Curtis's Dads 23 (10 page)

“Enough!” the timbre of Maverick’s voice filled the room. “I am not implying that you need help with your mate, Chauncey. But as
 
you stated, his family needs to watch over him, and in case you have forgotten, that includes my pack.”

The man growled but backed down, pulling Curtis into his arms as he cut his eyes at Sloane. Whatever. Sloane rolled his eyes.

“I have my men out searching for Billy right now. If he’s in Brac Village, we’ll find him. There aren’t that many places he can hide,” Maverick said before turning to leave.

“Thanks,” an older version of the bears, but still hot as hell, thanked Maverick.

“Anytime.” Maverick smiled at the guy and shook his hand before heading out.

Sloane stood there feeling stupid as hell. What was he supposed to do now? He still didn’t know what in the hell was going on.

“Name’s Pa,” the man said as he extended his hand.

“Sloane.” He shook the man’s hand.

“You can ride with me, and I’ll show you where you’ll sleep.” Sloane hoped the guy wouldn’t be a prick and make him sleep outside in his timber-wolf form. That would so totally suck.

Chauncey walked through the front door of his house, his hand pressed against Curtis’s back as his brothers walked in behind him.

He felt as though the entire town was on alert by the time Maverick had driven off.

Even the humans who knew nothing about were-creatures had promised the alpha to keep both eyes open for Billy. Chauncey was proud to belong to a small town that pulled together when one of theirs needed help.

It also helped that Maverick was expanding the town, breathing new life into it, and opening up more job opportunities for its residents. With the resource center helping those in financial need, the rec center giving the kids a place to safely play, and new job openings posting all the time, the residents would be fools not to help the
mayor
out.

“I’m still hungry,” Curtis complained as the family adjourned to the kitchen.

“I got you covered,” Pa said as he headed over to the stove. “No offense, Curtis, but I tasted one of your pancakes. I think you should either have Steven help you in the kitchen or just ask one of us to cook.” His pa winked at Curtis before starting breakfast.

Curtis crossed his arms over his chest, his bottom lip protruding as he sat in Chauncey’s lap. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Yes, it was.” Chance chuckled.

“I can’t cook to save my life, either,” Alex, Gavin’s mate, said as he leaned toward Curtis. “It’s not a bad thing. At least you have others cooking for you.”

Chauncey chuckled as he watched his pa work the kitchen like a master. The man always amazed him. His pa was so strong and solid.

Chauncey wasn’t sure what he would do without the man.

Curtis shrugged. “I guess that’s true.” Chauncey could see the disheartened look his mate sported. He didn’t like it. “What’s wrong, honey bunny?” He growled when Chance, Sloane, and Bryce snickered. He even saw his pa smiling. What was wrong with the endearment he gave his mate? He liked it. Chauncey growled louder when he saw Bryce mouth
honey bunny
to Chance. Bastards. Just wait until they mated.

They’d see what it was like.

“Knock it off, boys,” his pa warned.

Chauncey had to figure out how his pa did that. His back was turned, and he still knew what was going on. The man was utterly amazing.

“We aren’t doing anything wrong, Pa,” Chance defended. “Isn’t that right,
honey bunny
?” he said to Curtis right before Chauncey stood, placing his mate gently on his feet, and then tore after his twin.

He could be a single child of the set, really. Who needed a twin?

Chance’s eyes widened right before he jumped from his chair and took off. Chauncey gave chase. He was going to show his brother what pain really was. He shot past Riley, his oldest brother, and ran after Chance who had gone out the kitchen door.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Chance shouted as he jumped the corral, running into the herd of cows. “I meant no harm. Now, calm down, Chauncey, before you make me mad.”

Chauncey growled as he leapt the fence. “Bring it on, fuckhead.” Chance charged him, tackling Chauncey around the waist and taking him down. Chauncey rolled, pinning his twin beneath him.

“Say ‘uncle.’”

“Not on your life,” Chance shouted as he squirmed free, blanketing Chauncey’s back, trying to take him down.

“You’ll have to work harder than that. Why don’t you set your purse down first?” Chauncey taunted as he twisted out of his brother’s grip. He pinned Chance again. “I’m the only one who gets to call him that. Say it.”

Chance bucked, dislodging Chauncey. “I can call him honey bunny, too.” He laughed as he shot past a couple of cows. Chauncey growled and gave chase.

“Breakfast is ready,” Pa shouted from the back porch.

“Truce?” Chance asked as he walked up beside Chauncey.

“Hell, yeah. I’m starved.”

They walked back toward the house, hopping the fence and heading in.

Their pa pointed toward the steps, standing between them and the table. “You two smell like shit. Go shower before you sit down at the table.”

Chauncey looked down to see cow dung clinging to his clothes.

Chance wasn’t any better. He had the crap all over his back. He wrinkled his nose as he headed for the stairs and then cut to the left, chasing after Curtis.

“I need a hug.”

“Chauncey Lakeland!” Curtis shouted as he ran around the kitchen. “If you touch me, I won’t be touching you.” Chauncey stopped in his tracks. “Spoilsport.” He chuckled as he headed up the steps, walking straight into his bathroom. He tossed the soiled clothes in a bag before jumping into the shower. He grinned when, five minutes later, his mate was climbing in with him.

“Need help?” Curtis blushed as he grabbed the towel, his eyes looking everywhere but at Chauncey.

“Hell, yeah.” He grinned from ear to ear as he held his arms up, letting his mate guide the washcloth anywhere he damn well pleased.

A low growl left his lips as Curtis washed over his hairy chest. His mate’s fingers played with the wet strands, looking enraptured as his fingers glided through them.

“Have I told you that I love everything about you?” Curtis asked shyly as his fingers continued in their play.

Chauncey’s heart thundered behind his ribs. This was the first time Curtis had declared his love. This was a special moment, a monumental moment. He swallowed as he lowered his arms. “No.”

“I do,” Curtis whispered, his gaze fixated on one of Chauncey’s nipples.

Chauncey tucked a knuckle under his mate’s chin, lifting it so Curtis was gazing at him with his grassy-green eyes. “I love you, too, honey bunny.” His chest tightened as he stared down at his mate.

“You have a mountain to overcome, I know this, but always remember you are safe with me.”

Curtis nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he smiled weakly up at Chauncey. He couldn’t take it anymore. Seeing his mate standing there all slick with water was driving him insane. He bent forward, capturing Curtis’s lips.

His mate moaned as the palms of his hands plastered against Chauncey’s wet chest. It was the sweetest kiss ever. Chauncey pushed his tongue into Curtis’s mouth, his mate opening for him. Chauncey grabbed Curtis’s hips, bringing him closer as his cock came fully to life.

He was shocked when Curtis broke the kiss, and then his eyes widened when Curtis dropped to his knees. “Curtis, no.” Curtis shook his head, gripping Chauncey’s thighs with his fingers. “I won’t have him ruining what we have together.” Chauncey braced his arms on the tile on either side of him as Curtis leaned forward, licking at the head of Chauncey’s cock. His legs shook as he fought the urge to thrust forward. He had to let his mate go at his own pace. This was something Curtis had to want.

Curtis’s lips parted, lapping at the pre-cum flowing from Chauncey’s cock. Chauncey glanced down, watching closely as Curtis feasted on his cock. Curtis looked like an angel kneeling before him. Chauncey had never seen a more beautiful sight.

He kept his back toward the showerhead, making sure the spray didn’t hit his mate. The rivulets of water flowed down Chauncey’s thighs and cock like silk ribbons as Curtis drank it in. His mate leaned closer, taking the head of his cock into his mouth.

Chauncey moaned. There was no way to stop it, and he wasn’t going to hold back. He wanted Curtis to know just how much pleasure he was giving Chauncey. He needed Curtis to know that he was loving every minute of their time together.

Curtis’s tongue swirled around his shaft, taking Chauncey in a little farther. His fingers were curled around Chauncey’s cock, slowing jerking it as he sucked on Chauncey’s shaft. Chauncey’s dick jumped as he fought the need to close his eyes. He wanted to witness every second.

His mate cupped his balls with his other hand, massaging and gently pulling at them as he created a seal, almost making Chauncey come. If he didn’t stop his mate, he was going to shoot down Curtis’s throat. And Chauncey had other places he wanted to shoot his load.

He grabbed the waterproof lube from the shelf. “Stand up, hon.” Curtis looked up at Chauncey from under his wet lashes, giving Chauncey the perfect jack-off picture. He smashed his eyes closed, fighting his orgasm with every fiber in him. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to come. I want to be buried inside of you when I do that.” Chauncey panted when Curtis released his cock. A loud
pop
sounded in the shower stall as his shaft left his mate’s mouth.

Chauncey had to take in deep, controlled breaths in order not to throw Curtis against the wall and fuck him into the grout.

Curtis stood, smiling up at Chauncey. “Did you like it?” Chauncey unlocked his coiled muscles and grabbed Curtis, swinging his mate up into his arms as Curtis wrapped his legs around Chauncey’s waist. “Does a bear shit in the woods?” Curtis threw his head back and laughed, gifting Chauncey with the sweetest sound he had ever heard. Chauncey lubed his fingers, sliding
 
them into his mate’s tight entrance, making Curtis’s laugh turn into a pleasured moan.

Curtis griped his shoulders, his lips parting as Chauncey stretched him. “Did you like it?” he asked apprehensively. The last thing he wanted was for Curtis to relive anything bad that had happened to him.

“Uh-huh,” Curtis moaned.

Chauncey chuckled. He could see that his mate couldn’t think right now. He removed his fingers, separated Curtis’s mounds, and lined his cock up, driving deep.

“Fuck!” Curtis shouted as Chauncey drove into him over and over again.

“This is going to be quick and dirty, honey bunny.”

“Yes,” Curtis hissed as he wrapped his arms around Chauncey’s neck. “Harder, bear, harder.”

Chauncey growled as he planted his feet, slammed his palms into the shower tile in front of him, and snapped his hips at lightning speed. Curtis shouted like a dying man as he held on for the ride.

“Ah, fuck!” Chauncey cried out as Curtis began to bounce on his cock. Chauncey stilled, allowing his mate to ride him. “Take it, baby,” he panted as he watched Curtis ride him hard, shouting out a second later as his cock exploded between them.

Chauncey roared as he grabbed Curtis’s hips, slamming his cock into his mate’s ass as he chased his own orgasm. His body shattered as his cock erupted inside his mate’s tight ass. Chauncey began to jerk in an uncoordinated fashion as he tried to milk every last drop from his cock.

Curtis fell to Chauncey’s chest, panting heavily. “Now I’m hungry.”

* * * *

D walked down the steps, desperate for a cup of coffee. The blood Prince Christian was sending him was all well and good, but a cup of the old java was what the vampire really craved. He wondered if he could mix the two.

His thoughts fled when D stepped into the kitchen and spotted his mate. Holy hell! Sloane sat at the table, looking good enough to drink.

His gums ached as he stared at the wolf. When Sloane stood, D squeaked and ran from the kitchen, his caffeine fix forgotten. Shifters and vampires were enemies. There were no two ways about it. It hurt like hell to be away from his mate, but D wasn’t trying to get torn to shreds. His brothers had drilled it into him his whole life. They told him that a shifter would sooner see him dead than be friends with him.

D knew the Lakelands were different. They were Tater’s friends, so they didn’t count. They were rare as shifters because they actually liked vampires. He wasn’t taking any chances with Sloane, though.

The two species weren’t supposed to mate. Hadn’t his brothers told him that over and over again? Tater was different, too. He was made into a vampire…hybrid…thingy, so he didn’t count.

There sure were a lot of exceptions to the rule his brothers had forced down his throat.

D ran up the steps, slamming his bedroom door closed and then locked it, leaning his back against it. He wiped at his eyes as the bloodred tears fell.

Being mated sucked.

* * * *

“Lucky with the fellas?” Chauncey asked as he stared back at the kitchen door as Sloane stood there. Curtis shoved his elbow into his mate, giving him a thin-lipped, disapproving look. “What?”

“You’re not supposed to say that,” Riley said as he took a seat at the table. “D and Sloane are mates.” His older brother sat back, giving Chauncey a disapproving look. Chauncey hated when Riley looked at him like that. He looked up to his oldest brother.

“How was I supposed to know?” He rubbed his ribs, looking sheepishly at Curtis.

“It’s not your fault,” Sloane said as he sat forward, waving a hand toward Chauncey.

“Then what’s his problem?” Chauncey asked, dodging another elbow from his mate.

“Hell if I know. He won’t even talk to me to tell me what’s going on. I’ve tried calling him, but your father always comes back on the phone, saying D doesn’t want to talk. I can’t figure him out,” Sloane said as he took a seat at the table.

That sucked. “You should go upstairs and say your piece through the door. If he won’t talk to you, at least you said what was on your mind.” Chauncey was proud of himself. He sounded like a psychologist. Maybe he should get a job at the resource center. Nah, he loved ranching too much.