Stevens-Journey [Brac Pack 20] (11 page)

“He tried to.” Steven spoke softly. “We argued about it. He said if I loved him I would participate. I refused. That’s not something I want to try.” Steven looked up at Roman, pleading with his eyes for Roman to understand. He got the message.

“Just so you know, tiger. I don’t share. Never have, and never will.” He chucked a knuckle under Steven’s chin before squeezing his hand. “Let’s get inside.”

Roman exited the truck, Chauncey riding up next to them on one of the ranch horses. “I hear I may get to kick some ass,” he grunted, making the horse back up a little.

“You heard correctly,” Roman said as Steven joined him at his side. Roman snaked his arm around his mate’s waist, pulling him close.

“I saddled a horse if you want to take your mate for a ride.” Chauncey winked as he turned the horse to walk back toward the corral.

“Would you like that?” Roman looked down at Steven.

“I’ve never been on one.”

“Then we’re about to change that.” Roman led Steven toward the corral. A beautiful quarter horse was saddled and waiting. Roman grabbed the headstall, giving the horse a rub before grabbing the horn and swinging his leg over. He held his hand out for Steven, his mate looking at him warily before placing his hand into Roman’s and allowing himself to be swung up into the saddle to sit in front of Roman.

He grabbed the reins, guiding the horse behind Chauncey. It had been awhile since he had ridden, but it still felt the same, like freedom. The only thing that topped this was when he was in his bear form, running through the forest.

“Are you sure this is safe?” Steven asked as he sat stiffly in Roman’s arms.

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Roman chuckled, kissing Steven’s temple. “It is.” They road for about an hour before returning the horse to the barn.

Roman thanked Chauncey and then took his mate inside.

Steven ran upstairs to take a shower as Roman walked into the kitchen. Pa was in there sitting at the table, reading a book as he sipped on a cup of coffee.

“I hear we have problems,” Pa said as he sat his book aside.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Roman grabbed a mug and poured a cup of the brew. He sat at the table, staring into the black liquid.

“You mean nothing
we
can’t handle,” Pa corrected him. “Since when is Dommy just your problem, cub?”

“I’m not trying to get the family invol—” Roman stopped midsentence when Steven shouted from upstairs. He took off, Pa following close behind. He met two of his brothers on the steps as he raced upstairs.

Steven was standing in the middle of the room partially naked, having only his jeans on and pointing toward the bathroom with a shaky finger and wide eyes. Roman carefully approached the bathroom, taking measured steps as he peeked past the door.

When he didn’t see anything, he looked back over his shoulder at Steven.

“S–spider.” Steven soured his face as his whole body spasmed. “I hate those things.”

Olson and Bryce snickered as Pa chuckled. Roman crossed the room and smacked Steven on his bottom. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“You? Think of how I felt when that
thing
tried to attack me.” Steven shuddered again. “Did you kill it?” Roman rolled his eyes and walked back into the bathroom, spotting a teeny-tiny spider sitting in the tub. He scooped it up on is hand and took it into the bedroom, opening a window before tossing it out. “All gone.”

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“My hero.” Steven batted his eyelashes before disappearing into the bathroom. Roman stood by the window, staring at the bathroom door for a moment. Oh yeah, he liked when his mate let his true self come out.

“We’ll leave you boys be.” Pa ushered Olsen and Bryce out.

Roman locked the door, stripping down before opening the bathroom door. His mate was already in the shower. He pulled the curtain aside, standing there breathless as he stared at a wet Steven.

His hair was clinging to his skin, fanned out over his shoulders. Water droplets clung to his eyelashes as he turned to stare up at Roman.

Roman stepped into the shower, lifting Steven up by his waist as his mate wrapped his legs around him. Roman dipped his head, drinking the water from his mate’s neck, licking a path up to meet Steven’s lips.

Steven opened for him, his fingers tracing Roman’s jaw as he panted into Roman’s mouth. His mate’s head fell back as Roman’s mouth explored his tantalizing skin. Their cocks kissed as Roman indulged in the intoxicating taste of Steven’s flesh.

Steven’s hands fisted Roman’s hair, pulling their mouths together as he lapped at his mate’s lips, probing further until his mate opened his mouth, allowing Roman’s tongue to sweep into his warm and sweet mouth, tasting life.

Steven’s body began to move in a seductive rhythm, tempting any restraint Roman may have had. His fingers traced Steven’s spine until he touched his mate’s starburst, sliding a finger in as Steven whimpered.

Another finger joined the first, causing Roman to shudder at the tight grip. Steven owned him, heart and soul, his mate owned him.

Roman removed his fingers, lining his cock up as he sank into the softest flesh he had ever touched.

Steven wrapped his arms around Roman’s neck, impaling his body on Roman’s shaft. “That’s it, baby, take from me.” Roman turned, pressing his back into the shower wall as his canines
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descended. The water fell on them, trailing down Steven’s back as Roman took him.

Steven opened his eyes, the green shimmering in the low light as he arched his back and cried out, hot semen bathing them. Roman lost himself to his mate in that moment, swearing to always keep him safe as his seed surged inside his mate’s hot channel. Roman’s head hit the shower stall, his eyes closing as his breath became ragged. Steven laid his head on Roman’s chest, breathing heavily.

Roman turned them, allowing the shower to wash away the seed that Steven had painted them with. He grabbed a sponge, washing his mate the best he could. Finally he set Steven on his feet. They got out, towel drying one another before heading into the bedroom.

* * * *

Steven stared at his cell phone. It was the one luxury he allowed himself to have. And thank goodness he had. It had helped him escaped the life he no longer wanted to be a part of. The only downside to having it was that people he no longer wished to talk to still had the phone number.

Steven’s heart started pounding when David’s number displayed.

He hit the silence button, wondering why, after two weeks of nothing, his ex was calling him now. Steven looked around, paranoid that David could somehow see him. Roman was out at Maverick’s, starting the project of building the cottages.

“What’s wrong?” Taylor asked.

Steven heard the beep indicating he had a text message. He wasn’t sure what he should do. Sliding the phone to his lap, he opened the text.

Call me. I’m sorry. Can we work this out?

Steven snorted as another message came in. Curious, he opened it.

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I love you.

Steven’s jaw clenched. David had
never
told him he loved him before, why now? It angered him that his ex would stoop to this in order to try and get him back. It was over. Why couldn’t David take the hint and move on?

He wasn’t going to lie to himself. There were feelings he had to work through. He wasn’t with David for four years without developing some kind of feelings for the guy. They just weren’t healthy for him.

David wasn’t healthy for him.

He had told himself that he was over the jerk, that he hadn’t loved him for the past year, but something lingered, and Steven needed to work that out.

“Nothing,” Steven said to Taylor as he slipped the phone into his pocket. He walked out of the resource center, stopping just outside the door. It hurt. It hurt a lot when David started treating him like the scum under his shoe. It hadn’t always been like that. David hadn’t always been like that. Steven looked around feeling lost.

He palmed his phone, hitting Roman’s speed dial number. He listened to it ring as he pressed his back to the building and slid down, pulling his knees to his chest.

“Hey, tiger.” Roman’s deep, rich voice came over the phone.

Steven closed his eyes, wishing his mate was standing in front of him instead of just talking to him over the phone.

“Hi.” Steven laid his forehead into the palm of his hand. He could feel tears prickle the back of his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Steven?” Roman asked with alarm in his voice.

“David texted me.” Steven was so confused. Just because he ran from him, it didn’t mean his feelings for the man had immediately just stopped. He’d never go back to David. Steven just needed to hear the voice of the man that he knew loved him.

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“And what did he say?” Roman asked hesitantly.

“That he missed and loved me.” Steven bounced his head on the wall behind him. Sure, it was easy to say to hell with David and move on, but in reality, in the real world, feelings never worked the way you wanted them to.

“Did you answer him?”

Steven could hear the pain in Roman’s voice. He wanted to take that away, but he wasn’t going to hide anything from Roman, even if it was painful. He knew it would hurt worse if he didn’t tell Roman about it and his mate discovered the texts.

“No.”

“Do you want me to come get you?”

“No,” he lied. He wanted to feel Roman’s arms around him more than anything right now but he wasn’t going to ask him to leave work just because he was dealing with conflicting feelings right now.

Steven knew it would pass. It had just been a shock to see those words on his phone. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

“You know I love you, tiger, right?” Steven grabbed his shirt, wiping at the tears as he sniffed and nodded. “Yes. I love you, too.” The tears felt hot as they continued to fall, making him feel as though he was drowning. Why did David have to text him? His life was going so well. The bastard always found a way to screw things up. He knew where Steven was most vulnerable and used it to his advantage.

Steven was finally feeling free, and his head was finally clearing,

“Why do you love me? Is it because we’re mates?” Steven asked as he laid his forehead on his knee and ran his hand back and forth over his head. He walked away from what was hurting, only for it to find him.

“That’s part of it, but not all of it,” Roman said softly. “You make me smile, laugh, and I want to be a better man for you. The rest of my life was meant to be spent with you. I look at you, Steven, and know I
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couldn’t take another breath if I ever lost you. I don’t want to hurt you. I want to restore you.”

A sob broke from Steven’s throat. How did he end up with someone like Roman? He didn’t deserve him, didn’t deserve the love Roman so freely gave.

“I know it hurts, tiger. I wish I could heal you, but all I can offer is my love.”

Steven’s head snapped up when Roman knelt in front of him, caressing his hair and then kneading the back of his neck. Steven dropped his phone and scrambled into his mate’s arms, clinging to him so tightly, his nails dug into Roman’s back.

“You are healing me, just by loving me.” Steven noticed Roman’s truck parked in front of the resource center and wondered how he hadn’t heard it.

Roman kissed his head as he ran his hands over Steven’s back. “I know you still have some feeling for him. It hurts, but I accept that.

You’re human and need time.”

Steven felt like he was betraying their bond by feeling this way.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, tiger. If you walked away with nothing but hatred in your heart, there would be no chance for us.” Steven wiped his eyes, pulling back slightly to look up at Roman.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Roman swiped at Steven’s tears with his thumbs. “It means you have a big heart, capable of loving unconditionally. You’ll mend, give it time.” Roman leaned down and kissed Steven. It was the softest and most tender kiss Steven had ever had.

“I don’t want to go back.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Roman stood, pulling Steven up with him as he grabbed Steven’s phone from the ground. He walked over to his truck and opened the passenger door, setting Steven on the seat. “I wouldn’t give you up without a fight.” He brushed the hair that blew in Steven’s face, and then inserted his body between Steven’s legs.

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He ran his hands over Roman’s chest, staring up into those amazing grey eyes. “I love you.”

Roman dipped his head and sipped at Steven’s lips. “I love you, too, tiger.” Steven looked past Roman at the clouds drifting by, wondering if his life will ever make sense. He knew his mate made him happy, the happiest he had ever been. There was no way he would ever give that up. Not for David, not for his insecurities, and not for anything else in the world.

“I have to get back. Do you want to come with me?” Roman asked as he held Steven tight in his arms.

“You wouldn’t mind?”

Roman leaned back, looking down at Steven with all the love he felt shining in his eyes. “You’re always welcome wherever I am.

Packs support mated couples and would do anything for them,” he said quietly.

Steven turned in the seat, buckling himself in and feeling like a true idiot. How could he ever be confused about Roman?

“There are a lot of people who live there. You may feel overwhelmed,” Roman warned as he started the truck. “Just keep in mind that they are a nice pack. None of them would do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

“Okay.”

“Except Cecil. From my understanding, don’t agree to anything he may plan.”

Steven thought that odd advice but nodded anyway. Who was Cecil, and why did he have to steer clear of him?

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Steven sat stiffly on the couch as an
elf
shimmered into the room and took a seat next to him. He was not going to faint, he was not going to faint.