by CORY CYR
Bite & Release 3: Riley
By
Cory Cyr
Bite & Release 3: Riley
Copyright © 2018 CORY CYR
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Published by: Cory Cyr 2018
Cover design by: Robin Harper 2018 © Wicked by Design
Front Cover Photograph: Brice Hardelin Photography
Cover Model: Samuel Rousseau
Back Cover/Photography: ©Deposit Photo
Edited by: Cassie McCown
Formatting: Sharon Kay
Copyright 2018 by Cory Cyr
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents:
Dedication
Other Books by Cory Cyr
Title Page
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
DEDICATION
Rhonda Wharton, you saved me a million times. Without your compassion, love, and support this last year, I doubt I would have survived and Bite & Release 3: Riley would have never been penned.
This one’s for you.
OTHER BOOKS BY CORY CYR
Jacked Off
The Perfect 1
America’s Most Wanted
Wicked Steps
Rug Burns (Reviving Haven 2) *Can be read as a STANDALONE
The Reason I Breathe (Bite & Release 2)
Acquiesce-Submit & Comply
Reviving Haven
Bite & Release
Bite & Release 3: Riley
PROLOGUE
Ryan & Shea
“F uck me.”
“Not for lack of trying, babe.” I stood above Ryan, pulling her legs toward me.
“Shea, we don’t have time for this. Our flight leaves in four hours. I have to Skype with Holly before we leave, and you should check in one more time with Riley. And I need to finish packing. Now stop that.” My wife grumbled in frustration while slapping my hands away in protest.
Even after twenty-three years of marriage, including a thirteen-year age difference and her giving me two beautiful kids, she could entice me like no other. I loved my wife. Still gorgeous at sixty-one with a body made for fucking, she had me wrapped around her finger.
I knew it was cutting it close with all we had left to do. If the goddamn snow hadn’t blown in early, we’d be basking in sunny Florida instead of fucking freezing our asses off in Alaska.
“Honestly, I think we can spare thirty minutes,” I complained, my dick getting harder with every second that passed.
She chuckled. “Put that thing away. You know I despise quickies. I’ll make a deal with you,” she offered, scooting back on the bed. “The minute we hit Florida, we’ll have anal.”
My cock and I stood at attention. “But you always said that was only for special occasions… Father’s Day and birthdays.”
“Well, once we move into our new home, we’ll have to christen it, and that’s a special occasion. Now go away and leave me be. You already know anal is my least favorite thing, and I’m offering, so take it or leave it, buddy.”
Pocketing my dick and untucking my shirt was my valid attempt to cover the hard-on that wasn’t disappearing anytime soon. “Okay, but your husband is incredibly horny now.”
Ryan jumped from the bed as she pointed to the bathroom. “Shea, I had rather hoped your sex drive would diminish somewhat after all these years. Seriously, once a day. You do realize your wife is a senior, right?”
Shaking my head, I objected. “Stop right there. I do not want to hear you say the S-word unless two letters follow it. No doubt we’ll be fucking until death do us part.”
“I’ll probably go before you anyway. You’re still young,” she quipped.
My heart plummeted with pain. I’d almost lost her once, and the thought of repeating that time filled me with such anguish. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I frowned. “Please don’t say that. There’s nothing without you. I have loved you almost every day of my life, and I can’t imagine a time when you’re not here.”
She padded over to me and pressed my head against her body. “We will never be apart. We’re each other’s reason to breathe. You’ve given me a life I never knew possible, a wonderful marriage and two amazing children. I love you, Shea, as though it were the first time I told you those three words. Florida will be a new chapter for us, and I can’t wait to turn the page and see what happens next. Now go and see Riley while I Skype with Holly.”
“Tell my fabulous daughter I said good-bye and she and her girlfriend better come for a visit during the holidays.”
“You already told her everything she needed to hear three days ago. Now it’s my turn, and I know how much you hate sappy shit. Tell Riley I love him and not to incinerate the house.” She stopped and took my hand. “We’re doing the right thing. He’s only twenty. Is he too young for such responsibility? You know how sensitive he is. Will this be overwhelming for him? Is leaving him the business and the house too much?”
Squeezing her hand in response, I replied, “He’ll be fine. Our son is wise beyond his years. I have one hundred percent trust in him. Besides, he’ll have supervision, at least at Protected Paws. That way he can finish his degree and have some semblance of a social life. I do worry because he’s so serious.”
Ryan patted me on the ass. “You were hoping our son would become you at twenty. Be grateful he is studious instead of the player his father was. It’s bad enough he has a tattoo.”
“Hey now, you weren’t even around when I was twenty, so don’t go bad-mouthing me,” I joked.
“Your reputation preceded you, sweetie.”
Walking toward the hotel door, I put a hand up. “Okay, I’ll concede I was no angel, but neither were you. If I recall correctly, when you did come back to Alaska, it didn’t take me very long to get into your pants. You were quite eager for the Michaels experience.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “The experience. Ohmigod, Shea, go talk to your son before I divorce your ass. As hot as it is.”
“You would never leave me again. You’d miss this too much,” I retorted, grabbing my crotch, which earned me a pillow smack against my head.
“Be back in two hours. This standby shit sucks. Our flight could be ready anytime from two to four hours, and we can’t afford to miss it. I need some heat and relaxation,” she commented.
“You know, I could help you with both.” I winked.
CHAPTER ONE
Riley & Shea
“R
iley Andrew Michaels.” I snickered, unlocking the front door. Nothing irritated my son more than the dreaded middle name. There had been a time twenty years ago that I thought fate would intercede, deciding to be cruel and not allowing him to be born. But we had been blessed. My son had come screaming into the world while my wife was in a coma, and somehow both had survived that tragic event.
My father had ruled with an iron fist and lots of booze. He beat me with fury, leaving scars so severe only skin art could camouflage them. My mother’s deceit had caused my savage childhood. As a dad, I was determined to break the cycle of abuse. Fortune smiled on me, and my children turned out healthy and happy. I’d love to think their dad had a major hand in how well adjusted they were, but the truth was it had been Ryan. She had allowed my kids to flourish and was solely responsible for how grounded they turned out. She was an amazing mother.
I’d also love to think my daughter had taken after me, but the truth was she was more like her mother. All the good parts were Ryan: smart, beautiful, and creative, with a bit of rebellion coming from my genes. She took no shit. We had panicked when Holly moved to Rome four years ago in order to continue her fashion design. She was barely nineteen at that time, but her art of persuasion had won us over. Designing clothes was her passion. It was there she had met the love of her life, Alyx. We Skyped once a week with Holly and her girlfriend, but the truth was I missed my firstborn. Seeing her face on a monitor wasn’t the same as holding her close.
Riley looked like both of us. As he had gotten older, his eyes became a deeper green and his hair grew lighter like his mother’s, but he carried my nose, chin, and build. He had a single tattoo, and that’s where our likeness stopped. Though, for all his similarities to us both, he truly was an individual. He wasn’t wild and crazy like we had been. There were times I thought maybe he had skipped a few generations and took after a family member from long ago. Riley was a gentle soul and quiet. The boy loved animals and knowledge. Achieving his veterinary license was the primary objective. Even when he was in his early teens, everything was about studying. Partying had never been his thing. My son was definitely book smart, but he had no real-life experience. I had worried about him being introverted, unlike his sister, who was a social butterfly and lived for recognition and the spotlight.
Though he was now twenty and considered a man, he would always be my little boy. Which made leaving extremely disconcerting. I knew he could take care of himself, and he was definitely more than capable of handling the clinic. My son took Protected Paws seriously, every aspect of it. All of this should make me content and calm, but angst still clouded my thoughts. The truth was I had always been a restrictive parent when it came to Riley.
When he turned thirteen, I went off the deep end with fear. My own youth had been turbulent and troubled. I didn’t want that for my son. In order to keep him occupied with responsibility, we adopted a pit bull puppy. Every boy needs a dog. When I had been that age, my life spiraled out of control with drugs and sex. And even though I’d justified my behavior all these years, I made sure Riley never had any reason to follow my lead.
It wasn’t just him walking the same path as myself that made me worry, but there were other issues to consider. Alcoholism had been on my father’s side, so that deepened my anxiety. Would my children inherit mental illness from their grandmother? Sometimes I wondered if Riley’s antisocial behavior was a precursor to what my mother had gone through. Both Ryan and I tried to raise our children in an environment of love and patience. We made sure we always had open communication, and no topic was out of bounds. They could come to us with anything. I never wanted my kids to rely on substances because their home was lacking. I didn’t want them to become me when I was young.
Fatherhood had turned me into a psycho dealing daily with a mixed bag of emotions. If Ryan hadn’t kept me levelheaded, most times I would have come apart at the seams. It was a balancing act because those early years were spent trying so hard not to become my parents I ended up stifling my own children. It was a miracle they both turned out so normal.
The truth was surviving a tortuous childhood had not only left physical scars but deeply emotional ones. It had never occurred to me how fucked up I was until Ryan left me when Riley was born. It had been the worst time in my life to be without the woman I loved and both of my children. Therapy had helped, and I was grateful for that.
Holly and Riley had only seen their grandmother twice. At their tender age, it was too hard to explain my mother’s living situation. How do you rationalize a sanitarium to little kids? She passed away when Riley was five and Holly was eight. My father had been dead for many years prior. With both of them gone, a great weight lifted from me. I had hoped it meant the chain was now broken and so was the cycle of the abuse.
Thank God Riley had his mother’s fortitude. He was not only intelligent and kind, but endowed with movie star looks. He was the ideal child. Even at his birth, it was apparent that women would be my son’s eventual downfall. The nurses had flocked around him even then. But Riley had shown little interest in girls until later in high school. He was quite selective and always chose studying rather than womanizing. He definitely was not a chip off the old block, far from it.
Riley was extremely cryptic about his romantic life. I’d seen his dates occasionally, but as far as I knew, he’d only had one serious girlfriend. I had no idea what had possessed my son to get that tattoo at eighteen. His choice hadn’t made sense. Sometimes I laughed about it because it was either a warning or an endorsement. Either way, it was a red flag to the ladies. Of course, he never paid attention to my advice. Then again, he might be a closeted Romeo. Possibly, he kept them on the side. A father wasn’t supposed to know everything, and my son was always reserved and secretive. Just another thing for me to worry about. I didn’t want him to be alone, and even though he was young, I wanted more for him than his best friend Kai and dog named Gray.
Normally, it would be the child leaving the nest, but in this instance, it was us. After operating Protected Paws for years, we’d thought often about what we would do when we retired but had no concrete plans for our future. Ryan had come onboard ten years ago, doing rescues and adoptions. She found working with me quite rewarding and loved interacting with the animals.
It was now Riley’s turn to take over the reins. He was more than qualified, with only a few years of school left. He had worked side by side with me for the last four years, and there was no doubt he could handle this. But a licensed veterinarian was needed until he finished school. I had a list of candidates that I was in the process of interviewing when out of the blue Dr. Gabe Tobin notified me of his interest. He had six years’ experience, a stellar resume, and glowing recommendations. Plus, he was young. It appeared a perfect fit. I wanted Riley to work with someone closer to his age rather than another old man like me.
By tonight, his mom and I would arrive in Florida to start our new life. We had spent the last three years considering retirement, but when the opportunity arose to take over a pit bull rescue, there was no hesitation. We jumped on the idea. We both loved the breed and knew there was a great need for helping this particular dog.
Maybe it wasn’t what we had in mind initially, but we couldn’t think of a better way to spend our golden years, and the weather was better. In retrospect, it was another few years until I hit my twilight. My wife, eve
n though older, wasn’t close to slowing down. The love of my life still rocked my world.
I shouted for Riley again as he darted around the corner.
“Jesus, Dad, calm down. Enough with the middle name.” He frowned as Gray nipped at his heels.
I patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, be glad we settled on Andrew. It could have been worse. We could have chosen Seamus instead.”
“Um… yeah, and I would have gone to the DMV when I turned eighteen and had that changed. Seamus, really? Your parents must have hated you.”
“You have no idea,” I uttered under my breath, thrusting a hand through my short hair.
“Don’t you have to go pack or something?” he inquired.
I pulled my son into a bear hug and heard him groan. He hated when I was fatherly. “Our flight is still on standby, probably two hours or more, so there’s plenty of time to harass you. Your sister’s too busy to fly back, so she and your mother will be Skyping for at least an hour. Picture the scenario. There will be tears, massive amounts. Crybabies the both of them. My only choice was to get the hell out of there before I grew man boobs. Too many hormones flying around. Therefore, you have the complete honor of my emotional venue. Now hug your dad like you mean it.” I laughed because he was only two inches shy of my six feet five, which made us almost eye to eye.
I collapsed on the sofa, pulling him with me.
“Not another talk. Please. You already gave me a detailed list and a ton of phone numbers. Florida is not China. We can communicate via phone, Skype… Hell, I’ll even add you to my Facebook.”
I finally let him out of my grasp and leaned back in my seat. “Ha-ha, I doubt we’ll have any time for social media, although we may need your help in building a website for the rescue. You know I trust you one hundred percent. I would never leave you with the business and, for that fact, our family home if there were any doubts.”
