STORY EXCERPT

“Rhett won’t come for me. We barely know each other,” Mac blurted as he tried to work at the tight knots Skull used to bind him to the chair. 

Skull was clever all right, and made sure Bert and Barry were out of the way before going after him. No give. The ropes seemed extra tight, bit hard enough into his skin that if Mac wasn’t a shifter, he would have lost circulation. 

Skull didn’t pause from checking his revolver. The dark only made all the ink from Skull’s face stand out, making him appear more malicious. Cold wind blew in from the broken windows of the abandoned road house. Broken furniture littered the place, along with empty beer bottles, cigarette butts, and other trash. 

God, but he didn’t want to die in here. Mac had so many things he wanted to do. He never even found out if Rhett and him had a chance. Mac wished he could hear Rhett’s voice one more time. All he managed to do was get in touch with Rem, Ford’s human mate. Would Rem even pass his message to Rhett, or would he look at Mac as an enemy?

After all, Mac still belonged to the same pack which exiled all three Briggs’ brothers and made them outlaws.

“He’ll come all right, especially after Bert whined so long about how he hated his adoptive son getting mixed up with bad company,” Skull said with a sneer. “I could tell right away that you’re the key to Rhett’s downfall. Everyone has weak spots, even a monster like Rhett. You’re it.”

Mac felt like he’d been sucker punched. He stopped fiddling with the knots to stare at Skull. Was that true? Was he the one vulnerable point in Rhett’s armor? But they barely traded words since he left town years ago. Their last encounter had been at the Gallows a week ago, but they barely got two sentences together before his pack mates decided to butt in.

“Even if Rhett does come,” he said, recovering his tongue. “He’s going to kick your ass.”

“Not if I put this gun to your head. He’ll submit like a good submissive wolf.”

He gritted his teeth. “That’s not fair. Don’t you have any shred of honor?”

Skull laughed. “Honor’s for pussies. Bert didn’t pay me to play nice, just to clean up his mess.”

Hearing the rumble of an engine outside deflated his mood. Rhett didn’t bother with stealth at all, although he knew the dominant werewolf could walk inside a room unnoticed despite his size. He grimaced as Rhett kicked the broken door open. Rhett looked like he rushed here because he had no shirt on, only dusty work boots and faded jeans. 

Seeing Rhett took his breath away for a moment. Rhett had the same short black hair as his brothers, intense blazing green eyes he remembered from two years ago, but damn, he looked more cut than ever, every inch of him made of hard muscle. Crap. Mac shouldn’t be thinking about how sexy Rhett was, especially not when Skull dug the mouth of his revolver against the side of his head.

Fear twisted his insides as he locked gazes with Rhett. Rhett looked beyond pissed off. A warning growl slipped from Rhett’s lips and yellow streaked his pupils. Rhett twisted his mouth to a snarl and edged toward them. He squeaked as Skull rammed the metal harder against his head, making Rhett freeze in his tracks. 

“Keep baring your fangs at me and I’ll pull the trigger. Skull doesn’t take well to threats,” Skull warned. 

Oh great. Skull liked to refer himself to third person now? Definitely a sign Skull was unhinged. 

A click told him the killer took the safety off.

“Rhett, why did you come?” Mac whispered, only for pain to explode across his face as Skull’s fist connected with his nose. He let out a small scream as bone cracked. Blood trailed down his mouth. 

That only seemed to enrage Rhett. Damn it. He tried to focus past the pain. Didn’t skull know not to poke the beast?

* * * *

“Let. Him. Go.” 

Rhett barely managed to grit the words out, because his beast was this close to taking over his body. One wrong move could end everything though and he doubted a hired gun like Skull would bother with lead bullets. That gun probably had silver in it and one direct shot could kill Mac. Red rage covered his vision. 

Rhett clenched his fists by his sides. Claws slid out his hands, but he couldn’t take a damn step forward.

“You ain’t in a position to make demands, wolf,” Skull said with a sneer. “On your knees, hands where I can see them,” he ordered in a soft voice that seemed out of place. Creepy.

“Rhett, no. Don’t listen to him,” Mac blurted, only for Skull to slam the butt of his gun into his face again.

He growled in warning, because he didn’t like Skull putting his hands anywhere on Mac. If Skull didn’t have that cheap little metal toy, Rhett would have sunk his teeth into Skull’s most tender places already because the assassin didn’t deserve a shred of mercy. Not after what Skull made Mac go through.

“Shut up, you little shit,” Skull ordered, before pointing the barrel at Mac’s head again. “You’re not on your knees, Rhett.”

His entire body shaking with rage, Rhett did as the bastard asked and raised his hands. 

“Good.” Skull switched targets, thank God, and pointed the gun at his head.

ADULT EXCERPT

“I’m not hurt anywhere,” Mac said. 

But both of them were still covered in bits of dirt and blood. Rhett had the perfect solution. “Shower,” he stated, a command, not a question.

Mac nodded. “Good idea.”

He grabbed Mac’s arm and began pulling the submissive wolf into the bathroom. Rhett flicked the lights on. He didn’t need to do anything more. They went for the rest of each other’s clothes, and in moments, both of them stood naked. Mac gasped, and Rhett realized Mac was looking at his dick.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had anything so big inside me,” Mac said. Mac didn’t sound shocked or intimated, Rhett observed, merely curious. Most of his ex-lovers were daunted by him, sometimes complained he was too rough, but he had a feeling Mac had needs which suited his style of sex just fine. 

“You want my dick in you, little wolf?” he teased.

Mac swallowed, then nodded. 

“Get in the shower.”

Mac stepped inside, and Rhett soon joined him. He gave his little wolf a playful push, so Mac’s back hit the tiles. Rhett turned the tap on, letting the water wash away some of the dried blood and dirt on both their bodies. He turned it off, then pinned Mac’s hands above his head, because Mac seemed intent on touching. 

Not yet. Rhett wanted to taste Mac again. He plundered Mac’s mouth, nipping and sucking on his lower lip, before deepening the kiss. Rhett’s dick curved upward, and he pressed it against Mac’s belly. He could feel Mac’s own prick rising, both their arousal filling the air. Rhett planned on waiting, maybe take Mac out and get to know each other better.

Rhett had zero clues when it came to relationships, but he’d seen how his brothers won over theirs. He planned on trying that route out, because he didn’t want to screw up his chances with Mac. Well, this could work, too.

They’d do the whole dating thing another time and with Mac moving in with him, they had plenty of that.

Mac moaned when he pulled away. Rhett kept one hand over Mac’s wrists and used the other to stroke at the other man’s thickening shaft. He gave it a few tugs, and Mac rubbed his body against his, swollen mouth slightly parted, face full of yearning. 

“Tell me how badly you want this, little wolf,” he whispered against Mac’s ear. 

Rhett grazed the side of Mac’s neck with his teeth, at that sensitive spot between shoulder and neck. It was where a shifter placed his mate mark, and he wanted Mac to know this little bite was a prelude of what was to come. Rhett meant every word he said. There was no going back from this. Sooner or later, Mac would be his to own and claim. His mate, and Rhett never backed down from a challenge. Mac was it for him and he wouldn’t stop pursuing him until Mac became his mate.

* * * *

“I want you. Us,” Mac answered without hesitation, and groaned when Rhett continued moving his hand up and down his prick. 

Back in his own room at the college dorm or at the pack house, he’d always have erotic fantasies of Rhett holding his dick captive, just like this.  Reality was so much better, he decided. Rhett closed his mouth over his, disabling his ability to think. Mac forgot where they were, because Rhett’s big body against his felt so good. Perfect.

Why was it that with one kiss, Rhett had been capable of turning his entire world upside down? Rhett released his arms, and Mac placed them around Rhett’s broad shoulders. 

Rhett released his mouth and stopped giving him a hand job, making him snarl in frustration. Rhett flashed him a wicked smile, and put two fingers to his lips. Feeling playful, he licked at them, tasting himself. A rumble of what sounded like approval emerged from Rhett’s lips. 

“Why did you stop?” he asked.

“Because I don’t want you to come without my permission.”

“Bossy wolf.” Mac had to admit that was hot. He never thought he’d be the kind of guy who liked being given orders when it came to the bedroom, but with Rhett he didn’t mind. Rhett’s commands made his heart race, and his entire body thrum in anticipation. His dick curved upwards, aching, pre-cum leaking at the tip. 

Rhett grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him so his front faced the wall. He felt Rhett’s warm breath against his ear. “Wait here like a good little wolf while I get the lube.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied in his most serious voice. That earned him a slap on his left ass cheek. He jumped, turned on by the slight sting. 

“Don’t be smart.” Rhett said that in the same amused voice. 

Rhett opened the bathroom room. A drawer slammed from somewhere outside the bedroom. Mac turned his head over his shoulder to find Rhett had returned, lube in hand. Mac wiggled his ass at the dominant wolf, an invitation.

“You have no idea how tempting you look right now. Fucking gorgeous,” Rhett said, appreciation in his amber eyes, his voice a little growly. It wasn’t just the man looking at him, but also the wolf. He blushed to his roots, unused to compliments.