along with the more than obvious dislike Louise has for Greg. And not one but multiple people in the office explained to me in no uncertain terms that Greg was both diligent and hard working. I decided to access your computer and went through your backlog of historical files. It showed that your files were tampered with while you were in London, when you had no access to them. The only problem is, I might suspect Louise, but as your login was used, I can’t accuse her without evidence.”

  While Martin spoke, Greg felt the colour literally drain from his face. The devastation and betrayal had his heart sinking to the floor. Why would someone blatantly try and get him sacked? He’d never hurt Louise, and okay, he didn’t like her, but he’d never been anything but professional. Maybe not in his head, but she didn’t know that.

  Aaden

  Aaden couldn’t stand it any longer. His fists wanted to pound the faceless person for the utter devastation he could see plastered over Greg’s face. He got up, lifting Greg. He sat down again, placing Greg in his lap, keeping his fingers crossed the chair would hold both their weights.

  His mind derailed for a moment as he made a mental note to ensure that Nick made his chairs sturdy enough to hold both their weights.

  Greg shivered, and his arms trembled. Lifting his freezing hands, Aaden rubbed them between his warm, rough palms. Greg’s hair flopped forward as he made no eye contact with anyone. His stiff muscles collapsed into Aaden’s body when he tugged him closer, tucking his head under his chin. He rocked him like a baby, unsure what else to do to ease his pain.

  Aaden gave Martin a hard stare, telling him to fix it, and now.

  “Greg. Greg, look at me, please.”

  Martin’s quiet plea had Greg shift his head from under Aaden’s chin. He could see his jaw wobble. His sky-blue eyes drenched with unushered tears stared mournfully at Martin, making Aaden’s fingers clench before he remembered they were holding Greg’s. He quietly seethed, or so he thought.

  “Shush, it’s fine. Aaden, I’m fine. It’s just I didn’t do anything to her. Why would she be so horrible to me?”

  His heartfelt, tear-drenched sobs had silence follow when no one had the answer.

  “People can be shit, and it seems Louise is a bigger shit than most. We will sort this out. I promise her card is marked. I just need the evidence to sack her arse and boot her out the door.”

  Martin’s anger had the words sounding harsh in the quiet of the room. The bubbling steam hissing from the pans on the stove even seemed to quiet under the severity of the moment.

  “And you needn’t worry about your job. It’s perfectly safe. I was an arsehole, and I’ll make it up to you on our next trip to…”

  Aaden spluttered, halting Martin. He fired from the chair, gripping Greg to him. “There will be no more fucking trips with plans to go nightclubbing, you hear me?” His harsh, laboured breathing rushed into his ears, making them buzz. His hands clasped Greg tighter as he started to fight to escape his embrace. He towered over Martin, and his threatening stance had him retreating back a few inches towards Brad.

  “Put me down, you big lummox. Don’t you tell Martin what he can or can’t do in regards to trips away. If I want to go to a club, I bloody well will. You stopped me last time from enjoying myself, and I haven’t forgotten it. And okay, we’re together now, but you are not the boss of me, you hear me?”

  The wriggling got worse. Aaden realised he was fighting a losing battle when Greg wriggled so hard he was frightened he might drop him. The need inside him to keep him close overruled common sense. He plonked Greg into his vacated chair, hemming him in as he crouched down in front of him. Aaden blocked out the rest of the room with his back.

  The avid interest he’d seen on Brody’s, Joe’s, Stuart’s, and Nick’s faces had him wanting to leave so they could talk in private. But when Greg crossed his arms over his chest, poking out his chin in defiance, he wanted to groan in frustration, knowing he was done for.

  “I wasn’t trying to boss you, please. I… well… I’m just worried about you. London is no place for you to be visiting unless I’m with you.” Working on the hoof, he kept talking, hoping it would dig him out of the hole he now found himself in. Thinking his compromise would fix things, he was sadly mistaken when Greg poked out his lower lip, pouting.

  Aaden clenched his jaw tight. His teeth ached with the need to take a big bite out of that gorgeous juicy lip before he got Greg to suck his now hardening cock into the warm cavern of his mouth. Aaden winced as his trousers tightened, his cock totally on board with the idea.

  “You can get all those thoughts right out of your head. There is no way my mouth is going anywhere near your…”

  Greg’s colour drained.

  His frantic eyes looked around at the others, behind Aaden. Aaden barely kept his tongue at Greg reading his thoughts so clearly. Shaking his head, he hoped that everyone just thought his face had portrayed his thoughts and nothing more. They really couldn’t afford anymore fuck-ups with the fates, and Max, he was sure, would kill him for any more slip-ups.

  The giggles that erupted from Nick eased the tension in his muscles, sending him a quick thank you nod. He turned back to Greg, his eyes firing all kind of warning signs.

  Nick’s musical voice interrupted his warning. “Greg’s already reading you like a book. I love it, big bro. It just means you won’t get away with any of your normal shit.”

  “Speaks the biggest drama queen here.”

  Brody’s quick-fire response and eye roll at Nick had the sounds of laughter diminish the strain of the moment. Greg’s sky-blue eyes sparked with humour, making Aaden breathe a little easier.

  “Okay, you fucktards, stop right now.” Aaden pointed at his comical brother and Brody, mimicking choking to the others.

  “You can all shut up now.” Aaden turned and faced Brad who had just ignored the hilarity and carried on cooking. “Will we be eating soon, baby?” Aaden added the baby for effect and was not disappointed when Martin marched over to Brad, placing an arm over his shoulders and bringing him close to his side.

  “Hey, you can stop
that. One Neanderthal in here is more than enough. Anyway, it’s time to eat. So go get the table set, please.” Brad shooed Martin away while a dreamy smile lit up his face when Martin gave him a soft kiss first.

  “I think I may have a solution to your problem,” Brody interrupted the hilarity. “Let me explain.”

  Aaden listened to his close friend, paying attention. Aaden felt a moment of anxiety when he really took note of Brody’s appearance as he spoke. The greyish tinge to his skin highlighted the dark rings under his eyes. There were new frown lines etched around his eyes and on his forehead that hadn’t been there the last he’d seen him several months ago. The silver streaks in his cropped hair at the sides were more prominent. It made him appear older than his thirty-five years. His birthday was nine months before Aaden’s, but the way the school enrolment fell, they’d been in the same school year.

  There was tension around his mouth, and his faked relaxed pose was anything but comfortable. His broad shoulders seemed stiff, and his body looked like it was on high alert. Aaden suddenly questioned why Brody had wanted to visit, knowing Aaden’s home was in a state of ill repair, and that it would be more of a working holiday.

  He knew his job as chief of police was stressful. Fuck, with all the crap that was going on with terrorists it had to be making his personal life nigh on impossible or non-existent. Maybe that was it?

  Aaden let his thoughts meander as Brody laid out a plan that had several nods of agreement and made Greg start to eat with more gusto. The conversation turned to other topics when Brody had Martin’s approval.

  Aaden patted his bulging stomach as he grinned at Brad. “As always, it was a complete pleasure. I just need someone to cook like this for me every day.”

  “Only if you want to be the size of a house,” Nick interrupted.

  Aaden was happy to see his earlier sullen mood seemed to have eased when Brody had stopped teasing him. He hoped it would continue, though he didn’t hold out too much hope with Brody seemingly revelling in Nick’s over-the-top reactions.

  Aaden gave Nick the finger, laughing when he returned the favour.

  Aaden felt Greg’s eyes on him as he tugged his hand into his. He intertwined their fingers, enjoying the feel of his rough skin against his. The urge for more touching had him shift his chair a little closer, laying his other hand on Greg’s thigh.

  Aaden adored the connection. Hell, if he were honest, the feeling of rightness, of contentment that spread down deep inside his body. His heart and soul ached with the words of love sitting there on the tip of his tongue, words seemingly wanting to escape more and more with each passing day.

  When Greg gave him a warm smile before turning back to Stuart to carry on their conversation, he knew the words sitting inside him were solely his and not Óláfr’s. The worry that seemed to linger when Greg wasn’t with him faded. His mind was totally on board with what his heart and soul had been telling him for weeks; this was real.

  He settled back, knowing now was not the right time to declare himself and his intentions, but soon he promised himself. Soon.

  His gaze was drawn back to Greg’s laughing, flushed face. His pink cheeks glowed with the heat of the kitchen and the several glasses of wine Brad had continually kept pouring into his glass.

  Greg seemed to sense the weight of his stare, spinning his slightly glazed, sky-blue eyes towards him. The moment stretched, and the need to leave and take Greg home grew to epic proportions.

  The little flirt sucked on his bottom lip, making it darken and puff up into a sexy pout, causing Aaden to give an internal groan. He projected back exactly what he wanted to do to that mouth. When Greg staggered to his feet and the chair clattered on the wooden floor, everyone stilled.

  “I think that’s our signal it’s time to go home. Come on, Greg. Let’s get you home while you can still walk.” Aaden pulled Greg into his arms, holding him steady as he swayed. He shot Brad a thank you before guiding Greg to the front door, everyone following suit. A silent Nick and Brody followed him across the road after saying goodbye to everyone.

  Aaden tried to think of several excuses to stop them from coming home with them. Failing to come up with anything that sounded plausible, he puffed out his lips. Only to have Greg’s head shoot up when his breath blew on his face.

  “Why are you blowing on me. Can’t you see I don’t have a coat on. This shirt’s not better than a sheet of tracing paper at keeping anything out. It’s bloody Baltic. Hurry up. I’m freezing my balls off, and you wouldn’t want that, now would ya?”

  The pitiful whine had Aaden lift Greg into his arms, hugging him into his chest, letting his warmth shield Greg from the icy air whistling around them. Aaden stalled when Greg wrapped his firm thighs around his waist, squeezing him tight.

  As he locked gazes with Greg, the acceptance of what was to come had Aaden’s legs wobble. Forcing his knees to hold them both, he tucked Greg to him, stalking quickly towards the house.

  “You two make yourselves scarce.” His command had muttering about selfish bastards thrown at his back. But Aaden was past caring. He unlocked the door and headed inside before someone else could interrupt them.

  Days, weeks, months, they had been building to this, and nothing was going to stop him from claiming what rightfully belonged to him. The storm of butterflies invading his stomach made his breath hitch at the back of his throat. His mouth felt as dry as the desert as he stalked towards the stairs.

  Aaden let the gnawing hunger inside free as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Uncaring of what Nick and Brody were seeing, he smashed their mouths together, devouring Greg.

  The scent so familiar to him swirled inside his senses, weakening his resolve not to just throw Greg on to the stairs and rut like a wild animal. He lifted his lips only to have Greg’s cold hands clasp his face, pulling him back to him. Aaden staggered blindly towards where he thought the steps were, praying he didn’t fall as Greg bit his bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth.

  His unmanly whimper was quickly followed by a low growl when Greg ground his rock-hard cock into his abs, humping furiously.

  “Now… now… please… anything… just give it to me… if you… stop… I might just… have to kill you…”

  Greg’s hot, breathless words skittered up the side of his neck as he attacked the sensitive spot under his jaw. Aaden gripped Greg’s arse tighter, his eyes crossing as he made a mad dash up the stairs. Pleased when he only tripped once, staggering into the bedroom, he had a moment of worry about the noise levels and their guests. Aaden grappled with the door, slamming it shut behind them.

  Greg latched on to his mouth, pushing his tongue deep, making his mind blank. Aaden stood firm, locking his legs, holding Greg, and letting him take his fill. The slick, silky tongue tasted every part of his mouth, dominating his tongue. They tangled, duelling for control. Molten heat poured through his body. He felt his flesh ignite, every cell pulsing and sparking with life at Greg’s greedy need.

  When Greg ground harder against him, as if pushing him towards the bed, Aaden lifted his head as far as Greg’s hands would allow. “We have far too many clothes on. Let me at least strip you before we get on the bed because once we’re there, I won’t be stopping unless the house is on fire, and even then, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.” His breathy words didn’t seem to penetrate past Greg’s lust-addled brain when his insistent hands only attempted to tug him back towards his dangerous mouth.

  “No, Greg, listen. Clothes off. Yeah?” He could see understanding dawn in Greg’s eyes a second before he let go of his face and started yanking at Aaden’s long-sleeved black T-shirt.

  Aaden chuckled at Greg’s disappointed grunt when he dropped him to the floor. He was pleased when the grunt turned to a groan when he helped remove his and Greg’s clothing.

  Taking a quick sniff of his underarm, he calculated he hadn’t had too much time to build a sweat.

  “Are you sniffing your armpit, by any chance?”

&nb
sp; Greg’s red brows disappeared under his fringe as he stood naked as a jaybird, giving Aaden the once-over. The stark desire he could see made it hard to think and respond as his cock bucked towards Greg, seeking action.

  “I may have. Would you think it was odd if I had, because if you do, then I totally didn’t.” Aaden felt warmth invade his face, the blush mortifying him. He turned and stalked to the bed, letting his mane of hair fall forward, shielding his face.

  Rippling laughter followed him just before warm breath slid over his back. The only warning he got as Greg launched himself at him, causing them to land in a heap of tangled limbs on the bed. The Tempur mattress hardly offered any bounce as they sunk into the soft duvet. Aaden turned his face before it smashed into the pillows.

  “Now, where were we before your sensible self decided we strip before getting on the bed.” Greg’s mocking scowl and wagging eyebrows had him grinning back.

  He rolled, tugging Greg under him. “Right about here I think.” Aaden leant down, hesitating his lips millimetres away from Greg’s. He could feel the warmth of his breath ghosting over his mouth. He looked deep into Greg’s sky-blue eyes, not sure what he was searching for.

  Seeing trust and something more he couldn’t define had any remaining barriers he might have held shatter. He could all but feel the pieces protecting his heart fall away, opening his soul for what was to come. The years of waiting, of worrying it would never happen for him. The doubts he’d had in the middle of the night after he’d woken form the nightmares all seemed to fade as he drowned in the depths of Greg’s stormy gaze. Emotions swirled inside his chest. Words he’d never uttered to another soul sat there waiting for him to be brave.

  “Svass.”

  The word was out before Aaden could stop it. Óláfr made his presence felt.

  He felt the air charge around him as Greg spoke for Magnus.