THE PHOENIX WEDDING: The Complete 6 Books Series

by CJ Bishop

  “Come here, boy,” Max smiled and pulled Seth into his arms. He softly kissed the young man’s ear and murmured with deep emotion and gratitude. “Thank you for making our dreams come true.”

  Chapter 8

  “Devlin?”

  The familiar voice drew Devlin’s focus from his coffee as he stirred in a packet of creamer. He turned around to find Brandon Murray standing in the hospital cafeteria, a smile on his face. “Brandon,” Devlin grinned and walked over, hugging the man. “I wasn’t expecting you till tomorrow.”

  “I took off work early,” he said. “I hope it isn’t an inconvenience, showing up a day sooner.”

  “No, of course not.” Devlin motioned to one of the tables. “Sit down. We can talk. I’m on a break.” He grabbed his coffee and joined Brandon at the table. “We’ve had an unexpected addition to our family, so our guest room has become occupied. But no worries, we’ll get you set up.”

  Brandon chuckled. “That’s okay. I can get a hotel room, it’s no problem.” He cocked his head. “New addition to your family?”

  “Yeah.” Devlin recounted the story of how Noah came to be living with them.

  “Wow,” Brandon murmured. “Thank God Abel decided to look up his folks. That poor boy would still be in that awful situation.”

  Nodding slowly, Devlin sipped his coffee. “I just hope it wasn’t worse than we realize.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Shrugging, Devlin murmured, “I’m not sure. Noah was asking Abel if his dad had ever abused him or Savannah, and Abel got the feeling he meant…” Devlin swallowed thickly, his gaze wavering on Brandon’s face. “…more than just physical abuse.”

  The man’s eyes flickered with dark memories. “You think he was sexually abused as well?” he asked quietly, a strain to his voice. Brandon – as well as Abel – had been a victim of Devlin’s own brother, Craig. It had been happening right in front of Devlin and he hadn’t seen it—a guilt that wasn’t easily put down.

  “I don’t know,” Devlin whispered. “God, I hope not.”

  “Have you asked him directly?”

  “Not yet,” Devlin sighed. “Maybe after he’s settled in and more comfortable with us.” He took a drink of coffee. “I’m scheduling him for an examination, to evaluate the injury to his leg. But maybe a full physical exam is in order as well. If he was sexually abused…” his stomach pinched. “…there will be evidence.”

  Brandon stared back at him with that ‘what the fuck is wrong with people?’ look, but remained silent. To make such a statement would include Devlin’s brother, and despite all that had happened and been brought to light about Craig, Brandon still respected Devlin enough not to make him feel worse by bringing up Craig’s transgressions.

  “Jim Evers is going to be in a world of hurt if it turns out that he did those things to the boy.” Devlin looked at Brandon. “The cowboy is quite fond of Noah and he has a strict way of dealing with the likes of Jim Evers. And this time…” he shook his head. “…no one would try to rein him in.”

  Clearing his throat, Brandon murmured, “Maybe this world needs a few more like your cowboy. Perhaps the world would a little better place. And the predators…a little less likely to attack.”

  Devlin held his gaze, his eyes stinging. “Amen,” he whispered. He finished off his coffee. “I need a refill. You want some?”

  Brandon nodded. “Thanks.”

  When Devlin brought back fresh, steaming cups and handed one to Brandon, he said, “I’m actually glad you came in early. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  Carefully sipping his hot drink, Brandon asked, “What’s that?”

  “Even though we lost touch for years,” Devlin told him. “I never stopped thinking of you as my best friend. When you went away and stopped writing or visiting, I felt like I’d lost a part of myself. I had other friends through the years, but you were remained my best friend. And until you showed up again a few months ago, I thought I’d never see you again.”

  Brandon twisted his cup on the table. “You never stopped being my best friend, either, Dev,” he murmured. “It killed me when I felt like I had to let you go. I never found another friend like you.”

  His throat suddenly knotting, Devlin whispered, “You were my true brother, Brandon. I loved you like you were my own flesh and blood. You were one more thing I lost because of Craig.”

  “Hey,” Brandon said softly and squeezed Devlin’s hand. “I’m right here. You didn’t lose me. We just…took different paths for a while. Maybe you thought you would never see me again, but I knew we would find our way back to each other and everything would be as it was before. That our friendship would still be intact and we would pick up where we left off.” He smiled. “And haven’t we?”

  Devlin swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yeah, I guess we have.”

  “Craig didn’t win,” Brandon assured gently. “Everything he tried to destroy…hasn’t it just come back all the stronger? Including Abel?”

  Devlin blinked, his vision swimming. “Yes.”

  “You and Abel, you’re getting married.” Brandon smiled. “And you have an advantage most couples starting out don’t have; the two of you have already overcome the worst of the worst, beat the odds and proven that love truly conquers all. You’re beginning your lives together on a rock solid, unshakable and unbreakable foundation.” His smile stretched. “Your marriage is already a success and you haven’t even taken your vows yet.”

  His throat working, Devlin smiled. “You know what would be great?”

  “What’s that?”

  “If you’d put that in your Best Man toast so Abel could hear it, too.”

  Brandon stared at him, puzzled. “Best man toast…” His eyes widened and gleamed with tears. “Devlin…really?”

  Devlin just smiled.

  ♦

  Darius leaned against the doorframe when Riley opened to his knock. “Since you don’t have to work tonight.” Darius smiled. “I thought you might like some company.”

  “You thought right.” Riley looked him up and down as Darius entered the apartment. “You look nice.” Riley kissed him then breathed in his cologne. “Smell nice, too,” he groaned. “Did you come here to tempt and torture me?”

  Darius chuckled. “I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

  “Walking through the door looking and smelling like heaven was a damn good start.”

  “You’re too kind.”

  “That’s an illusion,” Riley grinned darkly and pushed up behind him. “You may not be safe here.” He nibbled Darius’ neck, sending shivers racing straight to his crotch. Riley rubbed his hands up and down his torso. “Maybe I’ll do the teasing and torturing.”

  He turned Darius around and backed him up against entryway into the living room, his hands caressing and exploring. Darius was helpless to recall the night of the bachelor party, backed up against the outside of the club. He shivered and hardened. He and Riley hadn’t had another sexual encounter since that night and he knew they were both starving for more—perhaps that was why they hadn’t been spending time alone together since then; they wanted their first time to be perfect and not simply grabbed up in the heat of the moment.

  Like now.

  Darius knew it was risky coming here this way, but he craved Riley’s touch…and so much more. He couldn’t stay away any longer.

  “In case you’re worried,” Riley moaned against his lips as he rubbed his crotch to Darius’ hardened member. “We’re not going to have sex.” He grinned through their kiss. “But I am going to make you beg for it, nonetheless.”

  Darius quivered, his toes tingling. “And I thought you were a good guy.”

  “I lied about that.” Riley tugged loose the hem of Darius’ shirt and shoved his hands up underneath, dragging firm fingertips down Darius’ back. “I’m really a bad boy.” He licked his neck then sucked his skin.

  “Mmm…” Darius grasped his hips, pulling him closer, and tilted his head to the
side as Riley sucked harder and ground their cocks together. “Fuck…”

  Hot breath surged into Darius’ ear, making him tremble all over. “Wanna go play in my room?”

  Darius whimpered; Riley hadn’t even started tormenting him and already he wanted to beg the man to fuck him. “Mm-hm.”

  He didn’t recall the trek from the living room to the bedroom, was only aware of his back landing on the soft blankets, his head sinking into thick pillows…and Riley’s firm, athletic body lowering on top of him. Darius instinctively parted his legs as Riley pushed his hard crotch deep between his thighs, hips rolling sensually, rubbing his caged erection all over Darius’ throbbing bulge.

  “Oh my God…” Darius swallowed unsteadily. With shaky hands, he tugged Riley’s shirt up his back and over his head, needing to feel his hot skin, tight muscles.

  Riley quickly and efficiently popped loosed the buttons of Darius’ own shirt and peeled it off his chest and stomach. Their naked skin touched as Riley kissed him, sliding his arms underneath him, locking their bodies tightly together as the roll of his hips strengthened, shoving his hardness up under Darius’ aching balls, then on up over his pulsing dick…again and again…until Darius was moving with him; lifting, thrusting, pumping.

  “Oh fuck…” he whimpered and clawed Riley’s ass through his pants, savoring the flex of his hard ass cheeks with each forceful glide of his hips. “Oh God…” A sharp gasp leapt off his lips when Riley grabbed a stiff nipple, biting and sucking vigorously. “Uuuhh…” Darius dug his fingers into his ass in pure desperation. “Riley…”

  Riley moaned around his nipple then bit and sucked his way lower, nipping his quivering stomach muscles, sinking down further and further until his face was between Darius’ thighs. Oh fuck. Riley opened Darius’ pants and tugged down the front, leaving his briefs in place as he traced his tongue all around the swell of his engorged cock.

  “Oh God…Riley…fuck…”

  Using his thumbs, Riley burrowed the digits deeper into his crotch and massaged his balls. “How’s that feel?” he whispered with a rasp.

  Darius whimpered and shivered.

  “What about this?” he covered his cotton-clad cock with his mouth and sucked hard.

  “Fuck!” Darius jerked and gouged the blankets, hips arching away from the bed. “Uuh—shit!”

  Riley’s deep moans vibrated through his shaft. Cum juice seeped out of him and Riley sucked it through his shorts as his thumbs slipped under the leg bands of his briefs and made direct connection with his heavy sack.

  “Uuuh…God…”

  “Fuck, baby…” Riley groaned and sucked him with more hunger. “I want to make you come so hard.”

  Swallowing through a dry throat, Darius panted unevenly. “You’re about to.”

  Riley smiled up at him. “You want me to make you come?”

  “Fuck…” Darius choked on another whimper. “Yes.”

  “Okay,” he murmured. “But not just yet. Still have to torment you some.”

  Darius trembled. “No…”

  “Yes.”

  The front of his briefs slid down, releasing his erection. Riley groaned and trailed his fingertips up and down the swollen shaft with a feather-soft touch, barely making contact. Darius ached from head to toe for the man to suck him—or at least handle him.

  Riley leaned closer, his warm breath like a soft breeze on Darius’ dick. With the pads of his thumbs, he began to lightly massage the underside of his cock down at the very base, then slowly pushed them up the length of his shaft, applying only enough pressure to stretch his skin. Juice trickled from the tip and drizzled down his member. Riley smeared it around, slicking him up, then blew on his cock, from base to tip.

  “Oh my God, Riley…” Darius cried thickly. “You’re evil…”

  “Am I?” he whispered—and his lips brushed his sensitive cock head as he spoke, causing Darius’ dick to twitch and stretch and push out pearl drops of pre-cum. With the very tip of his tongue, Riley snatched away a bubbling portion of juice.

  “Uuuh!” Darius groaned. “Please…no more torture…I need to come…so fucking bad…”

  A loose hand closed around his dick and slid up his shaft, stretching his thin skin. Another hand wrapped him and did the same, hand over hand, gliding up his cock.

  “Riley…harder…” Darius writhed slowly on the bed, hips rotating and lifting, blankets bunching in his fists. “Oh fuck…make me come…uuhhh…”

  Riley squeezed a fraction tighter, releasing one hand while working the other with a tad more vigor.

  “Oh God…yes…yes…” Darius squeezed his eyes shut, his head digging down into the pillow as his feet drew up a little and heels ground into the mattress as he began pumping his cock through Riley’s fist. “Oh fuck…fuck…yeah…baby, don’t stop…don’t stop…” His cock head was suddenly encased in wet heat as Riley sucked him hard, his hand stroking faster. “Oh fuck!”

  Somewhere outside his fogged mind, he heard Riley’s zipper slide down, then felt his hot, panting breath around the head of his cock as Riley jerked himself off along with Darius. There was something insanely hot and sexy about that, and the sound effects of the man getting off propelled Darius over the edge.

  “Uuuh—fuuuck!” he fucked Riley’s hand urgently as the man sucked just the head of his dick—then unloaded into his mouth. “Oh my God!”

  Riley sucked him forcefully as Darius continued to pump his juices down his throat, Riley’s hand whipping up and down his own cock. He pulled off him suddenly, his face strained with his impending orgasm.

  “I want to see,” Darius gasped. “I-I want to watch you come.”

  Riley sat back on his heels and stroked himself furiously, his dick like a steel rod in his fist. Clear juices flicked from the tip, then suddenly a geyser of cum shot out of him, splattering Darius all over the chest and stomach. The man’s load was immense and coated Darius.

  “Holy fuck!” Riley exhaled hard and sagged onto his heels, chest heaving as his hand slowed but continued to slide up and down his cock, squeezing out the last remnants of cum. He panted heavily and gazed at Darius, eyes weighted and smoldering with a multitude of emotions. “Shit, baby…” he panted shakily. “When we finally make love…it’s going to knock the earth off its axis.”

  And my heart, too, Darius thought with an exhausted, satisfied smile.

  Chapter 9

  “How’re things going on the appeals?” Dane sat across from Caleb, their empty lunch plates set aside. “How does Christian’s case look?”

  “Samuel’s hopeful,” Caleb said. “But with Christian’s dad being a cop…” He shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ll trust Samuel and Nolan’s optimism and their knowledge of their profession.” He lowered his eyes to his glass of melting ice and watered down soda.

  “But you’re worried they won’t be able to get him released,” Dane murmured.

  Raising his eyes, a quiet fear shimmered within. “His dad was a well-respected officer. And Christian portrayed as a rebellious step-kid who had a problem with authority. The only witnesses to his stepdad’s abuse was his step-brother, who had been abused by the guy as well but instead of hating his dad, thought it was proof of his love…or some twisted shit. At any rate, it’s Christian’s word against theirs.” He sank back in his chair. “I don’t know how they’re going to prove he was a victim, when his dad has his entire precinct vouching for what a standup guy he is at work, and his own son vouching for him at home.”

  Dane leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Don’t lose faith, babe,” he said. “Sometimes it isn’t about what can be proven, but how you present your story. Did Christian even have a private attorney, or a public defender? The public defenders get paid whether they win or not, and I don’t think all of them work as hard for that win because they’re making their money either way. But you get Samuel and Nolan up there—who actually give a damn about the boy and what happened to him—then you know they’re going t
o fight like a son of a bitch to ignite the jury’s empathy, put them in Christian’s place and make them feel his plight. Once you get their emotions involved, get them sympathizing with Christian, then the odds of winning the appeal will skyrocket.”

  Caleb stared at him, the dwindling ember of hope in his eyes slowly coming back to life. “Maybe you should be a lawyer.” He smiled.

  Sitting back, Dane chuckled. “Too much schooling. My head would explode if I tried to cram all that knowledge in there.”

  “Well.” Caleb grinned. “I think you’d be awesome. And your hotness and charm would make you popular with the jury—especially if it was made up of women and gay guys.”

  “Hm,” Dane mused. “Maybe I wouldn’t need the schooling after all. Just go up there, shake my booty, and win all my cases.” He winked.

  “That would do it, for sure,” Caleb laughed. “I mean, it gains you favor at the club—why not in the courtroom, too?”

  “So they should add stripping to the law school curriculum, huh?” Dane smiled.

  Caleb chuckled. “They should add stripping to every curriculum.”

  “Indeed.” Dane nodded.

  Picking up his glass, Caleb swirled the ice then took a drink of the diluted soda.

  “So…” Dane leaned forward again and twisted his empty glass on the table. “You and Samuel aren’t going to even talk about tying the knot until Nick is released?”

  “I couldn’t get married without him,” Caleb said quietly. The pain of being separated from his brother shadowed his beautiful blue eyes. The young man had stopped at nothing in an effort to get Nick out of prison…and it had almost killed him. Dane glanced away momentarily as the dark memories conjured up a pain of his own and a sting of tears; he would never forget that feeling of horror when he walked in and found Caleb on the brink of death, in such deep despair and hopelessness that his only “rational” option was escaping this life.