Carter had stared at him. “The kid needs a nudge in the right direction. He don’t need tough love. Come on, Easy. Please?”
That impish smile, with just the right amount of respect, and a dash of temptation, had Shawn wondering what he should ask for in return for this ‘favor’. Ramos didn’t share his subs anymore, unfortunately, but that could change.
If Shawn wasn’t knee deep in a mess of his own making, he might have negotiated a little more. Instead, he decided to be a good friend and help, no strings attached.
As he pulled up in front of Vanek’s house, something cold touched the back of his neck, and he jumped, driving right onto the sidewalk. He put the car in reverse, scowling as Carter laughed and Demyan struggled to get the situation in the backseat under control.
“You are aware that if we’re late, you’ll both be dealing with Callahan.” So would Shawn, but his defense of temporary insanity might earn him some pity. The trouble triplets were hard to resist.
Carter leaned over the seat and planted a big wet kiss on his cheek. “Aww, don’t be like that, Pisch. We won’t be late. Just head on in, and make sure Chicklet don’t wanna kill us.”
Ah… That explains a lot. He chuckled as he got out of the car. If Chicklet hadn’t been informed of the crazy plan, they needed someone to protect them from her. No wonder they weren’t worried about the assistant coach.
The front door opened before he could even knock. Chicklet folded her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing. “Are they insane?”
“Possibly?” Shawn watched both men being dragged across the walkway, grinning. “Which one would you like me to hold down for you first?”
Chicklet snorted. “Depends on whether this works. I imagine Carter used his charm to pull this off?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yes.” Chicklet arched a brow. “Looking for brownie points? I notice you let your own boy run wild. I’d had such high hopes for you two, but he’s gotten wound up in his own trouble, which takes it off my hands, so I’m not complaining.”
Is she talking about White? She didn’t sound worried, which made it easier for him not to, but he didn’t like being in the dark when it came to his own man.
He’s not yours. You made sure of that.
That remained to be seen. He wasn’t sure what he could do to mend things between them, but he was willing to negotiate. Maybe fucking other people in front of White was the deal breaker. He hated the idea of not being able to share the experience of someone new with the man, but if it hurt him, he would manage. Not like it would happen often. He still hadn’t gotten to experience everything he wanted to do to White yet.
He would though. And they’d both enjoy every damn minute, with no more regrets.
Unless he’s moved on already?
Shawn stepped aside as Carter and Demyan finally made their way into the house. He crossed the threshold, standing by Chicklet’s side as she closed the door. “Care to tell me who ‘my boy’ is running wild with?”
Chicklet laughed and shook her head. “Oh no, you’re not dragging me into this. If he wants you to know, he’ll tell you. If he doesn’t, you’ve got bigger problems.”
“You think so?” Shawn tried to sound doubtful, but Chicklet’s smirk told him he’d failed miserably.
“The fact that you’re finally, at least subconsciously, accepting that he’s yours is a good sign, but if you’re pretending nothing has changed? Yeah, you’re gonna have a mess to clean up.” She sighed as she met his eyes. “I suspect you already do.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” He returned his focus to the mess he was dealing at now. Vanek had come into the hall with Zovko, hovering close to the other man like he wanted to take his hand and lead him, but hesitated because Zovko seemed determined to manage on his own.
Letting out a low whine, the dog Demyan and Carter had adopted for Vanek and his family tugged free, sniffing the carpet, eyeing Vanek and Zovko as she inched closer to them.
Vanek’s eyes went wide. He looked close to tears as he glanced over at his two best friends. “How did you manage to get her so fast? I thought it was gonna take at least another week for the paperwork?”
“I’ve been going in every morning for the past week.” Carter closed the distance between him and Vanek, pulling the younger man into his arms as tears wet Vanek’s cheeks. “I get it, man.”
“I know you’re trying to, but I can’t leave. I just…I can’t.”
Silent this whole time, Zovko took a knee, holding out his hand as the dog nudged him. “A dog?”
Shawn folded his arms over his chest, tempted to go hug Vanek himself when the young man’s face fell, as though he took those two words as a rejection of his gift. There was no telling how Zovko would react to why Vanek wanted the new pet for him, but they were about to find out.
Vanek cleared his throat and wiped his eyes as he pulled away from Carter. “Yeah…umm, she has special training. She’s a service dog whose owner passed away almost a year ago. She’s been in the shelter ever since. No one wanted her because she’s so big. And she doesn’t listen so good anymore, so they weren’t even sure she would be a good service dog. But I thought you… Well, you could teach her to be good again.”
“Do you mean she will be with us temporarily? Until she’s seen fit to serve someone in need?” Zovko’s words and his tone were at odds. Almost as though he didn’t believe he needed a dog specially trained for people with disabilities, but he really did want to keep her. He buried his hands in her thick fur, smiling as she gave him a hesitant lick on the cheek. “I don’t like the idea of her having to be displaced too often. She should have some stability.”
Biting his bottom lip, his lips quirking up slightly, Vanek crouched down beside Zovko. “She really should.”
Zovko put his arm out, resting it over Vanek’s shoulders as he continued to pet the dog. “What is her name?”
“Thora.”
“Thora. I like that.” Zovko leaned forward, touching his forehead to the big dog’s. “Welcome home, Thora.”
Tension eased from Shawn’s shoulders, and he grinned at Chicklet as she flashed him a relieved smile. This wasn’t a done deal, but hopefully, Zovko accepting Thora would make it easier for Vanek to leave his man for a few days.
Inhaling roughly, Zovko lifted his head, turning toward Vanek. “Describe her to me.”
Fresh tears spilled down Vanek’s cheeks. He squared his shoulders. “She’s beautiful. They told me she’s a bit of a mutt, but mostly Caucasian Shepard. She’s got thick fur…okay, well you can feel that. It’s almost black around her head, but there’s pale brown around her eyes and on her muzzle. The rest of her fur, down her body, is brown and black…her legs are a light brown. She looks kinda like a small bear.”
Chuckling, Zovko pulled Vanek close, kissing his lips softly. “She sounds like a magnificent animal. And so far, very well behaved.”
Shawn smirked, glancing over at Carter and Demyan, who were both shaking their heads as though they didn’t want Shawn to tell Zovko how much trouble they’d had with her.
The man needed some warning though. He shifted closer to Zovko, scuffing his shoes on the carpet so the man wouldn’t be surprised by his approach. “She’s a bit stubborn and needs to know who’s in control. I doubt you’ll have any trouble, considering you manage with this one.”
Tipping his head up, Zovko’s lips slanted in a crooked grin. “This is true. But someone else will have to ‘manage’ him on the road. Is that why the children brought you along?”
“Hey!” Demyan grunted when Carter elbowed him in the stomach. “Dude, I ain’t a damn kid. I have a kid. You and Vanek are gonna need to find another third. You’re ruining my reputation.”
“Dude.” Carter poked Demyan in the center of the chest. “You earned that reputation before I was even born.”
“Before I was five? How the hell do you figure?”
“You’re only five years older than me? Damn, sorry
man. The way you’ve been acting lately, I thought it was a lot more.”
Demyan gave Carter the finger.
Carter leaned into him, taking the tip of Demyan’s finger into his mouth.
Chicklet shook her head, stepped forward, and tugged Carter back by the collar of his shirt. “None of that in my house. If you two wanna play, fine. I suggest permission slips from both of your Masters or it could get ugly.”
Scowling, Demyan stepped away from her and Carter. “First of all, Zach isn’t my Master. Two, me and this kid? Never gonna happen.”
“Thanks for ruining all my slash fantasies.” Chicklet sighed. “My vibe was getting some good use on you two.”
Both men’s jaws nearly hit the floor. Vanek and Zovko both frowned, likely wondering why she’d need to picture any other men when she had them.
Shawn let out a soft laugh, sidling up to Chicklet’s side, curving his arm around her waist, and brushing his lips against her ear. “You know, I think it’s been way too long since we had a nice, intimate party. I don’t think it would be difficult to give you some more visuals to add to your spank bank.”
Chicklet reached back, sliding her hand right between his legs to grab his balls through his jeans. She chuckled as he went perfectly still. “Very tempting, Easy. I have some very nice visuals of you and my men, but I thought you didn’t do sequels.”
Toying with Chicklet was very, very dangerous. The woman wouldn’t try to keep him, but she’d likely leave a few marks to remember her by. His dick hardened despite the painful pressure on his nuts. He couldn’t play with her without surrendering much more control than he was accustomed to, but for the experience alone, he’d consider it.
He caught her earlobe between his teeth, wincing as she tightened her grip. Then he whispered to her. “You would be worth making a few exceptions to my rules.”
“Mmm.” She released him, patting his dick lightly as she glanced over her shoulder at him. “I might take you up on that. Win some games and you may deserve a party. Is it my boy you want to play with again, or are you looking for a piece of me?”
The woman wasn’t difficult to read. She knew his answer already, but part of the game was laying all his cards on the table and leaving no doubt of his intentions. So he smiled at her as he hooked his thumbs to the loops on his black slacks.
“Both.”
“Umm, do I get a say in any of this?” Vanek stared at them, his cheeks red. Fuck, the young man was damn sexy, all shy and uncertain. Shawn rarely looked back and wished he could have another taste of a man or woman he’d already enjoyed, but there was something about Vanek.
Something uncomplicated and erotic. Simple.
Zovko stood, one hand on his new dog’s head, his jaw hard, his sightless eyes narrowed. “I certainly do have a say. Focus must be on the game, Pischlar. I agree with Chicklet. If you win, a celebration will be deserved, but what do you have to offer in exchange for our boy?”
Exchange? Shawn frowned. Fuck him, this conversation wasn’t much fun anymore. He had himself, obviously. Wasn’t that enough?
His jaw hardened. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Zovko. If you don’t want me to touch your boy, I won’t. You know that.”
Moving to Chicklet’s side, taking her hand when she reached out to steady him, Zovko seemed to stare right through Shawn. Which was strange, because he couldn’t see him. But his expression seemed as though he was seeing more than he would even if his vision wasn’t gone.
“You take whatever you please, but you risk nothing. If he is willing, I will offer him to you. But you must offer one that belongs to you in return.” The edge of Zovko’s lips tipped up. “White.”
Fuck! Shawn’s stomach dropped. Not because he didn’t like the idea of White joining in their twisted games. Yes, part of him snarled and tugged at the chains he’d put on any jealousy he let himself feel long ago. He ignored it. The issue wasn’t whether he would mind seeing Zovko—and likely Chicklet—play with White.
He had no claim on the man. He wasn’t even sure how he could stake one, not without shifting his entire live-free-with-no-strings-attached existence.
Yes, he’d considered it. But to play the game Zovko proposed, he and White would need some stability. A solid foundation. One they didn’t have.
Yet.
White wasn’t okay with the lifestyle Shawn led as it was. He couldn’t even consider bringing him to a party like this. And wouldn’t for a long time.
There had to be a way around Zovko’s conditions.
“White isn’t in the scene.” He made the comment as lightly as he could, like the whole idea was amusing and mildly interesting. “Make me another offer and I’ll consider it. There’s no rush.”
“Indeed. But we shall see.” Zovko shrugged, as though their plans weren’t important to him either. “The game is entertaining, but not all can play. No hard feelings if you can’t anymore.”
“I can. You know very well White can’t.”
“Really? I think he’d enjoy himself very much. Unless he’s uncertain how it would change things between you?” Zovko arched a brow. The man might be blind, but he saw much more than Shawn was comfortable with. “I would not consider any entertainment my subs, or my sweet Mistress, don’t enjoy indulging in. You’re a good Dom, Pischlar. I don’t imagine you would ignore the feelings of any under your care.”
“I wouldn’t.” But White wasn’t ‘under his care’. Still wasn’t really his at all. And he hated putting those facts to words for anyone else to judge. He might be able to pass his intentions off as casual to a sub. Or someone not in the lifestyle. But both Zovko and Chicklet were very observant.
In approaching their sub as a potential plaything, he’d just given them both the right to pick apart his own worth as a Dom. And judge the only relationship he had worth a damn.
“Good. Then when you’re both in the right place, we will discuss this again.” Zovko reached out, his brow furrowing when his hand found nothing. He’d misjudged how far he’d moved from Vanek, but the young man quickly stood and took his hand. And Zovko immediately relaxed. “Freedom can be pleasant, but when you have someone that will always be by your side? It means so much more. And when life is challenging, it is worth more than I can say.”
The truth to Zovko’s words hit Shawn like a solid cement brick landing on the center of his chest. Sure, his life was pretty good now, but if that changed? He’d managed to drive a wedge between himself and White. And Ian. How fucked up was it that he still used the last name of the man he loved? But he knew exactly why he did it. It kept distance between them. If he called Ian ‘White’ in his head, he was just a friend. Another player.
And yet, Ian was so much more. He was a man that owned a part of Shawn that hadn’t been available to anyone else. And shouldn’t be now, because he wasn’t ready. If anyone asked, he could give a nice long list of all the reasons he and Ian wouldn’t be a good match.
Ian was too rough. Which was a hard limit.
But Ian was willing to fix that for him. He’d already caught his mistakes and tried to correct them. He cared enough to be as gentle with Shawn as he was with anyone he considered special.
Ian needed commitment.
A much better argument, but Ian was testing the waters. He’d reacted badly to seeing Shawn with Richards, but Shawn knew very well he’d gone too far. He should have waited to see how Ian felt the next morning. Talked it out.
No matter what excuses he came up with, the truth was, Ian wasn’t the problem.
Shawn was.
His silence had everyone’s attention returning to the most important matter at hand. Demyan and Carter went to the car to grab the huge bag of dog food, the dog bed, and all the treats and toys they’d thought Thora might need.
And Chicklet and Zovko joined efforts in trying to convince Vanek to grab his stuff and get ready to leave. The two Doms working together was almost enough to make Shawn consider dropping to his knees. Which he might do for th
em one day—while being manipulative as fuck for their mutual pleasure.
But Vanek faced them, his jaw set, his arms folded. “I agree, having Thora will help, but it’s gonna take time for her to learn to do all you need from her.”
“And I’m incapable of working with Raif on her training?” Chicklet rested her hands on her hips, frowning at Vanek. “I’m insulted by your lack of faith in me.”
“That’s not what I’m saying!”
“Then what are you saying, zlato moje?” Zovko slid his hand around the back of Chicklet’s neck, massaging gently as she glared at their sub. “Surely you’re not envious of the time we will spend together?”
“That’s the problem! You won’t be spending that much time together. Chicklet has to work! You’ll be alone all day and—”
“No, he won’t.” Chicklet leaned her head on Zovko’s shoulder, stroking his chest when he scowled. “Don’t get upset, Raif. You don’t need a babysitter, but you still need someone around to help you adjust to living without your sight. Your independence will come. For now, I asked Ford for a few days off. Which means Tyler has absolutely no excuse not to go do his job.”
Vanek groaned, obviously seeing he’d been out maneuvered. “It’s just a fucking game.”
Oh shit. Shawn winced as rage darkened Zovko features.
Zovko stepped forward, his tone dropping as he made a violent gesture, his hand cutting through the air. “Enough! I will never play that ‘fucking game’ again! Do you think you do anything for me by putting your life on hold? I am doing all I can to keep living mine, to prove I can still be a strong man, a good Dom. You’re proving to me I am failing at both!”
Eyes wide, Vanek stepped up to Zovko, lifting a hand to touch his cheek. “You’re not failing. I just want you to know I’m here.”
“How many different ways must I say that I don’t need you here?”
Ouch. Time for Shawn to step in before things got any worse. He put his hand on Vanek’s shoulder as the young man retreated, looking lost. “Kid, your man knows you love him, but what he needs, what we all need, is for you to help us even up this series against the Leafs. Get your stuff and let’s go win some games. For Zovko, for…for everyone who can’t be with us. We’ve fought hard to get this far. We can’t quit now.”
Line Brawl: The Dartmouth Cobras #8 Page 14
