STORY EXCERPT

 Ryker woke to the sound of muffled arguing again, the voices coming through the thin walls like ghosts haunting his sleep. He blinked, momentarily disoriented as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room. 

 Fuck. It hadn’t been a bad dream. He was really stuck in this dingy motel. 

 The radiator sputtered, the room an uncomfortable blend of too hot and too cold. With a deep yawn, he scrubbed his face, the springs creaking in protest as he sat up.

 The argument next door carried on, more distinct now, though the words were still indecipherable. Curiosity gnawed at him, and before he could convince himself to mind his own business, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood. 

 “Oh, oh, oh, crap.” The floor was freezing under his socked feet, the cold seeping into his bones. “I’m really starting to hate this place.” 

 Ryker shoved his feet into his boots, tied them, and then opened the door. As he stepped into the hallway, the dimness felt even more oppressive. The air somehow smelled even staler, and the flickering light overhead was getting on his last nerve. 

 Admittedly, he was cranky as shit for being trapped in a motel instead of being at home. Ryker could possibly get over the conditions of this place, but he was also starving and doubted there was room service. 

  There was barely sufficient lighting and warmth. 

 Ryker stood there, listening again to the muffled voices. What if someone was being abused? Now that he’d had some sleep and his brain was somewhat rebooted, he couldn’t simply stand by and do nothing if someone needed help. 

 Before he could take a step in that direction, the door opened, causing him to pause. 

 A guy stepped out, his frame small and slight compared to Ryker’s own bulk. The stranger had a mop of messy blond hair, disheveled enough to demand attention, the faint glow of the hallway light brushing against the unruly strands.

 Ryker’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as something sharp and sudden wrenched at him—a sensation he couldn’t name but felt deep in his core. 

 It wasn’t attraction, not exactly. It was more. The kind of more that stripped the air from his lungs and left him standing there, stupid and frozen, caught in a moment he didn’t understand but couldn’t escape.

 The blond glanced up, their gazes locking, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath. There was something unguarded in the way he looked at Ryker, like he’d caught the stranger mid-thought, unprepared. 

 Then, the corner of the guy’s mouth hitched upward, and he offered a grin—soft, dimpled, and disarmingly beautiful. It wasn’t just a smile. It was a spark, small but bright, that lingered in the stillness between them. “Guess we’re both up for the late-night hallway club, huh?” 

 Ryker blinked then snorted, his lips twitching. “Something like that. Kind of hard to sleep with all the arguing going on.” 

 A glint of something unreadable passed behind the man’s eyes. “My, uh…friend’s having a bit of a rough night.” He shifted his weight, his gaze darting briefly toward the door he’d just come out of.

 The strange sensation continued to build in Ryker’s chest, like an itch under his skin, paired with a need to get closer. His bear softly growled as the faint scent of peppermint drifted toward him. It was subtle, almost lost under the musty odor of the hallway, but it was there. Ryker inhaled deeply, his bear growling even harder now. 

 Then it struck him like a thunderclap, sharp and undeniable. 

 Mate.

 The word reverberated in his mind. His heart giving a hard, jarring thud, stunned that a freak snowstorm had led him here. 

 “Name’s Ryker.” He stuck out his hand, hoping he didn’t look as flustered as he felt. 

 The blond eyed the offered hand for a beat before shaking it, his grip surprisingly firm. “Nathan, but I prefer Nate.” His smile returned, more genuine this time, and Ryker felt heat ignite in his gut, battling the chill of the hallway.

 They stood there, hands still clasped, longer than was probably necessary, but Ryker didn’t give a shit. The human was his mate, and he was completely captivated by him. 

 “The storm bring you here?” Nate cocked his head in the cutest way.

 “Unfortunately.” Or fortunately since he’d found his mate. Reluctantly, he let go of Nate’s hand, already missing the contact. “What about you?”

 “Same. Weather’s a real mess out there.” Nate shrugged, and Ryker noted the way his dark blue eyes seemed to sparkle even in the dim light. “Anywho, I was heading to the ice machine. Care to join me? Not much else to do in this place for us hallway club members.” 

 Ryker loved his mate’s sense of humor, also his smile, those dimples that popped whenever he grinned, and even the sound of his soft voice. 

 The pull was strong, the invisible force nearly overwhelming him. “Of course, and on the way, you can fill me in on the rules of our club, honey bear.” 

 The endearment had just slipped out, but Nate didn’t seem to mind because he didn’t ask why Ryker had just called him that. He followed his mate, his gaze drifting over the human’s slim back and cute butt. He was small, delicate almost, and damn if Ryker wasn’t enjoying the view of his rear end swaying as the guy walked ahead of him. 

 Even his bear appreciated it if his low snarl was anything to go by. 

 They reached the ice machine, an ancient contraption that looked as if it belonged in a museum. Nate grabbed a bucket from the small, upturned stack, the plastic rattling as he tried to position it under the chute.

 “So, where were you headed before you got stuck here?” He glanced at Ryker as he pressed the button. The machine groaned, a loud, mechanical clunk echoing through the empty hallway.

 Leaning his shoulder against the wall, Ryker shrugged. “Christmas shopping. I was picking up a gift for my little nephew. Thought it’d make up for…missing some time with him.” 

 The guilt twisted inside of Ryker. He could still see Ethan’s terrified expression as the deranged drug dealer held a gun to the toddler’s head. Ryker should’ve protected the boy better. He should’ve—

 “Hey.” Nate’s voice broke through Ryker’s thoughts, his mate’s gaze softening. “Life doesn’t always go as planned. It’s what you do afterward that counts, right?”

 Ryker stared at him, surprised by the empathy in Nate’s voice. His mate’s presence was calming, making Ryker’s gut feel less twisted. He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Guess so.”

 Before he could say anything else, like asking who Nate had been arguing with, the door near his own opened. Ryker’s gaze narrowed at the sight of a buff man with dark eyes, though his face was partially obscured by the shadows. The stranger gave Nate a pointed look, his expression cold.

 Nate stiffened, his smile fading. He cleared his throat, his gaze lowering, which pissed Ryker off. It was clear how much Nate feared Dark Eyes. “I should probably get back, but maybe, um, I’ll see you around?” He glanced up at Ryker, a flicker of something—hope, maybe—in his blue beauties. 

 ADULT EXCERPT

 “I think you flipped a switch inside me,” he said between shallow breaths.

 “Baby, I haven’t been inside you yet.” Ryker’s mouth curved into a cocky grin as he crawled up Nate’s body, and when he spoke again, the husky drop in his voice made the air itself seem to tremble around them. “But I’m about to flip every goddamn switch you own.” 

 Nate’s breath caught as he spread his legs, welcoming the heat of Ryker’s weight. This had to be a dream—his mate couldn’t possibly be real, couldn’t possibly be about to wreck him so completely. 

 “Your flirting has definitely improved,” Nate teased.

 “Giving a gorgeous guy head will do that.” Ryker winked as he knelt between Nate’s legs, his muscles flexing when he yanked his shirt over his head. Good lord.

 Was it even legal to be built like that? If it wasn’t, Ryker deserved a lifetime sentence—for indecent levels of hotness.

 Nate just had to touch. He explored the hard planes of Ryker’s chest, his fingers finding and teasing his mate’s nipples. A huge grin split Nate’s cheeks as the bear shifter hissed, his head tilting back as Nate rolled and tugged at the taut peaks.

 “Feels so good,” Ryker growled, his hands covering Nate’s, encouraging the touch.

 For the first time in years, Nate felt a spark of control. After being at the mercy of Diobno’s whims for so long, making Ryker moan beneath his touch felt like reclaiming a piece of himself.

 Leaning in, Ryker’s lips, barely inches from Nate’s ear, were full and inviting, the hint of a devilish smirk dancing on them. His gray eyes were dark and intense, the kind of gaze that made you feel both excited and intimidated. “I’m about to set free every pent-up frustration you’ve ever had.” His lips brushed the shell of Nate’s ear, drawing a tremble from him. “But first, let me finish getting undressed. I don’t want any barriers between us.”

 The loss of Ryker’s heat as he moved away left Nate cold and aching to have him back. But when Ryker’s gaze locked onto him while his jeans slid down, revealing muscular thighs and a perfect ass, Nate could almost taste the rush of adrenaline and desire that was building between them.

 Every inch revealed made Nate’s throat tighten, his mouth dry as his gaze roamed over the muscular frame, the dusting of dark hair, the thick cock already leaking at the tip. He wanted to lick every part of his mate until Ryker was left as undone as he felt.

 But Ryker had other plans.

 “Spread your legs for me, honey bear.” The sound of his voice hit like a low rumble of thunder, rolling through Nate with a dangerous promise. 

 Gladly obeying, he lowered to his back and slid his legs apart, baring himself completely. The cool air brushing against his skin only heightened the heat surging through him as Ryker settled between his thighs.

 The anticipation was maddening, exquisite, as if a string pulled taut, ready to snap under the pressure of too much neediness. A hundred years without sex—Nate deserved fireworks, a parade, and maybe a damn medal.

 A lubed hand found his entrance, fingers caressing the sensitive ring of muscle. A faint gasp escaped him as Ryker massaged the spot, slow and teasing. His touch was firm, stretching Nate with an intimacy that felt like a blazing inferno.

 Glancing away, Nate closed his eyes, trying desperately to calm his body down before he blew another load too soon. But damn, those thick fingers felt so good. 

 “Eyes on me.” 

 Nate cracked his eyes open, his focus instantly drawn to Ryker’s penetrating gaze. The intensity in those gray depths was pure hunger, spreading like liquid sin through Nate’s veins, a wicked promise with no end in sight.

 “Touch me,” Ryker growled, grabbing Nate’s hand and guiding it to his cock. “I need you to touch me, sweetheart.”

 A command Nate would gladly oblige. He gripped the cock firmly, the heat of Ryker’s erection hot against his palm, thick and throbbing. The hardness flexed, causing Nate to marvel at the velvety smoothness over rigid steel.

 “Damn.” Ryker’s head tilted back as his hips bucked into Nate’s grip, his fingers still stretching and scissoring. “Stroke my cock, baby.”

 Then Ryker’s fingers shifted, angling deeper, sending a jolt of pleasure through Nate that made him cry out. He let go of Ryker’s cock to grip his own, desperate to hold himself back from the edge.

 “R-Ryker,” he gasped, his voice shaking as his body writhed under the onslaught of sensation. 

 “I’ve got you.” Ryker’s voice was low and rough, full of wickedness as he leaned in to claim Nate’s lips. The kiss nothing short of dominance and devouring, tongues tangling as Ryker’s fingers moved faster, working him open. 

 The anticipation had just shot to full pressure. 

 When Ryker finally withdrew his fingers, Nate snarled. 

 A soft laugh, low and sinful, vibrated through the space between them. “Still so needy.”

 “You’re joking, right?” Nate gaped at him. “Teddy bear, release my pent-up frustrations or I might take matters into my own hand.” 

  Mischief glinted in his mate’s eyes as his smile widened, lazy and knowing. “I’m a man of my word.” He tossed Nate’s legs over his shoulders then positioned himself, the blunt head of his cock pressing against Nate’s entrance.

 “Right now, it’s just us. You’re mine, beautiful. And I’m yours.” There was something primal in the way his voice curled around the words, rich and decadent, as if he were savoring every syllable.

 His flirting had definitely improved. It was dripping in heat now.  

 Then Ryker thrust forward, seating himself inside Nate in one smooth, powerful stroke.