Page 5

5

E cho stared up at the ceiling, trying not to let the panic eat away at him. He’d been weak and they’d done the unthinkable. Mael had to leave. They couldn’t do that again… ever.

Mael pressed a kiss to his shoulder before pulling out and climbing from the bed, still wearing his jeans pushed low. His cock was still out and swung heavily as he moved “Fuck, dolphin… I wasn’t expecting that.”

“What do you mean by that?” Echo asked, frowning.

Mael wandered toward the bathroom. “I can’t remember the last time I came that hard. I guess what they say about the shy, quiet ones is true. They’re a hot piece of ass.”

A hot piece of ass. That’s all he was. Echo was glad to hear that instead of pepi or the hint of sweetness when Mael said it. It was one and done, and they’d go their separate ways.

Mael emptied his bladder, washed his hands, and then snagged a washcloth from the shell filled with fresh ones. After he wiped his cock off, he brought it to the bed. Silent, he gently cleaned his cum from Echo’s body. He was such an odd contrast, both dominant and tender. While the assertive alpha behavior was a turn-on that shouldn’t have been a turn-on, it was the soft underbelly moments that would be Echo’s undoing.

He stared up at the gorgeous orca, suddenly struck by how much he wanted to be undone.

That couldn’t happen, though.

“Now that you’ve gotten your answers and had your piece of ass, I suppose you can leave,” Echo muttered, pulling away from Mael’s touch. When he rolled over to his bottom, he dragged the tangled comforter over his lap.

Mael stared at him, silent. After a few seconds, he shook his head and tossed the washcloth into the bathroom. “Nah. I’m going to stay.”

Echo’s jaw dropped at the refusal.

Mael climbed into bed and laid his head on the pillow before dragging Echo closer. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Gimme an hour or two and we can have round two.”

Echo had opened the door and offered a quick, easy escape. He’d expected Mael to take it, with pleasure. Why the fuck was he still lying in Echo’s bed?

“Who invited you to stay for round two?”

Mael lifted one eyelid. “I wasn’t invited for round one, but that didn’t stop me from making you scream.” He closed his eye again and settled deeper into the pillow. “Comfy bed. I approve.”

Echo’s jaw tightened. “You should go.”

In another flash, Mael was on top of him, pinning him to the mattress. Mael captured both of his wrists in one hand and then yanked them over Echo’s head. Echo gazed up at him, shivering. The orca lowered his head, his lips less than an inch away from Echo’s. Echo’s back arched, pressing his chest harder against the steely one above him.

Mael traced a finger down Echo’s cheek. “Do you really want me to go?”

Echo opened his mouth to say yes but couldn’t. In all honesty, he wanted Mael to stay. Something deep down wanted it to be the forever kind of thing that it absolutely couldn’t be. “We never should’ve had a round one. Round two is pressing our luck.”

“Should’ve… could’ve… I don’t care much for rules. I wanted you. You wanted me. So we fucked. And it was amazing.” He traced his fingers over Echo’s lips before stealing a kiss. “I plan to fuck you again tonight. Maybe again tomorrow morning before I leave.”

“You think you’re spending the night?” Echo asked, alarmed.

“How else am I getting morning sex?” Mael asked, grinning.

“What if someone sees you here? In the daylight?”

“You live far from your neighbors. No one’s going to see,” Mael said. “And who cares even if they did? We’re not breaking any laws.”

“We both know it’s not that simple,” Echo replied.

“You’re overthinking this,” Mael said, grinning, his teeth bright white against his tan skin. Dimples formed on each cheek, and Echo’s wombs clenched at the sight of them. “And if you’re capable of thought right now, I clearly didn’t fuck you hard enough. I can’t leave until I know you’re completely and utterly satisfied.”

“This isn’t a joke,” Echo said, fighting a smile as hard as he could.

“Who’s joking?” Mael lowered his head and pressed his lips to Echo’s. When he rose, all traces of humor were gone. He released Echo’s wrists, but didn’t get up. “If you can honestly say you want me to leave, I’ll go right now.”

He searched Echo’s face, waiting for an answer.

Echo opened his mouth but couldn’t force the lie past his lips. Stupidly, he felt safe in Mael’s arms. A killer’s arms. He was nowhere near safe.

Yet that’s how he felt, stupid or not. Maelstrom was big, bold, and badassed. And that big, bold, badassed bad boy wanted him. For what reason, he didn’t know, but Maelstrom wanted him.

The geeky little guy who most other dolphins barely noticed.

For the first time in his life, Echo felt alluring.

Mael made him feel coveted.

And that sensation could prove addictive in the worst possible way—especially when it could all be a game. Was Mael there for him or for whatever treasure might be out in the ocean?

“I could end up exiled for this.”

“I don’t plan to narc on you about crossing into our territory. You’re safe.”

That did help calm some of Echo’s nerves—a little. “I didn’t mean that. I mean this. You and me. What we did tonight.”

Mael frowned. “We’re two consenting adults. And as I said, it’s not against our laws. I checked.”

“No written ones,” Echo argued. He scoffed. “Your pod would have no problems with you being in my bed tonight?”

Mael hesitated long enough that Echo got his answer.

“Just as I expected,” Echo murmured. “They won’t like this any more than my pod will, will they?”

“They’ll get over it,” Mael replied. “They can’t fight fate. No more than we can.”

Echo’s eyes widened, but he was too shocked to speak. The tether he’d felt and denied… had it not been a figment of his imagination?

“I know you feel it. There’s no way you don’t,” Mael whispered. “You belong to me. I belong to you.”

Echo shook his head, even as he sensed the truth. “We both know that’s impossible.”

“Do we?” Mael asked.

Why would fate be so cruel? “Our pods would never allow it!”

“I don’t hear a denial of what we are in that statement,” Mael said. “Do you feel it?”

“It doesn’t matter what I feel.”

“I think it does,” Mael snapped.

“It could never happen,” Echo said. “So why torture ourselves?”

“We don’t know that unless we try,” Mael murmured.

“And what if one or the both of us ends up exiled?”

“Then we leave and start our own pod,” Mael said.

Leave his home? Echo barely knew Mael… and he was supposed to consider giving up everything and running off into the sunset with a virtual stranger?

Yes, because he’s my mate.

Echo ignored the little voice in his head.

“It won’t come to that,” Mael said. “My family might not like it… at first… but there’s no way they’d exile me or stop me from my fate.”

“I’m glad you’re that confident. I’m not. I don’t think my pod would be as accepting.”

Mael sighed. “Do you really want to lay down and accept defeat before the fight even begins?”

Echo let out a tremulous breath. “You’re asking me to potentially give up my home, my family, my friends, my work—all for a man I don’t know.”

A man who made him feel wanted like no one ever had.

“Give up now and we’ll never have a chance to know if we’re worth fighting for,” Mael replied. “You might be willing to walk away from your mate, but I’m not.”

Your mate. Hearing the word come from Mael’s mouth was a shock to his system.

“I’m just… scared,” Echo whispered.

“I know, baby,” Mael murmured. “This won’t be easy for either of us, but it’s worth the attempt. Isn’t it?”

“Fate or not, I stand to lose everything.”

“What do you stand to gain?” Mael asked.

Echo blinked a few times, struck by the question. What did he stand to gain? Love? Children? A family of his own? There’s no way he could turn his back on that. Could he?

“Could we…” Echo sighed, almost too embarrassed to ask the question. “We don’t even know if we’re… compatible. Dolphins and orcas aren’t in the wild. I’ve never heard of those two shifters mating, either.”

“I can’t answer that,” Mael said. He rolled off Echo and lay on his side, pressing his palm to Echo’s belly. “But I don’t imagine fate would throw us together if there wasn’t a chance.” He caressed Echo’s flat stomach. “Two seconds ago, you called me a stranger. Now you’re already thinking about carrying my children?”

“I’m not ready to carry anyone’s children. But what if an orca and a dolphin can’t have calves? Someday in the future, I want a family.”

“We won’t know if we can until we try, but that’s way off in the future.”

Echo sighed. “You’d really leave your entire life behind… for me? The man you called a danger to your people less than an hour ago?”

“I knew you weren’t dangerous.”

“So why’d you suggest I was?” Echo asked.

“I wanted answers. I pushed until I got them. It worked.” He grinned, sliding a hand under Echo’s ass. “I hadn’t planned on pushing quite that hard, but I got the impression you wanted me to.”

He glared at Mael, frustrated to be that transparent.

“You’re even cuter when you’re flustered,” Mael murmured, grinning.

“You’re damned straight I’m flustered. I don’t often have strangers break into my house and bully me into bed.”

“Bully you into bed?” Mael chuckled. “The rougher I was, the wetter you got. I caught scent of your slick in the bar, and it’s only gotten stronger as the night progressed.”

Echo’s cheeks burned.

“You wanted rough. I could see it in your eyes,” Mael murmured. “You liked the danger. Didn’t you?”

Echo closed his eyes, embarrassed he’d enjoyed it so much.

A rough hand clasped his chin.

“Answer me, Echo.”

Echo shuddered, the rough treatment turning him on again. “I did.”

“You did what?”

“You say you’re not a bully… but here you are bullying me into an answer.”

Mael wouldn’t be denied. “You… did… what?”

Echo scowled. “I liked it rough. I liked the danger. The harder you were on me, the more it turned me on. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“It is what I wanted to hear . ” Mael’s smile slowly widened. He stroked Echo’s cheek with his fingertips. “I want to know everything that turns you on. I want to make your fantasies come true.” He rubbed his thumb over Echo’s bottom lip. “Don’t ever hide or be ashamed of your needs, pepi. Not with me.”

“You make us sound like a done deal,” Echo murmured.

“You’re my forever, Echo.”

Echo held Mael’s gaze.

“Unless you tell me to leave,” Mael said, his voice almost a whisper. “I’m going to take a nap. I have a reputation to uphold, and I need rest before I fuck you again.”

Echo chuckled, shaking his head. “You fucked me senseless earlier. Your reputation is safe.”

After turning off the light beside the bed, Mael dragged Echo against him. “Senseless isn’t good enough. Brains must be melted, or I’ve not done my job.” He slid his hand under Echo’s sweater vest. “Let’s get the rest of these clothes off.”

“I’m too tired,” Echo said, brushing Mael’s hand away. He spun to his side, little spoon to Mael’s big one. “I’ll take it off later.”

“Get some rest,” Mael murmured, wrapping an arm around Echo. “It’s going to be a long night.”

Echo struggled to sleep, though.

While he might be safe from breaking the treaty, a war might still be coming because of them. He hoped that wasn’t the case. Once Mael began to lightly snore, he traced a finger over one of the orca’s big hands. Big, strong hands that had killed… and been gentle, too.

Could he trust the boogeyman to be strong enough to protect them and their futures? He wasn’t sure.