Scary

by J. M. Dabney

  Do we look like we cannot handle what comes—Tank asked.

  His answer was a snort and earned him a tight hug and a rough kiss. Tank walked off to help Scary get Sophie ready for the ride.

  “You have those two men wrapped around your finger, you know that right,” Kam asked as she stepped to his side with her arm wrapped around Megan’s waist.

  “I think it’s the other way around.”

  “For all the frightening bad boy exteriors they seem like really great guys—all of them.” That was Megan.

  “Family and all that, sometimes you choose the best ones.” He looked around at the guys that roamed the front yard getting ready to ride out.

  “You want to discuss something with me,” Kam asked.

  “I’ve thought about it. I raised Brody, I know the procedures, the visits, and I know it’ll be hard because I’m gay.”

  “Elijah, I’ve been Sophie’s foster mother for six months. In all that time she’s never gotten excited about anything, but this past week she’s been ticking off the seconds until she could come here. Every prospective adoptive couple has signed off on her quickly. I’ll check on a few things this week, and when you’re in the office on Wednesday we’ll go over options. She needs a family or she’s going to age out of the system, with her background we can probably cite those circumstances. Like I said we’ll discuss everything this week and see what we can do.”

  “Thank you, now, gear up, Scary gets impatient. Sundays are pretty much his one decompress day a week and he loves a long ride.”

  “I also think he’s impatient to take his future step-daughter for a ride.” Megan motioned to where Scary adjusted Sophie’s helmet and talked to her softly, probably giving her a quick lesson.

  “Don’t get my hopes up.”

  “I’ll work it out. This is precisely the family for her and I’ll do everything within my power to make sure she gets it.”

  He just nodded because he couldn’t get words passed the lump in his throat. Two men he loved, possibly a daughter in the near future. A year ago his life was empty except for Brody and Mina, now he had too much and it still overwhelmed him.

  He walked towards Tank and Scary who crouched on either side of Sophie—soon to be Juvie. His men looked his way and smiled, but what made it even better was the smile on Sophie’s smile—it was subtle, but there and that meant almost everything to him right now. This right here couldn’t get much better.

  15 WOULD ELIJAH LIKE HIS PLACE

  He smoothed back his long hair and checked himself in the mirror, this would be the first real date with just him and Elijah. The black button up dress shirt was the nicest he had besides the suit he’d bought for their first date in Atlanta. He’d rolled the sleeves up over his tattooed forearms and the top two buttons were undone exposing the thick hair on his chest. Jeans and boots completed it and it was the best it was going to get. His face was all hard angles, lines beside his eyes and the scars.

  Scary always turned into his buffer, but there wouldn’t be that safety zone tonight. This date all on him and again he didn’t know if he could keep Elijah’s interest. He hated being this insecure, before Elijah it hadn’t fucking mattered. Years past since he’d spent so much time looking in a mirror.

  He turned away and walked out of his private bathroom. He checked over his bedroom but knew it was as spotless as the rest of the house. He’d grown up in a shit hole and now took a lot of pride in his home. The cabin was way back in the woods with a lake behind it. He’d bought the land not long after he’d move here and spent almost a year living in a one bedroom, small trailer with barely enough room for him to move around. He’d built this place with his own hands and he wanted to share that with Elijah.

  He’d gone into work the day shift at Brawlers and Scary would work the night one for him so he’d have a private date with Elijah. They’d talked about it the other night. Yes, they were sharing the man, but it was important to them to have time with Elijah. They’d also talked about what would happen when they asked him to move in with them and if Sophie became a part of their family like they hoped. It would be easier to live in town to be closer to school, but they’d keep Tank’s cabin for private time and family getaways.

  Shaking his head, he smiled as he thought about family. He was forty-three, he’d never thought about a partner, much less kids, but that’s what was on his mind now. All that would work itself out later, tonight it was about him and Elijah. He checked his watch and noticed Elijah would be there any minute.

  The closer he drew to the kitchen the scents of dinner filled the rooms. He wasn’t much of a cook, but there were a few things he could make well and lasagna was one of them. His kitchen was modern, stainless steel and belied his lack of cooking skills. The rest of the house was rustic and comfortable, he’d started a fire and set the table. Everything was ready—he hoped.

  The sound of tires on gravel had him hurrying for the front door. He opened it and stepped out onto the wraparound porch. He had more house than he needed but he loved it.

  He felt his lips pull into a broad smile as Elijah got out of his car and waved, he descended the step to meet his man halfway. Elijah was dressed similarly to him, jeans and dress shoes instead of boots, his button up shirt was pale blue—a color he seemed to favor.

  “This is gorgeous.” Awe filled Elijah’s voice and he loved that Elijah liked his home.

  Elijah lifted onto his toes and kissed him, a part of him was still taken aback by the action. The smaller man never missed an opportunity to touch him even if it was just a squeeze of his hand or a hug.

  Did you find it okay—he asked.

  “Your directions were great, doesn’t hurt there’s only one marked drive for the last ten miles.”

  Sorry. I know it is out of the way—he shrugged.

  “It’s perfect. How did you find this place?”

  I built it—he answered.

  “By yourself?”

  Tank nodded and motioned towards the house. Elijah took his hand and tugged Tank behind him. He loved the man always wanted him close, but it was even. Elijah showed equal attention and it was like he did it unconsciously.

  “Wow, this is, I don’t have the words.” Elijah released his hands and started to explore.

  It did something to him to have Elijah in his space. Thank you—he signed when Elijah turned to him. Do you feel weird Scary not here—he had to ask.

  “No, I know it’s always going to be us, the trio, but I also want time alone with you and Scary. I love having you both around. It just seems natural to want just one of you too. I’m sure we’re going to want space from each other—”

  He scowled and Elijah smiled coming to hug his waist.

  “Don’t even look like that. You and Scary are best friends, but I’m sure you need space from each other sometime.”

  He nodded.

  “And I’ve been on my own a long time. This having two boyfriends is a bit of an adjustment.”

  He nodded again because he got it. They were still new and learning about each other, but they wanted Elijah around all the time. If they didn’t feel they’d scare him off they’d make sure they had more time together. But they understood Elijah was independent and used to his space and routine.

  “So, what are we doing on our big date?”

  Tank started to smirk and Elijah laughed.

  “Aren’t you at least gonna feed me first and I don’t mean your cock.”

  His eyes widened and Elijah snorted.

  “I said it before you did.”

  Okay, you did—he had to admit it was his first thought—I made dinner. Nothing fancy.

  “Smells like Lasagna and if it is, that’s why favorite and yes really before you give me that arched brow question.”

  It still amazed him Elijah could read him so well sometimes he didn’t even have to sign. The only other person as attuned with him as Elijah was Scary. They’d had full silent conversation over the years. Scary could read his fa
cial clues and just know what he was thinking.

  Scary is the only one who reads me like you do—He admitted and then led Elijah towards the kitchen, he set him in one of the chairs. There was already a French Press of fresh coffee on the table and a bottle of water beside his plate. Elijah was obsessed with his coffee.

  He served dinner and watched every bite Elijah took, they spoke every now and again, but mostly Elijah kept up a steady stream of conversation. About his new job and Sophie. He was so animated when he talked. The reserved man was coming out his shell becoming comfortable with himself. He hoped some of it had to do with him being happy with Scary and him. That Scary and him made him feel important to them.

  He and his best friend were in this, Scary knew from the moment he’d seen Elijah that Elijah was his and it was the same for him. They knew the man was meant to be theirs in every way. Elijah wore his heart on his sleeve and expressive face, Elijah couldn’t hide his emotions especially not from them. They’d spent their lives by knowing how to read someone and know within the first few minutes whether they needed to watch their backs. It saved them plenty of times.

  Once they finished dinner Elijah helped him clean up and load the dishwasher. Usually he just hand washed the dishes because it was only him and he regularly ate at the bar or in town.

  “I have tomorrow off.”

  Stay tonight—He’d wanted to ask him all night, but figured he’d have a long ride in the morning to get to work.

  “I was going to, but I didn’t want to assume. My overnight bag is in the car. Can I ask you something, you don’t have to answer—”

  He nodded. He had a feeling what it was.

  “How did this happen?” Elijah stroked his fingertips gently along his cheek and throat.

  So he lifted Elijah onto the counter and moved between his thighs. He told him the whole story, everything about Ian and his old neighborhood. The night he’d gone to tell Ian he was leaving town. Each word he signed caused his body to tense and his heart to pound out of his chest. He hated remembering the first and last time he’d let his guard down.

  “I almost lost you,” Elijah whispered and there were tears in his eyes. “Do you know what I thought the first time I saw you?”

  He shook his head and moved closer as Elijah rubbed his hands over his chest, toyed with the buttons of his shirt.

  “I knew who you were.”

  He widened his eyes and nodded for him to continue.

  “Princess talked about you and we spent hours working on those videos and flash cards. I don’t know why, but she went on and on about you. You sounded—sweet.”

  He rolled his eyes and Elijah laughed.

  “She said you were always by yourself. I assumed she meant you spent a lot of time on the edge. Your scars didn’t bother me because I already knew about them. I think I hurt your feelings when I wouldn’t look at you that night.”

  Shrugging his shoulders he tried to rid Elijah’s eyes of the guilt that stole into them.

  “I was blushing like crazy. Grown men shouldn’t blush when a sexy guy is that close, but there I was, face flaming. And you smelled good I wanted to put my face against the side of your throat and just take it in.” Elijah started to work the buttons of his shirt loose. The younger man leaned forward and placed a kiss in the center of his chest. “And Scary was there too and I was confused, but I couldn’t stop looking at either of you all night.”

  He let Elijah remove his shirt and then those soft, slender hands were moving over his chest and his stomach, ruffling the thick hair. He was so fucking hard he could come in his jeans at any moment. Never in his life could he remember a lover moaning and shivering just from touching him.

  “I always loved hairy men. No manscaping needed and a belly so much better.”

  Elijah rubbed his cheeks against the hair and kneaded his muscles, Elijah wrapped his lips around one nipple and used his teeth to tug at the barbell. He growled and drove his fingers into Elijah’s hair. Jerking Elijah’s head back he slammed his lips down on Elijah’s, his man opened instantly and he traced the plump curves of Elijah’s mouth. He could kiss Elijah all night. It was something he hadn’t had enough of in his life. No one had kissed him until he was twenty-five, plenty had used his body, but fucking was as intimate as anyone wanted to get with him that was until Elijah.

  He grunted and Elijah wrapped his legs around Tank’s waist. Slipping his hands under Elijah’s ass he lifted him from the counter and carried him to his bedroom. He laid him on his huge bed and straightened, he kicked off his boots, removed his jeans and underwear, then bent to take off his socks. He stretched to his full height and stood naked, he took his cock in hand and stroked slowly, taking his time. Elijah’s gaze fixated on his dick and he licked his lips. He growled as Elijah got up to kneel in the center of the mattress and began removing his shirt.

  All that pale, perfect skin exposed for him, flushed pink with arousal. His chest moved with his quick breaths. Elijah laid back and removed the rest of his clothes, he was splayed bare over his bed. Leanly muscled legs parted and what he saw caused him to groan. The base of a plug was exposed.

  “I wanted to be—”

  Embarrassment clearly stole whatever else Elijah was going to say. He strode to his nightstand and pulled out the new box of condoms, tore it open and quickly sheathed his aching dick. The lube lay on the edge of the mattress. His control was at a minimum when it came to Elijah, but he wanted tonight to be different. His chest was rising and falling quickly with his labored breaths, every inch of him was primed and ready. He hated not being in control, but the man in front of him stole it so quickly. The air in the room felt cold against his overheated body. His thighs flexed as he jerked his cock a few more times.

  He moved to sit cross-legged on the bed and patted his thighs as Elijah rolled to his knees. His lover knee walked until he settled onto his lap and Elijah wrapped his long legs around him. He’d dreamed of this moment. Reaching behind Elijah he took the base of the plug and tugged, shallowing thrusting it into Elijah’s hole.

  “Tank, feels s’good, you feel,” Elijah whimpered and pre-come wet his belly as Elijah’s slim cock jerked where it was trapped between them. “Better.”

  He gently removed the plug and set it aside, he brought his fingertips back and tested Elijah’s stretched entrance. He didn’t waste time, he lubed his dick and pressed the head to Elijah. The man didn’t need prodding because he lifted and started lowering on his cock. The squeeze was out of the fucking world. Even stretched the man was too tight.

  He was finally balls deep in Elijah and they both breathed heavily. Elijah’s gaze met his and held, he curved his hands around the man’s perfect plump ass. He started a slow, agonizing rhythm, drawing out their shared pleasure. Elijah’s short nails dug into the muscles of his back, their lips brushed with every lift and fall, and through it all they never broke eye contact.

  It was intimate and overwhelming. Elijah moaned and shook, rolling his hips. The buildup was slow, but the intensity was almost more than he could take and then they were both groaning as they kissed. He pulled Elijah’s cheeks apart, massaged the stretched skin that massaged his cock. Elijah’s hand was working a furious pace between them and then hot seed coated the hair on his belly. Elijah’s hips arched and the contractions of Elijah’s hole was all he needed to empty everything into the latex.

  “Tank, I—”

  He looked at Elijah to find tears slowly sliding down his cheeks. He embraced Elijah and held him tightly to his chest as he buried his face in the crook of Elijah’s neck, inhaling the tang of sweat and sex. He never wanted to be parted from Elijah. He knew no matter what happened he would do anything to make Elijah and their family happy.

  16 HELL RIDES INTO TOWN

  Scary glared at Elijah as the man carried on a secret conversation with Twitch. His newest bartender was small and femme, useless in a brawl, but the man kept bringing the men in so he didn’t fucking complain much. Although his man gettin
g friendly with Twitch he didn’t know if he liked that shit. He walked up behind Elijah and bracketed Elijah’s body with his arms. The move had the two grinning men separating quickly.

  “What are you two plotting?”

  “Why would we be plotting anything, I like your man, he’s nice,” Twitch’s voice was low and sweet.

  For all of Twitch’s flamboyant attitude he’d noticed Twitch spent a lot of time alone on his breaks, he even avoided the flirting and the offers of hookups. Twitch just celebrated his twenty-second birthday. At that age—fuck, he’d reached the when I was your age status. He was officially old.

  “He’s mine, stop trying to get in his pants.”

  Twitch’s face went ashen and he backed up until he hit the counter under the register. He needed to get one of the crew to toughen him up.

  “You’re scaring him, stop scowling,” Elijah spun on the stool and wrapped his arms around his neck.

  Elijah kissed the scowl in question.

  “You fucking love it, quit pretending otherwise. The second you saw me you wanted me.”

  “I never said I didn’t.”

  “Office,” Scary ordered.

  A rough chuckle drew his attention and he turned to find Tank shaking his head. He moved to the side to give Tank access to Elijah. Tank stepped forward and leaned down, without hesitation Elijah tilted his chin.

  He glanced around and found no one paying attention, Elijah was becoming as much of a figure around here as them and the crew. With Elijah’s schedule now that he was working in Atlanta they didn’t get to see each other nearly as much as they liked. Overnights were unheard of, but Elijah promised once he worked everything out they’d spend more time. A compromise was nights at Brawlers. Shit was still new so they had some kinks to work out. Didn’t mean he had to fucking like it. He still hadn’t got his one-on-one date with his man.

  The door opened and an unfamiliar group walked in. First glance Scary knew trouble just entered. Their regulars knew if they started shit while Elijah was on the premises they wouldn’t find their fucking bodies. One in particular caught his attention. Shaved head, caramel skin and mustache with a long goatee, the rage burning in the man’s eyes was what put Scary on edge. He knew that look well. The man was as tall as him, but broader.