by Lynn Hagen
“Quinn, if it’s not a bother, can you take him? I’ll make sure a few soldiers escort you for safety reasons.”
Tristan ran to the office door with explosive energy. “I’ll go get my sketch pad and pencils.” He raced from the room.
“Thanks.”
“I’m not only doing this to make Tristan feel like he’s part of the pack. He has real talent. Those renderings were better than the damn guy I hired to draw up the plans for me. Goes to show you, always ask pack first.” He shook his head. “Now if I could only find a decorator.”
Quinn couldn’t help but smirk at the Alpha. “A decorator?”
Zeus sighed and stood. “Yeah, Jasper is insisting on one. He claims we Grey wolves are colorblind and wouldn’t know a Tiffany lamp from a lava lamp, whatever a fucking Tiffany lamp is. He better not have me sleeping in a foo-foo room or I’m going to…sleep in it.” Zeus chuckled.
“Tristan and Hunter have me wrapped around their fingers, too. Just don’t tell them.”
Zeus held his hands up in front of him. “Never, but you can’t tell Jasper or Toby either.”
“My lips are sealed.” Quinn zipped his lips with his fingers and tossed the imaginary key aside as he went to join Tristan.
He wiped his brow as he stared at the men getting into their trucks through his long-range scope. He was pissed that the house was empty when he set it on fire. One way or another, the little redheaded twink was going to die.
Setting the rifle down on the seat, he started his truck and pulled away, following the two vehicles as they left the driveway. They would slip up, relax their guard, and when they did, pow.
Tristan sat on the bed, missing his mates. The walkthrough yesterday had given him some great ideas, but now that Quinn and Hunter were at work, he was horny.
With a devilish idea in his head, Tristan grabbed the cell phone Hunter had bought him and dialed the hardware store.
“Hunter’s Hardware, Hunter speaking.”
Tristan’s cock perked right up at Hunter’s deep and masculine voice. He might just jerk off listening to his mate talk about nails and caulk. “A naked man with a large cock just broke into my room. If you don’t hurry, he may go brain-dead from all the blood rushing to his groin.”
Hunter groaned and Tristan touched himself. What a sexy sound that was. “Then I’ll be right there to rescue you from the cock burglar.” Hunter hung up.
Okay, one down, one to go. Tristan dialed Quinn’s cell phone, stroking his thumb lazily over the swollen head of his dick.
“Hey, jellybean, everything okay?”
“I’m ovulating, get your ass in gear and come plant your seed in me.” Tristan stifled a giggle.
“On my way, sexy.”
Tristan tossed the phone aside and ran for his sexy outfit. He wanted to look good for his mates. He heard footsteps rushing down the hallway fifteen minutes later. Tristan put his straw hat on and slid his socked feet into his sandals, leaving the rest of his body gloriously naked. He spread his arms wide, his cock tapping at his lower belly as the door swung open.
“Jesus, cover that thing,” Jasper shouted as he spun around, giving his back to Tristan.
Tristan ran for the bed, grabbing the pillow and shoving it in front of his hardened prick. “Why did you just bust in?”
“My bad, I didn’t think you would be standing there giving me a free show when your mates are at work. Are you covered?” Jasper asked with amusement.
Tristan tossed his hat aside and ran his hand through his hair, sitting on the bed. “Yes, but you still can’t turn around. What do you want? I have two hot stud muffins on their way, so make it quick.”
“Well, you horny little toad, I was going to ask if you wanted to go to bingo tonight, assuming you aren’t fucked into unconsciousness by then.”
This was the most bizarre conversation Tristan had ever had. He was sitting here naked with a shifter in the room—who was not his mate—talking about bingo? Although Tristan had spent the last year of his life not wearing any clothes, it still made him uncomfortable around strangers. As a shifter, that was unusual, but as a man, he wouldn’t go without clothes again. His cousin would have teased him to no end about this one. Tristan’s chest tightened at the thought of Justin. Where was he, how was he?
“Hello? A simple yes or no would get me out of here. The back of my head is going blind looking at your naked ass.”
“Yes,” Tristan answered quickly, being brought out of his thoughts and remembering his mates would be here at any moment.
“Good, meet us down in the living room at six. Have fun.” Jasper laughed as he closed the door behind him. What a very strange man.
He jumped when the door flew open, ready to kick Jasper out. Hunter sauntered in, a big shitty ass grin spreading across his face. “Where is this naked man?”
“Right here.” Tristan tossed the pillow aside, putting the straw hat back on his head. “I thought you would leave me brain-dead.” He giggled, forgetting all about Jasper and his cousin.
Hunter growled low and sexy, making Tristan’s half-hard cock come back to life. He lay back on the bed, spreading his legs wide. “See anything you like?”
Hunter nodded, a smirk pulling at his mouth. “Your sandals, love the unicorn pattern.”
“Why, thank you, it’s my idea of sexy lingerie.” Tristan ran his hands down the plane of his stomach, dipping them between his legs and pulling at his pubic hair. “Anything else you like?”
“The hat, it’s a big-ass turn-on.”
Tristan rolled his eyes. “I was thinking a little more between the sandals and hat.”
“The socks.” Quinn chuckled as he closed and locked the door behind him. “It makes you ovulating more erotic, especially the loud orange color.”
“Ovulating?” Hunter looked from Quinn to Tristan. “Do I even want to know?”
Tristan shrugged, pulling and squeezing at his heavy and leaking cock. “I had to get him here somehow.” He took a deep breath when Hunter unsnapped his jeans, pushing them down to his thighs, grabbing the base of his cock. Tristan could see his balls were already tight to his body. His mate took a seat on the bed.
“Are you prepared, or do I need to get you ready?”
“I’m ready. I took care of that in the shower.” He licked his bottom lip, staring at Hunter’s large cock. “Can I get some of that? He pointed at the leaky mushroomed-shaped head.
“You’re gonna get more than some. Why don’t you come sit in my lap?” Hunter slid his jeans down to his ankles and held his hands out to Tristan. He tried to sit on Hunter’s lap facing him, but Hunter shook his head. “Face Quinn, rainbow.”
Tristan turned around, seeing Quinn’s cock exposed and in his hand, slowly stroking his dick as pre-cum trickled from the slit. Quinn walked forward and knelt in front of Tristan, cupping his face with his work-worn hands, nipping at Tristan’s lips as he pulled him further away from Hunter. Tristan stretched forward, chasing Quinn’s sweet taste.
Hunter fumbled under him, and then he felt the tip of Hunter’s cock pressing at his hole. Tristan grabbed Quinn’s neck, crushing their lips together as Hunter entered him. “Oh god.” He panted into Quinn’s mouth.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Quinn brushed the hair from Tristan’s eyes as he gently smiled at him.
Tristan’s lungs stopped as his chest grew heavy. He stared into Quinn’s beautiful eyes, seeing what he hoped was love. Was it? Or was it wishful thinking?
“I love you, Quinn.” Tristan held his breath, praying he wasn’t going to be rejected.
“I love you, too, jellybean.” Quinn smiled, making Tristan’s world come alive. He stared at Quinn as his mate rose to his feet, cupped his chin, and puckered his lips into a kiss, smacking them at Tristan and winking. “Now I have an issue I need you to take care of.” Quinn tapped his cock at Tristan’s lips.
“Fuck, that looks good.” Hunter grunted from behind Tristan. He wanted to turn around and tell Hunter he loved
him, but Hunter began thrusting harder, making Tristan forget what year it was. Tristan wrapped his lips around Quinn’s cock, feeling a deeper connection to his mates now that he knew how much they cared about him.
Hunter may not have said the words yet, but his actions told Tristan how much he did care. He’d take that for now. Tristan ran his hands up the hard ridges of Quinn’s abdomen, taking him further down his throat.
Quinn hissed, running his fingers behind Tristan’s ear in an intimate play. “Jellybean,” Quinn murmured.
Hunter kneaded Tristan’s hips, sniffing at his back, using his tongue to leave a wet trail up Tristan’s spine.
Tristan was so lost in these two. He’d die a thousand deaths if he ever lost either of them. Not even Xavier made him feel this sensual, this sexual, or this desired. Quinn said he loves me echoed through Tristan’s mind as he formed a tight suction around Quinn’s cock and took as much as he could into his mouth, feeling the head of Quinn’s cock hitting the back of his throat.
Hunter pulled back and then pushed his cock all the way to the root inside Tristan’s ass, hitting his prostate every other stroke.
“Now, jellybean, now,” Quinn said between clenched teeth. Tristan slammed his ass down on Hunter’s cock as he drank Quinn’s seed.
Quinn stroked his orgasm past Tristan’s lips, a guttural cry leaving his lips. Quinn pulled his softening cock from Tristan’s mouth, dropping to his knees and pushing Tristan back, taking Tristan’s weeping prick into his mouth. Tristan’s lips parted, and quick bursts of breath escaped as he reached behind him and locked his fingers together behind Hunter’s neck.
Tristan looked up at Hunter. His mate stared down at him with hooded eyes. “Did it taste good?” Hunter teased.
“Mmm-hmm.” Tristan bent his head back, kissing Hunter as Hunter fucked him and Quinn tried to suck Tristan’s cock off. Tristan broke the kiss, making eye contact with Hunter. “I love you, Hunter.”
Hunter growled, biting Tristan’s neck as he pistoned into him. Tristan arched his back, his hands coming down onto Quinn’s head as his cum spurted out to the beat of his pulse.
Hunter sealed the wound and fell onto his back, snapping his hips as he shot his release into Tristan’s ass. Tristan fell forward, resting on Quinn as he got his breathing under control. Hunter hadn’t said he loved Tristan. What did that mean?
Hunter unlocked the hardware store and stepped inside the cool shop. He set the keys on the counter, checking his answering machine for messages. His mind swam around Tristan’s declaration. Why hadn’t he said it back? There was no doubt Hunter loved him. So what was with the tight lips, and why did his brain take a dump when the words tried to form?
Hunter looked up when his deliveryman came in. “Hey, Hunter, I have your orders on my truck. Do you want me to bring them through the front or through the back?”
“The back. That way they’re not in everyone’s way.”
“You got it.” Logan nodded at Hunter and then walked back out of the front door. Inventory should occupy his mind for a while, stopping him from overanalyzing his chicken ways.
Hunter went to the back, opening the door for Logan. “Just set the stuff over there and come see me with the paperwork when you’re done.”
“Not a prob, Hunter.”
He smiled at Logan and then walked back to the front of the store, grabbing his list of deliveries for the week. A few of the ranches needed hardware delivered over the next few days. Maybe he needed to hire an assistant. He didn’t mind locking up when lust made him run out of here with papers flying behind him, but taking some of the pressure off of his shoulders would be nice.
A few phone calls and some flyers should do the trick. Word of mouth was quicker than the daily paper.
Hunter glanced up when he heard the door open. A stranger walked in, looking around the store, and then his eyes settled on Hunter.
“So, you’re one of the men Tristan left me for?”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed. Xavier.
Chapter Nine
Tristan joined Jasper and Sidney in the living room. “I’m ready.”
“Love that outfit, Tristan.” Jasper pulled on the end of Tristan’s shirt. “I’ve never seen that color of burnt orange matched with magenta before.”
“Are you making fun of me?” Tristan looked down at his button-down shirt and Speedo. What was wrong with them? He knew he had a unique taste in fashion. He liked creating his own styles. Why did everyone have to make a comment about it, though?
“Not at all, I like people who don’t dress to impress.”
Tristan wasn’t sure if Jasper was being honest or teasing him. The man seemed like a nice enough guy. A little strange, but nice. He decided to believe that Jasper was being honest with him. A lot of the wolves around here were very friendly. So maybe Jasper was as well.
“Can we go to bingo now?” Sidney whined as he started toward the door. “I’m going through withdrawals the longer we stand here.”
Sammy, Knox and Trevor’s mate, rolled his eyes as he walked out of the living room, mumbling something about running as soon as Sidney started his stuff at the bingo hall.
Jasper chuckled as he stepped closer to Tristan. “Just a warning. If Sidney starts getting overly excited, get away from him as quickly as possible. You don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.”
Just what kind of bingo hall were they taking him to?
Sully jogged out into the backyard, catching up to Zeus and his mate, Toby. “I just got a call from Theo. One of his waiters saw a truck abandoned close to our house. Theo said Benny was going on and on about seeing a man walking into the woods with a rifle in his hand.”
“Did he give you a description of this guy?” Zeus asked, his eyes becoming flat, hard, and passionless as he grabbed his mate’s hands and rushed back toward the house.
“Don’t you dare start treating me like I’m too damn fragile for this.” Toby yanked at Zeus’s hand, but the Alpha didn’t let him go.
“He said it was a white male with short brown hair, but he couldn’t see the guy’s face. Kinda tall and stocky was the only other thing he added.”
“That could be half the damn town,” Zeus said with staid calmness. “Get as many soldiers together as you can and search the woods. I’ll join you as soon as I hogtie Jasper.”
“I’m warning you, mate. Blue balls is nothing to take lightly,” Toby threatened in irritation.
“Then I’ll take my chances. You’re not going,” Zeus said in a low and threatening tone. Sully knew the Alpha would never harm his mate, but the warning in the shifter’s tone made Sully want to obey. Was Toby suicidal?
“That’s it. I’m telling Jasper no home-cooked meals for you until I get over my snit. And you can forget this as well.” Toby smacked his ass and stormed into the house, saying something about keeping Jasper from him as well.
“Glad it’s you and not me.” Sully chuckled.
Zeus just grunted and walked to the foyer. “He’s been around Jasper way too fucking long. He’s starting to act like my redheaded headache does. See who you can find. I want that male found.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Sully got away as quickly as possible. He found Eagle, Rave, and Jaxxon bullshitting in the hallway by his bedroom.
“I need you guys to go down to the foyer with Zeus. Someone is traipsing through the woods with a rifle.”
“Is he Torem and Sidney’s shooter?” Eagle asked as Sully neared them.
He shrugged, lifting his hands up in front of him in a “your guess is as good as mine” gesture. “Theo called Zeus and said Benny spotted an abandoned truck on the side of the road close to here, and that a man was walking into the woods with a rifle in one hand. So now, we go hunting, shifter style.” Sully wiggled his brows, the others growling menacingly. “Wait, I meant, Sully Style.”
“Let’s go find our guest.” Jaxxon’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.
“I second that. All strangers with lethal weapons should have a
welcoming committee.” Rave ground the words out between clenched teeth. “I need to go find Taz. He really likes welcoming unannounced visitors.”
“Then let’s get a move on it, unless you want to meet said guest at the front door with all the time we’re wasting.” Sully spun on his heel and headed toward the foyer.
Cheyenne watched silently as Eagle joined the others at the door. He wanted to voice his protest, but what right did he have? Eagle cut him a wide berth, and Chey couldn’t blame him. One touch, one kiss, or even one brush of the hand and Eagle would relive every painful moment in his life in mere hours. Talk about a big motivator to stay the hell away from your mate. Chey leaned against the living room doorframe, wishing life could be different for him and the man he couldn’t have.
Eagle glanced in his direction, his big blue eyes sorrowful, and then just as quickly looked away. God, was he a handsome devil. Chey hated his gift at this moment, more so than ever before. How could he be with his mate? Until Eagle was ready, there would be no easy answer.
“We have to find this shooter before he gets too close to the house,” Zeus instructed the shifters. Chey watched how Eagle stood, how he moved, how he nodded, and how he breathed. The longing in him was painful. His hands balled into fists from the need to touch that golden skin.
Eagle glanced once more in Chey’s direction before he walked out with the others. Chey ran to the living room window, placing his gloved hands on the glass as he watched Eagle shift and disappear into the forest. He lifted his hand, using the back of it to wipe away the tear as he prayed Eagle stayed safe.
Tristan stared around the bingo hall, seeing a lot of heads turning in his direction. Was the fedora too much?
“Come on, let’s have a seat.” Sidney led them to a back table, glaring at a few women as he sat. “I haven’t had sugar today.” He growled at a woman shooting daggers at him from the next table over, holding her card to her chest.
“Geez, one little Red Bull and everyone loses their minds.”
