Protecting Braden (Custos Securities Series Book 2)

by Luna, David

  Cade sat down in the new chair-and-a-half that Braden had placed in their bedroom. He patted his lap and Braden straddled his man, suit and all. When Braden opened his mouth to speak, Cade placed a finger over his lips, pulled him closer, and kissed him gently. When they pulled apart, he explained that he’d always known one day when he settled down that he’d try to create a space that was like the homes he’d grown up in with his family. He’d lived in so many places around the world, half of which were military barracks, but even when the houses were his, they’d never felt like home.

  He hadn’t spoken when they’d walked around the loft because he didn’t have the right words to express how happy he was. He didn’t know how to say how much it meant to him that Braden had created a home for him, but he tried. “It was like you reached into my mind and pulled out exactly what I would want, but wouldn’t know how to define. I can’t wait until I can wake up with you beside me in our new bed. I can’t wait to taste the first pastries you bake for me in your dream kitchen. I can’t wait to make love to you here, for the first time. I can’t wait for us to have everyone over for the holidays.”

  Braden’s grin was contagious. “Yeah?”

  Cade nodded. “Yeah. And I want to fill up those two bedrooms with the sound of our children’s laughter. You’ve given all of that to me by creating this home for us, and I have a feeling I’ll be thanking you for it for the rest of our lives.”

  Braden felt a tear spill over his cheek and Cade wiped it away. “Dammit, I’m sick of crying around you! You can’t say romantic, beautiful shit like that! No more of that tonight!”

  Cade laughed and pulled Braden closer. “Oh baby, I can’t make a promise like that.”

  Braden huffed out a laugh. “Alright fine, but if I cry any more tonight, fair warning, I’ll be so pissed at you!”

  Cade kissed him soundly on the lips and smiled. “No, you won’t.”

  Braden narrowed his eyes at him. “Don’t test me. So, are you ready for a little something extra? I have one more surprise for you.”

  Cade’s eyebrows went up. “There’s more?”

  Braden smiled wide, “Oh, hell yeah, there’s more.”

  “Lead on. I can’t wait to see it.”

  Braden hopped off of Cade and took his hand. He led him to the main floor and then toward the stairwell entrance that was right next to the elevator. He tugged Cade into the stairwell, and feeling a bit of resistance, he glanced back with a questioning look on his face. “Everything alright?”

  Cade cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah.”

  Braden looked at him curiously, shrugged and then led him to the rooftop and stepped aside so that Cade could see what he’d done. Cade walked through the door and stopped abruptly, in shock. Braden was nearly as excited about their rooftop oasis as he was their home down below. “Remember when you were talking about moving into this building for just a couple of years? You said you figured one day I’d eventually want my own home with a yard and a place for the kids to play outside. I didn’t want a temporary home, Z, I wanted a permanent one. So I wondered, how could I have both a place in the middle of the city and an oasis for us to enjoy ourselves and eventually enjoy with our kids? This is what I came up with.”

  Cade looked at Braden, eyebrow raised. “Is that a pool on my roof?”

  Braden grinned. “And a hot tub. I actually wanted a full sized pool with the size of this roof, but we had weight restrictions, so I had to get a smaller sized one, but I think we’ll make use of it. The grassy areas are real no-mow grass, not turf. There’s an irrigation system, so the plants, trees, and grasses will be maintained all year round. There’s a huge grill and bar area built in, more of a mini-kitchen actually, and several tables and chairs for entertaining. All of the decking you see is composite, no wood decking to maintain.”

  “Braden, this is fucking amazing!”

  “You like it?”

  “No, Bray, I love it.”

  “Good, cause I spent an ungodly amount of your hard earned money doing it.”

  Cade laughed. “That’s what it’s there for. I told you to spare no expense, and looking downstairs and up here, I’m so glad you listened.”

  Cade wrapped his arm around Braden’s shoulders. “Show me the rest and tell me you have speakers up here for music.”

  Braden smiled, pulled his phone out of his pocket and waved it at Cade. He logged in, clicked an app, and hit a few buttons, then placed his phone back into his shirt pocket. The speakers came alive with Ray LaMontagne’s “Hold You in My Arms.” As the sun was setting, they walked leisurely through the rooftop garden that Braden had created for them.

  Cade couldn’t believe how perfect it was for them and he knew they’d both be making use of this spot for years to come: alone, with friends and family, and later, with their children. Braden had high glass walls installed around the perimeter, for safety. He’d had vegetable and fruit gardens planted in hand-crafted raised wooden beds, decorative lanterns hung everywhere and were lit all around, along with candles flickering on every table, and heating lamps glowing near every seating arrangement. He’d thought of everything, and it made what Cade planned even more perfect.

  Cade led them back to the door and turned Braden to face him. He drew Braden into an embrace and kissed the top of his head. He began to sway them back and forth and when Braden looked up at him, his face full of happiness and love, he kept them dancing to the music that was playing for them. He pulled Braden closer and he pulled his head to his chest as they danced. Behind Braden’s back, Cade checked his watch and tapped the face a few times, sending a quick message, and continued to dance with the one person who had become everything to him in a matter of months.

  Everyone who had been at Braden’s last party gathered quietly behind him now. There were a few newcomers there as well, in addition to all of their closest family and friends, helping to make this a perfect night for Braden. When Cade saw that everyone was in place, he pulled away from Braden, took the phone from his shirt pocket, and turned off the music. He placed his hands on Braden’s shoulders and squeezed, silently asking him to stand where he was. Cade backed up a step and then went down on bended knee.

  He looked up at Braden and saw that his beautiful man had tears shimmering in his eyes already and his hands were up covering his mouth in surprise. Cade began speaking from his heart, no words prepared. “Braden, when I got here months ago, it was to get a job done, have a quick visit with my family, and check out a few locations for our new offices. I had no idea that the trip would literally change the course of my life. When Maya mentioned your troubles to Cooper and me, I knew immediately that nothing was going to keep me from protecting you with my life and then insinuating you into it.” He grinned up at Braden and his grin was answered with a silent chuckle and a tear slipping down his cheek.

  “I look back now and I know that that day is the day I fell. I didn’t know it at the time, I thought I’d get to know you, maybe take you out a few times, and we’d see where things went. I think under all of those thoughts the truth was just there for me to see, had I really looked. As I guarded you, I got to know you and the more I knew, the more everything you stand for, everything you give of yourself, became everything I never knew I wanted and needed in my life. You exposed your vulnerabilities to me and in so doing, you proved your strength. I’ve been surrounded by strong men and women all of my life and I can say without a shred of doubt that you are the strongest of them all. You’re always so busy telling me how big and tough I am, how brave. You call me your warrior, but as I explained to you months ago, you’re my warrior.” Cade smiled up at Braden, “Is that how I said it?”

  Braden shook his head, his lips tilted up in a tiny smile, and Cade kissed his fingers. “Hmmm, how about, ‘you’re my fucking warrior, Braden.’”

  Braden nodded and let out a watery laugh. Cade grinned. “So I thought, with you being my warrior, and me being yours, we just might have a fighting chance at making this love that
we have last for the rest of our lives. And where I come from, a love like ours, though strong all on its own, needs a solid foundation to build upon. So it’s with that in mind that I’m asking you now, tonight, in this beautiful garden oasis that you’ve created for us; will you take my hand and walk with me toward the life we both want?”

  Cade pulled out a ring box and held it up as he continued, “Will you wear my ring as an extension of our love? Will you marry me, Braden Cross?”

  Braden moved closer to this man of his that was offering him everything. He sat down on Cade’s bended knee, looked at him and smiled. “Yes. Yes, Zavier McCade, I will marry you.” He pulled Cade’s face closer to his and kissed him and then pulled back and looked into his eyes for several long moments. He finally broke their gaze and brought Cade’s hand closer to him so that he could pop the lid up on the ring box and he frowned. “Z, it’s empty.”

  Cade feigned surprise. “It is?”

  Braden nodded and Cade raised his voice. “Has anyone seen a ring lying around anywhere?”

  Braden sucked in a breath and whipped his head around, taking in all of the smiling faces behind him. He raised his hands to cover his mouth again and started laughing and crying at the same time. Everyone converged on them and Braden made to get up, but Cade held him fast and asked again. “Anyone?”

  Everyone shook their heads. “Hmmm, well, I wonder if I can ask someone for a little help.”

  At that, a deep bark broke through the noise of their well-wishers. Braden’s head snapped toward the sound and Cade heard him gasp. “Oh my god. Zavier?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “It’s Thor!”

  Cade chuckled. “It is.”

  Braden fell to his knees in the crook of Cade’s arms and suddenly his own arms were full of the dog that he’d fallen in love with months ago. Cade heard Braden laugh. “Hi, baby! Hi, Thor! Did you miss me? I missed you!”

  Cade chuckled at the reunion and grinned up at everyone surrounding them. He saw tears in the eyes of the women and genuine happiness on the faces of the men. He looked back down at Braden. “He might have something for you, in the pocket of his vest.”

  Braden turned his questioning gaze to Cade, confused about the “Service Dog” vest, but Cade merely nodded. “Go on. Check.”

  Braden turned back to the huge bundle of fur in his arms and managed to get his hands on his vest and unzip the pocket. He found it immediately, pulled it out and gazed down at the stunning ring. “Oh, Z.”

  Cade grinned. “I had rings made for us with a repeating Celtic warrior symbol around the bands.”

  Braden slid the extra wide band on and turned to him. He took Cade’s face in his hands and leaned up to kiss him. The kiss was so sweet, so full of promise, love, and happiness that Cade was nearly undone by it. As Braden pulled away, Cade cleared his throat. “I also had a little work done this morning. When we make our vows to each other, we’ll be forever linked together as one. But I also wanted your mark on me.”

  Cade began to unbutton his shirt several more buttons and he pulled it open. Braden reached toward his chest and ran his fingers lightly over the Celtic warrior symbol that Cade had had inked onto his chest, over his heart. Braden leaned forward and kissed the ink and Cade lifted Braden’s face up to his and kissed him until they were both breathless.

  He stood and helped Braden to his feet. While he buttoned his shirt back up, he watched as their loved ones surrounded Braden. He grinned and realized he’d never once in his life been this happy. After countless hugs and congratulations, Braden turned teary eyes on Cade, smiled the most beautiful smile, and waved sweetly. Cade waved back from where he stood and watched, grinning from ear to ear as Braden talked with their family and friends, showing off his ring and his new dog in equal measure.

  After mingling separately and then together, Cade asked Braden to dance again. When they were done, Cade smiled down at Braden. “You mad at me?”

  Confused, Braden’s eyebrows drew together. “Why would I be mad at you?”

  In answer, Cade reached up and wiped away a stray tear and Braden remembered the conversation they’d had downstairs. He grinned and nodded his head, as he whispered, “So pissed.”

  Cade laughed. “Yeah, I can see the anger radiating off of you.”

  Braden tried to look stern but then smiled again and pulled Cade close. Cade kissed his lips sweetly. “You happy, Bray?”

  Braden tightened his hold around him. “Oh yeah.”

  They felt a muzzle trying to pry them apart and they both laughed and looked down at Thor, the Belgian Malinois that Cade had adopted for Braden months before. Braden crouched down and hugged him again. “He was adopted months ago! Where have you been keeping him?”

  “I sent him down to San Diego to one of the country’s best dog trainers with Killian, one of my men who is a skilled dog trainer himself, but specifically for military dogs. I wanted Killian to be knowledgeable with other types of dog training, in addition to getting Thor better trained as well.”

  Braden shook his head. “Where did you get this idea?”

  Cade shrugged. “When you were running with Thor, I could tell he had had some training and when I asked to see his information, his file said that his previous owner was a military vet who died of complications from a wound he sustained while in Iraq. He’d put Thor through military dog training, but he never finished and he was never certified. He owned Thor outright, so the military didn’t come to get him and I think he got lost in the shuffle.”

  “That’s so sad.”

  Cade nodded. “The man’s parents couldn’t care for the dog, as they live in a nursing home and didn’t know what else to do, so they gave him up. You actually ran with him the day after he was brought in and as soon as I saw how he reacted with you and listened to my commands, I looked into his background. I immediately paid his adoption fees, but kept him there for another couple of weeks. They allowed him to stay while I arranged for his training.”

  “But if he’s already trained, why did you think he needed more training?”

  “I needed him to be trained for you. He’s now a certified service dog. He finished his training a couple of days ago. Killian brought him back up here in time for me to give him to you tonight. He’s trained in being a guard dog for you, and in the future, our kids, and also helping you with PTSD and with your diabetes.”

  Braden’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Are you serious?”

  Cade nodded and smiled, rubbing Braden’s back in soothing circles. “I am. Killian is the big bald guy who’s standing with Cooper near the hot tub. He will work with you to understand how Thor can help you navigate any issues you may have with PTSD and managing your diabetes, not that you ever really have issues with your diabetes, but he’s fully trained none the less.”

  Braden couldn’t help but ask, “But why?”

  “Because, I’ll be starting a regular work schedule here in the coming weeks when the second warehouse is completed. We’ll be spending less time together during the day and I wanted you to have him with you as much as possible when you need him.”

  Cade could only stare as his mate’s breathing grew a bit shallow and his pupils dilated. He grabbed a handful of Braden’s hair at the back of his neck and drew him closer. He growled quietly. “I don’t know what the hell just happened, but something I said just turned you the fuck on and I can’t do a damned thing about it right now.”

  Braden, even more turned on by the rough handling and the growling, groaned. “It’s not what you said, it’s the lengths to which you’ll go to ensure that my needs are met. That scared me to death in the beginning, and then later it kind of gave me warm fuzzies, to be honest. But now, god, now it just turns me on when you take control.”

  Cade tilted his head to the side. “That’s good, right?”

  Braden nodded. “Yeah. It’s sexy as hell, and I can’t wait to get you downstairs and fuck you senseless.”

  Cade’s grip on his hair tightene
d. His other hand wrapped around Braden’s waist and pulled him in so that Braden was able to feel his arousal. Braden sucked in a breath and Cade ground himself against his fiancé. “You’re going to fuck me tonight?”

  Braden exhaled raggedly and whispered, “Yes.”

  Cade kept Braden in his arms, but loosened them as he looked around to see their guests mingling and eating the food he’d had catered. They’d be here for hours, most likely, and as much as Cade loved everyone, he wasn’t about to stay another minute longer. “Everyone, can I have your attention, please? We would like to thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate our engagement. It means the world to us that you’re here. Braden and I are going to excuse ourselves, but we’d like you all to stay as long as you’d like. There’s food and drink and wonderful company, so please, make use of our beautiful rooftop oasis. Again, thank you all for coming. Goodnight.”

  Braden looked up at Cade in surprise and then out to their shocked guests. “We can’t just…”

  “We can.”

  “But…”

  Cade leaned down and hauled Braden over his shoulder and walked to the door. Braden, caught off guard, laughed and smacked Cade’s back in a futile attempt to get him to see reason. As they drew near the door, Cade, without turning, called out, “Kill?”

  Braden looked up and over the crowd of bemused family and friends. Killian, the big, bald, tattooed brute of a man Cade had pointed out to him, raised his bottle of beer in salute and with his other hand, rubbed Thor’s head. “I’ve got him.”

  Braden began to struggle and tried one more time. “Z, come on!”

  In response, Cade smacked his ass and continued on. Braden laughed at the absurdity of it all, raised his head one last time and waved with a chagrined smile on his face and then shrugged at their guests, hands in the air, as if to say, ‘What are you gonna do?’

  Their friends and family were all laughing at this point and a couple had begun to clap and then he heard a wolf whistle. Braden muttered under his breath. “You’re so going to pay for this.”