Micah nodded and got up. He offered Trevor his hand, and Trevor took it, letting Micah haul him up. “Can we meet the alpha now?”
“I think so. We need to check he’s not busy. Why?”
“Might as well get that out of the way. My dad can only scowl at you, but your alpha can kick my ass and tear me to pieces if he doesn’t like me.”
Trevor kissed Micah’s cheek. “He wouldn’t.” At Micah’s dubious glance, he insisted. “Really. Even the guy who kidnapped and experimented on thousands of shifters is only in jail, and all his bits are attached.”
“Experimented?”
Trevor sighed. “Can we talk about that another day? I really don’t want to right now.”
“Sure. Show me the way.”
Trevor took Micah’s hand and tugged on it. “What about my shoes?” Micah asked.
“Leave them here. Everyone in the house walks around barefoot or in socks.”
Micah followed, and Trevor guided him downstairs. Laughter came from the kitchen, so he decided to peek inside, to check what was happening. Maybe Dominic would be there, if he was lucky.
Nysys and Keenan were at the kitchen french doors, looking outside. Trevor looked at Micah. Micah shrugged, and Trevor decided to check. One could never know if something good or bad had happened when Nysys and Keenan were involved.
He walked closer to the window, not letting go of Micah, and peeked outside.
* * * *
Micah’s eyes widened at the sight that greeted him when he peeked around Nysys. A lion, a house cat, and a black panther were rolling around, batting at the air and rubbing their faces against the wooden porch floor and railings. He knew they were shifters—except probably the cat—but he couldn’t help the hint of fear that tugged at him. They were big, bigger than any normal animal could be, and Micah knew they could hurt him very easily if they wanted to.
At the moment, though, they looked like they couldn’t hurt a fly. “What’s wrong with them?”
Nysys grinned at him and held up a bag. “Catnip.”
Trevor groaned. “Please tell me that’s not Dominic.”
“Nope. You know he doesn’t leave his office, like, ever. I think he even sleeps in there most nights.”
“No, he doesn’t. You know Ani wouldn’t let him,” Keenan said.
“And having sex there all the time might be awkward.”
“Mmm, I don’t know. I mean, there’re couches there, and sex on a desk can be good. I would know.”
“Oh, I know. Me and Morin had sex on his desk the day he left the company. You know, a little farewell memory.”
Micah looked at Trevor, wondering if it was normal for Nysys and Keenan to talk about sex like that. Trevor wasn’t even reacting to their words, so Micah thought it probably was.
“I didn’t know shifters behaved that way,” Micah said to no one in particular.
Nysys turned toward him. “They’re really just big cats. Well, except Nolan. He’s just a cat.”
“Wait, that’s Nolan?”
“You didn’t know? I thought you were Casey’s best friend.”
“I am, but I didn’t know he was a shifter until two weeks ago.”
Nysys’ eyes narrowed. “Right. So, have you groveled yet?”
“He did,” Trevor intervened. “I forgave him.”
“So easily?”
“Yes. He explained why he reacted the way he did, and I understand. I can’t hold it against him.”
“If you say so. But remember you can always come to us if you need to kill him and hide his body.”
Micah looked at Trevor, suddenly worried. “He’s joking, right?”
Nysys grinned evilly. “I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”
Trevor shook his head, a smile on his face. “They’ve never killed anyone.”
“That you know of,” Nysys pointed out.
Trevor cocked his head. “Yeah? So who have you killed?”
“Well, there was that fly this morning. It could have been a shifter.”
“There are fly shifters?” Keenan asked.
“I don’t know. Why not?”
“Isn’t a fly too small?”
“Adrian’s a squirrel.”
“Squirrels are bigger than flies. Much bigger.”
“What going on here?” someone asked from behind them.
The four of them turned to face the man who’d talked, and Micah wasn’t surprised when Nysys asked the guy a question right away. From the little he’d seen of Nysys, he never stopped talking, except maybe to have sex, or at least that was what it sounded like.
“Hey, do fly shifters exist?”
The man arched a brow, and the guy next to him snickered.
“Fly shifters?” the first man asked.
“Yeah.”
“Do I even want to know why you’re asking about fly shifters?”
“I was telling Micah and Trevor I killed a fly this morning, and me and Keenan were wondering if it could have been a fly shifter. So? Do they exist?”
“As far as I know, no, but then we didn’t know about harpies and wendigoes before Troy and Chogan. Anything is possible.”
Nysys nodded and looked at the other guy. “Who are you?”
“I’m André.”
“Oh, Dominic’s super rich friend?”
André smiled, his green eyes sparkling. He looked a bit like Nysys, except that his hair was brown and curly. “That would be me.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Touring the house. I’m deciding whether to move here or not.”
“Move? Why would you move?”
André grinned. “Because I feel like it, and because my father will shit kittens over it.”
Nysys beamed. “Oh, I like you.” He turned to the other guy. “Can he have a room next to mine?”
The guy rolled his eyes. “Of course. Now why don’t you go ask Jayden about fly shifters? I’m sure he’ll know the answer to that.”
Nysys and Keenan looked at each other, then Nysys thrust the catnip bag into Trevor’s hand and hurried away, Keenan right behind him. André watched them go, then said, “I think I’m going to go with them,” and left, waving back at Micah, Trevor, and the guy he’d arrived with.
Micah looked back at the guy and offered him his hand. Might as well get to know the people he saw around the house if he and Trevor were an item and would be for a very long time. “I’m Micah Riggs.”
“Ah, the man Ani wanted to kill slowly and painfully. I’m Dominic Nash.”
“Dominic? As in, the alpha?”
Micah looked at Trevor for confirmation and laughed. Trevor had opened the bag of catnip and stuck his face right into it. Micah could hear him breathing deeply. “Want me to scratch your belly, Trev?”
Trevor snapped his head up and blushed. He quickly closed the bag and put it on the counter, retreating as fast as he could and pressing his back against the wall. “I’m fine.”
“Of course you are,” Dominic—Alpha Nash, or whatever the hell Micah was supposed to call him—said. He turned back to Micah, smiling. “And yes, I’m the alpha, but you can call me Dominic.”
“Dominic. Nice to meet you. And, uh, I hope you managed to make Ani, whoever he is, change his mind. I’d like to be able to sleep without fearing for my life.”
“Ani is my mate, and yes, I talked him out of it. You don’t have to worry about him, he’s not a violent person.”
“Nysys and Keenan aren’t either,” Trevor added. “I know they might not sound like it when you listen to them, but they’re really just weird, not violent.”
“And no one will hurt you under this roof,” Dominic said, and Micah could hear the steel in his voice. He was the leader there, and he knew no one would disobey his orders.
“Thank you.”
“You’re Trevor’s mate.”
That was still weird to hear. Micah had thought he’d never he
ar himself be called that again, not after Erik. He found he didn’t mind, even though there still was an undercurrent of worry. “I am.”
“Welcome to the family, then.”
“Trevor said you’d take me in without questions, just because I’m his mate.”
“Well, not without questions. Most of the people who live here are nosy, so you’ll probably have to answer hundreds of them, but you won’t get them from me. I just want to know one thing.”
Micah nodded and swallowed.
“I need to be sure you won’t tell anyone about shifters.”
“I won’t, but you probably should know my father knows about you guys.”
Dominic waved Micah’s words away. “Families generally don’t create problems. I just need to know you won’t go to the authorities. We’ve had to deal with labs that experimented on shifters, and now with hunters. The last thing we need is the government sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Micah shook his head. “I won’t tell.” He looked at Trevor. “The last thing I want is to hurt Trevor, or anyone.”
Trevor blushed, and Dominic smiled. “Good. Now, what’s going on out there?”
Trevor sighed. “Nysys spread some catnip.”
“Ah, the bag you were holding.”
“Yes.”
Dominic walked closer to the door and looked outside. “Taylor, Ward and Nolan. Trevor, please take a picture—Ward will hate you for it, but I need to have this framed.”
“What about Taylor and Nolan?”
“They won’t care.”
Trevor shrugged and used his phone to snap a few pictures. “I forwarded them to you.”
Dominic grinned, and it was wicked. “Good. I’m going to email it to all the pride members.”
“As long as Ward knows it was you.”
“I’ll let him know.” Dominic looked at Micah and nodded. “Nice meeting you, and Trevor will give you a key and a remote for the front gate. Are you thinking of moving in?”
Micah wasn’t sure how to answer, but Trevor did before he could. “We haven’t talked about it yet, but Micah’s father is injured, and he can’t climb stairs. For now, he’d probably be more comfortable at home, and Micah wants to date anyway.”
“Well, good luck, and let me or Ani know if we can do anything. I’m sure we can find a room for Micah’s father on the ground floor if they decide to move in.”
Things were moving too fast. Micah understood why—Trevor had explained it to him—but that didn’t mean it wasn’t making him feel dizzy with the implications.
Once Dominic had left, he looked at Trevor. “Now what?”
“Now we date, like we decided to.”
“And you have to meet my dad.”
* * * *
When Micah had left the mansion the night before, he’d decided Trevor needed to meet his father soon, and apparently, for Micah soon meant the following day.
That was how Trevor had ended up terrified and knocking on Nysys’ door for advice. What Nysys had told him about dating had worked, so Trevor hoped Nysys could help this time too.
When Nysys opened his door, Trevor arched a brow and looked at him from head to toe. “Why are you dressed like a police officer?”
Nysys grinned and smoothed his hands down his shirt. “I’m trying it to see if it fits.”
“Okay, but why do you want to dress as a police officer?”
“I thought maybe Morin would like it. You know, I’m trying to put a bit of spice in our sex life.”
Trevor doubted Morin really needed more excitement, not when he was mated to Nysys. Nysys was more excitement than anyone could handle. “So Morin has a police kink?”
Nysys cocked his head. “I’m surprised you’re actually asking questions about this instead of blushing and looking away.”
Trevor had surprised himself. He definitely wasn’t one to ask questions, especially when it came to someone else’s sex life. He shrugged. “I guess I’m comfortable enough with you not to feel ashamed about asking.”
Nysys pressed his lips together and made to dry a nonexistent tear from his eye. “My baby’s all grown up.”
“I’m not your baby.”
“Hush. Let me really feel the moment.”
“Nysys.”
Nysys huffed. “You’re no fun.”
“Not at the moment.”
Nysys narrowed his eyes. He looked worried now, and Trevor felt guilty. “I’m fine.”
Nysys stepped to the side. “Come in.”
“Is Morin here?”
Nysys rolled his eyes. “No. I told you I was trying this on.”
Trevor should have known that while Morin might not be there, Keenan would be. He was on the bed, sucking on a lollipop and looking through a magazine. He looked at Trevor when Trevor entered and sat up, taking the lollipop out. “What’s up?”
“I need advice.”
“Well, you came to the right place. Sit down and open your heart and your mind to us.”
Trevor obeyed, sitting crossed legged at the end of the mattress while Nysys flopped next to Keenan, still wearing his costume. Nysys cooed at Trevor and patted his foot, and it was becoming kind of creepy. “Guys, I’m not your kid,” Trevor added, just in case they needed a reminder.
“We know,” Keenan answered. “We’re just so proud of you.”
“For what?” Trevor didn’t think he’d done anything worth feeling proud of.
“For what? A week ago you couldn’t even be in the same room as Micah without running away. Now you’re dating him, and you didn’t run when Nysys told you what he was going to do with his costume.”
Nysys grinned. “It opens on the sides, just like a stripper’s.” He reached for the pants, probably to demonstrate how it worked, but Trevor stopped him, raising his hands and shaking his head.
“I guess my life’s a bit different now, but I’m still shy, so I really don’t need to see what you’re wearing under there.”
Nysys let go of his pants. “We wouldn’t want you any other way, Boo. Now come on, tell Uncle Nysys and Uncle Keenan what’s wrong. Is it sex? Do you want sex tips? I’d skip the costumes in the beginning. Maybe go for simple for a while, until you learn each other’s bodies and tastes, you know?”
“I’m not here for sex tips.”
“Oh?”
“I’m supposed to meet Micah’s father tonight.”
Nysys’ eyes widened. “Oh.”
“That’s not reassuring in the least.”
“We don’t really have experience with parents,” Keenan said. “Jonah’s and mine are dead.”
“Morin’s aren’t, but his dad is locked up and his mom is always traveling and stuff. I met her a few times, and she’s great, but we’re not close or anything. Although I think she wants to come back to New York for a bit, so maybe I’ll see more of her, but for now, I’m not sure how to help you.”
Trevor sighed. It looked like he’d managed to find the one area for which Keenan and Nysys couldn’t give him advice. That had to be a first. “Thanks anyway.” He started to get up, but Nysys grabbed his hand and pulled him.
“Sit down. We might not have experience, but I think we can still give you a few tips.”
Trevor sat back down. He wasn’t too sure about it, but it couldn’t hurt. It certainly beat his keep-your-mouth-shut-as-much-as-you-can-and-nod idea.
“Micah’s father knows about shifters, right?” Keenan asked.
“Yes.”
“But from the little I know—”
“You mean from what we overheard,” Nysys added.
Keenan nodded. “From what we overheard, Micah’s previous experience with shifters wasn’t good, so if he told his father about it, I think you should be prepared for the man not to be nice to you. He’ll probably be borderline rude, but not obviously so. He’s also bound to ask you questions, like how you might be different from Micah’s ex, things like that.�
�
Trevor groaned. “Great. That’s what I needed. Micah’s father is going to hate me.”
“I don’t think it’s possible to hate you, but I also think he’s going to give you a hard time. I know you’ll want to run and never look back, but Micah’s your mate, and if you want to be with him, you’ll have to deal with his father sooner or later, especially since he lives with Micah. You can’t let him scare you or run you off.”
Trevor sighed. “I know. I just wish it were easier.”
“Nothing worth having is easy to get, Trevor.”
“Oooh, you should write that one down, Nys,” Keenan exclaimed, and Trevor knew they’d already left the serious area of the conversation. It didn’t matter. He’d known how to deal with the situation. He’d just needed friends, and Nysys and Keenan were always there for that.
Trevor didn’t want to leave, but after Nysys had shown him his firefighter costume and his cat one, he knew he’d be late if he didn’t. Micah had told him to go over for dinner, so he was expecting him for five P.M.
“I’m going,” he told the terrible two.
Keenan waved, and Nysys walked him to his room door. He hugged Trevor, surprising him, and whispered, “You’ll be fine. If that guy doesn’t like you, he has a heart of stone.”
Trevor smiled and patted Nysys’ back. He quickly left the house, knowing he’d find a reason not to go if he didn’t.
Trevor parked and looked at the front door of Micah’s house, wringing his hands together. Micah was waiting for him, yet Trevor seemed to be stuck in his car. He swallowed and looked at his phone, wondering if he could get away with calling Nysys and asking him what the fuck he should do.
The front door opened, and Micah looked at him, smiling. He didn’t come closer, didn’t try to beckon Trevor to him. He just waited until Trevor gathered his guts and finally got out.
He locked the car and slowly made his way up the driveway, passing by Micah’s car. He kept his focus on Micah, because it was the one thing that could make him stay, and he was rewarded by a kiss as soon as he was on the porch.
“Thanks for being here,” Micah murmured.
Trevor Page 9
