Run? He could hardly fucking stand after being squeezed half to death! Plus, his insides were still raging for him to go back and find—
“Now!” the bouncer snapped, giving him a shove. “I’m trying to keep you from being arrested, you idiot! We only called for an ambulance, but cops will probably show up too!”
Harley had no desire to wind up in jail, but leaving felt wrong in ways he couldn’t describe or comprehend. An ambulance turned the corner and more vehicles with flashing lights followed it, and that broke Harley from his stupor. He turned and stumbled the first few steps, then he ran as if his heels were being nipped by hell hounds.
But he didn’t go far, taking the first cross-street he came to and flattening himself to the side of a building there. Harley panted, his chest heaving more than it should have been for such a short run, but his whole body was being weird. Even his stupid dick was still hard, and probably raw from being rubbed like it was. Harley sucked in some air and eased to the edge of the building. He carefully peeked around the side, back towards the club, and flushed with heat when he found himself looking at a broad chest.
Val’s fucking leg was keeping him from moving as fast as he wanted to. He’d seen the fight in the club, had been trying to get up and get to Harley, who for some reason seemed to have zeroed in on him. Maybe he’d figured Val for a shifter. There’d been an intense look to the man, and if Val’s senses had been working right—well, they weren’t, and Val had been confused and aroused because Harley was fucking gorgeous, and Val had kind of been stunned stupid for a few seconds right before Harley had been grabbed. It’d taken all of Val’s patience not to knock every man out of his way as he’d gone after Harley, and yet he’d still lost him.
Or so he thought, until he almost ran into Harley. Val hissed as he stopped so quickly his thigh protested with a painful cramp. He slapped a hand to the brick building to steady himself because otherwise he was probably going to fall right over on the smaller man.
“Did you—” Harley began, then he bit his bottom lip and gave Val an unmistakably hungry look. Val felt that stare like a caress over his entire body, and his dick grew hard, his balls tight. His damned nipples ached for a touch, and he fisted his hand on the wall as he struggled for his composure. So much for staying off Harley’s radar.
Harley stepped back and Val couldn’t move, once again in that stunned stupid phase. His wolf whimpered inside him, or did something, pulsed or wiggled, he didn’t know what. He just felt it a bit stronger for a moment as he stared back at Harley. Telling himself he was already busted and there was no point in running didn’t alleviate the nagging voice in his head that said he’d royally fucked up. What would happen when Harley found out who he was and that they were neighbours?
“I saw you,” Val blurted, “we’re neighbours.”
“Shut up,” Harley snapped. He cocked his head to the side and his expression went from hot to suspicious and hot. “Wait. What? Come here.” He stepped back and pointed in front of himself. “No, wait. The diner.”
And, with that, Harley turned and sprinted across the street, giving Val a grand view of his pert ass. Val sighed and wondered what the hell was wrong with him, throwing that out there. Though to be fair it might have been for the best. Harley had seen him and there’d be no passing each other in the hallway, ignoring one another like strangers were sometimes wont to do. At least he had a few minutes to come up with an explanation for how he’d ended up at the same club as Harley had.
Harley kept checking over his shoulder, watching, Val supposed, to see if he was following. He did, but at a slower pace. He needed time to think and his leg really was bothering him, making his limp more pronounced. Unfortunately, he kept getting distracted by the sexy man in front of him. It’d been way too long since he’d got laid, and Harley was appealing on every level. Val could almost swear even his wolf was cheering him on, but that was probably his imagination.
When Harley bypassed a diner and went instead into another club, Val almost kept walking. What impulse kept him from doing so, he couldn’t say, but following seemed the wisest choice since he needed to explain the bit about them being neighbours.
Besides, Val was betting Harley thought the club would offer some sort of privacy without them being alone. The music blaring would make it hard to hear, unless they were very close to each other. Others wouldn’t be able to catch what they were saying, and there would be people around—bouncers, at least, to watch out in case Val tried anything with Harley.
Val was almost flattered that Harley would think him any kind of threat, considering the shape he was in. Surely Harley didn’t know he was a shifter, which was the only real reason Val could imagine Harley thinking him dangerous.
Val entered and paid a small cover fee to a burly man right inside. He glanced around and saw Harley waiting off to his left. Had he picked that side deliberately, since Val was blind in the left eye?
Harley didn’t let him get too close, turning and darting farther into the club. Much like Scoundrels, this place was packed, but it wasn’t a gay club as far as he could tell. Maybe he wouldn’t have to worry about Harley getting groped there.
Making his way through the place, Val struggled to keep his temper. Normally, he was pretty level-headed, but he was tired, hurting, and stressed over having fucked up so majorly already. Added to that, he was turned on by Harley, enough so that he was considering risking his Alpha Anax’s wrath by giving in if Harley wanted him. Val tripped over someone’s foot or possibly the floor, so shocked was he at that traitorous thought. He caught his left thigh on the edge of a table and nearly crumpled in a heap as hot pain seared all the way to his hip.
“Careful,” he heard as his waist was clasped firmly. The heat from the pain melted into a different kind of heat, one spreading to his balls and cock, making his asshole tingle. Val blinked rapidly, because his vision was blotchy at best just then.
“Here, let me help you, okay?”
Val grunted, though he doubted it was heard. He let himself be manoeuvred, let Harley fit himself under his left arm to help support him. Val settled his arm lightly on Harley’s shoulder and the desire he’d felt flared to heights he hadn’t experienced before. Val wanted to bend Harley over the nearest surface, take him, right in front of everyone at the damn club. He wanted to pound into the sweet roundness of Harley’s ass, feel that flesh giving beneath his thrusts.
“Excuse us!” Harley shouted. A few people nearby looked at them and moved, and soon Harley had them standing in front of a tall table near the bar. “It’s a little quieter here,” Harley said, coming up on his toes to speak near Val’s ear. “Sit down, I’ll get our drinks. What do you want?”
Val frowned, puzzled by the man at his side. Why wasn’t he freaking out? He must not know Val was a shifter, and probably, yeah, probably thought he wasn’t much of a threat. He was right, in a way. Val was still stronger than most guys, but he wouldn’t hurt Harley. All he wanted, really, was to fuck him until they both passed out from it. And, of course, to keep him safe, as he’d been ordered to do.
He realised Harley was staring at him expectantly. Val lifted his arm from those thin shoulders and immediately felt an odd tug of loss. He pulled out a chair and sat, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. “Whisky,” he muttered, then repeated it louder when Harley cupped a hand to his ear. Jesus, why couldn’t the guy have picked the damn diner? This shouting for conversation was going to get annoying in no time at all.
Chapter Six
“Give me a shot of your best tequila and whisky—” Harley stopped. His potential hook-up for the evening hadn’t specified how he wanted it. “On the rocks,” he hazarded a guess. He turned to look at the attractive stranger who’d captivated him for some reason. Tall, brawny but not overly so, and with short brown hair and an eye patch, the man just called to Harley. For the first time in weeks, he wanted to feel another man in him, splitting him open over and over as he fucked him.
“Hey,
your drinks,” Harley heard and he turned back to find the bartender waiting. Harley handed him a couple of twenties, and when the man nodded, he picked up the drinks and went back to the table. Truthfully, talking didn’t seem so important anymore.
That was why Harley had skipped the diner, but his plans had kind of backfired, because what used to be Darlin’ Dick’s a few months ago now clearly wasn’t a gay club anymore. There’d be no taking the man into the bathroom or backroom for a blow job, not without risking both their necks, possibly quite literally.
Well, hell, now what? We can shout at each other, I can try to figure out if he’s a total creeper, or just accidentally ended up where I was. If he’s not a serial killer or whatever, what then? Drag him to another seedy club? When he’s already obviously hurting. I wonder what happened to him. That scar on his face… Harley hadn’t noticed it at first, but it had a silvery shine to it when the light hit it. Were there more scars underneath those pants and shirt? Harley’s fingers twitched as he thought about stripping the guy and finding out. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to drop their drinks.
Harley made it to the table just as his…guest?…looked up at him. He set the whisky down first then his drink, and offered his hand for a shake. “Harley,” he yelled, rolling his eyes up to glare at a speaker on the wall by their table. His attention was yanked back to the man in front of him when his hand was encompassed in a much larger, rougher one.
“Val.” The handshake only lasted a few seconds but Harley felt it all the way to his core like an erotic touch stimulating his libido. It reminded him of another touch, his to the hand of a comatose man. There was the same sexual current running from Val’s skin to his. He withdrew his hand but kept his eyes locked on Val’s despite an internal debate about whether to look at Val’s right eye only or not. He settled for looking at both, patch be damned, because Harley couldn’t imagine wanting to be treated like he had something wrong or different about himself were he in Val’s shoes.
Harley didn’t sit. He tossed his drink back, sputtered a bit because whatever tequila the bartender had poured him, it burned like a mother going down. His cheeks flamed as he hacked, choking more on embarrassment than anything else at that point. Val rose and one dark eyebrow arched perfectly as he looked at Harley and gestured like he was whacking something.
“No,” Harley rasped out. He wanted Val’s hands on him, but in a sensual way. He straightened up, realising then he’d slumped and slapped a hand on the table. He waved his other hand at Val, making sure he got the message. “I’m fine,” he mouthed, because shouting was out of the question when he was wheezing. Val started to sit back down but Harley shook his head. He pointed towards the entrance then tipped his chin at Val’s drink.
Val frowned at him, and something about that serious, bordering on disapproving look made Harley’s cock leak with proof of his eagerness for Val’s touch.
“Can’t hear ya,” Harley said, making what he hoped were corresponding hand gestures. Val’s frown deepened into a scowl and Harley about came in his jeans then and there.
What the fuck is wrong with me? He looks almost angry and it turns me on, after…after everything? It shouldn’t have been true, but it was. Val’s expression didn’t frighten him at all, which was confusing. Was it because he didn’t think Val was angry? Harley didn’t know the guy, but he thought there was a bit of nervousness in his expression, too.
Slowly, Val pushed himself up. It was then that Harley noticed the bulge at his groin. The faded denim served to spotlight the darkening patch at the tip of that hard length, and Val seemed to suddenly become aware of it because he lowered a hand as if to cover himself there.
“No!” Harley darted forward and grabbed his wrist, gaze never leaving that tempting denim-covered dick. His mouth watered and he clenched his ass as he thought of feeling Val’s cock stretch him open. The fear he expected to feel didn’t come, or, if it did, the swarm of butterflies taking flight in his stomach quelled it. Harley started to reach for Val’s cock only to find himself literally cock-blocked by Val himself when he stepped back. Harley tore his gaze away from Val’s groin and looked up at him, not bothering to hide his disappointment, or his desire.
Val swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbed rapidly and his entire body seemed to go taut. He shook his head and nodded towards the dance floor. Harley turned enough to see what he was trying to get across. Men and women danced in pairs on the floor, a few in groups, but yeah, Harley got the picture. They weren’t in a place where they could know they were safe. Hadn’t he thought that same thing himself not long ago? Harley had to take a couple of deep breaths before he could force himself to move. He did adjust himself first, because his dick freakin’ ached, then he pivoted and started for the exit, entrance, whichever—only to spin back around and all but slam into Val’s broad chest.
“Umph!” God, it was like walking into a brick wall! Harley took advantage, too, grabbing onto Val’s hips and rubbing just a little. He’d been worried about Val keeping up, but the rock-hard dick Val was packing told him at least one part of the other man was still up and doing just fine. Harley tipped his head back and looked through his lashes at Val. He wished they were in better lighting, because reading Val’s expression now was damn near impossible. “Sorry.”
Val didn’t speak, but he did step back and put some space between them. Harley didn’t like giving up that firm body but pouting would just be a waste of time. He resumed his trek for the door and could feel Val watching him. As soon as he stepped outside, he moved to the right of the door and Val was at his side a second later.
“Where to now?” Val asked, and oh, the deep, rich timbre of his voice was like a warm velvety stroke to Harley’s swollen cock. He whimpered a little before he could stop himself, then bit the hell out of his tongue. Val merely watched him, and Harley felt like a teenager bumbling in front of his crush.
He wasn’t sure where to go. His place was out of the question. “You said we’re neighbours. Did you just happen to run into me at Scoundrels?”
Val hitched a shoulder. “I believe you were chasing after me, weren’t you?”
Damn it, Harley was going to die from blushing at the rate he was going! In the past, he hadn’t had a problem with going after someone he wanted, although maybe not as blatantly as he had been stalking Val. There was just something about the man that drew Harley to him like a politician to sin. “I was,” he admitted. “Dunno why, exactly.”
Val blanched and Harley realised how what he’d said must have sounded. “Wait,” he yelped, because Val really looked like he was going to walk away. “I didn’t mean—I meant, it’s—I think you’re fine as fuck, dude, I do.”
“Right.” Val pulled that eyebrow down and put enough doubt into the word that it was impossible to miss. “I have looked in a mirror or two, you know.”
Harley narrowed his eyes as he swept them slowly over Val, lingering at the silvery scar running from his left eyebrow to his neck, then again at his lips, and for a third time at the still-firm cock pressing against Val’s jeans before returning to lock gazes with Val. “Then you know you’re one hot fucker, don’t ya? Mysterious, built, got a big cock, it looks like, and the scar there and the eye patch?” Harley licked his lips, thinking about the way Val’s skin might taste. “You gotta know guys are gonna find that all a turn-on. You look like a big, bad, good time, Val.”
Well, that sounded better in his head, but he thought, judging by the way Val’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared, that Val got the point. Harley moved closer to him and pressed lightly against him from knees to chest. “I haven’t wanted a guy to fuck me in a while, but tonight, before I even really saw you, I started thinking…” Harley let the sentence hang as he rubbed against Val. If anyone saw them and had a problem with it, they could fuck off.
Val shuddered and almost tentatively reached around Harley, letting his hands rest on the swell of his ass. Harley waited for fear to strike him, but it didn’t come. He didn’t k
now what had happened, but he was damned grateful. Things were changing inside him, and he hoped for the first time in weeks, that he might be normal again, not damaged inside.
“Why haven’t you wanted anyone inside you, Harley?”
The words were barely spoken, but they drove into Harley like an arrow from a compound bow, making him jerk in Val’s arms. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Now he wasn’t even sure he wanted to do it, either. His dick was still hard, but there were other things they could do.
Val ran his hands up Harley’s back, over his nape then he cupped Harley’s jaws. He tipped Harley’s head back until Harley had to look at him again. “I won’t fuck you. Not when it might hurt you somehow.”
Harley cursed and would have pulled back, but Val tightened his grip, then he was kissing Harley, the wet heat of his tongue, the press of his lips, making Harley gasp. Val didn’t show any hesitation at all, licking deeply into Harley’s mouth, mapping out every spot there that made Harley whimper and shiver. Harley clung to him, finding those broad shoulders with his eager hands and curling his fingers against the hard muscles beneath them. His eyelids slid shut and he tried to get closer as he opened wider for Val.
The rich, sweet and coffee taste of the man was an aphrodisiac when such a thing had never been so before. Harley had never paid attention to what a guy tasted like when they kissed, but Val was a flavour he could quickly grow addicted to.
Val tilted his head and tipped Harley’s slightly as well, and Harley moaned as his mouth was plundered even more perfectly. He couldn’t quite process the sucking, licking, nipping. It all registered, but as sharp beacons of pleasure swamping his senses.
“Gross,” he finally heard someone yell, and Val raised his head, a low, rumbling sound spilling from him. Harley opened his eyes and saw the swollen lips shiny and wet, and the dangerous glint in Val’s eye as he continued to growl.
Harley canted his head, trying to see who Val was glaring daggers at, but Val still held his face framed between his big hands. Only when the sound of footsteps retreating at a fast clip faded was Harley released. He didn’t, however, let go of Val, whose erection was still a hot spike against Harley’s belly.
Bailey Bradford - Southwestern Shifters 06 - Reverence Page 8
