The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse (3 page)

For about a moment, he considered leaving Skylar at the door, but that was cowardly and insensitive. No, he would make sure the seahorse was safely in bed and then leave. He slowly let himself in the room, waiting to see if Skylar protested the invasion of privacy.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

19

When Skylar didn’t say a thing, Byron crossed the room and put the seahorse on the bed.

Skylar’s elegant outfit had been torn and smelled like Rick. With trembling hands, Byron helped the seahorse out of his clothes, allowing Skylar to keep the jacket for modesty. He retreated into the bathroom, where he ran the water in the tub.

All the while, he waited for Skylar to tell him to leave, but the seahorse remained silent. After Byron was satisfied with the temperature in the tub, he returned to the bedroom. Skylar did not wait for him, though. He dropped the jacket and made his way toward Byron and the bath completely nude. Byron took a few deep breaths, struggling to control his sexual frustration.

With gentle hands, he coaxed Skylar into the water. After that, it was strikingly easy to keep his touch platonic. He found pleasure simply in seeing the tension in Skylar’s body wash away, in the sweet sounds the seahorse made. The increasing need to protect Skylar took precedence over the lust and carnal desire.

It was quite strange, really. Byron had always taken care of his subs physically, but emotionally, he hadn’t been able to offer comfort since he didn’t know how. It was yet another reason why he felt frustrated with himself in his sex life. He could bring a sub to climax with only a pair of nipple clamps, but a deep emotional connection could not be found where Byron had chosen his fuck toys.

Would it be different with Skylar? No, Byron couldn’t think about that. Skylar probably wasn’t even into Byron’s dark lifestyle. The best thing to do would be to keep watch over the seahorse from afar.

Byron was so deep in thought that when Skylar changed positions in the tub, he almost didn’t register the motion. He didn’t realize Skylar’s intention until the seahorse grabbed his arm and pulled him into the tub.

If he’d have wanted to, Byron could have fought the pull. He could have easily countered Skylar’s advances. But he didn’t. He
20

Scarlet Hyacinth

allowed himself to be dragged into the bath and fell into the water, still dressed.

Skylar crawled into his lap and suctioned on his neck. Byron groaned, all innocent intentions dissipating like they’d never been.

With Skylar’s naked body in his arms, the only thing keeping Byron from thrusting inside Skylar was a thin layer of material and his own straining control.

He pried Skylar off him and forced their eyes to meet. “No, Skylar. No, we can’t do this.”

Skylar’s face fell. “Oh. Right, I forgot. You told me to stay away from you. I…apologize.”

Byron knew he couldn’t allow things to stay like this. Skylar was far too frail to be burdened with a misunderstanding caused by Byron’s foolishness.

“No, sweetheart, it’s not like that.” He sighed. “I just don’t want to hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” Skylar repeated, sounding genuinely confused.

“Look at me, Skylar. I’m huge. I’m a monster.” He cupped Skylar’s cheek. “And you… You’re so delicate. I would crush you.”

It was true. Byron was practically twice the size of Skylar. He couldn’t imagine how scary it must be for the seahorse to even be in his proximity. Of course, Byron had never actually sensed fear coming from Skylar whenever they were together, but that would definitely change if Byron did just one of the things that passed through his mind.

Skylar didn’t say anything. He just looked at Byron, his green eyes shining emeralds that hypnotized Byron. “I’m not scared of you,” he finally whispered. “I want you.”

Byron didn’t doubt Skylar’s honesty. However, the seahorse had just been through a very traumatic experience, and he would cling to anything to keep him safe. “We’ll discuss this further a different time,” he said.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

21

Skylar opened his mouth, obviously intending to protest, but Byron just arched a brow. It was enough. Instantly, Skylar obeyed, remaining silent. In that simple gesture, Byron didn’t see any fear. He saw the desire to submit, and he knew that he’d been wrong about his first assessment of Skylar. The seahorse might be interested in exploring the dark pleasures Byron’s dungeon could offer.

But that would have to wait. Byron finished cleaning Skylar and got out of the bath. He took off his soaked shirt, leaving his pants on despite the unpleasant feel of wet material. He helped Skylar out of the bath and toweled him dry. Even if seahorses might be comfortable in water, they still slept in beds, and humidity between the sheets was never pleasant.

Finally, he took Skylar in his arms and carried him back to the bed. As he placed the seahorse down, Skylar gave him an earnest look. “Just please…don’t go anywhere. Stay with me tonight.”

Byron nodded. He took off his shoes and socks and drew a chair close to the bed. “I’ll stay. Now go to sleep. You’re safe.”

Skylar must have been exhausted as moments later, his eyelids drooped shut, and he fell asleep. Byron just sat there, watching him and wondering what tomorrow would bring. Could he really hope for something with Skylar? God, he didn’t know, and the uncertainty, a feeling he was most unfamiliar with, drove him crazy. What he did know, however, was that from the bottom of his cold heart, he wanted to.

22

Scarlet Hyacinth

“I’ll tear your ass apart.”
The man’s disgusting breath huffed in Skylar’s ear, and his cock nudged between the nude cheeks of his ass.

“You dirty slut.”

Skylar writhed, trying to break free, but he couldn’t. Disgust and terror gripped him. He would be raped. Oh, God, he would be raped.

And then, a strong, warm presence was by his side, comforting him.

The specter of his would-be rapist dissipated, and Skylar found himself in Byron’s embrace.

“Shhh,” Byron said, rocking him slowly. “It’s all right. He can’t hurt you.”

Skylar cuddled closer to Byron, hating his own weakness, but at the same time thankful for the comfort Byron provided.

For a few moments, he just sat there, enjoying Byron’s scent.

Seahorses compensated for their lack of speed with a keen sense of smell, and Skylar was quite happy about it now. Byron’s aroma enveloped him in a feel of absolute security and slowly, ever so slowly, Skylar’s breathing began to even, and his heart rate started to level out.

All the while, Byron never ceased murmuring soft words. Skylar couldn’t hear everything that was said, but the mere tone of Byron’s voice calmed him.

He briefly broke away from the embrace and looked up at Byron.

The shark seemed concerned, so Skylar smiled. “Thanks. I’m sorry about this.”

Byron smiled back. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” His expression darkened. “You should have let me kill him for what he did.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

23

Skylar shook his head. He appreciated Byron’s anger on his behalf, but he didn’t want any blood to mar Elder Wade’s mating.

Most importantly, he didn’t want it to ruin the potential beginning of their relationship.

It was too soon, much too soon to even think in those terms, since Byron had only mentioned a sexual attraction between them, and one the shark felt reluctant to follow up on. It hadn’t missed Skylar’s attention that Byron had not taken his pants off the night before, even if the wet clothes must have been uncomfortable.

At the same time, he’d also sensed one of the reasons of Byron’s decision, physically. In fact, he could feel it now, as he sat in Byron’s arms, the warmth of Byron’s thick prick. He experimentally wiggled around and was rewarded with a groan from Byron. The shark’s hands landed on Skylar’s hips, stilling him. “Don’t do that, sweetheart. You’re not ready.”

“Why can’t I decide whether I’m ready or not?” Skylar asked, feeling frustrated. He’d wanted Byron for months, and now when the shark was within his reach, Byron still refused him.

It occurred to him then that Byron might not want him because of what had happened the night before. Perhaps Byron thought Skylar had done something to bring on Rick’s unwanted advances. After all, many people were confused as to the mating habits of seahorses.

Some, like Rick, were convinced of the promiscuity of Skylar’s kind.

Others admired them for mating for life, and things like Skylar’s family seemed to prove them right. But the fact of the matter was that for seahorses, things could vary a lot, just like it happened for humans.

He doubted Byron would care too much about that, though. His heart heavy, he broke away from the shark. “I guess I should have learned my lesson,” he murmured, more to himself than to Byron.

Without looking at the man he’d have wanted for a mate, he added,

“Thanks again for staying with me, but I shouldn’t take any more of your time. Perhaps you should go.”

24

Scarlet Hyacinth

“I think not,” Byron answered, and Skylar could practically hear the implacable decision in his voice. “I’m not leaving you alone.”

Skylar rolled off the bed and faced the shark head on. “I don’t want your pity. I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself.”

Of course, he’d have been more convincing if tears hadn’t started streaming down his cheeks. God, he was a mess. Whenever he took charge of agency issues, he could deal with them efficiently and for the benefit of all those involved, but the past twenty-four hours had shaken him to the core. He needed to get a grip. He’d already embarrassed himself in front of Byron. He refused to continue doing it.

Acutely aware of his own nudity, he grabbed a jacket off the chair and draped it on. It turned out to be a bad idea, and he remembered too late the jacket belonged to Byron. Byron’s scent enveloped him, making his plan to push Byron away even more difficult to put into practice.

“I know what you must think of me after last night,” he rambled on without really thinking about what he was saying, “so I don’t want you to force yourself to stay.”

He was horrified at how much he’d revealed, how uncertain and scared he sounded even to his own ears. Now more than ever, he acknowledged how disgusted Byron must be of him. He’d let Rick touch him and was forcing a man who had many times in the past pointed out his distaste of Skylar to stay with him. Could he get even more pathetic?

Just the memory of the night before made his skin crawl, and he barely managed to suppress a whimper. God, if only he could sink into Byron’s arms again… When the shark held him, he felt safe and complete. But he didn’t deserve that. He was a dirty slut, just like Rick had said.

When Byron spoke once more, the shark’s words startled Skylar.

“Skylar, come here,” Byron ordered.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

25

There was so much authority in the words that Skylar couldn’t help but obey. His body moved without him even thinking about it, and he made his way back to Byron’s side.

“Drop the jacket.”

Skylar obeyed, and he once more stood naked in front of Byron.

In his mind, he knew he should have been afraid, but Byron’s orders caused none of the fear he’d felt with Rick.

“On the bed, facedown,” Byron commanded.

Skylar jumped on the bed and crawled on all fours. He shivered as the shark caressed his ass. He didn’t know what to expect, what to think. His heart beat a million miles an hour.

Because on this uncertainty, the slap that landed against his behind took him completely by surprise. Skylar released a cry-pop, confused by the sudden sensations that coursed through him.

“Don’t ever say that you’re pathetic,” Byron murmured.

At the bottom of his mind, Skylar realized he’d spoken more than he’d originally thought, but he couldn’t focus on his embarrassment.

His nipples peaked and his cock throbbed as the burn of the slap melted into a pleasure he’d never experienced.

Another hard hit landed on the other cheek of his ass. Skylar moaned, torn between conflicting sensations. He’d wondered what it would be like and imagined himself at Byron’s mercy, but had never actually expected for it to feel so right.

“Don’t ever think I’m disgusted of you,” Byron added after the second hit.

Two quick slaps followed, making Skylar’s skin burn with delicious pleasure. “Don’t ever believe I pity you. What I feel for you is too intense to be called pity.”

Byron’s gentle hands caressed his buttocks, and the shark pressed feather-light kisses over Skylar’s cheeks. He turned Skylar around and forced their eyes to meet.

“Don’t ever think you’re a slut. You’re not. Nothing that man did to you makes you dirty.”

26

Scarlet Hyacinth

Skylar’s vision blurred with tears again. “Touch me, Byron.

Please, touch me. Take me. Make it go away.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Byron pressed a kiss to his temple. “You have no idea how much I want to.”

Skylar thought Byron would refuse him again, but the shark didn’t. Instead, Byron lowered his lips and pressed them to Skylar’s.

Moaning, Skylar wrapped his arms around Byron’s neck and surrendered to the kiss.

Byron pushed his tongue inside slowly, coaxing, seducing, not forceful as Skylar would have expected. Oddly, the gentleness seemed to soothe the ache inside Skylar. He’d enjoyed the spanking very much, and he wanted more of it, but this made the feeling of being dirty go away. It was as if Byron told him without words how treasured and how precious he was. Even without Byron speaking, Skylar heard it, loud and clear.

He melted in Byron’s arms, unable to cope with his mixed feelings. Pure arousal, gratitude, awe and an ever-increasing affection struggled for supremacy inside him. Their lips parted when they needed to breathe, and even if Skylar would have liked more of Byron’s sinful kiss, he allowed the shark to set the pace.

Byron lowered him back down on the bed, and Skylar trembled as the shark’s big form loomed over him. It wasn’t fear, but rather, anticipation and excitement. Would Byron truly fuck him? Could he take it, or would he disappoint the other man?