Sullivan (Leopard's Spots 7) (20 page)

“You’re also injured.” Jodiah gestured to Paava. “Why are you just standing there? Get something and start cleaning Sully’s wounds.”

“If he messes up, I’m going to be very unhappy,” Remus warned. “Sully doesn’t need more injuries.”

“Oh, good Lord,” Jodiah grumbled. “It’s not like Paava is going to perform surgery on him. He’s just going to clean the cuts and scrapes and basic healthcare like that. You can snap out orders to supervise him.” Jodiah moved over to sit at Bobby’s head. He lifted it carefully and scooted until Bobby’s head rested on his thigh. “I am going to sit here and love my son.” Sully was going to do the same thing while Paava cleaned him up.

There’d never been so much pain circulating through him in his entire life.

Unfortunately, Bobby remembered every second leading up to the cause of the pain. He’d been a complete idiot, standing at the door and gawking at a guy who his senses told him was dangerous. There’d just been something familiar about him, too. Now Bobby knew what it was.

Jesus, but he’d never been so relieved as a kid as he had been when Breck Cronsky had moved away. Bobby had made the mistake one time of kissing the boy, and he’d never been able to shake Breck afterwards. Breck hadn’t taken the hint, and he hadn’t taken an outright rejection, either. Bobby had forgotten about him when he moved away, because really, who wanted to remember bad things? And even though Breck hadn’t harmed him back then, Bobby guessed his wolf had caught Breck’s intent.

“You’re finally awake,” Sully said. “Open your eyes for me. Come on, Bobby. I’ve missed you. Please.”

Bobby couldn’t resist such a plea, even though his head felt like there were a hundred tiny elves on jackhammers bouncing around in his skull. His eyelids had apparently gained weight since he’d been hurt, too, because it took a massive effort to raise them.

But, oh, it was so worth it to see Sully’s handsome face hovering above him. Lines of strain were etched around his mouth and eyes, but he was still the best thing Bobby had ever seen.

Tears dripped from Sully’s eyes onto Bobby’s face, and he tried to wipe at them. He ended up smacking himself in the nose, his arm and hand asleep and tingling. “Ow.” Sully’s laugh was every bit as beautiful as the man himself. “Stop that before you injure yourself with your floppy arm.” Then Sully bent and kissed him, so thoroughly Bobby thought his bones had melted. “Oh, that’s a good, good look on you,” Sully murmured, his lips brushing Bobby’s again. “Much better than the sleeping princess look.”

“I’m not a princess,” Bobby croaked, trying to sound fierce but merely sounding like he’d swallowed a frog.

“You’re telling me.” Sully winked and shocked Bobby by palming his cock. “You wouldn’t have this”—Sully squeezed—“if you were a princess. Now you just need to finish getting better so we can put this monster to work.” Bobby chuckled but stopped because yeah, that hurt. “How long?”

“You’ve only been out a couple of days.” Sully touched Bobby’s chest. “You really do heal fast. I didn’t know that, and neither did my grandma, but she’s been poking and prodding on you nonstop since she and my family got here yesterday.” Bobby’s groan wasn’t all from pain.

“Aw, don’t be a baby.” Sully stroked him and like a light flicked on in his head, Bobby suddenly realised he was naked. A light sheet covered him from his hips down, or had. Now, not so much as Sully worked him to firmness. “The door’s locked,” Sully said, and Bobby started to relax a little. Until Sully added, “I think.” Even Sully’s touch couldn’t keep him erect against the threat of one or more of their family members walking in on them.

Sully gave his cock a mournful look then released it and tugged the sheet back over it.

“Josiah’s here, too, and Oscar.”

“Can I get some water?” Bobby scraped out. “Throat hurts.” Sully jumped up and got a glass off the nightstand. “It’s right here.” He held the straw to Bobby’s lips. “I suck at this nursemaid part.” Bobby snorted and almost blew water out of his nose. His pain was easing back, his body mending itself with the help of his wolf. The water burned at first, then it soothed his parched tissues. Bobby moaned happily and sucked down as much water as he dared. He didn’t want to risk throwing up because he gulped down too much.

Sully set the glass down then sat beside him on the bed. He stroked Bobby’s cheek. “We found Breck Cronsky’s licence in his car. Remus showed it to Mando, and Mando said it was the same man who assaulted him. Mando still isn’t letting anyone but Remus and Lisa touch him. Remus’ sons are allowed in sight, but Mando won’t acknowledge them.” Sully swallowed and blinked rapidly. “He doesn’t want to see me.” Bobby’s heart broke for his mate. “Takes time,” he pushed out, then cleared his throat.

“I don’t think he’s mad at you. I think he’s ashamed.” Sully canted his head and turned his wide eyes to Bobby’s. “Why would he be ashamed?”

“Why do so many victims feel ashamed?” Bobby wanted to shrug but caught himself before he could. “Don’t know. They shouldn’t. Psychology isn’t my forte. I could be wrong.” But he didn’t think so. Mando had no reason to be mad at Sully, but shame was something insidious that was harder to shake.

“I wish I could tell him I’m sorry.”

“Give him time,” Bobby reiterated. He patted the bed. “Lay down with me. I’m so tired.”

Sully began scooting down even as he protested. “I don’t want to hurt you. I can sleep in the chair again.”

Sully looked worn out, and that just wouldn’t do. Bobby wrinkled his nose at Sully’s suggestion. “No, I want you with me. Come on.”

Sully was stretched out beside him and it felt so good. Bobby closed his eyes and listened to Sully’s breathing, and to the words still reverberating in his head, the pleas and promises of a life together that Sully had kept him tethered to this life with.

Bobby wanted that. He wanted his mate, and his pack, and some cubs to wrestle with and teach. They could adopt or go the surrogate route—a more likely possibility considering the need for an alpha after he retired. He wanted sons and daughters that looked like him and Sully both. A litter could have more than one father, so it was possible.

He dozed off and on, waking with his arm around Sully every time. Once he found Marybeth peering at them, her grin absolutely luminous as he gave him two thumbs up, and another time it was Josiah and Oscar sitting on the other side of the bed.

“Don’t you ever fucking scare me like this again,” Josiah growled at him. “Or I swear to God, there won’t be a wall left in the house I haven’t thrown you through.” Bobby scowled in confusion as his sleep-fuzzed brain tried to parse that out. Josiah sighed and kissed him on the forehead, which made Bobby think he was dying after all.

“I don’t want to be alpha, bro. And I don’t want to be an only child.” Josiah kissed him again and Bobby felt the hot wet drop of tears again—Josiah’s. They mixed with his on the pillow, and Bobby gave a shaky nod. Seeing Josiah cry unnerved him, but it also filled him with so much love for his family that Bobby thought he’d burst from it.

“I know you can hear me. Thought you might like to know that you were right about the fires being started by Bircher. Seems he wanted your attention real bad. One of those closet cases who you hear about all the time, a bigot who really couldn’t deal with himself.

What a jerk. I hope he goes to jail for a long time.” So did Bobby.

“If you scare my mate like that again, you’ll deal with me.” Oscar kissed him, on the lips and with a nip that hurt. “Ass.” He sniffed and wiped at his eyes before huffing and turning away. “Come on, his parents are outside the door.” And so it went, with Bobby being fussed over, and Sully, too. It hadn’t been Bobby’s parents, but Sully’s, waiting to come in. By the time Bobby had been checked on by everyone, he truly was exhausted. He fell asleep listening to Sully gently snore beside him. Bobby was counting on hearing that sound every night for the rest of his life.

“Are you ready?”

Sully gave himself a last once-over in the mirror. He looked pretty damned spiffy in his jeans and boots, and the western shirt fit his torso perfectly. He turned and looked at his ass in the mirror. A tendril of embarrassment spread through him when he thought about what he had on under his pants. He was certain Bobby would love it, but still. He kind of felt silly.

“That’s a hot ass,” Bobby growled.

Sully whipped his head around and made shooing motions. “Out, out, damned groom!”

Bobby huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Misquoting Shakespeare—

especially so atrociously—won’t get you laid.”

Sully beamed and popped his own butt. “Maybe not, but this will. Now, get out. I thought you weren’t supposed to see me until the shindig later.” Bobby came fully into the room and Sully almost drowned in his own drool. Clad all in black, from his tight jeans to his fitted long-sleeved shirt, with a black felt cowboy hat on and black boots, trimmed with a hint of silver, Bobby was fucking gorgeous. The pearl snaps on his shirt stood out beautifully against the dark material, and his belt buckle was just ornate enough to be cool but not obnoxious.

“Wow. I feel like the luckiest man on Earth.” Sully decided the whole not seeing each other rule was stupid.

“It’s an Alpha Mate Bond ceremony, not a wedding,” Bobby said, but his cheeks turned rosy and he preened. “And no, honey. I’m the luckiest man in the world. That shade of blue makes your eyes even more lovely than usual.”

Sully tore his gaze off Bobby long enough to look in the mirror again. His eyes did seem really vivid. “Well, we are a couple of good-lookin’ guys, aren’t we?”

“We are,” Bobby admitted. “And that later you mentioned is actually now. Everyone’s gathered.”

“What?” Sully squawked, darting for his phone. He didn’t wear a watch, and kept track of the time with his cell. He saw the time and yelped. “Oh shit! Why didn’t you come sooner?”

Bobby hitched up a shoulder, a move he could do much easier in the months since he’d been shot. “Well, if you hadn’t been so entranced with your own handsomeness, you might not have lost track of time.”

Sully narrowed his eyes and sauntered over to Bobby. “I was making sure I looked good for you.”

Bobby nodded. “Which you do, all the time, but right now we have our families waiting in the circle for us, and the pack seated around them.” Sully couldn’t help the flash of butterflies in his stomach. He was excited, and he wanted this, but having everyone watching them…

“It’s like a wedding,” Bobby told him. “You were right.” Sully laughed and hooked his arm through Bobby’s. “Well, then. Are you gonna hum the wedding song while we stroll?”

“Anything for you,” Bobby intoned, batting his lashes. He started to hum and Sully chuckled, and he kept on chuckling until they began to walk through a narrow strip of ground where no shifters were kneeling. Not seated, as Bobby had said, but kneeling, row after row of them.

“Tradition. They wouldn’t want it changed.”

Sully looked at all the glowing faces, the shifters proud and happy for their alpha-to-be.

He believed Bobby. There was only one thing that put a damper on the day. Sully didn’t see Mando anywhere in sight, just as he hadn’t since Mando had joined the pack.

“Give him time,”
Bobby shared with him for what must have been the hundredth time.

“I will, but not today. Today my time is for you, and our families, and our pack.”
Sully would always care about Mando, but he wouldn’t push into the younger man’s life.

“I love you,” Bobby told him as they stopped in the centre of the circle.

Sully blinked and frowned. “I thought that was supposed to come after the ceremony.” Bobby shook his head slowly, a grin teasing at the edges of his mouth. “No, hon, that comes when it comes, and I love you now, and later, and forever.”

“Oh.” Sully sighed and pulled Bobby into a hug. “Oh, you know, you know I love you, too. I can’t imagine a day without you, much less a lifetime. I’m so glad you came to check on me that day. I’m grateful for every moment we’ve had together, and every moment we
will
have together.”

“You are the Earth beneath me, the Sky above me, the Air that caresses my fur and skin, that gives me breath and life and hope.” Bobby cupped Sully’s chin, and Sully could see every bit of that truth in his eyes. “You are the Water that soothes me, that quenches my thirsts. You are everything I need in this life, and every life hereafter, I pledge to you.” A soft chant began, rolling from the farthest row of shifters and increasing in volume as each more shifters joined in. Sully didn’t know the words, but something in him recognised them. They touched his spirits, man and beast, and his heart felt as if it soared, beating with Bobby’s.

This was their beginning, their life together, and nothing had ever felt as perfect. When the chant reached them, Bobby and Sully joined in, and soon the whole clearing was alive with the sounds of a multitude of voices, celebrating their joining.

* * * *

“That was—” Sully stopped and spun around as he looked up at the stars. “I don’t even have words.”

“I’m glad it pleased you.” Bobby moved up behind him and locked his arms around Sully’s middle. He buried his face against Sully’s neck and inhaled deeply, the scent of man and sweat and need making his cock harder than it already was. Watching Sully’s delight had kept Bobby hard all evening after the ceremony ended and the partying began.

“You please me,” Sully told him, reaching back and grabbing Bobby’s ass. “You’d please me even more if you’d strip and let me make love to you here under the stars, in the circle. “

Like Bobby was going to say no to that. He released Sully and sat down to work his boots off. Sully sat and began undressing as well. Bobby was okay with that until Sully started on his blue shirt, then Bobby grumped and swatted at his hand. “Lemme.”

“Grabby,” Sully said, falling onto his back. “Go for it. I think I’m a little drunk.”

“You’re cute with it, though.” Bobby had a good buzz himself. It didn’t interfere with him getting Sully’s shirt off, though. “Mmm, lookit all this skin, and those little nipples, already puckering up…”