Zeus’s Pack 8
Memphis
Romano Tiziano thought owning a landscaping company was
better than the bodyguard work he used to do, but who knew
shrubbery and lawn care would have him on the run? After
witnessing a prominent lawyer being killed, Romano thinks that
Pride Pack Valley is the safest place to run.
Memphis thinks that he can handle anything after being under
Jackson’s thumb…until he meets Romano. The man is arrogant,
stubborn, and Memphis is going insane trying to deal with the
man. And to top that, his other mate, Tabby, can’t seem to stay
out of the tavern.
Tabby has landed in jail twice now for DUI. And he wasn’t even
behind the wheel! After his second arrest, he finds one tall and
dark stranger trying to bail him out…and take him home.
Can the three get their act together long enough to claim one
another, or will their differences and blinding ways make them
part company?
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal,
Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 35,922 words
MEMPHIS
Zeus’s Pack 8
Lynn Hagen
MENAGE EVERLASTING
MANLOVE
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www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting ManLove
MEMPHIS
Copyright © 2012 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 1-61926-495-1
First E-book Publication: March 2012
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
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All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
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www.SirenPublishing.com
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MEMPHIS
Zeus’s Pack 8
LYNN HAGEN
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Romano grabbed his cell phone from his coat pocket as he
cautiously scanned the area around him. The streets were busy and
there was a lot of traffic, but he knew what car he was looking for. So
far he hadn’t spotted the black car, but Romano knew they were close.
He had already missed two meetings with his cousin Dino’s
friends. Twice they had come out here to pick him up, and twice he
had to ditch the meeting because he was being followed. It hadn’t
been safe to make contact.
He knew Dino was probably worried about him right now, but it
couldn’t be helped. The men after him had spotted Dino’s friends at
the pickup point both times that he had attempted to make contact
with them. Romano was not going to risk being caught.
Romano had witnessed with his own two eyes what these men
were capable of, and he didn’t want to be the next victim. He may be
dark, deadly, and able to take care of himself, but a fool he was not.
He knew when it was time to fight, and he knew when it was time to
run.
Running looked pretty damn good right about now.
He punched in his cousin’s phone number as he kept his eyes
roaming over his surroundings, searching for that distinctive black
8
Lynn Hagen
car, the same car that he had spotted over and over again during the
past week following him, trying their best to get Romano alone. It
wasn’t going to happen. He had been a bodyguard at one point in life,
and Romano knew how to get rid of the unwanted. He just didn’t
know how to make them stop chasing him without killing the
bastards.
It just might boil down to that.
“Hello?”
“It’s me,” Romano said as he looked over his shoulder again.
“You fucking ugly bastard,” Dino snapped. “Why weren’t you at
the pickup point either time or answering any of my phone calls?”
Romano could hear the tension in Dino’s voice. It was thick with
worry. He hated making his cousin worry, but Romano couldn’t risk
Dino’s safety if the men knew who he was. Having hired goons come
after him was one thing. Having them go after people Romano cared
about was something he wasn’t willing to risk.
“Had things to do,” he lied as he leaned back against his truck and
rubbed a hand down his face. Fuck, he was tired. “I’m on my way. I
figure I’d come to you.” And maybe he could shake loose the tail on
him somewhere along the way. “I’ll see you in a few.”
He could hear Dino grunt in frustration as Romano ran his hand
over the back of his neck. Gods, he missed his cousin. He hadn’t told
Dino why he was in need, but then again, Dino wouldn’t pry. The less
everyone knew the better. It kept them safe.
“You better be here.”
God love my cousin. Dino was worried but never said he couldn’t
come. Romano knew Dino’s life was unique, even by Romano’s
standards, but Dino never once questioned him when he asked if he
could come visit for a little while. He just said come on out.
“See you soon, Dino.” Romano hung the phone up, sliding it back
into his coat pocket as he climbed into his truck. He had a hell of a
ride ahead of him, but hopefully with enough miles, he could lose the
bastards trying to kill him.
Memphis 9
Romano adjusted his mirror, cursing when he spotted the black
car watching him a few cars back. He smiled. They sucked at this. At
least they sucked at tailing someone at Romano’s skill. He spotted
them every damn time. Romano turned the key, the engine roaring to
life, before he pulled out into traffic, going at a leisurely pace. There
was no need for a chase and crash.
No, no need at all.
He would take his time until he hit the mountains, and then lose
his tail around the winding roads leading to Pride Pack Valley. Until
then, he obeyed all the traffic laws, not letting his tail know that he
knew he was being followed.
He would let the men after him become complacent, relaxed. That
was exactly what Romano wanted. It would make it easier to lose
them when the time came. He wasn’t the bad guy in all of this. They
were. And he had every intention of making damn sure it was hard to
kill him.
Romano made the turn onto the back roads after a few miles of
driving through the city traffic. Once he was free and clear of the city,
he floored the gas pedal, taking twists and turns up into the mountains
that would make a sane man scream in terror. They certainly made
him swallow hard and grip the steering wheel a little tighter.
Twice he had come close to driving his truck over the edge, but
Romano knew what he was doing. There was little room for error on
these winding back roads, but he was a pro at driving. Thank god for
bodyguard training. It didn’t involve just learning to shoot a gun.
There was also this wonderful little thing that had been taught to him
called evasive driving. It paid to listen to the instructor.
It hadn’t hurt that the instructor was a drop-dead gorgeous
muscle-bound ex-marine, either. He’d had Romano’s attention from
day one, even if it was just to look at and dream a little. By the end of
his training, Romano hadn’t had a new lover, but he was at the top of
his class.
And it was paying off in spades right now.
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Lynn Hagen
Glancing in his rearview, he saw the black car trying to keep up,
but the turns were deadly, making the men hired to kill him shy back.
Romano’s head jerked down as the back window of his truck
suddenly shattered, raining glass everywhere.
Damn it, he liked this truck.
Romano took the sharp turn once last time, nearly losing control
as he climbed higher into the mountains. He didn’t see the black car
in his rearview mirror any longer. He wondered briefly if they had
fallen over the edge.
It wouldn’t surprise him. The mountain roads were treacherous
and not for the faint of heart. Although he didn’t see his tail any
longer, Romano kept up his speed, just in case they were somewhere
close behind.
When he started to descend down the other side, Romano began to
slow. Not even he was brave enough to race down the incline. He
navigated the roads carefully, watching for any rocks or debris. The
mountains were known for their rockslides, and he didn’t want to
become another statistic.
As he reached the bottom, Romano breathed a sigh of relief.
He’d made it.
Glancing back up the mountain, Romano didn’t see anyone
behind him. The black car was no longer in sight. Good. Now it was
time to get to his cousin. No one knew where Dino lived now, and
Romano hoped like hell the bad guys didn’t find out.
It was his only bet at lying low until he could get the hired men
off of his back. He had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and
seen things he shouldn’t have witnessed, and now he feared the only
way he was going to get free of those bastards was in a coffin.
Romano didn’t agree with that.
There had to be another way.
He owned his own landscaping company, and Romano was very
proud of the way his company had grown over the past year. The
problem was that jobs weren’t coming in the way they used to. He
Memphis 11
may have bid on a few jobs that put him in places he shouldn’t have
gone, but it kept his small landscaping company from folding. It
actually began to prosper.
Now Romano wasn’t so sure that he should have fought so hard to
keep the company afloat. His clients consisted of lawyers, doctors,
business owners and whatnot, but one lawyer in particular had a nasty
reputation for gambling.
And apparently, Reginald, the lawyer, had dealt with the wrong
kind of people.
Or hadn’t paid his debt.
Whatever the case was, Romano had seen what happened when
the wrong people were pissed off. He had been out to check on the
manicured lawn, shrubbery, and plants that his crew had laid because
Reginald had said that his crew did a fucked-up job.
Romano didn’t like that. His company prided itself on the best
lawn care possible. So he had gone out to take a look when he spotted
Reginald on the side of his home arguing with some men in suits.
The next thing Romano knew, the men shot the lawyer. He
hightailed it out of there and hadn’t looked back. The problem was he
was in a company truck with his logo on the side, announcing who he
was. So whoever the bad guys were had tracked him down.
Now he was on the run, just trying to stay alive.
And Romano thought owning his own business was better than
the bouncing and bodyguard work he used to do. Who knew taking
care of lawns could be so deadly? He shook his head as he neared his
destination.
Romano knew there were apartments above Theo’s Bar and Grill,
and that was exactly where he was headed. He had come here to
check the place out when his cousin had told Romano that he was
going to be living here permanently. Romano never told Dino that he
had come into town and checked everything out. He wasn’t stupid.
Dino would have strangled him. But, he had to make sure everything
was cool.
12
Lynn Hagen
Family was everything to him.
Romano parked his truck behind the tavern when he finally made
it into town and crept out, staying out of sight as he entered through
the kitchen. The place seemed to be busy with people running around
the kitchen, paying him absolutely no attention. He walked through
the door and into the tavern itself. It was pretty packed.
Spotting the bar, he made his way over to it and took a seat on one
of the stools. One of the bartenders saw him and immediately walked
over to him, giving him a seductive smile. Romano wasn’t what he
would consider classically handsome. He was rough cut, with a
deadly look that had men falling over themselves to get into his bed.
Maybe it was the bad-boy look. Maybe it was the silence he
carried with him. Whatever it was, the way he looked got him plenty
of ass. And he was thankful for that. He didn’t have time for anything
else.
“What can I get for you besides my phone number?” The
bartender flirted openly as a seductive smile played at his lips.
The side of Romano’s lip pulled up into a smile. As much as he’d
love to take this man up on his offer, he needed to secure an
apartment first. Maybe he’d come back later for the invite. “I need to
see Theo.”
The man leaned over the counter, resting his chin in his hands,
giving Romano that dreamy-eyed look that said he wanted Romano to
bend him backward and fuck him hard. “Theo doesn’t work here
anymore. Tell me what you need, and I’ll make damn sure you get it.”
Romano rubbed his jaw, wondering what he was going to do now.
There had to be someone in charge of the tavern and apartments
above. “Who do I speak to about renting one of the apartments
upstairs?”
The man batted his eyes as he straightened, pointing over his
shoulder. “That would be Taz. Let me go get him for you.”
Romano nodded as the guy sauntered away. He glanced around
the bar, taking in the faces around him and memorizing each and
Memphis 13
every one of them. Everyone looked like they were in their own little
world, paying him no attention. That was the way Romano wanted it
to stay. His eyes stopped on a short blond sitting at the end of the bar,
staring into the bottom of his glass.
Now he was more of Romano’s type.
Romano stood and walked down toward the end of the bar, taking
a seat next to the sexy little man that looked like a lost soul. Romano
had fucked every different type of man around, but the twinkish type
had always been his favorite.
“What’s your name, honey?” he asked as he rested his arms on the
wood of the counter. The man looked so innocent and sweet that
Romano wanted to eat him alive. He shivered inwardly at the thought.
Yum.
“Pudden Tane,” the man replied dryly without glancing Romano’s
way. This made him smile. The guy was feisty, too. Romano could
just see they were going to have one hell of a time in bed.
“Well, Mr. Tane, how about you and I go out back to my truck
and work off some of our aggression?”
The blond slowly turned his head, his eyes raking over Romano
with such a lack of interest that he just knew the small blond was
going to turn him down flat. He had never had a man look at him in
such an uninterested manner before. Romano wasn’t sure how to take
it. It actually intrigued him. The way the blue eyes raked over him had
Romano hard as hell.
“Five minutes,” the guy said as he hopped off of his stool and
walked out back without waiting for Romano. Fuck, he was about to
come in his jeans just from the short twink’s tone. Romano glanced
around the tavern and then followed right behind the guy.
The man was standing by Romano’s truck, his head tilted
sideways as he studied the broken back window. Now that he was
standing here taking a good look at the missing glass, his truck looked
like it needed to be scrapped.
14
Lynn Hagen
“What the hell happened to your truck?” the guy asked, curiosity
pulling at his brows.
“I sneezed,” Romano replied and then opened the driver’s door.
Deep anticipation built in him as he watched the twink jump up into
the driver’s seat and then crawl over to the passenger’s side. Romano
pressed the palm of his hand against his hardened cock and then
climbed into his truck, slamming the door closed.
Romano wasted no time as he pulled a packet of lube and a
condom from his front pocket. He shoved his jeans down his leg, tore
the wrapper open, and then rolled the condom down his hard shaft. He
grabbed the lever on the side of his seat, making his seat fall all the
way back into the extended cab.
The twink kicked his pants off and then climbed onto Romano’s
lap. Reaching behind the short man, Romano squeezed the lube onto
his fingers and then spent the next several minutes stretching the man.
No words were spoken.
No words were needed.
They were in the alley satisfying their sexual needs. There was
something so damn primitive about it that Romano almost came
before he even felt his cock shoved deeply into the twink’s ass.
Romano pulled his hand free and then grabbed his cock as the
twink lifted his ass and then impaled himself, his lips parting and his
eyes fluttering closed as he seated himself. Romano didn’t receive a
name, and he didn’t give one either.
It didn’t matter.
He thrust his hips, shoving his cock deep as he fucked the small
guy until he felt his balls draw close to his body. Romano reached
down, grabbing the guy’s cock as he began to stroke the length, trying
to bring the man off.
Mutual satisfaction was his goal. Romano always made sure his
partner got off. It was something he wholly believed in. Besides, he
loved the look of pure bliss on another man’s face, knowing he was
the one placing it there.
Memphis 15
He pressed his thumbnail into the slit in the twink’s cockhead
until the man was crying out, hot jets of cum filling Romano’s hand.
Romano was satisfied that the twink had gotten off.
Now it was his turn.
Romano grabbed the man’s hips in a death grip, hammering into
the guy’s ass rapidly before he grunted out his release. To Romano’s
surprise, the orgasm was explosive. When was the last time he felt
this sated? Romano couldn’t even remember. All he knew was that
his entire body was humming and his head was spinning from pure
satiation.
He laid his head back on the seat, blowing out a breath before the
man slid from his lap, yanking his jeans back on. It was a damn
shame the guy was covering such a perfect little body. Romano took
in his fill as he watched the denim slide back into place.
The man exited his truck without a word, and for some strange
reason, that bothered Romano. It never had before, but he found
himself watching closely as the man hurried back into the tavern.
“Fuck.” Romano blew out as he rested his arms over his eyes.
Maybe being on the run was getting to him. Since when did he care
what his sex partner thought of him afterward? He didn’t, until now.
Romano pulled the condom from his cock, tossing it close to the
Dumpster before he pulled his jeans back into place. He closed his
truck door and walked back into the tavern, looking for the man
named Taz.
Romano spotted the flirtatious bartender. He was glaring daggers
at Romano as if he knew what had just taken place in Romano’s
truck. The bartender huffed before turning to speak to some dark-
haired man standing next to him and then pointed in Romano’s
direction.
He assumed the dark-haired man was Taz.
“I hear you’re looking for a place to rent,” the man said as he
approached Romano.
Romano nodded. “I am.”
16
Lynn Hagen
“Follow me then,” the man said as he led Romano to a set of steps
at the far corner of the tavern. Romano climbed the steps behind Taz
as the dark-haired man unlocked an old, paint-peeling door. The door
squeaked open as Taz stepped aside and nodded at the entrance.
“Here it is.”
Romano stepped past Taz, looking around. He didn’t care what
the place looked like honestly. It was just somewhere to rest his head
as he gathered his thoughts and decided what he was going to do next.
But he had to keep up the impression that he was apartment hunting
for long-term use. He gave a nod of approval as he turned back
toward his new landlord. “I’ll take it.”
“Name’s Taz,” the man said as he stuck his hand out.
“Romano,” he replied as he shook Taz’s outstretched hand.
“Thanks.”
After getting everything into his new apartment, Romano set up
his equipment from his days as a bodyguard, angling his cameras to
cover the front and back of the building. He also wired his windows
and the door with an alarm to warn him of any uninvited guests.
He wasn’t taking any chances. The men after him shouldn’t be
underestimated. Romano may have lost them back in the mountains,
but he had a feeling they were good at what they did—even though he
had spotted them on their surveillance of him.
It wasn’t that they were that inept. He was just good at keeping
himself alive.
Emptying his duffel bag, Romano stacked his clothes on the lone
dresser in the bedroom. He’d put them away later. Right now he was
after his guns. Walking into the closet, Romano found a loose
floorboard where he quickly stored his personal items and guns.
Once that was completed, he took a shower. It felt good to let the
water pound into his muscles as the miles of grime and the weeks of
tension faded from his body.
Showered and everything in place, Romano jogged back
downstairs, heading out back to his truck. He needed to let Dino know
Memphis 17
he was in town. Romano’s eyes scanned the bar, seeing that the twink
was gone.
Too bad.
He pushed the man from his mind as he got into his truck and
drove to Dino’s home. He pulled the cell phone from his pocket,
punching Dino’s number, scanning the area as he drove.
“Your ugly ass here yet?”
Romano smiled. “In your driveway,” he replied as he pulled into
the long winding driveway.
The front door flew open, his cousin standing there staring at him
as a wide smile cut across his face. “Get your ass in here.”
Romano motioned for Dino to come over to his truck. He wasn’t
ready to go into a house full of wolves just yet. And he knew wolves
were inside Dino’s house.
When he came here the first time, checking on his cousin,
Romano had witnessed a few of the men turn into wolves. It fucked
his head up for some time, but he eventually got over the fact that
some really wicked and weird shit actually existed in the world. There
were a lot of things in life that couldn’t be explained, and he wasn’t
going to waste his time trying to figure those things out.
“You made it,” Dino said as he reached Romano’s truck with a
gait.
Romano rested his arm on the frame of the opened window. “I just
wanted to let you know I’m in town. I’m in an apartment over the
tavern if you need me.”
Dino looked hurt as his smile wavered, but he quickly covered his
disappointment. “You can stay here.”
That was a risk Romano wasn’t willing to take. Being in the same
town as Dino was risky enough. “It’s cool. I’m gonna head in for the
night. We’ll catch up tomorrow.”
“You bet your ugly ass we will.”
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Lynn Hagen
“Keep calling me ugly, and I just might start believing it.”
Romano winked as he pulled from the driveway, heading back to his
hidey-hole.
Memphis 19
Chapter Two
Tabby rested his chin in his hands as he sat on the side of the cot.
This was the second time he had been arrested for DUI. And he
hadn’t even been behind the wheel this time! The sheriff had spotted
him weaving his way out of the tavern and hauled him in here. “I
want my lawyer!”
If he had one.
The sheriff walked back toward his cell. He had a resigned look
on his face as he rested his shoulder on the wall and stared between
the bars at Tabby. “I haven’t charged you with anything, Tabby.”
Tabby blinked his eyes a few times, staring up at two sheriffs
leaning against the wall. Man, maybe he was a tad drunk because he
could swear there were two Jesses leaning there staring at him. “Then
why am I in here?”
“So you can sleep it off,” the sheriff stated blatantly before
walking back down the long hallway and leaving Tabby by himself
once again.
He could sleep it off in his own damn bed!
Tabby stood, swayed a little, and then sat back down. That was it.
He wasn’t drinking anymore. It was doing nothing but getting him
into trouble these days. He was sick of looking at cell bars. It was
becoming a habit lately.
He sighed as he lay back, the room swimming around him. Maybe
he shouldn’t have had that last drink, or the fifth one. Hell, who was
he kidding? He couldn’t even remember how many he had had.
But he did remember the hot scene in the truck behind the tavern.
Tabby was still racking his brain trying to figure out what possessed
20
Lynn Hagen
him to do something so slutty. That wasn’t like him. Normally he
took his time getting to know someone before turning into a harlot.
Tabby couldn’t figure out what was so special about this man that
made him drop his damn pants at the first invite.
Maybe because the guy is smoking ass hot.
Still, he’d never acted that way before in his life. It was something
he had seen plenty of other men do all the time. It had just never
interested him—until the man with the lethal looks had sat next to
him. Tabby had been so embarrassed by his behavior that he
practically ran from the truck once it was over.
He prayed he never ran into that man again.
Maybe.
Tabby rolled over, his arm falling from the side of the cot,
dangling over the edge as his stomach lurched. He quickly forgot
about the man with the air of danger as he thought that maybe he
should have eaten dinner before his bout of drinking.
That would have been the wise thing to do.
“He needs to sleep it off.”
Tabby turned his head and listened closely as the sheriff argued
with someone. His voice was so deep that it carried down the hallway
and into his cell, making Tabby strain to listen. Was the sheriff
talking about him?
“I will take full responsibility for him, Jesse.”
God, that voice!
Ever since he had heard the deep timbre a few weeks back, that
was all Tabby dreamt about. He wasn’t sure what the guy meant when
he had yelled mine, but the voice had drew him in like a moth to a
burning building, making Tabby run in fear of becoming addicted to
the damn sound.
Tabby had tried his best to steer clear of the man since then, but
damn if that voice wasn’t something he could listen to all day long. It
was jack-off worthy in his opinion. It was deep, commanding, and
downright earthmoving.
Memphis 21
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Memphis.”
Tabby glanced up to see the man who had broken into every damn
dream he had since that night. He stood there looking good enough to
eat. His black T-shirt stretched across ripped muscles that flexed
when he waved at the cell. Tabby was going to come in his drunken
state just by staring at the man!
“Open it up.”
Tabby rolled onto his back, staring at the guy as the sheriff opened
the jail cell. He wanted to ask what in the hell was going on, but his
mouth was as dry as the desert. He needed something to drink.
“You’re in my custody now,” Memphis said as he approached the
cot, his lean and fierce figure looming over Tabby.
Tabby shook his head, regretting it as he lay back down, grabbing
his temples and praying the insistent throbbing stopped sometime
soon. “I can’t be. I’m not under arrest. Just let me sleep it off.”
He wasn’t as crazy as everyone thought he was. There was no way
he was going to let a stranger take him out of here. And what kind of
sheriff allowed one of his prisoners to be taken away by a stranger
anyway?
When he had gone to the hospital because the sheriff had claimed
that Tabby had knocked his head into the bars on purpose, that was
the farthest thing from the truth. He had slipped and fell, hitting his
head on the bars.
Everyone he had ever known had always exaggerated things about
him. Tabby hated it. He hated being known as the crazy man
wherever he went, and it seemed this town was no different from the
rest. Tabby had hoped it was. The town was beautiful, but the sheriff
was determined to be like everyone else.
Memphis cocked his head, staring down at Tabby, and then
reached his hand out, waving it toward his body. “Come on, Tabby.
I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”
“No, I’m not going,” Tabby argued as he slapped at Memphis’s
hands. “Leave me alone.”
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Lynn Hagen
Memphis stood, staring down at him in disbelief. “What is your
problem?”
His problem? Was the guy serious? “Maybe my problem is that I
don’t know you. Maybe because I only know your name because I
heard the sheriff say it. And maybe I’m freaking out because you tried
to make me yours a few weeks ago without even learning my name!”
Yeah, okay. So he fucked a guy last night without getting his
name. Hell, they hadn’t spoken a single word while the man rocked
his world. But that was different. Tabby had gone into that knowing
full well it was just a hookup.
This psycho was trying to make things permanent.
It was inconceivable to Tabby that a total stranger was taking so
much interest in him. What were his motives? What was Memphis up
to? The words crazy stalker were running through his head as Tabby
turned toward the wall, feeling the entire room spin with his action.
God, he wished he was sober right now.
He closed his eyes, praying the dizziness subsided. His stomach
was doing flips, and he wasn’t too sure that he could hold his stomach
content down. What had he eaten today anyway? Tabby felt himself
drift off to sleep, only to feel someone trying to lift him from the cot.
“Don’t even try it, buddy,” he growled without opening his eyes.
Memphis’s alluring and deeply masculine voice washed over him,
almost soothing Tabby. “I promise, Tabby. You’re safe.”
“And I promise to kick your balls up into your throat if you take
me from here.” It was a promise he wasn’t too sure he could deliver in
his current condition. He could barely hold his head up as it was.
But he had to make the attempt at letting Memphis know what he
would do. Even if Tabby knew for a fact that he couldn’t kick a wet
noodle’s ass at the moment. Memphis was three times his size with at
least one hundred more pounds over Tabby—all straining muscles,
lickable, touchable, straining muscles.
Damn.
Memphis 23
Tabby growled as he covered his head with his arm. He just
needed to sleep it off as the sheriff had stated. He’d be fine once he
was sober. And maybe had something to eat. A shower would
definitely help.
“Now why would you want to do that? All I’m trying to do is help
you,” Memphis asked from beside the cot.
Tabby could hear the amusement in the other man’s voice, and it
pissed him off. No one ever took him seriously.
Ever.
He was tired of people thinking him cute and innocent, someone
to pat on the head and treat as an imbecile. He wasn’t crazy, or slow,
or even cute and cuddly. He had feelings just like everyone else, and
he was tired of people dismissing him just because he was a meager
five foot three.
“Fuck off.”
“That’s no way to talk to someone, now is it?”
Tabby rolled back over, regretting the move as his head swam.
“Who are you?” Besides an annoying, sexy beast. On a scale of one to
ten, Memphis rated a damn twenty. What the hell did he want with
Tabby?
The man crouched down next to the cot, giving Tabby a smile to
rival the stars. “I’m Memphis.”
“I already knew that,” Tabby said irritably, hating the fact that he
felt drawn to the stalker. “I mean, who are you?”
Memphis’s thick brows pulled down, confusion evident in his
sultry grey eyes. “I’m someone who wants to make sure you’re taken
care of, Tabby,” Memphis answered him gently.
Tabby could see the honesty in Memphis’s eyes. He wanted to
believe that Memphis meant him no harm, but Tabby had been burned
before by someone who had only wanted to help.
And he wasn’t going to be fooled again.
“Piss. Off.”
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Lynn Hagen
Memphis stood, hitching his thumbs into his front pockets as he
stared down at Tabby disapprovingly. “You can sleep it off here. But
we’re not done with this.”
Oh, yes they were.
“I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Tabby rolled over, giving Memphis his back once more.
* * * *
Memphis sat in the chair across from Jesse’s desk, wondering just
how long his mate was going to sleep it off. He wanted to talk to
Tabby, get to know him—which was odd for one of the soldiers
considering what they had been through. Most soldiers wanted to run
in the opposite direction when finding out they had a mate.
But Memphis took another perspective on the situation than the
other soldiers. If he could survive Jackson’s reign of terror, then he
could survive anything.
What was one small mate compared to Jackson?
It would be a breeze.
“Tell me about him,” Memphis said to Jesse as he leaned back,
tossing his arm over the back of his chair. He was dying to find out
about the man fate paired him with. The man was short, sexy,
and…drunk. Memphis didn’t care for the last part, but he should be
able to work around that. Everyone had their little idiosyncrasies.
Tabby’s was drinking.
It didn’t seem to be out of control, but then again, Memphis was
just getting to know the guy.
Jesse sat forward, laying his arms on the desk in front of him as he
gave Memphis an annoyed look. “You’ve asked me to do that already,
and I’ve told you all I know about him, Memphis. He’s trouble in
designer jeans.” Jesse sat back, waving a hand toward Memphis.
“Which means he’s all of our trouble now since he’s your mate.”
Memphis 25
Jesse didn’t look too happy about the whole situation, but
Memphis felt his blood pumping faster as he thought about the small
man in the jail cell. Tabby fascinated him. He was feisty, vulgar, and
hardheaded. And he did look damn good in designer jeans.
Damn if Tabby’s attitude didn’t turn Memphis on. He liked his
men with a bit of an attitude. It made life more interesting.
“Are you going to stick around until he wakes up?” Jesse asked.
Memphis had nothing else better to do. If he went home, Zeus
would only put him to work. Not that he minded working. He just had
a mate to woo.
His thoughts turned back to Tabby. The man seemed
unapproachable, frosty. But Memphis wasn’t going to give up. This
was his one shot at happiness, and he was going to grab it by the balls
and twist the bitches.
“I’m staying,” Memphis said as he stretched, pushing his legs out
in front of him and crossing his ankles, resting his hands on top of his
head.
“Suit yourself,” Jesse said as he chuckled and walked toward his
office door. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Memphis was half tempted to go back down to the cells and check
on his mate, but he knew Tabby was going to be asleep for a while.
Maybe he could go get a bite to eat for breakfast and pick something
up for his mate as well. Maybe Tabby would be all sorts of grateful?
Memphis grinned.
With that thought in mind, Memphis walked out of the police
station and headed down Trenton Street until he arrived at Harold’s
deli. They had started making breakfast sandwiches, which meant the
shop was open for business earlier.
After grabbing some breakfast and coffee, Memphis headed back
toward the station. He felt odd trying to please someone else. It
wasn’t like he was in the habit of doing something like that. The
soldiers had looked out for each other, but as far as trying to please
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Lynn Hagen
each other, that didn’t happen. Everyone was too busy just trying to
cope with life in the aftermath of Jackson’s storm.
A strange sense of pride filled him knowing that even though he
was only getting a sandwich and a coffee, he was doing something for
his mate. It was a foreign feeling, but one Memphis hoped to feel over
and over again.
He liked it.
“What the hell?” Memphis said as he entered the police station. It
seemed everyone was running toward the jail cells. The hairs on the
back of his neck stood on end as he set the breakfast sandwiches and
coffees down and raced toward his mate.
“Get me out of here!” Tabby shouted as he screamed at the top of
his lungs. “Get me the fuck out of here now!”
Memphis’s eyes grew so wide that they actually hurt when he saw
Tabby standing in his cell with his arm laced out between the bars and
wrapped around one of the officer’s neck. His first reaction was to kill
the cop for being anywhere near Tabby. Memphis took a deep breath,
stopping his wolf from emerging as he stood there studying the scene.
“Let him go, Tabby!” Jesse shouted. “Have you lost your damn
mind?”
Memphis could see the tears straining not to escape from Tabby’s
troubled eyes. Something wasn’t right here. His mate didn’t seem the
type to go off the deep end for no reason. But then again, he really
didn’t know him at all just yet. Whatever the case was, Memphis was
going to be on Tabby’s side. He was Memphis’s mate, after all.
“Talk to me, Tabby,” Memphis said as he approached the cell.
The officer being held was turning an odd shade of red as he pulled at
Tabby’s arms, but his mate was stronger than he appeared. Memphis
wasn’t going to allow his mate to become a murderer. “Tell me what
happened.”
“He’s fucking crazy!” the officer garbled out as he yanked at
Tabby’s arms, trying desperately to free himself.
Memphis 27
Tabby’s mouth thinned until his lips could no longer be seen as he
tightened his hold on the officer. “I’m not crazy.”
“Then tell me what happened, Tabby,” Memphis said as he laid a
hand on Tabby’s outstretched arm. He wasn’t going to lie to himself.
Even with the situation looking as bleak as it did, Memphis felt his
stomach tighten at the feel of his mate under his hand.
The connection was making his head spin.
“He—” Tabby bit his bottom lip, glancing around at everyone
standing outside the cell. “They’ll never believe me.”
“Try me,” Jesse replied.
Tabby shook his head as he glanced up into Memphis’s eyes.
“They’re cops. They’ll stick together and call me a liar.”
“I won’t,” Memphis reassured him as he slowly, gently pried
Tabby’s arm from around the officer’s neck.
The cop sputtered as he rubbed his red and swollen neck, glaring
at Tabby as he shot daggers at Memphis’s mate with his eyes. “I want
to file charges against him!”
Tabby slammed his hand against the bars as he growled. “Then I
want to file charges as well!”
Memphis reached into the cell, curling his fingers around his
mate’s, trying his best to calm him and get his attention. “Tell me
what he did.”
Tabby’s eyes snapped back up at Memphis, fear, anger, and hurt
echoing in them. “He tried to rape me. That sad, sorry excuse for a
cop crept in here while he thought I was asleep and began to grope
me.”
“Liar!” the officer in question shouted.
“Fuck you!” Tabby shouted back. “Tell them the truth. Tell them
how you had your grubby ass hands all over me!”
Jesse turned to the officer, his brow raised. “Well?”
28
Lynn Hagen
Chapter Three
Romano walked into Theo’s Bar and Grill and scanned the place
for the soft little twink he had fucked the night before. No one had
ever made him look back, but for some damn reason, the small man
had Romano trying to find him.
He had tried to figure out what it was about the man who had his
dreams filled with blond hair and kissable lips, but Romano was at a
loss to explain it. Those deep and troubled blue eyes seemed to haunt
him even in his damn sleep.
He was determined to have a conversation with the twink and find
something repulsive about the guy just so he could get the man out of
his mind. No one had affected him to the point that he practically
tossed and turned all night. There had to be something about the man
that would turn Romano off and free him to go about his merry
fucking way. Now all he had to do was find the guy.
“What can I get for you?” the bartender who all but threw himself
at Romano the night before asked. The flirtation was back, and the
man was laying it on thick. He had to admit that the man was cute, but
Romano only had one man on his mind as he took a seat.
“Coffee.”
“Coming right up,” the man said and then licked his lips slowly,
seductively as he glanced over his shoulder while he walked away.
Romano almost rolled his eyes. He laid his arms on the counter,
glancing around. He didn’t see his point of interest anywhere. Maybe
that was for the best. He didn’t need any entanglements right now.
His life was already complicated enough without dragging someone
else into the mix. Besides, Romano had never stuck around long
Memphis 29
enough to take a higher interest in someone he fucked besides making
sure his partner got off.
He shook the feeling of wanting to get to know the twink a little
better off as the bartender brought him his cup of coffee. Romano
wanted to find something off-putting about the man, but at the same
time prayed he never saw him again. The conflict was making him
batty.
“So, are you single?” The man almost purred the question.
Romano nodded as he spun around, pushing from the bar. He
didn’t want to be rude to the guy, but he wasn’t in the mood for
flirting.
God, what the fuck is that twink doing to me?
Romano ran a hand down his face as he saw Dino, along with a
few other men, step into the bar. It was early morning, but Romano
knew Theo’s served breakfast. His stomach rumbled at the thought of
getting a bite to eat. When was the last time he ate something?
Romano couldn’t even remember that last time he had food, well,
anything that didn’t come out of a vending machine. Maybe he should
get some breakfast.
A grin broke out on Dino’s face when he spotted Romano. His
cousin sauntered his way, holding his hand out. “Glad to see you’re
still here.”
So was Romano.
He knew the men following him weren’t as good as him, but
Romano believed everyone had dumb luck once in a while. They
wouldn’t be far behind, and they would pick up his trail. It was only a
matter of time. A smart man would have fled the country, but
Romano had this fucked-up need to be near family.
A need that might just get him killed.
“How long do you plan on staying?” Dino asked as he took a seat
at one of the tables. Romano grabbed a seat as well, watching the men
Dino came with sit down.
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Lynn Hagen
“Not sure,” he said as the flirtatious bartender came over to take
their orders.
“Romano, this is Torem and Sidney.” His cousin introduced him
to his boyfriends.
Romano would have never guessed Dino for the type to have two
lovers. But Romano was the last person to judge. Romano knew who
the men were from his conversation with his cousin and from the one
time he had come here to make sure Dino was safe, but this was his
first formal introduction. He nodded at the two.
“You know you’re welcome to stay up at the house with me,”
Dino said as the bartender brought them their drinks. He had an
orange juice, and the others had coffee. Romano, as well as the other
men, put their breakfast orders in.
“So, how long have you been on the run?” Sidney asked.
Romano stiffened at the question. How the hell did Dino’s
boyfriend know Romano was on the run? He cocked his head,
studying Sidney intently. Just how well did Dino know Sidney?
“Don’t mind Sidney,” Torem replied. “He gets a little ahead of
himself. He thinks everyone is in trouble and everyone is hiding from
someone. He watches too many late-night movies.”
Torem had no idea how right Sidney truly was in his case.
“Thanks for the offer,” Romano said to Dino, ignoring Sidney’s
question as he leaned back, allowing the bartender to serve their
breakfast plates before continuing. “But you know I like my own
space.”
Dino nodded. “That I do. But the offer is open anytime you want
to take me up on it.”
“Appreciate it.” Romano was already in deep shit. He didn’t want
to drag his cousin into it any further. He had to figure out what he was
going to do. He knew he should report what he saw, but Romano
wasn’t in the mood to go through any witness protection programs.
He just wanted a simple life, but that seemed to get tossed out of the
window when he witnessed the murder of a high-profile lawyer.
Memphis 31
Now the only thing he could do was keep a low profile and try his
best to stay hidden until he could figure out how in the hell to get out
of this situation.
“How’s the company doing?” Dino asked as he scooped some
eggs onto his fork and shoved them into his mouth.
“Good, real good.” If Romano considered watching someone
getting shot to death a part of the job.
“What do you do?” Torem asked as he looped an arm around
Dino’s shoulders. It was a possessive gesture. Even Romano could
tell that. Torem was silently laying claim to Dino.
Romano could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up
when the man just stared at him, eyeing him as a potential threat. He
shivered, wondering if Torem knew how much of a threat he really
was.
He wasn’t sure what Torem was thinking, but he must have seen
the dark and deadly look everyone else saw in Romano. The man just
didn’t know how truly safe Dino was. But Romano had a feeling
Torem was also letting him know that although they were cousins,
Dino was his now.
Romano wouldn’t stand in the way of his cousin’s happiness, but
if he ever found out that Torem mistreated Dino, he’d bury the body.
“My cousin owns a landscaping company,” Dino boasted proudly.
“Tiziano’s Lawn Care and Landscaping.”
Romano smiled at the pride on Dino’s face. He loved the hell out
of his cousin, and that was why he didn’t want to get him involved in
all of his bullshit. It would tear at his gut to see that prideful smile
turn into loathing if something happened to Dino.
He knew coming here might not have been the brightest idea, but
Romano didn’t know where else to go. It seemed like the logical place
to hide, but Romano was starting to reconsider his choice when he
saw the love between the three men as they talked with each other.
It would kill him if anything were to happen to any of these men.
Romano decided right there to keep his contact with Dino to a
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Lynn Hagen
minimum while he was hiding out in this small town. No matter how
much it made his stomach clench, it was for the best.
* * * *
Tabby glared at the men around him, including Memphis. He
knew no one believed him. He was the one behind the bars, so what
credibility did he really have? He wasn’t lying to them, and he hadn’t
imagined the slimeball officer’s hands all over him. The thought of
that repulsive man touching him still made Tabby want to run to the
nearest shower and scrub his skin with a scouring pad.
“You’re on paid leave until I can get this sorted out,” Jesse said to
the cop.
“You’re fucking kidding, right?” the man spurted as his face
turned a bright red. “This is insane!” Tabby could see the hate
brewing in the man’s eyes. “You believe a worthless drunk over me? I
was never in his fucking cell. He’s lying.”
Tabby’s eyes snapped over to Memphis when the man gave a low
growl. No one had ever defended him before. Tabby’s eyes nearly
bugged out of his head when Memphis stepped up to his cell door.
“Jesse, open the door.”
Without a word, Jesse stepped over and opened the cell door.
Tabby backed up when Memphis stepped into the cell. He suddenly
realized how small the cell actually was once Memphis was inside.
Damn, that man was huge.
“Jesse, can you clear the room?” Memphis asked, and then turned
to look at the officer who had groped Tabby. He wagged his finger at
the man. “Except him. I want him to wait in your office.”
Who the hell was Memphis, and why was the sheriff listening to
him? Tabby scratched his head, confused as hell. He was even more
confused, and just a little intrigued, when Memphis stepped closer
and started sniffing at him.
Okay, scratch that. He was wigged out.
Memphis 33
Tabby frowned then lifted his arm and gave it a small sniff. It
wasn’t too bad. He might need a shower, but he didn’t stink.
What in the hell was Memphis doing?
“Jesse?” Memphis waved his hand at the sheriff. “Come over
here. I can smell the officer on Tabby.”
“Well, yeah,” Jesse said. “Tabby was trying to strangle him
through the bars. There is sure to be transfer.”
“Not back here, there’s not. Tabby was pressed against the
officer’s back. The officer’s scent is on the back of Tabby’s jeans near
his ass and along the cot. If the officer was never in the cell like he
said, then his scent shouldn’t be in here. It certainly shouldn’t be on
Tabby’s ass.”
Tabby swallowed hard and stepped back, pressing himself against
the cold stone bricks of his cell when the sheriff stepped into the cell.
Tabby might not have minded Memphis sniffing him, but he drew the
line at the sheriff.
“Hey, that’s enough of that!” Tabby shouted. He wasn’t that
drunk.
“Just hold still, Tabby.”
“You hold still, damn it,” Tabby snapped. “Better yet, let him
sniff you.”
Jesse chuckled but Memphis growled, and both reactions freaked
the shit out of Tabby. He held up his hands, trying to ward the two
men off. “Okay, look, maybe I was making a mistake. I really did
have a lot to drink. I’m sure he was just in my cell to check on me or
something. It was just a misunderstanding.”
“Tabby, tell the truth,” Memphis said. “If the officer touched you,
we need to know. What happens if he tries to do it with someone who
can’t protect himself?”
Oh sure, appeal to my sense of injustice. Tabby sighed, his
shoulders slumping. “Yes, he groped me, and no, I didn’t ask for it.
Happy?”
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Lynn Hagen
“Delirious,” Memphis growled as he turned and started to storm
out of the cell.
Jesse jumped forward and grabbed Memphis’s arm, pulling him to
a stop. “Not this way, Memphis.”
Tabby blinked when he saw Memphis turn and curl his upper lip.
The fang that appeared had to be the booze. It was long and white and
so damn sharp it looked like it could shred steel. Tabby swallowed
past the sudden knot of fear that clogged his throat.
He really needed to stop drinking.
Or go get his eyes checked because there was no way he was
looking at a damn fang.
“Fine, but I want him brought in front of Zeus,” Memphis bit out
before he turned back to Tabby, his dark grey eyes almost boring into
Tabby’s. “I want you to come with me.”
“Not even on a sober day,” Tabby snapped. There were too many
men around him, and after what the cop did, he didn’t trust anyone.
Besides, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be sniffed again. That was just
weird.
Memphis walked back into the cell, his size towering over Tabby.
“We’re going before the mayor, and I need you to tell Zeus what
happened.”
Tabby could see the restraint Memphis was using. He didn’t
understand it. Why did Memphis care what happened to him? It didn’t
make any sense to him at all. It was like the guy had spotted him a
few weeks back and had a hard-on for him since.
Fuck if that wasn’t a classic stalker move.
“I’ll go, but I’m going home afterwards,” Tabby said as he slinked
by Memphis, trying his best not to touch the man even though he was
built like a god. Under any other circumstance, Tabby just might have
been all over that.
But the sniffing and the groping from this morning were wigging
him out. Big-time. He followed Memphis out of the cell area,
watching everyone around him as he exited the police station. Tabby
Memphis 35
was leery about going somewhere with Memphis, but he wanted to
put all of this behind him.
Tabby climbed into Memphis’s truck, snapping his seat belt into
place as they drove to the mayor’s home. He wasn’t too sure about
any of this. Why would a case like his be held in front of the mayor?
It didn’t make sense to Tabby.
He sat quietly as Memphis drove, sneaking peeks at the large man
beside him. He had to admit, Memphis was a delicious morsel. If the
man hadn’t acted like a stalker, they might have had a chance.
Memphis pulled into the drive, parking the truck as he cut the
motor. He turned toward Tabby, his eyes warm. “Now don’t be afraid
of Zeus. He’s a fair man.”
Yeah, Tabby would hold his judgment until he saw what
happened inside. If Zeus started sniffing him, Tabby was so out of
there. He took a slight whiff of his arms again just to make sure he
wasn’t on the stinky side.
Nope.
“Come on, Tabby.”
Tabby hopped from the truck, following Memphis inside. Damn,
the place was laid out. Tabby gawked at the lavishness of the mayor’s
home. The guy must be stinking rich! Now he really felt awkward as
he stood in the foyer.
His eyes rounded until they hurt when he saw the biggest man
he’d ever seen in his life heading his way. He never met Zeus before,
but he prayed this man wasn’t going to eat him. The man looked like
he had been formed from the damn earth!
“Zeus, we have a problem,” Memphis said as he told the mayor
about what happened back at the jail. Tabby listened, but he couldn’t
help but stare at the hulking man.
Did men really come in that size?
Tabby turned his head when the front door opened. He groaned
when he spotted the man he had had sex with last night in the back of
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Lynn Hagen
the tavern. Was this his fucking day or what? Tabby glanced around,
wondering if there was someplace he could hide.
This wasn’t going to be good.
Not at all.
“You,” the man that Tabby fucked said as he spotted him standing
next to Memphis. “I wondered where you’d run off to.”
Oh crap.
Memphis spun around, growling as he grabbed Tabby in a tight
hold. “Mine!”
Really?
“What makes you think he’s yours?” the guy that rocked Tabby’s
world asked. “I think he can decide who he wants to be around.”
Tabby smacked a hand over his face. This could not be happening.
He could feel his entire body flush as he pushed Memphis away from
him and took a step back, ready to bolt.
“Tabby?” Memphis asked. “Do you know this man?”
Tabby nodded. What was the use in hiding it?
He lowered his hand, looking from one sex god to the other as he
shrugged. “I kind of slept with him.”
His hands flew to his ears as Memphis howled.
Howled?
Memphis 37
Chapter Four
Memphis was livid. He knew Tabby had a past. Who didn’t? But
his mate’s past didn’t need to be standing in front of him smirking.
Memphis’s fingers itched to pound that smirk right off of the guy’s
face.
“What’s wrong?” The man’s dark eyebrow arched. “Jealous?”
Okay, he was going to pound the guy into the ground. There was
no lingering doubt now. Memphis took a step forward, ready to show
this arrogant human what a wolf did to protect his mate when Zeus’s
hand landed on his chest, stopping him.
“That’s Dino’s cousin you’re about to cremate.”
Memphis growled as he stared at Romano. So this was the man
that had stood them up twice when Memphis and Eagle had gone after
him? Memphis raked Romano with a sneer, letting the man know
what he thought of him.
His emotions were running high. His anger flared, and he was
ready to kick—Memphis stilled as he sniffed the air.
“There he goes with that sniffing thing again,” Tabby mumbled as
he took another step back, glancing between the two men. Memphis
inhaled deeply and then felt his cock harden and his heart sink at the
same time.
This arrogant asshole was his second mate.
Fuck!
Memphis ground his back teeth as he glared at Romano. Even
though he was relieved that Tabby had slept with their mate, it still
didn’t excuse Romano from acting like an ass.
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Lynn Hagen
“I think we need to talk,” Dino said as he glanced around at
everyone standing in the foyer. “Things seem to be getting a bit tense
around here.”
“I’m fine,” Romano said as he smirked once again at Memphis.
“But I’m not so sure about hothead over there.”
One…two…three…four. Memphis took a deep breath, letting it
out slowly. He was not going to strangle his mate. Nope, he wasn’t
going to do it. But damn if the man wasn’t asking for it.
“Am I free to go?” Tabby asked.
“No!” Memphis and Romano said in unison.
Tabby threw his hands up in the air as he looked at Zeus. “Can I
go now?”
Memphis shot Zeus a daggered look. He knew he was playing
with fire looking at his alpha that way, but no one was going to
interfere with him and his mates.
“Go ahead,” Zeus said as he gave Memphis a challenging look.
“No one is holding you prisoner here.”
Tabby headed for the door as if his ass were on fire. Memphis
watched helplessly as Tabby slammed the door behind him.
“Why did you do that?” Romano growled at Zeus.
Even Memphis knew his mate was about to get his ass handed to
him. He stepped between Romano and Zeus, praying the alpha didn’t
dust Romano off. “He doesn’t know,” Memphis said to Zeus.
“Then he better learn,” Zeus warned as he walked away, his jaw
clenched tight.
“I can defend myself. I don’t need you taking up my battles,”
Romano bit out as he stalked toward the front door. Memphis felt like
pulling his damn hair out. And he thought everything would be a
cakewalk after Jackson?
He must have been fucking insane.
“Let him cool off,” Dino said. “Romano has a temper. If you let
him cool off, he’ll see reason.”
Memphis 39
“He’s not the only one with a temper,” Memphis snapped as he
headed toward the door. He had to make sure Tabby was okay. He
still wanted to go back to that damn jail and beat the shit out of that
cop. The need to kick someone’s ass was riding him hard as he
slammed the door behind him. He was quickly losing his ability to
care who it was.
Memphis groaned when he saw Romano leaning against
Memphis’s truck. This was so not his day. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Romano replied as he waved a hand down the
driveway. “But if you’re going after Tabby, I’m riding along.”
“Why?” Memphis asked as he walked closer to his truck, his
nerves frayed.
“I don’t have a ride back to town, and since you’ve been so
hospitable, I thought maybe I could catch one with you.”
“Stop thinking then,” Memphis said as he grabbed the door handle
and opened the driver’s side, sliding in. He didn’t like Romano’s
attitude, and just because they were mates that didn’t mean he had to
like the man.
Romano was arrogant, cocky, and had one smart ass mouth.
Memphis wasn’t used to being talked to that way, and hell if his mate
was going to start. He’d kick his ass before he allowed him to treat
Memphis any kind of way.
He may like his men with a bit of an attitude, but Romano’s
attitude sucked.
Memphis gripped the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles
turned white when Romano climbed into the passenger side. “Get out
of my truck,” he said between clenched teeth. He had to remind
himself that Romano was his mate.
“Just give me a damn ride. That’s all I need.”
Memphis could think of a few more things his mate needed as he
started his truck and headed back into town. Too bad he really
wouldn’t hurt his mate because Romano was that close to seeing just
how ticked off Memphis truly was.
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Lynn Hagen
* * * *
Taz couldn’t believe that Zeus had made him owner of Theo’s Bar
and Grill. It had shocked the hell out of him, but he wasn’t
complaining. There were plenty of eligible men who came through
the doors, which meant plenty of ass.
He was all for that.
When Tabby walked through the door, looking around before
walking over to the bar and taking a seat, Taz groaned. That little guy
was going to be the death of him. The man drank like a fish and was
more trouble than he was worth.
It was days like these that he wished Theo were still around. But
the previous owner was off somewhere with his mate, living the life.
“What can I get for you?” he asked Tabby.
“The usual,” the man replied with a tired look.
Tabby didn’t look his usual happy-go-lucky self. Taz could tell
something was bothering the man. Was he supposed to ask? Weren’t
bartenders backup psychologists or some shit like that? Taz slid the
glass over to Tabby and waited. When the guy didn’t say anything, he
shrugged. Guess he doesn’t want to talk.
Oh well, he tried.
Taz wasn’t very good at that psychobabble anyway. What advice
could he give anyway? He was just as fucked-up in the head as every
other soldier that lived at Zeus’s. He may not have been as tortured as
Eagle had been, but they all had their nightmares to deal with.
“Let me know if you need anything else,” Taz said as he walked
around the bar, taking care of another customer.
* * * *
Romano sat next to Memphis, sneaking peeks at the guy. How the
hell could someone so damn hot be so fucking annoying? Memphis
Memphis 41
made him want to drive his fist into that gorgeous face but at the same
time shove his cock down the man’s throat.
Had he ever been this conflicted before?
Oh right, with Tabby’s hot ass.
Romano knew it was a bad idea coming to Dino’s house, and now
he knew why, the sexy aggravating man beside him. “Do you know
where Tabby lives?”
Memphis cut a glare at him before he gave a slight shake of his
head. “Not a clue.”
“You know him, but you don’t know where he lives?” Romano
asked irritably.
“Do you know where everyone lives who you just met?”
“You just met him?” Romano wasn’t sure why, but that pissed
him off. He wasn’t sure about a lot of things lately, but he knew that
giving Tabby up was becoming the hardest thing he ever had to do.
He no longer wanted to figure out what fucked-up qualities the man
had to help turn him off. No, Romano wanted to know what great
qualities Tabby had to turn him on. The man seemed to have crawled
inside of him, taking up permanent residence.
“Yes.”
“Then how in the hell can you lay claim to him if you just met
him? I thought you two were dating or something.” Romano clenched
his fists on his thighs, angered that Memphis could lay claim to the
man he wanted, to a man he just met. Now he knew exactly how
possessive Memphis truly was.
But Romano wanted Tabby, and Memphis couldn’t have him.
What angered him the most was the fact that, as annoying as
Memphis was, Romano wanted him as well. The shit didn’t make any
sense to him.
“Because, okay?”
“What the hell kind of answer is that?” Romano asked as he
turned toward Memphis, staring at his profile and feeling his cock
begin to fill. “Can you be a little more specific?” he asked as he
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Lynn Hagen
ignored the lust coursing through his veins for the most irritating man
to ever walk the earth.
“Not really.”
Romano ran his hand over his face, trying his best not to reach
over and strangle the man behind the wheel. He didn’t need to get into
a car wreck. But he did want answers. Memphis’s jaw was too rigid to
not have a reason for his insane claim on Tabby.
“Elaborate.”
“No.”
Romano tapped his thumb on his thigh, counting to ten very
slowly…twice. “He’s mine.”
Memphis gave a low chuckle from beside him as he shook his
head. “He’s ours, Romano.”
Romano could have sworn he heard the word unfortunately under
Memphis’s breath.
“I don’t share my men, Memphis. What makes you think I’d sleep
with you anyway?” Although the thought wasn’t displeasing, he’d
never tell Memphis that.
“Because—”
“Are you one of those wolves?”
Romano grabbed the dash as the truck swerved and then came to a
sudden stop, Memphis gaping at him. “How?”
“I’m not as dumb as I look,” Romano replied as his balls
unclenched.
Memphis gave Romano a look that said he seriously doubted
Romano’s claim. “Then you should know why Tabby is mine.”
“He’s mine!”
“And if you know anything about wolves, as you claim, then you
should know why you are mine as well.”
Romano’s jaw dropped and then he slowly started shaking his
head. “Fuck you,” Romano spat as he turned away from Memphis. He
never claimed to know anything about the wolves, just that he knew
Memphis 43
they existed. He wanted to mug that arrogant look right off of
Memphis’s gorgeous face.
“Is that the best you can come up with?”
Romano had had enough. He got out of the truck and slammed the
door. He’d rather walk back to town than deal with Memphis for
another minute. The man was driving him crazy!
“Get back in, Romano. You know it’s too far to walk.”
Romano flipped Memphis off as he began his trek to town. He
didn’t care if it took him until nightfall. He wasn’t getting back into
the truck with that prick.
That sexy, muscular, hotter-than-hell prick.
Goddamn it, Memphis was screwing with his brain. As Romano
walked, Memphis slowly rolled next to him. He could hear Memphis
snickering inside the truck.
Never in his life had he wanted to strangle and fuck someone at
the same time.
“Get in, Romano.”
“Fuck off, Memphis.”
“Fuck is a good word. I’d like to fuck you right now.”
Romano’s head snapped around as he saw the gleam of lust in
Memphis’s eyes. The fucking man was serious!
“Not even if it would save my life,” he replied.
“Might save mine.”
A smile tugged at Romano’s lip, but he wasn’t going to let
Memphis see it. The man was annoying enough already. If he knew
the way he affected Romano, he would never hear the end of it.
“You know you want to.”
“Hardly.” Yes he did.
“Your lips say no, but your body knows it wants to feel me sink
balls deep into it.”
Romano let out a small groan. What the hell was with this guy?
One minute he was biting Romano’s head off, the next he was
sexually teasing him? The man had to be bipolar or something.
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Lynn Hagen
He stopped walking and gave Memphis a challenging glare. “Fine,
come suck my dick.”
He heard a chuckle from inside the truck. “You have to bring it to
me.”
Really?
Romano shook his head. He shouldn’t be getting excited at the
prospect, but fuck if his cock wasn’t hard as a brick. He glanced over
at Memphis, seeing the man wiggling his brows. “What has you so
damn nice all of the sudden? You were ready to take my head off not
too long ago.”
Memphis shrugged as he put the truck in park and scooted across
the seat, resting his arm on the frame of the window. “We’re mates.
Since I can’t kill you, then I might as well fuck you.”
It sounded perfectly logical to Romano.
No, it doesn’t!
“What’s a mate?” Romano asked as he walked closer to Memphis.
“A fuck buddy,” Memphis replied. “Now are we going to be
buddies or what?”
Romano took a step closer. “You’re not fucking me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t bottom.” Romano gave Memphis a pointed stare.
“Ever.”
“We’ll see about that,” Memphis mumbled under his breath as he
pushed the passenger door open and then scooted back over to the
driver’s side.
What was it with trucks and sex lately?
It seemed Romano was getting more action in trucks than in his
own damn bed. Not that he was complaining. Maybe if he shoved his
dick into Memphis’s mouth, it would shut the arrogant bastard up for
more than five seconds.
Romano shook his head as he climbed back into the truck and
closed the door.
Memphis 45
Chapter Five
Memphis panted hard as he tried to bring his breathing under
control. He wasn’t sure why he had said the things he had to Romano,
but the need to fuck his mate into compliance had hit him hard.
Romano closed the door, his eyes looking away from Memphis.
The tension in the truck was thick as Memphis reached over and ran a
knuckle over Romano’s strong features. “Take your cock out if you
want me to suck it.”
As Romano’s mouth opened to say something Memphis was sure
to be flippant, he moved swiftly and took those overconfident lips in a
mind-blowing kiss. The sparks were instantaneous. Memphis knew he
made a grave error in judgment when he thought he was going to be
high-handed with Romano.
His mate’s lips were too soft, too giving. Romano was resistant at
first, but then he seemed to take over, pushing his tongue into
Memphis’s mouth, tasting him, possessing him. Memphis let out a
small groan as he pulled at Romano’s jeans, trying to get the damn
things to cooperate.
Memphis hadn’t thought he would want to fuck Romano into the
side of the dashboard until his mate became aggressive, demanding
Memphis open wider as his tongue dueled with Memphis’s.
His hands shook slightly, and Memphis prayed the strong man
beside him hadn’t noticed. He didn’t want to show any signs of
weakness. Romano was a powerful force, and Memphis knew that if
he showed any weakness, Romano would be the one mastering him.
He wasn’t going to allow that to happen.
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Lynn Hagen
He finally got the snap open and the zipper down, palming the hot
piece of flesh that was hard, weeping. Memphis broke the incredible
kiss as he glanced at Romano before lowering himself and then
quickly engulfed Romano’s straining cock.
“Shit!” Romano shouted as his fingers curled into Memphis’s
hair.
Memphis worked the flesh mercilessly, sucking the cock hard as
his free hand slid up Romano’s chest and circled around his mate’s
neck. Romano slapped his hand aside, but Memphis wrapped his
fingers around Romano’s neck, daring him to move with his action.
“Fuck, Memphis!” Romano said between clenched teeth.
He wanted, needed Romano’s seed in his mouth. Memphis needed
to taste Romano’s surrender. Memphis wanted to feel Romano sated
and compliant. His tongue probed insistently, drawing out the pre-
cum that was flowing from Romano’s cock.
“Make me come,” Romano begged as his fingers tightened in
Memphis’s hair.
That was exactly what Memphis wanted, to have his mate reduced
to unintelligible sounds of unbridled passion. His wolf growled at the
surrender he heard in Romano’s plea.
Memphis licked a long line down Romano’s cock, feeling the soft
sac on his tongue, then trailed back up his mate’s length, enjoying the
pure pleasure of the slow and torturous action.
“Damn you, stop teasing me,” Romano snarled, but the pleading
in his eyes belied the vehemence in his voice.
Memphis ignored his mate’s pleas as he took his time. He wanted
his mate unglued, begging, and losing control.
But most of all, Memphis wanted Romano to know who the
dominant one was in this relationship. He wanted Romano to shut his
mouth and lose his sharp tongue. He was the alpha of the three, and
Romano was going to learn his place.
“Memphis, make me come or I’m going to slug you.”
Memphis 47
Memphis’s tongue took another swipe at Romano’s angry purple
cockhead before looking up at his mate. “Say I’m in charge.”
Romano’s eyes narrowed down to slits. “Fuck you.”
Memphis sucked the head back into his mouth, rubbing the flat of
his tongue over the bundle of nerves just under the head, humming.
“Fuck,” Romano shouted as one hand let go of Memphis’s hair
and slammed against the dashboard. “Finish this.”
Plunging forward, Memphis swallowed Romano all the way down
until he felt wiry hairs at his nose, using his throat muscles to massage
Romano’s cock. Just as he felt the buildup straining to release, he
backed off.
Romano cursed, grabbing the back of Memphis’s head, trying to
force his cock back down Memphis’s throat. Memphis gave a low
warning growl as he smacked Romano’s hand away.
“Then make me fucking come, you bastard!”
Memphis let his mate’s erection slide past his lips as he glanced
up at Romano’s angry eyes. “Say it.”
Romano howled as his hips snapped, but Memphis moved his
head away. “Say it.”
His mate looked like he would rather eat glass. “Suck my cock,
Memphis.”
“That’s not it,” he said before he swallowed Romano’s heavy
length again. Memphis quickly pulled his head back before his mate
could grab hold.
“You’re in fucking charge, you arrogant bastard. Now make me
come!”
Memphis smiled and then attacked Romano’s cock savagely,
taking him down to the root as his tongue slid around the length.
“Fuck!” Romano shouted as hot, quick spurts of seed shot down
the back of Memphis’s throat. He drank every last drop before
allowing his mate’s softening cock to slide from his lips. He could see
the hateful daggers Romano was throwing at him with his eyes, but
Memphis ignored them.
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Lynn Hagen
He had won.
Romano sat up stiffly, shoving his assuaging cock back into his
jeans as he stared out of the window, his brows pulled down angrily.
Memphis pulled the truck back onto the road, staring straight
ahead. “Now we go find Tabby.”
* * * *
Tabby blinked a few times as he glanced around the tavern. He
tried to focus, but the room was a complete blur. How much had he
drunk? He tried to remember, but his mind was a liquid blur.
Pushing from the stool, Tabby stumbled but managed to right
himself at the last minute. His could feel his eyes drooping, trying to
close on him as he glanced around the bar.
“I think you’re at your limit, Tabby.”
Tabby swung his head around, the room swimming as he tried to
focus in on the bartender. He didn’t remember drinking that much, but
his sluggish brain was arguing otherwise.
“Do you need a cab?” The voice was distant, as if echoing from a
long tunnel. It was distorted as well.
Tabby waved his hand at the bartender as he stumbled toward the
door. There was no way he was getting into a cab. The sheriff would
only try and arrest him again. Which was odd considering he wasn’t
driving.
Tabby wasn’t going to chance it.
He bumped into a few things, but kept on going. When he pulled
the tavern door open, the fresh air smacked him in his face, a wave of
nausea almost dropping him to his knees.
Something wasn’t right.
He shouldn’t be feeling this way.
“Are you okay?”
Memphis 49
Tabby looked up at the man standing in front of him. He squinted
his eyes as he tried to make out who the man was, but nothing wanted
to stay focused. The person was one big blur. “Memphis?”
“Close enough,” the man said as he slid an arm around Tabby’s
waist. His instincts told him that the man wasn’t Memphis. He didn’t
even feel like Memphis. Not that Tabby knew what Memphis felt like.
But…
“Let me go,” he slurred as he tried to push the man away without
success. Tabby knew he wasn’t winning the struggle when the
stranger pulled him even closer. “Get the hell off of me,” he cried as
he once again pushed at a solid chest.
“I’m only trying to help you.”
Somehow Tabby doubted that as the hairs on the back of his neck
stood on end. This man wanted to do more than help Tabby. Alarm
bells were ringing in his head as he tried to focus, but the man became
all hands, groping all over Tabby. “I want Memphis,” Tabby said,
although the name Memphis was coming out more like men-fist.
The hands quickly disappeared as Tabby heard a low growl. A
smile lit up Tabby’s face as he recognized that growl. He had heard it
just this morning. “Memphis.”
“I’m right here, Tabby.”
Now that was Memphis. The strong body next to him even
smelled like Memphis. As much as Tabby fought the attraction,
Memphis was constantly on his mind. “Romano is here, too.”
Tabby blinked, his gaze slowly rising as he looked at the man that
was haunting not only his dreams, but even his waking hours. “Who?”
“The man you fucked in the truck,” someone growled.
“Oh him,” Tabby said as he giggled. “He was so goooood.”
He heard a chuckle as another arm wrapped around him. “Let’s
get you home. Tell me where you live, Tabby.”
“In a house.”
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Lynn Hagen
“I need a little more than that,” Memphis said as he led Tabby to
his shiny truck, which was parked right outside the tavern. “Can you
give me another clue?”
“It has a mailbox,” Tabby said matter-of-factly as he tried to take
a step, but his feet wouldn’t move. He stared down at them, willing
them to take a step, but the damn stubborn things refused to take a
step.
“What about an address?”
Tabby nodded as he looked up at Memphis’s handsome features.
“Yep, that too.”
“How much have you had to drink, mate?”
Tabby held up his hand, waving it in front of his face. “Seven.”
“He’s wasted,” Romano said with a chuckle. Tabby didn’t find it
funny at all. Honestly, he didn’t remember drinking that much. He
hadn’t even been there that long to have gotten this drunk. Only it
didn’t feel like he was drunk, more like he was floating along,
everything around him swaying.
“Something’s wrong,” Tabby sputtered as he was lifted into
Memphis’s truck by two strong hands. He’d never felt this way
before, and Tabby didn’t like it. His mouth was dry, and his ears were
ringing, making Tabby feel like he was going to be sick at any
moment.
No, something was definitely wrong.
“Yeah, you need to sleep it off.”
“Leave him the hell alone. He’s suffering enough already,
Romano.”
Tabby smiled at the way Memphis was defending him. But it
wasn’t necessary. Romano could say whatever he wanted. Tabby
knew he wasn’t drunk. Something was wrong with him, though. He
could feel it in his head, the way it pounded, and everything around
him was way out of focus, more out of focus than just alcohol should
cause.
Memphis 51
Things swam in front of him, and Tabby couldn’t focus on just
one thing. As hard as he tried and as many times as he blinked,
nothing was clear to him. He laid his head back and closed his eyes,
praying that his stomach would stop rolling. The feeling was
sickening.
* * * *
Romano really didn’t like the flush of Tabby’s skin. His cheeks
were a bright pink, but he felt a little clammy. Romano reached
behind the seat and placed his hand over Tabby’s forehead. The small
man felt cool to the touch.
He wasn’t an expert, but Romano didn’t think this was from
drinking. “Maybe he should come upstairs to my apartment,” he
commented to Memphis as Tabby nuzzled his hand. He found the
move endearing, making him want to put Tabby in his bed and keep a
watch over the smaller man.
“I don’t think so,” Memphis said as he pulled the truck from the
parking spot. “I need to get him back to my place.”
Romano was getting pretty damn tired of Memphis arguing with
him at every turn. This wasn’t about them. This was about Tabby. He
felt he could keep a better eye on the man in his apartment with all the
surveillance equipment watching the surrounding area.
He still hadn’t seen any of the men after him, but it was only a
matter of time. Romano didn’t want to be in a house full of people if
shit got funky. The less people involved, the better. “Do you have to
argue everything I say?”
“Yep,” Memphis answered as he drove back toward the large
mansion. Romano gritted his teeth as he kept an eye on the guy
snoozing in the backseat. He wasn’t one for arguing, but Memphis
was seriously pissing him off.
“Then I’m staying,” he said, knowing it wasn’t the wisest move.
Romano would just have to make sure no one saw him enter
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Lynn Hagen
Memphis’s home. As badly as the man irritated him, Romano didn’t
want anything to happen to Memphis.
Romano was the first to jump out of the truck when Memphis
parked it in his driveway. He reached back and gently pulled Tabby
into his arms, carrying the sleeping man to the front door. Memphis
didn’t say a word, but he could see the man’s jaw tightening as he
opened the front door.
Did the guy always have to be in charge?
Just as Romano began to step into the front door, he could have
sworn he saw movement on the side of the house, just past a cluster of
trees. He stood there for a moment, his eyes scanning the area
intently.
“Something wrong?”
He wasn’t sure, but there was no way Romano was going to tell
Memphis that he had thugs after him. The man already tried to control
every damn situation. He could just see Memphis locking down the
house, refusing to let Romano or Tabby leave.
The idea was ludicrous considering Romano was a trained
bodyguard. He didn’t need Memphis to protect him from the shadows
of the night. But somehow he had a feeling Memphis would try to do
just that. He gave the shadows one last look before shaking his head
and walking inside.
Memphis led him up an impressive set of stairs and then down a
lavishly decorated hallway. They reached a room at the far end of the
hall where Memphis stopped to open a door. Romano peered inside,
seeing that it was a bedroom.
“Just put him on the bed.”
“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Romano replied. He didn’t like the
tone Memphis was using with him, as if he were one of the servants.
Did Memphis have servants?
Probably in this expansive home.
Romano was starting to feel out of his depth as he gently placed
Tabby onto the soft and thick comforter. The small man groaned, but
Memphis 53
didn’t open his eyes. Romano pulled Tabby’s shoes off and then
pulled the blanket back, tucking the man in, and then stood,
wondering what to do next.
It wasn’t like him to feel awkward, but then again, he’d never
been in a bedroom with a man that he wanted to strangle and fuck at
the same time. He sat on the side of the bed, watching Tabby sleep as
he tried to think of an excuse that would keep him here.
He was having a lot of firsts today, and it was throwing him for a
loop. How was he supposed to keep a clear head if Memphis and
Tabby kept fucking with it?
“There’s room for all three of us,” Memphis said as he grabbed a
pair of sleeping pants from a dresser drawer and tossed them to
Romano. “I don’t feel like driving you back into town tonight.”
That was the best Memphis could come up with?
Romano rolled his eyes as he headed toward a door next to
Memphis. He was assuming the door to be a bathroom. If it wasn’t, he
was going to get undressed in the closet. All he wanted to do was curl
up around Tabby and get some shut-eye. The last few days had
strained his nerves to the point that Romano felt drained all of a
sudden.
He was glad that the door led to a bathroom. Once he was
changed, Romano folded his clothes and sat them on a shelf in the
bathroom before returning to the bedroom.
His brows shot into his hairline when he saw Memphis standing
there gloriously naked and palming his erection.
“Care for another round?”
Damn.
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Chapter Six
Memphis could see the lust practically dripping from Romano’s
eyes. He could even see how the front of the man’s sleeping pants
started to tent. But what captivated his eyes the most was the lean,
masculine cut to his abdomen. Memphis’s fingers itched to trail over
that sun-bronzed skin and then sink his hand below the waistband.
His eyes snapped up to a face so roughly cut that Romano
reminded him of a Spanish soldier back in the days of the Roman
Empire. His jaw was strong and defined, his lips lush and kissable,
and his jaw had just enough stubble to make Memphis’s skin tingle if
Romano were to rub up against him with his face.
In Memphis’s opinion, Romano rivaled every single man in this
house, in this town. The problem was, if he told Romano this, the man
would probably say something smart, making Memphis want to
smack the shit out of him.
The guy’s mouth may have been made for kissing, but it was also
lethal when words spilled from it and Memphis wasn’t in the mood to
argue. He glanced over at Tabby and then crawled into bed, spooning
around his smaller mate as he tried to act as though he were too tired
for conversation. He was used to doing his own thing, coming and
going when he pleased, but now he had two men to look out for.
And one of them was out to drive him insane.
The bed dipped with Romano’s weight as his mate slid under the
covers. Memphis was shocked the man didn’t say a word to him. He
cracked his eyes to see Romano staring up at the ceiling, his hands
tucked behind his head.
Memphis 55
Memphis studied Romano with one eye, taking in the strong
features as his cock grew increasingly hard. No matter how much
Romano rubbed him the wrong way, Memphis wasn’t going to deny
that he wanted to fuck the man until pleas were falling from his
mate’s lips.
While Romano lay there studying the ceiling, Memphis slid his
hand over Tabby until his fingers touched Romano’s tight stomach.
“If you want me to fuck you, just ask.”
Memphis gritted his teeth as he pulled his hand away. He had
already asked Romano if he wanted another round and the man had
ignored him. Hell if he was going to submit. But still Memphis
wanted something to happen as the three of them lay in bed, but there
was no way he was going to ask. “Who said I wanted you to fuck
me?”
And he sure as fuck wasn’t going to be on the receiving end of
things. Memphis was pretty sure if he bottomed for Romano he’d
never hear the end of it. He needed the upper hand with his mate.
Always.
Romano was dangerous, both to Memphis’s libido and his sanity,
and didn’t that suck? Memphis knew if he let Romano be in charge,
he’d never get the upper hand back. Romano would rule him.
Memphis couldn’t allow that. He’d experienced being under
someone’s thumb once before and never thought he’d get away. Now
that he had escaped, he was never going to allow anyone to have that
control over him again.
Not even his mate.
“You sure as shit aren’t fucking me.”
Romano’s singsong voice grated on Memphis’s nerves. He had a
strong urge to reach across Tabby and smack the guy. Of course, he
also had a strong urge to reach across Tabby and palm the tent in
Romano’s pants. Damn, the man was hot. Every slick valley and cut
of muscle was on display for Memphis, even through the fabric
covering Romano. There was just nothing left to the imagination.
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Lynn Hagen
Memphis could feel drool pooling in his mouth. He desperately
wanted to lick all of the hard ridges and deep dips covering Romano’s
smooth body. Memphis wanted Romano so bad he was almost willing
to give in to the man.
Almost.
There had to be a better solution that would give both of them the
relief they desired. Memphis’s eyes shot over to the bathroom door.
Maybe…He climbed off the bed and walked around the bottom of the
bed to Romano’s side. His breath caught in his throat when Romano’s
lust-filled brown eyes snapped up to him. He felt like the weight of
the world sat on his chest.
Memphis held out his hand, wondering if Romano would take it,
hoping that he would, but fearing he wouldn’t. Hell, part of him
feared that Romano would. When Romano just continued to stare at
him, Memphis felt himself start to lean in the other direction—the
fear that Romano wouldn’t take his hand. Rejection sucked, on any
level.
Memphis clenched his jaw and started to drop his hand when
Romano suddenly reached and grabbed it as he swung his legs over
the side of the bed and sat up. Memphis was so stunned for a moment
that he just stood there, gawking down at Romano.
“What did you have in mind?” Romano asked.
Memphis cocked an eyebrow. He had a million things in mind,
and he’d like to do every last damn one of them to Romano’s
gorgeous body. “I want to fuck you.”
“Uh-uh.” Romano stood, shaking his head. “Not happening.”
“I’d make sure you enjoyed it.”
Romano pulled his hand away then crossed his arms over his
chest. “Nope.”
“Come on. You know you want me.” Gods, he hoped Romano
wanted him.
“So?”
“Then let me fuck you.”
Memphis 57
Memphis almost let loose the deep growl growing in his throat.
He was desperate and achy. He needed his mate now that he had
found him, and yet he felt like Romano was slipping away from him
with every breath he took. “Is it always going to be this way between
us?”
“What way?”
“Fighting for dominance.”
“No, honey, the moment you understand that I’m top dog, we’ll
be fine.”
Memphis let loose his growl and lunged at Romano, pushing him
back into the mattress as he straddled the man’s lap. He leaned in
closer until his nose almost touched Romano’s. “I will not spend the
rest of my life fighting my mate.”
“Then don’t.” The slow grin that started to work its way across
Romano’s lips scared and fascinated Memphis at the very same time.
“Let me fuck you, and this won’t be a problem.”
Memphis’s eyes dropped down to Romano’s lips—Romano’s full,
plush, kissable, suck-the-chrome-off–a-trailer-hitch lips. Damn, he
wanted to feel those lips against his hot skin so fucking bad. He
needed them almost more than he needed air. Memphis could feel
himself wavering. Would it be so all-fired bad to give in to his mate?
The bond between mates was supposed to be sacred. Romano might
not feel for him yet, but surely he would in time? He had to. Right?
“I—” Memphis glanced up to Romano’s brown eyes as he started
to speak the words that would give someone control over him again.
His heart thundered in his chest at the momentous step he was about
to take in his life. “Maybe—”
Memphis snapped his mouth shut when he saw the triumph in
Romano’s eyes. No! He wasn’t going to do this. He didn’t care who
Romano was. He would not allow another man to have control over
him again.
Never.
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“Fuck you, Romano!” He growled as he pushed away from
Romano and started to stand. His heart ached for what should have
been, and that made him angry. Memphis gasped as he felt his claws
extend, raking across Romano’s chest as he began to leave the bed.
Memphis’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline when Romano groaned
and arched into the air instead of screaming in pain.
What the fuck was going on?
“Oh gods, do that again,” Romano groaned.
Memphis blinked.
Seriously?
He settled back down and slowly trailed one sharp claw down the
center of Romano’s chest, not hard enough to draw blood but enough
to leave a red streak in his wake. Romano groaned and arched again.
The cock trapped in his pants jerked. Memphis’s eyes widened when
a wet spot appeared in Romano’s pajama bottoms.
He carefully watched the tent in Romano’s pants as he raked all of
his claws down Romano’s chest. It seemed like the more pressure he
used, the bigger the wet spot. His mate had a kink, one that he could
readily fulfill. Hot damn!
“More!” Romano panted heavily. “Harder!”
Memphis swallowed hard then used both of his hands to drag his
claws down Romano’s chest and sides. When Romano started
grinding his erection up against him, Memphis scooted back and
yanked the edge of the man’s pants down far enough to expose his
hard cock. He kept one hand on Romano’s chest and wrapped the
other one around Romano’s hard length.
Memphis spread his fingers as far as they would go then scratched
a trail down Romano’s chest. The cock in his hand leaked so much,
huge drops of pre-cum dripped down over his fingers. Memphis
groaned as lust shot through every fiber of his being. Damn, that was
fucking hot.
“Watch me, mate,” Memphis snapped. He tilted his thumb slightly
and raked the edge across the top of Romano’s cock.
Memphis 59
“Please!” Romano cried out as he pushed his chest up toward
Memphis’s claws.
Both the sound of desperation and the word itself shocked
Memphis. For a man who swore he would never give up his
dominance, Romano was begging. And Memphis could no more deny
his mate than he could stop wanting him.
Memphis tweaked one brown-hued nipple with a claw. “Let me
fuck you.”
Romano’s eyes were dazed and glassy when they met Memphis’s
gaze. He stared for a moment. Memphis tweaked Romano’s other
nipple then dragged his entire hand down Romano’s chest. “Let me
fuck you,” Memphis repeated.
“Yes!” Romano whimpered.
Elation and triumph filled Memphis. He started to scoot farther
back on Romano, prepared to pull the man’s pajama pants all of the
way down his long legs and then bury his cock in Romano’s ass when
he caught Romano biting his lip and turning his head away. Romano’s
cock was still hard as cement, but there was a loss of desire in his
eyes.
Memphis suddenly felt so ashamed of himself that he could barely
swallow past the lump in his throat. He had unexpectedly tapped into
a kink that Romano had and then tried to use it against his mate to get
what he wanted. He was no better than Jackson. Memphis’s desire to
feel his cock sink into his mate’s gorgeous body suddenly seemed all
wrong.
Memphis scooted off the bed and dropped to his knees between
Romano’s legs. Before Romano could protest, Memphis leaned
forward and swallowed his cock down to the root. He kept his claws
on Romano’s chest as he sucked the thick cock in his mouth, bobbing
his head up and down with as much vigor as he could, considering he
felt lower than dirt.
The least he could do under the circumstances was make sure his
mate got off. Memphis’s desires no longer seemed to matter. He had
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taken something that should have been sacred between them and used
it for his own selfish desires.
He didn’t even qualify as dirt.
“Memphis!” Romano shouted.
Memphis winced when Romano’s fingers fisted in his hair. They
tugged and pulled when Memphis raked his hand down Romano’s
chest just as he swallowed the man’s cock down his throat as far as it
would go. Romano’s hips started to buck, his body quivering.
Memphis scraped his claws along the underside of Romano’s nut
sac, and that was all it took. Romano’s shout of release filled the room
as hot ropes of cum shot into Memphis’s mouth. Memphis swallowed
down as much as he could then licked the rest of the evidence away as
Romano’s body slumped back into the bed.
Memphis gave one last good rake of his claws then retraced them
and stood to his feet. He stared down at Romano for several moments,
too overcome to speak. Romano would be within his right to tear into
him for what he had done, so why did the sated look on Romano’s
face hurt so much more?
* * * *
Tabby kept his eyes closed as he tried to steady his breathing.
That was the hottest thing he had ever witnessed in life. To see the
two strong men that he was attracted to fight for dominance was right
up there with chocolate.
It was simply delicious.
The problem with faking sleep was that he had to use the
bathroom. As badly as he wanted to pretend that he hadn’t witnessed
something so intimate between the two men, nature was calling. He
slid from the bed, only opening his eyes when he had passed the two
men and refusing to look at either of them as he padded across the
room and hurried into the bathroom.
Memphis 61
Once he closed the door, Tabby leaned against it, taking in a deep
breath. His skin was tingly, and his cock was hard and aching from
witnessing such an aggressive sexual act. Who knew he liked being a
voyeur?
Steadying his nerves, Tabby made quick work of his needs before
rinsing his hands and then staring at his image in the mirror. There
was no way he could compete in the looks department when it came
to those two men. His looks paled in comparison. Hell, his stomach
was so flat and concave that he looked as though he could be a poster
child for an eating disorder. On the other hand, Memphis’s and
Romano’s abs were works of the gods. Every ridge was visible to the
naked eye.
Tabby felt extremely self-conscious as he opened the bathroom
door, wishing with everything in him that he could just run from the
room. The problem with that idea was that Memphis and Romano
were blocking his exit as he walked back into the bedroom.
“Feeling better?” Romano asked.
Tabby nodded, wondering if he was going to be allowed to walk
right out of the room. His face was flushing as he remembered seeing
Memphis suck Romano’s dick. He wanted to do the same, but wasn’t
sure he would be allowed into their dominant circle.
As badly as he fought his attraction for the two, Tabby would give
his left nut to be loved by one of them. Against his will, his eyes
trailed over to Memphis’s naked groin, locking onto the hard shaft.
He licked his lips and then his eyes darted up. Tabby wondered if
Memphis was going to sneer at him.
Most men used Tabby, looked at him as someone to fuck and then
toss aside. No one respected him for the man that he was, and no one
ever stuck around long enough afterward to make Tabby feel as
though he was truly wanted.
That fear kept him from telling these two gorgeous men that he
wanted one, or even both, to fuck him. He’d never been with two men
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before and the idea frightened him, but the thought also turned him
the hell on.
He’d even settle for watching these two gods fuck each other as
he jacked off.
Tabby jumped nervously when he felt a strong hand glide down
his back, cupping his ass.
“How much better do you feel?” Romano practically purred the
question.
Tabby’s eyes snapped up to see Memphis staring at him with lust.
He was seriously reconsidering his thought of being with both of them
at the same time. It was a bit intimidating. Both of these men were
powerful forces, and Tabby was a damn pipsqueak.
His body shook as he glanced down at Memphis’s straining cock.
“A lot,” he answered Romano’s question. As soon as the words left
his lips, he was lifted from the floor and taken to the bed where
Romano stripped him of his clothes.
“Wait!” Tabby shouted as both men converged on him. It was too
much. Everything was happening too fast, and Tabby needed room to
breathe and think about what was happening to him. The men were
smoking ass hot and Tabby wanted both of them, but he felt as though
he were being swallowed whole as the two men towered over him.
“Problem?” Romano asked with a quirk to his brow.
Tabby pushed at Romano’s chest as he scooted back against the
headboard. Enough was enough. First Memphis got all stalkerish on
him and then sniffed him like a damn piece of meat, and now he was
being manhandled.
“Take it slow,” Tabby said as he tried to cover his body. Why he
was being shy, he wasn’t really sure. “I’ve never…” He waved a hand
between Memphis and Romano.
“Me either,” Memphis admitted as he backed away. “If this isn’t
what you want, we’ll back off. No one is forcing you, Tabby.”
Tabby didn’t want them to back off. He just didn’t want them to
toss him around like a damn salad. He wanted a say in this. Tabby
Memphis 63
wanted some control in what was about to happen to him. “Just go
easy on me, okay?”
To his surprise, both men drew away. That wasn’t what Tabby
had wanted. He wanted to get fucked and suck someone’s cock, but
they just needed to slow down, not stop altogether. Pulling bravery
from down in his toes, Tabby pushed to his hands and knees and
crawled over to Memphis, taking the gorgeous man’s cock into his
mouth.
“Tabby!” Memphis sucked in air between his teeth as his hips
snapped. Tabby’s eyes watered as the large cock rammed into the
back of his throat, but he didn’t pull away. His fingers curled around
the hard shaft as his tongue swiveled around the angry purple head.
“Fuck if that doesn’t look good,” Romano groaned as his hand
glided over Tabby’s naked ass. He jerked from the contact, feeling his
nervousness start to kick in at a high rate of speed.
“Easy, baby, easy,” Romano crooned as his hands stilled. “It’s just
me.”
Tabby knew who was behind him. It just felt strange having both
of them in the bed with him at the same time. He whimpered when a
volley of light nips and licks were placed all over his back, Romano’s
hands gliding over his sensitized skin. Tabby gave a low, deep moan
to vocalize his pleasure.
“Like that?” Memphis asked as his hands ran over Tabby’s hair
and shoulders. There was something sensual about both men touching
him, paying him attention. His legs spread wide, his hips canting
upward as Romano entered Tabby with his wet fingers.
“Someone wants to get fucked,” Memphis stated breathlessly.
Tabby wanted to shout me, but his mouth was full with thick,
succulent flesh that he refused to release. Memphis tasted better than
chocolate, which was saying a lot considering Tabby was addicted to
the cocoa.
Tabby could feel his entrance pulsating as Romano fitted another
finger inside of him. He moaned around Memphis’s cock as Romano
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filled him with yet another thick finger. The pressure was making
Tabby’s cock throb for fulfillment.
“Ready?” Romano asked from behind him. Tabby nodded as he
glanced up at Memphis, who was staring down at him in an awed
fascination. He dug his fingers into Memphis’s thick thighs as he felt
the hard cock press inside of him.
Tabby quickly reached behind him to feel the condom at the base
of Romano’s cock. He breathed a sigh of relief as he attacked
Memphis’s shaft with vigor. The dual sensation of having a heavy
cock in his mouth and a dick in his ass made Tabby’s head spin.
Memphis stroked his fingers over Tabby’s cheeks as Romano
gripped his hips, impaling Tabby harder, faster, and deeper. His own
cock was throbbing as pre-cum dripped onto the bed. Tabby had a
feeling he was going to come just from the eroticism of the moment
alone. He’d never been with two men before, but hell if he didn’t
want to try it again.
It was fantastic!
Memphis’s hands cupped the sides of Tabby’s face as a long
groan fell from his lips. Seconds later Tabby’s mouth was filled with
Memphis’s seed. He swallowed until Memphis’s balls were empty.
As Romano shouted his release behind Tabby, he felt a searing
pain in his neck. Tabby jerked as Memphis latched onto him, his teeth
sinking deeply into his shoulder. Tabby shouted, hot spurts of cum
jerking violently from his cock as Memphis released his sharp teeth
from Tabby’s flesh and licked the wound.
Romano slid from behind Tabby and fell onto the bed as Tabby
rose up onto his knees, his hand covering where Memphis had just bit
him. “What the hell did you bite me for?”
Memphis lay back, averting his eyes to the bed as he shrugged. “I
couldn’t help it. My wolf wanted to claim you.”
His wolf?
Memphis 65
Chapter Seven
Romano stood in his apartment reviewing the camcorder he had
set up to record the streets below. He cursed when he saw the small
black car drive by the tavern very slowly. He rewound the scene and
played it once more, in slow motion. It was the car that had followed
him into the mountains.
So they had found him.
Or at least tracked him here to this small town.
A need to protect Tabby and Memphis hit him hard as Romano set
the camcorder down. He knew he hadn’t been spotted yet, and he was
planning on keeping it that way. He needed to cut his ties with the two
men before his association with them got both men killed.
But the thought of letting either of them go didn’t set well with
him. Romano wanted both men with a hunger he had never felt
before. Tapping the recorder with his finger, Romano walked away to
take a long hot shower when he heard someone knocking on the door.
He immediately froze.
No one knew he lived here. He hadn’t told a soul. He doubted it
was the men after him. What hit man knocked on the fucking door?
Wait a minute, Romano had told Dino where he lived. His cousin
could have asked Taz which apartment. Damn, the list of people who
knew where he lived was growing. Romano was slipping. No one was
supposed to know, yet too many people did already.
Romano crossed the room and looked out of the peephole, seeing
a tuft of blond hair. He smiled.
Tabby.
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Romano smiled as he leaned back from the door and grabbed the
handle. The door swung open, and Romano immediately knew
something was wrong. Tabby wasn’t smiling. His face was drawn
back in agony as his hands wrung in front of him.
And that was when Romano saw the gun shoved into Tabby’s
side.
“I’m so sorry, Romano,” Tabby cried out as he was pushed aside,
hitting the floor of Romano’s apartment hard.
Romano growled as he grabbed Tabby and pulled him to his feet.
His growl deepened, and he sent the gunman a hard glare when he
saw the large bruise marring Tabby’s beautiful face. He quickly
pushed Tabby behind him. He felt Tabby’s hand come to rest in the
middle of his back as he faced the guy holding the gun.
“You’re a hard man to find, Tiziano.”
“If I wanted to be found, I would have given you directions.”
Romano crossed his arms over his chest, trying to look as menacing
as he could and create a bigger target between him and Tabby.
The dark-haired gunman chuckled. “You know why I’m here.”
“To invite me for a playdate?”
Romano took a step back, pushing Tabby behind him as the man’s
features darkened. He cast a quick glance around the room, both to
look for an exit and to find a weapon of some sort, neither of which
came readily to mind. There was a window behind him, but he had
nailed that shut to keep people out. It sucked that it was now keeping
them in.
Romano didn’t see any way out of this. “Look, I know why you’re
here, and I’ll go peacefully if you let Tabby go.”
“You know that’s not how this works.”
“Tie him up and leave him here. We can be out of town before he
has time to warn anyone.”
The man shook his head. “He’s seen my face. He can identify
me.”
Memphis 67
“He’s a drunk. No one would believe him.” Romano winced when
he heard Tabby whimper at his words. He wished that he had time to
explain to Tabby what was going on, and especially that he didn’t
mean what he was saying. There just wasn’t time. “Ask anyone.
Tabby spends more time in a jail cell sleeping it off than he does out
of it.”
“I’ve seen him coming and going from the local sheriff’s station.”
“Then you know I’m telling the truth.”
“No, all I know is that he has a lot of contact with cops.”
Romano swallowed hard as the gun pointed at him moved closer.
“Come on, man. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was just in the wrong
place at the wrong time. I haven’t been to the police. I left town. I
haven’t said a word to anyone. Not even Tabby knows what this is all
about.”
“That’s too bad since he is in the wrong place at the wrong time as
well.”
Fear welled up inside Romano as the thug raised the gun higher,
aiming it right at his face. He knew he was going to die but damned if
he was going to drag Tabby down with him. Romano made a split-
second decision that he knew wouldn’t end well, but he had to try and
save Tabby, give him some sort of chance.
Romano crashed back into Tabby hard enough to send the man to
the floor then dove forward and grabbed the hand of the bastard
holding the gun. He heard a wild shot go off as he wrestled with the
gunman and hoped Tabby hadn’t been hurt.
“Run, Tabby!” Romano shouted as he raised one fist into the air
then pounded it into the thug’s face. He knew that wouldn’t keep the
man down for long, but he needed a distraction to get the gun out of
his hand. He leaned forward and sank his teeth into the guy’s hand.
The bitter taste of blood filled his mouth, and he heard a loud shout.
He hoped it came from the person holding the gun.
He aimed his knee at the man’s groin and drove it in as hard as he
could. He heard a very satisfying grunt. The gunman’s body started to
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fold in on itself. Romano used the same knee to crack the man in the
face as he went down. This time, the only sound he heard was that of
the gunman dropping to the floor.
Romano scrambled for the gun, picking it up off the floor where
the man had dropped it and aiming it at the guy. He backed up, not
wanting to take his eyes off the man on the floor but needing to know
if Tabby was okay.
“Tabby?” he asked, keeping his eyes straight ahead. “You okay,
baby?” Romano frowned when he didn’t hear anything. “Tabby?”
Desperation made Romano take his eyes off the gunman and turn to
look at his lover.
Romano’s heart fell when he saw the splotch of red blossoming
across Tabby’s chest under the hands he had pressed to his body.
“Tabby?” he whispered.
“Fuck me.” Tabby’s blue eyes slowly rose up to meet his. “I’ve
been shot.”
The growl that left Romano’s lips was animalistic as he slammed
the butt of the gun into the hit man’s head. The guy instantly closed
his eyes as a large red mark appeared where Romano had hit him.
Once he knew the man wasn’t getting up, Romano ran for Tabby.
“Just hold on, baby.” He swung Tabby up into his arms as he ran for
the door. When he saw the second man standing at the bottom of the
steps, Romano didn’t think twice as he squeezed the trigger. He had
to get past the guy. Tabby needed a hospital and fast.
The man ducked and then ran. Romano wasted no time as he
raced down the steps and ran through the kitchen of the tavern. He
was out the back door and running to his truck before anyone could
stop him for questioning. Gently laying Tabby on the passenger seat,
Romano closed the door quickly and then shot around to the driver’s
side.
The tires of his truck squealed as he backed out of his parking spot
and tore down the street. His heart pounded with fear as he drove
much faster than the law allowed. Within minutes he was slamming
Memphis 69
on the brakes in front of the emergency room. “Just hang on, Tabby.
We’re at the hospital.”
“I’m okay,” Tabby said with a weak smile. Romano knew Tabby
was trying to be brave, but he saw the sheer terror in the man’s baby
blues. “It’s just a nick.”
Romano wished that was all it was. The bloodstain on Tabby’s
shirt was growing, and Tabby’s fingers were becoming redder by the
second. An attendant ran out and took one look inside the truck before
running back for a stretcher.
Romano tossed his keys into his pocket before getting out and
gently lifting his lover from the seat. He wasn’t going to lose the man
who had come to mean so much to him. Tabby was the first person
Romano had sought out. He craved the man more than he wanted to
breathe. “You’ll be okay,” Romano said, more for his own comfort
than Tabby’s. He had to believe the small man was going to be all
right.
If Romano lost Tabby, he would blame himself for the rest of his
miserable life.
“What’s going on?” a doctor asked as he helped Romano place
Tabby onto the stretcher the attendant had brought out.
“He’s been fucking shot!” Wasn’t it obvious from the pints of
blood Tabby was losing out of the hole in his damn chest?
“Any other wounds?” the doctor asked as Tabby was rushed
inside.
“No,” Romano replied. “He was shot once in the chest.”
“Do you know who did this?” the man asked.
“He’s still in my apartment.” Romano growled as he followed the
stretcher into the ER.
The doctor pushed Romano back as the elevator doors began to
close. “He’s going into surgery. Go find a cop and let him know about
the gunmen while I work on your friend.”
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“My lover,” Romano corrected the doctor, feeling the need to
clarify who Tabby was to him. Sympathy entered the man’s eyes as
he nodded.
“I’ll do my best with him.”
“Thank you,” Romano whispered as he cast one last look into
Tabby’s blue eyes. “He means the world to me.”
“What’s his name?”
“Tabby.”
“I’m taking him straight to surgery. Once you’re done with the
police, wait in the surgery waiting area. I’ll let you know as soon as I
know something.”
Romano nodded. He felt helpless as the elevator doors closed,
taking Tabby away from him, stealing the one man from him who
Romano had grown to love in just a short period of time. Romano
froze at his thoughts.
He loved Tabby?
How?
It had only been a few days. How in the hell could he love the
small man in such a short period of time? Things like that just didn’t
happen, not in real life.
“Where is he?” Memphis asked as he came running into the ER.
That was fucking fast.
“In surgery.”
Memphis glanced at the elevator for a second before turning back
to Romano. “What happened?”
Fuck if this wasn’t going to turn into one big ass disaster. Romano
could see it coming. There was no way he could get around the fact
that all of this had been his fault. From what he had learned of
Memphis and his sparkling personality, the man was going to hate
him. It made sense. Romano was hating himself a whole lot right
about now.
He waved his hand toward the chairs against the wall. “Have a
seat.”
Memphis 71
* * * *
“What are you going to do with him?” Taz asked as the
paramedics loaded the unconscious man into the back of the
ambulance. The guy who had been at the bottom of the steps had
gotten away, but Taz had found this shithead out cold on Romano’s
apartment floor.
He had heard the gunshots. Hell, the entire tavern had run out of
there when the shot sounded. Taz wasn’t sure what was going on, but
he knew Romano was Memphis’s mate, and they protected their own.
Jesse cocked his head at Taz, giving him the duh look. “Taking
him to jail?”
“I say we take him for a long drive on a dark country road,” Rave
said from beside Taz. “We’ll make sure he won’t wake up.”
“I didn’t hear that,” Jesse warned as he walked to his patrol car.
“And he’s going to the hospital.”
“I say you tackle Jesse while I grab the fucker from the back of
the ambulance,” Rave said under his breath.
Taz cocked a brow as he stared at his nutty friend. “And I’ll make
sure I take Jesse’s gun so I can shoot Craig and Avanti when they gut
me for touching their mate.”
Rave shrugged. “It’s a diversion. Take one for the team.”
“Fuck you,” Taz said as he turned back toward the tavern. “You
take one for the team while I take fuckhead for the drive.”
“I called it first,” Rave pouted as he followed Taz back inside.
Taz walked back around the bar, grabbing the bar rag and tossing
it over his shoulder. “If I thought you were serious about all of this I’d
beat you over the head with a beer bottle, moron. We don’t harm
mates.”
“It was just a thought,” Rave argued as he joined Taz. “I may have
said it, but you know you were thinking it.”
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There were days when Taz wondered how screwed up Rave’s
mind truly was. They clicked as friends, but the man had some
strange ass thoughts sometimes. “Go bus some damn tables or
something before I tell Avanti your diabolical plan.”
Rave shot him a glare as he left from behind the bar. Taz really
wouldn’t say anything about what he and Rave talked about, but it got
his friend moving. He shook his head as he walked over to a waiting
customer.
Some days he really wondered about the guy.
* * * *
Memphis gritted his teeth as he listened to Romano. He was trying
really hard not to slug the guy. The more his mate divulged, the
angrier he became. Memphis stood, walking away from Romano so
he wouldn’t actually hit the guy.
“I’m sorry, Memphis. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
Memphis knew in his heart that Romano didn’t want Tabby to be
hurt, but the man could have told him what was going on so all three
could have watched their backs. “Keeping it from us is what hurt
Tabby.”
Romano shot from his seat, his hands fisting at his side as pain
filled his eyes. “I own what happened. I do, but I won’t have you
making me feel like dog shit about it.”
Memphis stared at Romano incredulously. “Are you fucking
kidding me? You should feel like shit. Had you told me what was
going on, I would have protected him and you.”
The steam deflated from Romano right before Memphis’s eyes.
He cursed himself for being so harsh with his mate. It really wasn’t
Romano’s fault, and he knew that. The guy couldn’t be blamed for
witnessing a murder or running scared. He just wished Romano had
told him.
But he just met you. Do you expect him to trust you off the rip?
Memphis 73
Memphis sighed as he pulled Romano into his arms, holding tight
as his mate struggled and then settled against him. Instead of getting
mad at Romano, Memphis should be going after the man who had
pulled the trigger.
Eagle and Chey’s mate, Max, had called him the minute he
recognized Tabby. Memphis was thankful for that. But he needed to
go down to the jail and deal with the bastard who had harmed, and
possibly killed, his mate.
Memphis felt a sob catch in his throat at the thought of losing the
small man. Tabby had his issues, but he was falling hard for the little
blond.
“That’s him.” Romano growled as he pushed Memphis away.
“That’s the man who shot Tabby.”
Memphis turned to see a paramedic wheeling a stretcher in with a
handcuffed man shouting as he tried to wiggle free. He shot across the
ER, slugging the guy before he was pulled off of the man. “If he dies,
I’m going to fucking kill you!”
The man licked his busted lip, his smile cold, as he stared up at
Memphis. “And I’ve just added someone else to my list now.”
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Chapter Eight
Tabby smacked at Romano’s hand as the irritating man once more
tried to fluff his pillow. If it got any fluffier, Tabby would be able to
float away on the damn thing. “I told you I don’t blame you for what
happened. Now stop trying to do everything for me.”
“Just let me do this for you, Tabby,” Romano argued as he tried
once again to grab Tabby’s pillow. Tabby smacked his hand away
again as he played tug-of-war with the large man.
“Let it go,” he said as he yanked hard.
Romano let go, sending Tabby backward on the bed. Romano
looked horrified, but Tabby was fine. It had been two weeks since he
left the hospital, and both Romano and Memphis were treating him
like spun glass.
He hadn’t even had sex in those two weeks!
Every time he brought up the subject, one or both of them
mysteriously had something to do. It was starting to make his ego
smart. Tabby straightened in the bed and then threw the blanket back,
showing off his goodies.
“I need to get you some water,” Romano said quickly as he ran
toward the bathroom. Tabby grunted in frustration. Neither man had
allowed him to leave the bed either. Every time he attempted to get
up, he was forced back down. He was ready to plot his damn escape.
Sliding from the bed, Tabby tiptoed to the bathroom where he
peeked in. Romano was standing at the sink, pressing the palm of his
hand into his erection as he took in deep gulps of air. So he was
horny!
Memphis 75
At least Tabby knew it wasn’t him, but his condition. Hell, he felt
fine. But telling either lughead that he was ready to go home was
falling on deaf ears.
“What are you doing out of bed?” Memphis asked from behind
him. Tabby spun around, showing off his jutting erection as Memphis
stood there glaring at him. Memphis’s demeanor changed the moment
he spotted Tabby’s woody.
Now he looked like he was ready to bolt.
Damn it!
Tabby did what any horny man would do under the circumstances.
He walked back over to the bed, grabbing the lube from the drawer,
and then crawled onto the mattress, wetting his fingers and then
reaching behind him, sliding one into his entrance.
“Tabby.” Memphis moaned the warning.
“If neither of you will fuck me, then I’ll fuck myself.” He could
see he struck a chord when the front of Memphis’s jeans became tight
with a large bulge. Now they were getting somewhere. “And while
I’m fucking my own ass, you can explain to me what a mate is and
why you bit me.”
Tabby had never gotten a real explanation from Memphis. The
man seemed to avoid the subject like the plague every time Tabby
brought it up. He was tired of being brushed off. If these two men
wanted him to be a permanent fixture in their lives, he wanted some
damn answers. They were treating him like a less-than-intelligent
man, and Tabby was sick to death of it.
Memphis shook his head, as if refusing to answer Tabby, but his
eyes were glued to what Tabby was doing to himself. Please let him
fuck me. Tabby inserted another finger, mewling loudly as he rocked
back onto his fingers. He heard a sharp intake of breath and knew that
Romano had joined them.
“Damn, that looks hot.”
“He can’t have sex yet,” Memphis warned.
“I’m tired of waiting, Memphis. The doctor says he’s fine.”
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They were talking as if Tabby wasn’t right there in the same room
with them. It was really starting to piss him off. “Get your heads out
of your asses and do something to me or I swear I’ll kick both your
behinds.” Tabby was shocked at his threat, but he was also tired of
waiting.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Romano said with happiness in
his voice as he began to strip.
“We can’t,” Memphis warned.
“Then don’t,” Romano replied. “But I’m getting some of that tight
ass.”
So Memphis was the one making everyone wait. Tabby knew the
man had his best intentions at heart, but he was horny. “Fuck me,
Memphis.”
He could see Memphis wavering as his lover began to slowly
undress. He looked as though he was terrified of hurting Tabby, but
the only thing hurting was his damn erection and lack of sex.
Tabby watched as Romano eased sinuously onto the bed, his hard
cock in his hand. Tabby flipped to his back, carding his hand through
the thick blond thatch of hair at his groin before palming his own
erection. Biting his bottom lip, he matched Romano stroke for stroke
as his smooth, hot skin hardened further.
His head fell back on the pillow, his lips parting to suck in gasps
of air as Romano reached over and slid one thick finger inside his ass.
Every breath was audible in the room as Memphis’s weight made the
bed dip.
Memphis ran his fingers up and down Tabby’s shaft, his hand
gliding slowly, taking his time. It was nearly Tabby’s undoing.
Shivers raced over his body as both men attended to him, to his needs.
It was as if the two weeks they had made him wait were going to be
made up to Tabby in tenfold.
And he was looking forward to every moment.
“You better tell us if you’re hurting.” Memphis squeezed Tabby’s
shaft to make him look up at the large man. “I mean it.”
Memphis 77
Tabby nodded quickly, his tongue sliding over his dry lips as he
moved closer to his release. Having both men in the bed with him was
exciting, and he wasn’t sure he would last very long.
It had been two whole weeks, after all.
Memphis stretched out beside him, stealing a heated kiss as
Romano continued to stretch him. His legs lifted higher, his knees
falling to the sides, giving Romano enough room to do whatever he
wanted down there.
Tabby moaned when Memphis broke the kiss and then used his
kiss-swollen lips to suck at one of his nipples. His tongue played
wicked little games with the throbbing nub. It rolled the peak, nipped
it, and then he sucked it between his teeth. Tabby was writhing under
Memphis’s masterful mouth as Romano took Tabby’s cock into his
heated mouth.
“Oh god,” Tabby cried out. The oral assault from both men had
Tabby wailing.
To Tabby’s shocked and thrilled mind, Memphis licked down his
glistening body until he joined Romano at his throbbing erection. To
see two powerful men between his legs was too much for Tabby to
handle.
His back arched as he reached his crescendo. Tabby’s body
contorted as his cum shot out of his cock so brutally that Tabby’s
head began to pound with too much blood coursing through it at a
high rate of speed. That only seemed to make both men go crazy.
Romano swallowed his seed as Memphis pushed his legs back,
attacking his sac with his wet and skillful tongue.
Tabby was a boneless mess by the time his balls were dry.
“Now you can watch us,” Romano said as he released Tabby’s
cock with a wet pop.
* * * *
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Romano knew Memphis wasn’t going to let him top, but one of
them had to relent sooner or later, and he was willing to give
Memphis what he had never given any other. To say he was nervous
as fuck was an understatement, but he was falling just as hard for the
stubborn man as he was for Tabby.
Never in his life had he ever contemplated bottoming before, but
for the first time in his life, Romano was in love.
The tall, powerfully built, dark-haired man had wrapped himself
around Romano’s heart, and he was helpless to stop it. Romano just
wondered if Memphis was going to rub it in later that he had given up
control, had relented in what seemed to be an ongoing power struggle
between the two of them.
“Fuck me,” he said to Memphis before he lost his nerve. Heat was
pooling at his groin, making Romano’s cock even harder at the
thought of Memphis’s hard and rigid body behind him.
For a top, he was turned the hell on by the thought of having
Memphis take him.
“Are you sure?” Memphis asked, hesitation swimming in his deep
grey eyes. Romano knew that Memphis had tried to use his lust last
time as a tool to get what he wanted. But backing off and pleasing
Romano instead had gone a long way in helping Romano trust him.
It has shown him that Memphis cared about him.
Romano nodded as he crawled over Tabby’s sated body. He
smiled down at the smaller man, seeing the large-eyed wonder on
Tabby’s face. “You like to watch, so watch.”
Tabby’s blue eyes darkened with lust as he nodded, his small
hands exploring Romano’s body as Memphis began to kiss Romano’s
back, working his way down to Romano’s mounds. Memphis sucked
slowly and sensually at one and then the other mound as his hand slid
between Romano’s legs. He licked his way down until he was
practically lying under Romano, licking him from root to tip of his
hard, hot flesh, and then ran his tongue all the way back up Romano’s
ass until he kissed each cheek.
Memphis 79
Romano’s arms shook as he lowered his head, running his tongue
along Tabby’s kiss-swollen and plump lips. The smaller man opened
for Romano as Memphis gently inserted one long and wet finger into
his never-before-touched ass.
Romano groaned even though it felt so damn strange to have
something invading him. Tabby’s lithe fingers wrapped around
Romano’s cock, pulling at his painfully hard shaft as Memphis bit
lightly into Romano’s cheek while inserting another finger.
He kissed Tabby unhurriedly as he forced himself to relax.
Memphis’s fingers weren’t small, and the burn in his ass was
intensifying.
“Trust me,” Tabby said as he nibbled along Romano’s stubbled
jaw. “It’s worth it.”
Romano gazed into Tabby’s darkened eyes as he nodded, trusting
what Tabby was telling him, but fuck if pain wasn’t associated with
Memphis’s probing fingers. He tilted his head to the side, losing
himself in Tabby’s skillful tongue when his body jerked
uncontrollably. Pleasure like he’d never felt before shot through his
body like a lightning storm.
“Found it,” Memphis said with amusement in his voice.
Romano’s cock shot a spurt of pre-cum into Tabby’s soft hand as
his eyes grew round. Tabby smiled up at him. “Told you.”
Romano groaned his agreement.
Memphis pulled his hand free, and Romano knew what was
coming next. He moved to suck at each taut teat of Tabby’s chest,
taking his time, rushing nothing as he felt Memphis line his cock up,
the head pressed against his pulsing hole.
With a nod, Memphis’s powerful thighs snapped, sending his cock
fully into Romano’s ass.
“Fuck!” Romano shouted into Tabby’s flesh. His eyes watered as
his fists gripped the sheets tightly. As Romano tried to breathe his
way through the pain, Tabby slid down the bed and wrapped his lips
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around Romano’s cock. He slowly enveloped the whole length as
Memphis stayed very still behind him.
Slowly, Tabby’s tongue gained Romano’s attention as the smaller
man licked his way around Romano’s hair-dusted thighs, kissing and
nipping as he palmed Romano’s balls, which were tight and hard.
He groaned when Tabby slid his tongue into the slit at his
cockhead, drinking the nectar that was spilling. Memphis pulled back,
his cock grazing along nerve endings that made Romano shiver. Tiny
explosions were going off inside Romano as Tabby sucked his cock
and Memphis fucked his ass.
The dual sensation had Romano’s blood on fire. He closed his
eyes and took a deep breath, staving off his orgasm, wanting this time
with the two men that he loved to last forever. His body was
thrumming and his cock was thickening as Tabby sucked his length
further down his hot, moist throat.
“I’m close,” Memphis said as he pressed his fingers into
Romano’s hips, his cock sliding in and out of Romano’s ass with
greater speed as a growl ripped from Memphis’s chest. “Mine, this is
mine,” Memphis said with such authority in his husky voice that
Romano could only nod.
He knew what was coming. Romano had seen Memphis’s canines
when he had bitten Tabby. He had also seen Tabby’s reaction to the
bite and wanted to feel that all-consuming release that he had
witnessed with their smaller mate.
Romano didn’t have to wait long. Memphis blanketed his back,
sweat trapped between their strong and hard bodies as Memphis
grazed his lips over Romano’s shoulder, sending shudders of pleasure
throughout his body. “I want to claim you,” Memphis whispered into
his ear as he licked around the shell of it.
“Do it,” Romano found himself begging. “Bite me, Memphis.
Make me yours.”
Romano had no idea what he was asking for as Memphis’s sharp
teeth sank into his giving flesh. He glanced down briefly to see Tabby
Memphis 81
pull Romano’s cock from his lips, his cum splattering over Tabby’s
face and hair as he shouted his release.
Something inside of him snapped, making him feel as though
Memphis was right there inside of him. Romano wasn’t sure what
was going on, but he never felt closer to another human being before.
It was as if they were one now.
And strangely enough, the thought of being closer to Memphis
didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would. The man was
arrogant, irritating, argumentative, and downright bossy, but Romano
couldn’t find it in himself to deny that he liked this new feeling.
Memphis held on as his hips snapped with unbelievable speed.
His cock continued to graze over his nerve endings before Memphis
released his teeth, his tongue gliding over his skin as he growled his
release.
Romano had been so caught up in the moment that he realized too
late that he could feel every spurt of Memphis’s hot seed in his ass.
The man had no condom on.
“Fuck,” Romano shouted as he pushed Memphis off of him. “Are
you fucking crazy?”
Memphis looked lost as he landed on his back, staring up at
Romano with confusion in his deep grey eyes.
“You fucked me bareback.”
Memphis’s confusion cleared as a smile played at his lips.
Romano wanted to punch that smug smile right off of Memphis’s
face. This was no laughing matter. Besides oral, he had never fucked
anyone without a condom, and he had forgotten the first time he
entrusted his health to someone else.
“You have nothing to worry about, Romano.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” he grunted as he slid from the bed.
“I’ve never had sex unprotected before.” He wanted to shout, to let
Memphis know how seriously he took his health. Romano hated to
ruin the moment, especially with Tabby lying on the bed with
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Romano’s seed all over the smaller man’s gorgeous face. His eyes
snapped back to Memphis as his anger mounted.
Memphis left the bed, his features pinched as he crossed the room,
getting directly in Romano’s face. “I said you’re safe.”
“And I’m just supposed to take your word for it?” Was this guy
serious? He was supposed to take Memphis’s word that the sex they
had was safe? Romano trusted no one when it came to his body, his
health, and damn if he was going to just nod and say okay.
“Yes,” Memphis replied as he glanced back at Tabby. “Both of
you have nothing to worry about.”
“And why is that?” Romano asked heatedly as he moved toward
the bed, sitting on the edge as he pulled Tabby up into his arms. “Why
should I believe you?”
“Romano, don’t,” Tabby begged as he curled his slim body
around Romano. He wanted to reassure Tabby’s fears, but the thought
of Memphis’s carelessness had him seething. The man hadn’t even
asked Romano. He’d just taken it upon himself to fuck him without a
condom, condemning both of them if things weren’t kosher with
Memphis. Tabby curled his fingers into Romano’s shoulder, pleading
with his eyes for the arguing to stop.
He felt like shit, but Romano wanted answers.
“Because I can’t catch human diseases,” Memphis stated angrily.
“I can’t catch them nor can I give them.”
“Human?” Tabby asked, confused as he glanced over at Memphis.
Ah shit…
In the blink of an eye, Memphis had shifted into his wolf form.
Seeing it from a distance and seeing it up close were two totally
different things.
“What the hell?” Tabby shouted as Romano rolled his eyes.
Leave it to Memphis to be so damn dramatic.
Memphis 83
Chapter Nine
Tabby took another drink as he tried to figure out what in the hell
was going on. Memphis had actually shifted into a damn wolf right in
front of him! His mind was having a hard time processing that shit. It
wasn’t every day he saw a man transform into a damn wolf. He still
wasn’t sure he saw what he saw.
How could he? Things like that didn’t happen.
Memphis had explained that he was a wolf shifter and that Tabby
and Romano were his mates.
Which didn’t go over so well with Romano.
But it had taken every ounce of control for Tabby not to freak the
fuck out. And people wondered why he fucking drank. Gee, I wonder
why.
“Ready for another?” the bartender asked as he shoved another
drink toward Tabby. It was only his second drink, but Tabby was
starting to feel a little woozy. He had never had such a low tolerance
before, and he wondered why beer was making him feel as though he
were drunker than a skunk.
Tabby pushed the thought aside as he handed the bartender his
empty bottle and grabbed the fresh one in front of him. He had snuck
out of the house. Staying in that room was driving him crazy. He
knew he didn’t have much time before Memphis and Romano came
after him.
He was well aware that one of the gunmen was still on the loose,
but he was in a bar full of witnesses. What could the guy do? Really?
The gunman couldn’t do a damn thing while all these people were
around Tabby. Not if he wanted to remain free.
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And that thought alone drove Tabby from the house.
Taking a long draft from his beer, Tabby looked around the bar.
He may have convinced himself that he was safe in here, but he
wasn’t foolish enough to let his guard down. As he spun around on
his stool, Tabby felt dizzy. The music was loud, the different
televisions were playing different sports, and a small crowd was over
by the pool table.
Everything seemed normal to him. No dark and sinister person
was lurking in any corners that he could see. Of course, his vision was
getting a little blurred as he tried to scan the tavern.
He glanced at the bottle in his hand, knowing for a fact it was only
his second drink, but he felt as though he had finished off an entire
twelve-pack already. He turned back around, resting his arms on the
counter to steady himself as his head spun.
What in the blue blazes was going on?
“At it again?”
Tabby looked over his shoulder to see Jesse standing there with a
disapproving look on his face. “Where’s Memphis?”
Tabby shrugged, refusing to answer the sheriff. He was still sore
over the groping scene back at the jail. He didn’t trust Jesse, even
though Memphis had told him that the sheriff was a mate.
He was still a cop.
“Minding his own business,” Tabby replied with a slight slur. He
blinked a few times, trying to figure out why his speech was impaired.
It was only his second damn beer!
Jesse stepped closer, irritation marring his face as he dipped his
head and lowered his voice. “Just to let you know, I’ve already called
Memphis.”
“Snitch,” Tabby replied as he held his empty bottle up, the
bartender replacing it with a full one immediately.
“You’ve had enough, Tabby.”
Tabby snarled at Jesse as he held the bottle close to his chest.
“You’re not my father. Fuck off.”
Memphis 85
Jesse nodded, backing away. “Fine, it’s your life you’re throwing
away.”
Tabby wasn’t throwing anything away. He enjoyed drinking beer.
He wasn’t a damn alcoholic. He didn’t have a drinking problem.
There were plenty of people out there that enjoyed kicking back with
a cold one.
And he was one of those people.
Jesse took a seat a few stools down, watching him as Tabby
sucked down his third beer, feeling drunker by the second. He slid
from his stool, leaving the empty bottle behind as he weaved his way
to the door.
Jesse was hot on his heels, dogging his every step as Tabby
walked out into the fresh air. Instantly his head began to swim and
bile rose to the back of his throat. Three. He had had three stinking
beers, and he was ready to pass out.
Tabby couldn’t understand it.
“There’s your ride,” Jesse said as he jerked his chin toward the
street.
Tabby tried to make his eyes open wider as he stared at the large
truck parking in front of the tavern. He smiled when Memphis and
Romano climbed from the truck, menacing glares shooting toward
him.
Let them be mad. Tabby hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You’re in trouble,” Memphis bit out as he stepped up onto the
sidewalk. “You put yourself in danger for what, a beer?”
“Looks like he had more than beer,” Romano commented as
Tabby swayed.
Tabby held his hand up, waving it in front of his face. “I had
three.”
“Then why are you holding up five fingers?” Memphis asked as a
strong arm wrapped around Tabby’s waist, guiding him toward the
truck.
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“Don’t know,” Tabby said as he glanced down at his hand. He
counted three fingers. What was Memphis talking about? He
shrugged as he let Memphis lead him to the truck.
“Just remember,” Jesse said as Tabby was led away, “there’s still
a bad guy out there gunning for you men. Keep him safe.”
Tabby waved his hand at Jesse in dismissal as he climbed into the
truck. Neither man looked happy with him as Tabby laid his head on
Romano’s shoulder, letting his eyes close.
It had only been three beers.
* * * *
Memphis took the road home at a leisurely pace. He could see that
Tabby was green around the gills, and there was no way the guy was
going to throw up in his truck. It disturbed him that his mate would
take off from the security of their home just to go have a drink.
He had thought that Tabby was just a social drinker, but he was
really starting to think the small man had a drinking problem. It
seemed every time he turned around Tabby was stinking drunk. That
disturbed him.
If Tabby needed help with his drinking, Memphis would help him,
but the small man had to admit he had a problem first.
“He’s asleep,” Romano said with a sigh as he wrapped one arm
around Tabby’s small frame. Memphis was going to have a long talk
with Tabby when he was sober. Something had to give. His mate
couldn’t keep going down this path.
“Do you think he’s an alcoholic?” Memphis asked as he kept his
eyes on the road. He had to ask Romano what he thought so he knew
if he had his larger mate on his side or if he was going to be fighting
both of them to get Tabby the help he needed.
“He does seemed to get shitfaced a lot,” Romano answered. “I’m
not sure what to think at this point.”
Memphis 87
Neither did Memphis. Maybe he should talk to Max, the resident
doctor, to see what his opinion was. Memphis was out of his territory
when it came to addictions. He knew firsthand about abuse, but
alcoholism wasn’t something he knew about.
“I think we should leave him alone,” Romano added after a
moment of silence. “He seems to be more of a social drinker to me.”
Memphis gaped at Romano for a second before training his eyes
back on the road. “Social drinker? Are you kidding? The man stays
drunk more than he stays sober. Get your head out of your ass, and
see the problem for what it truly is.”
“Oh, I see plenty of problems around here for what they truly
are,” Romano bit out.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You,” Romano replied.
“Me what?”
Romano turned sideways, cradling Tabby close as he narrowed
his brown eyes at Memphis. “If you want Tabby to admit he has a
problem, then I think you should admit that you have one as well.”
Memphis was confused. He didn’t have a damn problem. His
problem was solved the day Zeus took over as Alpha. “And what
problem do I have, Romano?”
“Never mind,” Romano huffed as he turned his head back toward
the road.
“No, you brought it up, so spill.”
“Fine,” Romano growled as he looked back at Memphis. “You’re
an arrogant bastard who thinks he has to control everything around
him. You want to be top dog all the time, never giving anyone a say-
so in anything. You act as though your word is law, and you push the
fact that you have to have your way to the point that you’re almost
bullying people around, namely me.”
Memphis was stunned. Was that how Romano saw him? A bully?
Memphis remained quiet for a moment as he digested everything
Romano had just said in his outburst. Was he really controlling? Sure,
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he was dominating, but he didn’t think he was controlling. “You’re
full of shit.”
“Whatever.”
“You’re no Sammy Sunshine yourself, mate,” Memphis pointed
out. “You’re just as combative with me.”
“But I know how to compromise. Do you?”
Did he? Memphis didn’t like the fact that Romano had him
examining himself. Hell, he had survived Jackson. What more to life
was there? Sure, he wasn’t going to let anyone else run over him or
rule over him, but a bully he was not.
Romano was talking out of the side of his damn neck.
When their truck was hit from behind, Memphis grabbed the
steering wheel, trying his best to keep the truck from skidding off of
the road.
“It’s them,” Romano shouted as he pushed Tabby down. “They’re
trying to run us off the road.”
“Them?” Memphis asked as he sped up. “I thought one of them
was in jail?”
“Apparently they sent for backup.”
Well, shit, that wasn’t good. The black car that had hit them sped
up as well, getting on the side of Memphis’s truck and then smashing
into it from the side. The truck jerked left, but Memphis managed to
straighten the wheel in time before they ran into the ditch.
“Gun!” Romano shouted as Memphis hit the brakes, sending the
black car careening ahead of them.
“Take the wheel. Get Tabby home.”
Romano looked furious as Memphis jumped from the driver’s
seat. “What in the fuck are you doing?”
“Getting them off of our trail,” Memphis answered as he glanced
at the black car that was down in the ditch ahead of them.
“Get the fuck back in here,” Romano shouted.
“Take Tabby back to Zeus, now!”
Memphis 89
“Don’t leave us,” Tabby cried out from the passenger side. The
wild ride must have jerked him awake.
“I have to. I won’t have them coming after either of you.”
“There you go again.” Romano growled. “Do you always have to
be in charge? Why can’t you just get in the truck and go home with
us?”
Memphis ignored Romano as he shifted into his wolf form.
“Don’t leave us,” Tabby begged again as he cried.
Memphis was torn between going home with his mates and
ending this bullshit once and for all. The need to keep his mates safe
won out as he took off toward the black car.
* * * *
Romano punched the dashboard. There was no way he was
leaving Memphis to handle this on his own. This was his mess, and
Memphis shouldn’t be the one to clean it up. He glanced at Tabby,
torn between helping Memphis and getting the smaller man to safety.
“I want you to stay in the truck. Do not get out. Do you
understand?” Romano asked Tabby.
Tabby’s eyes widened as his head began to shake back and forth.
“You can’t leave me, too,” his voice begged as he crawled across the
seat, fingers curling into Romano’s shirt.
Romano gently uncurled Tabby’s fingers, and then he climbed
from the truck. “I can’t leave him.”
Tabby’s face went from panic to anger within the span of a
second. Romano had never seen the man angry before, and it wasn’t a
pretty sight. He had a feeling that a pissed-off Tabby was worse than
an irritating Memphis. “Oh, but you can leave my ass?” The question
fell from his lips bitterly. “Fine, you both want to leave me? Then I
know where I truly stand.”
Romano wanted to tell the smaller man where he truly stood, but
Memphis had reached the black car. He knew the hired gunmen
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would kill Memphis if he didn’t go help the stubborn man now. As
arrogant, irritating, and as thickheaded as Memphis was, Romano
truly cared about him. He slammed the palm of his hand into the truck
door. “Just get your ass down on the floor. Don’t get out for anyone!”
Romano took off to see what fucking mess Memphis had gotten
himself into. It was a shame. Memphis was a good man, a strong man,
and from what Romano could see, Memphis truly cared. But there
was one problem with all of that. The problem was that Memphis
couldn’t see his own problem.
He needed to learn to accept Romano as his equal, his partner, and
to trust his judgment. Instead, Memphis ran into danger headfirst,
without considering the consequences. If something happened to
Memphis, didn’t the guy know how it would affect Romano and
Tabby? The loss would hurt Romano. He knew Memphis was only
trying to protect them, but Romano was damn good at protecting as
well.
Romano didn’t need someone dominating and controlling him. He
needed a partner. Romano needed somebody at his side, not
somebody he had to walk behind.
As he reached the car, he saw Memphis pulling the passenger out,
wrestling with the injured man, biting into the hand that held the gun.
Romano cursed, running around the car. As he drew closer, he saw
Memphis spin, putting the hit man underneath. Romano kicked the
guy’s hand, sending the gun flying away from them.
“You bastard, you’re going to get us both killed!”
Memphis turned around growling at Romano, snapping his jaws.
“What, am I supposed to be fucking afraid of you?” Romano
shouted. He glanced at the car, seeing that the driver was
unconscious, a trail of blood running down the side of the man’s
temple. He turned back toward the wolf, fisting his hands at his side.
“You don’t have to be a fucking hero in all of this. You don’t have to
risk your damn life to prove who you are to me or to Tabby. I think
you’d be more valuable to both of us alive than dead, you dumbass.”
Memphis 91
Memphis growled again, snapping his jaws, but Romano ignored
him. He was too mad, he was too pissed, and he was beyond
reasoning at the moment. Memphis had risked his life unnecessarily.
“If you’re that stuck on being a hero, on risking your life, and being in
control, then do it on your own fucking time!”
Romano knew that all of this had started because he had been in
the wrong place at the wrong time and he had witnessed a murder, but
he wasn’t about to witness the death of Memphis. That was too much
for him to handle.
For a man who had gone it alone his entire life, Romano had
finally found two men who he truly cared about and loved, and
Romano wasn’t about to stand aside and watch one of them act
suicidal.
He spun around, walking down the road toward the truck.
Romano could see that Memphis wasn’t in any danger from the
gunmen, and right now he knew that if he stuck around, he would say
some things that he would surely regret.
Halfway to the truck, Memphis ran up next to Romano, slowing
his pace so that he could walk alongside Romano. The grey wolf was
gorgeous, but Romano was too pissed right now to appreciate its
beauty.
Romano was tired, so damn tired of fighting Memphis. All he
wanted…Romano really wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he knew
that he loved Memphis and Tabby. He had never thought beyond his
love. He had a life with his landscaping business, and that life wasn’t
in Pride Pack Valley.
Was he willing to relocate to be with these two men? Was he
willing to make that sacrifice when all Memphis wanted to do was
control everything? No, damn it! Romano was not going to make that
move if Memphis wasn’t willing to be his equal partner.
He wasn’t even sure if Memphis wanted him around.
And that gutted him.
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Memphis hadn’t declared his love. Memphis hadn’t told Romano
how he truly felt about him.
Nothing made sense to him any longer. Romano was starting to
regret the day he drove into this small town to find refuge. Everything
was a mess. Nothing made sense. Everything was upside down.
Romano prided himself on knowing who he was and what he was,
and what he wanted out of life.
And now Memphis had him questioning everything.
“I don’t need you to walk me back to the truck. I think I can
manage it on my own.” Romano could hear a small grunt coming
from the wolf, but Memphis kept at his side.
“You know, it would be nice to know where I stood with you. It
would be nice to know where my future was going. And it would also
be nice to know if you and I even had a future. You claim that we’re
mates, but you treat me more like I’m beneath you,” Romano ranted
on. “I know how to handle myself. I know how to take care of myself.
I want somebody who can respect that. I want somebody who can
respect me.”
He knew he had Tabby, and Romano wasn’t going to let the small
man go. If he had to take Tabby with him when he left, then Romano
would. Tabby deserved to be happy, and Romano knew he could
make the small man happy.
Romano watched as Memphis shifted, standing in the middle of
the road totally fucking naked. Now if that wasn’t a total distraction,
then Romano wasn’t sure what was. How was he supposed to
concentrate when Memphis was standing there gloriously naked, his
golden skin begging for Romano to touch it?
His cock instantly filled, but Romano refused to acknowledge his
traitorous body. His body may be betraying him, but Romano was
pissed beyond belief. He wasn’t going to let Memphis’s sexy ass body
that made him want to lick every inch clean sway him.
Memphis 93
“You don’t know where you stand?” Memphis asked
incredulously. “I already told you that you were my mate. There’s no
question about where you stand.”
His brow inched up as Romano tucked his hands over his chest.
“Yeah, you told me I was your mate. But am I standing beside you or
behind you? That’s the question you need to figure out.”
“Why are you so damn impossible?” Memphis asked. “I don’t
understand you, Romano. All I’m trying to do is protect my mates.”
“No!” Romano shot back. “You’re not trying to protect us. You’re
trying to control us. Those are two totally different things.”
“How?” Memphis asked. “How am I trying to control you,
Romano?”
Just then Tabby came walking down the road. Romano threw his
arms up into the air, frustrated as hell. Even Tabby didn’t listen.
“Damn it.”
Tabby came to a stop in front of them, slapping his hands on his
hips. “Are you two done being assholes?”
Romano actually chuckled at the question. Tabby looked so
serious. “Yeah, I’m done. I don’t know about Memphis.”
“That was the dumbest damn move I’ve ever seen in my life,”
Tabby said. “I think you two are in some sort of competition to see
who had the bigger balls. It’s starting to get on my damn nerves.
You’re both alpha, big fucking deal. Get over it. If you keep this up,
you’re both going to be alone and miserable. I swear to god that both
of your egos are so big that it’s starting to suffocate me. There’s no
room in that truck for me, both of you, and your egos. Climb in the
back,” Tabby snapped as he walked back to the truck and rolled the
window up, grasping the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead,
his lips twisted to the side.
There was no way he was letting Tabby drive. Not after they just
picked his ass up from a bar.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Romano saw Dino and Sidney driving
down the road. He flagged them down and asked his cousin to drive
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them home. There was no way in hell he was sitting up front with
Tabby. Romano had never seen him that pissed and he wasn’t going
to be around the man until he calmed down.
As soon as Dino climbed behind the wheel, Romano could hear
the door locks engage.
He looked at Tabby and then at Memphis, shocked. “Is he
serious?”
Memphis shrugged. “I think so.”
Romano shook his head as he walked around to the back of the
truck, climbing into the bed. He pressed his back into the cab, looking
over at Memphis. “Well, are you getting in or what?”
Memphis waved a hand at his naked body and then waved at the
truck. “Seriously, I have to ride in the back? I’m going to freeze my
balls off.”
Romano wiggled his brows as he rested his arms on the edge of
the bed. “I can keep them warm for you if you want.” He could see
the heat instantly shimmer in Memphis’s deep grey eyes. There was
no way he could hide his reaction to Romano’s offer as he stood there
naked, his cock growing right in front of Romano’s eyes.
He heard the window roll down.
“Um, maybe Memphis should ride in the front with me,” Tabby
said with a whine.
Romano chuckled. “I don’t think so. First of all, Dino is up there
and I don’t think Sidney would be too happy about that. I wouldn’t be
too happy about that either. Secondly, you relegated us to the bed of
the truck, remember? I’m the one who’s going to enjoy that boner.”
“Well, damn it,” Tabby complained. “I can’t seem to win for
losing around here.”
“Oh, believe me,” Romano said as he curled his finger at
Memphis, indicating that he wanted the naked and hard man to climb
into the back. “You’ll be winning big-time once we get back to the
house.”
Memphis 95
“Yeah, yeah. But in the meantime, you two are going to be in the
back fondling each other.” Tabby pouted.
Romano roared with laughter as Memphis hopped into the bed of
the truck, cuddling close. “Am I really that controlling?” Memphis
asked as Tabby closed the window and Dino pulled onto the road,
following behind Sidney.
Romano held up his hand up, his index finger and thumb an inch
apart. “Maybe just a tad.”
Memphis leaned his head back, blowing out a long, tired breath.
“You know, I thought after Jackson I could handle anything. I thought
I didn’t have any issues. But it seems I do. It seems I have problems I
never knew I had before.”
“Who’s Jackson?” Romano asked.
Memphis shook his head as he grabbed Romano’s hand, twining
their fingers together. “It’s a long story. If I’m going to tell you, then I
might as well tell Tabby, and I don’t want to repeat the tale twice. So
it can wait until we get home.”
Home.
Memphis kept using that word. He used it with Romano and with
Tabby. Was he inviting Tabby and Romano to move in with him?
“You still haven’t told me where I stand with you,” Romano
reminded Memphis as he traced his thumb over their entwined
fingers.
“At my side,” Memphis replied as he leaned over and kissed
Romano on his cheek. “When I start acting like you need to walk
behind me, just kick me in my ass.”
Romano chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind doing that since you have
one fine-looking ass as it is.” He smiled when he saw the blush creep
across Memphis’s face. “Have you ever been in love before?”
Romano asked offhandedly.
“Never,” Memphis replied. “You and Tabby are the first.”
Romano snuck a peek at Memphis from under his lashes, biting
his bottom lip. “So you’re admitting that you love me?” he teased. He
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may be teasing Memphis, but Romano was serious about the question.
He held his breath as he waited for Memphis to answer.
“Well, duh,” Memphis replied as he bumped his shoulder into
Romano’s. “Do you think I would be going through all this bullshit if
I didn’t love you or Tabby?”
Tabby slid the small back window open, smacking Memphis on
his shoulder. “I love you, too, babe. You’re both still in big ass
trouble when we get home for leaving me and making me sit up front
with Dino.”
“Hey!” Dino shouted from the front seat. “I’m sitting right here,
you know.”
Memphis grinned at Romano as they ignored the driver. “I may be
bossy and irritating, but I think we both know who the boss truly is.”
“You got that right,” Tabby replied. “And as long as both of you
remember that, we’ll all get along just fine.”
Romano chuckled as he settled back. He had a feeling that they
would be able to work out their problems if all three of them survived
each other.
Memphis 97
Chapter Ten
Tabby bounced from foot to foot, biting his nails as he shook his
head. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“How do you not know?” Memphis asked with an amused look on
his face. “You like to watch. We all know you like to watch, and
there’s nothing wrong with that. But you’re going to stand there and
tell me you don’t have a choice in who you want to see top?”
Tabby threw his hands up into the air as he walked around in a
circle naked. The thought of watching these two men fuck turned him
on, but he just couldn’t decide who was going to fuck who. Why were
they leaving that choice up to him?
“Come on,” Romano said seductively. “Do you want to see me
fuck Memphis, or do you want to see Memphis fuck me? Either way
it goes, you’re going to get fucked, baby.”
Tabby slapped his hands onto his hips, tapping out a rhythm with
his feet. “Okay, fine. One of you can fuck me. Is that good enough?”
Memphis and Romano rolled their eyes. “That’s not answering
our question,” Romano pointed out.
“Okay, okay, okay, somebody give me a quarter, and I’ll flip for
it.”
“Seriously?” Romano asked.
“Yes,” Tabby answered like a brat. “If you’re going to make me
decide, then you can’t complain about how I decide.”
“Sounds fair to me,” Memphis said as he reached into his pants
and then tossed a coin at Tabby.
“Who’s head and who is tails?” Romano asked.
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Tabby snorted. “Another choice you’re handing off to me? You
guys call which one is which.”
“Memphis has tails!” Romano shouted.
“You’re not supposed to call for me,” Memphis said.
“Yeah, babe, but you have such a nice tail.”
Tabby snickered as he watched Memphis blush. It was amazing to
him to see such a strong man turn beet red. He had to admit, it only
added to Memphis’s already-sexy features.
“Okay, here we go.” Tabby took the quarter, flicked it up into the
air, and then grabbed for it, hitting it instead, knocking it to the floor,
and watching as it rolled under the bed. He growled, dropping to his
hands and knees, chasing after it, trying to get to the quarter. Tabby
reached his hand under the bed, feeling around.
Just as he curled his fingers around the coin, he felt a wet finger
enter him.
“Damn, baby, stay just like that,” Memphis’s deep and lust-filled
voice growled.
“You want me to stay under the bed while you fuck me?” Tabby
asked incredulously. “I don’t how that would work,” he called out. “I
think it would get complicated and crowded under here.” Tabby could
hear Romano chuckling above him.
But Tabby soon forgot what they were talking about when another
finger entered him. He wasn’t sure which man it was, and right now
he didn’t care. All he knew was that those thick, long fingers were
filling him, making him pant as his pre-cum dripped to the carpet. His
legs spread a little wider as he canted his hips up.
To hell with it. If they fucked him under the bed, then they fucked
him under the bed. Who cared where either one fucked him just as
long as one of them shoved his cock into Tabby’s ass. He wasn’t
moving one inch.
“Ready to come up here?” Romano asked.
“In a minute.” Tabby panted out his answer. He didn’t want the
fingers to leave him. They felt too damn good.
Memphis 99
Tabby protested when he felt the fingers leave his ass and then
strong hands gripped his hips, pulling him backward from under the
bed. He held the quarter up. “I found it!” Both men looked at him
strangely, but Tabby ignored them as he threw the coin into the air.
This time Romano reached out and grabbed it and then slapped it onto
the back of Tabby’s hand.
“All right, call it,” Romano said as he lifted his hand away.
Tabby glanced down and then smiled widely. “Tails.”
His cock got even harder thinking of Romano fucking Memphis
into the headboard. He wasn’t going to deny that the thought of
watching both men had his cock straining painfully. His pre-cum
began to flow from the head of his cock as he licked his lips, shooing
his hands, telling the men to get on with it.
“He really is a true voyeur.” Memphis chuckled as he grabbed the
lube and handed it over to Romano. He glanced behind him, his eyes
flickering over Romano. “Just remember to take it easy on me, bub.
This is my first time, after all.”
Tabby watched as a smirk formed on Romano’s lips. “I got you
covered, babe,” Romano said to Memphis as he winked at Tabby.
Tabby’s fingers curled around his hard length, his hand beginning
a slow and sensuous stroke as Romano opened the tube of lube and
wet his fingers. Tabby moved an inch closer, watching as Romano
placed one hand on the small of Memphis’s back and the wet finger
slowly pushed past the ring of muscles, burying itself deep into
Memphis’s ass.
Pinching the skin under the head of his cock, Tabby fought to
stave off his orgasm at the erotic sight. This was like his own private
porno playing out in front of him. Tabby moved in closer, trying to
get a better view as Romano slid his thick finger in and out of
Memphis’s tight entrance.
“Got a good view?” Romano asked as he shifted to the side,
gifting Tabby with a full and unobstructed view.
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“Better now,” Tabby said as his hand began to stroke his cock
again.
“Watch this,” Romano said and then kissed both cheeks of
Memphis’s ass before inserting a second finger.
“Easy back there,” Memphis called over his shoulder.
“Remember, never done this before.”
Tabby bit his lip, his hand stilling as Romano scissored his
fingers. It was becoming too much. Tabby was going to come, and he
knew it. Circling his fingers around the root of his cock, Tabby
tightened his grip to prevent his orgasm from exploding as Romano
inserted a third finger.
Never before had Tabby seen anything like this. He was always
on the receiving end, making it impossible for him to witness the
erotic play. But there was one thing that Tabby knew. He wanted to
see this over and over again. He would never tire of watching these
two strong men together.
Tabby loved when Memphis and Romano tag-teamed him, but
this, this scene right here was well worth the wait of him joining in.
Tabby sucked his lip in between his teeth as his fingers tightened even
more around the base of his cock as Romano slicked his cock with
lube.
Romano’s shaft glistened with the lube, making it all the more
sensual. The head was an angry purple, telling Tabby that Romano
was just as excited as he was. The man’s hands actually shook as he
grabbed his cock and pressed the mushroom-shaped head at
Memphis’s hole. Romano glanced over at him, and Tabby gave a nod.
Romano’s lip lifted into a sexy half smile as he popped the head past
the ring.
Okay, okay, Tabby couldn’t do this.
Oh shit.
His orgasm was right at the edge. Tabby slammed his eyes closed,
concentrating, stopping his body from erupting.
Memphis 101
“Get under Memphis,” Romano commanded, and Tabby was
quick to comply. He knew that if he didn’t get fucked within the next
five seconds that he was going to be spurting his cum all over these
two.
Tabby crawled up onto the bed, smiling up at Memphis as he
spread his legs wide. “I should have recorded it,” Tabby said to
Memphis. “Fuck if that wasn’t hot!”
Memphis had a tight grin on his handsome face as he stared down
at Tabby. “I’ll let you know when it gets better.”
“As I told Romano, just wait for it.” Tabby felt like he was
conducting how-to-get-fucked class with these two. Memphis actually
smiled as he leaned forward.
“I want you on your hands and knees, Tabby,” Memphis said as
he tapped Tabby’s hip. “Turn over.”
Tabby was all for that. He wiggled around until he lay on his belly
and then jutted his ass into the air. “Good enough?”
“Perfect,” Memphis replied.
His lips parted and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as
Memphis’s thick, long cock entered him. Tabby knew he wasn’t
going to last long after witnessing Romano take Memphis for the first
time. The image played over and over in his head as all three found a
rhythm.
Memphis’s cock filled Tabby as he mewled and whined, rocking
back onto Memphis’s shaft. Tabby looked over his shoulder to see
pure pleasure on Memphis’s face.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Tabby snickered.
Tabby yelped when Memphis smacked him on his hip. “Better
than good,” he growled. Tabby couldn’t agree more. Getting fucked
was the best feeling in the world, right next to watching someone get
fucked—or better yet, watching one of his mates fuck the other.
Tabby wasn’t sure which one turned him on more.
He grabbed the headboard, holding on as the pace picked up,
Memphis’s cock stretching him wide with each rapid thrust. Tabby
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cried out, his cock exploding, his cum erupting and hitting the
mattress below him as his hole pulsed out his release.
Memphis growled, his teeth biting into Tabby’s shoulder. Tabby
cried out once more, another orgasm ripping through him as he felt
Memphis pounding his ass with his pelvis. It was almost like
Memphis was inside of him, emotionally and mentally. The pleasure
was blinding him. Tabby didn’t think he was going to survive this.
It was too damn much.
He heard Romano roar out his release as Memphis pulled his teeth
from Tabby’s shoulder, licking at Tabby’s neck before shouting out
his orgasm. Tabby’s limbs gave out as he fell forward, landing in the
cooling pool of his cum.
Yuck!
“I need a shower,” he said to no one in particular, but Tabby was
too boneless to move from his spot. He smiled as Memphis scooped
him up from the bed and carried him into the bathroom, Romano right
behind them.
He could so get used to this.
* * * *
Rave watched as Federal Agent Monroe pulled his unmarked car
in front of the tavern. Zeus had told him that the agent was coming
into town. “You must be Monroe. Agent Muldane’s uncle,” Rave said
as the agent climbed out of his car. If this was Muldane’s uncle, then
this man knew about shifters. Agent Muldane was Harold’s cousin,
the agent who had taken care of Craig’s little problem some time ago.
Damn, the man looked a little young to be a grown woman’s uncle.
What was he, in his late twenties, early thirties? “I wasn’t aware this
was a federal case.”
The guy grunted as he slammed the car door shut. “But apparently
your alpha called in a favor.”
Memphis 103
Rave shrugged, his eyes studying the agent intently. “Zeus has got
it like that.”
The man snorted. “Zeus may have it like that, but I’m the one that
has to travel my ass here to help out with this case.”
Rave ignored the irritation in the agent’s voice. He didn’t care too
much for the guy being here in the first place. Pack could handle their
own without outside interference. Rave wasn’t sure why Zeus called
the guy here, but he was told to cooperate so that was what he was
going to do. But nobody said he had to like it, and nobody said he had
to be nice about it.
“I’m supposed to meet Sheriff Jesse DeKalb at Theo’s. Have you
seen him?”
Rave shrugged. “I’ve seen him.”
The agent raked Rave with his eyes, a sneer pulling his lip back.
Rave wasn’t impressed. “Do you mind telling me where you’ve seen
him?”
Rave grinned. “Everywhere.”
“Never mind,” Agent Monroe said as he walked into the tavern.
Rave chuckled as he followed behind him. Rave loved walking
into the tavern. Although he had been here thousands of times, the
place always smelled like something was grilling or sautéing and it
always smelled like barbecue sauce in here. The smells made him
hungry every single time he stepped foot in here.
“Are you always this irritating?” Agent Monroe asked over his
shoulder.
“What day is it?” Rave asked.
Agent Monroe waved a dismissive hand at Rave as he walked up
to the bar. Rave watched Taz approach Monroe. Taz glanced at Rave
curiously before he set his eyes on Monroe. Taz leaned forward,
resting his arms on the bar. “Can I help you?”
Rave held back the snicker as he took a seat on one of the stools.
“I’m looking for Sheriff Jesse DeKalb. He’s supposed to meet me
here.”
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“Haven’t seen him yet,” Taz replied. “Have you tried the station?”
Monroe rolled his eyes, looking as though he wanted to throttle
someone. Rave watched his reactions, his moves, and his body
language. He rubbed his jaw as he listened to the man talk.
“What the hell is up with you two?” Monroe asked as he glared
between Taz and Rave. “I would think that you want this case solved
so that these assholes can get out of your town.”
“And I think we can handle our own,” Rave snapped. “We don’t
need outside help.”
“Too fucking bad,” Monroe replied. “It’s not like I volunteered
for this shit. I’m here, so deal with it.” He turned toward Taz. “Let me
know when Jesse gets here so I can get this taken care of and return to
my normal life.”
“Get out of here now,” Taz said, “and we’ll take care of it.”
“You two are impossible,” Monroe snapped then threw his hands
up in the air. “Fine, if you want gunmen running around your town
shooting up everybody, that’s on you.”
Rave winked at Taz. “I know where Jesse is.”
Irritation was tight on Monroe’s face as he placed his hands on his
hips. “Where would that be?”
Rave jerked his chin toward the door. “Right behind you.”
Agent Monroe growled as he turned, and he walked toward Jesse.
“Mind telling me what that was about?” Taz asked as Jesse and
Monroe walked out of the tavern.
“Not really,” Rave replied as he leaned back, resting his elbows
on the counter behind him.
“That’s a first,” Taz said. “Fine, keep it to yourself. Nobody wants
to know about your twisted little reindeer games anyway.”
“They’re more than reindeer games, my friend.”
“Really?” Taz asked as he leaned in closer. “Okay, I give. You
have me curious as hell. Now tell me why you were messing with the
agent.”
Memphis 105
“Because,” Rave replied with a smile as he grabbed the beer Taz
handed him. He saluted the door with the bottle before taking a long
draft and then smacked his lips as he sat the bottle down. “I just
wanted to see how much bullshit my mate could take before he
exploded.”
“You are one truly twisted man, my brother.”
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Chapter Eleven
Memphis kept his arms wrapped around Tabby as Agent Monroe
talked with Jesse and Zeus in the alpha’s office. He didn’t care much
for Monroe, and he didn’t like the fact that their alpha had called
outside help to deal with a pack problem.
“I want to set up perimeter blocks, here, here, and here,” Monroe
said as he tapped the map of Pride Pack Valley laid out on Zeus’s
desk. “We already know who we’re after. The lawyer that the bookie
killed was working on a case for us. So whether you like it or not”—
Monroe turned toward Memphis, his eyes telling Memphis that that
agent didn’t care too much for him—“we’re involved.”
As Agent Monroe talked over the plan with Zeus, Memphis felt a
cold chill race down his spine. Romano had gone to the apartment
above the tavern that he had rented to gather his belongings, but his
mate was taking too long.
Memphis knew Romano hadn’t brought much with him. Hell, as
far as he knew, Romano had only a handful of clothes. It shouldn’t
have taken over an hour just to pack a few items. “I need to go check
on my mate. He’s taking too long,” Memphis said to the men in the
room.
“When did Romano leave?” Jesse asked.
“He’s been gone over an hour,” Memphis answered Jesse.
“Shit,” Monroe growled as he and Jesse raced out of Zeus’s
office. Memphis was hot on their heels.
“Stay with Zeus,” Memphis said to Tabby as he raced for the
office door.
Memphis 107
“Hell, no, you are not leaving me behind!” Tabby protested. “He’s
my mate, too.”
“It’s not safe, Tabby. I’m not trying to command you or control
you, but, baby, please listen to me. I don’t know what’s going on, and
I would feel much better knowing you were here, safe.”
Tabby didn’t look too happy about being left behind, but he
finally conceded. “Okay, but if you take over an hour, I’m coming
after you.”
Memphis took a deep breath, trying to control his nerves. The
thought of Tabby coming into the unknown made his gut clench with
fear. He snapped his eyes up to Zeus, the alpha giving a slight nod to
let Memphis know that Tabby wasn’t going to be allowed to leave the
house.
“I’ll be back, babe.” Memphis leaned forward, kissing his mate on
his soft lips before he rushed out of the office. Memphis kept in mind
that Romano had argued the point over and over again about being
able to take care of himself. Memphis just wanted to check on
Romano. He wasn’t going to lose his mind. He wasn’t going to try
and control the situation.
Memphis realized that maybe Romano was right. Maybe he was
trying to control everything around him. He know knew the need to
control everything around him came from being controlled himself.
He was fighting inside himself to control the situations around
him now. The problem was he was being too controlling. He had to
find balance, and he knew Romano and Tabby gave him that balance.
Memphis thought he could handle anything after Jackson, and he
didn’t think he had any scars. But Memphis had been wrong.
All the soldiers had been affected in some sort of way, and
Memphis wasn’t the exception like he thought he was. Memphis
realized this. Not everyone showed the signs of abuse like Eagle had.
Some, like him, didn’t show any signs until mates started popping
up, and then Jackson’s abuse reared its ugly head. It was a scary ass
thought. Memphis wondered if there were more surprises that would
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surface now that he was mated. But right now Memphis had to push
that aside and concentrate on Romano and believe that his mate was
safe.
There were hired hit men after Romano, after him, and after
Tabby.
Memphis wanted desperately for all of this chaos to be over.
Memphis had seen that the agent and Jesse had already left the
driveway. He jumped into his truck, the motor roaring to life as he
pulled out of the drive and shot down the road. Worry and gut-
clenching fear filled Memphis as he drove to town. He wasn’t going
to overreact if Romano was fine.
Please let Romano be fine.
Memphis was going to be casual about the whole situation if his
mate was in his apartment packing. He was going to have a cool head.
Yeah, right. Who was he kidding?
Memphis couldn’t help who he was. But what he could help was
how he handled himself.
Equal partners.
Walk beside each other.
He chanted the mantra over and over again as he raced toward the
apartment Romano had rented. Memphis’s brows pulled together
when he didn’t see Monroe’s or Jesse’s vehicles out front of the
tavern. They left before him, which meant they should have been here
by now.
Where could they have gone?
Memphis pulled his truck behind the tavern, parking next to
Romano’s truck. Seeing his mate’s truck let him know that Romano
was close by. He just prayed his mate was up in his apartment, safe.
He cut the motor, staring up at the apartment windows. Memphis
didn’t want to rush up there and piss Romano off, making the man
think that Memphis didn’t trust his judgment and that Romano
couldn’t take care of himself.
But he needed to know that his mate was safe.
Memphis 109
Memphis took a deep breath and then reached for the handle of
his truck, climbing out. He walked into the kitchen of the tavern,
looking around, but saw nothing suspicious. As he walked into the
main part of the tavern, Memphis spotted Taz behind the bar. He gave
the wolf a slight nod.
Taz looked at him curiously, so Memphis walked over. He leaned
in close, his eyes flickering around the room as he spoke in a lowered
voice. “Romano is taking a long time to gather his things. Have you
seen him?”
Okay, so he was a chickenshit. Memphis didn’t want to rush
upstairs if there was no emergency. Romano had made it very clear
about taking care of himself, and Memphis rushing to his rescue kind
of nixed that idea.
Taz leaned back, shaking his head. “No, I haven’t seen him,
Memphis. I haven’t even seen him come in yet.”
Memphis forgot his mantra as he shot up the steps and stopped in
front of Romano’s door. He ran a hand over his head to steel his
nerves and then tried Romano’s door.
It was unlocked.
This could not be good. Memphis eased the door open quietly,
performing a quick head check before stepping inside. The place
seemed empty, but he spotted Romano’s belongings still strewn about
the apartment.
Which meant his mate hadn’t even made it to his apartment.
Memphis quickly checked each room and saw that Romano
wasn’t there.
Shit!
He raced back down the steps and into the tavern. Memphis
wasn’t sure where to look or where to go. He felt lost, helpless,
standing in the middle of the tavern with no clue where to look next.
Frustrated, Memphis ran his hands over his head repeatedly, fear like
a lead weight sitting in his gut.
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Walking out of the tavern, Memphis climbed back into his truck.
He bit his thumbnail as he wondered what he should do next when he
caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to
see Romano creeping along the building, his back pressed firmly into
the brick wall.
Memphis stilled, not moving a muscle as he watched Romano
come into his line of sight. What froze Memphis, what truly horrified
him, was seeing the man that he had attacked on the side of the road
coming in the other direction, his gun aimed at Romano’s head.
Unsure of what was taking place or why his mate hadn’t been in
his apartment, Memphis knew he had to save his mate. Reaching
over, Memphis opened the truck door as quietly as he could when
Romano’s head snapped in Memphis’s direction.
Their eyes locked. Romano looked confused. Memphis snapped
his eyes toward the gunman and then back at Romano. His mate’s
eyes followed in the same direction. His eyes widened when he saw
the gunman coming his way.
Just as Memphis thought his mate was going to die, Agent
Monroe and Jesse came around the corner, Monroe’s gun raised.
“Freeze,” Monroe shouted.
The gunman raised his hands to his shoulders.
“Drop your weapon,” Monroe commanded.
Memphis was actually impressed.
The gunman dropped his gun, Memphis hearing it clattering to the
ground.
“Kick it away from you,” Monroe said as he moved closer. The
gunman complied. “Where’s your partner?” Monroe asked, his gun
still aimed at the bastard’s head.
“What partner?” the man replied.
“Don’t play stupid with me. Where is he?” Monroe snapped.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” the man argued. “It’s
just me.”
Memphis 111
Memphis could tell the man was lying. His eyes scanned the area,
but Memphis didn’t see a second man. This worried him. He slid from
the truck, closing the door quietly as he stood there.
And that was when he saw the second gunman.
The guy was on the roof, high-powered rifle aimed down at his
mate. Memphis didn’t think. He didn’t have time to think. He only
had time to react. Memphis shifted and then leapt toward Romano,
knocking his mate onto the ground as a bullet whizzed by his head.
Memphis covered his mate’s body as gunfire exploded. The man
on the roof fell, landing right next to Romano and Memphis. He
whimpered as he nuzzled Romano’s neck. His mate reached up and
ran his hands over Memphis’s fur. “It’s cool. We’re fine. You saved
my life. Thank you.”
Memphis licked a long line from Romano’s jaw to his temple,
trying his best to convey how scared he had been.
“Now that’s just gross,” Romano complained, squirming
underneath him, but never let go of Memphis. He finally backed off,
allowing his mate to get to his feet. Romano looked from one man to
the other. “Damn, both of them?”
Memphis turned his head to see the other gunman lying on the
ground in his own pool of blood.
“They left me no choice,” Agent Monroe said, looking a bit
shook-up. He ran a hand over his face and then turned to leave. “Now
I’ll be going after the bookie that killed the lawyer and called the
hits.”
“Sure, leave me the damn mess to clean up,” Jesse complained.
Romano walked over to Agent Monroe, shaking his hand.
“Thanks.”
Memphis growled. Monroe may have killed the gunmen, saving
Romano’s life, but he didn’t like any man touching his mate.
Monroe raised both hands in surrender, taking a step back. “No
harm, no foul,” he said before turning around and walking away.
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Memphis nuzzled Romano’s hand. When his mate opened his
hand, Memphis licked the other man’s scent off of him.
“You’re such a jealous bastard.”
Memphis sniffed indignantly as he trotted toward the truck,
Romano right behind him. When Romano opened the door, Memphis
jumped up into the seat. Once they pulled away from the tavern and
headed toward home, Memphis shifted.
“I wasn’t trying to be controlling,” he quickly defended himself,
trying to cut off any pending agreement. “I—”
“I know,” Romano cut Memphis’s defense off. He placed his hand
on Memphis’s naked thigh. “I’m glad you were there. Thank you.”
Memphis nodded, relieved that his mate wasn’t about to get in his
ass about his heroic tactics. “By the way…” he said as he placed his
hand on top of Romano’s.
Romano looked in his direction, curiosity in his eyes. “What?”
“Er, Tabby’s not going to be in the best of moods when we get
back.”
Romano groaned. “What did you do?”
Memphis had the decency to blush as he shrugged. “I might have
ordered him to stay behind.”
Romano chuckled as he shook his head. “This should be
interesting.”
* * * *
Sometimes Rave was a total fucking idiot.
He had taunted his mate, messing with him big-time, for no other
reason than to test him. Now Rave stood there in the parking lot of the
police station, watching as Agent Monroe opened his car door. He
knew that Agent Monroe had to wrap up this case. But as bad boy as
Rave always acted, it was hurting to watch his mate leave.
“Are you coming back this way?” Rave asked as he shoved his
hands into his front pockets and leaned against Monroe’s car. The
Memphis 113
most screwed-up part about this situation was the fact that Rave didn’t
even know his mate’s first name.
“I hadn’t planned on it,” Monroe said as he leaned over the frame
of the driver’s door. “Why? Do you have another case you need me to
solve?” he asked with a touch of arrogance.
Okay, Rave would miss him, but he also wanted to throttle the
guy. But he had to admit, he did have that one coming.
“Something like that,” Rave replied.
“I’m not following you,” Monroe said as the fingers on his right
hand tapped the top of his car. “What exactly does that mean?”
Before he knew what he was doing, Rave pulled his hands from
his front pockets, walked around the driver’s door, and settled his
body between Monroe’s and the car. He cupped his mate’s face,
kissing with a hunger that belied his outward calm. Rave was shocked
at his own eager response to Monroe’s soft lips.
The agent fought him at first, pushing his hands into Rave’s chest,
and then began to pull Rave toward him, responding just as hungrily.
Pleasure radiated outward as Rave’s cock filled, throbbing painfully
as he regretfully broke the kiss, his lungs burning for air.
Rave knew he heard a small whimper escape Monroe’s lips as he
took a step back, steadying his breath. His eyes locked onto his mate’s
wet, kiss-swollen lips. Rave was dying to take them again. Rave
wanted to explore every inch of Agent Monroe’s body. He wanted to
lick every inch of the man’s flushed flesh.
“So again,” Rave said unsteadily. “Are you coming back here?”
Agent Monroe pressed his fingers to his lips, looking at Rave like
he wanted another kiss. Rave knew he couldn’t do that. It would only
make it harder to watch Monroe leave. A smile pulled at his lips as he
sat down into his car.
“I’ll be back, honey.” Monroe winked at him before closing the
car door and driving out of the lot.
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Chapter Twelve
Tabby reached into his pocket, making sure he felt the pennies
that he had shoved in there earlier. Feeling the coins at the bottom of
his pocket, Tabby stepped into the tavern.
Damn if he was going to get drunk this time off of two or three
beers.
He planned on placing a penny on the counter for every beer that
he drank. He was going to prove that he wasn’t a lush or an alcoholic.
Tabby was going to prove that after drinking only two beers that he
got drunk off of his ass. And once he proved that, he was going to
find out what in the hell was going on.
Okay, Tabby had to admit to himself that maybe he needed to
slow down. But something strange was going on and he was going to
get to the bottom of things.
He walked over to the bar, sitting on one of the stools as the same
bartender walked over to him, a tight smile on his face.
“Same thing?” the bartender asked.
Tabby nodded, determined to prove everyone wrong. “Same
thing. One cold beer, please.” He reached into his pocket, grabbing
one penny and placing it next to the peanut bowl. Damn if he was
going to have all ten pennies on the counter before he got drunk.
Something was going on, and Tabby intended to prove that.
The bartender walked around the horseshoe-shaped bar, digging
into the cooler under the bar to grab a beer. Tabby looked around,
seeing who was in the tavern. There were a few men playing pool,
some people kicked back in a booth laughing and talking, while
Memphis 115
others sat at the bar watching various sport games on the many
televisions.
He turned back around when the bartender sat his beer on the
counter. “Bottoms up. I’ll have another one ready for you when you
finish this one.”
Tabby nodded, grabbing the beer as he watched the game. He
really wasn’t into sports, but he wasn’t here to watch them either. He
was here to prove a point. Tabby enjoyed a beer just like the next guy,
but for some reason, his tolerance had dropped down to zero.
Within twenty minutes, Tabby had his first beer drank, the
bartender immediately replacing his bottle with a fresh one.
Tabby reached into his pocket and grabbed another penny, placing
it next to the first one by the peanut bowl. He counted that he had two
pennies sitting there and noticing that he was already feeling slightly
dizzy.
By the third beer, Tabby felt drunk as a skunk. He glanced down
by the peanut bowl and saw that there were only three pennies. He
knew he hadn’t forgotten a penny when he was given a fresh beer.
Something was definitely wrong.
There was no way three beers should affect him this way. He had
been a social drinker his whole adult life, and never before had he
gotten shitfaced from three stinking beers! He pushed away from the
bar, feeling his stomach roll and lurch. Tabby needed fresh air.
Swaying back and forth, Tabby staggered as he made his way to
the tavern door. People around him were staring at him openly, some
with pity and others with amusement. Tabby didn’t like people
looking at him that way.
He wasn’t a drunk!
When Tabby pushed past the door, Memphis immediately snaked
an arm around his waist, hauling Tabby’s smaller frame to his mate’s
solidly built body.
“We need to talk, mate.”
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Tabby blinked a few times, trying to focus on Memphis’s pretty
grey eyes. He smiled as he reached up and patted Memphis on his
cheek. “You’re soooo cute,” he said and then giggled.
“He thinks you’re cute.” Romano chuckled.
Tabby’s head lolled around so he could focus on his other mate.
“Hey, you’re cute, too,” Tabby said with a slur.
“Gee, thanks.” Romano winked at him, making Tabby blush.
“That’s not why we’re here,” Memphis growled at Romano.
“But he thinks I’m cute,” Romano teased.
It took some hard concentration, but Tabby managed to turn his
head back around and look up at the man holding him in his strong
arms. “Why are you growling, Mr. Wolfy?” Tabby could hear
Romano snickering next to him as Tabby tried his best to stay focused
on Memphis’s face.
It wasn’t easy.
Memphis grimaced. “Because, babe, we need to talk about your
drinking problem.”
Tabby’s head bounced back and forth as he shook it. “But I don’t
have a drinking problem.”
Romano ran his hands over Tabby’s cheek, making Tabby lean
into the touch. It felt good having two men love him, but he needed to
let them know that he wasn’t a stinking drunk. Their opinion of him
mattered to Tabby, and he didn’t want either of them looking at him
as a lush.
Romano’s eyes softened as he smiled gently at Tabby. “Yes, mate,
you do.”
Tabby tried to push away from Memphis, but the struggle was
fruitless. The man was too strong, and Tabby was too drunk.
But he shouldn’t be drunk.
Not after three stinking beers!
He had left the three pennies on the bar inside, and Tabby was
determined to get to those copper coins to prove something was
Memphis 117
amiss. He needed his mates to see that he had only drunk three damn
beers.
“Take me back into the tavern,” Tabby demanded as he waved a
hand at the door.
Romano shook his head. “I think you’ve had enough.”
“No, take me into the tavern.” Tabby’s voice became more solid
as he fought to clear his fuzzy head.
“I think I need to take you home so you can talk to Max,”
Memphis said as he started toward his truck, Tabby in tow.
“No!” Tabby protested as he pounded Memphis’s solid chest.
“Take me into the tavern. The pennies are in there.”
“Pennies?” Romano asked.
“Yesss!” Tabby drew out the S longer than he intended to, only
further cementing the fact that he was indeed drunk.
“He’s telling the truth.”
Tabby, along with his mates, turned to see Taz standing in the
tavern doorway.
“What are you talking about?” Memphis asked.
Taz jerked his chin toward Tabby. “He only had three beers.”
He knew it!
“How can he only have three beers and be drunk like this?”
Romano asked as he waved a hand toward Tabby.
Yeah. How the hell could he be drunk off of three beers? Tabby
wanted an answer to that question.
“Come inside,” Taz said to the three men. “There’s something that
you should know.” Taz glanced down at Tabby and shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Tabby. I didn’t catch it until now. I am truly sorry for
treating you as a drunk.”
Tabby’s head bobbed up and down as he nodded. “Thanks. But
I’m not a drunk.”
“I agree,” Taz said as he opened the door, holding it as Memphis
carried Tabby inside, Romano following close behind.
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Lynn Hagen
They took a seat at the booth, Memphis still clutching Tabby in
his arms as Romano sat across from them.
“Now tell us what’s going on,” Romano demanded just as Jesse
and Craig walked into the tavern. Tabby saw Taz pause as he waited
for the sheriff and deputy to join them.
Tabby looked between Jesse and Craig, wondering what was
going on. He knew something wasn’t right, and he wanted answers.
“I saw Tabby come into the tavern,” Taz began. “So I kept an eye
on him as I called you, Memphis.”
Memphis gave a nod. “Thanks.”
Taz shook his head. “But that’s not the problem. I watched your
mate, but I also watched my recently added bartender, Patsy, every
time he gave Tabby a beer. What I witnessed was Patsy putting
something into the beer before he handed it to Tabby.”
“He what!” Romano and Memphis roared at the same time.
“I’m not sure what it was,” Taz said and then turned toward Jesse.
“You’ll have to take the beer bottle that Tabby drank from and have it
examined over at the hospital lab.” Taz glanced back down at Tabby.
“But I’m positive I saw him adding something to your drink.”
Romano jumped to his feet, stalking toward the bar. Tabby saw
the enraged look on his mate’s face as his eyes narrowed in on the
bartender. Taz jumped in front of Romano, stopping him as Jesse
walked around the bar and handcuffed Patsy.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Patsy demanded as Jesse
brought him back around to the booth.
“This is about you drugging one of my patrons’ drinks,” Taz
replied, pushing at Romano’s chest to hold him back.
Tabby grinned at the way Romano was defending him, ready to
tear a new asshole in the bartender. God, the man was hot!
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Patsy claimed his
innocence.
Tabby rolled his eyes.
Memphis 119
“No?” Taz asked as a thick brow arched. “You are aware I have
closed-circuit cameras in this place?”
Patsy’s face paled as he glanced around. Tabby looked as well,
spotting a few cameras above the bar. One was facing the register,
and another was facing the stools where Tabby had been sitting.
“I do have proof of you putting something into Tabby’s drinks.
I’m sure the lab at the hospital will identify what it is.”
“You lousy son of a bitch!” Patsy shouted at Tabby.
Tabby had no clue what he had done to the guy. The only thing he
had ever done was come in to have a drink…or three. They barely
spoke, and the two never really had a conversation. He couldn’t think
of anything he had done to offend the man.
“What did I do to you?” Tabby asked as he lay in Memphis’s
arms. He rubbed his temples, trying his best to clear away the fog that
shrouded his brain.
“I saw him first!” Patsy jerked his chin toward Romano. “And
then your whorish ass had to fuck him right out back of the tavern.
What chance did I have then?”
“So you drugged him?” Romano roared.
Patsy shrugged, looking unrepentant. “I figured that if I made him
look like a drunk, a lush, a fall-down disgrace, that you wouldn’t want
him or be interested in him.” Patsy laughed bitterly, his eyes taking on
the look of a true madman.
Tabby couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This bastard was
actually drugging his damn drinks. If he wasn’t so damn drunk right
now, he would get up and kick the man’s sorry and pathetic ass.
“But lucky me”—Patsy sneered as he continued, shooting daggers
at Romano—“you had to be one of those dumbass men that fell for a
fucking drunk. What did you think, you could save him?”
“I think I’ve heard enough,” Jesse said as he starting pushing
Patsy toward the door.
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Taz turned toward them as Romano’s and Memphis’s eyes
followed Patsy as Jesse and Craig led the bartender away, both
glaring menacing daggers at the man.
“Sorry about all of this,” Taz said. “I had no clue the man was a
nut job. It seems I need to hire someone to hire someone. My
judgment in employees sucks. You know I was handed this mess,
Memphis.” Taz chuckled. “Had I known, I would have kicked the shit
out of his sorry ass from day one. Free beers for you, Tabby.”
“Forever?” Tabby asked.
“You got it, buddy.”
Tabby wanted to raise his hands and clap them because he had
proven that he wasn’t a drunk.
If he could only feel where they were.
Memphis pushed from the booth, carrying Tabby toward the door,
Romano at their side.
“By the way,” Memphis said as they walked outside. “Jesse tells
me he had to fire the cop that groped you. It seems the guy came back
from leave only to repeat his offense with another prisoner. But this
time Jesse caught him in the act.”
Tabby felt horrible that someone else had to feel that slimeball’s
hands on them, but he was glad the guy was no longer in a position to
abuse his power of authority. He settled back on Memphis’s lap as
Romano drove them home.
“Told you I wasn’t a drunk.”
“But you do need to slow down, mate,” Memphis said as he
pulled Tabby tighter to his chest. “You may not be a drunk, but you’re
heading down that road pretty damn fast.”
Tabby nodded as he rested his head against Memphis’s chest. “I
know. Trust me, I know. I’ll be slowing down to a crawl.”
“How about you let it go for a while?” Romano asked. “Believe
me, Memphis and I have better things you can do with your time.”
“Perv,” Tabby teased but knew Romano was right. “Fine, I’m
giving up my beer.”
Memphis 121
“Thank you,” Memphis said as he kissed the top of Tabby’s head.
Tabby grinned. He’d rather have these two men any day over a
beer. Fuck it, he was going to be sober now. To hell with counting
how many he had. Zero sounded like a good number to him.
* * * *
Romano looked around the room, seeing his belongings littering
Memphis’s bedroom. He had made the choice to move his business to
Pride Pack Valley to be with his mates.
Memphis and Tabby were on the bed, wrestling around, laughing
with each other. Every time he looked at the two, his stomach gave
the strangest flip as he felt the love and the bond between them grow.
How he had lucked out with the two most handsome men he’d
ever seen, Romano would never know. The attraction and desire he
felt for both men immediately made itself known as his cock
thickened while Romano watched the two naked men roll around.
“I pinned him. I pinned him,” Tabby shouted with glee.
Romano snickered. He knew Memphis had let Tabby win, but the
joy on Tabby’s face made them both smile as Memphis winked at
Romano. It was a reaction like no other he had ever experienced.
Romano wanted that smile, that joyous bliss on Tabby’s face forever.
“I give,” Memphis conceded as he tapped his hand on the
mattress. “You won, babe.”
Tabby air pumped his arms. “I kicked your butt. I kicked your
butt,” he sang out triumphantly.
Romano crossed the room, skimming his hands over Tabby’s
small mounds. “I’d like to do something to this butt,” he said as his
fingers trailed down the valley between Tabby’s globes, his finger
tapping at Tabby’s entrance.
Tabby groaned, canting his hips into the air. “You can do
whatever you want to it.”
Oh, Romano planned to.
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“And I plan on doing something with that fine ass,” Memphis
said, employing his best puppy dog expression toward Romano,
making Romano smile in delight. He wasn’t going to deny the fact
that it felt damn good having Memphis’s cock buried deep in his ass,
and he was looking forward to feeling it again.
A devious smirk played on his lips as he grabbed the lube and
tossed it on the bed. Tabby seemed to bounce with excitement, his
eyes ablaze as he rolled, giving Romano room to climb between the
two.
With a feral smile, Romano swallowed Tabby’s straining erection.
Tabby shouted as Romano pushed his smaller mate’s legs back
toward his slim chest, engulfing Tabby’s entire length.
“Ah fuck,” Memphis said from beside them. “Now I see why
Tabby likes to watch. That is one hot ass scene.”
Romano chuckled around Tabby’s throbbing shaft.
His tongue slid from root to tip, suckling at the head as he felt
Memphis behind him, stretching him. His eyes flew up to Tabby as
the smaller man smiled down at him, his eyes hooded.
“Suck it harder,” Tabby said as his fingers curled around
Romano’s ear, tugging slightly, encouraging Romano to take him at
his word.
Romano’s lips formed a tight suction around Tabby’s length.
“Yes, yes. That’s it,” Tabby cried out as his hips shot forward. He
could feel the wiry blond curls at his nose as his mate’s cock slid
down his throat.
Romano began to hum, knowing that he was intensifying Tabby’s
pleasure as his fingers stretched his mate, who writhed underneath
him. Tabby mewled as small spurts of pre-cum shot to the back of
Romano’s mouth. He drank it down as his tongue swirled around,
sucking out even more of the erotic nectar.
He stilled when he felt Memphis’s cock enter him.
Memphis 123
Memphis was gentle but insistent as he worked his cock into
Romano’s ass, inch by excruciatingly pleasurable inch. Romano
glanced up when he felt Tabby tapping on his cheek.
“You have to fuck me, and you have to fuck me now because I’m
not going to last much longer.”
Romano released Tabby’s length as his smaller mate scooted
down the bed, situating himself perfectly under Romano. Tabby
hooked his hands behind his knees, pulling his legs to his chest,
showing Romano his tight, glistening, and pulsing entrance.
He damn near shot his load from the sight alone.
“Take him now,” Memphis warned, “because I’m just as close as
he is.”
Romano quickly lined his aching shaft to Tabby’s wet hole and
then pushed in to the root. Tabby cried out, his head thrashing from
side to side as a low and husky groan sounded in Romano’s ear.
“Damn, he sounds good,” Memphis said as he slammed forward,
shoving his cock deeper into Romano’s ass. “Fuck him. Fuck me,”
Memphis begged as he leaned back.
Romano propelled his hips forward and then thrust his ass back,
impaling his ass on Memphis’s thick manhood. Each thrust, each cant
drove Romano closer and closer to falling over the edge.
Tabby’s widespread thighs shivered and shook as Romano
pounded his giving flesh.
“Romano,” Tabby gasped as he was raised and lowered by
Romano’s demanding body.
“Do it, Tabby,” Romano growled. “I want to see you come all
over me.”
His words barely left his lips as Tabby cried out, his hot seed
shooting between the two of them, painting both their bodies with his
release.
Romano couldn’t hold out, the pulsing hole milking his cock as he
rammed his shaft deeply into Tabby’s ass, his seed bathing his mate’s
tight channel.
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He nearly came unglued when Memphis bit into his shoulder,
pinning him as Memphis’s pelvis jetted forward, his cock hammering
into Romano’s sore and tender flesh. Romano wrapped his arms
around Tabby, raising his hips higher, giving Memphis what he
needed as his mate took his pleasure from Romano’s body.
Memphis soon released Romano, licking the wound closed as a
loud and sensual roar filled the room, indicating Memphis’s release.
Romano, Memphis, and Tabby collapsed on the bed, all three
trying desperately to pull in lungs full of air. He smiled as one of his
hands landed on Memphis’s hips, the other arm still curled around
Tabby’s body, knowing in what started out as a place to hide,
Romano had found his two true loves. And there was no doubt that
Romano loved both Memphis and Tabby with every beat of his heart.
His flight to Pride Pack Valley had given him more than just a
place to hide. It had given him the two men beside him, who Romano
would fight to protect with his last breath.
No matter how much Memphis fought for control.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but
lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to
find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.
You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a
cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.
Also by Lynn Hagen
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 1: Jasper
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 2: Avanti
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 3: Knox
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 4: Torem
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 5: Hunter
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 6: Sully
Ménage Everlasting ManLove: Zeus’s Pack 7: Bald Eagle
For all other titles, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/lynn-hagen
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Wyszukiwarka
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