Page 6 of Adding Fuel To The Flames

Dain tried to stop Day. "What the fuck is going on? Do you know the guy harassing my son?"

* * * *

Ethan had heard horror stories about Salem Brady. If this was the same man as the one Ethan had been told about, Rhys was in some serious danger. Ethan didn't like people being bullied or harmed by others and had been working for years with men and women who were battered and abused. The thing is, something about Rhys being a victim of abuse sat even more badly with not only Ethan, but his phoenix, as well. It was a feeling he recognized as how he would feel if someone went after Day this way. He was very confused by his reaction to Rhys, as well as feeling guilty for thinking these thoughts, along with his body's reaction since meeting the man.

When Rhys had been talking to his father and telling him his deepest pain, Ethan felt almost an unbelievable urge to grab Rhys and comfort him. Somehow find a way to make the man's hurt go away. When he had touched Rhys, Ethan couldn't believe it when his cock hardened and lust filled his blood and mind. Something was wrong with him and he didn't know what to do. Ethan would never cheat on his mate, but these feelings were seriously powerful.

Placing the call Day ordered, Ethan tried to push away his thoughts so he could deal with this new threat.

"Illan here."

"Illan, we may have a problem. We're not sure, but Day is trying to make a positive ID right now."

"Ethan, you're not making sense. What's the problem and who is Day trying to get an ID on?"

"Salem Brady."

Nothing but silence was on the other end for a few moments and Ethan wasn't sure Illan had heard him. "Illan, did you hear me?"

"Don't go to Zev's. I'll have Destrain bring all of us to the club."

"Yes, sir."

* * * *

"What the hell was so important that my mate and I were interrupted in our moment of blissful togetherness?" Jett grumbled as he walked into the club with Zev.

Finn scoffed, "If no one was allowed to interrupt your 'blissful togetherness' you would never be seen again."

Jett wiggled his brows. "But what a way to go. Have you seen my man?"

Marco growled, then hissed, "He better never, or I will tell Twixie."

“Before or after you rip off my balls?" Finn asked with a snort, lightly kissing his mate.

Day watched Rhys sitting there listening to the banter from brother to brother and mate to mate. Sadness filled the little man's eyes, and Day couldn't believe how sad his own heart became. He wanted nothing more than to console the man and that brought Day ramrod straight. Giving an anxious look at Ethan, guilt filled him to his core. How dare he look at another man the way he did Ethan? Ethan was his mate and everyone knew that no mate cheated on the other by action or thought. None of this shit made any sense to him, at all. However, he owed it to his mate to be open and clear, that even though he was having these feelings and thoughts, Ethan was his mate and he loved him more than life itself.

Illan walked in, bringing Day's attention to the here and now, and the possible new threat to his family and friends. Leaning to his mate, Day whispered, "We need to talk about Rhys when this meeting is over."

Ethan's eyes went huge and Day couldn't make out the look his mate was giving to him as the man nodded and then turned his attention back to Illan.

"Some of you may not know, but the night of Levi's attack on us, Rhys was brutally attacked at a club in Aspen. He was left for dead, but a passerby found him and called for help,” Illan said aloud, then his voice filled with remorse as he looked at Rhys. "Destrain, Dain, and I did not take his situation seriously and for that, I'm so very sorry, Rhys."

Pauly sat forward. "Wait, I'm confused, Rhys is a pixie. How in the hell could someone get close enough to hurt him, let alone damn near kill him? Besides that, if one of our own was attacked, why the hell would none of you take it seriously and inform me of the situation?"

Illan looked away guiltily and Rhys whispered, "Because they thought it was my fault and were angry with me."

Jett did a double take. "How could you getting your ass kicked be your fault? Did you strike first or something?"

Shaking his head, Rhys replied, "No."

Ryder sat up. "Rhys, will you explain to us what happened?"

Rhys went over the events from that night and once he finished, Ryder looked at Justice. "Justice, why didn't you contact me?"

Before Justice could say anything, Illan jumped in. "Because I asked him not to. I screwed up, Ryder."

"No, Dain and I fucked this one up, badly. We thought Rhys had led the man on and it brought on some ugly consequences. Rhys has always gone around kissing strangers and we had warned him time and time again about what could happen," Destrain replied in sadness.