Sugar Sentry (Sugar Daddies Book 13)

by Charity Parkerson

  Easton set his chin on Nico’s shoulder. “Everyone is responsible for themselves. I’m not my brother and he’s not me. The same is true of you. Did I wonder about your intentions when you first came around? Yes. But you’ve been good to me from the first moment and I don’t think about your relation to him at all.” He pressed his lips to Nico’s shoulder and inhaled.

  Nico lifted his arm and made room for Easton to scoot closer. With Easton tucked against his side, they looked at the menu together. Nico tried focusing on the words. He kept catching himself turning his face Easton’s way and kissing his ear. Nico couldn’t help it. He’d spent so much time scared shitless he’d lose Easton any moment and it had been for nothing. Nico should’ve had more faith in Easton. In truth, it wasn’t Easton he hadn’t believed in. Nico couldn’t trust himself. When it came to Easton, if Nico lost him, he might do anything. Now he was free.

  A wave of nervousness overcame Nico. He didn’t have to worry about Easton finding out about his brother anymore. There was nothing standing in the way of what Nico wanted most—a life with Easton. He kissed Easton’s temple, drawing strength from his scent while he picked a place to start. “I know you feel safe with your brother, but—if I asked—would you consider moving in with me?” Nico held his breath.

  Easton didn’t answer right away. When he did, he picked through his words, dousing Nico’s hopes. “In the past, I’ve always moved in right away with whoever I was dating at the time. I was always at their mercy. It never ended well for me. I don’t want things to be that way for us, and I have to start somewhere, so—for now—no.”

  Nico dropped his gaze to the menu. “Oh. Okay.” Even he heard the disappointment in his voice.

  Easton went back to staring at the menu too. After a moment, Easton spoke up. He sounded hesitant again. “I have to say, I’m surprised you asked. Usually, you tell me what I’m going to do, and I go along because I love you.”

  Nico loved this man and all his quirks. A smile tugged at his lips. He fought the urge to laugh. Easton didn’t know how to give himself permission to make a decision for fear of making the wrong one. It was adorable. “Easton.”

  Easton turned his head and met Nico’s stare. “Yes?”

  “I’m moving your stuff to my house this weekend. It’s my job to take care of you and I can do that better at my place.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  Happiness penetrated every dark corner of Nico. He came to his feet, tugging Easton to his along the way. “Let’s go. Eyes in our food is too far. We should hit up all the food trucks by the carnival. We’re less likely to die of some mysterious food-related ailment there.”

  Easton was practically bouncing in place. “Yay. Star gazing.”

  “Rollercoasters,” Nico corrected. “Then star gazing,” he added, because no way in hell would Nico miss a night of holding his baby. Even though he now knew there was nothing standing in the way of him holding Easton every night for the rest of his life, he still looked forward to each and every opportunity.

  Nine

  For the hundredth time, Nico stroked Easton’s ass. He couldn’t help it. It felt good in his hands. He honestly would’ve thought the longer they were together, the less he’d touch Easton. The opposite was true. In the six months since Easton moved in, Nico found himself doing more to always be with Easton, touching him. Loving him. Today was the perfect example. Easton didn’t have to work, so Nico had created a reason for Easton to be at the shop with him.

  “I thought I had a bottle of water around here,” Easton said, sounding absent as he circled the Mustang.

  Nico cast a halfhearted glance around the bay. “Maybe you finished it.” He snagged Easton around the waist and kissed him. “I could wet your whistle, if you’re thirsty.”

  A loud bark of laughter escaped Easton. He covered his mouth with both hands, trying to smother the sound before he obviously realized what he’d done and dropped his hands.

  “Good boy,” Nico praised, walking Easton backward and trapping him against the car. “I love your happiness and your laugh.” He kissed him. “And you.”

  Easton’s arms snaked around Nico’s neck. “I love you too. Do you want anything to drink? I’ll grab you something.”

  Instead of answering, Nico toyed with the zipper of Easton’s coveralls. They were huge on him and they’d had to roll up the pants legs several times to make them work. Yet, Easton was still the sexiest man alive, even if he did look like a kid wearing his dad’s clothes. Nico swiped his hand down Easton’s back and cupped his ass again. “Go. Get hydrated and then hurry back.”

  Easton stole another kiss before slipping away to the office. Nico watched him go. He was sickeningly in love with Easton. It always grew bigger.

  “Nicolaus Braun.”

  A sigh rose in Nico’s throat at the sound of Whiskey’s voice. His gaze slid toward the bay doors. He watched as Whiskey picked his way through the tools and machinery until he reached Nico’s side. “Whiskey,” Nico said, hearing his dry tone and unable to stop it.

  Whiskey leaned against the beat-up body of the 1956 Dodge Power Wagon Nico had recently acquired to play with on the side. He looked ready to stay awhile. Nico’s gaze moved toward the office. Easton would be back any time now. The quicker they got this monthly visit over with, the better.

  “What brings you by?”

  For a moment, Whiskey stared into space, saying nothing. Nico figured it was some interrogation technique, but Nico had nothing to say. Finally, Whiskey sighed. “Just tell me one thing. This is completely off the record. I’m not a cop right now. This conversation never took place. I swear I’m not setting you up. This isn’t about that. I just need to know once and for all. Am I wasting my time coming here? I’m never going to find those two boys, am I? Not alive anyway.”

  Nico stared at Whiskey in silence. He held the man’s gaze and willfully refused to answer. Whiskey could claim all day that this was off the books, but Nico wasn’t stupid enough to say the words aloud. But he let his face do the talking. Whiskey was wasting his time coming here. He would never find those boys. Not alive and Nico had ensured not their bodies either. Jörg was his brother. That blood tie had spared him. He’d spend the next fifty years in prison and then be deported if he lived that long. Those other two, Nico hadn’t owed them shit, and they’d gotten no mercy.

  Whiskey sighed and straightened away from the truck. “Okay. I guess there’s no reason for me to keep looking. This is one of those few times justice was served, I guess.”

  Nico couldn’t let that comment pass. “Justice would’ve been someone stopping those three before their evil ever tainted Easton’s life. Justice would’ve been a police presence in this community,” Nico said, pointing at the floor. “keeping people safe. Keeping Easton safe while he’d been minding his business, delivering cakes. A lot of people failed Easton that night, especially people like you. Maybe I was too late to save him from a nightmare, but I didn’t fail him in the end. Maybe all that dogged determination you have to corner me would be better spent fighting for better protection for your people, rather than searching for lowlifes no one misses.”

  “My people, huh?”

  Nico dipped his chin. His gaze never wavered from Whiskey’s. “Yeah. Your people. I don’t think you work this neighborhood for no reason. Neither do I think you stayed after Easton’s case for so long on a whim.”

  Whiskey straightened his sleeves. “Maybe.”

  Nico fought a snort. He let it go as Easton strolled from the office, catching his eye. His heart skipped a beat. The way it always did when he looked at Easton.

  “Detective Harris. I didn’t know you were here.” He looked down at himself. “I’d give you a hug, but my coveralls are dirty.”

  Whiskey looked more interested than he should. Nico considered putting out the man’s eyes. “Easton. I didn’t know you were here either.”

  Easton moved to Nico’s side. Nico lifted his arm so Easton could slip beneath it. He held on t
o Nico’s waist. “Nico is showing me how to change my oil and everything so I can take care of my car.”

  Whiskey’s gaze moved down the line of cars in the garage. “Which one is yours?”

  “Soon to be all of them,” Nico answered for Easton, hearing the pride in his voice.

  The way Whiskey’s expression snapped closed said he understood Nico’s insinuation before Easton bounced in place. “We’re getting married.”

  “That’s fantastic.” Whiskey couldn’t have sounded less thrilled if Easton announced the man had just won a free colonoscopy.

  His tone obviously didn’t register with Easton. “If I send you an invitation, would you come?”

  Whiskey rubbed the back of his neck. “Um.”

  Suddenly, Nico was enjoying the fuck out of himself. “Yes, Whiskey. You will come. Easton will be sad if you say no. No one makes Easton sad.”

  Easton nodded. “It’s just a small gathering. You don’t even have to get dressed up if you don’t want to.”

  “He will get dressed up,” Nico assured Easton, because this was fucking gold.

  “Please,” Easton said sweetly. “Even Nico’s family isn’t coming. We need a few people in the seats.”

  Whiskey’s chest expanded on a deep breath. “Sure. I’ll be there.”

  “Yay,” Easton said, sounding adorable.

  Whiskey shoved his hands in his pockets, looking uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you two to your work.”

  “You’ll hear from us soon.” Nico smiled as he made the claim because he couldn’t force himself not to enjoy the man’s discomfort.

  With a sharp nod, Whiskey headed for the door. Nico watched him go until the man disappeared from sight.

  “Why was Detective Harris here?” Easton asked the second they were alone.

  Nico tucked Easton’s hair behind his ear. He was so beautiful. Nico had to be a little honest. “He shows up at least once a month, because he thinks I have ties to the local mafia.”

  Easton scrunched up his nose the way Nico loved. “That’s weird.” His face cleared. “Wait. Do you have ties to the local mafia?”

  They would be married soon. Easton should know. “Yes.”

  Without a single missed beat, Easton shrugged. “Everyone is owned by someone, whether they see the strings or not.”

  A smile exploded across Nico’s face. He loved this man. “I’m only owned by one person.” He crowded Easton against the car. “And he’ll soon have my last name.”

  “Easton Braun,” Easton said, staring into space with an awed air. “It sounds amazing, doesn’t it?”

  “It does.” Nico grabbed Easton’s ass and lifted him from the ground. “When was the last time you made love on the hood of a car?”

  “Four days ago,” Easton chirped. “I still have the bruises.”

  “Backseat?”

  “Agreed,” Easton said, wrapping his legs around Nico’s waist.

  As Nico circled the car with Easton hanging from his neck like a monkey, he thanked every god for the life he’d been given. It hadn’t always been pretty. In fact, sometimes his life had been downright messy. But the parts he shared with Easton made everything worthwhile. For the rest of his life, he would be worthy, and Easton would be happy.

  Keep an eye out for the next book in the Sugar Daddies series, Sugar Enforcer.

  Please consider leaving a review at the retailer where this book was purchased. Reviews really help with a book’s visibility, which ensures I can continue writing. Thank you, Charity.

  About the Author

  Charity Parkerson is an award winning and multi-published author with several companies. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters.

  *Eight-time Readers' Favorite Award Winner

  *2015 Passionate Plume Award Finalist

  *2013 Reviewers' Choice Award Winner

  *2012 ARRA Finalist for Favorite Paranormal Romance

  *Five-time winner of The Mistress of the Darkpath

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