Federal Paranormal Agency 6 - Leannan (3 page)

Thomas walked toward the door. With each step he took, the air grew thicker, more potent. As he passed Duncan, Thomas inhaled, pulling the man’s scent deep into his lungs. The mixture of smells invaded Thomas’s head—leather, black orchid, vanilla, and sandalwood— spicy yet soft.

Mate.

The severity of the situation hit him hard, like a bullet to the heart. Thomas’s shoulders dropped, all of his energy suddenly vanishing.
It’s not fair.
He wanted to shout at the sheer injustice, but he couldn’t.
Fate hates me.
He’d lost his family, and now, he would lose his mate as well.
Maybe I’m cursed.

Thomas put his back against the wall and waited. Duncan closed the door, clicking the lock into place before passing him. Thomas followed along, keeping a few feet between him and Duncan, just in case he needed to make a quick break. They passed the bathrooms along the dim hallway before stepping into the light.

“Wow,” he murmured.

The interior of the pub—warm and homey—was the exact opposite of the exterior. It was a pleasant surprise. Turning in a circle, Thomas looked around, taking it all in.

Dark wood paneling covered the walls, industrial light fixtures hung down from a vaulted ceiling, and there was a fireplace in the corner with a sitting area that included leather couches and overstuffed chairs. The snug wooden booths were complemented with worn leather seats just like the barstools. The bar top of shining mahogany gleamed under the light. The mirror on the back wall clearly reflected all the bottles in front of it. The name of the bar, Temple, painted
on
the glass was faded, as if it had been there for years. Thomas could tell that this place was loved by its owner and well used by the patrons.

“Niall,” Duncan called out. “Bring me a couple towels and a dry shirt. The boy’s dripping all over my wood floor.”

“Right away, boss,” the bartender said.

“What’s your name?” Duncan asked.

“Thomas Doyle.”

“Why don’t you go sit by the fire, Thomas? I’ll join you in a moment.”

“Okay.”

Leaving Duncan’s side, Thomas made his way
to the other side of
the pub. He kept his head down, trying not to draw any unwanted attention from the others. As he passed, a few of the men made whispered comments, but Thomas pretended not to hear them.

“Looks like the boss brought home another stray.”

“He’s a cute lad.”

“Definitely Duncan’s type.”

Thomas ground his teeth together as
jealousy
reared its ugly head. How many men had his mate been with? He wanted to lash
out
but refrained. It didn’t really matter anyway. This was all temporary. He had to keep reminding himself why he was here.

When he reached the corner of the pub, Thomas put the puppy down on the tiles. He quickly removed his backpack and jacket, hanging them up on the black metal screen in front of the fire to dry. Crossing his arms over his chest, Thomas leaned in close. Warmth instantly surrounded him, the heat from the flames burrowing into his chilled skin.

“Here.” Duncan held out two towels and a long-sleeved T-shirt. “For you and the beast.”

“Puppy,” Thomas corrected, taking the towels from Duncan’s outstretched hand.

“Puppy.” He smiled. Duncan’s whole face seemed to transform, his harsh features smoothing out.

Why does he have to be so beautiful?
Thomas dropped one of the towels and the T-shirt onto the nearest chair and knelt down. He enfolded the soft cotton material around the puppy, rubbing it over his gray and white fur. He left the little guy on the floor in front of the fireplace, the towel loosely wrapped around him. The little thing yawned and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

“If only life could be that easy,” Thomas whispered.

He stood up and pulled off his wet T-shirt, hanging it over the fireplace screen beside his hoodie. He snatched the towel off the chair and started drying off. Thomas glanced
at
Duncan and caught the man staring at him, his icy blue eyes devouring him. Having Duncan’s undivided attention sent a jolt of awareness rushing through his veins. Thomas slowed down, giving Duncan a little show. He tossed the towel over the chair and picked up the long-sleeved T-shirt and put it on.

Thomas dropped down into the overstuffed leather chair. “Thank you. I really appreciate you allowing me to stay here.”

“You’re welcome.”

He tried to look away from Duncan, but it was impossible. How could he? Duncan was his mate. This was the man he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with. He would mourn the loss
later
when he had time to feel his heart shatter into tiny pieces. Thomas pushed all of his natural instincts away. Right now, Thomas had a job to do.

“
Tá tú an- dathúil
.”
You are very handsome.

A slow smile spread across Duncan’s lips. “
Angus t
á tú iomlán de surprises
.”
And you are full of surprises
.

“
Tá mé cúpla
.”
I’ve got a few.

Duncan chuckled. “When did you arrive in Ireland?”

“Today.” He didn’t see any reason to lie.

“Where are you staying?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Where is your luggage?”

“This trip wasn’t really planned. I needed a break from my life so I ran away from home.”

“You ran away from home?”

“Yes, but don’t worry, I’m eighteen. I’m legal.”

Forcing himself to look away from Duncan, he stared into the fire, watching the flames dance.
“You never told me your name.”

“Duncan Ó Branagáin.”

“Well, Duncan,” Thomas said with a sigh, “I need to find a place to stay for the night.” It was getting late. He didn’t want to leave his mate’s side, but he didn’t have a choice.

“Are you hungry?”

Thomas smiled. “You provide warmth and food?”

“This is a
full-service
place.”

“Then it’s a good thing that you found me.”

Duncan Ó Branagáin couldn’t take his eyes off the vision of beauty in front of him. With short copper-colored hair, cornflower blue eyes, and an angelic face, Thomas Doyle was without a doubt the most striking young man Duncan had ever seen. Duncan needed to possess him and not just for a night. He wanted to spend days tasting every inch of Thomas’s skin, exploring and touching. He had to know if the man’s skin was a soft as it looked.

Glancing toward the bar, he made eye contact with Niall MacLeòid. “Can you bring a bowl of stew to our guest?” Niall was a close friend and ran the day-to-day operation at the pub.

“Yes, sir.”

“Why does he call you sir?”

“I’m the boss.”

“This is your place?”

“Yes.”

Thomas pulled his lower lip into his mouth, gently biting down on the meaty flesh. He was silent for a
moment
as if mulling something over. “Would you give me a job?”

“You want to work for me?”

“I don’t know.” Thomas shrugged his shoulders, trying to appear as though he didn’t care either way, but for some reason, Duncan knew this was important to him. “I’m not sure how long I’m staying. I bought a one-way ticket, and since this trip wasn’t exactly planned out, I don’t have a lot of cash.”

“I’m sure I could find you something to do.”

Thomas smiled. “Really?”

“Do you have any work experience?”

Thomas shook his head. “I’ve never had a job.”

“You’ve never had a job?”

“My parents told me that I didn’t need a job while I was going to school. They told me to focus on getting good grades.”

Duncan had to remind himself that Thomas was only eighteen. “That’s smart. It sounds like you come from a good family.” Thomas’s smile dropped, his eyes turning sad. It was brief, but Duncan noticed the subtle change. “Are you homesick?”

“Yeah, I guess I am. I feel a little silly admitting that to you. I left home looking for an adventure, but now, I’m having some doubts.”

“You’re very brave. Leaving home and going out into the world takes a lot of courage, especially since you don’t have any friends or family here. If you want to go home, I’ll get you a plane ticket.” Duncan wasn’t sure where the offer came from. He didn’t want Thomas to leave, not this soon after meeting him, but it seemed like the proper thing to do.

Thomas shook his head, rejecting Duncan’s offer. “I want to stay.”

“Sir?” Niall interrupted their conversation. He stood beside Duncan’s chair, holding a serving tray.

“Would you like to move to one of the tables?” Duncan asked.

“Is it okay if we stay here? I’m finally starting to warm up.”

“Sure.”

Niall walked around Duncan’s chair. He held out the tray, and Thomas took it, balancing it carefully on his thighs.

“Mmm…this smells really good.”

“It’s Niall’s famous Guinness beef stew.”

“Thank you, Niall.”

“You’re
welcome,
” Niall said before turning on his heel and walking away.

Thomas picked up the spoon. He dipped it into the bowl of stew and lifted it to his mouth, taking a bite. He moaned, a smile teasing the corner of his lips. Thomas took another bite, then another, eating as if he were starving. Duncan watched him closely, trying to analyze the young man. Thomas seemed to be a contradiction, his body language warring with his words.

Thomas’s eyes seemed to grow heavier with each bite until he finally yawned. He dropped the spoon back onto the tray as if he couldn’t hold the implement up any longer. Duncan rose from his chair. He took hold of the tray and lifted it off Thomas’s lap.

“Why don’t you grab your stuff? You can come home with me. I’ve got a guest room.”

“Are you sure?”

Duncan nodded. He left Thomas by the fire and strode toward the bar. Placing the tray on the shiny top, he tapped his knuckles against the surface, getting Niall’s attention.

“Do you need anything before I head out?”

“You have a meeting at the dockyard in the morning. Danny and Liam will provide security from afar.” Meaning they would be watching over him with sniper rifles. “Miles, Patrick, and Colin will be there to inspect the shipping containers.”

“I’ll be there.”

“What about your new friend?” Niall asked, tilting his head toward Thomas.

“I’m taking him home with me tonight.” Duncan grinned. “But he’ll be back. He’s going to start work tomorrow. Find something for him to do.”

“Just working here? Or…”

“Only here. I don’t want him involved in anything else.”

“It’s a little unusual. You don’t normally allow your toys this close.”

“I know.”

Duncan usually kept some distance between him and the men he took to bed, but for some reason, he didn’t want to follow his usual routine with Thomas. He didn’t want to keep the man at arm’s length. He wanted to embrace Thomas and hold him close. He wanted to share all of his secrets. That alone should make him want to push Thomas away, but he couldn’t.

“Do you want me to do a background check?”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.” He shook his head.

“Okay,
” Niall
said,
although he didn’t look convinced.

“I’ll drop him off in the morning.”

“Have a good night.” Niall winked.

Duncan chuckled. “I will.”

Leaving the bar, Duncan strode back to the fireplace. Thomas was curled into a ball on the leather chair, sound asleep. Duncan wasn’t really surprised. With the warmth
of
the fireplace and a full belly, it was enough to put anyone to sleep. Squatting down in front of Thomas’s chair, Duncan gently caressed the young man’s face. Thomas moaned softly, nuzzling his palm.

“Thomas,” he whispered, gently rubbing his palm along Thomas’s cheek. “It’s time to go home.”

Thomas slowly opened his eyes. “I’m tired.”

“I know.” Duncan rose to his feet. “Let’s go. There’s a
nice,
comfortable bed waiting for you.”

Thomas groaned unhappily as he climbed out of the chair. He grabbed his hoodie and put it on, zipping it up to his chin. He tossed his backpack over his shoulders, cinching the straps tightly to his back. Leaning down, Thomas carefully lifted the puppy sleeping soundly, bundled up
in
the towel. The little guy whined softly, and Thomas kissed the top of his head.

“Okay, I’m ready.” He yawned.

“I’m parked right out front.”

Duncan wrapped an arm around Thomas’s waist, leading him toward the exit. He gave a subtle nod to each of his friends on his way out. Pushing open the front door, Duncan escorted Thomas to his SUV. He pulled out his keys and clicked the unlock button. The headlights and taillights flashed, lighting up the dark street. Looking around, Duncan scanned the street, searching for any threats. When he saw none, he opened the passenger side door.

Thomas stepped up into his Range Rover. The young man situated himself on the black leather seat before buckling up. Closing the door, Duncan walked around the front of the vehicle and got behind the wheel. Starting the engine, Duncan put his vehicle in gear and pulled away from the curb.

Toby turned his body to the side, facing Duncan. “Where do you live?”

“I own some property in Holywood.”

“Really?” Thomas chuckled. “That’s funny.”

“Why?” Duncan asked, his brows drawing together in confusion.

“I live near Hollywood in California. It’s just kind of ironic.”

“Are you a surfer?”

“Uh…no. I don’t really like the beach.” Before Duncan could ask why, Thomas changed the subject. “So, how long’s the drive?”