Men of London 02 - Sight and Sinners (24 page)

Draven blinked as the Avenging Furies made their way toward him. He was a man who dealt with corporate spies, bad men and all manner of crazy and dangerous people, but the two best friends of the man he loved were making him wet his pants. He took a deep breath and told himself to man up.

In the distance, he saw Gideon smoothly intercept them both, laying a firm hand on Eddie’s shoulder until some of the tenseness disappeared. He gave his lover a soft kiss and then waved them on their way with a wicked stare at Draven. Draven’s insides quailed as he came face to face with hostility—and in Leslie’s case, a man bag held in such a way that it looked as if it was about to meet Draven’s head.

He gulped. “Evening, Eddie. Leslie. Thanks for seeing me.”

Eddie’s eyes glinted. “Thank Gideon. If it was up to me I’d be sticking my size eleven up your arse.”

Draven’s eyebrows lifted. He blamed the next sentence on the fact he was nervous. “Size eleven, hey? Gideon must be pleased…” His voice tailed off at the shift of Eddie’s body closer to him. “I mean, thanks. For not sticking your shoes up my backside.”

“The evening is still young.” Leslie’s modulated tones belied the look of violence in his eyes. “I’d say size eleven followed by a size ten.” He waggled a high-heeled shoe on the bottom of a very shapely ankle at Draven, who winced.

Gideon appeared like a wraith at Draven’s side, seeming to be barely holding back a grin. “Now come on, guys. Play nice. Draven here is eating humble pie and having the courage to come and face you two. I can’t say I’d do the same in his shoes. I know you both better. Eddie, babe, give the man a break. Leslie, my little barracuda, stop scaring the man. Hear Draven out.” He pressed Draven’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “I have a kitchen to be in. I suggest you use my office for a bit of privacy. Good luck.” Gideon grinned and left them alone.

Leslie sniffed. “Office sounds good. Come on, follow me.”

He sashayed off, Eddie and Draven following behind him. Soon they were safely ensconced in an office that smelt of sweat and cologne, and Draven was sure he smelt sex odours. He wasn’t about to say anything though.

“Soooo,” Leslie chirped, his dark blue eyes narrowed. “You said you needed our help. Why should we help you when you’ve done nothing but hurt Taylor? He’s a complete damn wreck at the moment.”

There was a noise behind the slightly opened connecting door to what looked like a storage room on the far side of the office. Eddie’s eyes darted in its direction before coming back to rest on Draven, as he crossed his arms across a tight, muscled chest and scowled.

Draven had a speech all prepared on how they could perhaps convince his ex-lover that he was sorry, that they should meet face to face and that he’d been a prick and needed to see him, but seeing the concern and affection on their faces for their friend left him speechless. Instead, he went with his heart.

“You shouldn’t really. I mean, I’m a tough guy to like, but he said he cared about me and that’s all I’ve got left. I’ve got something difficult to do at the hospital, and the only way I think I can face it is with Taylor by my side.” He swallowed. “I was a bastard and I told him to leave, but I didn’t mean it because, Christ, I really want the guy in my life and I don’t know what I’d do if he never came back.”

Eddie’s scowl lessened. “We heard about your brother. Sorry, but we dragged the whole story out of Taylor. He needed to talk about it.” His tone softened. “I’m sorry you have to go through that with a family member. I have no idea how that feels. It’s a really tough decision to make and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

Leslie nodded. “I can’t even imagine how I’d feel. I have two sisters and an older brother and I’d hate to be in that situation. That’s why we said we’d speak to you. Extenuating circumstances and all that crap.” He waved a slim, pale hand. “Anyhoo, back to Tay.”

He moved closer to Draven, his full-lipped pink mouth coming so close Draven had a sudden panic he was about to be kissed. Not that it would be hardship because Leslie was damn sexy with his pouty lips and black bangs, but Draven had only one man’s mouth in mind when he thought of kissing the hell out of someone, and it wasn’t Leslie. Instead, Leslie invaded his personal space and leaned in to whisper in Draven’s ear.

“You need to really tell him how you feel, right now. He needs to hear it.” Then Leslie moved away. Draven stared at him in confusion.

“I just told you how I feel about him.”

Leslie just faked a yawn and cast a meaningful glance toward the open door. Eddie was smiling softly and all of a sudden Draven thought he knew what was going on. His heart filled with hope and he nodded slowly.

“I’m not very good with words, more of an action man,” he ignored Leslie’s snort, “but I’ll try.” His throat was dry and he watched as Leslie and Eddie quietly exited the office with a nod of approval his way. Draven walked over and locked the door. He knew he’d only get one chance to do this right.

“I sat at home talking to Freud, my pig and realised something. That pig isn’t much of a talker but he’s a good listener. I told him how much I cared about a certain person, and that I’d driven him away. I told him how I’d fucked up and I’d do anything to get him back because I didn’t think I could make it without him.”

He walked quietly to the door and hesitated. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open to reveal Taylor standing behind it, surrounded by towels and napkins stacked neatly on shelves. His eyes widened as Draven came closer. He looked tired, his eyes rimmed with dark circles and his usual coffee-coloured skin paler than usual.

He was wearing one of Draven’s old hoodies, with the words “Live and Let Live” written across it. It had been one Draven had lent him when they’d been caught in the rain one day and Taylor had needed something warm. Of course, the subsequent undressing and pulling off wet clothes had led to hot sex in the shower and it was a memory Draven cherished.

Draven’s heart stuttered in his chest at the thought Taylor still wore his clothes. “I said to Freud that I needed him. Like I need breath in my body to live, like water to a man dying of thirst.”

Taylor’s eyes flickered and his breath hitched. His fingers were fidgeting at his sides as his dark eyes watched Draven move closer.

“And do you know what that damn pig said to me? He said to me, ‘Draven, you’re an idiot and if you don’t go after that man and convince him that you want him, that you need him, then you’ll have lost something precious.’ So I decided that’s exactly what I’d do.”

Draven stood as close as he could to Taylor, closing his eyes to the warm male body heat emanating from him. He opened them to see the rise and fall of his chest and the widening of his eyes as Draven reached out and gently drew his fingers along lips he wanted so badly to kiss.

So he did. He pulled Taylor out of the storage room and into the office, gripping hips that were familiar to him.

His lips brushed Taylor’s, softly at first then more possessively as Taylor sighed. Draven’s tongue flicked across Taylor’s mouth, willing him to open and let him in. When Taylor’s lips parted and his arms wrapped around Draven’s neck to pull him closer and he ground his hips against Draven’s own hardness, Draven wanted to weep with relief. It was like coming home to a warm hearth, to a familiar place where you could be safe and happy.

That place was Taylor Abelard.

Taylor was murmuring something under his breath, words that sounded like “stupid bastard” and “look what you’ve been missing,” and then his words were totally swallowed up as Draven took his mouth completely and tried to consume him.

Finally, they drew apart, panting and dishevelled, and Draven pulled Taylor into a hug that left no doubt as to his desire and need for him.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into Taylor’s ear. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you’ll let me, but please, please don’t let me alone again like this past week. It just wasn’t the same waking up without you beside me.”

Taylor chuckled softly. “You can be quite the poet, you know that? I never thought I’d hear the rough, macho Draven Samuels talking so sweet.” He frowned. “There is one thing I need to know though.”

“Name it,” said Draven as he nuzzled Taylor’s neck, breathing in his man’s scent and tracing a path of wet down the side of his neck with his tongue.

“What the hell is it with you and this pig? I mean, am I going to be the piggy in the middle in this relationship or what, because getting between a man and his pig can be really serious—” His words were cut off by Draven’s mouth taking possession of his once again plus the fact that Draven has just slid his hands into Taylor’s sweatpants and palmed a very hardened cock.

“Oh, God,” Taylor moaned as Draven closed his hand around it and began sliding his fingers along the slick shaft. “That feels, unggh, I missed your hands on me. Don’t stop, or I might have to tell Freud you don’t follow through on your promises….”

Draven chuckled as he slid another hand around to Taylor’s arse to slide it over the firm cheeks and into his crack, meandering down to his hole. He slid his finger gently across the pucker, causing Taylor to buck in his arms and his cock to push into Draven’s hand.

“Shhh. Forget the damn pig. Just enjoy yourself. I’m going to make you come so hard your balls will think they’ve exploded.”

Taylor groaned, his hands reaching down into Draven’s pants. Draven pushed them away. As much as he wanted to feel Taylor’s hands on him, this wasn’t
for
him. This was for Taylor.

“I’m fine, honey, just close your eyes and concentrate on me jacking you off. Focus on me doing this.” He slid one finger inside Taylor, loving the moan that came out of his mouth and catching it with his lips. Taylor vibrated against him like a tuning fork and his breathy pants soon turned into gasps as his hips shuddered and hands clenched Draven anywhere they could find a grasp.

“Fuck, Draven, it’s been too long. Oh sweet hell…” He warbled as Draven thrust yet another finger inside him, fucking him hard and deep. “That’s it, I’m done.” Warm fluid spurted over Draven’s fingers and palm as Taylor’s hole clenched around his fingers and his body shivered and quivered like a man being Tasered.

Draven held him close, breathing in the smell of sex and Taylor and wanting nothing more than this moment to last much longer.

Finally a small voice spoke up from where it nestled against Draven’s shoulder. “I think the pig would approve.”

Draven laughed out loud. He felt as if he’d been sleeping and just woken up from a dark dream. He leaned back and tucked Taylor’s spent cock back into his underwear and arranged his sweatpants to be decent. His own hard-on clamoured for attention, but he thought that perhaps later he might be lucky enough to manage that situation with the help of the man now standing loose limbed before him, eyes softened and lips swollen.

Draven leaned his forehead against Taylor’s as he brushed sweaty locks of black hair away from his cheeks. “I don’t deserve you, but I’ll work on it.”

Taylor reached up and framed his face in hands that shook slightly. “I won’t argue with that, you stubborn bastard. However, I’m no angel either and we’re going to have to work at this thing.” His face grew serious. “What I can’t have is you chucking me out every time you get angry. I don’t think I’ve got it in me to forgive you again.” His eyes were solemn, his face earnest.

Draven nodded. “Fair enough. I don’t think I’ve got it in me to face Eddie and Leslie one more time. I truly think they might hurt me if I go off the rails again. Those mates of yours are a great deterrent.”

Taylor grinned smugly. “They’re like Rottweilers that I let out when I need someone to be hunted down. They know how to maim and leave no evidence, so beware.” He looked down at Draven’s groin and licked his lips suggestively. “That looks painful. Do you want to go home and I’ll take care of it? Maybe a little ride and drive?”

Draven’s cock lurched. Taylor’s ride and drives were lusty, loud affairs that consisted of Taylor pounding into him from behind while operating Draven’s cock like a gear stick.

He nodded. “I’m not going to refuse an offer like that. God, it drives me crazy just thinking about it.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” Taylor said decisively. “I think we’ve tainted this office enough with my spunk. Time to taint your bedroom with yours.” He turned to leave and Draven grasped him by the arm.

“Tay? I have an appointment next week to see Doctor Frederick. To talk about Jude’s wishes. Will you be there with me?” He’d never known his voice could sound so needy. “I know I need to let him go, if that’s what he wants. I’ve thought about it and I guess it’s time.”

Taylor’s face softened. “Of course I’ll be there.” He took Draven’s hand and clasped it tightly. “I’d never let you do anything like that on your own. We’ll talk to the doctors and then take it from there.”

He pulled Draven to him, warm arms circling his body protectively. Draven fell into the embrace like a drowning man clutching at a life raft. He heard the beat of Taylor’s heart in his ear, smelt the warm, living essence of him and heard the love in his voice. This was where he belonged, his future, and it was time to set the past free.

Chapter 12

Taylor sat beside Draven in the quiet hospital room, surrounded by silence. It was strange; he felt Jude’s presence but the young man hadn’t attempted to make any form of contact with him. Last time the energy Taylor had felt and tapped into had been overwhelming. Now there was only a sweet serenity and an air of watchfulness. It was as if Jude knew what was about to happen and was waiting with bated breath to see how it all turned out.