Broken Bones

by Deja Black

  AS TIME passed, with Dan continuing to see Aiden vividly in his dreams, he could no longer put off discussing how Aiden was involved in Dan’s psyche.

  “You’re holding back, Daniel. You’ve yet to share where I fit in, in those dreams of yours.”

  The question stole his breath. Dan had wanted to avoid this. Yeah, he knew it was going to come up, that his father would not have neglected to tell Aiden of his name being cried out by Dan as he slept. Was Jeremiah aware that, instead of those cries resulting from pain, they were in fact cries directly connected to the emptying of his balls, blissful visions of his dick encased within Aiden’s scrumptious ass? The more time he spent with Aiden, the more the fantasies increased, and the more the kneading spread over his body, the more Dan hungered for his touch. If Aiden reached any higher, he was going to encounter a hard dick with a specific destination in mind. In fact, Dan was starting to want those fingers wrapped around his mushroom cap as he spilled into Aiden’s waiting hand.

  “Ugh.” Dan groaned as he stood abruptly, moving away from Aiden. He needed space from the source of these thoughts. He didn’t know if he could fight the impulse to jump Aiden’s bones, straddle him, and kiss the fuck out of those juicy lips that teased him. Oh, what he wanted to do with that tongue, what he wanted to do with his own. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

  “Daniel?” Aiden moved to stand, but Dan placed his hand out to ward him off. Aiden eased back onto the bench. “Okay….”

  The day was nice, one of many they had enjoyed in the gardens. The sun was bright, eager to give light to Dan’s hidden secrets. Was he ready for this, ready to share what had been tying him in knots every day he saw him?

  With Aiden’s assurance that he would remain seated, Dan took a second to count down until he could breathe a little easier. It was all or nothing. True, he needed to get everything off his chest, but did he want to tell Aiden what role he was playing in Dan’s fantasies, that when he took a shower, Aiden’s face covered in his cum was what made him get off?

  “Daniel, your dreams about me? What do you see me doing in them?”

  Aiden had decided to help him along? Okay. Dan could do that. Answer Aiden’s questions. There was a chance he might feel the need to limit how much he would actually say, though. He wasn’t quite ready for much more. Just thinking about it was making a noticeable impression against the fly of his jeans. In fact, Little Dan was trying to make a break for it as they spoke. Spinning around, Dan gave himself time to adjust, shifting his leg with the hope of changing his manhood’s position at least.

  “Sometimes you’re talking to me, just talking.” Just a minute more, and he would totally look at Aiden, not completely wimp out. “And other times….”

  Aiden was nearer now. Dan felt the heat of Aiden’s body against his back, one hand sliding down his thigh, mapping his flesh. Those lips that had often mesmerized Dan were at his ear, wet and traveling.

  “Other times? I… we… we’re making love. I’m leading, or you’re leading. We’re drenched in each other’s cum. There are moments when….” Dan had to pause before he could share the one that had shaken him to his bones. The fantasy or dream, whatever it was, when he had awakened and sat erect in bed, breath pumping like he had just finished a marathon. He could almost taste the blood in his mouth. The shock of that was what forced him out of sleep. It was vivid, tangible. They had drunk from each other, shared each other’s blood. Dan remembered being so hungry for it, gorging himself on Aiden’s carotid artery like he was a starving man and Aiden was his first meal. It was—he was so good. Dan ran his tongue along his teeth as if he could recapture the nectar, the honeyed taste. It was light, like wine… sweet ambrosia. He wanted it now, could almost taste it. Just thinking about it, remembering it, was driving him out of his mind. It didn’t help that Aiden’s touches were building a fire within him he felt powerless to contain.

  “Well, I wouldn’t say no to that, Dan.”

  Aiden licked him softly against the shell of his ear, then used sharp teeth to nip at him, stoking the flames. He sighed, leaning into Aiden as he welcomed him, made him feel at home. Aiden gently turned Dan in his arms, drawing him closer. He bent down to Dan’s lips, reached his tongue out for a sample first before placing them hotly against Dan’s to enjoy the whole meal. Immediately Dan’s cock was granite. He could even feel the precum wetting the inside of his boxer briefs, his dick pressing against the zipper, eager to rut against Aiden’s own. Lips locked together, Dan crushed Aiden to him, trying to crawl inside the marrow of his bones.

  It was good, fucking good. He had been waiting, torturing himself with thoughts of Aiden. It was real skin, real flesh he was grasping needily, real cloth Dan was rending apart with eager hands, desperate to get to more skin, to feel Aiden’s nakedness against him. He wanted Aiden. He wanted him, and Dan was going to take him right here, right now, on this ground. He was going to sink between those glorious globes and spear that tender hole. For once, he would be the one in control. The gasps of breath Aiden heaved now would be nothing compared to the cries he would make as Dan thrust his hungry cock inside him, owned him. They would slow dance to their own blended rhythm, and he would savor every step.

  “Danny Boy! What. The. Fuck.”

  Oh, shit. Conner. Dan spun to see his Celtic brother marching toward them, a cell phone in hand, target in sight, battle ready. The pink case practically glowed in Conner’s paws, so clearly the phone was not his.

  Arriving next to the two, Conner faced Aiden down. “This is what you are being paid to do, is it, Kavanagh? Maul my brother,” Conner growled.

  “Maul him, Mr. Tolliver? I would chance to look at him and then to me.” Aiden glanced down toward his powder blue cotton dress shirt, buttons missing, petal-soft fabric torn open to reveal tanned flesh. Face flushed from Dan’s passionate assault, red welts standing out along his neck from Dan’s teeth.

  Dan was trying to catch his breath. What had come over him? He wasn’t alone in it, though. Aiden had touched him, had hungered for those kisses as much as he wanted to feed them to him. He could feel the roughness of his tongue as he tugged on Dan’s lobe. Not just Dan. They shared equally whatever this was between them, overpowering them both.

  “Conner,” Dan called, louder when his brother started squaring off. True, Aiden looked like he could probably hold his own, but with Conner’s martial arts training and combat experience, Dan didn’t want to chance it. Besides, he was as much at fault as Aiden. “I did it. I… uhm… I kissed him.”

  Conner turned to face him, eyes wide. “You… you started this? You’ve never….”

  Dan knew where this was going. To his family, hell, to himself, Danny Boy was never the aggressor. He kind of waited for things to happen. Conner wouldn’t envision him trying to tear a man’s clothes off in his pack’s gardens. Said man would not be wearing the evidence of a very passionate interlude or sporting some prizewinning marks on his neck, his collarbone, wherever Dan could chew and claim him. He was just as surprised at himself as his brother obviously was from the look of complete shock he wore, and no, he wasn’t finished. Not by a long shot. There was a great deal more mauling he wanted to do.

  “Not now, Conner. Let’s refocus, huh? What did you want? Why do you have my phone? And, dude, lighten up before you crush it. Let up, J. D.” Reaching for his cell, almost forced to pluck Conner’s fingers away from the device, Dan fingered it, examined it, and then glanced back to his brother.

  Conner was in a daze. He took in Aiden’s satisfied expression, complete with reddening skin, and looked back admirably at his brother. Shaking his head, he continued. “Your phone was going off, Danny. I know you like to have it near in case someone is trying to reach you, so I brought it to you when I saw… uhm… saw you. Fuck. Really, huh?” Conner leaned back, and this time he was full-on grinning. One eyebrow quirked. “So… what would you have done if Father… or oohhh, Shelly were here instead of me, huh?”

  “Goddess bless, Conner. Shut up alr
eady. They aren’t, right? Just go back in the house. We can talk about this some other time.”

  “Oh, we’ll talk. I have nothing else better to do than to wait, Danny Boy, as my men and I are still hunting Keith. Sneaky fucker, that one. No one has seen him. Not at that place you called home or otherwise. Well, then.” Conner stepped back with a wide grin, his russet locks capturing the light as he backed away, bowing majestically. “I’ll leave you to your doctor, then. Kavanagh, you and I will talk when there is more time. Danny’s decision or no, the pup is still my brother, whatever you are to him. You may continue.” He swung about, his laugh trailing behind him on the wind.

  Aiden cleared his throat, his countenance smug. He cocked his head to the side. “Shall we continue, Daniel?” His tone echoed Conner’s.

  Dan growled. “Fuck you.”

  “Oh, I believe that’s what you were planning, wasn’t it?” Aiden sat back on the bench, his long legs open wide, his arousal evident, his voice almost a purr. His tongue skating along his lips, as if he were trying to taste more of Dan, did nothing to chase away Dan’s need for the man. The dreams, the fantasies, and then Aiden in the flesh were conspiring against him. Dan uttered a growl not unlike Conner’s earlier and spun around, ignoring him. The smug bastard. His phone went off again while he held it. It was the perfect excuse and would give him the time he needed to adjust.

  “Excuse me.” Dan was expecting a call from Shelly, or maybe even the sub who had taken on his classes, though the sub knew Dan was dealing with family issues. No one needed to know he was the one with the issues. But the text was from Darren.

  Mr. T, what’s up?

  Nothing much. What do you need, Darren? Something wrong in class?

  Nah. The sub’s cool. He’s not you, but he’s okay for now, but the class wants to know when you’re coming back.

  Not right now.

  Dan paused. What would be best to say? He couldn’t tell a student what had been going on. He had lied enough in the past, and he didn’t feel like doing it anymore.

  Look, hang in there okay. We’re all pulling for you.

  Dan studied the line of text, wondering what Darren meant. Dan knew the policy the school had was that students and teachers shouldn’t text each other, but with technology and the fact that Dan sponsored the drama club, he had found texting the best way to contact his students and for them to contact him. That way, if one of his students or even he was running late or early, or there was a problem at the theater, they could reach one another.

  Besides, Darren was more to him than just a student. He was one of his seniors, and Dan had known him and his grandmother, Maya, since Darren was in middle school. He could never be the father Darren needed, but he always tried to be there for him. Someone needed to have his back, so if he felt like texting Dan, Dan answered. If he was going through a rough spot, Dan was there to give him a hand. It was no less than Jeremiah had done for him even before he married his mother.

  Oh, with all that had happened, he’d completely forgotten about the play his drama club would need to practice at the theater, the same theater owned by one Keith Mulligan.

  Darren?

  Dan hoped Darren had his phone out. There was a new policy that finally allowed students the use of cell phones in the classroom. His school was one of the few trying it out. While it worked for some, it didn’t work for all. Maybe it was wrong, but Dan was counting on a teenager’s obsession with his phone.

  Yes, Mr. T?

  Is the play still going on? I have a lot happening right now, and I forgot to check in with the sub on the script changes.

  Hey, no worries. Your friend Keith’s been helping us out.

  Darren’s text couldn’t be right. Not when his brother and his men were looking for the asshole. How could he be helping the class and not have shown up on their radar? Dan had to be sure.

  Keith’s been helping you?

  Yeah, he said he wouldn’t want you to worry, that when you came back he wanted to surprise you. He’s been meeting with us, even taking us to the coffeehouse sometimes. It’s been cool.

  Dan started to tremble, found it hard to respond. Keith had wanted to surprise him? He was meeting with his students after school, taking them out for coffee?

  Mr. T?

  Dan had to say something. He didn’t want Darren suspecting anything. Teenagers were nothing if not resourceful.

  Yes, Darren.

  Forgot Keith told me to tell you that he can’t wait for you to come back home. Take care of your family, okay? We got your back.

  The ping of his texts were going off as the phone fell to the ground.

  CHAPTER 11

  “SO, HE’S here, then. Still in Louisville, but where,” Conner asked. He paced in Jeremiah’s office, hands crossed behind his back. Were there signs of wear from how deeply he walked the floor? Nope, nothing. The air was tense, Conner’s frustration an erratic pulse, background music to his thunderous movements.

  Forced to sit and wait until his father arrived from visiting people on his land, the men had been hashing out possibilities of Keith’s location. Two of Conner’s wolves remained at the ready, bodies taut and prepared for a missive from their leader. Both were solid, powerful. While Alec’s hair was blond and shorn close to his scalp, Frederick wore his own dark hair in twists with colorful beads woven in. They were dressed simply enough: black shirts, pants, and boots, a kind of uniform for Conner’s people.

  From what Conner was able to gather, no one had seen Keith at either of his businesses. Conner had rotated watchers, and nothing. He hadn’t made a bank withdrawal or even used his card. He had simply disappeared.

  It had been a shock to see the text from Darren. It terrified Dan to think Keith had been interacting with his students all this time. They would be working after school with him to practice and present the play. How could he in good conscience stay away now? Knowing how terrible, how controlling, Keith could be, how could he leave students—who trusted him—with a man no one should trust? Keith would play the same game. He would smile, cajole, and convince them he was the good guy. They would believe anything he said. What about the other teachers, the staff? They knew Keith, had seen the two of them together. Keith had attended functions with him, been to the Christmas parties, the games, even chaperoned a dance or two. What kind of stories would the man tell to get them on his side?

  Maybe it was paranoia. Maybe he was thinking too much, but Dan loved his job, loved the people he worked with, and his students depended on him. Their parents depended on him. And here he was, safe in his father’s home while Darren and the other dedicated kids he taught worked with the psycho. Goddess bless! He was going to have to go back. He would have to take care of this.

  The door flung open, and Jeremiah entered, Kristoff at his back. Jeremiah took in everyone present, his gaze falling gently on his son.

  All will be well. Have faith, Danny.

  Words whispered in his mind calmed him. He had faith in his father, in his ability to provide for every member of his pack.

  Jeremiah moved to his desk and settled behind the rich mahogany wood inlaid with the symbols of his people as well as the hieroglyphs of the tribe that gave them shelter many years ago. Dan could tell that his wolf was just inches below the surface. It was the time of the hunt, and his father had to deal with Dan’s own personal bullshit. It frustrated Dan to no end. He didn’t need to be here interrupting what should be a celebration, impeding his father’s alertness when the leader’s awareness should have been at its peak.

  Focus, Danny Boy. You are my son. You are also pack. This must and will end.

  Tendrils of hope and comfort drifted his way. An actual hand did not caress Dan’s hair, but he felt the ghost of fingers dancing over his crown, providing solace. His frustration waned slightly. Keith’s actions were threatening. He knew how much Dan cared about his students, and to use them to get to Dan was underhanded, typical of the monster Keith had become, or maybe always was.

&
nbsp; “Father—”

  “I have been informed, my son.” Jeremiah nodded judiciously. “Your false mate grows careless in his desperation to draw you out.” Jeremiah glanced toward a rigid Conner, whose body was coiled, tense. “Hold your wolf, Enforcer.” Conner’s tension diminished slightly, the deliberate use of his title doing much to return him to his human self.

  Jeremiah’s ability to spread calm and healing was the mark of a true Alpha. He would go into battle for his people; he radiated peace and held them together during times of chaos and fear. If he lost his shit, then it was time to run for cover. Jeremiah Tolliver would never do that, never fail his pack.

  “Now, we must find out what Keith’s plan is. What he wants.” Jeremiah rocked back in his chair, his eyes focused on Dan. “Sit, everyone.” Men moved to take a seat in the office. Business meetings were held in this room, so it was more than spacious enough to host everyone while they discussed what needed be done.

  Conner bowed his head in respect toward his Alpha and turned toward Dan. “Make room, pup.” Clothing shifted over sinewy muscle as he sat next to Dan, who offered a tremulous smile. Conner grunted, a corded arm was extended, and Dan eased into the walled flesh of warmth and security.

  Dan looked up from the shelter of Conner’s arms to find Aiden’s eyes on him, glowing, his face a cold mask. What was up with him? Was he angry? What was his deal? The temperature in the room lessened several degrees, a vicious chill suddenly in the air.

  “Kavanagh. This is not the time or the place. You are in a room of my family. We are here to end both my son’s torment and his tormentor.” Jeremiah stood. “Stop this. You will stand down in my home, my territory.” The words came across as a growled command, Jeremiah channeling his beast.