STORY EXCERPT

Three.

Sari didn’t like that number. For him, three wasn’t enough. Thirty might have been better. At least with thirty, Sari would have felt a better sense of protection.

Three lousy cops.

He was gonna die for sure.

As he moved from the backseat of the car he’d been transported in, Sari gazed at the hotel entrance. Shouldn’t he be staying in a run-down apartment building? He wasn’t an expert at witness protection, but to him, a fancy hotel seemed a bit…conspicuous.

The heat of the early morning struck Sari as he stood there. It was going to be another beautiful day in Orlando—another beautiful day that he wasn’t going to be able to enjoy. Sari was going to be stuck in a room, waiting to testify against a drug lord who would probably put a bullet in his head before he had a chance to take the stand.

As he waited for the men to get out of the car, Sari noticed that the hotel guests were staring at him as they moved to and from the glass sliding doors of the entrance. They were getting a good look at his face. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but it felt like everyone knew why he was here and was getting a good look at a dead man walking.

What if one of these vacationers wasn’t really a vacationer but one of Rupert’s men? Melvin Rupert had men everywhere. Sari had heard rumors that the drug lord even had high officials on his payroll. What if these cops were working for Rupert? What if they were planning to off Sari as soon as they entered the rented room? They could make up any story they wanted.

Who would know?

I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have kept my big mouth shut.

The cop who’d transported Sari from the police station to the car grabbed Sari’s upper arm and moved him forward as if he was afraid Sari was going to make a run for it. Sari had considered it.

The other two who had joined the first cop back at the station parking lot flanked the first one. The three moved in a tight circle around Sari as they escorted him through the glass doors of the hotel and into the opulent lobby.

Sari felt exposed as his eyes bounced all over the place, looking for anyone who was reaching for a gun or looked like they were paying too much attention to him. He watched a family of four hustle past him, the father yelling for the toddler to slow down. The toddler stopped in his tracks, turned, and smiled at Sari, giving him a wave with his tiny hand.

Sari smiled at the infant, waving back.

The father grabbed the toddler in his arms and raised the child to his shoulders. The other child with the family yelled for them to wait up. It appeared the child—around the age of five—had stopped to stare at a comic book he had in his hand.

The four looked like the classic vacationers.

At the far end of the lobby was a seating area with high tables and chairs with plush blue cushions. There were a few businessmen sitting there chatting, oblivious to Sari and the three cops. They appeared to be on some sort of business trip, briefcases sitting on the floor by their feet.

Sari noticed one of them watching him closely. The man’s greenish-amber eyes widened slightly. Was he one of Rupert’s men, or did he know Sari was there to testify against a drug lord? Whatever the case, the guy was classically handsome.

Will you stop? You’re not here to pick up a date, moron.

Still, Sari gave the man a small smile.

The cops didn’t stop moving, their eyes straight forward as the four moved toward three elevators that were down a corridor past the front desk. No one stopped to say hello. None of the workers of the hotel looked their way. He heard the employees greeting other guests and saw smiles on their faces, but no smiles were offered to him.

It was like Sari and the policemen were invisible once they stepped into the hotel—except for the brief interactions with the toddler and that cute man. But then again, the cops weren’t dressed as cops. They didn’t have on uniforms, and they didn’t have Sari in cuffs. All four men looked like everyday Joes.

Except for the guns tucked into shoulder holsters under the cops’ thin jackets. But Sari was used to being invisible. He had no one to call friend and no family. Well, he did have his father, but he might as well have no family because his father didn’t even acknowledge Sari’s existence.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Sari noticed a Hertz rental counter by the elevators that he hadn’t seen until they’d come to the end of the corridor. Two men sat behind the counter, both wearing blue blazers and talking with guests. The man sitting closest to Sari had a name tag that read “Ted.”

Ted seemed happy. But Sari knew that was just a part of Ted’s job. The man was paid to smile and appease the people trying to rent cars. The guy probably hated his job. The smile didn’t reach Ted’s blue eyes.

Sari and the three cops stopped at the elevators, one of them pressing the button. He hadn’t taken the time to learn any of the cops’ names. Did it matter? It wasn’t like they’d become besties when this was over. He shouldn’t be here at all. If it hadn’t been for him needing fresh air at Club Mazone, he would have never witnessed the murder.

No one had ever come forward before, ready to snitch on Rupert. There was a very good reason for that. Witnesses usually came up dead. Dumb luck had saved Sari last night. He wasn’t stupid enough to think he’d outsmarted Melvin Rupert.

And now here he stood, waiting for an elevator door to open and seal his fate.

ADULT EXCERPT

Sari held his breath as Max pulled away and slowly began to work Sari’s pants free until they were off. He stopped momentarily to remove Sari’s slippers, and then Sari was naked from the waist down.

God, Max is so damn sexy. The thought excited him. But Sari couldn’t just lay there. He pulled at Max’s shirt until the man lifted his arms and allowed Sari to slide it over his mate’s head, tossing it aside.

“You are so breathtakingly beautiful, Sari,” Max said.

Sari turned and gazed up at Max. The man gave Sari a look that said he wasn’t to rush this. Max dipped his head, whispering into Sari’s ear. “I love you.”

Sari shuddered at those three words. No one had said them to Sari since his mother was alive. Max had no idea just how much Sari treasured hearing them. “I love you, too, Max.”

Sari lay there holding Max, his breathing shallow. Max’s heat began to slowly seep into Sari, his cock pressed gently against Sari’s stomach.

Splaying his fingers, Sari ran his hand down Max’s chest. When his hand reached Max’s lower stomach, he felt the head of his mate’s cock.

Max was rock hard. Sari grazed his fingers over the head of Max’s cock and then played in the man’s pre-cum. Sari slid the clear liquid over his fingers, enjoying how it felt. Max’s breath was coming out in short gasps.

Max moved in behind Sari, his lips grazing over Sari’s exposed shoulder, sending tiny sparks of electricity along his flesh. He pressed his lips to the nape of Sari’s neck and slid his tongue across the smooth expanse, as Max’s fingers curved around Sari’s ass before he used one hand to stroke Sari’s cock. Sari wasn’t sure if he should press back into the cock that was nestled in the crease of his ass, or push forward into Max’s warm hand.

Both options filled him with desire and a need that was making his head spin.

“Your body is a wondrous playground to me,” Max whispered into Sari’s ear. “I want to stay inside of you forever.”

Sari chuckled. “That would make things odd when it’s time to give birth.”

“Brat,” Max said with a chuckle before he nipped Sari’s ear.

“Says a man who thinks I’ll break if I’m not under his watchful eye?” Sari asked.

“You like the attention I give you,” Max defended.

“Yeah, I do,” Sari said with a bit of laughter in his tone.

“Then let me show you how I can lavish you with attention.” Max dipped his head and bit down on Sari’s shoulder.

Sari squeaked and then felt his face flush with embarrassment as Max laughed. Even though Sari was blushing from his outburst, he felt the stroke of the man’s laughter deep inside of him where no one had reached in a very long time. To feel Max’s delight at just being with Sari made him fall even deeper in love with the man.

Max gave a throaty growl, which only made Sari’s cock throb. The noise was too damn sexy. “I love how you blush.”

“Stop making fun of me.” Sari pressed his ass harder into Max’s groin, telling the man without words to start fucking and stop talking.

“I would never laugh at your expense.” Max kissed Sari along his shoulder before he flipped Sari to his back and swallowed Sari’s cock down to the root.

“Oh my god!” Sari shouted as his hands slammed onto Max’s head.

Sari watched in fascination as Max worked his cock with expertise. Max was using his lips, tongue, and teeth as Sari arched, his breathing becoming labored.

Sari’s eyes dipped, locking with Max’s as the man continued to drive Sari wild with his wicked mouth. There was a sparkle in Max’s eyes, but Sari knew without a doubt that this man was a predator inside and out.

Max made Sari feel raw, wild things that threatened to unravel him.

Reaching between Sari’s legs, Max ran the tips of his fingers over Sari’s quivering hole. He pulled back from Sari’s cock and said, “I’m going to shove my dick right in here.” He pressed the tip into the entrance.

“God, yes!” Sari was a writhing mess, ready to be taken any way Max wanted to have him.

Max released Sari’s cock and moved up the bed, his eyes sultry and dark. Sari forgot how to breathe.

That was an invitation he would gladly take the man up on.

“You’re on,” Sari said with a wink before rolling onto his stomach. He jutted his ass in the air, candidly showing Max what he wanted.

And damned if Max didn’t look ready to deliver.

Max stared down at Sari, letting him see the full measure of Max’s need for the very first time. Max brushed back a strand of Sari’s hair from his temple before kissing him there. He skimmed his lips along the nape of Sari’s neck then down to his lips, blazing a trail across Sari’s skin.

Max’s deep moan was music to Sari’s ears. Max smiled as he nuzzled at Sari’s throat before kissing another trail down the curve of Sari’s back.

Sari’s balls started to ache when the tremor of arousal became overwhelming. His body tingled with the need to come.

Sari let out a high, strangled cry when Max leaned down and swirled his tongue around Sari’s puckered hole. Max gave the opening a long lick. He speared his tongue just inside, along with his index finger. Max thrust it in again and again, adding a second one that made Sari damn near come on the spot.

Max tongue-fucked Sari over and over, then alternated with a finger and finally two. Max moved his fingers in a steady rhythm, nailing Sari’s gland as often as he could, until Sari was barely hanging on the edge.