Page 92 of Broken Bonds

But then I recall our earlier talks about how, after months of him being gone, his father’s henchmen showed up to drag him back.

Multiple times.

I know how this bullshit works. If Mal conveniently turns up dead somewhere, Sterling can use it as a bump in the polls for his US House run. Oh, pity the poor, devoted father who desperately tried, repeatedly, to help his wayward son.

Not like anyone in their pack would speak up. Maybe Mal’s mother, but she’s probably terrified of Sterling and wouldn’t dare speak out for fear of her own life.

It’s thoughts like that—and unrealistic revenge fantasies of my own—that fill my drive to Jax and Shawn’s. Jax has already left for the rec center but Shawn’s still there and opens the door before I even make it up the walk.

“Hey,” he says. “Guest hall bath’s all ready for you.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry this is a pain in the ass.” We switch car keys.

Shawn shrugs. “None of this is your doing, Todd.” He smiles. “So, how was the pup’s first time in the fun room?”

Finally, something I can laugh about. “I think he’s hooked. Over breakfast he basically offered himself up to me anytime I want.”

“Oooh!” Shawn smiles. “This other shit’s sucky timing but I can’t wait to see what happens when we can put him through initiation.” He nudges me with his elbow. “Maybe he’s the one, hmm?”

I feel my face redden. “He’s young. He’s also going through a lot. And we didn’t exactly rip our clothes off each other in my yard that first time we met, sooo…” I shrug. “What if he meets someone during initiation that flips that switch for him? That would…” I swallow, unshed tears stinging my eyes. “That would suck.”

Shawn squeezes my shoulder. “Todd, I’ve only met him the one time, so I can’t really give an opinion. But I trust your opinion. And your whole energy feels… different.” He waves his hands in front of my body. “I’m not into woo-woo bullshit, you know that. But you strike me as a man whose soul has settled on someone and now no one else will do.”

“Yeah, but I remember you and Jax telling me what it was like when you guys met. And I’ve seen it when mate bonds hit other people.”

“And what about your mom?” he counters. “And others. Iris and Caleb didn’t have a mate bond and now look at how long they’ve been together, and in love. Happy. They aren’t the only ones I’ve seen form a bond over time. You can always try wooing him.”

“Thought you just said you weren’t into woo-woo,” I snark, and he rolls his eyes at me.

“You’re an asshole,” Shawn says, poking me in the chest. “Romance him. Yeah, you can’t take him out places right now, but cook with him, take walks with him, go running with him.” He pokes me again. “Work him up so hard on the frame that he’s begging for your cock and will do anything for you.” He waggles his eyebrows at me. “See if he likes wearing chastity cages.”

“I don’t want him to become my mate just because of any of that.”

“No, but if you roll his eyes back in his head enough times, he might cling to your leg and never want to let go. And while he’s young and has been through a lot, Mal strikes me as the kind of guy who can make up his own mind. Look how long he resisted his father before escaping. And how he escaped. That kid’s no pushover.”

“What if he has to leave?” I quietly ask. “What if I do all that and in a day or a week or a month Jax orders him moved somewhere else? Then what do I do?”

He sighs. “Let’s pray it never gets to that.”

I shower and drive Shawn’s car over to where Jax is already in the rec center. When I open the door, I notice none of the lights are on in the cavernous space, except for some at the far end in the section holding the kitchens, bathrooms, and locker rooms, and the hallway leading out to the pool deck.

“Jax?”

“Back here.”

I follow the sound of his voice and find him in the men’s locker room, staring up at the narrow row of glass blocks lining the outer wall of the space. But he doesn’t have the lights on in here, either.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He points at them. “We need to make planks to fully cover those in both locker rooms.”

“For the outside?”

“No, inside. The storm shutters, those can’t be easily ripped off in one pull because of how they’re bolted to the building.”

“Ah.” I immediately catch his thought. “Safer to board it up on the inside.”

“Exactly. I’m thinking we can tape them in place with some of that tape you used to temporarily repair the hole in our lanai roof that time.”