Hagen, Lynn - Hunter [Zeus's Pack 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting ManLove) (6 page)

42

Lynn Hagen

deeply. There was a maddening hint of arrogance to Quinn’s response, and Hunter found it thrilling and heart racing.

Hunter yanked Quinn’s body forward, their erections smashing into one another as he ground his hips, pleased that his mate gave in to their initial intimacy. Quinn’s hand grabbed Hunter’s neck, pulling him down the mere two inches in height difference as he took what Hunter offered. Almost demanding it.

He held Quinn’s face gently as he leaned his mate backwards over the table. Hunter had an urge to crawl onto the table and claim this magnificent creature. Quinn broke the kiss and buried his face in the corded muscles of Hunter’s neck, nipping at Hunter’s flesh, almost biting it. Hunter groaned as he ran his hands over Quinn’s hair, fighting for control as he tugged at the soft strands lightly. His canines were down, and Hunter’s eyes had shifted.

Hunter’s head snapped around when he heard a gasp from the bathroom door. “Don’t be frightened, Tristan.” He could smell uneasiness and arousal coming from his rainbow.

“I’m not, sir.” A blush like a shadow ran over his cheeks, making them flame bright. “I can go into the other room if you two want to be alone.”

Hunter wanted to pull Tristan into their embrace but saw the hesitancy in the man’s stance. “That won’t be necessary.” Hunter stepped out of Quinn’s arms, taking a deep and shaky breath, and then headed toward Tristan, fingering one of the red strays of hair that fell across the smaller man’s eye. “There will be plenty of time for that.”

“Are you ready?” Quinn asked, his voice choked with emotion.

“I’m ready.” Hunter replied, and the meaning of his words didn’t escape Tristan’s ears.
There goes that blush again
. He smiled and ran his thumb over Tristan’s brow. “Is it all right if I come back?’

“Yes, sir.” Tristan bounced on the balls of his heels, beaming up at Hunter.
How adorable.

“Are you going to leave him alone?” Hunter questioned Quinn, never looking away from his redhead.

Hunter

43

Quinn snorted, looking at Hunter as if he were asking a stupid question. “He’s not a puppy.”

Hunter could see Quinn was an alpha in his own manner. It was hot and, at the same time, frustrating. “I was only asking because he has trouble on his heels. Do you think it wise or safe?”

“I’ll be fine, sir.” Tristan’s blush deepened as he sucked in his bottom lip.

Hunter kissed Tristan’s nose, running his thumb over Tristan’s cheek, and then followed Quinn out of the house. He didn’t want to leave, but he could see Tristan needed things taken slowly.

“Why does he keep using the word
sir
?” Hunter asked once they were outside.

“I have no idea, and I’ve tried time and again to get him to stop. I think it has to do with who he’s running from.”

Hunter was
very
interested now to find out just exactly what Tristan had escaped.

44

Lynn Hagen

Tristan walked out into the living room in his fuzzy bunny slippers. He knew they were more for kids but had fallen instantly in love with them when he spotted them on the shelf in the store. They were begging with those big sappy eyes to be taken home, and who was he to refuse them?

He fiddled with the stereo until he found some relaxing music.

Yoga should help clear his mind, and meditation had always worked for him. He found a station playing the Bee Gees. That sounded relaxing enough to him.

Tristan sat on the floor and assumed the position, letting his mind slowly drain of all the clutter until he focused on his inner peace. His muscles became relaxed, and he felt light as a feather.

“Jellybean?”

“Ahh!”
Tristan rolled and came up in a crouch, his heart beating out of control when he finally focused on what had scared the living daylights out of him. Quinn’s brow slowly rose as a smile crossed his beautiful face.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” Quinn chuckled, apparently overly amused at what he had done. He rested his right elbow on his left arm, his right hand covering the smile, and his face trying to look apologetic. He wasn’t fooling Tristan. That was amusement all the way.

“I’m good, I’m good.” He fell on his ass and took a deep breath.

“You just caught me off guard, sir.” Quinn’s arresting good looks captured Tristan’s attention for a moment, and all he could do was stare.

Hunter

45

Quinn knelt down in front of him, reaching out and clutching Tristan’s hand. When Quinn pulled him off the floor, Tristan landed on Quinn’s legs, his upper body draped over his mate’s legs.

Tristan gulped.

Although Xavier had treated him like dirt under his shoe, Tristan knew relationships weren’t supposed to be that way. This was why he ran so many times. He wanted what his parents had, that devoted love that you could only get from your mate. It was hard opening up and trusting someone, especially after what had happened to him. Tristan stared at Quinn’s lips, licking his own dry ones in want.

“Jellybean,” Quinn repeated. This time though, this time it was low and husky, laced with want and desire.

“I’m okay.” He pushed away, not ready to give his full trust. He had been made to believe once by a handsome face and pretty words.

This time he was going to make sure his world was safe before he gave in.

Quinn cleared his throat and helped Tristan to his feet at the same time he stood. Oh, how those lips were tempting Tristan to give in, though. He knew for a fact his fleece pajama bottoms were tenting, giving away his state of arousal.

Quinn pulled Tristan into his arms. He resisted, too afraid of what he was feeling. It was ten times more powerful with Quinn than it was with Xavier. Quinn grinned, and his eyes lit up. He began to slow dance with Tristan, singing along with the song, as though he were singing it directly to him.

Tristan pretended he was.

His mate had a very nice voice, soothing and sexy. His hands stayed on the small of Tristan’s back, so he began to relax, allowing Quinn to guide them around the living room. He made Tristan feel so important, so wanted not only in that moment, but since he had come here.

Quinn was easy to be around. It felt like floating on one’s back in a pond on a hot summer’s day, peaceful, and nothing in the world

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Lynn Hagen

compared. Tristan grinned up at Quinn, feeling bashful and content at the same time.

The last year of his life was like battling a snowstorm, blinding, rough, and bitterly cold. Being in Quinn’s arms was like walking through the door and shaking the snow off, seeing the fire blazing in the hearth, knowing that he had finally made it home.

Tristan sighed and rested his head on Quinn’s chest, listening to his mate’s heartbeat as they danced around the living room. “This is nice, sir.”

“It is,” Quinn agreed as they swayed back and forth. One of Quinn’s hands skated up his back, snaking through his hair as he massaged Tristan’s scalp. He could get used to this real easy. Quinn’s chest began to vibrate as his voice sang the lyrics to the song.

Tristan wrapped his arms around Quinn’s waist, desperate to believe his mate wanted him happy and safe. His hand shot up and wiped away at a tear as they danced around the coffee table. Why the hell was he crying?

“My jellybean. Let it all out. Give me your pain and take my happiness. Heal, baby.”

Tristan cursed himself when he began to weep in Quinn’s arms.

This was supposed to be a nice dance, not a freak show. He pulled from Quinn’s arms and raced down the hall, slamming his bedroom door shut. Tristan braced the door with his hands, trying to get his emotions under control.

“I’m so sorry,” he told the door, his palm repeatedly slamming into the wood grain. He was tired of living like this. Quinn shouldn’t have to put up with a mental case. Tristan punched the door this time.

“I want to live again,” he shouted.

“Tristan. Let me in, jellybean,” Quinn called from the other side of the door. “We both can get through this, just talk to me,” his voice pleaded.

Hunter

47

Tristan wiped his eyes on his sleeve and then turned the knob, opening the door. Quinn stood on the other side, his hand shoved into his Levi’s, a gentle smile on his lips. “Can we finish dancing?”

Tristan laughed and cried, nodding his head as Quinn gave him the biggest and goofiest smile he’d ever seen. He grabbed Tristan’s hand and pulled him down the hallway, spinning him until Tristan ended up in his arms. “No more talk if you don’t want to.”

Choices.

Once again his mate was giving him choices. The boyish smile on Quinn’s face almost brought Tristan to his knees. “I started dating Xavier about a year ago.”

Quinn grabbed his hand, holding it to his chest as they slowly made their way around the room.

“It was nice at first. He was the perfect gentleman, and then everything changed. His words were pretty enough, had me convinced that he knew what was best, that he wouldn’t steer me wrong.”

Quinn ran his free hand up and down Tristan’s back, his thumb tracing circles over Tristan’s shirt. He took a deep breath and continued. “He became unstable. Wanted to be a dominant while I was the submissive. I told him I didn’t want a relationship like that…and that’s when the beatings began.” Tristan had to stop, the memories making his breath quicken.

“It’s okay, jellybean. It may be hard for you to believe, now that I know. But I promise you on my very soul, I’ll never hurt you.” Quinn twirled him around, his bunny ears flapping as Tristan laughed with pure joy. What would it be like to really believe Quinn? Could he?

“I ran from him a few times, but he always found me and threatened to kill me if I didn’t return. So I did.” Tristan finished as Quinn brought him back into the folds of his arms. The words, when spoken aloud, sounded like a lame reason to return to such a life. He was embarrassed and ashamed that he had allowed another being that much power over him.

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Lynn Hagen

“And now you think he’s going to hunt you down to bring you back,” Quinn stated, his lips pressed against Tristan’s temple. He nodded, unable to look his mate in his eyes.

“Not while there is a breath in my lung or a beat in my heart, jellybean. I’ll kill the son of a bitch before I let him near you.”

“Can I have some Skittles?”

Quinn laughed, a full belly laugh, spinning Tristan around once again. He spun, feeling light at heart. Tristan’s arms shot out when his legs hit the coffee table, and he fell over, landing so hard on his ass, he bounced. Quinn covered the three steps in seconds, lifting Tristan to his feet. “Are you hurt?”

Tristan laughed at the look on Quinn’s face. He looked so contrite.

“No.” He ran from the room, Quinn giving chase as he ran to the pantry. He squealed when he looked over his shoulder and saw Quinn eating up the distance.

He yelped when Quinn squatted down and grabbed Tristan’s legs, tossing him over his shoulder and carrying him the rest of the way to the kitchen. He kicked his legs back and forth. “Put me down, you caveman.”

Quinn swatted him on the rear and then set him on his feet. “One bag of treats coming up.” His mate reached into the pantry and grabbed a bag of Skittles, handing them to Tristan.

“These are so good,” Tristan said with relish as he snatched the bag from Quinn’s hand.

Quinn noticed that Tristan wasn’t using the word
sir
. So the key to him not using the word was to make him laugh. Once again the thought occurred to him. No problem, he could do that.

“Can…”

“What, jellybean?”

“Promise you won’t get mad, sir?”

Hunter

49

Crap. It was back. That was the last thing Quinn wanted. He wanted Tristan to feel like he could ask him anything, without hesitation. “Just ask, baby.”

“Can Hunter come over and dance with us?” Tristan blushed deeply, shoving a handful of candies in his mouth. His cheeks rounded as if he were a squirrel with a mouthful of nuts.

Oh fuck, that thought had Quinn fighting to stop his cock from leaping out of his jeans and tackling the gorgeous little man.

Quinn cleared his throat. “I can call him. He gave me his cell phone number.” Quinn slipped his cell phone out of its sheath, hitting the button as he kept his eyes on Tristan. His jellybean seemed nervous, shoving candies into his mouth, his eyes darting at Quinn and then back down to the bag in his hand.

“Hello?”

“Hunter, it’s Quinn. Get the hell over here.” He hung up, tossing the phone onto the table and grabbing Tristan’s hand. He led him back into the living room, fiddled with the stereo until a song played with a nice tempo.

“I know that song, sir.” Tristan said once he swallowed the treat in his mouth. “I like it.”

Quinn grabbed his man, yes,
his
. There was no way Tristan was ever going to leave his side unless his jellybean made the choice. And Quinn was determined to make the man the happiest person on earth.

He slid his leg between Tristan’s, swaying his hips, snapping them back and forth as Tristan grabbed the back of Quinn’s neck. “I’m afraid to trust, sir.” Tristan confessed.

“I know, baby. I’ll try my best to never disappoint you.” Quinn buried his face in between Tristan’s neck and shoulder, inhaling deeply. He began a slow kiss from throat to ear. He could feel his jellybean shiver in his arms.

Quinn spun around as the front door slammed open, Hunter looking flushed and his two long teeth showing. It was comical and

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Lynn Hagen

pulse pounding to see the long teeth when Quinn hadn’t seen them before now.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded as his eyes darted around the room.

“Tristan wants you to dance with us.” Quinn couldn’t quite understand why he was allowing another man into
his
territory.

Tristan was his. There was no way he’d ever let the man go.