Creatures of Habit: Chosen Book 27

by J. D. Light

  He did it again, his head coming back down so he could look me in the eyes as he rode me. It didn't take long for my orgasm to build, especially since I'd barely been able to keep myself under control when he'd just been rubbing against me.

  Heat built low in my stomach and my balls pulled tight, tingles erupting along my spine. He was practically silent as he rode me, aside from the occasional gasp and grunt. His eyes were so intense as he looked down at me, his cheeks flushed with arousal.

  It was so beautiful and felt so amazing, I didn't want the moment to end. I wanted it to last forever, but when I punched my hips forward spastically, unable to control my body's need for more, he let out a long, low groan, his body going rigid and his movements turning jerky, just as cum began to shoot from his dick, landing on my chest and stomach as the grip of his ass pulsing around me sent me over the edge, and I spilled inside him.

  I growled, leaning up quickly while his body was already starting to go limp from his release and sank my teeth into the flesh where his shoulder and neck met, marking him as my mate. He convulsed and more wetness joined what was already smearing between us, and my body exploded in another orgasm. I groaned around the flesh in my mouth.

  "Fuck," Boyce groaned, letting his head flop to the side as I eased my teeth from his shoulder, lightly licking at the mark, lapping at the marred flesh that would begin to heal as his healing ability and lifespan changed to match mine. "My cousin told me it would be intense, but I didn't expect that."

  "Let me guess... Kennedy volunteered information you didn't want to hear just to try to disgust you."

  He groaned, easing up and off me, and making us both grunt as my dick slid from his ass, my cum leaking from his body and making us even messier.

  "Am I going to get knocked up from that?" he asked after a long moment, lying there watching me as I watched him.

  "No," I said, shaking my head. "The claiming has to change your physiology first, then you'll go into a type of mating heat, but I've heard it isn't any different than the drive mates have for each other anyway, but your body will change. If you don't want to have kids, we'll get some birth control from the elder that delivers all the babies around here."

  He watched my face, biting his lip thoughtfully. "What do you want? I've been thinking a lot about kids since I found out I might be able to have my own someday. I didn't know that I liked them before I started coming to the daycare, because I haven't really been around them that much, so I convinced myself I'd never be one to have kids, but I can't deny that being at the daycare has made me a little soft to the hellions."

  "And that's remarkable in itself since I've known forever that I like kids, but working at the daycare has made me question my like for them many, many times," I said dryly, pursing my lips. "It's excellent birth control for Olivia too."

  "But think about how cute our kids would be. You know they would be adorable with big happy smiles and pretty blue eyes," he whispered, his eyes still moving over my face like he was trying to picture a tiny me, and my heart flipped.

  "With blond hair and golden skin," I whispered. "But I want at least one with cloudy gray eyes."

  "Okay, but only if I get at least one sweet and sassy brunette."

  I licked my lips and swallowed. He hadn't told me he loved me, or even admitted to the types of feelings I'd admitted to, but as he continued to look at me the way he was, and say the things he was saying, I felt like I could actually see it.

  "So," I said hesitantly, not really sure how I wanted this conversation to go since I was both excited to have a child with him, but feeling a little selfish where he was concerned since I wasn't quite ready to share him just yet. "How soon would you want to start having babies.

  He frowned, shrugging. "Not right away, I don't think." His face caved in on itself slightly as he seemed to be thinking something over. "I… Is it okay that I'm not really ready to bring a child into our lives? I'm falling so hard for you, Wynn," he whispered, looking unsure. "I just kinda want to spend all my time with you right now."

  I smiled brightly, feeling the pricks of tears as they built up in my eyes. "That would be perfect, Boyce," I whispered through a tight throat. "I'm not quite ready either."

  ***

  "Boston, if you put that donut down on my chair, I'm gonna shove it up your ass." Pierce glared over his mate, easing the car seat and the sleeping newborn inside it onto one of the seat cradles that were new to Bunny's diner since everyone had started popping out babies.

  "The whole chair?" Harley asked, looking at Pierce with a horrified expression. "A piece at a time, or like, with it all put together like that?"

  I snickered, always having loved the joking… and in some cases, the oblivious hilarity of certain members. I'd never really joined in on the conversations unless someone had addressed me personally, but the group was well known around town for being polite and welcoming.

  Who would've thought my very human mate would've been the reason I was suddenly immersed in this strange group? And all because he had once worked with a few of the men who'd be showing up any minute to discuss what they'd learned about a man who, until a few days before, they'd thought had been part of the group kidnapping and selling chosen… until they found him, and realized he was actually in hiding… and he had information.

  "I just want you to be comfortable, Sweets," Boston said, looking almost hurt.

  Boston was known as a hard ass and an unemotional bastard with no feelings, but just watching the way he interacted with his mate, you could tell that wasn't necessarily true, though I would be the first to admit his facial features sure did make it seem like he was ready and willing to kill, and I had a feeling, his mate, his son, Harper, and their brand new baby boy, Jalen, were the only ones who were truly safe.

  Pierce sighed, clearly trying to get a grip on his temper. "I know, Grim. I'm sorry. But you know my healing is almost as good as yours. It's been over a week. Do you honestly think that your ass would still be hurting after a week?"

  Boston cringed, curling his lip. "I sure the fuck hope not, but I've never given birth, so I have no idea what you're going through. The idea of you hurting even a little after giving me this precious little guy is killing me." He lowered his head slightly, putting his eyes level with Pierce's in an admittedly adorable way that made me feel sorry for him. "I didn't know I was driving you crazy, but the damn donut..."

  Pierce chuckled, pushing his mate down into his chair and then climbing into his lap. "To be honest, it doesn't really get on my nerves, but I really have had enough of it. The donut, not you."

  Boston wiggled his mate around getting them both comfortable. "Well, if you'd been sitting in my lap the whole time, we wouldn't have anything to worry about. This is where you belong." He wrapped his arms around his mate, dropping his chin to Pierce's shoulder.

  "We'll remember that next time." He turned to look around the table, blushing slightly as he realized that everyone there was staring at them.

  "Sorry guys, ignore our domestic and continue with whatever it was you were talking about." Pierce swept his arm over the table, indicating we should continue, while Harper, his brother-turned-son came bouncing up, smiling over at Boyce and then at me.

  "Daniel said Olivia said that you to flirt all day and that Mr. Patterson looks like a lovesick dipshit." Harper paused, cringing slightly as he looked over at his fathers, both of whom were glaring at their son, while Harley gasped and sputtered from choking on his water. "Sorry, I forgot to bleep it out."

  "Is that what Miss Olivia said in front of Daniel?" I asked, calmly, trying hard not to look like I was about to murder my cousin for cussing in front of the kids.

  Harper shook his head, his eyes going wide as he realized the shitstorm he'd started with his innocent words. "No. She was talking to Daniel's mom when she came to pick him up and Daniel overheard."

  I groaned, leaning sideways to press my face into Boyce's shoulder. "Really, Olivia? At least Daniel's mom is actually one o
f the girls we used to go to school with, so she already knows what a potty mouth my cousin is…" I pursed my lips. "...though I really could have done without her making it sound like I haven't been working.

  "And Daniel also said he saw you reaching for Mr. Donovan's butt while he was climbing around on the counters."

  I squeaked and my mouth dropped open, knowing exactly what day the little shit had been blabbing about, and though I had been really, really tempted to grab Boyce's ass, I'd actually had my hands up, ready to catch the man if he fell… mostly.

  I pursed my lips, glancing at a smirking Boyce. "Seems like Daniel's parents should teach Daniel to keep his mouth shut," I said sweetly, giving my biggest smile.

  Pierce give his son a bland look, pointing a finger at his face as the boy opened his mouth to say something. "Do not tell Daniel that."

  "I know, dad," Harper said, sounding exasperated and rolling his eyes. "Daniel has the big mouth, not me."

  Harper flounced away, making his way over to the area where most of the kids tended to sit when they came into the diner, easily sliding into a booth with a boy and a girl around his age and immediately striking up a conversation, all clearly happy to be with each other.

  I knew Pierce tended to worry about Harper and the fact that the leap didn't have a ton of kids his age, but with how small Purdy was, and the fact that most of the leap kids went to public school with humans anyway, he would have plenty of friends.

  Flynn and Ridley walked in just then, Harris sleeping on Flynn's shoulder, making me chuckle when they got closer, and I saw the drool soaking into the sleeve of his shirt.

  "Hey, guys. Have you started yet?" Flynn asked, glancing around the room at everyone, and pulling a chair out for his mate, and then one for himself.

  "Nope, Hollyster, Cowan and West haven't made it here, yet," Boston said, just as the door opened and a large, severe-looking police officer walked in.

  Gabriel Todd, one of the six officers that patrolled Purdy was a shifter, an imposing figure and as serious as they got. Even Boston almost looked friendly in comparison.

  I cringed slightly when his eyes met mine from across the room and he started making his way in my direction.

  Fuck. What the hell does he want?

  It wasn't that I had anything against the guy, but every time I'd had to call someone down to the daycare to check on a welfare situation with one of the kids, he'd been the one to show, and he'd glared me down the whole time like I stabbed his momma, or something.

  Boyce must have sensed my sudden unease, because he reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it slightly, and suddenly, everything was okay. It didn't matter if the man glared at me and made me feel like a criminal, when I definitely wasn't, I had Boyce by my side, and that was all that mattered.

  "Mr. Patterson, can I talk to you a minute?" Gabriel growled, not necessarily in an unfriendly way, but definitely not in a way that made me want to jump up and do as he asked.

  "What is this about?" Boyce asked in his no-nonsense way, clearly not near as intimidated by the big man as I was.

  To Gabriel's credit, he didn't seem annoyed by Boyce's bluntness. He simply glanced down at the way he was holding my hand, and then nodded, glancing around at the rest of the room. "I guess it would be best if the leap knew anyway," Gabriel said, nodding at Flynn.

  Gabriel wasn't a leap member, even though he was a shifter. A giant white tiger who had been given permission to live there but kept mostly to himself. He didn't have to answer to Flynn, but I knew if things happened that might involve the leap, he was always forthcoming with the information.

  "Vincent Bradley made bail early this morning. I've already informed his wife and she'd filed a restraining order, but I'm well aware how unlikely he is to stay away if he doesn't want to, so Officer Elliot is watching their house now."

  He glanced around taking in the room full of people. "If I can't keep the man away from his wife and kid, I'm going to have to find a new way to strongly encourage him to leave town and never come back," he growled, making me blink up at him in shock before I felt a huge smile pull at my mouth.

  "Was that a promise of violence I just heard out of your mouth, Officer Todd?" A deep voice asked, and we all turned to find three men standing behind Gabriel, one with a fairly neutral expression on his face, one with a approving smile, and one with such a condescending smirk on his face, I had no doubt he'd been the one to speak.

  Gabriel growled, curling his lip at the man. "No, Agent Dyer," Gabriel said darkly, making me blink at his tone. "I was simply talking about an eviction."

  I nearly choked on my own spit at the way the man looked West up and down, almost his normal cold expression… except not nearly as cold as he managed with anyone else, and there was no mistaking the slight irritation in the man's voice, which was some kind of feeling, unlike when he glared glacially at everyone else.

  I glanced at Boyce, the man who missed nothing, and wasn't surprised to see the small smirk on his face when he cut his eyes in my direction. He was seeing what I was seeing.

  "Careful with your wording, Officer Todd," West said, stepping closer to the dangerous white tiger. "I might have to arrest you."

  "You're more than welcome to try," Gabriel growled, his voice going deep and dangerous, and I could have sworn West shuddered as his lids dropped slightly, his breath hitching in his chest, before he cleared his throat, blinking rapidly, and then smiling.

  "I may be only human, but you'd be surprised what I'm capable of given the right incentive."

  I wasn't the only one at the table to snort, since there were at least three other humans in the room at that moment who shouldn't be underestimated, my mate being one of them.

  "I don't doubt it," Gabriel said, once again sweeping his eyes over West in a way that was supposed to be cold and uncaring but falling short. He gave the man his back once again, focusing on me. "I just wanted to let you know that the man was out. His wife told me he might possibly be coming after you as much as her, since you guys had a bit of a confrontation, and the man believes you're the one that got him pulled over by the police, though if any of my officers had seen the way the man was driving, they wouldn't have needed the call to know the man was wasted."

  I swallowed, nodding. "Thank you, Officer Todd. You didn't have to come by and warn me, but I'm very thankful that you did."

  He gave me a quick nod, before giving one to Flynn and then turning back to the men who were still standing behind him. "Is there something happening here that I should know about, Agent Dyer? I'd like to prepare my people if there is something that could affect our jobs and how well we can do them."

  "Not really, no," West said seriously. "We're here mostly for informational purposes. We could have just called, but we were close by, and I was told my old friend here was living in Purdy this whole time and I didn't even know."

  He reached out, gripping Boyce's shoulder, giving it a hard squeeze. Boyce grunted, reaching up and gripping his wrist, and the oddest show of masculine affection ever took place as they both tried to squeeze the other into submission.

  Gabriel raised his eyebrow, but other than that showed no reaction to the ridiculous display, before he turned and walked out without so much as a goodbye to anyone.

  West turned to watch him go, still watching the door even after the man had gone through it and let it close back on its own, like he was hoping the man would come back through it.

  Introductions were made, and though I actually knew of all the men, aside for West, since they stopped by from time to time to see certain leap members who used to work for the FBI, I'd never actually been introduced. Again, it was odd to find that my human mate had as much or more insight and knowledge of the shifter world as I did, when it became clear with the hugging and backslapping, that Boyce knew all of them very well.

  "Okay," Boston said after a long moment, blinking up at the three newcomers and motioning around the table for them to find a place to sit. "Tell us about D
arrin Clay. Did he give you any more information?"

  "He gave us five names," Hollyster said, his eyes moving around the room, and I knew he was gauging how secure things were in the diner to be talking about what they were talking about.

  Since the only people there who weren't trusted members of the pack were the two human couples having lunch across the room and their children who were both sitting with Harper, also across the room, chatting happily about all the things they'd done over the summer and how they were already ready for fall break, I doubted there was going to be any kind of information leak.

  "The names all checked out as real," Cowan said, picking up where his mate had left off, pulling a file out of the bag he'd been carrying and setting it on the table, but not opening it. "And the men themselves are extremely wealthy." He pursed his lips, pushing his cowboy hat back a ways on his head, so that the brim pointed at an angle toward the ceiling as he rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. "Which means they would definitely have the capital for something like this. The strange part of the whole thing is, yes, they have the money to do what they are doing, but given the rate at which they all make money daily, the amount of actual profit they make after everything they put into it, really wouldn't seem all that worth it to men like them. I don't really see the reason for them to do it."

  "There is, though," Boyce said, leaning forward on the table. "Think about it. How do you think people from the FBI got involved in the first place? Someone is in communication with them. They're committing a crime that is this bad, sell people bad, don't you think they're probably committing other crimes? Crimes they would need a little help to hide or cover up? Some people can be bought with money, others might hold out for something a little more important."

  West blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Are you saying you think they are doing this mostly as bribery? A way to pay off the un-pay-off-able?"

  "Exactly. There are people out there who don't actually care about money. They would put their values on something else entirely, but it might be a little harder for those people to pass up on something that might one day bear fruit that is a little different," Boyce said, shrugging. "Someone who might jump through hoops… or even turn their head to other illegal activities if it meant the chance at something other shifters might never get."