He couldn’t believe that after everything Douglas had said about him not mating a man and how bad that was, Douglas actually wanted him to share Keeley. He hadn’t realized until now how well he had convinced him that he was considering his little breeding program.
“I have no doubt, once you see what a good plan this is, that you will agree to it, Alpha,” Douglas said as he raised his eyes back up to Reece’s. “It will bring us everything we could ever want.”
“We’ll see, Douglas, we’ll see.”
* * * *
Keeley dropped the last piece of fruit on the plate before him and began cleaning up the mess he had made. Reece had told him to come into the kitchen and make something for them all to snack on.
Great! Like he didn’t have a million other things to think about. Donovan and his crew had been gone for a little over an hour and they were just waiting for him to call and say that everything had been taken care of.
The waiting was driving Keeley crazy, not to mention trying to play nice with Douglas. Just the thought of that creepy man sent a shiver down Keeley’s spine. He couldn’t believe the gall of that man asking if Reece would share him, and after all the bellyaching he had expressed about
that sort of behavior
.
Douglas really took the cake. If a breeding program was ever implemented, Keeley hoped that Douglas wasn’t one of the sperm donors. His genes did not need to be passed on. Taken out of the gene pool before he could reproduce maybe, but not passed on.
Besides the fact that the man was a complete imbecile, he was just plain creepy. He reminded Keeley of a slug that had slithered out from under a rock. In his mind, Douglas needed to slither right on back.
“Hey, baby, how you holding up?”
Keeley turned to see Reece standing in the kitchen doorway, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “I’d be doing a whole hell of a lot better if our resident slime ball was gone, but barring that, I’m doing okay. How about you?”
Reece dropped his arms from around his chest and sauntered over to stand beside Keeley, reaching out and lightly fingering a loose tendril of honey-blond hair on his cheek. “I’d be doing a lot better if this was all over with.”
“It will be soon enough, and then you can tell Douglas to go to hell! Where is the slimy little toad anyway?”
“He asked to use the restroom to clean up a bit before we ate something.”
“There’s nothing he could do to get the stench off of him. Can you believe he actually wanted you to share me after going on and on about how wrong it was?”
“You know I wasn’t serious about sharing you, right?” Reece asked anxiously as he cupped the side of Keeley’s face with his hand.
Keeley smiled and leaned into Reece’s hand. He reached up to close his hand on Reece’s and hold it tightly to his cheek. “Yeah, I know. I just can’t believe he actually asked that. The gall of that man to actually think you would share me or use me as a reward.”
“Well,” Reece chuckled, “I do see you as a reward, but not for him. I don’t share my toys very well.”
“Oh? Am I back to being a boy toy, then?” Keeley sneered as he leaned his head back to look up at Reece. He felt something inside of him shift when he saw the heart-rending tenderness in Reece’s gaze.
“Only for me,” Reece murmured just before lowering his lips to Keeley’s. His mouth covered Keeley’s hungrily. Reece’s fingers slid sensuously over Keeley’s bare arms as he pulled Keeley to him.
Parting his lips, Keeley raised himself to meet Reece’s kiss. He suddenly felt an overwhelming desire, a need to be claimed by Reece. His fingers clutched desperately at the fabric of Reece’s blue cotton shirt as he tried to press himself closer to Reece’s hard body.
Keeley leaned back enough to whisper franticly against Reece’s mouth. “Make love to me, Quilliam. Claim me again.”
The sudden darkening of Reece’s coal black eyes told Keeley how his words had affected his mate. If he hadn’t been able to figure that out, the hard bulge in Reece’s pants shouted the news. But still, Reece hesitated.
“Keeley, I don think that’s—” Reece began as his eyes flitted towards the door then back.
“Then don’t think. Just do, damn it!” Keeley said harshly as he tried to pull Reece’s mouth back down to his. “Please, Quilliam, I need you.”
A hot ache grew in Keeley’s throat as Reece stared silently down at him. He swore he could hear the frantic beating of their hearts as he waited for Reece’s answer, praying it was the one he needed.
“Fuck!” Reece said suddenly as he closed his eyes briefly. Keeley held his breath until Reece opened up his eyes and looked down at him. The lust burning in their black depths made Keeley’s heart thump faster.
“Turn around and drop your pants,” Reece growled, his hands already going to his own jeans.
Keeley let out a small squeal of happiness as he turned around and unbuttoned his pants. He quickly pushed them down his legs and stepped out of them before bracing himself over the countertop. He spread his legs as far as they would go when he felt Reece’s hand caress his ass.
“Lube…we need lube,” Reece said.
“Nope, already taken care of,” Keeley panted out as he wiggled his ass against Reece. He couldn’t help grinning when he heard Reece’s sharp inhale as he found the butt plug lodged in Keeley’s ass.
“I thought you packed this?” Reece asked as he pulled gently on the rubber plug.
“Not—not enough room in the suitcase,” Keeley choked out. “Had to put it somewhere.”
“Good choice,” Reece said as he slowly pulled the plug from Keeley’s ass and set it on the counter.
“I thought—oh, god, Quilliam,” Keeley groaned as Reece pushed his hard cock right into him. Reece’s large hands caressed the planes of Keeley’s back. The stroking of his fingers sent pleasant jolts through Keeley’s body.
“Did you have this in your ass the whole time, baby?” Reece asked harshly as he grabbed Keeley’s hips and thrust into him.
Keeley pushed himself up on his arms and looked over his shoulder at Reece. He lifted an eyebrow in query when he saw the lip caught between Reece’s long canines. “Ever since I came downstairs. Why? Does that turn you on, baby? Do you like knowing I had something in my ass just waiting for you?”
Reece’s eyes glowed. “Hell yes!” he growled as the force of his thrusts increased until they were nearly frantic.
Keeley could feel Reece’s hands curve into claws against his skin. He knew that Reece was going to leave marks on his hips. It only made him more aroused knowing that his lover was beginning to lose control.
His body squirmed beneath Reece’s as he tried to tilt his neck back towards him. “Qui—Quilliam, please,” Keeley groaned as passion pounded the blood through his heart, chest, and head.
As Reece bit into Keeley’s shoulder, the world spun and careened on its axis. Keeley’s body melted against Reece’s and his entire world was filled with his mate. Waves of ecstasy throbbed through him as he came.
Before he could catch his breath, Keeley was gasping in sweet agony as Reece let out a loud roar and filled him with his own release. Keeley felt like his body was half fire, half ice as Reece’s knot extended and lodged into place against him.
He let his head drop against the cool countertop, his breath catching in his throat every time Reece inhaled causing the knot to move against his sensitive skin. The pleasure that little knot caused was explosive all by itself.
Keeley didn’t know about everyone else, but he thought the knot was one of the best things about being mated to a shape shifter. He didn’t know how he had gone without it before he had met Reece. He hoped he never found out.
“Better baby?” Reece whispered, his breath hot against Keeley’s ear. Reece’s body partially covered his, his hands softly caressed his back.
Keeley nodded weakly, too overcome to speak. He reached back and wrapped a hand around Reece’s neck to hold his head against him. Turning his head, he let his lips graze Reece’s cheek.
“Love you, Quilliam,” Keeley murmured.
“Love you too, Keeley,” Reece replied. He leaned in and kissed Keeley gently on the lips. When he leaned back, Keeley could swear he saw a hint of tears in Reece’s coal black eyes. Reece reached up his hand to rub his thumb across Keeley’s swollen lips. “Only you, only ever you, Keeley, my love, my mate.”
“You lying son-of-a-bitch!”
Chapter 11
Reece heard Keeley cry out as jerked up to stare in horror at Douglas’s retreating back. Reece instantly looked back down at Keeley, concern written all over his face.
“Wha—oh, shit, Did I do that, baby?” Reece said as he leaned down to wipe the blood from Keeley’s lip.
“I’m so sorry, I just—”
Keeley shook his head. “No, it’s okay. Go after him, Reece. He knows. He’s going to tell,” Keeley said quickly as he pushed Reece away from him. He winced and let out a small groan when Reece’s cock pulled from his body. “Go!”
Reece grabbed his pants and pulled them back up his legs and quickly zipped them up. He glanced over at his mate one more time. Reece’s heart ached when he saw the small drop of blood smeared on Keeley’s lip.
“Keeley, I—” Reece began only to be stopped by Keeley’s finger over his lips.
“Reece, I’m fine, but I won’t be if that lunatic gets back to his friends and warns them that you know of their plan. Now go get him while I get cleaned up. I’ll be out in just a moment,” Keeley said as he pushed Reece towards the living room.
Reluctantly, but knowing that Keeley was right, Reece turned and ran for the living room. He got there just in time to see Douglas jump into his car and peel out of the driveway. Well, shit!
“Dev? Where the hell are you?” Reece shouted as he looked around the large great room of the log cabin. When he received no response from Devlin, Reece headed for the study. He opened the door and stepped in only to stop suddenly when he spotted Devlin lying on the floor by the fireplace, a red gash on his forehead and a small pool of blood beneath his head.
“Devlin!” Reece yelled as he ran across the room and dropped down to his knees beside Devlin. He carefully turned Devlin onto his back. His heart only started to beat again when he heard a small groan come from Devlin before he opened his eyes and blinked up at him.
“What the hell hit me?” Devlin asked as he brought his hand up to cradle his head.
“I think Douglas did right before he caught me and Keeley in the kitchen.”
“Caught you what?” Devlin asked as he sat up.
Reece could feel his face burn red as he tilted his head and looked at Devlin, one eyebrow raised.
“Oh, you mean he
caught
you. Well, that’ll teach you to have sex in the kitchen. Is Keeley okay?”
Reece nodded as he stood to his feet. “Yeah, he’s fine. A little embarrassed, but fine.” Reece held out a hand and pulled Devlin to his feet. He stepped closer to get a better look at the wound on Devlin’s forehead. “Question is, how are you?”
“I’m fine. The asshole caught me when I wasn’t looking,” Devlin replied, looking slightly embarrassed.
“Any idea why? Did you say something to him?” Reece asked.
Devlin shook his head, wincing slightly when he did. “Nope. He came back from the bathroom and we were just sitting here waiting for you to get back from the kitchen. Douglas got up and wandered over to the window. When I went to stoke the fire, I heard something behind me and then wham! Lights out.”
“Then why did he—” Reece started to say when the study door swung open and slammed against the wall. Reece and Devlin immediately crouched down in defensive postures until they saw Keeley standing in the doorway.
“Keeley?” Reece said when he saw the frantic look on Keeley’s face.
“We have to go. Now!” Keeley said breathlessly.
Reece quickly stood to his full height and went to Keeley, grabbing his hand and pulling him closer. “What did you see, baby?”
Keeley’s eyes were nearly white. “They’re coming. Douglas called them while he was in the bathroom. We have to go. We can’t wait any longer, Reece. They want to kill us, all of us. We have to go now,” Keeley said, distraught as he looked up at Reece.
“What’s he talking about, Reece? Who’s coming?” Devlin asked as he walked up behind them.
“Reece!” Keeley pleaded, pulling on Reece’s hand.
“Okay, baby, we’re coming.” Reece said as he patted Keeley’s arm to reassure him. “Get your shoes on and grab our suitcase while Devlin and I grab a couple of things. Meet us by the front door, but don’t go outside, understand?”
Keeley nodded and ran out of the room. Reece went over to his wall safe and opened it up to pull several items out. As he set a stack of documents on his desk he looked up at Devlin. “Whatever you plan on taking with you, you’d better go grab. We’re out of here in five.”
“Reece, damn it, what the hell is Keeley talking about. How does he know Douglas made a phone call?” Devlin shouted as he slammed his hand down on the desk and leaned on them. “Is Keeley in on this?”
“In on what?” Reece asked in confusion. He grabbed another stack of papers and put it on the desk before closing the safe. Grabbing a small briefcase, he started loading everything on his desk into it.
“Is he in on this plan with Douglas? I mean, how much do you really know about him? Is there anyway that Keeley could be involved in this?” Devlin asked.
Reece stopped what he was doing to stare up at Devlin in shock. “Are you serious? Keeley isn’t involved with Douglas or his crazy plan. How could you even think that? Douglas wants him killed.”
“How can you be so sure? Maybe he was planted to lure you into it,” Devlin countered.
“Devlin, I know you’re just trying to look out for me, but I am absolutely positive that Keeley is not involved with Douglas.”
“Are you willing to bet your life on it?” Devlin asked as he stood back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yes, and yours too.” Reece could see Devlin look at him in confusion. That, at least, he understood. He hadn’t had the chance to tell Devlin of Keeley’s ability.