“Good.”
“Good.”
Zane chuckled. “Why do I feel like we just fought?”
Iggy shook his head. “I don’t know, but I’m glad we at least decided this.”
“What else do you want to talk about? Our future doesn’t involve only what we’ll do professionally.”
“Is that a sneaky way to ask if I’ve thought about mating with you?”
It was, but Zane wasn’t about to admit that. “Nope. It’s not the only thing we need to decide. Like, where are we going to live? Do you want to stay with the others, or would you rather have a house of our own? Do you even want to live with me? Do you want kids? How many? When?”
Iggy raised his hands. “Slow down, cowboy. I think it’s still a bit too soon to talk about kids.”
“I know. I was just pointing out that mating isn’t the only thing we should talk about, that’s all.”
“But it’s the most important, and the first one we need to talk about.”
“Fine. That is what I was trying to ask you about.”
Iggy rolled his eyes. “As if I didn’t know.”
“You might have known, but you’re not giving me an answer.”
Iggy was silent for a moment, long enough that Zane started to worry. “I want to mate,” he finally said, and the tightness in Zane’s chest loosened. “But I’m still not sure about it. I mean, I want it, of course I do, but is it a good idea? What will happen if one of us...”
Zane cleared his throat. “I thought about it. It’s impossible not to, after Kameron’s decision.”
“And?”
Zane stopped walking. He didn’t think this was a conversation they could have in the house. As private as their room was, there would still be too maybe people around, and Zane wanted to talk about it without having to fear someone would knock on their door, or walk in.
They were still in the forest, and the trees shielded them. It felt like a peaceful cocoon, and it made the words easier to come and to say. “I talked to Zach,” Zane said.
“About mating?”
“About mating, and about being mated with a huge threat hanging over your heads.”
Iggy stepped away. He brushed the snow from a fallen log and sat on it, scooting to the side and leaving Zane a bit of space. It was a tight fit, but it didn’t matter. Zane wanted to be as close to Iggy as he could anyway.
“What did he say?” Iggy said after a moment of silence.
“That knowing he might feel Kameron, you know, die, is actually a relief.”
“Why? Why would anyone want to feel their mate die?”
“It’s not that he wants to feel it, but that way he’ll know if something happens, and Kameron won’t be alone if, you know. Zach will be with him.”
Shit, the conversation was so fucking depressing, and it certainly didn’t make Zane want to mate, not right now. They still needed to have it, but he’d rather not have to think about Kameron or anyone dying.
“So, you think you might want that?” Iggy asked in a quiet voice.
Zane took a deep breath. “I want to know what it’s like. I know I might get a second chance, because look at what happened to Gentry, but it takes so many circumstances that it’s a stretch, and I don’t want to be mated to anyone but you. I want to feel that. I want to feel you in my head, and in my, well. I want to feel you in my heart, and yeah, I want to know if something happens to you. It’ll suck, but I’d rather know than find out later.”
“What if you’re in the middle of a fight when it happens? It could cost you so much.”
“Okay, why are we assuming you’re the one dying here? I don’t like that.”
Iggy snorted. “Because I asked you if you wanted it. We’re talking about you.”
“Fine, okay. Look, I’ve trained for years, and that included fighting with distractions. It’ll be hard as fuck if it happens, but I know I can finish whatever I’ll be doing before crumbling. Oh, and I don’t think you’re going to die.”
“I hope not, but you can’t know.”
Zane turned sideways and grabbed Iggy’s jacket, pulling him close enough that their noses brushed together. “You’re not going to die. I’ll ask Malik to get another bodyguard so I can stay by your side if I need to.”
“But—”
Zane cut off Iggy’s words with a kiss. He tried to pour all his feelings in it, because they didn’t have the mating bond yet and he wanted Iggy to know what he was feeling. He closed his eyes, needing to learn Iggy, his taste and the feeling of him in his arms. He might have been trying to be the positive one, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t scared of what could happen. The idea of losing Iggy before they could even start a life together was almost paralyzing, but Zane couldn’t let it affect him as much as he wanted to.
They were both breathless when Zane ended the kiss and pressed their foreheads together. “There are more than enough enforcers to defend him, and I’m sure Kameron will need as many bodyguards as he can have. It wouldn’t take anything away from Malik, just shift people around. Kameron and Malik will understand. Besides, Kir and Quinn will be together and they’re mates. Why shouldn’t we?”
“Because I don’t need a bodyguard,” Iggy said in a soft voice. “I don’t need to be protected.”
“I’d still choose to protect you over Malik or Kameron.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think that loving you means I won’t be able to defend myself, or Malik, or whoever I need to protect. I don’t think it will distract me so much that I can’t do my job.”
Iggy swallowed loud enough that Zane heard it. “Loving me?” he asked, his voice trembling.
Zane had to think over what he’d just said. When he realized, he shrugged. He hated that he could feel his cheeks burn, but he wasn’t ashamed of what he’d said, or of what he felt. “I’m not in love with you yet, but I’m not an idiot. I know it will happen sooner rather than later, and I don’t mind. Besides, I can’t deny I have a crush on you and that I’d give a limb to have you in my bed.”
Iggy grinned. “You’ve already had me in your bed. Or I’ve had you in mine. I don’t know how to say it.”
Zane leaned away, enough that he could actually look at Iggy but not enough to put space between them. There was no way he was letting Iggy or anyone else put distance between them, not now, and not for the next two days, or day and half, or whatever.
“Let’s agree it’s our bed and we’ll be fine, and I meant for something that’s not sleeping. Don’t act like you don’t know that.”
“I’m not.”
“Bullshit.”
Iggy was so close that Zane was able to see his eyes glitter with mischief. It was a nice change from the overly serious, self-bashing Iggy from the past day, and Zane wanted to keep him like that for the next few days. “Well, we have two days. Do you want to spend them in our bed?”
“Are you included in the offer?”
Zane growled. “Try to keep me out of it and see what happens.”
Iggy laughed, the sound warm and clear, and it made Zane want to pull Iggy close again. “Oh, I won’t. Believe me, I want you in bed with me as much as you do.”
“What are we waiting for then?”
* * * *
Iggy let Zane drag him toward the house. He looked like an eager puppy, and Iggy supposed that was normal, since he was a wolf. He liked the fact that Zane clearly couldn’t wait to get him into bed even though he still wasn’t a hundred percent sure it was the right thing to do. Zane obviously wanted them to mate right away, and he’d explained why very well, but it still terrified Iggy.
What if something happened to Zane? Would Iggy be able to fight through it, or would he end up being wounded, or worse, too?
“You changed your mind,” Zane said, finally slowing down.
Iggy realized they’d reached the house, and Zane was frowning at him. He’d liked the eager puppy expression better, and he
wanted it back. “No.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying. I haven’t changed my mind, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t scary.”
Zane stared at him. “I know.”
“I still want to do it.”
Zane nodded and started pulling Iggy along again, but it was tamer this time. They managed to bypass everyone once they walked into the house. They heard voices coming from the kitchen, and the TV was on in the living room, but Zane pulled Iggy up the stairs.
“Shouldn’t we tell at least Malik that we’re here? Won’t he worry if he doesn’t hear from you?”
Zane didn’t answer, but as soon as they stepped into his bedroom—Iggy’s bedroom, or theirs, Iggy wasn’t sure anymore—he took out his cell phone. He typed a short while, then put it on the nightstand. He looked at Iggy, nodded and took his jacket off.
Iggy was frozen to the spot when Zane didn’t stop there. He watched as Zane pulled his sweater off, then his T-shirt, before getting to work on the boots and socks. When he straightened, he was down to wearing only his jeans, and he blinked at Iggy, who still had everything on, including his coat.
“I know it sounds cliché, but this would work better if you were naked too.”
Iggy looked down at himself and finally managed to open his coat. He put it on the chair by the window and leaned down to unlace his boots. When he straightened, Zane was buck-naked and watching him.
Iggy swallowed and allowed himself to look, since Zane didn’t seem to mind. Zane was already hard, his cock jutting from blond pubic hair. The trail of hair that led from his bellybutton to his cock was so light that it was almost invisible, and Iggy could see it only thanks to the way the light was playing on it.
Zane was blond all over. He looked golden, and Iggy wondered what he’d done to earn himself such a treasure before realizing how mushy he sounded. He grimaced, and Zane’s smile fell. He moved his hands in front of his cock, and Iggy realized what his grimace must have looked like.
He walked closer to Zane and pried his hands away from his dick, pushing them to Zane’s side and running his own hands up and down Zane’s chest. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
“You didn’t look like that was what you were thinking.”
“That wasn’t why I grimaced.”
“Why was it then?”
“I realized how mushy my thoughts were.”
Zane arched a brow. “I make you mushy?”
Iggy stroked a hand down Zane’s stomach and didn’t stop when he reached Zane’s cock. He wrapped his hand around it, and Zane closed his eyes, tilting his head backward and exposing his neck.
Iggy leaned forward and sucked on the skin where his bite would be in only a few moments. The realization felt incredible, and it made him feel smug. Everyone would know Zane was his, and only his.
Zane gripped Iggy’s hips and tugged on his sweater. “More skin,” he said, ending the sentence with a groan when Iggy lightly bit him.
Iggy let go of Zane’s cock and slapped his ass none too gently. “You have lube? Because we’re not doing this without it.”
Zane rolled his eyes. “Who do you take me for? Of course I have lube. I’m a twenty-four year old guy.”
“Get it out, then.”
The eagerness was back in Zane, and he bounded toward the nightstand. Iggy smiled and shook his head before stripping. He let his clothes fall on the floor, not really caring where they’d end up, especially after Zane sprawled on the bed and fisted his cock.
He did it while watching Iggy, and Iggy knew he was doing it on purpose. He crawled on the bed, stopping only once he was on top of Zane. He looked down, and Zane grinned and handed him the lube. Iggy arched a brow and hoped it meant what he thought it meant.
He sat back and opened the lube, slicking his cock before reaching down between Zane’s legs. He arched a brow in question, and Zane’s grin widened. He opened his legs even more, and when Iggy skimmed a finger between his ass cheeks, he realized why Zane was grinning so much.
“So sure of yourself, huh?”
“Yep.”
“When did you have the time to do this?”
“While you were obsessing over what happened last night.”
“You left the meeting in Kameron’s office to go stretch yourself in the bathroom?”
“Yeah.”
Iggy shook his head, because really? “I can’t believe it. Where did you get the lube? Don’t tell me you had it on you? Or that you stole it, because I wouldn’t believe it.” He pushed a finger inside Zane, and it fit easily.
Zane wiggled his hips. “No. Zach gave it to me, actually.”
Iggy froze. “You asked Zach to give you lube so you could stretch yourself in his bathroom?” That was both hot and embarrassing, and Iggy wasn’t sure he’d be able to look Zach in the eyes the next time he saw him.
“I didn’t ask him. He was the one who gave it to me after we had that conversation in the kitchen.”
Iggy pushed another finger inside Zane and twisted them. “Why did you think it was a good idea?”
“I hadn’t thought about it, but why not? I know what I want, and I want you.”
Iggy rubbed Zane’s prostate and Zane moaned. He was flushed down to his chest, his nipples were puckered, and he was pushing down onto Iggy’s fingers as if he wanted Iggy inside. He probably did.
“What if I’d said no?” Iggy asked.
“No to what? Even if you hadn’t wanted to mate, we could still have had sex.”
“And what if I exclusively bottomed?”
Zane pressed his feet against the mattress and fucked himself onto Iggy’s fingers. Iggy couldn’t look away, the sight of his fingers disappearing into Zane, into his mate, almost too much. He felt like he was on the brink of coming, and he wasn’t inside Zane yet. That would be embarrassing, even though he was only twenty-five, and could probably get it up again soon enough.
“I’d have fucked you,” Zane finally said. “Doesn’t matter.” He grinned. “I thoroughly enjoyed prepping myself, so it wasn’t a loss of time. Now what do you think about finally fucking me? I’ve been waiting for you to do it forever.”
Iggy snorted and slid his fingers out. “You met me only a few days ago.”
“So? Feels like forever to me.”
Iggy couldn’t deny it did feel like they’d known each other for much longer than a few days, so he cleaned his fingers on the comforter. Zane’s smile widened and he pulled his legs up, pressing his thighs against his chest.
“You look like a crazy person,” Iggy said.
“I look like a guy about to get fucked.”
“You’re so romantic.”
“I can be romantic if I want to!”
“Sure.”
“Iggy, my love, please take me. Please push your enormous pleasure shaft into my fluttering rosebud and make me yours.”
Iggy groaned. “Please shut up. You sound like a bad romance novel.”
Iggy didn’t give Zane the chance to reply, because God knew what he might come up with if he did. He pressed closer, pushing the head of his dick—his normal size dick—against Zane’s asshole, and slid inside.
Zane had obviously prepped himself very well, because Iggy’s hips were flush against Zane in no time. Zane let his legs fall to the side, hooking his feet around Iggy’s thighs. He looked at him, his eyes hooded. “Are you going to fuck me now?”
* * * *
Zane loved trying to get a rise out of Iggy, and he knew he’d succeeded from the glint in Iggy’s eyes.
Iggy pulled his hips backward slowly, then thrust forward, and all the fun of playing around went out of the window, because Zane wanted to be fucked now. He held on for the ride, his lips pressed together to avoid biting Iggy right away. He wanted to give Iggy a way out if he’d changed his mind, no matter what he’d said, and he was surprised when Iggy reached down with one hand and pushed Zane’s head to the side.
Zane knew what was coming, and he knew he was loud when Iggy leaned down and sank his teeth into his shoulder. It didn’t matter. The only things that mattered were Iggy pinning him down onto the mattress, fucking him and drinking his blood.
Zane came, clutching Iggy’s shoulders so hard he thought he might draw blood. Iggy didn’t protest, not even when he raised his head to look at Zane. The expression on his face was smug, and he was licking his lips, a trace of blood still at the corner of them.
Zane kissed him, tasting his blood on Iggy’s tongue and he couldn’t believe it was so sexy and hot. Iggy chuckled and gently pushed him away. Zane started to protest, but Iggy shook his head and tilted his head to the side.
Zane pulled Iggy close and bit down. Blood filled his mouth, and Iggy’s hips faltered. He started moving faster, slamming harder into Zane, and Zane held on for the ride. He drank Iggy’s blood, savoring it because having it in his mouth meant they were mating. He felt the bond flare into existence, and he didn’t know whether Iggy came because of it or just because it was time, but Zane felt his orgasm.
It felt almost like he was coming a second time, and he groaned, wrapping his legs around Iggy as he tried to press even closer than they already were. He finally managed to lick the bite in Iggy’s neck closed, and only once it was healed did he let himself slump. He let his legs fall down, but he didn’t stop hugging Iggy. He’d never stop if it was up to him.
He snickered at the thought and Iggy pushed up, looking down at him with a raised brow.
“What are you laughing at?”
Zane shook his head. “Nothing. I’m happy, that’s all.”
The smile Iggy gave him was blinding. “I know. I can feel it.”
Zane ran a hand up and down Iggy’s back. “You’re not worried anymore?”
Iggy sighed and moved away, rubbing at Zane’s hole as he answered. “A bit. I don’t think that’ll change, not until we know Tom is gone and we don’t have to be afraid all the time anymore.”
Zane groaned, because Iggy was still touching him, sliding a finger inside his ass, then out, teasing at his hole, and he could feel Iggy’s cum leak out. “Well, that’ll be over soon. Then we can decide what we want for the future.”
Iggy [Gillham Pack: 15] Page 7
