A Cold Winter's Day 25 (17 page)

Luke’s eyes snapped open as he glanced up at the clock. He’d only been asleep for half an hour, but he had come awake with the feeling that someone was watching him. The feeling was unnerving.

He glanced around as he lay there, his arms wrapped tightly around his son, who was still asleep. No one was there. Luke sat up, holding on to Cole as he yawned. It had to be everything that had taken place in the past couple of days.

His nerves were shot, and it would take a while for them to settle.

Taking Cole to the nursery, Luke pulled him from his baby carrier and placed him in his crib. His son didn’t wake up. He knew how the little guy felt. Luke was still exhausted. Luke grabbed a diaper and changed his son, careful not to wake him.

He was used to using cloth diapers. These disposable ones were the bomb. Luke rolled his eyes. Maybe he
had
been hanging around the twins a little too often. He smiled to himself as he turned to throw the soiled diaper away. There, standing in the doorway of the nursery, was Garrett.

“You shouldn’t be in here. This is a private room.”

The man made no move toward Luke, but he didn’t say anything either. Ice-cold chills raced up Luke’s spine as he stood there waiting for the man to say something, anything.

“Please leave,” he said, more demanding, putting force behind his words.

Garrett still didn’t say anything. He cocked his head, studying Luke.

Luke glanced at the changing table. He had slipped the gun in the top drawer, behind the stack of new diapers. For some reason, he knew he was going to need it. It ate away at him to think of killing someone else.

Once in his lifetime was enough for him.

But he would do whatever he had to do to protect his sleeping son. “Why are you here?” He tried a different approach.

“Shanta was such a fool.”

Luke couldn’t agree more. The leader had become greedy, cold, and cruel. Luke didn’t believe in killing, but if anyone deserved it, it was Shanta. “We agree on that.”

Garrett looked past Luke to where Cole lay sleeping. Once again the chills hit him hard. He didn’t like the way the man was staring at his son, almost curiously.

“He never listened to me.”

Luke was confused. Was Garrett talking about Cole? “Who?” He took a step closer to the crib, placing his body between Cole’s and Garrett’s.

“Shanta. I told him he needed not only Cole’s blood, but yours as well. It wouldn’t work without the combination. But he insisted that the baby’s blood was sufficient enough. Fool. Now look at him. Had he listened to me, the plan would have worked.” Garrett stood there and explained things as if he were talking about the weather, cool, calm.

Luke’s heart was pounding so hard that he thought it was going to burst from his chest. Was this never going to end? He was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Luke just wanted a quiet life, spending it with his family in peace.

This shit was really starting to wear thin.

Luke glanced once more at the changing table. He could take Cole and shimmer away, but that would only mean Garrett would still be somewhere, waiting for the opportunity to strike again.

Luke wanted his son safe.

He debated on leaving Cole’s side to get to the gun, but that would mean Garrett would have a chance to get to Cole. Luke wasn’t willing to take that chance.

“If you both go with me quietly, I promise not to harm either of you.”

“So you played the scared employee?” Luke asked, using the question as a stall tactic, praying someone would intervene if he kept Garrett talking.

“Of course, how else was I supposed to get near you?” Garrett asked as if Luke should have known the answer.

“But Curtis had left you. How did you know he would be back?”

Garrett shrugged. “I didn’t. It was sheer luck that he came back for me. I was going to show up here, acting as though I had nowhere to go. That young man saved me the trouble. What a sweet boy he is.”

What rotten luck for Luke.

“Now, I’m finished talking. Let’s get moving. The cure awaits, and so do the millions I’ll make off of the cure.”

Luke had no choice. If he was going to save his son, he had to act now. He lunged, grabbing onto Garrett as he shimmered out. But he didn’t shimmer without a plan.

“You stupid fool,” Garrett snapped as he pushed Luke off of him. “Now we only have to go back to retrieve the baby.”

“I don’t think so,” Maverick said as he stood.

Luke grabbed Garrett before he could shimmer away. The man struggled, throwing punches at Luke as he tried to yank his arm free.

Maverick was around his desk and snapping the bracelet in place in no time flat. Who kept an elf bracelet in their desk? Luke didn’t care. Garrett wasn’t going to shimmer any damn where anytime soon.

“Go,” Maverick said as he jerked his head to the side. “I have this. You and your son are safe now.”

Luke nodded as he shimmered out, appearing back in the nursery. He immediately checked on Cole. His son was still sound asleep.

“Dinner is ready,” Malcolm said as he walked into the nursery, smiling at Luke with that sexy-as-sin smile. Luke could finally smile back. That feeling of foreboding was finally gone. He knew the alpha would take care of Garrett so the bastard couldn’t cause any more problems.

“Great, I’m starved.”

Malcolm walked over to the crib, grabbing Cole. Luke hadn’t even noticed that his son had woken up. He walked with his mate from the nursery, closing the door tightly behind him.

* * * *

Malcolm pulled the blankets back and crawled into bed, settling down next to his mate. Luke’s warm body was inviting, making Malcolm hard in all the right places. “So, are you going to tell me where you were when I came to get you for dinner the first time?”

Luke curled his lips in as he blushed. “Caught that, did ya?”

Malcolm growled low.

Luke lay there, explaining to him about Garrett and what had transpired. Malcolm could feel his rage spiking higher and higher. It didn’t sway him from wanting to help those in need of a safe place to stay, but it sure made him want to kill the bastard who had tried to take his son and mate…again.

“So it’s finally over?” Malcolm asked as he pulled Luke close.

“Yeah, it’s finally over. I can settle into my new life without worrying about anyone else coming after us. That is, as long as no one knows about mine and Cole’s blood.” Luke finished his sentence as he climbed up on top of Malcolm, settling over his groin.

“And what are you going to do up there?” Malcolm asked as the heat and hunger in Luke’s eyes had his cock coming to life.

“You’re going to fuck me while I ride this thick cock of yours,” Luke said as he rocked back and forth over Malcolm’s shaft.

Malcolm ran his hands over the flat planes of Luke’s stomach, his fingers stroking soft flesh. He wanted nothing more than to fill his mate with his cock. He watched in amazement as Luke’s shaft grew, jutting out in front of him.

He would never tire of that sight.

Wild hunger invaded Malcolm as he flipped Luke over, his tongue bathing his mate’s chest, sucking one sensitive nipple between his lips. He groaned as he inserted his large, beefy thigh between Luke’s legs, letting his mate ride his thigh, taking his own pleasure as Malcolm sampled his body.

He could feel Luke’s balls smashing into his leg, small drops of pre-cum flowing onto his skin. Malcolm felt weak and powerless when it came to Luke in the throes of passion. Nothing mattered at the moment except making Luke scream his name.

“Papa bear,” Luke cried out as his body shuddered.

Malcolm reached behind Luke, caressing his mounds as he teased the nipple with his teeth before licking across Luke’s flat sternum and taking the other peaked nipple into his mouth. Malcolm’s cock was hard as steel as he sucked and teased his mate’s chest.

His hand slid down, teasing the skin between Malcolm’s thigh and Luke’s body. His mate sucked in a deep breath as he tried to impale his ass on Malcolm’s exploring finger.

Growling low, Malcolm took Luke’s lips in a searing kiss, his tongue exploring his mate’s heated mouth as his finger slid into Luke’s hole.

“Yes,” Luke hissed into Malcolm’s mouth.

Malcolm broke the kiss as he pressed his lips to Luke’s ear. “Do you want my cock buried deep inside of you, Luke? Do you want to feel me fucking you? Sweet Luke, I want you so badly.”

“Then take me.” Luke’s breath was ragged as he fought to breathe. Malcolm could see the struggle as he leaned back, staring into the most beautiful chocolate-brown eyes. Every time he looked into Luke’s eyes he was sucker punched in the gut with desire. It was a need so strong that it clawed at his very insides.

Malcolm pulled the bottle of lube from under the pillow, coating his fingers, and then stroked his fingers around his mate’s tight entrance. “Open up for me,” he murmured as he slid both fingers in.

“Sweet, sweet Luke,” Malcolm groaned as he scissored his fingers, stretching his mate, feeling the silkiness of his body. He almost felt dizzy, desperate as he added a third finger. He wanted inside his mate so badly that his teeth ached.

His cock was throbbing painfully, pulsing out a beat that matched the rhythm of his heart as he patiently relaxed his mate’s puckered hole.

When Malcolm felt like he was going to tumble over the edge without being inside his mate, he pulled his fingers free. Taking Luke’s lips once more, Malcolm entered him. The need to take Luke quickly ripped through him, but Malcolm managed to take him slowly.

Luke’s fingers entwined in Malcolm’s hair as he whimpered into Malcolm’s mouth. He knew how Luke felt. The feeling of their bodies joining together felt like an ocean wave crashing into him and pulling him under.

The feeling was intense, making Malcolm wish he didn’t ever have to leave Luke’s side again. Luke’s kiss was filled with a sweet ecstasy that was driving Malcolm nuts. He pushed his cock all the way in, bottoming out and then pulled back, chuckling into Luke’s mouth as his mate’s ass chased his cock.

“You know I owe you a spanking?” Malcolm asked as he began to nibble at Luke’s jaw.

“F–For what?” Luke asked as he tilted his head to the side.

“For leaving without telling me.”

Luke groaned as Malcolm picked up his pace, sliding in and out of his mate’s ass with a rhythm that was driving them both closer to the edge.

“Not fair,” Luke replied as he wrapped his legs around Malcolm’s waist. “I had no choice.”

Malcolm reached down and pinched Luke’s nipples as he shoved his cock deep into his mate’s ass. “I’m still going to spank you.”

“Promise?” Luke asked as his nails dug into Malcolm’s back.

“Promise.”

Pleasure raced up Malcolm’s spine as his balls drew close to his body. He slid his hand under Luke’s soft ass and lifted it higher, delving deeper as he felt the all-too-familiar tingle race up his spine.

Luke began to stroke his cock, small moans falling from his lips as Malcolm began to hammer into his body.

His mate was the first to cry out as ropes of pearly white cum splashed between them. Malcolm bit into his mate’s neck as Luke’s orgasm triggered his. His body exploded as he licked the wound closed, nuzzling into Luke’s neck and trying his best to get his breathing back under control.