STORY EXCERPT

Tap ground his teeth. Keep going. This has nothing to do with you.

For all he knew, it could be a lovers’ spat. Tap most definitely didn’t get involved in those. He’d grown up in a household where his dad beat his father on a regular basis. In the preternatural world, the birth of a female was rare and most preternatural beings were raised by two fathers.

Tap had jumped between them too many times to remember and always got a beatdown for interfering. He’d tried to protect his father the best he could, but John Freedman wasn’t a slight man. He was just as big as Tap was now, and his temper had rivaled Satan’s. Over the years Tap had had so many broken bones, busted noses, bruises, gashes, and anything else John decided to give him for trying to protect his father.

He’d sworn he’d never jump between a couple again.

So why was he getting out of his truck? Why was he charging straight for Chance? And somebody please tell him why he was so pissed that he was ready to tear the leopard’s throat out.

"Get the fuck off of him."

Chance turned his head, his eyes narrowed. "Ain’t none of your business, wolf."

The waiter—what was his name? Alan, James…Dustin! That was it. Dustin stared at him with pleading eyes. Beautiful blue pleading eyes. They held the same desperate look his father, Adam, had worn whenever Tap had had enough and tried to save him from the beast he’d been mated to.

"If you think you’re man enough, bring that shit here," John said, baring his canines at Tap.

"How can you call yourself a man while you knock Adam around?" Tap charged his dad only to be knocked into a wall. He hit the floor, but got back up and charged again. John turned, unleashing his rage on Tap, beating him so badly that he had to crawl back to his bedroom.

"You stay out of my business, boy, or I’ll forget you’re my son and kill you."

Tap hadn’t stopped trying to help Adam. But in the end, none of his efforts meant a damn thing. John had killed his mate, and a kill warrant had been sworn out against him. Tap had never asked Matt, his alpha, who executed the warrant against John and Matt never volunteered the information. None of the bounty hunters at Mercury Rising had told him, either. Who wanted to admit to killing a brethern’s parent even if the bastard had deserved it?

"I said back the fuck up." Tap moved closer as he reached inside his leather jacket. Chance’s gaze dropped to Tap’s hand. He took a step back but didn’t drop the hand that was still wrapped around Dustin’s neck.

"Gonna shoot me, wolf?" Chance sneered.

"Don’t wanna." Tap really didn't. He wanted to get back into his truck and drive away. But he couldn’t let Dustin get his small ass kicked. The guy couldn’t weigh more than a buck ten soaking wet. Chance would leave him a bloody mess if Tap didn’t stop this. And motherfuck, he would stop Chance from hurting Dustin.

"Think you’re badass ’cause you’re a bounty hunter?"

"Think I don’t wanna see you beaten on a guy twice as small as you." Tap rested his hand on the butt of his nine millimeter. He seriously didn’t want to pull it out. Matt didn’t need any more drama between the wolves and leopards. Things were already screwed up as it was. Tap would only be adding fuel to the tension in Mercury.

His hand fell away from his leather when a cop car pulled up to the curb. Chance released Dustin, who gasped for air, tears welling in his eyes as he rubbed at his bruised throat.

"Is there a problem?" Sheriff Ezra Braxton asked as he eyed Tap and then Chance.

"Just having a friendly conversation." Chance patted Dustin on the chest a little too hard. Dustin sputtered and grimaced before he slid away from the leopard.

"You okay?" Braxton asked Dustin.

Dustin closed the distance, stopping when he stood at Tap’s side. "Everything’s fine. Just heading out with my boyfriend." He grabbed Tap’s hand.

Tap shook the man off him. What the fuck? Did he just say boyfriend? Tap knew he should have kept going. Dustin grabbed his hand again, hanging on like his life depended on Tap playing along.

Chance shot Tap an evil glare.

Tap curled his lip.

"You guys need to move it along." Braxton eyed them both, looking as though he wanted to get out. Tap wanted him to stay right where he was. Ever since those murders a few months back, Braxton had been vigilant, popping up everywhere and hauling men into the station for questioning about the most trivial shit. He was fishing for something, but no one knew what Braxton was after. Tap was too damn tired to go a few rounds in the interrogation room.

Tap turned and headed for his truck, but Dustin still had a tight grip on his hand. He hurried beside Tap, keeping pace while wiping strands of hair from his eyes.

"If you’re thinking of following me, you need to rethink it," Tap said.

"If I leave your side now, Chance will come after me."

"Not my problem." Tap yanked his hand free and reached for his door. Dustin shot around the truck and jumped into the passenger seat. He quickly buckled himself in, completely ignoring Tap.

A growl rumbled in his chest. "Get out of my truck."

Dustin turned his head away from Tap.

Tap moved around the truck and reached for the handle. Dustin locked the door. Tap yanked. "Get. Out."

"I would rather be killed by you than face what Chance has planned for me." The fear in Dustin’s voice made Tap pause. He was trembling, yet his chin was thrust forward. The resolve in his blue eyes said he wasn’t going to get out unless Tap shot his ass and pulled his dead body from the truck.

ADULT EXCERPT

"I–" His resistance faltered when Tap cupped his strong, warm hand over Dustin's cheek. He never wanted that hand to leave his face, but he wasn’t going to allow himself to be used. Because whether Dustin liked it or not, he’d caught feelings for the guy. If they screwed around and Tap walked away afterward, it would crush Dustin.

He hated the fact he wanted Tap so badly. He hated the fact Tap had the ability to make him waver. It wasn’t fair that his feelings were bouncing all over the place while Tap stood there so damn confident and assured. The guy should be just as much a wreck as Dustin felt.

This time, when Tap lowered his head, Dustin couldn’t muster the strength to push him away. His mind screamed to get Tap out of his apartment, but his body had taken over and it demanded Dustin’s brain shut the hell up.

Tiny pulses of electricity raced over his skin as their lips met. Tap moved slowly, cautiously, as though waiting for Dustin to say no, to put a stop to this. When he didn’t, Tap deepened the kiss as he walked Dustin backward down the hall.

Dustin instinctively moved toward his bedroom, reached behind him, and turned the knob. They walked through and Tap closed the door. They kept moving until they stopped in the middle of his bedroom. Tap grabbed the hem of Dustin’s shirt and lifted it over his head. His hands ghosted over Dustin’s chest, sides, back, and then Tap dropped to his knees.

Dustin’s mind was in a whirl as Tap unfastened his pants and pushed the material to his thighs. His legs shook and his breath caught when Tap took Dustin's hard length into his mouth. Shockwaves resonated through his body. Dustin’s head fell to the side as his knees grew weak.

There was no way he would push Tap away now. Not when the wolf’s tongue lashed over his heated flesh and he took Dustin’s cock all the way down his throat.

Dustin clenched his hands before he glided them over Tap’s soft hair. His lips parted as his heart sped. Tap slipped a finger into his mouth, then reached around Dustin and probed. When that lone finger slid inside him, Dustin cried out. His orgasm slammed into him and he came down Tap’s throat.

Tap drank him down, licking, sucking, lapping at every last drop of seed. Dustin became boneless as Tap stood and finished undressing him.

Dustin stood there naked, sated, but he still wanted more.

When Tap looked up at him, Dustin gasped. The wolf shifter looked hungry, but that wasn't why he was gasping. There was vulnerability in the man’s stunning hazel eyes. It touched Dustin deeply.

"I don’t give that privilege out lightly." Tap pressed his lips to Dustin’s stomach, giving his navel a sensual kiss.

The truth was evident in his eyes. Tap hardly ever dropped to his knees and him doing it for Dustin spoke volumes.

Tap stood, then circled his hands around Dustin’s wrists, manacling them in place. Dustin might be different from the other leopards in his leap, but every cat was tactile, and Dustin purred at the skin contact.

"I love that sound," Tap said with a slight growl.

When Dustin looked up at Tap, the man's eyes had gone wolf and his canines were showing. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. The black rings were stunning as they grew and the hazel of the man’s eyes became illuminated. In that moment, Dustin wanted to belong to Tap.

His breath caught when Tap licked his lips, as though he’d thoroughly enjoyed Dustin’s taste. He expected Tap to ask him to return the favor, but Tap didn’t. He just stood there gazing down at Dustin, allowing Dustin to soak up the ravishing hunger he felt pulsing against him.

Those damn soulful eyes were going to be his downfall. They already were. Dustin was ready to give Tap anything he wanted, anything he demanded. Tap was tall and strong and his presence was commanding. He saw now why people gave in to the wolf so easily, were so willing to get into Tap's bed.

His aura screamed sensuality, with a promise of obscene, dirty sex. Although Dustin had been fighting against his attraction to Tap, he was now caught in those heartrending eyes, unwilling to put a stop to this and simply walk away.

"Don’t. Move." The two words were a demand that Dustin obeyed.

Tap released Dustin’s hands, and Dustin kept them behind his back. He laced his fingers together, his breathing uneven as Tap walked behind him. He shuddered when Tap ran a finger down his spine.

"So pretty, Kitten." Tap cupped his ass, and Dustin whimpered. His spent cock jerked, as though trying to come back to life again. He turned his head and watched as Tap rummaged through his drawers and came away with the only necktie Dustin owned.

"Ever been tied up?"

Dustin shook his head as he trembled. He wasn’t sure what he’d gotten himself into and was surprised when he couldn’t wait to find out. He’d never been into bondage, it had never interested him, but the thought of Tap using that tie around his wrists had his cock hard in seconds.

Tap slid the soft material over Dustin's shoulder. Goose bumps riddled his body. Dustin sucked in a low breath as he lightly trembled.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"I know you don’t trust me," Tap whispered close to Dustin's ear, "but just for tonight, let me have you any way I want you."