Riveted

To all those who demanded Ty and Blake's Happily Ever After, this book is for you.

T
HE
older man sitting on the other side of the bar with a predatory gaze wandering down Ty’s body was nothing new. Tyler Callahan, better known as Ty, had seen that same look in many eyes as he stood behind the bar, slinging suds and hearing a variety of propositions. He’d heard them all, everything from the simplistic—“Wanna fuck?”—all the way up to ridiculous descriptions of how they would have him on his knees, begging to breathe. That one had left him snickering and blowing nothing more than his tip. While Ty was flattered and more than a little appreciative of the tips shoved in his pants, shirt, and tip jar, not a single one of the men who’d left them even so much as tempted him.

This newest man, while attractive with his salt-and-pepper hair, short-trimmed beard, muscular body, and an air of authority swirling around him, was no different.

“C’mon, boy. I can make all your naughty dreams come true.”

Ty cringed hearing the word “boy” spoken by this man but plastered a smile on his face and set the beer the stranger had ordered down in front of him. “I’m not your boy and I seriously doubt you could handle my dreams,” he responded with confidence.

Ty started to step back but the man grabbed his arm in a vise-like grip, not allowing him to move. “Oh trust me, no matter how kinky, dangerous, or bizarre, I’ll leave you satisfied like no one else ever could.”

“Take your hand off what’s mine and you might survive to make someone else’s dreams come true,” Blake warned.

Ty looked up to see Blake standing behind the large man, his hands resting on the stranger’s shoulders. The grip on Ty’s forearm remained as the stranger leisurely ran his gaze down Ty’s form again, then calmly turned his head back to meet Blake’s gaze. “This is a private conversation. I don’t see any mark of ownership.”

“I’m going to ask you one more time to take your hand off what is mine—the next time I won’t be quite so nice about it.”

A shudder went through Ty. He could easily shove off the hand on his arm, but there was something about Blake, his quiet confidence, possessiveness, and strength that caused Ty to hesitate and let his lover deal with it. It warmed not only his heart to see Blake like this but also his groin. A one-two punch of sexy.

In the year that Ty had been working at Folsom, he’d seen Blake in this same situation numerous times, and his record was perfect. Either the aggressive Dom found himself on his ass on the concrete sidewalk outside the club, or he was smart and followed Blake’s request.

Ty held his breath for the tense moment the stranger and Blake continued to stare and size each other up. He let it out when he felt the hand on his forearm fall away. Smart man.

“He’s not collared, so I assumed he was available. I meant no disrespect.” The man held out his hand to Blake.

Blake accepted the offered hand, shook it, but did not release it. “You’re new here so I’ll forgive your disrespect this time. In this club you do not put your hands on a sub without his or his Dom’s permission.” Blake’s voice was hard and brooked no argument. He then released the man’s hand and took the stool next to him rather than his usual stool at the end of the bar. Ty’s man was definitely putting his ownership on full display.

“Could I convince
my
boy to get me a bottle of water?”

Fuck, Blake was hot when he got all badass Dom, then turned loving eyes on him. Another shudder shook Ty to his core. “You can convince me to do anything, Sir.”

Ty pulled a bottle from the cooler, opened it, and set it down in front of Blake. He wanted to lean across the bar and kiss him senseless but he knew better. When they were in the club, Blake called the shots.

Blake studied the water bottle for a moment and then looked up at Ty, a brilliant smile on his handsome face. “Perhaps I should have ordered champagne instead.”

Ty knew exactly what that self-satisfied smile on his lover’s face meant.

Blake had hated the fact that Ty had gone to work at the club, but Ty refused to be a kept man and he simply wouldn’t have stayed with Blake if he couldn’t support himself. The amount he made was pennies compared to Blake’s wealth, but it wasn’t about the money so much as his peace of mind. Maybe it was his need for an out just in case things didn’t work out, or perhaps even his pride. Much to Blake’s frustration, he hadn’t been able to change Ty’s mind, so instead of continuing an impossible-to-win argument, Blake had been in negotiations with the owners to buy the club. Ty and Blake had had more than a few heated words over it, but in the end, Ty understood Blake’s almost obsessive need to protect, given what had happened to Eli. If he was completely honest with himself, he liked it. For the first time in his life, someone actually cared enough to want him around long-term.

“I take it your meeting was a success then, Sir?”

“That is was, boy.”

“Will I now be sleeping with the boss, Sir?” Ty asked teasingly.

Blake stood, leaned over the bar, grabbed the collar of Ty’s T-shirt in his fist, and pulled him close, their lips practically touching. “That’s later. For now I’ll settle for a kiss.”

Heat infused Ty, the intensity increasing when Blake smashed their mouths together, demanding entrance. Ty gave himself over to the possessive kiss. He had no doubt this was for the benefit of the stranger who had dared touch what Blake deemed as his rather than for himself. Whatever the reason, Ty gave up control completely, letting Blake explore his mouth until he had his fill and left Ty breathless and hard as nails when it ended.

Blake sat back on his stool and gave the man next to him a wide, cocksure smile.

The older man nodded. “Now he does look truly owned.”

Blake’s smile grew impossibly wider.

“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. You must be Blake Henderson.” The man held out his hand again. “I do believe you’re the reason I’m here. I’m Bobby’s friend and how-to-hide-all-that-money advisor, Tackett Austin.”

Blake accepted the hand and shook it again, this time without the challenging glare in his eyes. “Right, right, Bobby has told me a lot of good things about you. Nice to finally meet you.”

“Well, hopefully that will help make up for my less-than-stellar first impression.”

“I’m a little possessive of my boy,” Blake said unapologetically.

“As you should be. You’re a very lucky man, Mr. Henderson, he’s quite lovely. May I?” Tackett asked, indicating his intentions with a nod of his head toward Ty.

“That I am,” Blake said confidently. “Be my guest.”

Tackett held out his hand. “Tackett Austin.”

Ty accepted the hand and shook it. “Ty Callahan.”

“Nice to meet you, Ty.”

“Likewise, Sir.”

Blake winked at Ty and then turned his attentions to Tackett. The two of them began discussing the sale of Folsom; Ty took the opportunity to check on his other customers and service the new ones who were beginning to stream in. Friday nights were always crazy busy, the club beginning to fill up shortly after five when the work day ended and becoming completely full by nine.

Ty had just handed out a couple of bottles of water to one of the regular subs when he looked up and spotted Micah, another bartender he often worked with, stepping up behind the bar. That took Ty aback. Micah wasn’t on the schedule; Ty had checked and didn’t expect Caleb, his suds-slinging buddy for the night, until seven.

“Hey, Micah. Did you forget what day of the week it was again?”

Micah was a beautiful man, with thick dark curls and the palest baby-blues Ty had ever seen. He had started working at the club right around the same time Ty had, coming from another club called The Whip. During the first two weeks Micah, had shown up three times on his day off. He’d been so used to working his schedule at the other club that it had taken him a while to get used to the new one. Ty still loved teasing him about it.

“Ha ha ha. Bitch, please.” Micah scoffed. “Your Dom was doing the begging for a change.”

Ty looked back over his shoulder toward Blake, who was still chatting with Tackett. “I take back what I said about you,” Ty said, unfazed. “If you got Blake to beg, then you’re a better man than I am.”

That made Micah laugh. “Yeah, he begged me to cover your shift tonight. You know he would only beg for you, you smug bastard.” Micah froze, eyes going wide. “Oh sweet Jesus. Now
there
is someone I’d love to beg for.”

Ty followed Micah’s gaze. It was directed toward where Blake sat. “You mean Tackett?” he asked.

“Tackett,” Micah echoed.

“He’s like twice your age,” Ty said incredulously.

“Spank me, daddy!”

Ty nudged him with an elbow. “It’s official. You’re even more perverted than I am.”

Micah shrugged. “I can live with that. So introduce me.”

“I will if you tell me why Blake has you covering my shift. What’s he up to?”

“Don’t know, but I’ll make something up if I have to.” Micah never took his gaze from Tackett.

“Lot of help you are. C’mon.” Ty huffed and handed Micah a towel. “Here, sop up the drool from your chin.”

Micah grabbed the towel from him, tossed it aside, and shoved Ty toward the end of the bar where the two men sat.

“Pushy bastard,” Ty grumbled. “You sure you don’t have any dominant tendencies?”

“Why don’t you bend over and find out.”

Ty just shook his head at Micah’s antics. Once he reached the bar where Tackett and Blake sat, he stopped and waited for Blake to address him. He could feel Micah vibrating behind him. Ty had seen many men come and go, but he’d never seen his friend so affected before. Ty had begun to suspect that Micah wasn’t really into the scene at all. Micah knew all the proper ways to address the Doms with respect, eyes lowered, flirting and teasing them, but Ty had never seen Micah go any further than that. As far as he knew, Micah wasn’t seeing anyone so maybe he was just picky. Tackett certainly was a step above most men in the looks department.

Blake met Ty’s gaze and waggled his brows. “Hey, you sexy beast! Got any plans for the night?”

“Well, Sir, I’m not really sure. Apparently, my new boss has just given me the night off.”

Micah tugged on the back of his shirt.

“Sounds like you owe your boss a really big thank you,” Blake said with a sly grin.

Tackett chuckled, and Ty bit his lip to keep from joining him. “Do you have any suggestions for a suitable ‘thank you’ gift I could give him?”

Micah’s tugging grew in strength and speed.

“I do,” Blake said confidently. “But I think we should discuss this in private. It’s a very, very
special
kind of gift.”

The hungry look in Blake’s gaze sent a tingling sensation racing down Ty’s spine and made heat pool in his groin. “Then it’s a good thing I’m off work so we can privately
discuss
this gift.”

“Micah, could you call and ask Thomas to bring the car around?”

The club employed a driver and provided a black sedan for taking home patrons unable to drive either because they were too drunk or, because they were too exhausted and/or sedated. But he and Blake never used the car. Blake didn’t drink and, while they occasionally played at the club, his lover preferred their own home. Ty found it odd that Blake was asking for the car, but he didn’t comment on it.

Micah didn’t respond either, just continued to stare at Tackett and kept up his insistent, irritating tugging.

“Micah,” Blake said louder, making Micah jump and the hand on Ty’s shirt halt.

“What?” Micah snapped and then turned red when he realized how he’d responded to Blake. He glanced quickly between Tackett, Blake, and Ty, the color in his cheeks deepening when he realized he’d been standing there, zoned out with his mouth gaping.

“Sorry, Sir,” Micah said, lowering his eyes and releasing Ty’s T-shirt. “What was it you asked?”

Blake barely contained his laughter when he once again asked Micah to call for the car. Micah gave Ty a panicked look before answering, “Yes, Sir.”

Ty took pity on him.

“Mr. Austin, Sir. This is Micah Slayde,” Ty said, pointing a thumb toward Micah. “He’ll be replacing me as your server. Just let him know if you need anything.” Ty arched a brow at Micah. “I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to provide it for you.”

Micah nodded vigorously. “Anything, Sir.”

“Thank you, Micah. I’ll keep that in mind.”

After Micah finally pried his gaze from the older Dom and went to call for the car, Ty and Blake said their good-byes to Tackett and headed to grab their coats. When they stepped out of the club, a bitterly cold wind caused Ty to shiver. He was never going to get used to the winters in New York. The snow was pretty in pictures or to look out at from inside a warm home, but being out in it was brutal on a southern boy. Blake tightened the arm he had around him, pulled him close, and held him tight as they hurried to the waiting car.

Thank God the heat was already blasting from the vents. Ty brushed the snow from his coat and shook it from his hair. “Jesus, it’s cold. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this.”