Hagen, Lynn - Knox [Zeus's Pack 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting ManLove) (4 page)

Sammy sighed and turned over, thinking about the dark and mysterious vampire and how utterly handsome he was.

* * * *

Trevor watched the light come on in Sammy’s apartment. He wanted to go up there and make sure it was safe and secure. Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted to go up there and pick up where they left off.

It had taken a great amount of control for him to step back and let his mate go inside. But he was being a gentleman about this. Trevor had to prove to his mates he wasn’t the savage they thought him to be.

Or at least to Knox.

“Did you claim him?”

Trevor closed his eyes, a tight grin pulling his mouth back at Knox’s voice. “No.”

“Why not? I would have thought you would jump at the opportunity.”

Trevor turned around, finding Knox leaning against the hood of his car. The shifter was devastatingly gorgeous, but he kept that to himself. “Because
I’m
not an animal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Knox stood straight. “You know, just because fate thought we should be together doesn’t mean I agree.”

“Then I guess we’re on the same page,” Trevor lied. “Now if you don’t mind, I have a sun to beat home.”

“By all means.” Knox stepped aside. They stood there staring at each other like a Mexican standoff. Trevor was the first to move, grabbing the handle of the car door and opening it.

“You know, Sammy is a nice guy. The least we could do is try to get along for him,” Trevor said as he got into his car, not waiting to hear Knox’s answer. He probably wouldn’t like it anyway. The shifter watched him drive away, his eyes narrowed on Trevor as he passed him.

Trevor stopped, rolled his window down, and stared up at Knox. “You may not like me, but I can see the want in your eyes. Just to let you know, it wouldn’t be your neck I would want to suck.” He saw Knox’s nostrils flare as he rolled his window up. Unsure if it was from lust or anger, teasing Knox had felt good, but it may not have been a smart move. Trevor couldn’t help it, though. The jackass deserved it.

“Fuck,” Trevor bit out once back on the street. “Just my luck to be mated to a damn dog.”

As much as he bitched and moaned, Trevor wasn’t going to lie to himself. He wanted Knox. The challenge was a turn-on.

Chapter Three

Knox sat and listened to Zeus talk about the design and build of their new home. He, like the other soldiers, was glad this place would be destroyed. It held too many memories of Jackson’s time as Alpha and the sadistic way he led.

He still had nightmares and woke up in a sweat on occasion. The new home would be a welcome haven. They were bringing in a construction crew today. The plans were to have it built within six months. Six months too long in Knox’s opinion. But after decades of hell, six months was a drop in the bucket.

“I want anyone here that has the free time to help the crew out,” Zeus was saying. “We are trying to give as much business to Hunter at the hardware store as we can. He’s part of our community, and I want them to benefit from this as well.”

“Theo and Harold will benefit feeding them, too,” Toby, one of Zeus’s mates, added.

The mention of Theo’s set Knox’s thoughts on a different path. Sammy and Trevor. His blood had been set on fire last night at Trevor’s parting words, and for the life of him, he couldn’t get it out of his head.

Knox needed to think of something else and quickly. He didn’t need these men to scent his arousal. Although they were in many ways like brothers, it was still none of their damn business.

“Everyone still needs to remain alert. Avanti and Jesse couldn’t find out who that mystery person was out at Hank’s farm, so we have no clue who we’re dealing with here.”

“Too bad Dirk killed Hank. We could have gotten the information out of him.” Torem looked down at his hands. Knox knew exactly how they would have gotten that information and knew why Torem couldn’t look at anyone.

When Knox left the office, his mind was on Sammy and wanting to go see him. Unfortunately he had to meet the construction crew. Zeus made it clear that he wanted all the soldiers and his Betas to know who would be working on pack land.

Knox drove over to the site where they would be meeting the crew. There were humans already there, equipment being brought in, and hardhats all around.

“Looks like the party is waiting for us,” Taz, one of the soldiers, joked.

Knox looked over the men walking around, his thoughts only half there.

“Who’s the foreman?” Torem called out. A man with rolled up prints in his hand waved them in the air.

“That would be me. Can I help you?” The guy walked over to Torem and Knox, eyeing them suspiciously.

“I’m Torem. Zeus sent me.”

The suspicion was replaced by a smile. “Names Dino.” He shook Torem’s hand.

“That short for something?” Knox asked.

“Names Dominique, but everyone calls me Dino.”

Torem laughed. “Another Italian.”

Dino frowned. “Is that a problem?”

“Not in the least. Inside joke, no offense to you whatsoever.” Torem smiled.

Knox eyed Torem. He was acting awfully strange. The laid-back, brooding wolf was openly laughing and…flirting?

He looked up at the sky to make sure it wasn’t falling. Since when did Torem become chatty?

“If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

Okay, Knox was taking a step back. Lightning was about to strike in a minute if Torem kept acting this way.

“Will do.” Dino pointed the blueprints over his shoulder. “I’m gonna get back to work.” He tugged at his hand. Torem hadn’t let it go yet. “Nice meeting you.”

“You okay?” Knox asked when the foreman walked away.

“No,” Torem bit out and turned on his heel. Now
that
was the Beta he knew.

“What’s got Torem’s panties in a ruffle?” Taz asked as he approached.

“I have no fucking clue.” Knox shook his head and walked over to the crew. They all seemed nice once introductions were made. He caught Dino looking over at Torem a few times, as if he were studying him.

Knox looked over the twenty-man crew made up of laborers, drywallers, electricians, carpenters, and so on. He knew there would be more once construction was in full swing. It was his job, as with the others, to memorize the faces and names of them all.

He spotted Rave snapping pictures with his phone and then typing something in. That wasn’t such a bad idea, and it would help until he became familiar with the crew. Knox pulled his cell phone out and spent the next hour snapping pics and adding names.

Once he was done, he shoved it in his pocket and headed for his truck, Sammy heavy on the brain. He wanted to go see his mate, the need making him walk faster.

“Hey, don’t forget the groundbreaking ceremony and Jasper’s dinner this evening,” Taz called to him.

Shit, he had forgotten about that. Knox climbed into his truck and turned it toward town. He parked in front of Theo’s and got out.

The tavern wasn’t too full. It was only ten in the morning. The lunch crowd would start coming in about another hour.

“Hey, Knox.” Theo shook his hand. “What’s got you here so early?” He snickered.

“Where is he?” Theo knew and was fucking with him about it.

“In the kitchen, you can go back if you want.”

“Can he leave with me now?”

Theo shrugged. “I can call Benny to come in and work Sammy’s shift. What’s up?”

“We’re having a groundbreaking ceremony and dinner. I wanted to take Sammy with me.” Knox’s thoughts touched on Trevor. Even if he could accept the fact that Trevor was a vampire, it would still be daylight out when the ceremony took place. His attendance wouldn’t be a welcomed thing if it meant him harm.

“Go ahead and invite him. I’ll go call Benny.” Theo set down the glass he had been wiping as Knox walked to the kitchen.

He found Sammy singing to himself as he scrubbed some pans out. Knox just stood there watching him. The man couldn’t sing to save his life, but it was a sight nonetheless. Sammy looked good happy.

“Hey.”

Sammy screamed and whirled around, his hand clenching his shirt right where his heart lay. Knox hadn’t intended to scare the poor guy. “I’m sorry.”

“I was just in my own little world. I didn’t hear you come in.” He shut the water off and dried his hands. They both stood there silently for a moment.

“I wanted to invite you to a groundbreaking ceremony my family is having for the new house we’re building.”

Sammy’s eyes widened, and he shifted from foot to foot. “I can’t. I have to work. But thank you for the invitation.”

“Theo’s letting you have the rest of the day off. He said he’d call Benny to finish your shift.”

“I can’t afford to take time off.”

Knox could scent agitation and wondered if Sammy wasn’t hiding something. “Is that the only reason?”

When Sammy’s eyes lowered, he knew it wasn’t. “Tell me.”

“It’s too…oh, heck, I don’t have a thing to wear.”

Knox chuckled. “Wear what you have on now. My family doesn’t stand on ceremony. Wear what makes you comfortable.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be underdressed.”

“I’m wearing this.” Knox splayed his hands at his jeans and shirt.

* * * *

Sammy wasn’t sure. He really, really didn’t want to feel like the poor man at a rich man’s ceremony. “Do you promise no one is going to be dressed up?” He couldn’t believe he was actually considering this.

“I promise. So is that a yes?” Knox’s voice was so full of hope that Sammy didn’t have it in his heart to refuse the guy.

“That’s a yes.” Sammy found himself smiling widely at Knox. He found his excitement mounting as they left the Bar and Grill and headed toward Knox’s home. Sammy stole glances as he watched Knox drive. The firm hands on the steering wheel once again made him wonder what they would feel like caressing his skin. The way the black T-shirt stretched over well-defined muscles had Sammy growing hard, fast.

His erection quickly deflated when he saw how many people were here. Knox had told him the ceremony wasn’t until late afternoon, early evening. So what was with the crowd? “Is there something else going on?”

“No, it’s just my family. I brought you a little early so you could meet everyone.”

Who took a guy they just met to meet the family? What if they didn’t like him? Sammy knew he wasn’t as fun-loving as some guys. As a matter of fact, he was pretty antisocial. That was one of the things Connolly had complained about him.

His ex had been a social butterfly while Sammy liked staying at home with a good movie and cuddles. Apparently Connolly didn’t think staying at home was fun. He would go out without Sammy, and Sammy swore when Connolly got home he could smell another’s cologne on him. Not one to stir the pot, Sammy never questioned him about it.

“Hey, where are you?”

Sammy blinked a few times and saw that Knox was staring at him. “Sorry.”

“If you don’t want to be here, we could go somewhere else. I don’t want you uncomfortable.”

Sammy remembered what Trevor said about mates and that Knox was one of his. He was still having a hard time swallowing all of it. Looking closely at Knox, he couldn’t see a wolf. All he saw was a very handsome man. “We can stay.” If Trevor was telling the truth, and Sammy couldn’t see why the vampire would lie to him, then he needed to get to know Knox’s family. It was scary, though.