Lord of the Grrr's (33 page)

Chapter Eight

Martin flipped over the envelope again and again in a daze. The pictures were the only thing inside and there was no return address, only a local postmark. It was Brad and a very lean, younger man leaving a hotel. The same hotel that had conveniently been the spot of their breakup last year. In each picture the blonde boy was hanging over Brad, kissing him or touching him. Brad had put him in a cab. Martin didn't know if this was a one time encounter or not, and it didn't matter to him. He hadn't changed. Worse off, he'd been doing this behind his back, again, and someone he knew alerted him to it. It was 'poor Martin' all over again. With each customer that entered the bakery he wondered if it had been them that sent the photos, if they were laughing behind his back, and how many of them knew.

He couldn't fall apart. He had a business to run. He casually reached into his pocket and texted Brad.

We need to talk. Tonight. Closing time. -Martin

He managed to get through the day and dreaded having this conversation yet again with someone that he should have left in the past. He didn't know what the draw was to Brad, whether it was his looks or just the way he felt wrapped in someone's arms at night. He'd been lonely; lonely enough to go against his gut and date Brad yet again.

He wasn't late. Arriving precisely at nine, Brad came in and bent to kiss him; a move Martin shied away from. Hesitant now, he slowly sat down. When he did pull away when he tried to hold his hand, he knew what was happening.

"Brad are you seeing anyone else?" He innocently asked.

He was caught and he now had to decide whether to lie to Martin and save face, or tell him the truth and basically admit what a selfish prick he was.

"He was an old boyfriend I was seeing before you. There's nothing there between us, we just talk and I try to help him get over me. That's all, baby boy."
He gets over me, under me, all over me, really,
he snickered to himself.

"Really?"

"Really, sweetness."

"So then these pictures of you kissing and fondling some young piece of ass are just a figment of my imagination then, right?" He said as he tossed the contents of the envelop onto the table in front of him.

Speechless, Brad tried to recover.

"I really don't think any words from you will work, Brad. Take your cheating ass back home and find some other sucker to play."

Martin was proud of himself and didn't shed a single tear until he had left the building and then the current started to flow from his eyes. He was angry for believing in Brad again, mad at him for doing him that way, and upset at whoever it was that sent his these photos and shattered what minuscule sliver of happiness he had right after losing his home.

He vowed to start over tomorrow a different man. Someone who loved him first and all others second.

It had been a couple of days since Rafe had sent the envelop. Taking a break from restructuring the bungalow's kitchen to take on an additional range in an island and a copper hanging rack above it, he stopped in at the bakery just to see how he was.

The bakery bell dinged for an incoming customer as Martin spun around. This time there was no hatred in his eyes, only defeat.

"Come here to gloat, Mr. Canis?" he said.

"It's Rafe and no, I didn't. I came to get a scone and coffee please." He made up a purchase on the fly, just wanting to stay there and watch him. Make sure he was healing from what he had done.
Stupid, YOU really didn't DO anything but make his aware of a bad situation.

He took his purchase and went to a table to eat while faced in the direction of the counter. He wanted to watch him, see how he was doing. He couldn't believe how much he'd missed him all these years now that he was here in front of him.

He signaled him over to the table.

"We don't have table service, not even for people with your kind of money." He said to him.

"Are you okay, Martin?"

"Careful, you actually sound like you give a damn." He said, fighting the urge to cry again.
Damnit, suck it up and deal with it.

"I do care, you seem sad and I was wondering if you were okay."

"Been a bad week for me, that's all. Lost my house, lost my man. Well, he wasn't really my man yet but still, we were getting back together...." he rambled on. Rafe was amazed at Martin's inner strength and his inner wolf felt him trying to remain together in this trying time.

"If you don't mind too much, I'd love to take you to dinner tonight and talk about a few things dealing with the house. I promise I will be on my best behavior and you'll even find me tolerable." Rafe said to his through a half-smile.

"I should say no. But I'm tired, there's nothing in the fridge, and I don't feel like take-out, so you're winning by virtue of it being my last resort."

"I'll take that, Martin." He said, genuinely happy.

"I'll close the shop at 9, will that be too late?"

"That'll be fine. I'll come by and pick you up then, alright?"

"Alright, Rafe." He said, getting back to his counter in case another customer came back in.

The bakery stayed busy throughout the afternoon and by the time the shop clock showed 8:45 he was ready to go. A quick sweep and mop, and it was finally closing time.  Martin switched off the lights and turned the "Open" sign to "Closed" before he headed out the door.

There was now the faintest dusting of snow that covered the sidewalk and Martin pulled his coat tight as he looked for Rafe. A flash of lights coming from a Ferrari 458 Italia signaled where he was waiting. He came over to the car as Rafe got out to open his door for him.

"Nice ride." He said.

"Thank you"

"So where are we headed?" he asked as he tried to find his seatbelt.

"It's a surprise actually. That's okay, isn't it?"
Please let his be okay with it.

They drove past town into a section that was heavily wooded. Taking this luxury vehicle through a field seemed crazy to Martin, but Rafe seemed to know where he was going. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to a cabin that already had lights blazing.

He parked, went around and opened his door up; taking his hand to guide him.

"Where are we?" he asked as he looked around and saw nothing but trees and stars for miles.

"It's one of the places I own. I come here to get away from everything."

"It's beautiful." He said, walking up the stone steps onto the cedar deck.

Rafe opened it up and led him inside. He could already smell the aroma of oregano and garlic fill the cabin.             

"I hope you like Italian." He said, leading him into the dining room.

"Thank you again Candace for cooking on such short notice." He said to the woman that came from the kitchen and was placing serving dishes onto the table.

"No worries, Mr. Canis."

Candace had let herself out after all the place settings and serving dishes were set. Rafe rose from the table and served Martin, a gesture he found charming. He then poured a glass of Pinot Noir for him.

"Martin," he said, glass raised, "You have no idea how happy I am that you're here. I was a real shit to you in school and I hope to make that up to you. I'd truly like us to be friends."

"We can see, Rafe. We can see." He said with a slight smile as he forked some of the best lasagna he'd ever had into his mouth.

Chapter Nine

Over the next two months, Rafe spent his time working on the Craftsman home getting it ready. Each time he thought he was done, he'd find something else he wanted to do. Little by little, the home was fast becoming not a flip project but a personal one. The last two weeks that he had spent with Martin made it clear to him what he needed to do with it.

In those two months, he'd also grown to be friends with Martin, something he never dreamt possible. They'd catch movies together, go to parks, or just sit in their own homes and text each other during the night. Not a day had gone by since that dinner that the two of them hadn't spoken to each other or seen one another.

He had to admit that his roundness and soft features drove him wild. There were a couple of occasions when they were out and having fun together when he was so overcome by desire he could barely control himself. The wolf wanted to be stroked and comforted again like he had been in the bakery and his human wanted to touch him so many other ways.

It hadn't all been platonic. The last week had seen a kiss goodnight as the new normal and two nights ago there was a bit of a steamy make out session on the couch while watching a movie, something Rafe hadn't done since high school.

Rafe sensed that tonight could be the moment when he could actually have him, all of him.  He had tried not to rush Martin and give him time to get through all of the unpleasantness with Brad and the house.

He arrived there at the doorstep and Rafe said goodnight to his driver.

"Won't he be needed to drive me home?" Martin asked.

"I hope not." Rafe replied.

He walked in and hung his coat up on the hook.

“Tonight I thought we'd just hang out if that's okay. I've got a great cheese and cracker tray done and have two bottles of wine chilling for whatever mood you're in; white or red. Then I thought we could just relax and talk some.”

"You know I'm always up for that."

They sat there and nibbled on the food while discussing how they each came to be in their chosen professions. Martin could see while Rafe was discussing how he felt renovating and how good it was to make something broken better that he was different than the boy he knew in school.

He leaned over and kissed him deeply, a move that he gladly returned.

"I've wanted you for a while now, Martin," Rafe whispered into his ear.

He didn't reply; just continued to kiss him. His hands wrap around his, drawing him near to him. His fingers play at the buttons of his shirt, expertly opening them one at a time. When the last button has been freed, his hands go up and brush against his chest, bringing chills to his body.

Martin undid his pant zipper and then slid his shirt over his head, bringing his mouth down on his neck.

"You taste pretty good, Mr. Canis," he said huskily.

"I'm going to find out if that's true for you too, Martin," he replied as he worked at bringing his pants off. His fingers laced under his black boxers and slid them down in one motion. His tongue finds his hardening cock and buries his face within the soft between of his thighs. Martin's squirms and gentle sighs tell him everything he needs to know.

He licked and teased him up to the point where he could feel his orgasm nearing and backed off. He moved up his body, kissing every inch of him. He wanted this to last; he'd waited too many years for Martin to be in his bed.

"Oh god, yes," Martin moaned.

Rafe's hands rubbed down Martin's calves and thighs and playfully smacked his ass.
Every inch of him is breathtaking.

He grabbed the bottle of lube on the side table and liberally applied it all over his firmness. His hard cock found his opening and he eased just the tip inside. He's completely hard, about nine inches, and he wanted to savor every moment getting inside him. He teased him, moving an inch at a time inside, until finally he slid down so that with the next thrust he's completely within him. His gasp alerted him as shock waves go through his body.

"You feel so damn good, Martin" he growled; his wolf getting more and more excited.

While Rafe tried to keep it slow and gentle, his wolf started to guide him more aggressively. Soon his thrusting was hard and fast and he grasped his hips for guidance.

"Ooooh god, ooooh yes," Martin said moments before Rafe could feel him tense and ready for his own orgasm on to the expensive sheets of the soft pillow top.

Martin's orgasm made his muscles clench and tighten; a sensation that brought Rafe nearly to his knees. It's enough to send him over the edge and he pumped his sticky essence deep within him. He stayed there for a moment, not moving out of him while he kissed Martin's back, neck and shoulders.

Chapter Ten

Monday morning quickly arrived and Martin pulled up to the bakery and found Brad outside waiting.  He never had time to come by at such an hour while they were dating, so this struck Martin as odd.

"What's up, Brad?" he asked as his key slid inside the lock.

"I think we need to talk, got some information you may want to know."

"Brad, unless you have some sort of STD, I'm pretty sure there is nothing you can say to me that I want to know." He usually wasn't so cold and distant, but it was clearly time to sever ties with Brad permanently.

"Ok, cool, I just thought you'd like to know that your new boyfriend Mr. Rich and Nasty is the one that sent you those photos that got you so upset. My mistake, see ya." He flipped him a hand up in the air as a goodbye and walked back to his car before tearing down the street.

Martin stood there for a moment, not knowing what to think or feel.
Why hadn't Rafe said anything? Was this just to get me for himself? Was it just another way of hurting me like he did so many times in the past?

He was a wave of confusion and he sent a text before he even turned his "Closed" sign around to "Open."

Did you send pictures of Brad's affair to me?

Simple, direct, and to the point, he thought. There was no more need to beat around the bush, he needed to know if he had kept this from him.

Yes, but it was not to hurt you it was to show you something bad was happening behind your back.

Why couldn't you just tell me in person?

A completely valid point, he thought.

At the time you hated me and I was afraid you wouldn't believe me.

It was all too much for him now. The house. The affair. Getting close to the bully he hated in school. He didn't know what to believe or who to believe. He needed some time to himself, some time to think things through and to just make peace with his life as it was.

I think we need to relax seeing each other for a while.

Take whatever time you need, Martin. I'll be here waiting for you.

And with that, he stopped texting.