Embracing His Syn (39 page)

Furi stepped out of his
uncle’s pub fifteen minutes after Syn had called. He had to admit
he was anxious to see him. It was unbelievable how much he cared
about the overprotective, bossy man already. He’d texted him every
couple of hours today, just to say hey. Syn texted right back with
his lone responses of '
hey
yourself'
or '
hey
back'
, and then that was it. Doug stood
outside with him while he smoked a cigarette and shot the shit with
Jared, the pub's outside bouncer. He’d filled Doug in on what was
going on with Patrick and everything Syn had done for him. Doug was
Furi’s best friend but he was also another worrywart in Furi’s
life.

Furi laughed at Jared who was slap
fighting with Doug when he saw a dark Suburban turn the corner and
parallel park just a quarter of a block from the pub’s entrance. A
tall man in army fatigues and a tight black t-shirt opened the
driver side door and got out, slowly looking around as if he sensed
something. Syn got out of the passenger side and came around the
front, giving Furi a full look at him. Dressed in all black with a
leather coat hiding what Furi knew were deadly weapons, Syn looked
like every gay boy's wet dream image of a bad boy. His dark hair
was tousled, some men having to work hard to achieve that look, but
on his man it was effortless. His eyes were almost coal black and
when he was just a few feet away, the street lamps illuminated them
and Furi could see Syn’s passion for him. Syn closed in, wrapped
his arms around Furi’s middle and tugged him tight against his
thick chest, kissing him as if he’d just returned from war. Right
there on the street in front of his coworker, Doug and Jared, Syn
kissed him like he’d really, truly missed him.

Ignoring the wolf whistle behind them,
Syn ended the kiss after a moment and dug one hand into Furi’s
hair. “Hey,” he rasped.

“
Hey yourself,” Furi
teased, planting another quick kiss on Syn’s mouth.

“
How you doing, Doug?” Syn
asked, never taking his eyes off Furi.

“
I’m cool,” was all Doug
managed to say. “Furi I’m out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“
Pick me up at
eight.”

Doug waved a hand in acknowledgment on
his way to his car three blocks down.

“
No kiss for your friend?”
Syn cocked one eyebrow.

“
One, I doubt he’d want to
since you just checked my tonsils for me; two, you told me not to
anymore, so why are you asking me that?” Furi looked at him
expectantly.

Syn ignored the question and posed his
own, “Where’s your stuff?”

“
Inside, I’ll get it.”
Furi raced back in to get his bag from behind the bar.

Furi came back out with his bag over
his shoulder. He was glad he was able to get some more of his
personal things, like his favorite shampoo, his own shaver, his
favorite sex toy, you know, the day-to-day necessities. Syn was
still talking with the officer who drove him when Furi approached
him and put his lips to the back of Syn’s neck. He didn’t break
conversation at all, just kept talking about the meeting scheduled
for Monday as Syn brought his arm up to grasp Furi and hold his
mouth to his neck. Damn he loved how relaxed Syn was with him. His
friend didn’t bat an eye either.

“
How’s it going, Furious?”
the tall, redheaded officer asked him, extending a hand to him.
Furi lifted his forehead from Syn’s strong shoulder to answer him
respectfully.

Furi held his hand out to
shake the officer's. He’d seen this Detective before. His name was
Ruxsben or Ruxsburger, whatever, none of them wore nametags, but he
was one of the dicks that brought him in for questioning.
The one that needed a lesson in
manners
. But tonight he seemed friendly,
most likely because of who Furi had his arms around. “Pretty good,
man. How 'bout yourself?”

“
Can’t complain. I’m still
vertical.”

Furi and Syn both laughed at the
response. No one wanted to be horizontal staring at the ceiling of
a church, Furi’s dad used to say.

“
I hear you’ve been having
some crazy ex problems.” He suddenly looked serious, his light
green eyes penetrating. “Sarge is part of the family and we protect
our family. If you're with him, then you’re extended family now.
I’m Armin Ruxsberg by the way. Call me Ruxs.”

Furi just stared, awestruck as the man
spoke.

“
If you have a problem
Furi, then twenty-three other men have a big ass problem too.
That’s our creed.” He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket
and pulled out a business card, handing it to him. “You ever have
an immediate need, you call Syn first, and if for some bizarre
reason he doesn’t answer your call, you call me. I always answer
that line day, or night.”

Furi was speechless. He now had a
family, he believed this man was telling the truth and no matter
what fight was lying in wait for him, he wasn’t going to have to
face it alone.

Ruxs put his hand out again and this
time when Furi clapped his hand in his, the man pulled him in for a
one-armed hug. “Damn. Thanks. I really appreciate that. You have no
idea.” Furi was careful to keep his emotions under control. He
couldn’t help but think back to his time with his dad, this scene
was all so familiar. His father had the full protection of the
Grideon motorcycle gang behind him. They were there for him day or
night, watching out for him and his little boy.

Now Furi had let a man
into his life who brought a kick-ass family along with him. Furi
truly felt like he was walking in his father’s footsteps.
After all this time
.

Syn clapped his hand into Ruxs’ and
gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. “Alright man, we're gonna get
outta here. See you Monday.”

“
Heck yeah, you will. I'm
ready to take this fucker down on Monday.” The big man looked like
he could take down five fuckers ... all alone.

Syn looked just as dangerous. “That’s
what we do.”

“
Alright, I’m gone. Bye
Furious.”

“
Bye,” he said
quickly.

Syn took his hand and looked around
carefully before he led him across the street. Furi was quiet
riding up the elevator. It stopped on the third floor but there was
no one there. Syn crowded in close to him, covering him with his
bulk and pushed the button to close the doors.

“
There’s no one there,
hero. Calm down,” Furi whispered against Syn’s neck.

Syn stared at him for a few seconds
while the elevator ascended, his dark eyes scanning his every
feature as if he’d never seen Furi before. “You are so
beautiful.”

Furi leaned in and touched Syn’s lips
oh so gently. “Thank you,” he whispered.

They were still standing together when
the elevator doors opened.

“
Not the place man. So not
the place,” said a man’s slurred voice.

Furi looked up at Syn’s angry huff. A
guy with long, stringy hair and his crew were barging into the
elevator before Syn and Furi could get out. Syn barreled past them,
pulling Furi behind him.

Furi found it amusing. “Who was
that?”

“
No one of consequence.”
Syn rolled his eyes.

Furi leaned against the door while Syn
angrily turned his key and shouldered the door open.

“
He’s my annoying
neighbor. Lives directly across the hall. Plays his fuckin’ music
way too loud and always has too many people over making noise in
the hall. He’s a stoner and completely insignificant.”

“
Then why are you mad?”
Furi caught Syn’s shoulder before he could get further inside his
apartment.

“
I’m not. I just hate when
people make it a habit of irritating other people.”

“
Not your concern.” Furi
pulled his bag off Syn’s shoulder and dropped it on the
couch.

“
You’re right.” Syn
wrapped his arms around Furi’s waist. “How was your
day?”

“
Good. Got a lot done.
Everything’s really coming together.” This all felt so
domesticated. Furi tried not to think about his previous failed
effort at domesticity. Syn was so mature, so protective, so
everything Patrick wasn’t.

“
You hungry?”

“
I’m starving, actually.
All I had all day was a piece of Doug’s burger. I’ve been in
full-steam ahead mode all day.”

“
Want to get a bite ...,"
Syn hesitated before he added, “out?”

Furi studied him. He knew Syn was
thinking about their last time out and how it had ended. Syn
flustered and embarrassed, Furi storming off alone.

“
Yeah. I do.” He’d give
Syn another chance. He didn’t think he'd disappoint him this
time.

Syn smiled a sexy crooked grin. “Good.
I know a nice Japanese steakhouse downtown. Then we have to make a
stop.”

Furi was pulling his brush out of his
bag to run it through his hair quick before they left. “A stop
where?”

“
Things didn’t go as well
as I hoped with the protective order.”

Furi paused mid-stroke. “What do you
mean? Do I have one?”

“
No. But don’t worry,” Syn
continued when he saw the nervous expression Furi couldn’t
disguise.
Fuck. There’s nothing to tell
that bastard to stay the fuck away from me.

Syn’s hands were on his cheeks. “Hey.
I said don’t worry. I’m gonna handle this shit my way."

Furi blew out a tired breath and
reached his hand up to run it through his hair, but Syn caught it.
“Don’t pull your hair, baby,” he smiled. “Do you trust me, Furious?
Do you trust me to handle this for you?”

Furi looked Syn in the eye. He saw
loyalty there. “Yes. I do.” He leaned in and fused their mouths
together. They kissed like they were solidifying their dedication
to one another, seconds turning into minutes. Neither was in a rush
to stop or end the kiss, only pausing briefly to switch positions
or take in a quick breath.

“
Mmm. You taste good. But
you better stop before you end up starving to death, because if you
keep this up, I’m going to take you. Fast and hard right here on
your living room floor,” Furi panted against Syn’s swollen
lips.

Syn rubbed Furi’s arms as if he was
trying to calm himself as well. “Alright then, I’ll stop. For now.
But you make sure you hold that thought.”

Syn was perfect. It was like they’d
just had their first real date. They ate by candlelight at a quaint
restaurant overlooking the Missouri River. He couldn’t believe how
romantic Syn could be. He held his hand and gazed at him longingly,
as if Furi were everything to him. Furi wanted that to be true, but
it was so early in their relationship. Syn was just getting a feel
for being with a partner and Furi wasn’t so blissfully ignorant as
to think that things couldn't change on a dime. But he’d told Syn
he wouldn’t voice that doubt anymore. He’d enjoy whatever time he
had with Syn. They walked along the boardwalk, holding hands and
talking about nothing in particular. Syn was so intrigued when Furi
talked about his shop. It was such a relief, felt so different to
be with someone completely supportive of something important to
him.

Syn didn’t talk much about his family.
Just that they were all about job and career accomplishments. Life
wasn’t about fun and games it was about work. It was heartbreaking
to hear that this larger-than-life man had been brainwashed to
believe he didn’t deserve happiness.

It was after eleven. They were back on
Interstate 285 stuffed with saikoro steak and Japanese rice lager.
“Dinner was really nice. Thank you.”

Syn looked at him and smiled briefly.
“You’re welcome.” The sexy grin that came next told Furi that Syn
was thinking something naughty. “Are you gonna put out later? That
dinner wasn’t cheap.”

Furi busted out laughing. God, he
loved it when Syn got cheeky with him. The man needed more laughter
in his life, instead of constant worry. “Oh, definitely. I’m an
easy lay baby.”

Syn took his arm off the center
console and put his hand on Furi’s thigh. “Good. Because I plan on
taking full advantage of you tonight.”