by Faith Gibson
“It’s rough. My beast is clawing at me. Yelling and demanding. But I’m not going to push Matt into anything he isn’t ready for.”
“You mean… Never mind. TMI.”
Slade chuckled. “Just please call as soon as you know who the guy was. I’m going to get Matt to pack up, and we’re going somewhere else, just in case.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll call you soon.”
“Thanks, Brother.” Slade hung up and took a deep breath. He didn’t want to call Frey, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Before he could punch in the number, the patio doors slid open, and Matt joined him. Slade held his hand out, and when Matt took it, Slade pulled Matthew’s body into his, wrapping his arms around the young man. Slade inhaled deeply, letting the mixture of sun, salt, suntan lotion, and sweat fill his senses. While he had Matt in his arms, he told him about the guy coming into the gym.
Matt leaned back so he could look at Slade. “I don’t know anyone my age with an accent. And other than Trevor, I don’t know anyone in their twenties, either.”
“I didn’t think so, but I had to be sure before I call Frey.”
“Don’t bother. I already called him.”
Slade felt like Matthew had slapped him. Did his mate not think he could keep him safe? “I see.”
Slade started to pull away, but Matthew grabbed his hips tightly. “No, you don’t. I can see you getting your wings in a bunch. While I was on the phone with Trevor, Frey texted to see how our vacation was going. I called him back, but while I had him on the phone, I explained what was going on and told him not to worry, that you would take care of me in case anything was actually wrong.”
Slade couldn’t help but puff out his chest. He should have known Matthew would defend him. “I’m glad you feel that way, because in my efforts to keep you safe, I think we should leave the Keys and go somewhere else. We’ll get in the car and drive back up the coast of Florida and find somewhere closer to New Orlando to stay a couple days before we head back home.”
“If that’s what you think is best.” Matthew moved his hands from Slade’s hips to his neck, pulling Slade in for a kiss. He knew they should be packing instead of kissing, especially out on the balcony where someone with binoculars or a high-powered scope could be watching. His beast hadn’t alerted him to any feelings of something being off, so he concentrated on the male in his arms. Matthew kissed the side of his mouth, then his cheek, and skimmed his lips along Slade’s jaw until he reached Slade’s ear. His breath was hot when he whispered, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being patient. Taking care of me. Bringing me to the beach. Just… everything.”
“You’re welcome, Matty. I’ll always take care of you. Now, let’s get showered and changed so we can pack up and hit the road.”
If Matthew was disappointed at leaving the Keys, he didn’t show it. Nor did he let on that he was frightened at who might be after him. The male had already been through so much at a young age. Slade didn’t want their vacation to turn into a battle with Drago, because with Alistair dead, the new Greek leader was the only one Slade could think of who would be after them. He had yet to see any of the Clan find their mate and easily move into their lives together. Except maybe Deacon. As far as Slade knew, Deacon and Sabrina were going to get together with no issues, so Slade had to hope he and Matthew could get through their vacation unscathed.
As Slade was putting his clothes into his suitcase, he received a text from Julian letting him know he was able to hack into the hotel’s cameras. Julian was going to monitor the feed for anyone who looked suspicious. Slade sent back a thank you text and finished packing. Matthew was staring out the patio doors when he got to the living area, his hair still damp from his shower.
“What do you want to do about the stuff in the refrigerator? We don’t have a cooler.”
Slade placed his bags by Matthew’s duffel, which was already by the door. “It’s just a few beers and some soda. Housekeeping can throw it out when they finally figure out we’re not here any longer. I’m going to put the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door, so hopefully they won’t come in here until it’s time for us to check out. Julian is monitoring the cameras, so if it looks like we’re still here, maybe whoever it is won’t track that we’re leaving.”
“You have an idea of who it is, don’t you?”
Slade wanted to shield his young mate from the truth, but that would put him in more danger than not knowing. “My gut is telling me Drago is having our movements monitored. I won’t know for sure until Julian does his thing, but until we know more, I want you to be observant of our surroundings. I don’t want you out of my sight even for a moment. I know you can handle yourself against a human. I’ve seen you sparring. But up against a Gargoyle, you won’t stand a chance.”
“Yeah, I know that. Don’t worry though. I’ll pay attention and stay by your side. Like that’s a hardship,” Matt teased.
Slade kissed his mate on the forehead. “Thank you. Now let’s get going. We’ll get on the road and make sure we’re not being followed. We’ll stop at one of the smaller islands and eat supper.”
Matthew did his best to stay calm. He called on the meditation techniques Frey had taught him. He didn’t want Slade to feel like Matt didn’t trust him to keep him safe. Still, knowing someone was looking for him didn’t sit well. Matthew had been around the Clan long enough to realize every one of the Goyles who’d found their mates didn’t have an easy time in the beginning. He’d been caught up in the craziness of Abbi and Frey getting together, and he wasn’t ready to relive anything close to what they’d gone through. It wasn’t Frey’s fault or the fault of any of the Goyles. The fates or whatever unseen force which decided who the mates were definitely didn’t want the bond to be completed without some sort of trial. Matthew figured this was his and Slade’s trial.
Slade held Matt’s hand as he drove along the vast stretch of highway taking them back toward the mainland. He sat quietly, looking out the side window. Slade only spoke when he told him he was taking the next exit so they could eat. Slade chose a seafood place on the water, but Matthew wasn’t enjoying the view. Not of the water, anyway. He couldn’t keep from stealing glances at the Goyle sitting across from him. Slade never made Matt feel bad for staring. In fact, every time Matt looked at Slade, the male was already staring at him.
“Do you think this will ever go away?” Matt asked.
“This being…?”
“The newness. The awe of being surprised the fates chose me for you. How I can’t stop staring at you.”
Slade glanced around before lowering his voice. “My parents have been together over six hundred years, and they are still as deeply in love now as the day they met. The awe you speak of is the same for me, and I doubt I’ll ever not be amazed by you. Our love will only grow stronger as the years pass by.”
Matthew’s heart skipped a beat as it did every time Slade mentioned love. Maybe this was Matt’s reward for the past he’d endured.
Slade changed the subject to their next destination. After they’d both finished their lobster and steak dinners, Slade moved over to sit beside Matthew and pulled out his phone. Instead of telling Matt where they would stop, Slade asked Matt’s opinion. That was another way Slade proved he would be a wonderful partner. Instead of treating Matthew like a kid and making all the decisions, he asked for Matt’s input. They settled on New Cocoa. It was close to New Orlando, and after they had a few more days of beach time, they were going to the theme park to check out the rides.
Matthew excused himself to the restroom, and when he came back out, Slade was deep in conversation on his phone. Slade took Matt’s hand and led him from the restaurant to the SUV. Slade opened the passenger door for Matthew before shutting him in. When Slade was in the driver’s seat, he put the phone on speaker. Julian’s voice filled the interior.
“—took longer than I thought. The facial recognition program tagged the human getting off a pla
ne in New Atlanta a couple days ago. It took some digging because the male’s identity has been changed recently. It turns out he is an expert in computer manipulation.”
“Meaning he’s a hacker?” Matthew asked.
“Yes. His name is Hagen Rossum. While still in Greece, before her father was taken down, Kallisto hired the young male. Lachlan discovered this while he was helping me with Katherine’s situation. Rossum was attending a local Greek university at the time, set to graduate this month. When I dug into his records, Rossum finished his courses early but didn’t attend the graduation ceremony. A large sum of money was transferred into his account at the same time Kallisto fled Greece. While he was skimming money from Alistair for Kallisto, the human either stole the money for himself, or Kallisto paid him off. Several days after the deposit was made into his account, the male changed his name and moved to Spain. This would explain why he wasn’t at the graduation ceremony. I’m still not sure how Drago found the male, but he did, and now Rossum is here, helping Drago.”
“How do you know he’s helping the Greek and didn’t decide to relocate to the States?” Slade asked.
“Because when Rossum arrived at the airport, Trexon Gabros picked him up. Gabros is one of the Greeks now working for Drago. I’m working on finding Rossum’s computer footprint so I can track what he’s doing. He’s not as good as I am, but he’s no slouch, either.”
Matthew was staring at Slade’s phone. Julian had sent an image of the hacker. He was cute, if Matthew was being honest, but even if he wasn’t in love with his Gargoyle, Matthew wouldn’t have been interested. The guy was the enemy, evidenced by the fact that he’d come to the gym and lied about knowing Matt.
“I need a favor. Matthew and I are headed to New Cocoa for a couple days. Since this Rossum can track me using my credit cards, I need you to reserve a suite for us at The Grand Coronado for two nights requesting late check in. If all goes well and we aren’t still being tracked, I’ll make our reservation when we head over to New Orlando.”
“You got it. I’ll keep you posted if I find anything else you need to be aware of. Until then, enjoy your time away.”
“Thanks, Uncle J,” Matthew said before Slade and Julian signed off. Matthew leaned his head back against the seat and blew out a breath.
“Matty, look at me.” Slade reached over and took Matt’s hand. When Matthew complied, Slade turned in his seat so his body was angled toward Matt’s. “I vow on my life I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“You can’t make that promise.” When Slade started to protest, Matt shook his head, cutting him off. “No, Slade. I know you will do your best to keep me safe, but sometimes life doesn’t always work the way we intend. I won’t let you make a vow you can’t keep no matter your good intentions or how hard you try to keep me safe. Frey made that same vow to Abbi, and look what happened. He beat himself up for months after Troy put me in the hospital and tried to kill Abbi. Shitty things happen that are beyond our control, but we have to accept that those things are possible.”
“Then I promise to do everything within my power to keep you safe. But you have to promise to stay vigilant. I wouldn’t survive if something were to happen to you.”
Matthew reached over with his free hand and cupped Slade’s cheek. “I promise.”
Chapter Ten
Matthew spent the four-hour drive trying to think about anything other than finally having sex. It wasn’t that he was nervous. Okay, he was. Who wouldn’t be when he was going to give his body to the most gorgeous Gargoyle in the world? Sure, he might be biased because Slade was his, but the male could be a model he was so stunning. The bigger problem was whether or not to let Slade bite him.
Matt wanted Slade. Wanted to be intimate with him. There was more to sex than penetration, and he figured it wouldn’t hurt anything if they started out with blowjobs and frotting. Would Slade’s beast be satisfied if they only went that far? He didn’t want to see Slade lose his shit, but Matthew couldn’t go another night without sleeping snuggled with his Goyle. He wanted to be wrapped in Slade’s strong arms all night and wake up next to him.
During the drive, Matt did his best to keep his mood even by singing along to the radio. It worked, for the most part. He wasn’t worried about the hacker guy. Julian was on the case, and he knew his uncle could best anyone on a computer. Julian texted a few minutes after they left New Key Largo with their reservation information. He explained he was using an alias he had created when the Clan had been dealing with Alistair. After Slade assured Julian he had enough cash for the rest of the trip, Matthew put Hagen Rossum and the Greeks out of his mind.
Slade pulled up to the front of the hotel, getting out to speak with the valet. This hotel was larger than the one they’d left in New Key West. It was right on the beach, and Matthew could hear the ocean as soon as he opened the car door. He stretched his arms over his head, twisting at the waist after sitting for four hours. Now that they had arrived, his nerves kicked in. Matthew moved to the back of the SUV when Slade returned. He took his duffel, waiting for Slade to grab his own bag plus the case which contained his sword. The valet was eyeing Slade appreciatively, and Matthew grinned to himself. Look all you want, buddy, but you are shit outta luck. This hottie is all mine.
Matthew was secure in that knowledge. With Slade being Gargoyle and them being mates, he didn’t worry about Slade’s eyes searching for anyone else. Over the last several months, Matthew had witnessed all the Goyles interacting with their mates. At the gym, there were men and women in little clothing doing their best to grab the attention of Frey, Uri, and the others who came around. Not once had the Goyles shown any interest in someone other than their mate. Not once had they been anything less than honorable even before they had completed their bonds. Once they found their mate, that was it.
Slade tipped the valet, then placed his hand on Matt’s back. The automatic doors slid open, and Slade led Matthew inside to the front desk. The desk clerk smiled cheerfully, eyeing Slade in a way Matt was getting used to. “Welcome to The Grand Coronado. Will it be two rooms?”
“I have a reservation. The name’s Grant Peters.”
“Certainly, Mr. Peters.” The woman typed on her keyboard, and whatever she saw had her looking up at the two of them, frowning. “We have you staying in a king suite with an ocean view. Your reservation didn’t include a pull-out sofa. Let me check and see if we have one available.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Slade put his arm around Matt’s shoulders. “We only need one bed.”
The clerk’s eyes widened. “Yes, of course. Let me just get your keycards.” While she went about getting their room cards ready, she kept glancing back and forth between them. Matt hadn’t missed the looks they’d been getting. If they were to complete the bond now, they would have to get used to people staring and making rude comments. Why couldn’t folks just mind their own damned business?
The clerk put the cards in a small envelope after writing the room number on the inside. She rattled off the standard hotel information of check-out times and breakfast hours. “I hope you enjoy your stay,” she stated. Her customer service smile was plastered on her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“What would you think if I grew a beard?” Matt asked while they waited on the elevator.
“I think you’d look sexy,” Slade said after studying his face a few seconds. “Have you ever tried?”
“No. I always thought I’d probably look stupid with facial hair, but it would make me look older.”
“Ah. I get it.” Slade put his arm around Matt’s shoulder and pulled him close. “Honestly, I think you should only do it if you want to. People are going to talk shit no matter if you look eighteen or twenty-four. Unless we wait until you’re closer to thirty, you’re going to look younger than me. I have to tell you, there’s no way I can wait that long to claim you.”
“And I wouldn’t ask you to. We just got a not-so-righteous dose of staring today.”
“Yeah, I didn’t miss the looks either. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”
“Eh. I’ve dealt with worse.”
The lift arrived, and they stepped inside. Matthew leaned against Slade and sighed. He should be flying high knowing he was the mate of a Goyle. Matthew rubbed his hands on his shorts, his nerves making his palms sweat.
“I can hear you thinking over here,” Slade said, caressing the back of Matthew’s hand. “Whatever it is, don’t stress. We have all the time in the world.”
Matthew kept his face forward and whispered, “I don’t want to disappoint you.”
Slade slid his arm over Matthew’s shoulder and kissed his temple. “You could never disappoint me. Do you know how sexy it is for me to be your first? How privileged I am? I want to show you all the ways we can make each other feel good. Teach you everything I’ve learned and then learn new ways of pleasing each other together. Despite my age, I haven’t had that many lovers. The ones I have had were nothing more than one-night stands to scratch an itch. It’s sad to say, but I can’t remember any of their names and barely any of their faces. I’ve never been in a relationship, so we both get to experience that together. We already know we’re compatible as friends. Sex will be another layer to our friendship. If you decide you aren’t ready for that yet, I’m willing to wait until you are. You’re mine, and I’m yours. Nothing is going to change that.”
Matthew believed Slade. He thought he’d have more time to get prepared for his first time. He’d researched what to do, and he always thought he’d be ready when the time came. Slade might not care that Matthew hadn’t taken all the steps to ready his body, but Matthew wanted his first time to be perfect.
The elevator door opened onto the ninth floor, and Slade said, “Let’s finish this conversation inside.” Slade reached for Matthew’s hand as they made their way to the suite. Matthew swallowed hard when they stopped in front of their door. Things were going to be different if for no other reason than they only had one bed.
