Lion's Wrath Read online

  That wouldn’t do. His mate needed his nourishment. Scott took Baxter’s plate and held the half taco to his mouth.

  Baxter scowled. “I can feed myself.”

  “Half the fun of cooking is eating what you’ve created. I just might take it personally if you don’t finish what I gave you.”

  “Mr. Nosy is turning into Mr. Bossy.” Baxter frowned.

  “Mr. Bossy is gonna turn into Mr. Spanking if you don’t eat.” Scott had no idea where that had come from, but the thought of his handprint on Baxter’s pale ass made him breathe just a bit faster.

  With a skeptical look, Baxter opened his mouth and took a bite. Scott’s lion purred in satisfaction. Or horniness. His beast felt both.

  Baxter’s brows shot up as he chewed. Around his mouthful, he asked, “Did you just purr?”

  Scott hadn’t thought he’d made that noise out loud. “Must’ve been one of the cats.” It wasn’t a lie since Scott was technically a cat. A very large one.

  Baxter’s tongue glided across his lips, catching a bit of sour cream and dragging it into his mouth. Scott’s cock grew hard, and his mind imagined the sour cream as—

  “I’ll refresh our drinks.”

  Scott hopped up like his ass was on fire and grabbed their glasses. Baxter’s was still full, but who the fuck cared? Scott just needed to get out of the room, away from the pornographic sight so he could get his body back under control.

  “I wasn’t even done with mine!” Baxter yelled after him, but Scott was hauling ass, already in the kitchen, taking deep breaths. Fuck, he wanted to claim Baxter so badly his teeth ached.

  Scott stepped onto the deck, into the chilly night air, hoping the drop in temperature made his cock deflate.

  Through the glass door he saw Baxter enter the kitchen. His mate looked around, a puzzled expression on his handsome face. Scott wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his hands to himself. His mate was a walking wet dream, and Scott was dying to sink his cock into Baxter’s body. There were only so many good intentions a man could handle before his breaking point.

  Scott was close to his.

  Baxter’s eyes landed on him, making his brows dip even lower. He came to the sliding door and opened it. “What’re you doing out there?”

  Freezing my fucking balls off. Yet Scott’s cock hadn’t gone all the way down. There was still a semihard outline in his boxer briefs. He was standing sideways, trying to hide what Baxter was doing to him.

  “I’ll be back inside in just a sec.” Coco walked out the door, braving his way past Baxter to climb down the deck and handle his business. Now Scott had a legit excuse to be out here, even though Baxter was still looking curiously at him.

  His mate shrugged and walked out of the kitchen. Scott’s gaze was glued to his mate’s ass, which was encased in denim that cupped his backside perfectly. That didn’t help his growing problem. Scott was hard all over again.

  And freezing.

  Now that Baxter went back in the living room, Scott stepped inside the kitchen and waited on Coco, thankful his bare feet were no longer pressed against the cold wood of the deck.

  But he was still cold.

  Coco finished his business then decided to chase a squirrel. Scott didn’t have time for this. He needed more heat. After he gave a long whistle, Coco ran back inside and went straight to his food bowl. He looked at Scott with those big brown eyes.

  “Sorry, no more taco meat for you. You’ll have gas all night if I give you any more.”

  Scott looked toward the kitchen entrance, stared down at his half-hard cock, and groaned. This was going to be a long night.

  * * * *

  “The plates came back stolen,” Sheriff Copache said as he stood in Scott’s kitchen. “I’m guessing the car is stashed somewhere. I’ve beefed up patrol, too.”

  That was the reason they hadn’t heard anything else from the biker thugs. They were lying low, waiting for their chance to strike again when no cop presence was around. Baxter was convinced of that. No one attempted kidnapping and simply gave up because someone interfered.

  “Let me guess,” Scott said in a sarcastic tone. “The Falls Bend police are doing everything they can to find the men who tried to take Baxter. Am I right?”

  The sheriff sighed. “I know this is frustrating, but I’m doing everything on my end to try and keep you guys safe.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry I’m taking it out on you.” Scott offered Sheriff Copache a cup of coffee, and the guy took it. He gave an appreciative nod. “Thanks for going the extra mile to keep Baxter safe.”

  “No extra mile.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Just doing what I would for any citizen. Everyone in my town deserves to feel safe.”

  That sentiment touched Baxter, though he knew there were plenty of assholes who lived in Maple Grove. If there hadn’t been, there would be no need for cops in this town. Even so, he appreciated the sheriff’s efforts.

  Sheriff Copache set his mug on the counter. “I need to get moving along. Call me if you see or hear anything suspicious and I’ll have a patrol car here in minutes.”

  Baxter stayed in the kitchen while Scott walked the sheriff to the front door. It had been two days since taco night, and Baxter still thought about Scott’s behavior. The guy had gone outside to cool off. Baxter knew that because he’d spotted Scott’s hard-on.

  And here I thought he was some kind of saint for taking me in and helping me out. In truth, Baxter was glad Scott wasn’t an altruist. It made dealing with his problems much better knowing the fireman didn’t have a halo over his head.

  It also made things charged between them. Scott continued to walk around in just his underwear and T-shirt, driving Baxter crazy. Baxter might’ve been a recovering addict, but he was also a hot-blooded guy who thoroughly enjoyed sex. Something he hadn’t had in nearly ten days. For a man, that was equivalent to years. The cleaner Baxter became, the more focused he was on Scott.

  The hunky fireman with pretty blue eyes, blond hair, and a heart of gold. The guy who had saved Baxter twice now. He still felt that weird connection toward Scott like the day they’d met, but Baxter had been too busy focusing on getting clean to pay any attention to it.

  It was as if he’d known Scott his entire life, which was strange since they’d just met not too long ago.

  He looked down at the dog who was curled under one of the kitchen chairs. “What do you think, Coco? Am I losing my shit? Am I projecting my feelings onto Scott, making it seem as though we have a connection?”

  Coco let out a huff of air as he stared up at Baxter.

  “You’re right.” Baxter gave a firm nod. “Focus on getting my shit together and worry about other things later.”

  “Sound advice,” Scott said when he walked into the kitchen. Today he wore dark blue underwear and a black T-shirt. Fuck. The shirt was a bit small, hugging those gorgeous muscles. His thighs were ripped, corded, and Baxter wanted to lick them.

  Although it had been weird that Scott had been so undressed in front of the sheriff. But neither man seemed to notice and didn’t comment on Scott’s near nudity.

  “Sound enough that I’m gonna lose my apartment if I don’t pay rent with money I don’t have.” Not if he didn’t want to deplete what little savings he had. Baxter would need to live off that until he found another job. Either he paid for a roof over his head and had no lights or gas, or even food, or he held on to his money and became homeless but would be able to feed himself.

  The choices seemed grim.

  It wasn’t like he could ask his parents for help. He and Jayce had grown up together, but his best friend didn’t know everything that had gone on in Baxter’s house. He didn’t know that, when Baxter’s father drank, his dad beat on his mom. Jayce didn’t know that Baxter hadn’t escaped that abuse, either.

  The booze, the screaming, the hidden bruises, the late-night visits from his dad. Baxter would rather live on the streets than ask his father for anything.

  Baxter
had always made it seem as if his home life growing up had been peachy. He covered his sorrow with fake smiles and laughter. He made everyone believe his old man was such a great guy.

  Lies. All lies. That was one reason Baxter had spent so much time at Jayce’s house when they were younger. His best friend’s dad might’ve been kooky, but he had loving parents, and Baxter envied that. He’d wanted to surround himself with that happiness, to pretend Jayce’s folks were his own. That he hadn’t been born to such a black-hearted asshole.

  Baxter walked out of the kitchen, taking deep breaths in order to force the memories away. Thinking about his father was the last thing he needed. Those kinds of thoughts would only lead to him wanting to get high to escape, and that was the opposite of what Baxter was trying to accomplish.

  “Bax?” Scott caught up to him and stopped him from going to his bedroom. “Talk to me.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. Everything is fine.” It was a mantra that Baxter had repeated his entire life, to himself and others. He’d fooled everyone into thinking that he was actually okay. Maybe that was why he’d fallen prey to the drugs so easily. It had been an escape, a doorway to forgetting how everything was not fine.

  “Part of recovery is not bottling everything up inside.” Scott coaxed Baxter to the sofa. “Letting things stew will only make you want to use again.”

  “How do you know?” Baxter didn’t fight Scott about sitting down. He dropped onto the cushions, feeling deflated.

  Scott sat next to him. “Because my dad was an addict, and in the end, the drugs won. No matter how hard I tried to stop him, to flush his stash, to block the door and stop him from leaving to get high, he fought me every step of the way.”

  “And now you’re doing it all over again.” God, could Baxter feel any worse? He was making Scott relive a nightmare. “I’m so sorry.”

  Scott shook his head. “Trust me when I tell you how different you are from him. Remus was a jackass who made my life miserable even before he started using. It had gotten so bad that he ended up killing my mother.”

  Baxter gasped. “Oh my god.”

  Scott shrugged. “It was a long time ago. After my mom died, I was tempted to use.” He rubbed a hand over his head. “Drugs make it easy to forget, to numb the pain, but you always come down and feel even worse than before. I didn’t want to ride that train, so I left home and struck out on my own.”

  “What happened to your dad?” Baxter asked. “Is he serving life in prison?”

  “You could say that.” Scott looked away. “He’s in a place called the underworld, and he’s never getting out.”

  Baxter frowned. “I’ve never heard of that prison. Then again, it’s not like I’m an expert about the penal system, although the underworld sounds like a pretty scary place.”

  Scott grinned, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You have no idea.”

  Baxter curled his feet under him and faced Scott. “You said when I was better you’d explain why you’re doing all this for me.”

  He wanted to change the subject. Talking about fucked up fathers wasn’t at the top of his favorite things to do list. Baxter already felt gloomy enough.

  “I’m not sure you’re ready.” Scott’s arm was slung over the back of the couch, but his fingers played at Baxter’s shoulder. “There’s a lot you aren’t aware of, and I’m afraid of doing damage to your already fragile state of mind.”

  Baxter snorted. “I’m not that damn fragile. I’ve battled lions and have slain dragons.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Through my teeth.” Baxter grinned. “I still consider myself pretty tough. You can tell me whatever it is that you need to tell me.”

  Scott didn’t look convinced. He studied Baxter for so long that Baxter didn’t think the guy would talk again.

  “I’m really hoping I don’t regret this.” Scott blew out a breath. “Do you believe in the supernatural?”

  “Like ghosts?”

  Scott chuckled. “No, not ghosts. Like maybe there’s something more out there?”

  “Other than the mundane life?” Baxter didn’t answer right away. He thought long and hard. “I’ve always hoped there was more to life than this. Something magical, like you see on TV or read in books.”

  “Like vampires and shifters?” Scott played with the collar of Baxter’s shirt.

  “Or aliens.” A burp of nervous laughter worked its way up Baxter’s throat. “Are you trying to tell me humans aren’t the only beings that exist?”

  “And if I am?”

  Baxter’s heart beat faster. He’d always dreamed of heroes that weren’t exactly human, someone or something that would rescue him from his horrific home life when he was a kid. When he was older, those dreams hadn’t left him. He constantly fantasized about another world, another life, though he’d never shared those thoughts with anyone, not even Jayce.

  “Go on.” Baxter licked his lips.

  “And if I told you I can shift into a lion, would you call me a liar or try to run away?” Scott’s fingers stopped moving. It was as though he was holding his breath.

  “I-I would want proof.” If Scott was fucking with him, Baxter would beat the man in his sleep. He was also afraid, but there was also a mixture of exhilaration in him, too. “Show me,” he whispered.

  Scott got up and yanked his shirt over his head. “I have to get naked or ruin my clothes.”

  It was just underwear and a T-shirt. He suspected that Scott had been dying to show off his nakedness. Baxter wasn’t averse to seeing it, either.

  “Then by all means, get naked.” His gaze lowered to Scott’s underwear. Baxter’s heart thumped harder. He just bet the guy was holding a whale behind the fabric.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “I’m sure.” Baxter nodded. “Stop keeping me in suspense.”

  Scott slid off his boxer briefs, and Baxter whimpered. He’d been right. Even soft Scott’s cock was damn impressive.

  “Here goes.”

  Baxter’s jaw dropped as Scott transformed from a human to an enormous lion. He made himself sit still, not to give a negative reaction, although Baxter was seconds away from passing out.

  “Just give me a minute to—” Baxter frowned. “Can you understand me?”

  The lion nodded. It was the freakiest thing Baxter had ever seen. Weirder was the cats who came into the room, rubbing up against Scott.

  “I’m dreaming, right?” Baxter reached out and ran his fingers through the thick, soft mane. Even Coco joined them, rolling over and showing the lion his belly.

  Baxter had yet to see the snake Scott claimed to own, and since he wasn’t a fan of snakes, he could wait for introductions.

  “You’re beautiful.” Baxter inched closer, gliding his hand over the lion’s head. “Why am I not afraid? Any sane man would be.”

  He jerked back when the lion transformed back into a man. “Because we’re mates.”

  Baxter had no idea what Scott was talking about. “Mates?”

  It was hard to concentrate when Scott’s cock was all up in Baxter’s face. Only now it was half-hard and tempting as fuck.

  “Two people fated to be together. Do you feel the connection between us?”

  “Is that why I felt it the moment I met you?” Baxter asked. “Because we’re mates?”

  Scott reached for his underwear, but Baxter grabbed his wrist, pulling Scott closer. “Don’t get dressed just yet.”

  One of Scott’s brows arched. “And why is that?”

  God, could Scott’s voice have gone any deeper, smokier? “Because I want you.”

  Chapter Five

  “Again, I have to ask, are you sure about this?” Scott was definitely sure about this. He’d been walking around half-naked for days now. He knew Baxter needed time, but Scott wasn’t a fucking saint. And it wasn’t as if Baxter was still in those first days of recovery.

  His mate was smiling more, his appetite back, and getting to know Coco better. He w
as so damn gorgeous that he made Scott’s heart ache.

  And it wasn’t as though Scott hadn’t already seen Baxter naked. He’d given his mate a few baths when Baxter had been battling his demons. Scott was thankful Baxter felt much better, but he still wasn’t sure if enough time had passed for them to think about moving things to another level.

  This wasn’t about Scott and his needs. This was about Baxter, and Scott needed to take care of his mate in ways that might not appeal to them at the moment. Backing off was the right thing to do.

  Scott eased Baxter’s hand off him. “You don’t know how badly I want you, but I think you need more time.”

  Baxter looked wounded as he eased back on the couch. He curled his arms around his legs and looked away. “Yeah, sure.”

  With his jaw clenched tight, Scott took his clothing to his room and dressed in some pajama pants and shoved his T-shirt back on. He kept telling himself that he was doing the right thing and that Baxter was only trying to use sex as a means to escape.

  But his mate needed to stay grounded in reality. It wasn’t an easy decision for Scott. Of course he wanted to sink his cock deep into Baxter’s ass. But in the back of his mind, in his gut, and in his heart, he knew his mate wasn’t ready for the life-changing experience.

  Scott wouldn’t bind Baxter’s soul to his until his mate was much better than he was now.

  Sometimes it truly sucked being a good guy.

  He set those thoughts aside when he heard a noise in the guest bedroom. It sounded as though something had crashed. Confused, Scott walked to Baxter’s room and stopped just outside the door. Another crash.

  He let himself in and found his mate tearing the room apart. “Baxter, what’re you doing?”

  “Fuck you. Fuck this whole intervention thing. Fuck…fuck everything.” He grabbed the lamp off the nightstand and hurled it at the wall. “I don’t give a shit about anything!”

  Scott didn’t stop him. He let Baxter get his frustrations out. The wall could be fixed, clutter cleared, and broken things replaced. Baxter needed this. He needed to get all the ugly out.