Hagen, Lynn - Murphy's Madness [Brac Pack 15] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (4 page)

“I’m not into pain, but I could slap you if you’re really wanting it, although I must say, it wouldn’t please me.”

“Wanting it? What do you think I am, crazy?”

“Maybe mentally disturbed would be a better word,
rebenka
.”

Oh, this was golden.
He
was the one who was crazy? There must be a sign above his door welcoming the nut jobs because this dark and lovely man was the second person to show up in his store spouting crap and wanting to harm him.

The man was hot, though. Murphy gritted his teeth. His head wrapped in lust and lunacy at the idea of kissing the dark stranger, the henchman.

“I’m not crazy. You are.”

The man growled and took another step forward. Murphy had an urge to pee his pants at the sight. The henchman looked so damn menacing. If he wasn’t so damn afraid, he’d be turned the hell on at such a display of raw power and honed muscles.

“You’re the one begging me to beat you down in time to watch your soaps,
rebenka
.”

Murphy was tired of this conversation. If the man wasn’t going to be Maribel’s henchman, then he had packing to do. “Can you leave, please? Come back when you’ve made up your mind.”

“Fine, if you want a beat down, then come here,
sumashedshiy
. Madman.” Dark and lovely advanced toward Murphy. He cried out as he tried to hop the counter, but he only managed to bend his injured wrist back. He shouted in pain as his legs scrambled frantically to clear the glass, but Ludo grabbed his waist and pulled him back.

“Please, I changed my mind, don’t hurt me.” Murphy sobbed, holding his wrist and tired of being a victim. This was too much for him to deal with. He pathetically fought as Ludo pulled him into strong arms.

“Hush,
rebenka
. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“But you just said—”

“No, I wasn’t serious. Hush.” His tears were kissed away as the man’s eyes became hooded and dark, well, darker. The irises were black already. His face was cupped as dark and lovely kissed him carefully, tenderly. If that was the kiss of a madman, then he was willing to live in crazyville. Murphy tried to climb up the man’s body as his lips were devoured.

Murphy broke the kiss as he stared into those deep black eyes. “What’s your name?”

“Ludo,” he answered, and then he reclaimed his lips, crushing Murphy to his rock-solid body.

He grabbed Ludo’s shoulder-length black hair, pulling the coated rubber band free and running his fingers through it. His cock was rock hard, throbbing to be satisfied in the most primal way.

Ludo began to kiss him down his neck. “
Rebenka
, if we don’t stop, I’ll take you right here.” He may have said the words, but Ludo kept right on kissing him. Murphy could feel the large knot in the front of Ludo’s pants, ecstatic that he wasn’t the only one affected by the kiss.

His cock was having a smack down with his common sense, and the common sense seemed to win. “I can’t. I don’t have sex with crazy people.”
Really?
His cock yelled at him.
You just told the guy you
weren’t
crazy.

“Then you don’t masturbate. Sorry to hear that.” Ludo chuckled as his kisses trailed down Murphy’s neck.

Oh, to hell with it, if the crazy man wanted him, who was he to argue? Murphy opened his mouth wider as Ludo trailed back up his neck and took possession of his lips.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Someone howled from behind them.

Murphy jumped away from Ludo as Oliver walked in. “Hit it for me,” Oliver teased.

“Does Micah know you escaped your cage?” Ludo growled.

“You two know each other?” Murphy had to clear his throat, the question coming out as if he were going through puberty once again. He licked his lips and mentally moaned, as he still tasted Ludo lingering on his lips.

“Yeah, I know Ludo.” Oliver waved his hand and then headed to the back. Murphy turned toward the man.

“You’re really not here to harm me?” Murphy took a deep breath in relief.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Murphy. I’m not here to harm you. I’m here to date you.”

Murphy strummed his fingers on the glass counter. “I thought you said you weren’t crazy?”

Ludo’s laugh was deep and rich as he pulled Murphy back into his arms. “Crazy for you.” Ludo rubbed his nose over his.

“So cheesy.” Murphy knew he was wearing a big, goofy-ass grin. Why a gorgeous man wanted to date him was beyond his realm of reality, but he wasn’t actually nutty enough to pass up the opportunity.

Even if it was just a roll around in the sheets, it would be better than the celibate life he had been leading lately. He usually didn’t do one-night hookups, but being in Ludo’s arms was making him quickly rethink his stance.

Murphy’s heart came to a halt when he saw Maribel pass the big storefront window. He didn’t need this right now. “Excuse me.” He pulled from Ludo’s arms. Well, it would have been nice to have been with the guy. Rounding the corner and walking toward the back of the bookstore, he pushed the bathroom door open and locked it behind him.

Standing on the toilet, he pushed the window open and climbed through. Falling unceremoniously on his ass, Murphy got to his feet and took off down the backside of the buildings until he made it to the woods. Thank goodness he had shoved his keys into his pockets after opening the store. He could get into his apartment without breaking and entering. Would he have been arrested if he was breaking into his own place?

* * * *

Ludo looked behind him in the direction his mate had run off to. What was taking him so long?

“Is Murphy here?” the lady who walked in asked. Ludo thought she must assume he worked here because he was standing behind the counter.

“He’s indisposed at the moment. Something I can help you with?” he asked without a clue as to what he was doing. How hard could it be to ring up a few books, and where the hell was his mate?

“No, I’m here to see Murphy.” The woman leaned sideways, looking in the direction Ludo had just turned from. Was she Murphy’s girlfriend? The idea made his stomach hurt. He knew his mate was at least bi. No straight man kissed another guy with such passion.

“He’s not here right now,” he snipped at her. He couldn’t help it. Ludo looked at her like competition, and he wasn’t used to competing for any man, especially his mate.

“You just said he was indisposed.” Her eyes narrowed, looking him up and down with a look of disdain. An overwhelming urge to throttle her made his hands itch. Before yesterday, Ludo thought himself a peaceful man. This mating thing must be playing havoc with his mind.

He had to go see what was taking Murphy so long and to see who this woman was in relation to him. “Oliver, watch the store,” he called out. The mate nodded as he walked behind the counter and smiled at the woman.

Ludo walked to the back of the bookstore and turned the knob to the bathroom.

“What the hell?” Why was it locked? Okay, he knew why someone would lock a door, but it had been ten minutes already. Ludo leaned his ear to the door, hoping his mate wouldn’t get mad at the invasion of privacy. When he heard nothing, be shoved his shoulder into the thin wood, the door giving way easily. Ludo cursed when he spotted the open window. Just exactly what was going on?

“Is something wrong?”

Ludo peered over his shoulder to see the woman customer standing behind him, trying her best to see into the bathroom.

“No.” For some reason his protective instincts kicked into high gear at her nosiness.

Ludo walked back to the front of the store, opening the door, and waving at the two warriors standing outside. They were waiting for Oliver. No mate went anywhere unescorted. Things had become too dangerous around their small town lately.

“Montana, Dagon, come here.” He stepped back to allow them to enter. Ludo glanced around, wondering where the pesky woman had gone off to. He turned back to the warriors as he lowered his voice.

“My mate has gone missing. I need you two to watch his store for me.”

“What the hell do I know about selling books?” Montana asked.

“I don’t know, guess at the price.” How expensive could they be? “Sell them for four bucks each.”

“If you say so.” Montana shrugged and took up post behind the counter with Oliver.

“Your mate will kill you if Montana sells his books for that price.” Oliver chuckled.

“Then help Montana out. Micah wouldn’t mind a break from you anyway.” Ludo ignored the flipped finger as he exited the store and walked around back. He could see where his mate had fallen. Timber wolves were superior in their tracking abilities. Locating his mate shouldn’t be a problem.

He tracked his mate to an apartment building located by the precinct. Looking up the names on the mailboxes, he found what he was looking for. He jogged up the steps until he reached his mate’s apartment. “Murphy, open up.” Ludo banged his fist on the door.

“How did you find me?” Murphy yelled through the door.

“I’m not going to play ‘Let’s talk through the door’ again with you.”

The door cracked open, one eye peering at him.

“What’s going on?” His mate tried to shut the door, but Ludo wedged his boot in to stop the action.

“Why would you ask me that?” Murphy squeaked as he backed away. It was obvious to Ludo that his mate wasn’t going to be forthcoming in his answer.

“Escaping from a bathroom window gave it away,” he replied.

“I didn’t escape. I, uh…forgot I left the oven on.” Murphy chucked his thumb over his shoulder and gave a nervous laugh.

“So you crawled out of the bathroom window?”

“Sure, it is an exit.” Murphy sat down on his couch, staring up at Ludo with the most innocent amber eyes. Too bad it was an act, erotic-looking as they were.

Ludo pulled his leather off and draped it over the arm of the chair, sitting on the couch next to Murphy. “Come here.”

“No.”

“Don’t be shy.” Ludo slid his hand into Murphy’s, giving a slight tug to persuade his mate to scoot over.

“Look, my soaps are on. Usually I tape them to watch when I get home, but since the chicken is hiding in his coop, I’m watching them now.”

Ludo leaned forward, grabbed the remote, and turned the mind-numbing tube off.

“Hey, I didn’t even program to record.” Murphy grabbed for the remote, but Ludo held it just out of his grasp. He was enjoying his mate leaning toward him to get at the remote. When Murphy pouted and sat back, Ludo wanted to pout as well.

“Come here.” Ludo leaned over and tugged at Murphy’s hand.

“No, every time I get around you my brain melts into a messy puddle. I need my wits about me.” Murphy tried to pry his hand free, but Ludo reached over with his other hand and wrapped it around Murphy’s waist, pulling him into that strong lap.

Murphy’s shoulders shot up as he hissed. He looked down to see the bandage on his mate’s wrist and cursed. How could he have forgotten about that? “What happened?” His fingers were gentle and light as he turned his mate’s hand this way and that, then looked up to Murphy for an answer.

“I sprained it playing polo.”

Ludo could tell by the way his mate’s eyes were darting around nervously that he wasn’t telling the truth. “Liar, tell me the truth.”

Murphy shook his head, pulling his hand free as he laid his hands in his lap and bit his bottom lip, looking vulnerable to Ludo. “I don’t even know you. Why should I volunteer any information?” he asked softly as he ran his fingers over his jeans.