Dark as Cole [The McAlisters of McKenna Downs 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever)

by Zoey Marcel

  Why was Kayden so stuck on one man? Silas wasn't even attractive. He was one of those rugged types with a nasty attitude and chiseled lines carved into his features that gave him a distinctly masculine look that was neither handsome nor ugly.

  “Thank you,” Kayden mumbled before trudging away.

  Aiden turned to Justin. “What are you doing here?”

  “You don't own the place. I can come here if I want to,” Justin retorted. “And what was that?”

  “What was what?”

  “That.” He gestured toward the direction Kayden had gone in. “You were like six inches from his face and acting really weird, cold almost. What was that about?”

  “He asked me about Silas King's sexual preferences, so I answered his question. Should I have smiled while telling him?”

  “He looked like he was gonna cry,” Justin said sadly.

  “He didn't.” Aiden went back to perusing the different floggers.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Ah, they shorted me a flogger when they dispatched the order, so I thought I'd come in here and let the village thief fuck me up the arse.”

  “Um, okay. Is that code for expensive?”

  “Smart and pretty. You know why women don't want you, don't you?”

  Justin winced. “Why would you say that? Lots of women want me.”

  “So much that you're single.”

  “What's with you today, asshole?”

  Aiden faced him. “Pretending to be married to a boy, really? The women aren't as thick as you. Your irritating little mate is queer and he wants you. He wants you bad.”

  Justin scoffed. “That's ridiculous.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes. Kayden has been in love with Nakota forever. She's all he talks about. Well, that and Silas, but only because the guy rides his ass. Not literally, but figuratively he does.”

  “He seemed rather taken with you. Don't pretend you didn't notice.”

  “Kayden always acts like that.”

  “And you let him?”

  Justin shrugged. “Why not? It's just something we did in high school. He still jokes about it from time to time, but he doesn't mean it. We're just friends.”

  “If a man holds your hand and wants to call you his fake husband, I'll let you in on a little secret. He's not straight.”

  “My god, we were teenagers. Didn't you ever pretend to be gay just to freak people out?”

  “I didn't.”

  Aiden's body stiffened with hostility. Justin hadn't denied that he and Kayden held hands. It pissed him off. It shouldn't, though. He'd never held hands with a man before.

  “Well, if it was just hand-holding maybe it was nothing,” Aiden said slyly.

  Justin's eyes dropped and he chewed on his bottom lip.

  “Justin,” he whispered.

  The boy lifted his head.

  “What did he do to you?” Aiden asked quietly.

  “He...there was just this one time when we were fifteen and he kissed me to freak the principle out. It was just real quick on the lips before Silas pulled him away. There was no tongue or saliva. It didn't mean anything.”

  Stay easy.

  Aiden just stared at him for a moment, swerving his tongue over the front of his teeth as he scrambled for the most heterosexual response he could think of. He came up short.

  “You don't hate me, right?” Justin asked anxiously.

  Aiden drew in a deep breath and then blew it out louder than he meant to. “Why would I hate you?”

  “'Cause you don't like people who aren't straight. I mean, I am straight, but a guy kissed me, barely.” Justin lowered his eyes and twiddled his fingers. “It wasn't like that, though. I wasn't expecting it and we were just goofing off.”

  Heavy silence filled the void.

  “Say something,” Justin urged softly.

  “I know you're not gay.”

  “You do?”

  “Ah, sure, but you can't tell me you like women either with the way you avoid them. My guess is you're asexual,” Aiden teased.

  “What?” Justin tittered, looking adorable the way his features crinkled in confusion. “I'm not asexual.”

  “No?”

  “No. I like sex.”

  That demure blush made him hard. “Then why do you keep pushing women away?”

  “I do not. You're the one who said I should hold out for Jasmine.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  Justin shrugged. “I don't know. Sometimes I think it is. Other times I wonder if I should just be with someone else. Cat might be fun to date.”

  Aiden made a face. “Ah, Cat. Why would you wanna go and do that?”

  “She's feisty and pretty.”

  “She's a bleedin' nag. If you want to be emasculated, just cut your balls off already and be done with it. You'll still wind up happier than you would with her.”

  Justin snorted. “I think I'd rather be with a girl than have no balls.”

  “There you have it. You are straight.”

  “What have I been saying?”

  Aiden became frustrated. “What did you come here for?”

  “Just porn. Not that it's any of your business.”

  “You do know that if you piss me off enough by runnin' your mouth I could fire you?”

  Justin got a snotty look on his face. “Nuh-uh. Shane wouldn't let you fire me.”

  “Ah, Justin, always hiding behind your big brother.”

  Aiden forced a smile to hide the aggravation. Shane suspected that he was gay, which was ridiculous, of course, but he'd forbidden Aiden to go near Justin. What sickeningly noble Shane didn't realize was that Aiden had let slip a few choice words into a conversation with Shane's fiancée back in March. It was just enough allusions to a life of slavery with chauvinists that had put doubt in Kendall's mind. The feminist had fled town in a panic and no one was any wiser.

  Stepping closer, Aiden dropped his pitch. “You wouldn't be so fearless if you didn't have your brother protecting you. But Shane won't always be with you, and really, a bodyguard is only worth something when they're stronger than the threat. What happens when the opposition wants the target so bad they would knock down anything and anyone who kept them from getting it?”

  Justin held his gaze, lower lip trembling.

  Fuck me, I've said too much.

  Aiden smiled slowly. “You seem confused. Let me paraphrase. If I wanted to fire you, there's not a damned thing Shane could do to stop me.”

  “Not if I quit first.”

  “You won't quit. I know you need the money.”

  “Yeah, you caught me. Plus it's fun.” Justin brushed a hand over his own arm in a way that seemed so innocent. “What is that?”

  Aiden glanced down at the flogger. “It's a ball-chain flogger for heavy impact play.”

  “That looks like it would hurt.”

  “For sure, but it can also be put in the freezer and then used on bare skin for sensation play.”

  “I bet that feels good.”

  He almost smiled when Justin said that. “It does.”

  The boy lightly rubbed his own arm again. He seemed shy today, sweetly vulnerable, probably due to their location.

  “Shane doesn't mind people using them for sensation play, but he gets all protective and concerned when metal floggers are used for impact play,” Justin said.

  Aiden rolled his eyes, breathing out. “Well, Shane isn't the tsar of BDSM. If two people wanna beat each other bloody before getting off, that's their business.”

  “I agree, but who would want that?”

  “Masochists, or it can be used as a punishment.”

  Justin's lips pulled back, baring his teeth in a silent eek motion. “Pretty brutal punishment.”

  Aiden gave a faint shrug with one shoulder and a slight tilt of his head. “There are worse things.”

  “I can't imagine.” Justin ran a hand up his nape. “I really wasn't expecting to see you here.”

&nbs
p; Aiden smiled. “Embarrassed?”

  “A little.”

  “I understand. I was leavin' anyway.” He peeked down at the flogger. “Just as soon as I sell my soul for this. Normally I wouldn't complain, but my son's schooling already fucked me sideways.”

  Justin's lips tugged in a smile he seemed intent on hiding. “You swear a lot.”

  Aiden's brows lifted. “I do?”

  “Yeah, but it's okay. I like it.” Justin pulled his gaze away and started walking. “I'm gonna go look at porn. Well, not look at it like in a watching it kind of way. I'm just gonna look at the covers. Nothing dirty.”

  Aiden smirked. “What part of lookin' at the covers to porn flicks isn't dirty?”

  Justin blushed and it was endearing. “Yeah, I guess it is. I just have needs.”

  “So you've told me,” Aiden purred. “C'mere.”

  Justin stiffened. “Why?”

  Because I said so.

  “Defying me is only gonna make me fuck up your schedule next week.”

  Slowly, the boy approached, timidly like a baby deer.

  Aiden picked up a package and ripped it open.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Ever used one of these?”

  “No. What is it?”

  “It's a masturbation glove.” Aiden almost smirked at Justin's shy reaction. “I would explain it to you, but I'm not a pervert and you're a smart lad. You know what it does.”

  Justin blushed and watched him put the glove on that was covered in silicone feelers like a sexy toy version of an anemone.

  “Give me your arm.”

  He raised his arm, extending it toward him. Aiden grazed the tiny fingers over the boy's skin, watching his face closely.

  “Feel good?”

  Justin nodded.

  “It's also good for massage. See?” Aiden cupped his hand somewhat and stroked the feelers up and down Justin's forearm, gently rubbing his flesh. “What do you think?”

  “It feels good.” Justin's hush trembled.

  Aiden felt his dick tighten. He wanted to see the glove put to use where it really belonged and watch Justin writhe and whimper as he massaged his cock and balls until he had no choice but to come, crying out his name.

  “Still, it's better with a partner,” Aiden said quickly, taking the glove off.

  “No crap.”

  He set the toy down and tore open another package. “What you really need is a cock sleeve.”

  An employee walked by just then and gawked at them. “Excuse me. You can't just rip open all the toys. Not without paying for them.”

  “Yeah, feck off,” Aiden spat.

  The guy didn't seem to expect this, but to his credit, he did feck off.

  Justin appeared stunned for some reason.

  “Does your cock like blue?” Aiden teased.

  The little fella's cheeks became a faint pinkish hue. “Yeah, he likes blue.”

  Aiden smirked. “Here. All you need is lube. Then use that to play with y'rself.”

  “Um, thanks.”

  “You're the one who's payin' for it.”

  “You helped me pick it out.”

  “It was strictly business.”

  “What?”

  “If you're satisfied, you do a better job at work. When you're horny and deprived, you give out about your lack of interest in women.”

  “I don't have a lack of interest in women.”

  “My mistake, but your work is superior when you're not whinin' about your private life.”

  “Or I could just have sex and be even happier.”

  “No.”

  Justin blinked at this. “What do you mean no?”

  “Jasmine wants you. You want her. Don't throw all that away for empty sexual encounters. Just hold out for her. She won't be going to school forever.” Aiden took the light blue cock sleeve from him, gesturing with it. “You go over there and get y'rself some wedding porn, one with a groom eatin' out his bride before fucking her. It'll put your mind in the right place and remind you what's important.”

  “That's a good idea. I could always talk to Jasmine on the phone while I'm watching it.”

  Aiden did his best not to scowl. “Whatever works. Jack off alone, with her over the phone. Just keep your fuckin' pants on. Whores end up diseased and alone. You don't want that, do you?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Behave y'rself...for her sake.” Aiden beaned him lightly on the cheek with the cock sleeve, making him flinch. He gave it back to Justin before nodding toward the pornography section. “Off you go.”

  Justin walked away, seeming dazed.

  Aiden took the flogger and toy and went to pay for them. He could just use the glove on himself. There was nothing wrong with that, nothing perverted or hypocritical. He glanced back at Justin while the eejit behind the counter rang him up. Aiden knew he would be fantasizing the entire time about using the glove on Justin.

  Another part of him thought he might just save it for him...if he ever decided to indulge in one final hypocrisy before attempting to be the good example that he knew he wasn't.

  * * * *

  After paying for his kinky things, Justin Huntington left the adult store. That wasn't the video he'd been wanting, but he sure as hell wasn't going to buy the type of porn he'd actually been interested in with his boss in the store.

  While passing the house of Nakota's mom, he noticed Kayden Roberts sitting on the porch step. Kayden was good friends with the woman, so she shouldn't mind him just hanging out in her yard even when she wasn't home.

  “Kayden, what are you doing there?” Justin waved at him, grinning.

  Kayden looked up, seeming startled. “Oh, hey.”

  Justin walked through the gate of the chain-link fence. “Are you okay?”

  The way Kayden wiped his cheek didn't escape his notice.

  All of a sudden a whitish-gray mop with legs came trotting around the corner, yipping and growling. The dog was small and probably had eyes somewhere on its body, but they weren't visible at the moment. Apparently the animal hadn't heard Kayden come in, or it was familiar with him. Justin had never been here before, hence the dog's reservations.

  He relaxed when he saw the pint-sized critter and then laughed at the way it stopped near a bush and barked at it in warning. The canine might be nearly deaf and was possibly blind, too. Justin loved dogs.

  “Over here, you feisty thing.”

  The dog kept right on snarling at the bush. Justin approached the fur-ball and knelt to pet it. Big mistake. The dust-mop freaked and staggered back before leaping into his arms, knocking him over.

  “What the fuck?”

  He pushed the pistol off him only to have the dog run toward him again when he stood. It missed and began attacking a clump of dirt sticking up in the grass. Maybe she thought it was his shoe or something. Kayden had mentioned before that the dog was like a hundred years old.

  Justin chuckled as he walked up to the porch. “Did you see that?”

  Kayden smiled weakly. “Toughie doesn't handle strangers very well. She's sweet when she gets to know you.”

  The fact that Kayden had barely smiled at the chaotic greeting the dog had given him instead of laughing his ass off was a dead giveaway that he wasn't okay.

  “Are you crying?” Justin sat down next to him.

  Kayden wiped his face again. “Allergies, I guess.”

  “Is it because of what Aiden said about Silas?”

  He was quiet for a second. “How did you know?”

  “I've never seen you cry before. Not even when breaking up with your fiancée.”

  “I thought Silas only liked women.”

  “He still might. Sometimes Aiden says things to be a dick. Maybe that's all it was.”

  Kayden stared down at the walkway. “Have you ever seen Silas with a man while he's at the club?”

  “I don't know. So many people go there. I've seen him there before, but I can't remember if he had a partner or not. He migh
t have come in on nights when Felicia was working instead of me.”

  A few feet away Toughie flailed in the yard, coughing up dirt once it must have occurred to her that it wasn't Justin's shoe. She put her nose to the ground and started sniffing. It would make him nervous, but the dog was so small and cute it was pretty laughable that she wanted to kill him.

  “It's not fair that he makes me be a virgin while he's out fucking everybody,” Kayden grumbled.

  Justin glanced at him in surprise, keeping his eye on the long-haired death machine of cuteness. “You're a virgin?”

  “What?” Kayden's head jerked. “I...I meant he wants me to be. That's why he gave me this ring, but obviously I'm not.”

  “It's okay if you are.”

  He blushed, not saying anything.

  The dog was getting closer. Her tail started wagging as she drew nearer, probably envisioning gnawing on him with those itty-bitty teeth.

  “I've never understood why Silas gave you a purity ring when he's not religious,” Justin said. “What does he care what you do in the bedroom?”

  Kayden sniffled. “I think it's to get back at me since my former guardian made him promise to look after me until I'm married. Sometimes Silas harasses me about moving out. Other times he tells me the women I choose aren't good enough. I don't know what his problem is. He won't let me drink unless it's with him, and he never lets me be alone with my girlfriends.”

  “So you are a virgin?”

  “I know how to do some things.” He flushed. “Yeah, I'm a virgin. Now shut up.”

  Justin smirked. “That's fine. I won't say anything. Is that dog deaf?”

  A faint smile hitched up Kayden's lips at one corner. “I don't know. She can hear food wrappers just fine, but not as well with other stuff.”

  Justin grinned. “Selective deafness. Uh-oh.”

  Toughie got smart and waddled over to them. Her tail wagged and she climbed onto Kayden's lap, snuggling with him. A tiny yip escaped her when she apparently caught Justin's scent, but after some back and forth sniffing between the two guys, she finally decided that Justin wasn't someone who needed to die since he was a friend of Kayden's.

  “Now she likes you,” Kayden said.

  Justin petted her and she rolled over shamelessly with her tongue hanging out of her mouth. Big, dark bug eyes looked up at him as she smiled while her belly was rubbed.