The Lynx Who Claimed the Sun (4 page)

Garth opened his mouth to reply, but his words died when a sort of screech-pop assaulted his ears. “Garth Mckenna!” a woman’s voice screamed. “What are you doing here?”

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Garth looked up and suppressed a groan. He’d completely forgotten Skylar’s parents were due to come here, or rather, hadn’t expected them to arrive this fast.

Skye and Lark Pierce had never forgotten the fact that Garth’s presence in their agency was largely due to Byron’s intervention.

Byron had put pressure on the two seahorses to employ Garth there.

Perhaps they would have let it go, especially after all this time, but Garth had become friends with their beloved son, Skylar. Garth had been out of the mafia for almost fifteen years, but they still considered him a poor influence on Skylar.

Skye Pierce made her way to Garth’s side. “I should have known you had something to do with this,” she said, glaring at him.

Garth forced himself to ignore the anger pouring off her. He didn’t think she hated him—the Pierces were incapable of hatred—

but whatever she did feel, it came awfully close to disgust. He got up and nodded at her politely, knowing better than to try to kiss her hand.

“Mrs. Pierce, it’s a pleasure to see you. Skylar will be very happy you’ve arrived.”

Her expression changed instantly. “How is he? We haven’t had the chance to see the doctor yet.”

“He woke up earlier, and we spoke briefly. He’s sleeping now.”

Lark Pierce reached them as well, his eyes going from Garth to Nicolas. “Thank you for staying here,” he said. “I’m sure Skylar appreciates your friendship.”

Lark had always been the more polite one of the couple, although behind the façade, Garth could detect the same distaste. Given the circumstances, he didn’t want their opinion of him to reflect on Nicolas. “Where are my manners? This is Skylar’s friend, Nicolas Shields. Nico, Mrs. Skye Pierce and Mr. Lark Pierce.”

Nicolas got up and smiled tightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

To Garth’s surprise, Skye hugged Nicolas. “Oh, don’t be so formal. Skylar has told us all about you and your friend Daniel.”

Lark nodded. “We’re so glad our son is making new friends.”

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It was a jab at Garth, and Nicolas twitched, obviously noticing.

Garth didn’t think the two seahorses had realized the tension in Nicolas. “Mr. and Mrs. Pierce, if I may… Nicolas was also in the accident that injured Skylar. I’d like to take him home.”

“Of course, of course.” Skye nodded hastily. “Go on ahead.”

The doctor appeared as they spoke and without another word, the Pierces were led inside.

“I guess we should go before they come out,” Garth said.

Nicolas nodded, his body still taut with tension. Garth felt warm inside when he realized how angry the hummingbird had gotten on his behalf. “Relax, love,” he said. “They’ve always been like that. They just worry for Skylar, that’s all.”

“They can worry all they like,” Nicolas mumbled, “as long as they leave you be.”

Uncaring of anyone who might be watching, Garth pulled Nicolas close and pressed his lips to the other man’s. Nicolas gasped in surprise, but he didn’t delay in embracing Garth in turn. To think he’d nearly lost the chance to do this. God, Garth would never take for granted having his mate by his side. He’d do his best to convince Nicolas of how right they were for each other.

The kiss quickly turned from gentle to passionate. Garth thrust his tongue in the other man’s mouth, exploring, tasting, allowing himself to drown in his mate’s scent and flavor. It felt so good, so amazing that Garth forgot about everything that wasn’t this incredible man in front of him.

The sound of a cleared throat snapped him out of his haze of pleasure. Garth broke the kiss and stole a look behind himself. A nurse gave him a sheepish look. “I apologize, but you’re making some of the other patients uncomfortable.”

Garth felt irritated. This was a shape-shifter clinic, and displays of affection such as his weren’t uncommon. If other patients were indeed uncomfortable, it must be because Garth was a lynx and Nicolas a hummingbird. Most people still didn’t understand how such a mating
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could be possible. Unfortunately, during the course of his job here at the agency, Garth encountered that sort of mentality far too often.

Still, making a scandal at Skylar’s door was out of the question. In the end, Garth worked here, and as much as Garth wanted to rant and rave, it wouldn’t do him any good. “I see,” he answered. “We’ll just go.”

The nurse didn’t seem too happy about that, but she nodded and left without a word. Garth took his mate’s hands and led Nicolas through the corridors and out of the hospital. It was only then that Garth realized he could feel a lingering sense of power around him.

He hid a smile when he figured out Byron had been here. There might be something more to Skylar’s question regarding Byron than it would seem at first glance.

However, the thought melted when he realized he could not see his car in the parking lot. Fuck, he’d come with Soren and his own vehicle wasn’t here, but back at The Grinder.

He groaned, cursing himself for his forgetfulness. “I left the car at the club.”

Nicolas laughed lightly. “That’s fine. We’ll call a cab.”

They hailed a taxi and found one with relative ease. After they slipped inside the car, Nicolas gave his address to the driver and leaned against Garth.

The presence of the stranger made it impossible for them to speak, but Garth still held his mate close, feeling the heat of the other man’s skin even through the material. It was having a significant effect on him, and the lingering arousal from the kiss returned full force.

Nicolas must have sensed it because he dropped his hand in Garth’s lap, massaging his crotch lightly. Garth closed his eyes, struggling to contain his groan. He only half-succeeded, his senses too invaded with his mate for him to care about propriety or about what some random human thought.

In his mind, he could already feel Nicolas’s lips or, better yet, his sweet ass wrapped around his prick. God, he wanted to be balls-deep
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inside his mate, stretch Nicolas’s tight hole, mark him with his seed.

He wanted to pull on Nicolas’s soft dark hair and see his black eyes cloud over in lust.

Distracted by Nicolas’s touch and his own fantasy, he almost didn’t realize when the car stopped. “Here we are,” the driver said in a bored voice. “That’ll be five fifty.”

Nicolas rummaged through his pockets and came up with a rumpled ten dollar bill. He pulled Garth out of the car before Garth could even figure out what was going on. He hadn’t expected this when they’d left the hospital.

“Come on,” Nicolas urged him. “This is our stop.”

Garth gave his mate a curious look. “Love, this is your stop.”

Nicolas arched a brow. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to come up with me because I won’t believe you.”

Indeed, Garth couldn’t say that and be honest. He stepped away from the cab, allowing the disgruntled human to drive off. “Nico,” he told Nicolas, “are you sure about this?” Nicolas was still recovering from his injury, and if Garth went up there, they would be having sex, no doubt about it.

Nicolas just snorted. “I’m not made out of porcelain.” He hesitated, his nonchalant expression growing a bit more neutral.

“Unless, that is, you want to go home. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.

You probably need to see your kits.”

To be true, Garth felt torn between his children and his mate.

Indeed, he wanted to see with his own eyes that his sons were okay and hadn’t been involved in this mess, but Nicolas… The very thought of not having Nicolas with him chilled him to the bone.

“Nico… Would you like to come home with me tonight? You can meet my sons like you wanted.”

Nicolas’s eyes widened. “I don’t know… It’s been a long day.

And…it’s too soon.”

Garth’s heart fell. He understood Nicolas’s unwillingness to commit. They’d only known each other for two days and Garth was
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already introducing the family. Christ, it made no sense, not even for him.

He nodded and struggled to find a smile. “Of course. I’ll just lead you upstairs and go.”

Much to Garth’s surprise, Nicolas shook his head. “Give me a minute. I’ll take a quick shower and change clothes. Wait there and we’ll go.”

Garth opened his mouth to reply, but he never got the chance.

Nicolas was already gone, having retreated into the building at a mind-numbing speed. Garth prepared himself for a long wait, but it must have taken less than five minutes for his mate to come back down, freshly washed and changed.

“All right,” Nicolas said, wiping his still moist hair with a towel.

“I’m ready.”

The dim light of the late afternoon shone over his hair as he wiped it dry, and for the first time, Garth realized his mate’s hair wasn’t really black. In fact, when Nicolas changed position, streaks of bright red appeared through the soft, chin-length locks, only to disappear once more, moments later. It was like magic.

Garth stared, mesmerized by the beauty of the spectacle. “Your hair changes color,” he said in awe.

Nicolas smiled. “It’s a hummingbird thing.” He pulled out a pair of car keys and threw them to Garth, nodding at a vehicle parked across the street. “Let’s go.”

“You’re letting me drive?” Garth asked, arching a brow.

“Why bother with GPS?” Nicolas shrugged. “You know where you live best.”

Garth smiled at his mate’s matter-of-fact tone. Many people didn’t allow others next to their cars, but it seemed Nicolas didn’t have that sort of problem. Both men entered the car and took their respective seats. Garth started the vehicle and directed it toward his house. In his mind, he was already wondering if he’d done the right thing by inviting Nicolas. He wanted a long-term relationship with the
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hummingbird, but the kits might not be ready for the meeting, and Nicolas had faced so many dangers today it was unfair to push him into something that could be emotionally exhausting.

All too soon, the drive ended, and Garth stopped the car in the underground parking lot of his building. They abandoned the vehicle, and Garth led his mate to the main elevator. This apartment complex had great security, which was why Garth even felt safe to leave his kits here. Everyone who came in here needed to pass through several security protocols on each floor. Garth had added an additional layer of security by purchasing an entire level of the building for himself and his family.

The elevator led them to the floor in question. They didn’t run into anyone on the way, something Garth felt thankful for. At last, the lift stopped and its doors opened with an almost inaudible whoosh.

Garth retrieved his access card and let himself and Nicolas inside the apartment. Predictably, moments later, his kits bounded toward him. They hugged Garth and peered curiously behind him.

“Who’s this, Daddy?” Preston asked.

“This is the man I told you about yesterday. Nicolas Shields.

Nico, meet my sons, Preston and Corbin.”

Nicolas knelt so he could be at the same level with the two children. “Hi,” he said, extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Nico.”

The two kits looked a bit puzzled, but accepted Nicolas’s greeting.

Garth exhaled a sigh of relief. He’d been more concerned about this then he’d realized.

“Where’s Gina?” he asked his kits.

As if summoned by Garth’s words, the babysitter emerged, this time dry and composed. “Hello, Mr. Mckenna,” she said politely.

He considered asking her to prepare them a snack, but then realized he had nothing in the house that a hummingbird would eat.

He wanted to smack himself at his lapse and made a mental note to get some supplies the next day.

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“Gina, this is Nicolas Shields. From today, he’ll be visiting. He has free rein around the house.”

A frown appeared on Gina’s face, but it disappeared in moments.

“Of course.”

“You can go now,” he told her. “We’ll order out tonight.” Turning to his boys, he asked, “How does pizza sound?”

The kits released sounds of joy—Garth insisted on feeding them home-cooked meals, and like all children, they loved junk food.

Nicolas smiled as well, perhaps figuring out the reason of the sudden decision. “Thank you,” he murmured in Garth’s ear. “I appreciate this a lot.”

Garth struggled to suppress his arousal. It was hardly appropriate in his kits’ presence. As the babysitter left, he set about to call the pizza place. Three meat lovers’ pizzas and one vegetarian were on the way. He also asked for deep-fried onions and chips. As an added surprise, he ordered some ice cream. They might as well celebrate living through the day with unhealthy food.

The kits seemed to sense his mood, as they didn’t act up at all.

The four of them ended up spending the evening together, watching a family movie. When evening fell, Garth took the tired boys to their room and tucked them in. Once he made sure Corbin and Preston were in bed, he returned to his mate.

Nicolas was in his office, having served himself a glass of brandy.

He beamed at Garth as soon as their gazes met. “Hi.”

Garth invaded Nicolas’s personal space and grabbed the glass out of his hands. He drained it of the alcohol and placed it back on the bar. “Hi back.”

They didn’t say anything else. The entire evening, their need for each other had been smoldering at a low flame, and it now burst out with the intensity of a supernova.

Garth crushed their lips together, groaning as Nicolas’s taste invaded his senses. Christ, had he said he was going to wait? He must have been out of his mind.

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He pulled his mate close and forced the other man to walk back until they hit the couch in the center of the office. Nicolas fell on the settee, and Garth climbed on top of him. Their mouths only parted for a brief second, but it was too much for Garth to withstand. He needed Nicolas, needed him with a desperation that he’d never have thought he would feel.